MAMBA GOSSIP

Reichen flogs jewellery in the buff

How about a little eye-candy? We could get all high and mighty about how tacky it is for celebrities to be flogging products, but when you look like Reichen Lehmkuhl (left) and you do the ad campaign pretty much in the buff, we’ll clap loudly instead. The former reality-TV star-in-search-of-a-career decided to include his new boyfriend Ryan Barry (equally an eyeful) in the photo shoot. The campaign is for Love and Pride’s ‘Fly Naked’ men’s jewellery collection and the pictures were shot at a villa in the Hollywood Hills as well as in a Palm Springs desert.

Lindsay’s lesbian loves?

Lindsay Lohan might still be in rehab but that doesn’t mean there’s any reason to stop gossiping about the wild child’s lifestyle. It seems that the rumours about her being rather fond of the ladies, such as the apparent romance with DJ Samantha Ronson, just won’t go away. Lindsay’s former bodyguard, Lee Weaver, is making all kinds of entertaining claims about the actress. He says that he lost count of all the women she brought back to her hotel room after clubbing, adding that she used boys for drugs and girls “for thrills”. Apparently Lindsay even tried to grope Mariah Carey’s boobs one night. He also claims that he drove the party girl to a number of cocaine binges with gal-pal Nicole Richie. The 48 year old minder is writing his memoirs after years of working for celebs such as Kim Basinger, Brad Pitt, Eddie Murphy and Pamela Anderson. Weaver says, unsurprisingly, that Lindsay was his wildest client to date.

Armisted Maupin slams closeted stars

Armisted Maupin, the author of the much-loved Tales of the City books has struck out at celebrities that remain in the closet. Speaking to 7 x7 magazine, he said that, “The negative influences on the gay culture are being promulgated by people who are widely known to be gay and who continue to act as if it’s a topic of non-discussion. I’m thinking specifically about people like Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper. They’re gay, but never talk about it. They are perpetuating the notion that being gay is a secret shame. We still respect closets far too much in this society. I’m very proud of the fact that Ian McKellen once asked me if I thought he should come out, and I said yes–and he’s credited me with that. I tend to be a little cheeky about this topic because I think it’s important – there are teenagers still committing suicide over their sexuality.” The writer is currently promoting the just-published new instalment of the Tales of the City series – the first in 18 years – titled Michael Tolliver Lives.

Enrique Iglesias makes gay fan’s day

Stud-muffin singer Enrique Iglesias made one of his gay fan’s day (or life, perhaps) by serenading the shell-shocked boy on stage. Performing the song Hero at G-A-Y in London, he pulled one of the male audience members on stage and proceeded to sing the ballad to him, at times holding the lucky sod in an embrace. Enrique usually gets a girl up on stage for the number, but he sensibly adapted to his environment and ensured that we’ll forever love him. Unsurprisingly the crowd went wild. In further good news on the Enrique front, the singer has denied that he has a small penis. He’s previously claimed that he’d like a larger member, but in a new interview, he says that he was just joking, insisting that, “I meant I needed a penis reduction, not an enlargement! …The people who wrote I had a small willy misunderstood.”

Our weekly Britney update…

The princess of trash, Britney Spears, has published a message on her official website, in which she asks her fans to help her choose the title of her much expected new album. Only members of her fan club can vote. The possible names include:

1. Omg is Like Lindsay Lohan Like Okay Like

2. What if the Joke is on You

3. Down boy

4. Integrity

5. Dignity

She might be joking, but we find the last option particularly humorous (or should that be ironic?). Living up to her ever-deteriorating reputation, the singer was, in the last week, photographed by the paparazzi flashing both her knickers and her boobs (again). In related trailer-trash news, former husband Kevin Federline has denied reports that he has impregnated his original ex wife Shar Jackson (who was lucky enough to bear his first offspring). Federline is also said to be considering using his divorce settlement money from Britney to give the music biz another try. We’re speechless actually…

New JFK Jr. rumours surface

We’ll never forget the shock of learning about the tragic death of über-hunk John F. Kennedy Jr. in a plane crash in 1999. Now, a new book about the man is dishing the dirt on his sexuality and his affairs with a number of celebs. According to sources interviewed by the author of American Legacy, John and Madonna’s attempt to get horizontal in a cheap hotel in 1988 went awry when he didn’t have any condoms at hand. The couple were too concerned about being spotted buying a pack, so the whole thing apparently fizzled out. The book also claims that not only did John make use of a female prostitute’s services, but he also had a number of sexual encounters with men. Transsexual Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn also told the author that she smooched John at Studio 54. The Kennedy clan is apparently rather unimpressed with the tell-all biography. As for us, we can’t wait to read it!

John Travolta in gay backlash?

While many of us are eagerly anticipating seeing John Travolta in drag in the upcoming musical movie, Hairspray, some gay activists are not too happy about the idea. They are suggesting that we gays boycott the film because of the 53 year old actor’s affiliation with the church of Scientology. The editor of the Washington Blade, Kevin Naff (yes, that’s apparently his real name) said, “Travolta, a prominent Scientologist, has no business reprising an iconic gay role… It’s well known that Scientology rejects gays and lesbians as members and even operates reparative therapy clinics to ‘cure’ homosexuality.” We’re in two minds about this, but we’re leaning towards seeing the movie – after all if we had to boycott every movie or TV show starring dodgy actors we’d never get to see anything. Meanwhile the tubby Travolta has revealed that in an effort to escape the paparazzi his family stays up all night and sleeps during the day. In an interview with Parade Magazine he says that, “We’re like the Addams family or the Munsters, living sort of an odd, nocturnal life.” Sounds just like our daily schedule at Mamba Mansions.

Spotted in the last week

Madonna and hubby Guy Ritchie having dinner with Justin Timberlake at Locatelli’s restaurant in London.

Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey’s wearing a pink dress in New York while shooting the movie Made of Honor.

Jake Gyllenhaal on stage in New York performing with gay singer Rufus Wainwright for the song Between My Legs.

PS: We have it on good authority that one of the Ten Tenors, currently in Joburg on tour, may be paying a visit to a gay hotspot in Gauteng this weekend… Keep your eyes peeled…