By Ramy Eletreby

Schwarzenegger Names Zingale a “Senior Advisor;” Laird Elected LGBT Caucus Chair

On Dec. 14 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger named openly gay Daniel Zingale, chief of staff to first lady Maria Shriver, as a “senior advisor.” Zingale, formerly with AIDS Action Council and the Human Rights Campaign, was the director of managed care under Gov. Gray Davis. He is expected to advise Schwarzenegger on the proposed plan to reform the healthcare system, which the governor is scheduled to discuss during his Jan. 9 State of the State speech.

In the California Legislature, Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) was elected chair of the California LGBT Legislative Caucus. “I’m excited about the opportunity to lead the LGBT Caucus as we work to strengthen civil rights protections and recognize the many successes of California’s LGBT community,” Laird said in a statement. “In the months ahead, I’ll also be working with caucus members and other leaders throughout the state on ways to build the caucus in the coming years.”

As Budget Committee chair, Laird helped deliver the first on-time budget since 2000—a budget that included funding for HIV/AIDS and crystal meth programs. On Dec. 4, he introduced the Civil Rights Act of 2007, sponsored by Equality California, which would expand nondiscrimination protections.

County AIDS Clinic Program Reprieved

Under intense pressure from U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, Congressmembers Henry Waxman and Lucille Roybal-Allard and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the National Institutes of Health agreed Dec. 18 to extend funding for the County-USC AIDS Clinical Trials program for another 24 months. “No staff is to be laid-off and patient care for patients currently enrolled in the clinical trials is not to be compromised,” Andy Martinez, administrator for the Rand Schrader Health and Research program, told IN. The program provides health care and life-saving drugs to poor and uninsured AIDS patients.

Mogul David Geffen Offers to Buy L.A. Times for $2 Billion

Entertainment mogul David Geffen recently offered to buy the Los Angeles Times from the Tribune Co. for $2 billion in cash, according to the Times. Geffen’s net worth is estimated at $4.6 billion. However, the Chicago-based Tribune Co., a major media conglomerate which also owns the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Cubs, KTLA-TV Channels 5 and 22 other television stations, is apparently hoping to field other offers for the entire company. Los Angeles billionaires Eli Broad and Ron Burkle expressed an interest in the company, as have some private equity firms, but no other formal offers have been made public.

The Chandler family, who hold 20 percent of the Times’ stock, is also trying to line up investors for a bid to Tribune, which put the publication up for auction after the Chandlers complained that the newspaper’s value has suffered from poor management.

San Francisco Named Gay-Friendliest U.S. Destination

A national survey conducted for the Travel Industry Association found that San Francisco is the top gay-friendly city in the United States among gay and lesbian travelers. Conducted by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications, the survey was taken among 2,020 gays who traveled leisurely at least once in the past year. Nearly half said that a city’s reputation regarding gay issues matters highly when making travel decisions.

Following San Francisco, other gay-friendly U.S. cities include Key West, New York City, Fire Island, Provincetown, Los Angeles, Miami-South Beach, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Palm Springs/Palm Desert.

AHF Calls for Pfizer to be More Responsible in Viagra Ads

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is running ads in publications in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and South Florida calling on pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to stop encouraging the recreational use of Viagra, which increases the risk of contracting HIV and other STDs. Viagra is popular among men who have sex with men and use methamphetamine because it combats the erectile dysfunction associated with crystal meth.

“We call on Pfizer to exercise responsibility by discontinuing marketing to men with mild erectile dysfunction, and by initiating an educational campaign on the dangers of Viagra and meth targeting men who have sex with men,” says the AHF ad.

In a press release, AHF President Michael Weinstein noted examples of Viagra ads featuring young, attractive men hinting at impending sexual gratification.

“Such marketing could make Viagra sound like a party drug, and for a drug to be used when one wants to take risks,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, deputy health officer for the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Pfizer denies that its advertising promotes recreational use of Viagra and maintains that it clearly states that Viagra does not protect against STDs.

Gossip Blogger Perez Hilton Sued

Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton (Mario Lavendeira) is being sued by X17 Inc., a major paparazzi group, for copyright infringement of their photos, reports the L.A. Times. The $7.8 million federal lawsuit alleges that Hilton used 51 of X17’s photos on his popular blog (PerezHilton.com) without permission, payment or credit.

X17 co-owner Brandy Navarre says she has agreements with other gossip blogs that are allowed to post photos with proper credit and a link to the X17 Web site. According to the Times, Navarre has repeatedly asked Hilton to credit his photos but to no end.

Report Lists Marijuana as Largest Cash Crop in U.S.

According to a report released Dec. 18 by marijuana public policy analyst Jon Gettman, the market value of marijuana grown in the United States is over $35 billion—more than the top three legal cash crops: corn, soybeans and hay. In a dozen states, pot is the largest cash crop, with California accounting for more than a third of the nation’s total marijuana harvest at an estimated $13.8 billion, reports the Los Angeles Times.

According to Gettman’s report, cannabis cultivation in the United States is estimated to be 22 million pounds, which is 10 times more than it was 25 years ago.

“Despite years of effort by law enforcement, they’re not getting rid of it,” said Gettman, who is a leading activist in the effort to legalize marijuana by removing it from the list of Schedule I drugs and instead treating it like tobacco and alcohol.

Gay Comic to Perform in Blackface in WeHo

Despite the uproar over Seinfeld comedian Michael Richards' use of the "N" word at the Laugh Factory, gay white comic Charles Knipp is slated to perform his character Shirley Q. Liquor in drag and blackface at an undisclosed location in West Hollywood on Feb. 11, during Black History Month, according to Jasmyne Cannick, co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition. Knipp describes his character as “inarticulate black welfare mother with 19 children.” “If Knipp were making fun of Jews, his act would have been shut down a long time ago,” says Cannick.

Lynne Cohen Foundation Honors Woman Cancer Specialist

At a recent benefit, the Lynne Cohen Foundation honored humanitarian Nancy Marks and cancer specialist Dr. Lynda Roman and raised nearly $400,000 for the Lynne Cohen Preventive Care Clinic at USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Roman is co-director of the clinic, which helps underserved women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancers. Ovarian cancer strikes about 26,000 women and kills about 14,000 every year.

The Mautner Project, a lesbian health organization, reports that lesbians “may have higher risks for certain types of cancer based on higher rates of some specific risk factors. In addition, they experience barriers to care that could impede early detection.” Risk factors include smoking, alcohol consumption and being overweight.

Meanwhile on Dec. 14, researchers reported that new breast cancer cases in the United States dropped 7 percent between 2002 and 2003.They linked the drop to women stopping the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) “after the Women's Health Initiative found that HRT with estrogen and progestin—commonly prescribed to help relieve symptoms like hot flashes in women going through menopause—can significantly increase the risk of breast cancer,” according to the American Cancer Society News Center.

For more information about the Lynne Cohen Foundation, go to www.lynnecohenfoundation.org.

Netty’s Restaurant in Silver Lake to Close

After 20 years, Silver Lake’s popular Netty’s Restaurant has changed ownership and will become a new restaurant called “reservoir” in early 2007. When Netty’s opened in 1987, it became a favorite among Silver Lake residents for its imaginative healthy cuisine, eco-friendly packaging, and carryout convenience. Netty decided the sell the spot when her family expressed no interest in continuing the business.

The transition from Netty’s to “reservoir” begins in January when the new owners, chefs Gloria Felix and Elizabeth Belkind, will begin serving new dishes. Expect a grand opening celebration in April.