ON BOARD: Cheryl Pflug Becomes Second GOP Washington State Senator to Support Marriage Equality Bill!

Cheryl Pflug came out in support of Washington state's marriage equality bill yesterday, joining state Senator Steve Litzow, the Seattle Times reports: Pflug of Maple Valley is the second Republican senator in recent days to say she will support gay-marriage legislation. She has voted for domestic-partnership benefits twice and believes strongly in fairness for all.

"I have been a longtime supporter of human equality," said Pflug. "I do not feel diminished by having another human being experience the same freedom I am entitled to exercise. I would feel diminished by denying another human the ability to exercise those same rights and freedoms."

STRIKE 2: Anti-Gay Activist Files Initiative Challenging Proposed Marriage Equality Bill in Washington State!

Attorney Stephen Pidgeon, an opponent of LGBT rights and same-sex marriage, has filed an initiative against Washington state's proposed marriage equality bill so that the measure will go before voters if lawmakers approve it, the Seattle Times reports: The proposed initiative, not yet numbered, would reaffirm the state's Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between "a male" and "a female." The initiative seeks to slightly tweak the statute's language, changing it to "one man" and "one woman."

Democrats behind the marriage equality bill say they do not want Governor Christine Gregoire to include an emergency clause in the bill which would make it effective immediately, thwarting any such initiative.

Said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle: "We want to allow citizens, should the measure pass, to collect signatures for a referendum...Our hope is to pass a bill here (in Washington) without a referendum."

The paper adds that in order to qualify for the November ballot, Pidgeon's backers would need to collect signatures from 241,153 registered voters by early July.

NAMES: Corey Feldman to Bare Hollywood Pedophiles!

A vampire hunter on The Lost Boys is now after Hollywood pedophiles. Former child actor Corey Feldman, a star of Stand By Me and The Goonies, has vowed to reveal the names of two Hollywood figures who abused him when he was 14. "These older men were leching around like vultures," Feldman told The Sun.

"There are people who have got away with it for so long they think they are above the law. That's got to stop." Feldman and Lost Boys co-star Corey Haim hinted at their abuse on the reality television show The Two Coreys. Haim, who struggled with a drug problem, died of heart disease and pneumonia last year at the age of 38. Feldman has continued speaking out about child abuse in Hollywood since Haim's death. "I stood up and said there is a bigger problem, that I'd lost Corey and that I didn't want to see any more kids lost to these sick perverts," said Feldman. The actor's exposure threat comes as a host of pedophile cases have rocked Hollywood. At least a dozen actors, managers, production assistants, and others have been prosecuted for child abuse on the job in Hollywood since 2000, reports the Los Angeles Times.

DESPERATE: Actress Suing IMDB Reveals Her Name!

Remember the anonymous actress suing IMDB for revealing that her age is 40? She is anonymous no more, notes the Hollywood Reporter.

It's Huong Hoang, who mostly goes by the stage name of Junie Hoang. Never heard of her? She has been working fairly regularly, but in small-budget movies such as Gingerbread Man 3 and Hoodrats 2. Hoang, who is suing the movie database for $1 million because she says it made her vulnerable to Hollywood age discrimination, had to reveal her name for the suit to go forward. Her IMDB profile is here.

What's That? Perry on Lawrence v. Texas!

One day in the not-too-distant future, Rick Perry will disappear from the pages of the nation's newspapers forever. Unfortunately for him, that day has yet to arrive, and the Texan governor still has at least a few weeks in which to embarass himself on the record.

At a meet and greet today in Cedar Falls, IA, Gov. Perry was asked by a voter to "defend his criticism of limited government" in the Supreme Court case of Lawrence v. Texas -- the case which, in 2003, resulted in Texas's anti-sodomy law being struck down as unconstitutional. Perry was Texas's governor at the time. According to ABC News: “I wish I could tell you I knew every Supreme Court case. I don’t, I’m not even going to try to go through every Supreme Court case, that would be — I’m not a lawyer,” Perry said at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Shop here. “We can sit here and you know play I gotcha questions on what about this Supreme Court case or whatever, but let me tell you, you know and I know that the problem in this country is spending in Washington, D.C., it’s not some Supreme Court case.”
Maybe so. But seeing as Perry referenced the case in his most recent book, and seeing how Perry is trying to portray himself as the most stridently "pro-family," anti-gay candidate in the Republican field, he ought at least to behave as though he's been paying attention to the culture wars. You can bet Rick Santorum knows about Lawrence v. Texas.

'LITTLE' MONSTER: Gaga's Ex-Assistant Sues!

Lady Gaga just can't get good help these days: At least not the kind who will seamlessly handle all aspects of her life, manage her crazy wardrobe, wait at her beck and call at all hours, and not sue for their trouble. Seems one Jennifer O'Neill is suing Gaga for some $380,000 in unpaid overtime for her 13 months on the $75,000-a-year job, reports the New York Post.

O'Neill claims, among other things, that she ensured "the promptness of a towel following a shower and (served) as a personal alarm clock to keep [Gaga] on schedule,” according to court papers. O'Neill says her services were required at her “earliest waking hour” or for “spontaneous, random matters in the middle of the night." Another former PA claims she was required to sleep with Gaga most nights, because the singer didn't want to be alone, and that the two shared showers and makeup time. A Gaga rep dismissed the lawsuit as "completely without merit."

CLEANSED: Detroit Dental Worker with HIV Pursued with Lysol!

A Change.org petition calling for the resignation of the regional director of Great Expressions Dental in Detroit for discriminatory tactics and hindrance of employment equal opportunity has been signed by more than 35,000 people following reports of the treatment of a former employee of the company after he was diagnosed with HIV:After being diagnosed with HIV, James White was banned from touching doorknobs, was followed around by coworkers with bottles of Lysol, and subjected to sudden and abrupt schedule changes. After complying with the schedule changes, he was written up for "unexcused absences."

After seven months of enduring this vitriolic, unjustified discrimination, White fell ill and was hospitalized for a week. Great Expressions Dental called to terminate his employment the day before he was scheduled to return back to work.

OUT: California Lawmaker Comes Out of the Closet, Cites Gay Bullying!

Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani tells the Stockton Record that she's gay: Galgiani, D-Livingston, said that by coming out now, she hopes to send a positive message to young people who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual identity.

"It sickens me that young people would think about taking their lives because of who they are," Galgiani said. Galgiani, 47, said it was not until well into adulthood, after she was elected to represent the 17th Assembly District in 2006, that she knew she was gay.

The Sacramento Bee adds: Galgiani's spokesman confirmed the report, saying the statement came during an interview on high-speed rail and other issues.

Galgiani's announcement brings the total number of openly gay state lawmakers to eight. Her addition would make the Legislature's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, formed in 2002, the country's largest caucus recognizing openly gay legislators in the country, according to the gay rights advocacy group Equality California. Galgiani, who is termed out of the Assembly next year, is planning to run for a competitive Senate seat in the Central Valley next year.

PUMPED: Judge Loses Pension after Embarrassing enlargement!

An Oklahoma judge who used a sexual device under his robe while presiding over jury trials has been stripped of his pension. Donald Thompson—who served 20 months in prison for indecent exposure after being caught using a penis pump—violated his oath of office and has no right to collect his $7,789 judicial pension, the Oklahoma Supreme Court decided. Thompson's lawyers argued that he should only lose benefits from his last term in office, the Oklahoman reports.

"Court reporters observed the felonious exposure of Mr. Thompson's private parts, and testified to the fact during the criminal trial. That trial resulted in conviction of felonies. Those felonies violated Mr. Thompson's oath of office," the court wrote. Thompson, who served as a judge for 22 years, was arrested after a court reporter told police that she had seen him using the device almost daily during the murder trial of a man accused of shaking a toddler to death. Investigators found semen on the carpet, his robes, and the chair behind the bench.

APPROVED: Brazil's Supreme Appeals Court Says Gays Can Marry!

Brazil's Supreme Appeals Court overturned rulings by two lower courts yesterday and said that two women can be legally married, the AP reports.

AFP adds: In a 4 - 1 vote, the highest federal court ruled that the Constitution "makes it possible for stable civil unions to become marriages".

Indeed "sexual orientation should not serve as a pretext for excluding families from the legal protection that marriage represents", the court said in a statement. Brazilian federal law has not specifically legalised same-sex marriage. And while state courts are not required to follow the same line as the highest court, the Supreme Court ruling should play some role in discouraging Brazil's states from blocking same-sex marriage, legal experts say.

Brazil's Supreme Court approved civil unions in May.

HOLD IT: Demi-Ashton Marriage Isn't Legal!

Much as you might wish you could ignore it (or is that just us?), news of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher is still popping up everywhere. Moore was photographed Monday wearing her wedding ring, and Kutcher is reportedly still wearing his, too. But that’s the only good thing about Moore’s appearance: An expert tells Radar she appears to have dropped to 90 pounds during this whole mess. (Page through the gallery for photos from the event that sparked the worries.) More of the latest:

CAGED: Lohan Taken Away in Cuffs After Probation Revoked!

Lindsay Lohan was taken out of court in handcuffs today after a furious Judge Stephanie Sautner revoked her probation. Lohan’s bail bondsman will have her out on bail later today, but the actress could now wind up spending up to 18 months in prison; the judge set a hearing for Nov. 2 to decide her fate, TMZ reports.

Sautner, who noted with frustration that prison overcrowding made a jail sentence unlikely, also ordered Lohan to complete 16 hours of community service at the morgue before that hearing. The judge expressed complete disgust with Lohan’s failure to show up at the Downtown Women’s Center for community service, reading incredulously from a probation report in which Lohan said she didn’t find the center “fulfilling.” And she scoffed at excuses that Lohan had to leave town to work, saying she’d warned Lohan to do the service quickly in case she got a movie role—“I mean, she is supposed to be an actress, from what I hear.” Click for more.

FREE with NO-TRAVEL: Probation for Slater Over Emergency-Chute Stunt!

The folk hero and former flight attendant who popped off at a rude passenger then slid down the emergency chute with a beer has been sentenced to a year probation. "That was one moment, that was not indicative of who I am," said Steven Slater, who now plans to move from New York to California and write his memoirs. "I'm in a much better place." Slater became an overnight sensation after his stunt at JFK—but prosecutors said it wasn't funny and caused serious airport delays.

Slater, who said he was under severe stress at the time, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief and underwent counseling and substance abuse treatment, notes AP. He lost his job after the incident, and must pay JetBlue $10,000 in restitution for the cost of restoring the emergency chute.

SIGN: City Deploys Mimes to Tame Traffic!

In Venezuela’s capital, motorcyclists have been known to drive down sidewalks, and cars frequently speed through red lights. So the mayor is dealing with the problem by deploying … mimes. About 120 of them hit the streets last week in an attempt to shame drivers and pedestrians alike into behaving.

“Some people get angry when we reprimand them,” one mime told the AP as she put her hands forward to signify “stop,” then pointed to a red light as a motorcyclist approached. The mimes wear brightly colored clown-like outfits and, of course, white gloves. The mayor came up with the idea after a similar plan in Bogota, Colombia, proved to be a success. But Caracas’ streets, where it’s not uncommon to see people driving in reverse or the wrong way through oncoming traffic, may be even more dangerous. “Many times, the mimes can achieve what traffic police cannot achieve using warning and sanctions in their efforts to maintain control,” says the president of a cultural organization. “Mimes, on the contrary, often achieve the same objective by employing artistic and peaceful actions.”

GONE: Lady Gaga Vanquishes Lady Goo Goo!

Lady Gaga has won a fierce court battle against ... a children's website. Moshi Monsters, which apparently allows kids to "adopt your own pet monster," has a character named Lady Goo Goo that just so happens to be a singer. The site planned to release a single by the character—"The Moshi Dance"—after it became a YouTube sensation. Gaga took the creators to court, where a UK judge sided with her and banned the site from releasing any Lady Goo Goo songs, the Telegraph reports.

PROGRESS: 50% of NH Residents 'Strongly Oppose' Repealing Marriage Equality Law!

New HAmpshire's same-sex marriage law, passed in 2009, will be on the agenda for discussion of repeal when Republicans convene in January, but a new poll shows little support from the general public for doing so, WMUR reports: The WMUR Granite State poll shows that only 27 percent of New Hampshire adults support repealing same-sex marriage, while 50 percent strongly oppose repeal. The percentages are similar to a poll asking the same question in February.

The poll of 500 randomly selected New Hampshire adults was conducted by phone from Sept. 26 through Oct. 2 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.

VICTORY: Bid to Repeal Gay History Law in California Fails!

A win for gay rights advocates in California: Opponents hoped to repeal a new law that requires public schools to teach about the contributions of gay people, but they failed to get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. That means the law will take effect as planned in January.

Still, gay rights groups expect a bigger battle against the law to be waged for the November 2012 ballot. "In the end, 90 days was too short a time to accomplish such a large task," the Stop SB48 group told supporters in an email today, the deadline for signatures. "While we did not overturn this very bad law, we built a small army of dedicated volunteers that collected an incredible amount of signatures. There will be a next battle." The SDGLN site has the full email.

OVER: 'Totally Humiliated' Demi Files for Divorce!

Demi Moore has gotten a divorce lawyer and is ending her marriage to Ashton Kutcher, according to the latest in the Daily Mail. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that their relationship is on the rocks, since Ashton was allegedly caught cheating with a 23-year-old just before his sixth wedding anniversary. "Moore has been totally humiliated," says an unnamed insider. "On Friday, therefore, she consulted a lawyer about getting a divorce." On the still-together front, however, Ashton and Demi went to services together Friday night at the Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles, reports People. They were seen after the service walking around the center together affectionately and hugging. The Daily Mail claims they went to the Kabbalah Center for couples counseling, but it has not worked. "She is done with him," said the paper's source.

WELCOME HOME: Knox Finally returns to Seattle!

The "welcome home" signs are out around Seattle, and Amanda Knox can now see them in person. Knox flew into Seattle's Sea-Tac Airport this evening, a day after her murder conviction was reversed in Italy, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . "I'm really overwhelmed right now," said Knox, who wept upon seeing supporters and a horde of media awaiting her. "I was looking down from the airplane. It seemed like everything wasn't real." She didn't speak long. "I just, my, my family is the most important thing to me right now, and I just want to go and be with them." 

Her parents spoke briefly before her. "All I can say is, thank you," said Edda Mellas, her mother. "It's been a long four years," said her father, Curt Knox. A backyard barbecue is one of the things on the agenda in the near future. "Just normal things that you would want to do after being in prison for four years for a crime you didn't do," said a spokeswoman for the Friends of Amanda Knox, a group that raised money for her defense.

DUH: Coffee-Making Interns Didn't Work for Fox!

Remember those Black Swan interns suing Fox Searchlight for not paying them to make coffee? Turns out they may not have actually worked for Fox Searchlight (Distribution). The interns were employed by Darren Aronofsky’s (production) company, which made Black Swan, "well before Fox Searchlight even acquired its rights in the film," says Fox Filmed Entertainment in a statement reported by Deadline.

"These individuals were never employed as interns or retained in any capacity by Fox Searchlight, which has a proud history of supporting and fostering productive internships." "It is clear that these are completely meritless claims aimed solely at getting press coverage for the litigants and their attorneys," the statement continues. "We look forward to aggressively fighting these groundless, opportunistic accusations."