German football agent Michael Becker, agent to top footballer Michael Ballack, is making sports headlines across Germany after an interview was published in which he attributed the elegant style of the World Cup team to the fact that "a bunch" of its players are gay.
In an essay entitled New German Men, Aleksander Osang recounts an interview he had with Becker prior to the World Cup in which the agent allegedly told him which of the players in the team were gay. He later said that a former national player was ready to reveal the "bunch of gays" in the German team, according to Osang. Asked about the sexuality of one of the newer players, Becker, who is a lawyer by profession, referred to him as being "half gay".
Osang went on to say that Becker put the new adroit, lighter and elegant style of play that has become a trademark of trainer Joachim Löw's players down to their homosexuality, in contrast to the typically more aggressive and offensive German style of past years, but suggested they played too delicately to assure themselves a place in the final.
According to Der Spiegel, when Becker made his remarks about the "bunch of gays" he expected the ears of fellow journalists present to "prick up". "But they only nodded placidly," said Osang. "All sports journalists seemed to already know the alleged homosexual conspiracies enveloping Löw's team. The rumours accompanied our team to South Africa and evidently belong to the team."
Germany came third in the World Cup, going further than expected, after an excellent run that included wins over England and Argentina.
Becker responded to the controversy: "Becker has neither denied nor confirmed that he made the comments, but has since said he was 'misunderstood' and that the interview was not 'authorised', a common journalistic practice in Germany whereby the interviewee has the right to change his remarks after the interview.
Osang said he stood by his article, saying that Becker had told him 'unbelievable stories that I took down in my notebook and Becker didn't seem to have anything against me doing so'."
Michael Ballack did not play in the World Cup due to an injury.
Clay Aiken and the ladies of The View discussed the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" survey mailed out by the Pentagon yesterday, and its inquiry into showering with fellow soldiers. Opinions fell along familiar lines.
Sherri Shepherd wonders if there is going to be counseling for those scared to go into the showers.
Asks Aiken, "You need to be counseled to take a shower?"
"And this isn’t some sort of angst-fueled, bi-curious sweeps arc à la Adrianna’s season 2 flirtation with Rumer Willis. We will learn that the straight-acting character in question—let the record show that we’re referring to Matt Lanter’s recovering rebel Liam, Michael Steger’s smart and tenderhearted Navid, or Trevor Donovan’s tennis pro Teddy—is actually gay.
How can I be so sure? Well, for starters, one of the show’s producers is confirming it. 'We want to address the issue in a real and relatable way,' says co-EP Jennie Urman, who says the coming-out plot is but one of several 'great story lines' fans can look forward to in season 3."
Haven't seen the show, but those of you who are familiar should feel free to speculate in the comments.
Modern Tonic — a daily newsletter that delivers gay-approved pop culture gems (before they've been co-opted by everyone else) — presents a weekly music update here on Towleroad.
TODAY’S FEATURED NEW RELEASES:
Fans of Jane Krakowski’s ditzy, man-eating Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock will be thrilled that on her new album — The Laziest Gal in Town — she stays mostly in character. And why not? This is the woman who won a Tony Award for seducing Antonio Banderas while swinging from the ceiling wrapped in a sheet in Nine. In the live recording of her cabaret debut last fall at NYC’s Feinstein’s at the Regency, she vamps her way through "An Englishman Needs Time" (a tongue-in-cheek tribute to her love of British guys), "Thirteen Men" (her kicky homage to Ann-Margret) and "A Little Brains, A Little Talent" (which she did in Damn Yankees in 2008). Listen to the sassy, sarcastic odes to drugs "When I Get Low, I Get High/Wacky Dust" in player below.
When Benjamin Curtis left Dallas rock trio Secret Machines in 2007 to form a new group, we expected another psychedelic excursion into the progressive metal breach. But School of Seven Bells is a sweetly confounding surprise. Their second release — Disconnect from Desire — is a dreamscape of serene electronics, atmospheric guitars and the pristine harmonies of identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza. "Windstorm" (download a free mp3 of the A Place to Bury Strangers remix in player below) is both the opening track and the perfect description of this trio’s music. Buoyant vocals and swirling guitars float atop a loping mid-tempo groove reminiscent of Cocteau Twins at their peak. And when the ululating wails overtake the alt-rock drone of "Babelonia," it’s as if the Silversun Pickups relocated from Silverlake to downtown Jerusalem. Make no mistake — School of Seven Bells isn’t your summer club jam. Who knew that secret Benjamin Curtis was hiding in his machines was his love of gauzy, shoe-gaze-y Gothic pop? Towleroad July 13, 2010 by moderntonic.com
MUSIC NEWS:
Kylie
Minogue did a TV promo spot featuring "All The Lovers" for German
station Sat.1 timed to the release
of her new album Aphrodite. If it
was the full song, this could have stood alone as a top-notch music
video. (BTW, Aphrodite
debuted at #1 in the U.K. this week, 22 years after her first #1
U.K. album and her fifth album to hit that spot.)
Today marks the 25th anniversary of Bob Geldof's Live Aid, a fundraiser for African famine relief, which raised $200 million from 16 hours of music on July 13, 1985. That day, an estimated 1.5 billion people watched at least some of the show, and it was announced from the stage that 95% of the world's television sets were tuned to the show at one point.
Robbie Williams has debuted the album cover and tracklisting for his forthcoming 39-track greatest hits compilation In and Out of Consciousness: The Greatest Hits 1990-2010, due October 12 on 2CD/DVD. The cover image was shot on a beach in Malibu in May.
Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry announced Olympia, a new solo album out October 26 featuring collaborations with Scissor Sisters, Radiohead, Groove Armada, Red Hot Chili Pepper's bassist Flea, and more. It's also the first album since 1973 to reunite Ferry with Roxy Music members, including guitarist Phil Manzanera, saxophonist Andy Mackay and Brian Eno. Lead single "You Can Dance" will be out August 10.
MORE NEW RELEASES:
An also-ran from 2006’s Rockstar: Supernova reality show, the Puerto Rican-born singer Zayra changes gears for her first single "V.I.P." from her forthcoming album Baby Likes to Bang. "My father is Mick Jagger" she claims on this club stomper, and though that may not be true, she certainly has the Stones’ cojones. Free download of the spacious, dubby Dave Audé Club Mix in player above.
After hitting the big-time when her song "Paper Planes" was included in the film Slumdog Millionaire, controversial popster M.I.A. returns with /\/\ /\ Y /\, featuring the industrial ruckus of "Born Free" (and its infamous “ginger genocide” video), the Auto Tune’d reggae weirdness of "It Takes a Muscle" and plenty of experimental beats and incendiary lyrics.
R.E.M.’s third — and murkiest — album, Fables of the Reconstruction, gets a fully remastered 25th Anniversary re-release and a second disc of demos.
Katie Melua — "A Happy Place" Multiple moving cylinders showcase varying tableaux — a dwarf playing cello; Melua in headgear that’d make Carmen Miranda jealous, etc. — on this latest clip from her forthcoming release The House. Marina & the Diamonds — "Oh No!" On this love letter to cold hard cash, Marina Lambrini Diamandis gets her comic book on with big graphic "Pop’s" and "Ka Ching’s" in her ongoing bid to take over the world. Makes the Material Girl look like a slacker. Martin Solveig & Dragonette — "Hello" This clip for a track from the French electro artist’s forthcoming Smash features a tennis match between Solveig and another French DJ Bob Sinclar, with Canadian pop stars Dragonette chiming in on a peppy, chanty groove.
Sara Bareilles — "King of Anything" Sepia-toned images fill various split frames as songwriter Bareilles plays spoons and forks laid out like a keyboard on this up-tempo pop gem from her upcoming album Kaleidoscope Heart.
I am going to be interviewed on Austin, TX radio show OUTCAST tonight sometime between 7 pm and 8pm EDT for those of you interested in listening. I believe it also streams live here.
Obama outlines HIV/AIDS strategy: "While acknowledging that 'increased investments in certain key areas are warranted,' the report does not propose a major increase in federal spending. It says the administration will redirect money to areas with the greatest need and population groups at greatest risk, including gay and bisexual men and African-Americans. The federal government now spends more than $19 billion a year on domestic AIDS programs." Strategy, Plan.
The Kids Are All Rightblows up limited box office: "According to estimates provided by Rentrak earlier this afternoon, the critically acclaimed “Kids” grossed a massive $504,888 from just 7 theaters in 5 markets (New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago and San Francisco), averaging a quite staggering $72,127."
Anderson Cooper awarded medal by Haitian government.
Rare Barbary lion cubs born at Pennsylvania animal park: "The reason these cubs are so special, is Barbary Lions actually are extinct in the wild since 1921. They were basically hunted to extinction. They were sought after because they had a big thick mane that was impressive to the hunters and that's just what did them in."
Drunk man survives ride on back of 5-meter long Saltwater Crocodile.
NYC pays out $300K to officers in sexual harassment suit: "The city has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim against Lt. Kieran Crowe, who blamed his behavior on jock itch, the Daily News has learned.
Sgt. Dominic Coppola will receive $175,000 and Sgt. Sean Gallagher $125,000 in the agreement hammered out Monday in Manhattan Federal Court, according to their lawyer, Eric Sanders.
Crowe retired from the NYPD in 2008 after he was found guilty in a department trial of rubbing his crotch, simulating masturbation and wiggling his tongue at the sergeants."
The gay porn clips used in The Kids Are All Right were from COLT, the company confirms (site nsfw).
MIXNER: Obama's Justice Department is not required to appeal the DOMA ruling. "The administration can just get rid of DOMA in one single decision by not appealing. No act of legislation is needed, the President can blame the courts if he wants to and we are one step closer to freedom. This is a brilliant no-brainer! Yet, so far, we haven't even received from the White House an acknowledgement that it was an important victory for LGBT freedom and the President hopes that the courts will continue to uphold our struggle. Nothing but silence from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."
Britain's tabloids warn Lindsay Lohan of lesbian gang attacks in jail: "Everyone will want a piece of her. It will make them famous if they hurt Lindsay Lohan...Or if you get her to cry, the whole ward will laugh and people will love it - even the guards."
Recent Comments