SCREWED: Mitt Romney and Rick Perry Nearly Rip Each Other's Wigs Off Over Immigration!

Mitt Romney and Rick Perry got into a finger-pointing shout match last night over "illegals" with Perry jabbing Romney about hiring lawn workers, and Romney stabbing back about Texas' record on immigration.

Said Romney: “So we went to the company and we said, look, you can’t have any illegals working on our property. I’m running for office, for pete’s sake, we can’t have illegals. Turns out that once question they hired someone who had falsified their documents and therefore we fired them."

It's WAR: Dustin Lance Black blasts GQ!

A few days ago, I posted about how outrageous it was for an interviewer for GQ Australia to ask actor Taylor Lautner if he was hit on by openly gay director Gus Van Sant and Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black when the three of them had dinner together last summer.


In a new blog post, Black has blasted the magazine and the writer and makes a series of excellent points: “For my very first post I’d hoped to keep it light and talk about how my new swimming pool isn’t coming along at the rate I’d hoped (fingers crossed for summer 2012). Instead, more than a few friends and co-workers pointed me to a recent GQ interview with Taylor Lautner and I felt I had to respond. Evidently the GQ writer asked whether director Gus Van Sant and writer Dustin Lance Black made a pass at him when the three dined together in Los Angeles recently. Really Mr. GQ writer? I’m curious, will you be asking all of the handsome actors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with or meeting if I made passes at them as well? I’d love to be there when you ask Sean Penn that same question. Or, Mr. GQ writer, were you projecting your own unprofessional desires onto me and Gus? Perhaps? Or worse still, are you a homophobe? Above and beyond this clear attack on my character, I’m shocked that GQ would allow their writer to lean on the scurrilous, outdated stereotype that gay men are by nature sexual predators. I mean, would you have asked this same question if it were Diablo Cody and Kathryn Bigelow at dinner with Mr. Lautner? Leaning on lies, myths and stereotypes about gay people is hateful, harmful and outdated. It’s not the 1950s anymore GQ, it’s 2011 and it’s time to grow up.”

It's WAR: Barney Frank Rips Newt Gingrich for Suggesting He Should be Jailed!

Barney Frank responds to Newt Gingrich's suggestion in last night's debate that he and Chris Dodd should go to jail for the economic mess the country is in.

Talking Points Memo: “It’s interesting, the charge is failure to stop Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay from deregulating,” he said. “This notion we caused the problem that started while they were in charge even by Gingrich’s standards is very odd.”

Added Frank: “I wish I knew that he was willing to listen to my advice, I would have given him some: I would have told him not to impeach Clinton, I would have told his successors not to go to war with Iraq, and I would have told DeLay not to go on the dance show.”

Frank speculated that Gingrich’s comments were borne out of frustration with his campaign.

“He’s been having a bad year, you know — this self-styled intellectual leader of the free world struggling to stay ahead of Michele Bachmann in the polls is unsettling him so he talks even sillier than he sometimes does,” he said.

It's WAR: Cher bashes Kardashians via Twitter!

I’m not sure what this is about, but I’m on Cher’s side!

She’s from the old school when people actually became famous and got their own television shows because they had talent.

 

Sure, like the Kardashians, Cher is also famous for being famous at times. But she also has an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a number one hit record in each of the last six decades.

It's WAR: Joan Collins Vs. Young Hollywood!

Apparently there's not a lot of love lost between Joan Collins and her fellow celebrities. In an interview with the Telegraph to promote her new book, The World According to Joan, the former Dynasty star was asked about:

It's WAR: Madonna Disses Gaga!

Madonna has gotten herself quite a bit of bad press this week, and now she’s making less-than-awesome headlines again by dissing Lady Gaga, E! reports. Asked by French newspaper Le Soir about Gaga’s love for her, the Material Girl replied, "As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment to make about her obsessions having to do with me because I don't know whether her behavior is rooted in something deep and meaningful, or superficial.” While Madonna's rep didn’t comment on the interview, she told E!, "I do know that [Madonna] has said many supportive things about Gaga over the years."

It's WAR: Abercrombie Offers Situation Money NOT to Wear Its Clothes!

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, style icon? Not exactly. Abercrombie & Fitch is offering the Jersey Shore star big bucks not to wear its clothing. The teen retailer has offered a “substantial payment” to Sorrentino “to wear an alternate brand" because of the company's "deep concern" that the Situation "could cause significant damage to our image," says a company statement, which did not detail the odious specifics of its concerns.

"We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans,” the statement adds. Money has also been offered to other cast members not to wear the clothing, but Sorrentino regularly sports the brand. He frequently lifts his shirt on the reality program to show off his abs, and often reveals the Abercrombie & Fitch logo on his underwear when he does. He was also wearing bright green Abercrombie & Fitch sweatpants on the latest episode of Jersey Shore in Florence. The company statement says executives are “urgently awaiting a response.”

Hey, why don't you just hire to be a Beefcake Model!

It's 'Barbie' WAR: Mattel Out $310M After Losing Bratz Spat!

The final bell has been rung in the long-running Mattel-MGA Entertainment court battle over Bratz—and Barbie's makers have taken a hell of a beating. A federal judge has ordered Mattel to pay MGA, the makers of Bratz dolls, a total of $310 million in punitive damages and lawyers fees, and rejected Mattel's request for a new trial, reports the Los Angeles Times. 

A jury decided earlier this year that MGA hadn't infringed on Mattel's copyright or stolen trade secrets. Mattel argued that the designer who thought up the bratty, big-headed dolls broke his contract with the company when he took the idea to MGA. The judge's ruling leaves Mattel little room for appeal, although a second fight is looming: MGA says the Mattel lawsuit has damaged the Bratz brand to the tune of $1 billion and it intends to recoup the loss through a separate lawsuit.

IT's WAR: Rick Santorum Calls Dan Savage 'Below the Dignity of Anybody!

Rick Santorum atttended the Western Conservative Summit in Denver, Colorado over the weekend, but wouldn't address Dan Savage's recent video in which he threatened to redefine Santorum's first name if he continues to bash gay people, according to Think Progress reporter Scott Keyes.

Said Santorum when asked about Savage: "I’m not going to talk about Dan Savage. He’s below the dignity of anybody. Thank you."

Santorum is, however, perfectly willing to address Savage's dignity and his Google problem when asking people for money.

It's WAR: Old Spice Guy-Fabio Showdown Looms!

The Internet isn't big enough for two Old Spice guys, challenger Fabio says. The Italian muscleman has declared himself the new Old Spice guy on the brand's YouTube channel and challenged old Old Spice guy Isaiah Mustafa to an online duel, Mashable reports. Former NFL player Mustafa responded yesterday that he's aware of "a certain man with hair who’s been using a very harsh and accented vernacular” and he has accepted the "Mano a mano en el baño" challenge. Throwdown is at high noon. Stay tuned. 

It's WAR: Winklevoss' Shoot Back at Larry Summers Over Insult!

The twins who claim Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook don't like being called assholes. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss—following some choice remarks from Larry Summers about suit-wearing undergraduates—have accused the former Harvard president of being "tactfully challenged," the Wall Street Journal reports. When they approached Summers about their Zuckerberg problem when they were students, they were alarmed by Summer's "scorn for a genuine discourse on deeper ethical question," they reveal. "It is deeply disturbing that a professor of this university openly admits to making character judgments of students based on their appearance," the twins wrote in an open letter to Harvard's current president.

It's WAR: Winklevoss Twins Are 'A**holes'!

Just in case The Social Network didn't beat this point home for you, former Harvard president Larry Summers thinks the Winklevoss twins are "assholes." The brothers, who infamously sued classmate Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea for Facebook, went to Summers for help, but he dismissed them—a scene that Summers says was accurately depicted in the movie, reports Fortune. "Rarely, have I encountered such swagger, and I tried to respond in kind," Summers said at Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference.

"One of the things you learn as a college president is that if an undergraduate is wearing a tie and jacket on Thursday afternoon at three o'clock, there are two possibilities. One is that they're looking for a job and have an interview; the other is that they are an asshole. This was the latter case."

IT's WAR: Dan Savage and Rick Santorum Go at it, AGAIN!

Some conservatives are not happy with columnist Dan Savage over remarks about Republicans and Rick Santorum he made on his Friday night appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. Santorum has been angry at Savage for years over the Spreading Santorum website he created over the then Pennsylvania Senator's remarks comparing same-sex marriage to man-on-dog sex.

Dan Savage apologized for the remarks shortly after his appearance.

I was on Real Time with Bill Maher tonight. I was talking to someone at the party after the show, and they asked me how I thought it went. Okay, I said—and then I told them that I said something really, really stupid, half under my breath, and I was relieved that Bill and the rest of the panel didn't hear it. But folks watching the show at home might have heard it... so... I want to apologize for... um... wishing all Republicans dead.

I don't feel that way. My dad is a Republican. (Well, he says he's an independent, but he hasn't voted for a Democrat since JFK. My dad is a Republican.)

It was a stupid, rude, thoughtless remark. I regret it and I retract it and I apologize to anyone watching at home—particularly my father (!)—who may have heard me say it. I had a drink before the show—first and last time I've ever done that—but this wasn't a case of, "In vino, veritas." This was a case of, "In vino, stupidtas."

Santorum seized on the Maher appearance to try to discredit Savage: "It’s filth. It’s, you know, this man has, has gone out there and tried to destroy my integrity. I mean, you’ve heard the whole issue of the Google issue. That’s Dan Savage. You know, it’s, it’s the lowest, you know, debasement of public discourse. It’s, it’s offensive beyond, you know, anything that any public figure or anybody in America should tolerate, and the mainstream media laughs about it. They, they, they kid about it. They write about it. They say, “Oh, Santorum’s got a Google problem.”

It's WAR: Bette Midler Blasts Gaga For Mermaid Wheelchair Bit!

Lady Gaga caused some controversy during a concert in Sydney last week, when she rolled onto stage as a mermaid in a wheelchair.
 

Differently-abled activists were upset by Gaga's antics, and some demanded an apology, and may have been behind Gaga nearly getting egged while coming out of a gay bar this weekend.

Singer Bette Midler, however, has a different bone to pick: she took to Twitter to remind Gaga that she originated the Mermaid wheelchair bit over three decades ago.

I’m not sure @ladygaga knows that I’ve performed my mermaid in a wheelchair for millions of people -- and many of them are still alive," The Divine Ms. M wrote. "Dear @ladygaga if you think a mermaid in a wheelchair seems familiar-it's because it is!You can see it on youtube 24/7-with ME performing it"

She also remarked, "I've been doing singing mermaid in a wheelchair since 1980-You can keep the meat dress and the firecracker tits - mermaid's mine."

Midler forgot to mention that Kurt Cobain also used a wheelchair during a 1992 performance.

It's WAR: Dexter Meets Casey Anthony!

It's WAR: Cher Takes On Marcus Bachmann!

MSNBC reporter Thomas Roberts yesterday scrutinized Marcus Bachmann, husband of presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, and his claims that gays are "barbarians" who need to be "disciplined."

While it's wonderful to see mainstream media questioning Mr. Bachmann's fundamentalist politics, including his work for the "ex-gay" movement, no amount of cable punditry can compare to the power of long-time LGBT ally Cher, who took to Twitter this week to lambast Marcus Bachmann, and to offer her take on rumors that Michele's husband isn't being straight about his own proclivities.

She also says she wants to "strangle him with my boa." Don't mess with Cher, Mr. Bachmann: the legendary chanteuse takes her gays very seriously. As well she should.

It's WAR: Bristol Rips Levi in New Book!

Bristol Palin's memoir (Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far) is out next week, and one lucky AP writer got the assignment to score an early copy. And so we learn:

• She doesn't remember much about the night she lost her virginity to Levi Johnston because she was drunk, for the first time, on wine coolers. They were camping, and she woke in the tent alone as Levi talked to friends outside. She had wanted to wait until marriage.
• She calls him a "gnat" who "cheated on me about as frequently as he sharpened his hockey skates" and constantly spread lies about the Palin family.

• Bristol, now 20, says her parents were supportive on hearing the news of her pregnancy. Levi's reaction: "Better be a (bleeping) boy."
• Her self-description: "Just a normal girl who couldn't hide her problems and learned a few lessons along the way."

Levi will get the last word—his memoir is due in the fall.

It's WAR: Westboro Protested by ... the KKK?

Not a surprise: Westboro Baptist Church was doing its thing yesterday, protesting at Arlington National Cemetery hours before President Obama’s Memorial Day observances at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Somewhat more of a surprise: Members of the controversial church were met by a counter-protest … by purported members of the Ku Klux Klan. The Knights of the Southern Cross held a POW-MIA banner and handed out American flags, CNN reports.

"It's the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech," says the self-described "Imperial Wizard" of the KKK group he says he formed. But the WBC was not impressed: Founder Fred Phelps’ daughter Abigail says, "They have no moral authority on anything. People like them say it's white power ... white supremacy. The Bible doesn't say anywhere that it's an abomination to be born of a certain gender or race."

It's WAR: White House Brawling With Boston Herald!

Two months after the Boston Herald ran a full, front-page promo for a Mitt Romney editorial that bashed Barack Obama during the president's visit to Boston, the White House and the newspaper are still sparring, reports the LA Times. The Boston Herald says it was "shut out" of covering President Obama's visit yesterday to Boston, and released an email from a White House spokesman questioning the paper's fairness. The White House contends that the decision was simply about pool reporters, and the Boston Globe was already selected for one of the limited slots. Romney was quick to enter the fray, saying the White House violated "the spirit of the First Amendment."

“My point about the op-ed was not that you ran it but that it was the full front page, which excluded any coverage of the visit of a sitting US President to Boston," wrote a White House spokesman to the Herald. "I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the president’s visits.” Media experts say that while the White House is within its rights to control access to the local press pool, it made a big mistake explicitly connecting access to this visit with the Herald's editorial. "[T]o have put those two strands together was quite amateurish," said a longtime veteran of four administrations, "and created a story where a story didn’t exist."

It's WAR!- Streisand vs Kramer Regarding 'Normal Heart' Film!

When Barbra Streisand issued a statement last summer applauding the overturning of Proposition 8, Larry Kramer pounced.


His anger at her for acquiring the film rights to his play The Normal Heart but never making a movie was well known but the scathing post he wrote on the actup.org website was really beyond the pale. It said in part: “Barbra Streisand is a hypocrite. If she had made my play about aids, The Normal Heart, in 1986, when she first acquired the rights, only to sit on them for a full ten years without filming it, she could have done something for gay rights when we were really in the sewer of death. But no, she chose to go off and make such vitally important and classic movies as Nuts and The Mirror Has Two Faces.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, Streisand has finally reacted publicly and said: “When he printed that diatribe on the web, I was very hurt by it, because it’s not true. I started to write [a response] but then decided not to do it. It was wonderful to read some of the comments from the gay community about this. They fought the battle for me. It was really lovely for all these people to come to my defense.”