FROM PARIS WITH YAGG

Famous for its original advertisements, the beverage Orangina has included an insinuating gay commercial in their newest ad campaign. However, the video has been judged “too polemic” and therefore, according to the NoSite Agency, won’t be shown on television.

The ad forms part of a campaign that features different human-like animals using Orangina for unusual satiric purposes, such as mopping the floor, fighting bad breath or hair conditioning. If you want to see a chameleon apply Orangina to its pimples, watch Orangina’s newest campaign online.

NoSite Agency (online strategy counseling and PR), in charge of buzzing this campaign, has drawn our attention to a new video, where the beverage is used as an after-shave by a muscled puma in front of his mirror. Nothing particularly gay until the closing scene, where the puma's well-shaved pelt is caressed by his… male friend. NoSite claims that the ad will not be aired, but this info still needs to be checked. Yagg will keep you informed.

If you cant’ see the video above, please click on Orangina's Gay Ad

Featured on television and movie theaters in France, one of McDonald's newest commercials portrays a young gay man talking to his boyfriend on the phone, while his father waits in the restaurant's line. Once back together, the father tells his son how successful he would be with girls, if only he were not in an all boys college. The clumsy remark is followed by the boy's awkward and kind of sad smile, while the ad closes with the campaign's slogan, "Come as you are" (Venez comme vous êtes).

OVER TWO MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE
Uploaded and subtitled by Yagg, the commercial has received worldwide attention with almost two million views on Youtube and has been a polemic subject, especially since Bill O’Reilly insinuated on FOX News that McDonald’s might as well feature an Al-Qaeda ad, as part of this campaign. This comparison raised protests from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Glaad) who demand a public apology from O’Reilly.

On his part, McDonald’s operation’s chief in the US confirmed during an interview for the Chicago Tribune that the commercial would not air in America): “[...] at McDonald’s there are core values we stand for and the world is getting much closer [...] (We talk) about things that may have an implication in one part of the world and may be the cultural norm in another part of the world. And those are things that, yes, we’re going to learn from. But, you’re right, that commercial won’t show in the United States”.

MCDONALD'S FRANCE IS NOT TARGETING GAYS
In France, contacted by Yagg, McDonald’s brand director, Nathalie Legarlantezec, denied that the fast food chain is targeting gays with the commercial and explained: “McDonald’s clientele in France is the country’s entire population, we don’t need to target anyone specific. We hope that this kind of picture will be able to touch anybody, homosexual or not. Personally, as a mother, I am not specifically concerned. And still, when I see that kid look up at his father... it gives me goose bumps. I find it beautiful and intense, and I think its positive that society has evolved in such way”.

According to Stéphane Xiberras, president and creative director of BETC Euro RSCG, the agency that created the campaign, the ad has received positive feedback from the gay community. However, critical voices denounce the marketing campaign as cynic and greedy. What do you think? Watch McDonald’s gay ad and judge by yourself.

If you can't see the video above, click on Gay McDonald's ad in France.

Karine is a 33 years old French woman and she's a really big fan of Ellen DeGeneres. With a couple of friends, Céline and Jennifer, she wrote and filmed a song for the American TV star, called Dear Ellen, in which she says why she loves her so much.

Of course Karine would love it if Ellen saw the video and decided to invite her to her show, but her first purpose with this song is to try and help French people discover this cool, friendly and sexy woman (Karine's words in her song). As strange as it might seem, not too many French people have heard of Ellen DeGeneres…

Cynthia Nixon is a formidable foe. The ever-radiant Miranda from Sex and the City proves it by reinventing herself as a gutsy spokesperson for the organisation Fight Back New York.

Against anti-gay Senators

Long since involved in the fight for gay and lesbian rights, Nixon explains in the video below the objectives and actions of the organisation. To keep it short, it's about strategizing to ensure that senators who voted against gay marriage last December don't get re-elected. A surprisingly candid battlecry where Nixon reiterates several times that she is ready for war with the New York State Senate!

The gist of the video:

"I have a fiancé, and on December 2nd the New York Senate voted against my right to marry her. The message did not get through, so now I am fighting back.

Fight Back New York is a committee of intelligent strategists who need your financial support to adequately challenge Senators who vote against gay rights. I urge you to click onto fightbackpac.com to learn how your dollars go towards challenging Senators' seats when they vote down gay rights."

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU_UQWtAweQ

Yesterday the first marriages of same-sex couples took place in Washington D.C.-two female couples, one male couple. Following the confirmation of gay marriage legality in D.C., these couples became the first in the district to take the plunge. Huffington Post has a nice writeup, some videos, and a lively 'comment section' debate here.

"You are my wife, my partner, my love. I love you today, I'll love you tomorrow, I'll love you tomorrow", declared Angelisa Young to her wife, Sinjoya Townsend, with whom she has lived for 12 years. They exchanged their vows in front of reverend David North who declared them partners for life".

Reggie Stanley and Rocky Galloway were declared husband and husband minutes later by reverend Sylvia Sumter. She called "God the father-mother full of humor" to bless the union of the two men, together for 6 years and parents of twins 15 months old, Malena & Zoe.

Marriage is a gift, and many been deprived of it for a long time, and today we offer it to everyone, insisted Reverend Dwayne Johnson in anointing a third couple, Darnele Garner and Lorilyn Candy Holmes.

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"A GIANT STEP FORWARD FOR EQUALITY"
Last week, the US Supreme Court rejected the pleas of gay marriage opponents to stop the law from passing (read Yagg article here).

An important security measure was enacted yesterday: police cars lined the streets around the building of the Human Rights Campaign (America's pre-eminent gay rights organization) where the historic marriages were celebrated. Adrian Fenty, the mayor of Washington D.C., was present and called the occasion "a huge step forward for equality".

Several hundred people asked for a marriage certificate between last Wednesday (first day of availability for the forms) and Friday, and most were for same-sex marriages, accoridng to a spokesperson for the Superior Court in DC.

For the videos of two of the marriages:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSKcq5U_MLs

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBeC6zUimVo

And Another One!…

The Antigay California Republican Senator Roy Ashburn came out yesterday, during a radio interview. Ashburn, who consistently opposed gay rights in the State Legislature, was arrested last week for drunk driving after leaving a gay club, and has since been the target of rumors of being in the closet (see Yagg article here).

The 55 year old senator has been on a crusade for 14 years against propositions for LGBT rights. Just last year, he opposed a holiday for slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. He also opposed laws banning discrimination against gays and voted against gay couples’ legal right to marry in the State of California.

During his interview on KERN Radio (where he had his own weekly show up until very weekly), he explained that he voted against pro-LGBT laws in California to ‘reflect the wishes of his electoral base’ rather than his ‘internal conflicts’.

Finally, Ashburn made it clear that he will not be running for election after his term finishes at the end of this year.

The entire interview in English below in 2 parts (the actual interview begins at 4min42sec):

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km0ETAAh3dg

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqgtwmcMxag

Running on the theme of switching banks, the new ING Direct in France and showcases men and women who are running around their offices, homes, and in the street, happy because they 'did it'-ostensibly, 'it' meaning switching banks. Obvious sexual undertones.

Two men in the elevator...

And, sex between two men was also on the menu in the ad, as you'll see here in the spot below, in which the two nattily-clad men exit the elevator all-smiles, with the words 'they did it'. Now, what about two women…

ING Direct - Aujourd'hui je l'ai fait
envoyé par ingdirectfrance. - Films courts et animations.

Towleroad's tv correspondents John Helmin and Josh Koll from Josh & Josh are Famous caught up with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore to discuss their Oscar-nominated film (unfortunately the movie did not win any awards) A Single Man, and they also gave their views on gay marriage in light of recent political milestones.

"People should be able to marry who they want. I don't understand why it's so controversial, said Colin Firth. Laws should be in place to protect people from harm, and gay marriage does not harm anyone... "

"We are living during an absurd time period, said Julianne Moore, people just voted against these rights in New York, and there is Proposition 8 in California. I think is it all barbaric. I think the whole institution of marriage should come under review-everyone should have access to civil unions, in such a way that the church never gets involved in people's private lives again. Those who want a church ceremony, good for them, but when it comes to equal rights and rights for people already in a relationship, everyone should have the same advantages, rights, and responsibilities."

See below the interview:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Evrn7hUho

We won't lie, it's always nice to see a homophobe get caught up in his own traps. And this is exactly what seems to be happening to Roy Ashburn, a Republican Senator in California, stopped by the police Tuesday night with a blood alcohol level almost twice the legal limit (1.4 g/l versus .8 g/l).

CBS 13, the local CBS channel, is mum on its sources in confirming that Ashburn was seen at Faces, a Sacramento gay club, immediately before getting pulled over by the police in his car with another man. He got out of Sacramento County Jail on bond.

The plot thickens since Roy Ashburn voted against all bills advancing LGBT rights in California (voting record here).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1V9ikhmrRw