Before she hit the stage, Ilene Alloverya told Donna Dumae that she had a dramatic performance in store. It was the last number of Dumae’s 12th annual "Friends Helping Friends" fundraiser for AIDS Services of Dallas held last Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Dallas Eagle. At one point during her "Nobody Does It Like Me" number, Alloverya crawled across the floor to accept a tip from Dumae. "During the song, he threw out his arms and then just dropped to the floor. It was incredible. At first, I laughed, thinking ’Oh Ilene, you were right. That certainly was dramatic,’" remembers Don Jenkins (a.k.a. Donna Dumae). But then Ilene Alloverya didn’t move. So Jenkins hit the stage yelling, "Ilene!" Others in the audience rushed the stage, too. A registered nurse began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and Eagle owner JD Buchert began mouth-to-mouth, Jenkins remembers, "But it was too late." "It appears he suffered a massive coronary arrest," Jenkins says. Chip Doran (a.k.a. Ilene Alloverya) was 55 years old - a retiree and former Dallasite who relocated to Austin and drove to Dallas for the Labor Day weekend fundraiser. The United Court of the Lone Star Empire, a 30-year-old volunteer organization that raises money for Dallas charities, organizes "Friends Helping Friends." Read the full story from Edge Boston.

Editor’s note: Barack Obama’s presidential campaign this week agreed to respond in writing to a series of questions submitted by William R. Kapfer, co-president of Window Media, the Blade’s parent company. Washington Blade: What personal experiences or friendships in your life have shaped how you view gay issues? Barack Obama: Michelle and I have been blessed with many openly gay and lesbian friends and colleagues whom we have been close to for many years. While that fact has made the issue facing the LGBT community more personal, the fundamental reasons I have for supporting equality are greater than any individual. I am running for President because I believe that we as a nation need change. We need to end the divisive politics of George W. Bush and pursue policies that treat all of us, regardless of identity or background, with dignity, equality and respect. Blade: Do you have any role models who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? Obama: A college professor of mine helped me to see the lives of LGBT people from a different perspective. He was the first openly gay professor that I had ever come in contact with, or openly gay person of authority that I had come in contact with. And he was just a terrific guy. His comfort in his own skin and the friendship we developed helped to educate me on a number of these issues. Blade: Would you decline to nominate a qualified Supreme Court justice, cabinet member or other appointed position just because the person is openly gay? Obama: No. If elected, my appointments will be made on the actual qualifications of the candidates for office, and nothing else. In my administration, my first criteria will be competence and capability. Read the full story from the Washington Blade.

It took a fire in the tunnel under the English Channel for me to notice, but Richard Quest is back on the air. The gay CNN reporter was busted after being spotted in New York's Central Park after closing time. He was carrying meth and quickly entered rehab after his arrest. He apparently emerged two months later and rejoined CNN in London earlier this summer and returned to his duties hosting "Business Traveller." But Quest is also back in larger circulation on CNN, reporting live from Spain this morning during coverage of the Chunnel fire. It appears his tough times are now behind him.

In this day of ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Sen. John McCain invoked the memory of Mark Bingham during an event this morning. Speaking in Shanksville, Penn., McCain called attention to the role the gay rugby player had in attempting to thwart the takeover of United Airlines Flight 93 before it crashed. McCain spoke for 90 seconds and his comments were carried live on CNN. "The only means we possess to thank them is to try to be as good an American as they were. We might fall well short of their standard, but there is honor in the effort," McCain said. "May god bless their souls.” There's more, including McCain's eulogy for Bingham in 2001, after the jump.

In this day of ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Sen. John McCain invoked the memory of Mark Bingham during an event this morning. Speaking in Shanksville, Penn., McCain called attention to the role the gay rugby player had in attempting to thwart the takeover of United Airlines Flight 93 before it crashed. McCain spoke for 90 seconds and his comments were carried live on CNN. "The only means we possess to thank them is to try to be as good an American as they were. We might fall well short of their standard, but there is honor in the effort," McCain said. "May god bless their souls.” There's more, including McCain's eulogy for Bingham in 2001, after the jump.

A week into its launch, the 2008 Soulforce Equality Ride will make its way to Atlanta and two historically black colleges. The upcoming ride, a youth-organized bus tour to faith-based colleges, opens Oct. 1 with a stop at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., before making its way to Columbia, S.C. and then to Morehouse College on Oct. 9 and Spelman College a day later as part of a 15-stop schedule across 11 states in the south.

The incidence of HIV/AIDS among Beijing's drug users is in decline but the city's gay community remains the most at-risk group, a local health official said on Friday. He Xiong, deputy director of the Beijing center for disease control and prevention (CDC), said that based on figures for the first seven months, 1.5 percent of the city's drug users are HIV positive, compared with 5 percent in 2001. In comparison, 5 percent of gay men in the capital are HIV positive, while 0.5 percent of unlicensed prostitutes are infected with the virus, He said, without giving figures for 2001. "More than 43 percent of all newly reported cases are attributed to people having unprotected sex, and gay men are the most at risk," he said. Research carried out over the past three years has shown that less than 50 percent of gay men use condoms, so promoting better health awareness among them is a major task, he said. During the first seven months of the year, 563 new HIV cases were reported in Beijing, 118 of which involved local people and the rest migrant workers, He said. Read the full story from China Daily.

When Michael Bailey set out to place small classified-type advertising for his company’s new production and its casting calls, he hardly thought he’d soon find himself embroiled in a controversy over “community concerns.” The production, “Naked Boys Singing,” has been well-received internationally and at home, after being performed on and off Broadway for a decade. “Naked Boys” has also caused controversy due to the production’s nudity and gay content. On Aug. 15, Bailey’s company, MBF Productions, paid for online list advertising for “Naked Boys Singing” casting calls in the general announcements section of The State newspaper’s website. On Aug. 19, MBF received notice their ad had been canceled. “We have canceled both your ads and issued you a full refund,” wrote The State’s Michael Dudash in a support email to MBF. “Because of the nature of the content, we cannot run these ads. Thank you!” The ad read, “Auditions for Naked Boys Singing will be at the Ramada Limited, Monday & Tuesday, August 25 & 26, 2008 7 PM - 10 PM. Ramada Limited, 1315 Garner Lane. This is Broad River Road at I-20, Exit 65. South side of Interstate. Auditions will be clothed as will be most of the rehearsals. CAST: Roles are available for 10 males ages 18 to 32 in good physical condition. Looking for average-Joe types that can physically sing and dance. visit our website www.mbfproductions.org for full info.” Read the full story from Q Notes.

With same-sex marriage bans on the ballot in three high-profile states in November, presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama could find themselves stuck in a fight they'd rather avoid. California, Arizona and Florida will ask voters to approve constitutional amendments limiting marriage to a man and woman, and the high-priced election clash over the issue could help decide who becomes the nation's next president. Polls show Obama and McCain running neck and neck in much of the nation, which means that any issue that could bring out voters in a swing state such as Florida has to be taken seriously by both parties. But with the economy, the war in Iraq and health care drawing the most attention in the race for president, same-sex marriage isn't a battleground either candidate would choose, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. "Both men need to appeal to moderates," he said. "And neither candidate seems comfortable talking about this." Read the full story from the San Francisco Chronicle.

A Monroe Circuit Court judge has ruled Florida's 31-year-old gay adoption ban unconstitutional in an order that allows an openly gay Key West foster parent to adopt a teenage boy he has raised since 2001. Declaring the adoption to be in the boy's "best interest", circuit judge David J Audlin Jr, said the Florida law forbidding gays and lesbians from adopting children is contrary to the state constitution because it singles out a group for punishment. Florida is one of only two states - including Mississippi - that forbid gay people from adopting children. Read the full story from the Guardian.

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and New York governor David Paterson have more than a few things in common. Of course, there’s the obvious: Both men are handsome, charismatic, and in their 50s. Both are the first black governors of their states—and only the second and third nationwide since Reconstruction. But less obvious -- at least to the average voter -- is their similar dedication to pro-gay politics. Unlike his antigay Republican predecessor, Mitt Romney, Patrick has continually flexed his political muscle to ensure all of his constituents are treated equally. “In Massachusetts equal means equal,” he said in late July when he signed legislation that allows out-of-state gay couples to wed in Massachusetts. This repealed an obscure, 95-year-old law Romney had enforced to ensure that Massachusetts, as he explained, would not become the “Las Vegas of same-sex marriage.” Paterson is just as impressive. A soft-spoken, legally blind politico, who represented Harlem in the state senate for two decades before becoming New York’s lieutenant governor in 2006, he’s been a staunch ally and ahead of the curve on gay issues. One of Paterson’s first major acts, after becoming governor in March, was ordering all state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions. The New York Times remarked that Paterson has become “something of a celebrity” since making that decision, noting he received “a hero’s welcome” while marching in New York City’s gay pride parade this June. Think about it. Of the 50 men and women who occupy governor’s mansions in the United States, only two are black. And these two black men are arguably the most gay-friendly to ever be governor -- including New Jersey’s Jim McGreevey, who came around to gay rights only after coming out and leaving office. Read the full story from the Advocate.

As if the Atlanta Pride Festival needed any more bad news. Mired in six-figure losses from the event last July, festival organizers were doused this week with more bad news: Piedmont Park's efforts to find an underground source of water fell flat -- again.

Piedmont Park's efforts to find an underground water source failed -- again. That doesn't bode well for the crown jewel of Atlanta's park system or the large-scale events like the Atlanta Pride Festival that suffered when they were forced out.

A gay, 23-year-old man received a suspended 45-day jail sentence, 30 months of probation and a $300 fine, plus court costs, after pleading guilty Aug. 22 to charges stemming from violations of North Carolina’s public health laws relating to the spread of HIV. Joshua Waldon Weaver, a DJ at clubs in Raleigh and Wilmington, was accused of failing to use a condom and failure to notify sexual partners of his HIV-positive status. According to filing documents, the offenses occurred from Aug. 1, 2006 to the time of the charges. The victim in the case was not named and the defendant’s boyfriend at the time of the proceeding made no statement to the press. In April, Weaver was arrested and charged with the crimes, which are regulated under North Carolina Administrative Code 10-41 and North Carolina General Statute 130A-144(f). The laws address control measures regarding the spread of HIV and require those with communicable diseases — including other sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis and tuberculosis — to comply with measures intended to curb their proliferation. Read the full story from Q Notes. There's also video from WRAL in Raleigh.

An Iowa gay man says he was fired by a McDonald’s franchise in Dyersville after it was learned he was HIV-positive. Daniel Carver, 46, has filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and has served notice to the franchise that he intends to sue for wrongful dismissal. Federal law makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of physical disability, which includes HIV. Under Iowa state law it is illegal to discriminate against an employee because of race, religion, perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Carver worked for the franchise for about four months, but was fired in February. Read the full story from 365gay.com.

• I kissed a girl. And I'm going to hell. • Some big Georgia firms show that when it comes to equality, they get it. • Former Hoedown's owner finds new comfort in the Big House. • Eric Himan takes his voice (and tats) on a national tour. • The GOP finds release in Minneapolis. • Straight folks say judge the gays only on job performance. • "Noah's Arc" crew makes Black Gay Pride stop. • H&M comes to Atlanta's 'burbs and makes for happy gays Outside the Perimeter. • Flash forward to 2012: The GOP is coming! The GOP is coming! • Gay youth program in Atlanta gets attention.

• Atlanta Dream names Anne Barr a "woman of inspiration." • Peach tennis tourney aces its way through Labor Day Weekend. • Teams from the Hotlanta Softball League take on the Gay Softball World Series. • Marynell Meadors delivers stern lecture to the Atlanta Dream. It doesn't help, but the lesbians don't mind. • Shaun and Paul (photo) may go from modeling to wrestling (other guys). • Whistlepig the wonder hog may finally get a name. • Fast pass to the NFL -- if you've got $128. • Matt Ryan makes the Detroit Lions his bitch for his NFL debut. • Gauging the impact of the gay golds in the Beijing Olympics. • Michael Phelps versus Bryan Clay (bottom photo) in the cereal wars. • Dan LeFevour's gunning for the Heisman Trophy. And our affection. • If there was a bromance between Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic, it's now over.

The new issue of David hit the streets yesterday, covered by a piece exploring the hottie couple Shaun McCarran and Paul Anderson. Yes, the sculpted boys who got started with their 15 minutes of fame thanks to Oxygen's “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency.” There's also a piece previewing the six gay men in the running to become the queen of Atlanta Cotillion. That fundraiser for AID Atlanta takes place on Saturday. Also of note: "Need Wood's" take on infidelity anxiety. There's a photo of Shuan and Paul after the jump.

Your co-worker might just be a little more tolerant than you think. Results from the Out & Equal Workplace Survey show that seven in 10 heterosexual adults agree that how an employee performs at their job should be the standard for judging an employee, not whether or not they are transgender. Nearly eight in 10 heterosexual adults strongly or somewhat agree that how an employee does his or her job should be the standard for judging an employee, not their sexual orientation. The survey also revealed that a majority of heterosexual adults are supportive of marriage-like workplace benefits for same sex couples virtually across-the-board. There's more after the jump.

The Atlanta Pride Committee’s board of directors and festival committee are working on ways to rebound from a 2008 event that saw a $164,736 deficit after the festival was forced to change both venue and date just six months out. Due to the state’s severe drought, city officials booted large festivals from all city parks. Traditionally held in Piedmont Park on the last weekend of June, the 2008 Atlanta Pride festival took place over July Fourth weekend at the Civic Center. While Atlanta Pride had a nest egg stashed away from profits made from the 2007, 2005, and 2004 festivals among others, the Pride Committee currently has a six to eight month supply of operating funds. “If we look at our current financial standing right now, for what we have in the bank, if we look at the exact expenses, rent, one salary, storage unit, the nitty-gritty stuff, if we didn’t do anything we would be around for about six months. But obviously we are going to do things,” said Pride board chairperson Deirdre Heffernan. “That actually is a better picture than we first thought, so that gives us breathing room to move forward and make our plans.” For the full story from Southern Voice, go here.