Ricky Martin is set to release his memoir, Me, on November 2.

Martin said in a statement Thursday that the project led him to extract memories that he had erased from his mind. He said the book was not easy but allowed for an “incredible spiritual journey.”

USA TODAY’s Cindy Clark reports that the Grammy-Award winning artist opens up for the first time about his early childhood, his experiences as a member of the boy band Menudo, and coming to terms with his sexuality. Martin also talks about being a father and his work with children around the world.

Martin has said that preparing to write the book was one of the reasons he decided to reveal earlier this year that he is gay.

There will also be a Spanish language edition released in Spanish the same day, titled Yo, which is Spanish for “I.”

Neil Patrick Harris confirmed rumors on Saturday, and announced via Twitter that he and longtime partner David Burtka are expecting twins in the fall.

The pair have already started planning their baby shower, according to E! News, who first reported the twins were on the way, via a surrogate.

“So, get this: David and I are expecting twins this fall. We’re super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy,” Harris “tweeted.”

Later in the day, the expectant dads hammed it up at Disneyland.

Harris is up for three Emmys this month — one for Best Supporting Actor Comedy on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” a second for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for “Glee” and a third for hosting last year’s Tony Awards.

Burtka has experience with twins; he helped to raise twins from a relationship with a previous boyfriend, although he wasn’t a primary parent to them.

Props to actress Renee Zellweger, who showed her support for marriage equality this week by taking a break from her daily dose of caffeine at a Los Angeles-area Starbucks to engage with a gay rights supporter — and sign his petition in support of same-sex marriage.

Renee, you had us at “hello!”

Adam Lambert proves he's a glam superstar. His tour is nearly sold-out.

Adam Lambert is selling out venues across the U.S. with his Glam Nation Tour, which features fellow American Idol alumni Allison Iraheta and enough rhinestones and glitter to cover the Statue of Liberty.

Lambert’s otherwordly voice is reportedly in better shape than ever, and he brings on the outrageous Broadway-style costumes and theatrics reminiscent of the Master of Ceremonies in “Cabaret”.

However, in this production, Lambert is more Liza-as-Sally Bowles than Joel Grey. Despite all the costumes, risque moments, lasers, video screens, and flashing lights, the show is all about self-empowerment and being who you want to be.

MTV says, “Lambert channeled Dr. Phil several times during the show, doling out self-help platitudes any chance he got. By sharing about his life (and perhaps oversharing about how a dance move hurt his man-parts), the glittery star brought himself down to earth.”

But make no mistake, the Golden Voice is a master of working his fans into a frenzy, and he is there solely to give them their money’s worth.  Lambert consistently delivers the goods, and brings in the crowds wherever he goes, whether it be in New York City or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he played at the House of Blues last night.  Fans at both venues came out in full force and were wowed by Lambert’s electric energy and showmanship.

Lambert, perhaps because of his stint on AI, has the uncanny ability to draw incredibly diverse audiences at every stop.  Fans who lined up for the House of Blues show included mostly women, young kids, some straight men, and gay fans, according to Out Impact.   Local writer Bambi Weavil said, “If there was any doubt that Lambert could draw a diverse crowd, all doubt can be laid to rest that he appeals to everyone.”

After seeing the concert, Weavil raved, “Do not pass up seeing Lambert if you have the opportunity to go, especially in an intimate setting like the House of Blues, for any reason – you’ll leave feeling entertained, energized and re-inspired on your own path to keep going and to always be who you are.”

Lambert is criss-crosssing the country, bringing his traveling circus to cities both large and small.  Next up, he will appear in Knoxville, TN, and then make his way west, playing the venerable Warfield in San Francisco, CA on July 23 and 25.  The tour ends September 21 in Washington state.  Then Lambert takes the show overseas.

Click here for a full schedule of Adam’s concert and TV appearances, and to buy tickets (if you’re lucky enough to get them).

Levi Johnston wants to take off the boxing gloves with the Palins.

Just days after appearing on an episode of Kathy Griffin’s “My Life on the D-List” reality show, where the hilarious comedian went to Alaska to visit her faux boyfriend Levi Johnston, the Playgirl stud is saying he wants to bury the hatchet with the Palin family.

During the episode, Griffin was determined to get into the “Palin Compound” using Levi, and tried several times to make him talk about Sarah, Todd, and Bristol. Johnston went along with it a bit, even driving Griffin by the Palins’ home. But mostly, he remained uncharacteristically quiet, particularly in light of the scathing interview he gave Vanity Fair last year, titled, “Me and Mrs. Palin”, in which he tore into the former Alaska Governer-turned-media magnate and was highly critical of the way she and Todd raised their children.

But now Johnston has told People magazine he wants to improve his relations with the Palin family, particularly Sarah Palin:

“Last year, after Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry,” Johnston said. “Unfortunately, against my better judgment, I publicly said things about the Palins that were not completely true. So to the Palin family in general and to Sarah Palin in particular, please accept my regrets and forgive my youthful indiscretion. I hope one day to restore your trust.”

Sarah Palin has yet to issue a statement in response to Johnston’s apology. It appears to come after he and Bristol Palin both realized they needed to put aside their differences and hostilities for the sake of their child, Tripp. Either that, or he was strong-armed into it.

Bristol Palin spoke of the “need for good co-parenting” in People, which she described as “creating healthy and honest relationships between the parents” (someone’s been reading self-help books). Bristol added, “Tripp one day needs to know the truth and needs to know that even if a mistake is made the honorable thing to do is to own up to it.”

Okey-dokey, then.

Joe Manganiello joins 'True Blood' this season as Alcide

True Blood fans are in for a treat this season, with the addition of hunky Joe Manganiello.

The cute, sensitive actor, best known for his work on One Tree Hill, beefed up for the role, becoming the towering, muscle-bound (and oft-naked) werewolf Alcide on Alan Ball’s hit HBO series.

In Charlaine Harris‘ books (which are loosely followed by Ball), Alcide is described by Sookie as follows:

“He was huge. His eyes were green. His tousled hair was curly and thick and black as pitch. His brain buzzed and pulsed with energy. Kind of a red effect. Werewolf. Big as a boulder, with biceps that I could do pull-ups on. He would have to shave a second time if he planned on going out in the evening. He would fit right in on a construction site or a wharf.”

Manganiello has appeared on numerous TV shows besides One Tree Hill, including CSI:Miami, How I Met Your Mother, and ER.   However, his biggest role to date was on a short-lived series in 2007 called American Heiress.

Alcide is sent by Eric to protect Sookie while she searches for Bill

Alcide made his first appearance in last week’s episode, sent by Eric to help Sookie find her true love Bill, who is being held captive by Russell, the Vampire King of Mississippi. However, Sookie and Alcide soon develop some hot chemistry of their own.

Alcide is described in the books as a “proper gentleman”, and on the show he is saddled by a crazy relationship with a woman who is destined to cause trouble.  But his purpose is to protect Sookie.

Manganielllo said in an interview with HBO, “Alcide presents a very interesting option for Sookie … he starts off, obviously, as a bodyguard and protector, and they’re both kind of in interesting spots as far as relationships go … I don’t know what I can say much more than that. It definitely percolates.”

Manganiello will be in the buff for most of season three

Manganiello also calls himself “the piece of meat this year” and said he worked with Hugh Jackman’s “Wolverine” trainer Ron Matthews to get ripped for the role.

“On this show,” he said, “you’re going to be showing some skin at some point.  So I did two workouts a day.  My shoulders and arms got a lot bigger, but my waist got way smaller.  I’ve had to get all new jeans.”

We can’t wait to see him out of them!

True Blood resumes Sunday, July 11 at 9 p.m. on HBO (check local listings).

Moore

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The “The Hours” star, who plays a lesbian mom opposite Annette Bening in the upcoming “The Kids Are All Right” — due in theaters July 9 — told WENN.com regarding gay marriage, “Absolutely, everyone should have the same rights. It’s a right, no one should be denied that.”

Moore said she is dismayed that gay couples have been banned from celebrating their love in a traditional wedding ceremony.

Rapper Eminem, famed for his homophobic lyrics, appears to have had a change of heart and has declared his support of gay marriage — cynically anyway — saying “everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable.”

In an interview with The New York Times Magazine that will be published this weekend, the rapper said his “overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be.”

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, said: “I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable.”

DeGeneres

According to Gary McCullough, the director of Christian Newswire, Idol‘s decline can be directly linked to DeGeneres, whom he describes as a “lesbian activist” whose “lesbian one-liners” are hurting the shows ratings.

Says McCullough:

At this moment in entertainment history, network television is on a pro-homosexuality bender.

The producers of American Idol chose to be a part of this push; it was a huge mistake. The consequences of this choice were a drop in market share and a reduction in advertising dollars.

While many entertainers who profess an alternate sexual lifestyle are individually accepted and enjoyed by the public — when sexual behavior becomes their identifying trait in a specific broadcast, it limits the audience they will draw …

There is of course the insane possibility that Hollywood will forsake ratings – and the dollars that follow – and continue down the path of change. Perhaps next we will see the pro-pedophilia group NAMBLA use its influence in Hollywood to have “Dancing with the Stars” seat Roman Polanski as a judge.

Yes, he just compared homosexuality to pedophilia and statutory rape.

Lest we forget that The Ellen DeGeneres Show, now in its 7th year, attracts an average 5.2 million viewers daily, making it one of the highest-rated daytime shows.

Ellen has openly referred to her wife Portia de Rossi on her show more than a few times — to an audience of soccer moms who travel from all over the country and stand in line for hours hoping for seat in her studio.

And as for “Dancing With the Stars,” — which has scored some of its highest ratings ever this season — the very openly gay Bruno Tonioli is already on the judges panel.

Do your homework, Gary.

Pride of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and a former light-heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will make his acting debut as Sgt. Bosco “Bad Attitude” Baracus in the upcoming big-screen version of “The A-Team” — but Jackson’s bad attitude appears to be more than just an on-screen persona.

Jackson

Jackson has come under fire for a series of homophobic and anti-gay remarks, and in equating acting with homosexuality.

In an unflattering profile in the Los Angeles Times, Jackson spoke of his experience filming in Vancouver, saying “Acting is kind of gay.”

“It makes you soft. You got all these people combing your hair and putting a coat over your shoulders when you’re cold. I don’t want a coat over my shoulders! I’m a tough-ass (expletive)!

“Vancouver strikes me as a San Francisco-kind of place. And I don’t want (expletive) getting ideas about me. I feel in my heart I’m the toughest (expletive) on the planet. And I don’t want nothing changing my train of thought. If you don’t believe that when we step inside the octagon, it shows.”

The Times also reported an incident on the “A-Team” set where a crew member threw a homophobic slur at Jackson (possibly as a joke), and the fighter responded with “barely contained fury.”

Jackson reportedly spouted gay slurs back at the crew member before finally declaring him a “punk” and throwing him off the set.

Read the full article at the Los Angeles Times.

Image: TMZ.com

Klein and Pfeiffer were featured on “Extra” a few days ago, and during the interview Pfeiffer claimed to have had a romantic relationship with Jackson.

On Friday, Klein told TMZ that Jackson was gay and Pfeiffer was “the love of his life.”

Pfeiffer says, “Michael was not ashamed of his sexuality.”

Since their statements became widely public this week, Klein and Pfeiffer said they have received numerous “horrible death threats.”

They have both been in touch with the FBI and now say they have bodyguards.

According to the Advocate, the Tupelo, Miss. event, scheduled for May 8, is being organized by the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition and is open to all students, regardless of sexual orientation.

The prom is an annual event, but this year it has drawn national attention because of the case of Constance McMillen, a high school senior who challenged her school district’s rule banning same-sex dates at proms.

Last month, the Itawamba County School District refused to allow McMillen, 18, to bring a female date to her high school prom and then canceled the event.

She went to federal court, and a judge ruled the district had violated her civil rights, but he did not order the district to hold the prom, because a parent-sponsored event was being scheduled away from the school.

However, McMillen said that the parent-organized prom happened behind her back, and on April 2 she and her date were sent to to a “fake prom” that attracted only five other students.

The American Humanist Association also will contribute $20,000 for the May 8 event in Tupelo.

There’s been a lot of commotion regarding Ricky Martin’s recent coming out statement on his official website. As with most things in life these days, I learned about the news on Facebook.

So, I immediately posted about the news as well and quickly joined in the jubilee of queerness and pranced about the office like a middle school-aged boy who accidently touched hands with his classroom crush. I even committed the blasphemy of comparing the news to that of Health Care Reform and the release of Apple’s iPad (insert sound of angel choir here).

And then, of course, there was the storm of cattiness that followed the news. As a queer Xicano, I admit that sarcasm is built into my genetic code. The survivor of four Christian-themed religions and 500+ years of white supremacist occupation, I find humor, irony and disbelief in most things. Still, yesterday I just wanted to celebrate.

I agree that the fact that Ricky is gay is not all that shocking. Queer men and not long speculated or asserted that he shook his bon bon far too well to be straight. Plus, for us jotos/maricones/patos, there was the added benefit of dreaming him up queer, which somehow put us that much closer to his arms.

Still, as the catty remarks continue, as people boast about how they knew and think he should have done this 10 years ago, or sassy queens dismiss the news as inconsequential, I say, look beyond our borders (geographic, cultural, and age-based) and take a minute to honor the fact that for many, Ricky’s coming out is groundbreaking, perhaps even life-saving.

So Ricky was doing more than living la vida loca; he was, in fact, a loca. To the trained eye, this is just confirmation that our gaydar runs on more than hormones and dreams.

Hormones, dreams and cattiness aside, I challenge the ungleeful remarks about Ricky’s coming out.

As with most performers who began as Spanish-language artists, Ricky began over 10 years ago. The Barbara Walters interview (assuming it was Barbara, I can never tell who is behind that cloud of light) did have me on the edge of my teenage self, hoping he’d come out and proclaim his gayness, but it wasn’t his beginning. Ricky’s career began decades ago.

Long before the Latin Explosion, which was more of a Latin Spark, Ricky had left his imprint on the Spanish pop scene of the late 80’s and early to mid-90’s. Back when Thalía and Paulina were still artists and relevant, before Gloria Trevi’s traumatic (for her and her fans) imprisonment in Brazil, and before Alejandra Guzmán would be hospitalized for too much botox on her behind, there was a cultural movement in Latin America.

As a pre-teen growing up in a rural town of 300 in northern México, Thalía, Paulina, Gloria, Alejandra and Ricky were my window into another world. Their performances pushed, albeit at times gently and censured, the boundaries of repressive cultural norms. From flowers wrapped around a microphone to songs about teen pregnancy and abortion, these young performers were resisting and embodying another realm of cultural possibilities. Ricky gave boys the excuse (and perhaps reason) to shake our hips in ways that would otherwise be condemned as obscene.

The dismissal of Ricky’s coming out seems to be rooted in an U.S.-centric perspective where we have the opportunity to stop celebrating any queer image on TV and offer our critique. There is so much gayness these days that we can spend our days and dissertations balking at how a character isn’t gay enough, is too gay, is too white, etc. And although we don’t actually have the type of representation GLAAD and I would like to see, we have a whole lot more than we did in México in 1992 (except, of course, Ricky gently caressing his long hair on stage… oh, and Locomía).

I am not critiquing the fact that we spend so much time criticizing queer portrayals in the media. To the contrary, I am celebrating the fact that we can. In fact, I’d go further and ask why queer people of color media performance and productions are so weak, lame and superficial. Having once curating a queer people of color cultural arts program, I know we can do better.

What I am critiquing is that our criticisms of Ricky’s coming out has us falling into the pitfall of imagining and defining all things queer through a U.S. lens. I even joked about the fact that he used the term “homosexual” to define himself. And now, in retrospect I find that identifying as a “fortunate homosexual” was much more powerful than a simple “gay.”

Perhaps for the jaded queen living in urban U.S., the oversaturation of gayness in the media has deemed Ricky insignificant and worthy of our dismissal. For that frightened and confused 12 year old in rural Chihuahua, it’s monumental.

My coming out process was stumped by the fact that I could not even imagine my queerness, let alone live it. At the time, the saturation of gayness was mostly strictly white. It wasn’t until queer brown men like Jaime Cortez and Emanuel Xavier fearlessly (or perhaps fearfully) exposed their work and their bodies to the sun of public criticism, that I was able to imagine myself.

Whether U.S. fags approve or not, Ricky is a prominent figure here, and more importantly, in Latino América. Ricky’s coming out makes it possible for young boys in countless homes to imagine themselves as something other than confused.

For this, I say to Ricky: gracias. And, you know where to find me.

“Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment. These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.”

Martin ends his post with, “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”

Following is the full text of Martin’s post:

A few months ago I decided to write my memoirs, a project I knew was going to bring me closer to an amazing turning point in my life. From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside. Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And this is something worth celebrating.

For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly and that’s the stage. Being on stage fills my soul in many ways, almost completely. It’s my vice. The music, the lights and the roar of the audience are elements that make me feel capable of anything. This rush of adrenaline is incredibly addictive. I don’t ever want to stop feeling these emotions. But it is serenity that brings me to where I’m at right now. An amazing emotional place of comprehension, reflection and enlightenment. At this moment I’m feeling the same freedom I usually feel only on stage, without a doubt, I need to share.

Many people told me: “Ricky it’s not important”, “it’s not worth it”, “all the years you’ve worked and everything you’ve built will collapse”, “many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature”. Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions.

If someone asked me today, “Ricky, what are you afraid of?” I would answer “the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war…child slavery, terrorism…the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith.” But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, It fills me with strength and courage. This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment.

These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.

What will happen from now on? It doesn’t matter. I can only focus on what’s happening to me in this moment. The word “happiness” takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.

I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.

– Ricky Martin, March 29, 2010

Cynthia Nixon (left) and Joy Behar

Nixon was honored for her work fighting for gay marriage.

“We are bringing marriage back to its fundamentals and revitalizing it from its roots up,” the Sex and the City actress said at the award gala in New York City on Saturday night.

Behar, a co-host of ABC’s The View and host of her own nightly talk show on HLN, received the Excellence in Media award for advocating for gay rights issues on her shows.

Brothers & Sisters was handed the outstanding drama series award for its plot about a gay married couple looking to start a family.

Other GLAAD Media Awards presented include:

• Excellence in Media Award: Joy Behar
• Vito Russo Award: Cynthia Nixon
• Outstanding Drama Series: Brothers and Sisters (ABC)
• Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series: Prayers for Bobby (Lifetime)
• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Why Will Won’t Pledge Allegiance” American Morning (CNN)
• Outstanding Talk Show Episode: “Ellen DeGeneres and Her Wife, Portia de Rossi” on The Oprah Winfrey Show
• Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: “Uganda Be Kidding Me” (series) on The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)

Complete list of awards are posted at GLAAD’s website.

And while Hayes finally opens up, he never quite gives a “Yes, I’m gay” soundbite.

“I am who I am,” Hayes told the Advocate. “I was never in, as they say. Never.”

But offering a few choice words for the gay press, including The Advocate — which long criticized his silence — Hayes dismisses any notion that he should have come out sooner.

“Nobody owes anything to anybody,” he says. “You are your authentic self to whom and when you choose to be, and if you don’t know somebody, then why would you explain to them how you live your life?”

To this day, Hayes feels burned by a story that ran in the Advocate in anticipation of the series finale of Will & Grace.

Titled ‘Sean Hayes: The Interview He Never Gave,’ the one-page ‘Q&A’ was a clip job of quotes he’d given to other publications through the years that made him look rather silly for pretending no one knew he was gay.

And Hayes gets right to the point:

“I feel like I’ve contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I’m open to it. You’re welcome, Advocate.”

That sarcasm and anger cover up years of genuinely hurt feelings.

“Why would you go down that path with somebody who’s done so much to contribute to the gay community?” he asks. “That was my beef about it. What more do you want me to do? Do you want me to stand on a float? And then what? It’s never enough.

In the interview, Hayes explains that he really believed that if he didn’t share his personal life, he wouldn’t be typecast. However, studio execs, he feels, couldn’t get past the “Jack” persona, despite the ambiguity of his personal life.

Read the full interview at Advocate.com.

Barr

In a post on her blog Thursday, outspoken comedian Roseanne Barr has pulled no punches in her comments on the recent suicide of Marie Osmond’s son, Michael Bryan (a.k.a. Blosil), saying it had nothing to do with depression, and everything to do with the Mormon church’s position on homosexuality.

Writes Barr:

Marie Osmond’s poor gay son killed himself … because he had been told how wrong and how sick he was every day of his life by his church and the people in it. Calling that “depression” is a lie!

Yet the Osmonds still talk lovingly about their church, saying nothing about its extremely anti-gay Crusade. Marie also has a gay daughter! Hey, I want her and all the gay kids in the world to know that they are just fine being gay and that they deserve love and respect instead of insults and rebuke! I have gay people in my family and my circle of friends and I am kicking bigot ass and taking names!

Barr adds that she knows so many Mormon kids who were gay and committed suicide, and that she “just cannot and will not stay quiet in order to not offend bigots anymore. It is all so terribly depressing.”

In a second post on Friday, Barr added:

Dear Michael,

if I had been your mom, I would have told you that some of the greatest and smartest and most artisitic people who ever lived were gay. I would have shielded you from bigots who tore at your soul, like the ones that unfortunately were closest to you.
to all the gay mormon children out there in the world, I will be your mom!
I love you!

Bryran (who legally changed his last name from Blosil to Bryan) jumped to his death from the eighth floor of his apartment building in Los Angeles on February 26.

While the Osmond family has not publically spoken of Bryan’s sexual orientation, it has been widely speculated that he was conflicted over his sexuality. At least one tabloid has quoted “family insiders” as saying Bryan didn’t believe he could ever come out as a gay man to his religious Mormon family.

Bryan, who was 18 at the time of his death, had entered rehab for substance abuse when he was 16 and had battled depression for much of his life.

Read the full blog entry here >

From MTV:

“If people want to say that, they can,” he said. “But I’m not. I’m straight.”

But he does get a bit of a kick out of reading about why other people think he’s not straight. “My favorite thing I saw was a guy on the Internet that said, ‘Of course he’s gay. He’s got a gay face,’ which I thought was kind of an odd thing to say anyway,” Radcliffe laughed.

“A ‘gay face’? That’s a very worrying thing, like they have sat at home and have got pictures of me next to other famous, gay [people] — Elton John, I don’t know — just comparing across the years. I’m not sure. It’s very, very odd.”

Watch a clip here:

Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe is hoping to stamp out homophobia by starring in a new campaign encouraging tolerance for all sexual orientations.

The Harry Potter star has filmed a public service announcement (PSA) on behalf of the Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth.

And the actor admits he was inspired to take a stand after coming across intolerant people for the first time as a teen, after growing up with several gay friends.

“I grew up knowing a lot of gay men, and it was never something that I even thought twice about – that some men were gay and some weren’t.

“And then I went to school and (for) the first time, I came across homophobia. I had never encountered it before. It shocked me,” Radcliffe said Friday.

“I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it.”

And Radcliffe is hoping his star power will make people pay attention t o the PSA, due to air in the U.S. this spring.

He added, “I have described myself as being ‘gently eccentric’ and slightly different as a person just because I’ve had a very different set of influences growing up than anybody else in my peer group did.”

Last August, the Trevor Project announced that Radcliffe had made “a major donation” to the organization, and joined its Circle of Hope, a community of major donors which plays an essential role in providing the financial leadership that makes the organization’s lifesaving work possible.

Aiken

More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his hometown of Raleigh, NC, reports the Raleigh News & Observer.

This weekend, he will speak as part of the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas gala at the Raleigh Convention Center.

HRC provided a speechwriter to help Aiken, 31, with his remarks, but he decided to write his own. The original speech was too political, Aiken said, and included a slam aimed at George W. Bush.

“I don’t feel like this is the place to be horribly politically charged and bash people and talk about the wrongs that have been done,” he said. “My goal is to be hopeful, that it’s time for everyone to have equal rights.”

For Aiken, that means inheritance rights and hospital-visitation rights and all the other rights that heterosexual couples take for granted, including the right to be married.

Aiken made headlines in 2008 when he appeared on the cover of People magazine with the headline, “Yes, I’m gay.”

Meredith Baxter, the “Family Ties” actress who recently came out on the “Today” show, also will deliver a speech.

Elton John

On Christianity, John told Parade:

“I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”

And, on keeping the love alive with his partner, David Furnish:

“Every Saturday for 16 years, we’ve sent each other a card, no matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.”

The full interview with John will appear on Parade.com on Friday, Feb. 19. There’s also an interesting slide show of the “Most Outrageous Elton John Photos.”

Hathaway, with Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from Brokeback Mountain

The Devil Wears Prada star grew up as a Catholic in New Jersey but when Hathaway’s brother Michael told the family he was gay, they decided to leave their faith.

Hathaway told GQ magazine: “The whole family converted to Episcopalianism after my elder brother came out. Why should I support an organization that has a limited view of my beloved brother?”

Hathaway, who also co-starred in Brokeback Mountain as Jack Twist’s wife, said that the Episcopal church isn’t perfect for her either.

“So I’m… nothing (no denomination),” she said, “Fuck it, I’m forming. I’m a work in progress.”

Hathaway’s interview appears in the March print issue of the British edition of GQ.

From the Guardian interview:

We speak again on the phone and I ask him what he’d do if one of his girls came out as a lesbian and the other became a stripper.

“Jesus or no Jesus, if my kid started working in a strip club, I’d beat her ass,” he hoots. “Now, the other question is interesting and culturally relevant. I have two or three very dear friends who are homosexual and they know I’m born again and we have an understanding that we’re just not going there…”

I’m not surprised. For the next 20 minutes, we have an intense discussion – argument, really – during which Stephen reveals that he’s all for gay men who, through their faith, reject their homosexuality and get married: “To turn away from that lifestyle is astonishing.” Yes, Stephen, it is. And he’s definitely not for gay marriage.

What about civil partnerships, I ask wearily.

“I believe that the family unit has fundamentally been the most positive thing for society and I don’t believe that any minority has the right to create changes that impact on the majority. That’s really the only issue for me.”

This is not Baldwin’s first time speaking out against homosexuality, who in his 2006 autobiography, details highlights from his personal life, including his days of drug abuse and ultimately becoming a born-again Christian following the 9/11 attacks.

In January 2008, Baldwin called in to the Howard Stern Show to express support for then GOP Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, commenting:

“I don’t believe that gay marriage is in line with God’s Word, which is found in the Bible. So, what I think doesn’t matter; what I believe is what’s in the Bible and the Bible says that gay marriage is not acceptable.”

Later that year, in an interview with the TodayShow.com on MSNBC, Baldwin said:

“I don’t think it’s right that in 10 or 15 years, potentially, my son goes to a public school and reads a book about the normality of homosexuality. I don’t think that [belongs] in the public education system. In a political sense, I don’t agree with that. It doesn’t mean that I think personally that making that lifestyle choice is wrong. The Bible says it’s wrong and I believe in the Bible and I stand for that.”

Baldwin’s interview with the Guardian comes just days after being kicked-out of the Celebrity Big Brother house; he was the fourth house guest to be evicted.

During his stay in the house, Baldwin reportedly read passages from the Bible to his fellow housemates.

Last night we posted (via Facebook) the skit during the opening monologue, when Letterman announced Simpson’s historic appointment and revealed that she is transgender, displaying a photograph of her.

The show’s announcer, Alan Kalter, then feigned “trans panic,” implying he had some prior relationship with Simpson but was not aware of her gender history, and ran yelling from the stage.

In a letter to CBS and Letterman, the HRC writes:

You may not be aware that the punch line in your skit has been used as a defense in nearly every hate crime perpetrated against transgender people that has come to trial. For example, the “trans panic” defense was infamously used by Allen Ray Andrade, who was convicted in 2009 of beating 19-year-old Angie Zapata to death with a fire extinguisher after learning of her gender history.

According to media reports, it has also been the main defense employed by Juan A. Martinez for the killing of Jorge Steven López Mercado, 19, in Puerto Rico last November.

Your skit affirmed and encouraged a prejudice against transgender Americans that keeps many from finding jobs, housing, and enjoying freedoms you and your writers take for granted every day. We ask that you apologize publicly to Ms. Simpson and the transgender community for this unfortunate episode.

Said GLAAD in its statement:

Depicting people reacting in horror to transgender individuals is a dangerous stereotype for popular media to perpetuate because it contributes to the societal conception of transgender people as abnormal and deceptive, which all-too-often results in anti-transgender violence and/or discrimination when played out in reality.

The sketch, in case you missed it:

“I’ve long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples,” Springsteen wrote on his website.

“Like many of you who live in New Jersey, I’ve been following the progress of the marriage-equality legislation currently being considered in Trenton.

“I’ve long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor Corzine when he writes that, ‘The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is — a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law.’

“I couldn’t agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now.”

A state Senate committee approved the bill by one vote on Monday, although Democratic supporters concede it may fall short of the 21 votes needed to pass in the full senate, delaying the vote until the measure can be debated in the Assembly.

Ron Livingston

Livingston, who earlier this year married actress Rosemarie DeWitt, claims a mystery internet bandit has been relentlessly changing his Wiki page to say he’s in a relationship with a man named Lee Dennison, a claim he says is false and “malicious.”

According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the hacking began in May, and every time the false information is removed, the hacker “changes them back almost immediately.”

The 42-year-old actor also claims the hacker has also created phony Facebook profiles for himself and Dennison with both pages saying the two men are in a relationship together.

Livingston is suing for libel, invasion of privacy and for using his name and likeness without his permission. Damages haven’t been specified.

Livingston also appeared in Sex and the City as a writer who had a short relationship with the lead character Carrie Bradshaw, and in the miniseries Band of Brothers.

Behar asked Johnston how it feels to be a gay icon from a “conservative background,” and observed that he seems “to be very comfortable being a gay icon.”

Johnston mentions that “growing up in Wasilla… I’ve never seen a gay guy in Wasilla,” but added “you know, they’re people too. It doesn’t matter to me, more fans, it’s great.”

What are your thoughts, is Johnston really a “gay icon?” (Comments welcome!)

Watch the clip:

GLAAD’s previous two statements regarding ABC’s cancellations of Lambert’s performances on the network after his sexually charged American Music Awards appearance have drawn criticism and caused confusion.

In the first statement, GLAAD seemed to give ABC a free pass: “It would appear that the kiss between Adam Lambert and his keyboardist did not factor into ABC’s decision.”

In the second statement, GLADD said “ABC confirmed this is not about a same-sex kiss or his sexual orientation but about being ‘caught off guard.’ GLAAD asked ABC and calls on them for clarification on ‘caught off guard’ so that the community knows why Lambert is being denied the opportunity to perform on the network.”

On Friday afternoon, GLAAD issued its strongest statement yet, saying that the organization does, in fact, believe that ABC canceled Lambert’s appearances on “Good Morning America” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and stopped considering him for “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” because he is an “openly gay performer.”

Now Baxter, who played the devoted hippie mom constantly butting heads with her conservative kids on “Family Ties,” is making a public admission.

“I am a lesbian and it was a later-in-life recognition,” she told Matt Lauer on the TODAY show.

“Some people would say, well, you’re living a lie and, you know, the truth is — not at all. This has only been for the past seven years.”

Baxter, 62, though anxious, decided to come out on national television after her sexuality became tabloid fodder.

“I’ve always lived a very private life,” said the actress, who’s never even had a publicist. “To come out and disclose stuff is very antithetical to who I am.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Baxter says that her relationship with men was complicated, and it took her decades to understand why.

She says she has been with her current girlfriend, Nancy Locke, a contractor she met through mutual friends, for the past four years. Because Locke is openly lesbian, their relationship has not been kept a closely guarded secret.

Now that she is coming out, she also sees herself as an advocate for gay rights.

“This is a political act, even though that’s not what it feels like to me,” she said. “If anyone knows someone who’s gay or lesbian … they’re less likely to vote against them to take away their rights. I can be that lesbian you know now …”

Appearing on CBS’ “Early Show” Wednesday morning to discuss his controversial performance at Sunday’s American Music Awards, where he kissed a man and simulated oral sex, Lambert said that he thinks the controversy shows a double standard and that it wouldn’t be a story if he wasn’t a gay male.

Lending credibility to Lambert’s statement, CBS itself blurred footage of Lambert’s male-on-male kiss in the segment narrating the controversy, but seconds later did not blur the footage of Madonna kissing Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards, a move many are seeing as hypocritical.

See for yourself… the “blurred” footage of Lambert appears 1:02 minutes into the clip; the un-blurred kiss between Madonna and Spears follows 18 seconds later.

CBS defended its decision, releasing the following statement:

“We gave this some real thought. The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated, and for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences.”

Double standard? Share your comments below, or on our Facebook page.
Catch our earlier story with Lambert’s interview and performances on Wednesday’s “Early Show.”

Lambert said he understands why some people were offended by his sexually charged performance, but he offered no apology.

The “American Idol” runner-up, who kissed a male keyboard player and had a dancer simulate oral sex on him while performing at the awards ceremony Sunday night, called the controversy a double standard, and said his performance would not have caused as much controversy if he weren’t openly gay.

Lambert said there was lot of “very adult” content on the AMAs that night, and that stars like Eminem and Janet Jackson also performed material that could have been viewed by some as inappropriate for younger viewers, adding that the broadcast came at nearly 11 p.m. when children should be in bed.

When asked if he should apologize, Lambert responded: “I’m not a babysitter, I’m a performer.”

Catch the full CBS interview and clips from today’s performances here:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

In the next clip, Lambert performs What Do You Want From Me, a single on his debut album For Your Entertainment, live on The Early Show.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Continuing his appearance on CBS, Lambert performs Music Again from his debut album.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Our thanks to CBS’ Early Show for the clips.

Two days after Adam Lambert’s hip thrusting, man-on-man make-out, show-closing performance on the “American Music Awards,” people are still talking.

More than 1,500 complaints were leveled at ABC, according to The Associated Press. ABC officials deemed that a “moderate” response when compared to other events that have prompted viewer complaints.

Though it’s doubtful that anyone at the network thought the controversy would go on this long, Lambert’s show-stopping number is still fodder for morning TV debates over the artistic merits of what happened during Sunday night’s performance.

Chatting up the performance on The View, Elisabeth Hasselbeck siad, “Does anyone remember what he sounded like? Because, let me tell you this. This is the mistake Adam Lambert will make time and time again. We will not remember him as a performer or someone with a voice if he continues to do things like this. So smarten up, and sing.”

The broadcast was “nothing short of tasteless and vulgar” and ABC buried their heads in the sand when Lambert promised to put on a “sexy” show, said Tim Winter of the Parents Television Council.

Meanwhile, ABC announced that Good Morning America has canceled a scheduled concert by Lambert, citing his “controversial” behavior at the award show.

A spokesperson for ABC said, “Given his controversial American Music Awards performance, we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.”

Update: On Tuesday afternoon, hours after ABC’s said that it canceled Lambert’s appearance on GMA, comes an announcement from CBS that Lambert would appear on its “Early Show.” In a statement, CBS said that Lambert will appear live on “The Early Show” on Wednesday and discuss his recent performance on the American Music Awards.

Lambert is also scheduled to perform Wednesday on “Late Show With David Letterman,” also on CBS.

In an exclusive interview, Entertainment Weekly caught up with Lambert at rehearsals for the American Music Awards in downtown Los Angeles Thursday for his take on the dispute.

Says Lambert: “I am managing my image…

I’m not being puppeted around. I didn’t want to jump onto a gay magazine as my first thing, because I feel like that’s putting myself in a box and limiting myself. It was my desire to stay away from talking about certain political and civil rights issues because I’m not a politician. I’m an entertainer.”

Regarding Hicklin, Lambert said. “He really crossed a line.”

Read the full Q&A at Entertainment Weekly.

Eariler posts:
‘Out’ editor publically criticizes Lambert, handlers
Lambert to ‘Out’ editor via Twitter: Chill!

Lambert took to his Twitter account on Tuesday to respond to Aaron Hicklin’s tirade, reports MTV.

“Dear Aaron, it’s def not that deep. Chill! Guess ya gotta get attention for the magazine,” Lambert wrote. “U too are at the mercy of the marketing machine.”

“Until we have a meaningful conversation, perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publication’s agenda onto my career.”

The above tweetst came after Hicklin published a letter in which he said he was proud to have the singer in the Out 100 list of influential gay and lesbian icons but upset that Lambert’s label and management appear to be trying to tone down talk of his homosexuality.

“You’re a pioneer, an out gay pop idol at the start of his career,” Hicklin wrote.

“Someone has to be first, and we’re all counting on you not to mess this up. You have to find your own path and then others can follow. We just hope it’s a path that’s honest and true and that you choose to surround yourself with people who celebrate your individuality.”

Lambert, the 27-year-old American Idol runner-up alum was named the Breakout Star, Sykes earned Entertainer of the Year, and Lauper, Ally of the Year.

Highlights from this year’s annual Out 100 edition:

Lambert on his sexulaity: “To some people, me being sexual is really offensive because I’m gay. They’re like, ‘He’s being really gay.’ And I’m like, actually, ‘No, I’m just being sexual.’ Male sexuality is frightening to America [but] female sexuality is all over the place.”

Sykes on coming out: After years of whispers and speculation, she felt she had no choice but to come out after California passed Proposition 8 in November. “It’s great being out. Everything is out on the table and I am what I am.”

Lauper on supporting the gay community: “We had the civil rights movement in the ’60s, women had to fight in the ’70s, and it’s just insane to think in 2009 there’s still a group of Americans recognized as ‘less than’ the rest of us.”

The Out 100 issue hits newsstands Tuesday, November 24. For the complete list of the 100 people recognized, visit Out.com.

Lambert gave the magazine a terrific interview, but his handlers were not so glorious, according to Michael Musto at the Village Voice.

Says Hicklin (according to Musto):

*Adam’s people were reluctant to let him appear on the cover. They only let it happen if it was a group shot, preferably including someone straight.

*Out was urged not to make Adam appear “too gay” in the shot.

*They were also informed that Adam probably wouldn’t be able to attend an Out 100 event because they didn’t want to jeopardize his record sales.

Read the open letter from Hicklin at out.com.

Says Parton replies: “I just think they [gays] appreciate the fact that I just love everybody for who they are, and love them as they are.”

Taking a Twitter question from a viewer about Osteen’s remark last week on “The View,” saying that gays are “not God’s best,” Parton replied, “I think God made us who we are and how we are, and I don’t think that if [Osteen] was a religious person, he would be judging people.”

Watch here:

“This is the smartest, kindest, most wonderful woman that you’ll ever, ever know,” Ellen gushed as she introduced her wife.

Speaking just a week following the defeat of Maine’s gay marriage law, Degeneres commented on why same-sex marriage is such an important issue within the LGBT community.

“Anybody who’s married knows there is a difference,” said Degeneres. “It feels like you’re home. There’s an anchor, there’s a safety. I’m going to be with her until the day I die and I know that.”

DeGeneres and De Rossi are among the 18,000 same-sex couples who married in California before the passage of Proposition 8 last year, which overturned the state Supreme Court’s ruling permitting same-sex marriage.

“She’s my wife, I get to say that she’s my wife and that’s just the way it is,” said Portia.

On Thursday, Page Six has a not-very-thinly-veiled item about Anderson Cooper going on a very gay vacation with his very gay boyfriend who owns a very gay bar. Enough: Anderson Cooper is very gay. It’s time he said it.

Here’s the New York Post’s gossip column item about Cooper going to the “best hotel in the world” in India:

Anderson Cooper has been consoling himself over falling ratings by living it up in Jaipur, India, at one of the world’s most opulent hotels. The CNN star was spotted Tuesday with his muscular friend, Benjamin Maisani, an owner of East Village bar Eastern Bloc, at the Rambagh Palace, named the best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveler.

Cooper’s $3,200-a-night room features a four-poster mahogany bed and views of the gardens of the former Maharaja palace. Our source said, “Anderson’s room has a large round bathtub. On the first night it was filled with bubbles and sprinkled with red rose petals.” CNN declined to comment.

With today’s item Page Six may have exhausted all the ways to say “He’s GAY GAY GAY!”: the room only has one bed, Maisani’s “muscular,” and perhaps most blatantly, he owns Eastern Bloc.

Every ‘mo in New York knows Eastern Bloc is a gritty, dirty gay bar (“a true man meat bar”) that often has boy-on-boy porn playing on its TVs. (The stencil over the DJ booth offers “Free Moustache Rides” and one outside once read “One Gay at a Time, Sweet Jesus.”)

All the patrons know Maisani (pictured, right), because he’s big, and know he’s dating Cooper.

More at Gawker.com.

The Ali Fornay Center provides services to more than 1,000 each year, and is planning to buy a building to house 12 young people – and name it in honor of the “Golden Girls” actress.

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude that Bea saw that LGBT youth deserve as much love and support as any other young person, and that she placed so much value in the work we do to protect them, and to help them rebuild their lives,” said Executive Director Carl Siciliano.

The center offers emergency shelter and transitional housing in seven residential sites in New York, and two drop-in centers offering food, clothing, medical and mental health treatment, HIV testing, treatment and prevention services, and vocational and educational assistance.

Full story: NY Daily News.

During a concert earlier this month at the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas, Mariah Carey revealed that she is more than just okay with gay marriage.

She also wants to celebrate it.

Video captured of the moment that everyone is talking about reveals Carey openly embracing a gay couple on stage for the world to see.

With a champagne toast and a round of hugs and kisses for the gay couple honored, Carey joined the ranks of major entertainment stars leading the charge to celebrate gay and lesbian love wherever it is found.

Rosie O’Donnell has confirmed to Lifeline Live that she and partner Kelli Carpenter, 42, are on the rocks.

In an interview at her Nyack, N.Y., compound Tuesday, USA TODAY’s Ann Oldenburg asked if the two had split — she has been hinting at it in her blog — and O’Donnell didn’t deny it, saying, “We’re a family. We will remain a family forever. And we are working on our issues.”

O’Donnell, 47, wouldn’t go into detail about whether Carpenter had moved out of their Nyack home and into Manhattan, as the National Enquirer reported in August. (She was not around during the interview.)

The couple married in San Francisco in 2004 and have three adopted children — Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12 and Blake, 9, as well as Vivienne (“Vivi”), 6, whom Carpenter carried.

More at USA Today.

The event should be laugh packed with the outspoken Handler and equally outspoken honorees Wanda Sykes (The New Adventures of Old Christine) and Miss Coco Peru aka Clinton Leupp, (trick, Girls Will Be Girls)

Handler is one of the LGBT community’s greatest straight allies. She is an opponent of Prop. 8 and was the Grand Marshal at this year’s L.A. Pride parade. Amber Riley, co-star of Glee, will also perform.

Sykes, also a Prop 8 opponent, will receive the Center’s Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award.

Drag performer Miss Coco Peru will receive the Center’s Board of Directors Award for his commitment to HIV/AIDS causes and the LGBT community. The Center’s Corporate Vision Award will be presented to American Airlines.

More at SheWired.com

In the article, which promotes his upcoming hosting gig at the Emmys, NPH asserts that he’s “way cool” with fans coming up and starting conversations about Doogie, and also speaks about his coming out experience.

The “Tardy for the Party” singer, whose single was released Tuesday, tweeted, “the noh8 campaign shoot was hot. and I am topless!!! Just to cause a stir to make people pay attention!”

The NOH8 Campaign, launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley, is a silent photographic protest in response to the passage of California’s Proposition 8 in November 2008, which amended the State constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

In his blog this week on bravotv.com, Colicchio shares his views on gay marriage, prompted by one contestant’s discomfort with this week’s wedding challenge.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say a few words about same-sex marriage,” Colicchio writes. “First of all, part of the problem with the issue is that it is framed by opponents as a discussion of whether gay people should get special rights. This is specious – yes, special legislation or court decisions grant them the right to wed in a particular state, however this is done to ensure that they share equal protection under the law by finally being able to avail themselves of the same rights as everyone else. They are not seeking special treatment, just equitable treatment.”

During the challenge, gay contestant Ashley Merriman repeatedly took issue with cooking for, and celebrating, the event when gays and lesbians are still denied marriage rights in most of this country and the world. The contestants had to cater bachelor and bachelorette parties.

While not agreeing with Merriman’s position that the show should not have hosted the challenge, he sides in favor of full marriage equality.

“The idea that religious leaders are continuing to shape state law is just wrong,” he adds. “The institution of marriage should be available to all. The idea that you can have a life-long partner and not make decisions for them in a hospital, not share in insurance benefits, not automatically have parental rights unless you are the birth parent, is just flat-out wrong.”

As we reported last night via Twitter, David Letterman went on record for gay marriage.

Miss USA/Universe pageant proprietor Donald Trump appeared on Tuesday night’s CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman,” to promote the upcoming pageant.

Inevitably, the discussion turned to Carrie Prejean, former Miss California who made headlines by denouncing gay marriage during the Miss USA pageant. Trump insisted that the answer to the same-sex marriage question became a controversy because of “her great beauty.”

In response, Letterman said “Look, let’s go right on the the record and say, anybody who wants to get married ought to be able to get married,” capping off his position in typical Letterman style with a joke, “Why should heterosexuals be the only ones who are miserable?”

“You know, I grew up in a religious family, in a religious community and it just doesn’t make sense to me. It just doesn’t work for me in the long run,” Pitt said. “I never wanted to step on anyone else’s religion and their beliefs — that’s what’s great about our country — until I started seeing it defining policy.”

On gay marriage, Pitt said “you have a group of people telling other people how to live their lives, and you can’t do that.”

“I just say you have to, you really have to check what country you’re living in because the freedom that allows you to practice religion is the same freedom you’re stepping on. That’s not right. And I want to add that if there was a nation of gay married couples who were telling you you couldn’t practice your religion, I’d be speaking up for you too. So, let’s stop the nonsense,” Pitt added.

In addition to speaking out on gay marriage, marijuana and religion, Pitt was promoting his new film “Inglourious Bastards,” due in theaters August 21.

Catch the full appearance here…

In today’s announcement by the The Trevor Project, the organization said Radcliffe, 20, joined The Trevor Project’s Circle of Hope, a community of major donors which plays an essential role in providing the financial leadership that makes the organization’s lifesaving work possible

The Trevor Project was founded in 1998 by three filmmakers whose film, “Trevor,” a comedy/drama about a gay teenager who attempts suicide, received the 1994 Academy Award(R) for Best Short Film (Live Action). Since its founding, The Trevor Helpline has received hundreds of thousands of calls from LGBTQ youth across the country. In the past year alone, call volume to The Trevor Helpline has increased more than 300 percent.

“I am very pleased to begin my support of The Trevor Project, which saves lives every day through its critical work,” said Daniel Radcliffe. “It’s extremely distressing to consider that in 2009 suicide is a top three killer of young people, and it’s truly devastating to learn that LGBTQ youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. I deeply hope my support can raise the organization’s visibility so even more despondent youth become aware of The Trevor Helpline’s highly trained counselors and Trevor’s many other resources. It’s vitally important that young people understand they are not alone and, perhaps even more important, that their young lives have real value.”

In addition to The Trevor Helpline, the organization operates a number of other important programs, including “Dear Trevor,” an online question-and-answer forum for young people with questions surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity; The Trevor Survival Kit, an educational kit distributed to schools and youth service providers to help educators facilitate discussions about suicide, gender identity and sexual orientation; and TrevorSpace, an online social networking community for LGBTQ youth, their friends and allies. Radcliffe’s gift will help fund these efforts as well as the organization’s national education and advocacy work.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Daniel for his truly inspiring and historic generosity and support,” said Charles Robbins, executive director and chief executive officer, The Trevor Project. “He is setting a meaningful example for millions of young people around the world by embracing diversity and demonstrating that he cares deeply about the well-being of LGBTQ youth.”

After becoming aware of The Trevor Project and its mission, Radcliffe decided to become involved with the organization. His involvement began with financial support to assist The Trevor Project’s programmatic efforts. Moving forward, Radcliffe anticipates taking additional steps to help further broaden awareness of the organization.

“It’s gay. If one more person asks me if I have a Twitter, I’m going to tell them, ‘Twitter this [bleep], mother[bleep]er.’

“I don’t have anything to say, and what I have to say is not that relevant. Anything that is relevant, I’m going to bottle it up and then squeeze it onto a record somewhere.”

Nice, eh? Is it just me who takes issue with the comparison of being “gay” to being irrelevant?