Kirk Cameron's Homophobic Rant Draws Swift Condemnation

Child has-been Kirk Cameron's appearance last Friday March 2, with CNN's Piers Morgan—in which the radical religious extremist howled that homosexuality is "unnatural, detrimental and destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization"—isn't sitting so well with a number of public figures. Over the weekend, George Clooney, his fellow Growing Pains alumni, Jesse Tyle Gerguson and many others reacted to his homophobic rant.

Please join in the protest by signing the petition at Change.org here. In addition, GLAAD offers a "It's time for Kirk Cameron to grow up" petition here.

Apparently, he's feeling the heat. Cameron responded to the swift condemnation of his hate-filled comments by saying: “I believe freedom of speech and freedom of religion go hand-in-hand in America. I should be able to express moral views on social issues–especially those that have been the underpinning of Western civilization for 2,000 years–without being accused of hate speech and told from those who preach ‘tolerance’ that I need to either bend my beliefs to their moral standards or be silent when I’m in the public square."

I'm sure Barry Goldwater said the same thing when he preached in the 1960s that blacks should be kept in their place.

The New Civil Rights Movements notes, "It’s the old, 'Love the sinner, but hate the sin,' default statement, which, as Dan Savage likes to point out, is just a kinder version of 'God hates fags'.” See some choice responses to Kirkie's extremist commentary on CNN below the jump:

Wowsah: Temps Hit 70 In March? In New York City!

With temperatures soaring to a rare 70 degrees Thursday in NYC—in March(!)—a cluster of perennial Crocus longiflorus—we’ll just call them crocuses—around my Brooklyn Heights nabe are eager for Spring to show its colors. They're not the only ones. Bring it on! *

No! No! No! Jessica Simpson Nekid & Preggers On 'Elle' Cover

Do we have to go through this madness yet again? Pregnancy: private. Not meant to be shared on magazine covers. Jesus, woman, some dignity, please! And it sure as hell isn't an original idea... *

Cyclist Mark Cavendish: Well, Congratulations To You, Big Boy!

British cyclist Mark Cavendish certainly seems proud to show of his spokes, yes? *

First Love: International Male Model Brian Buzzini

The year was 1985. I had been living in Washington, D.C., for about a year and had just burst out of the closet that May. As was requisite for every gay in the 1980s, I frothed over every issue of clothing retailer International Male and its sister Undergear, both thinly veiled shout-outs to homos, with audaciously designed lines of underwear worn by hunky beefcake models that bordered on soft porn. Read: crotch forward.

Its most renowned face of the day was Brian Buzzini, who was so popular that he had a line of postcards and began appearing in exercise magazines and ads for Diet Coke, Kool cigarettes, Burberry trench coats and Edge shaving cream, as well as fashion in GQ. And then, glory be, he was featured in June 1985 in a nudie layout for Playgirl... marking the first time in my life that I ever bought a nudie mag. I recall—after coming out one month before—circling the drug store, walking up and down the aisles to summon the courage to say, "Playgirl, please," from the kid working at the front counter. I was so nervous I was dizzy.

But what a payoff. Boy, was Brian pretty as apple pie in his layout (which revealed: 190 pounds,  43-inch chest and a 30-inch waist), ultimately being named the mag's Man of The Year, with a delish centerfold in January 1986 featuring a rare Playgirl stiffie(!) Yep, I still have the first issue, featuring Robert Redford on the cover, as well as a couple postcards featuring Buzzini, in fact, right in front of me on my office bulletin board. Now that is dedication. And one sweet sentimental memory.

Brian, born in Modesto, Calif., and whose pappy was a pro golfer and mamer a pro tennis player, is still beautiful and fit, living in Los Angeles. Born August 18, 1962, he is now 49 years old. Check out his Facebook page here. * Check out Brian's commercial reel here... Some beautiful stuff, and oh so handsome.

And Speaking Of International Male... It Endures Post-Millennium

While the International Male retail catalog was folded into its sister Undergear several years ago, the brand endures post-millennium as both a shopper's webbie and a print catalog. The times have gotten a lot more daring since its days in the 80s of almost tongue-in-cheek descriptors of its undies designed to enhance the goods.

Today, with so many competitors overt in intent to maximize one's meat (led by International Jock), Undergear is competing with the likes of 2xist, Calvin Klein, David Beckham's new H&M line and dozens of other brazen brands, though it also carries a number of them. Here's a look at some of the models from the past... and today. Can you tell which is which? *

Smoking Nun Now Includes 'You Might Also Like' Links

Now there's more fun at your fingertips. The Smoking Nun has added five links at the bottom of each post, offering "You Might Also Like." This should make it easier to find related topics for what you're digging on the Nun, via LinkWithin. Enjoy all the more, cool cats! *

ABC's New 'GCB' Is A Delectable Sunday Night Dish

ABC's bid to replace the creaky old Desperate Housewives is a stitch a minute. The Kristen Chenoweth vehicle Good Christian Bitches (GCB), which debuted Sunday at 10 p.m., takes a decadent look at a posse of affluent Dallas housewives who hide their Gucci, Botox and a plenitude  of wickedness behind the guise of being pious church-going ladies.

Alongside the ever-delicious Chenoweth (whom I adored in the short-lived Pushing Daisies), the hour-long soap stars Leslie Bibb and (fab) Annie Potts, and tells the story of Amanda (Bibb), a recently widowed mother of two who returns to the South to the land of faux piety. There's even a closeted gay husband who is lovin' on his sexy ranch hand... and plenty of other hot men, led by David James Elliott (see the guys at Homorazzi here).

Ratings for the first episode were middlin', with 7.6 million viewers tuning in, placing it a distant second behind CBS' CSI: Miami, with 10 million. Adding to the challenge: Evangelist Bible-thumpers in the South may not find it particularly amusing to see themselves portrayed in such a light. In fact, under the pressure of a few finks, Kraft has already yanked ads for its Philly Cream Cheese.

I'm totally gunning for this cheesy new Dallas meets Desperate Housewives meets Sex & The City to flourish. Let the bitches rule the South. *

The Week In Music: It's All About Adele & Whitney (Again)

Prince, watch your back, baby. Adele’s Grammy-winning “21” logs a 23rd astonishing week atop the upcoming Billboard 200 album chart for March 17, 2012. That makes it the longest-running chart-topping set since “Purple Rain” from Prince & The Revolution spent 24 weeks at No. 1 in 1984 and 1985—some 27 years ago. Sales for “21” this year alone have now reached 2.07 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan, easily making it the best-selling album for the first quarter of 2012.

Next in line: Whitney Houston's "Whitney: The Greatest Hits," at 527,000 (which is this week’s No. 2 album). Further attesting to Adele’s unstoppable momentum, it’s been nine years since an album sold 2+ million copies this early in the year, with 50 Cent's "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'." Meanwhile, Adele’s debut “19” endures at No. 7 on the album chart.

But don’t expect a 24th week for Adele when the next chart hits. Bruce Springsteen’s 17th studio album “Wrecking Ball,” was released Tuesday, March 7. Given its typically venerating reviews, it’s hard to imagine that Bruuuuce won't debut at No. 1 next week.

In other Whitney Houston news, her death Feb. 11 continues to conjure sentimentality. In addition to “The Greatest Hits” at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, "The Bodyguard" soundtrack rises a rung to No. 5; while debut "Whitney Houston" falls one to No. 10. She has a total of nine albums on that chart in the coming week, also ringing up Nos. 13, 21, 31, 32, 50 and 80. The last time one act had as many as nine among the week's top 100 sellers was October 2009, when the Beatles drained 11 out of the top 100. In addition, Houston is one of only six artists to have three or more of the 10 best-selling albums in the U.S. since August 1963, alongside The Beatles, Peter, Paul & Mary, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Simon & Garfunkel and Michael Jackson. She is the only woman to achieve the feat.

On the singles side, Fun becomes the first rock band in more than 10 years to launch its debut track to the top of Billboard Hot 100, as "We Are Young," featuring Janelle Monae, rises 3-1. The song is also on top of the Digital Songs chart for a third week. Last time a debut rock song accomplished the same was December 2001/January 2002, when Nickelback spent four weeks at No. 1 with "How You Remind Me.” Fun was featured in a Super Bowl ad for Chevrolet's Sonic, explaining its radio and retail combustion. In all, the song has sold 1.1 million downloads.

At Nos. 2 and 3 are two former chart-toppers: First is "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" from Kelly Clarkson, followed by Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain."

Next week: Will The Monkees return to the charts, following the untimely death of Davy Jones at age 66? And one more tidbit to demonstrate that no matter what, the world keeps turning: On Friday, March 2, Grammy-winning rocker Jon Bon Jovi turned 50. *

This piece originally appears on Radio-Info.com.

Ryan Phillippe Drops Out Of CBS Drama (But Looks Damn Good)

Oh my lord. Ryan Phillippe has dropped out of CBS' Greg Berlanti/Nicholas Wootton cop drama pilot. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the feature actor, who is currently filming FX's fifth and final season of Damages, has amicably parted ways with the project.

The drama would have starred Phillippe as a cop who rises quickly through the ranks from officer to detective to police commissioner in the project, which was previously known as Golden Boy. Sources confirm that Phillippe expressed doubt about committing to the intense production demands that come with a potential network drama series.

Ha, ha, ha. I don't really care about the show, nor have I ever heard of it. I just thought it was time to share some picolas of the sexy actor. Words, words, words, you betcha. *

Stupid, Uh, Super Tuesday Puts Us Right Where We Began

Thank god in heaven that Stupid, uh, i mean Super Tuesday is finally going to allow these G.O.P. candidates to shut the fuck up... and how insanely amusing is it that we're exactly where we started... with Mitt Romney a shoe-in to capture the Republican Presidential nomination.

It was, however, fun watching the clowns tear each other apart for the last 8 months. I kind of miss freako loudmouth Michele Bachmann and her gay husband Marcus, and Herman Cain's bigoted nonsense. So sorry for homophobe Rick Santorum and crook Newt Gingrich that they're about to become footnotes in U.S. political history. Bygones, baby! You won't be missed, for sure. *

William Levy Gains Mainstream Momentum As 'DWTS' Prepares Launch

As momentum builds for Smoking Nun idol William Levy's competitive appearance on the 14th season of ABC reality series Dancing With The Stars (which launches at 8 p.m. Monday, March 19th) our Sexiest Man Alive is at last garnering plenty of mainstream press—that is, two years after The Smoking Nun began singing his praises.

Good Morning America talked to some of the cast in a 5-½-minute video, including Will's dance partner Cheryl Burke, who referred to our guy as "the hottest piece of you know what" in DWTS history.

Oh, wait, you mean ass, right, girl? Well, that's certainly a start: Let's add those beautiful teeth, perfect face, enviable abs and overall ideal demeanor to that, shall we? As I've mentioned before, this will be the first time I've been able to bear this inexplicably enduring show... though I have to admit, watching Martina Navratilova in a pair of high heels could be giddy fun. *

Pet Parade: Abby & Spencer

New month, new critter pics! Abby and Spencer grin for the lens. Ruff!