NYC Rally Against Nanny Bloomberg's Latest Personal Affront

Hundreds gathered near New York's City Hall on Monday to protest Nanny Bloomberg's latest attack on city dwellers' right to make personal decisions. The "Million Big Gulp March" took a bold stance against the meddlesome mayor's latest whim: to make it illegal for movie theaters, sports arenas, food carts, restaurants and delis from selling sodas and other sugary drinks in servings larger than 16 ounces.

Nanny's reasoning: Folks are fat... so, as usual, legislate. Opponents—myself included—believe the city is overstepping its authority and infringing on personal freedom. "Hands off my Bladder" read a sign hoisted by Dominic Inferrera, a singer and actor in his 30s. But City Council Member Dan Halloran, a Republican from Queens, said Bloomberg's stance on soda size is anything but funny, challenging "the principles on which our country was founded.

"This is not the way a democracy works," he said. "When do we say enough control is enough? It's a slippery slope." He cited the mayor's previous legislation linked to calories, trans fat, cigarettes and table salt. "We have more important things to do. This city has a 9.7% unemployment rate; we need to worry about getting people back to work."

Organizer Zach Huff with NYC Liberty HQ added that the rally is more than just about the soda ban, but protest against the idea that the government is dictating how people should live. "The government was instituted to protect the rights of everyone and prevent crime, and now it's cracking down the rights of everyone," Huff told CBS News. "It's astonishing we have a mayor who is pro-choice when it comes to what a woman can do with her body but isn't pro-choice with simple choices, like soda container sizes."

Bloomberg, in his typically queeny arrogant way, scoffed at the critics: "We're not taking anything away. If government's purpose isn't to improve the health and longevity of its citizens, I don't know what its purpose is." Uh, bullshit, Mr. Mayor.

A recent NY1 poll found that 53% of New Yorkers are against the ban, while only 42% agree with the proposal. Public hearings begin July 24, with a final vote scheduled on Sept. 13. If approved, regulations will go into effect on March 31. Of course, given that all voting members were per$onally appointed by Bloomberg, I think we all know how this is going to turn out.

Mind you, I haven't had sugar soda in decades, so this certainly has nothing to do with wanting to slurp down sugar. Simply, enough is enough of Bloomberg slicing away personal freedoms, one after the other after the other... *

William Levy Nominated For Alma Award: 'Fave Reality Personality'

Congratulations to William Levy on his nomination for a 2012 Alma Award for “Favorite TV Reality, Variety or Comedy Personality or Act.” The Alma Awards honor Latinos for leading roles in TV, movies and music.

The show was created in 1995 by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the nation to promote the advancement of Latinos.

Of course, I can think of nothing better than William Levy's smile to promote good will about the Latin community. His competitors in the Alma category are Christina Aguilera for “The Voice” (yeah, she's soooo Latin), Gabriel Iglesias for “Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution,” George Lopez for “Take Me Out” and Jennifer Lopez for “American Idol.”

Winners are chosen via online fan votes through September 7, with a broadcast on NBC September 21. VOTE HERE!

Only In America: Pigging Out On Bacon, Bacon, Bacon

Honestly, I thought this was a big FAT joke when I first heard about it... Burger King's summertime Bacon Sundae: "sweet and savory made with cool, creamy and velvety vanilla soft serve, chocolate fudge and smooth caramel, made to order with our new thick hardwood smoked bacon." Good heavens to grossout.

Originally tested in Nashville, the salty-sweet dessert clocks in at 510 calories, with 18 grams of fat and 61 grams of sugar. Okay, I'm starting to feel a bit nauseated.

But it's not just the south that is dying to pack on the pounds. An eatery called Slater’s 50/50 in California has come up with a new burger that is made of bacon. "The 'merica burger" (for real) features a patty made of 50% beef and 50% ground bacon, topped with a slice of thick cut bacon, a sunny side up egg, “bacon island” dressing (I swear!) and a heavy slice of bacon cheddar cheese... And now I'm really heading to Barfville.

Sometimes I'm so damn proud to be an American, land of the free, home of the morbidly obese. Is it any wonder? I'm sure if NYC Mayor Bloomberg caught wind of this, he'd have Nanny State legislation out in a hot minute. And this time, I might actually be on his side. Oink! *

Aussie Mag DNA Celebrates 15 Years Of Aussiebum

"There has been a change in men's attitudes toward clothes. Men are more aware of fashion; they're not afraid of it." —Calvin Klein 

This month, Aussie gay mag DNA celebrates its 150th issue with a shout-out to Aussiebum. That upstart underwear company has the distinction of being among the first to offer wares designed to give men an extra push... A little pocket in which one tucks their jewels made one big difference.

The runaway success of its novel underwear design led to a rethinking of men's undergarments, bringing the "bulge" back into fashion with a bang it hadn't seen since the late 1970s' machismo signature (read: a sock stuffed in the front of one's jeans) created by gays in San Francisco.

Today, crotch-focal undies have reached the mainstream, led by Andrew Christian (lower pic). Just take a look at David Beckham's modeling pics in his scivvies. Any further questions? It certainly makes for a much prettier world. *

Flashback: Alison Moyet's 1985 'Invisible'

Despite her brilliant voice, songwriting savvy and overseas success, Alison Moyet achieved just onetop 40 hit in the U.S. Ah, but what a classic: 1984's "Invisible," which peaked at a paltry No. 31 in the States. Boo!

Meanwhile, Moyet's U.K. album sales total 2+ million, with a million-plus singles sold. All 10 of her studio and compilation albums charted in the Top 30 there, while two of her solo albums hit No. 1. She also logged nine top 30 singles and five top 10s. Not surprisingly: In much of that era, the U.S. charts were consumed with dribble from the likes of Bruce Springsteen rather than the creative music coming from overseas. Thank god for the Brit invasion that started with Human League in 1981 that remains responsible for much of the indelible music of the decade. Hello Duran Duran!

Over time, Moyet has placed more than a dozen major hits on my Taylor Top 40, from "This House," "Wishing You Were Here" and "It Won't Be Long" to "Weak In the Presence of Beauty," "Hoodoo," "Getting Into Something" and "For You Only." The list goes on. And now, it's an Alison iTunes playlist Monday!

Below, pal Pook and meese in 2008 in NYC, when Alison Moyey and Vince Clarke reunited for a Yazoo tour. Backstage, Alison invited us to party hardy... and my god, did we. *

Thanks To Viral YouTube Video, Rita Hayworth Is 'Stayin' Alive'

Good googa-mooga, talk about the wonders of viral social networking. This genius collage of Rita Hayworth clips dancing up a storm synced to the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" is more captivating than any contemporary music video clip of the day.

It was assembled by a mystery editing master who goes by "et7waage1" on YouTube, and has numerous videos posted... all loving, if not obsessive tributes to the 1940's film icon, although this is the only one so far set to music. My pal Alicee alerted me to the clip, which has now been viewed more than 2 million times. Take a look & a listen... Seduction is at hand. *

Sheena Easton: When She Shines

At 53, Sheena Easton shines as bright as ever! *

Could William Levy Be William Grey In 'Fifty Shades Of Grey'?

Following his star-making turn in reality show Dancing With The Stars, it's time for William Levy to make his next major move. If he truly wants to transition to the big screen as a potential Hollywood A-lister, time's ticking, baby. His recent turn in VH1's Single Ladies was a sweet distraction, but isn't going to propel him any further.

I'm still steamed that in August, Will turned down the role of a lifetime in Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike, which has turned into a smash flick, and certainly would have amped his exposure to a mainstream American audience.

So how about this? Erotic romance trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey by British author E. L. James has become the talk of Tinseltown. The book has supplanted Hunger Games on the New York Times Bestseller List, sold 20 million copies worldwide with movie rights secured by Universal Pictures. Names are being tossed about to play the lead roles of Christan Grey (& Anastasia Steele), including Max Irons, Matt Bomer, Chris Pine, Kellan Lutz, Alex Pettyfer, Ryan Gosling and Henry Cavill. There is also a grass-roots effort to bring Levy's attention to producers, including a Facebook page dedicated to casting Will.

The character of Christian Grey possesses model good looks, he's a dashing billionaire with limitless power, humor and and a beseeching dark side. Most of all, he's a sexual dynamo. Sounds like Will to me, cool cats. While casting is still years away, online petitions and swoon-worthy discussions are blanketing the web with suggestions of the ideal Grey.

According to webbie Penguincookies, "William Levy would be the unconventional choice to play Christian Grey. The man embodies the definition of good looking. William has the height, body and sultry eyes, and this role may be his ticket to stardom in the States. The movie just may profit from the millions of ladies that already swoon over him."

Time will tell, although to be honest, Levy is already Grey in our little world, as the Sexiest Man Alive. *

The Week In Music: Jepsen’s ‘Maybe’ Maintains Dominance

Carly Rae Jepsen ups her ante as one of the year’s brightest newcomers: While her ubiquitous peppy pop summer anthem “Call Me Maybe” logs a fourth week atop the singles chart, she also scores the highest new entry on the Hot 100, with "Good Time," a duet with Owl City. The track catapults onto the chart at No. 18.

It’s another week of lofty accomplishments for the 26-year-old Canadian, as “Maybe” remains atop Digital Songs for a seventh consecutive week, moving a total of 4,067,000 million downloads. That makes Jepsen the best-selling Canadian act in digital songs history, trumping Nickelback’s 2007 No. 6 “Rockstar,” which has sold 4,019,000. “Maybe” also commands the Ringtones and YouTube charts, and dips 2-3 on the all-format Radio Songs and 1-2 on On-Demand Songs.

“Good Time,” meanwhile, crashes onto Digital Songs at No. 6, selling 140,000 downloads. It also prevents Owl City’s Adam Young from remaining a one-hit wonder, following his only other hit, 2010’s No. 1 “Fireflies.”

Meanwhile, Maroon 5's "Payphone" holds at No. 2 on the Hot 100, while it tops Radio Songs, Pop Songs, Adult Pop Songs and On-Demand Songs. On Digital Songs, it holds at No. 3, with sales surpassing 3 million to date. That puts the track in a four-way tie as the fastest-selling digital track to log as many sales over the course of 11 weeks; it joins Flo Rida's "Right Round," Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg’s "California Gurls" and "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna. In addition, Maroon 5’s second release from new album “Overexposed”—“Wipe Your Eyes”—is a new Hot 100 entry at No. 80.

Numbers 3-8 on the Hot 100 all remain in place: Gotye's former two-month No. 1 "Somebody That I Used to Know," featuring Kimbra, is 3; Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" stalls at 4; Rihanna's "Where Have You Been,” which earns top Airplay Gainer kudos, is 5; Ellie Goulding's "Lights" is 6; fun.'s former six-week No. 1 "We Are Young," featuring Janelle Monae, holds at 7; and Nicki Minaj's "Starships" remains at 8.

David Guetta garners the Hot 100's only new top 10 entry, with "Titanium," featuring Sia, jumping 12-9. It’s his fifth Hot 100 top 10 hit and the third from current album "Nothing But the Beat." And wrapping up the week’s top 10, Usher’s “Scream” is locked in place at No. 10.

On the album side, talk about a squeaker… One thousand copies made all the difference in the world. Linkin Park narrowly trumps Maroon 5 to land at the top of this week’s Billboard 200: “Living Things,” the rock band’s fifth chart-topper, sold 222,000 copies, while Maroon’s fourth effort “Overexposed” moved 223,000, for a No. 2 launch on the Billboard 200. The former is also No. 1 in the U.K. and Canada, as well as the U.S. Rock Albums, Alternative Albums and Hard Rock Albums tallies. And track “Burn It Down” is the No. 1 Rock Song at radio.

If it’s any consolation, Maroon 5 tops the Digital Albums chart, with 134,000 copies, compared to 122,000 for Linkin Park.

The only album in this week’s top 5 that isn’t new is Justin Bieber’s “Believe”—last week’s No. 1—which eases to No. 3. Last week’s Bieber fever also sees his previous No. 2 hit “Boyfriend” rebound from No. 18 to No. 14 on the Hot 100. He is also represented on the singles chart with "As Long As You Love Me" (featuring Big Sean) at No. 87; and "All Around The World" (featuring Ludacris) at No. 96.

The hip-hop-focused "Maybach Music Group Presents: Self Made 2" compilation album is No. 4 on the album roster; followed by R. Kelly’s “Self Made 2,” at No. 5, his 14th top 10 album.

Here at the mid-point of 2012, Billboard has announced the top-selling album and song to date. No surprise: Adele's "21"—which debuted in February 2011—leads on the long-play side, followed by Lionel Richie’s “Tuskegee.” One Direction’s “Up All Night” is the year’s third best-selling album to date, with Whitney Houston’s “Whitney: The Greatest Hits” and “Now 41 at 4 and 5, respectively.

Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" (featuring Kimbra) rules among singles sales, followed by fun. featuring Janelle Monae’s “We Are Young,” Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)” and Nicki Minaj’s “Starships.”

And finally… Andy Griffith, who died Tuesday, July 3 at age 86, was a recording artist, in addition to his roles on TV, notes Yahoo! Music’s Chart Watch columnist Paul Grein. As Deacon Andy Griffith, he had a top 10 hit in January 1954 with comedy record "What It Was, Was Football (Part I & II)"; and a platinum-selling gospel album in 1986 with “I Love To Tell The Story: 25 Timeless Hymns,” which also earned a Grammy for Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel or Bluegrass Gospel Album. *

GQ Features Flattering Flexibility Of Olympic Gymnasts

GQ offers a selection of designer tank tops in its July 2012 issue, modeled by six U.S. Olympics gymnast hopefuls heading to the 2012 London games.

Our flexible selection of boyz includes Arizona's Alex Naddour, Houston's Chris Brooks & Jonathan Horton (do they really grow them bigger in Texas?), Port Jefferson, N.Y.'s Steven Legendre, Jersey's Brandon Wynn and our fave, swarthy Cuban-American Danell Leyva, 22, from Miami.

I always say, if you gotta watch sports, it oughta be men's gymnastics or swimming. Ooh la la! *