Voting, The Tudors, Kevin Sessums, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Amy Winehouse

Today is the last day of round two of the contest over at Malcontent in which sixty-four gay blogs are being pitted against each other, one pairing at a time, in NCAA Final Four fashion. And, you know, we're not Becky Ann Leeman or anything (if anybody, we're Amber Atkins) . . . but if you wouldn't mind terribly, might you maybe, possibly, kind of consider popping over to vote to help us land in the Top 16? If you've already voted at work, feel free to vote at home even, or vice versa, as necessary. ;)

* A few of our readers didn't seem to think it could happen, but after we posted about Josh K.'s hunt for an apartment share, we got a couple e-mails from readers about apartments in Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen that matched Josh's apartment search criteria. Josh followed up on both of the apartments, but unfortunately they eventually fell through. But, alas, it proved that there is indeed hope, and that you really can find a decent share below 96th Street for less than $950 a month. It just takes some luck. If any of you have any more luck to send, please feel free to do so. ;)

* Two weeks ago Josh and I wrote about seeing a special preview of Showtime's new series The Tudors (which you can now watch on their website). This week ads for the show are all over the New York City subway and are popping up in magazines (including, notably, the back cover of the March 27th Advocate). Word came out this week the The Tudors will feature a gay plot line, and Showtime leaked a clip of the great gay intrigue.

* Josh and I were totally geeked when we saw that Kevin Sessums, author of the new hit memoir Mississippi Sissy, mentioned us in one of his recent blog posts: "Thanks to all my friends - and even some strangers - for coming out to my Barnes and Noble reading last night. I even got to meet two of my favorite bloggers - Josh and Josh. I have to admit I even gushed a bit at meeting them. I read their blog all the time and have a double crush." Our jaws dropped when we read the post. I'd say that it was us that gushed at meeting him. Also, if you missed it, catch Andy's interview with Kevin.

* A couple weeks ago I did a sit-down interview with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of the hit off-Broadway musical In The Heights. The show continues to do very well, and Lin-Manuel was even featured in the latest New Yorker Talk of the Town.

This week I discovered an artist named Amy Winehouse, and I can't seem to stop listening to her hits "Rehab" and "Back to Black," the title track from her new album. (Maybe Brit Brit was listening to "Rehab" on repeat while she was going through that whole head-shaving phase?) Amy is a smolderingly sexy Brit who has a voice that's one part Billy Holiday and another part Lauryn Hill, with a great 60s-yet-modern sound to it. Check her out and see what you think.

Comments

[scholiast]

Amy has a great voice. I missed her when she was here in January, and I'll probably miss her April show too what with all the kids and stuff... But she sounds great on the ipod too :) Good luck with the voting and, not least, the apartment hunting! And of course Kevin Sessums has a double crush on you, who hasn't...

[fooyork]

Amy Winehouse is a good 'un, and has been larkin' about giving us Londoners a good show - apart from the time she was so drunk on stage that after one song she threw up all over herself, and had to be helped away. And next she is spotted in a food store buying wine just hours before she cancelled a show for being "too ill to perform".

Everyone loves her. But she does have one heck of a voice.

[Giuseppe]

I can listen to Amy for hours!! I love the 50's/60's music she's doing with a modern touch.

Plus, good luck on the apartment hunt, I know how much of a bitch it can be :(

[Dashus]

Hey Josh and Josh - Speaking of Amy Winehouse and Britney - Did you ever see this brilliant lil' mash up?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzRyF3ER3lA

Enjoy.

[Chica]

Amy Winehouse is amazing. I saw her perform last month and she was wicked live. She's kind of self conscious on stage which surprised me. I'm convinced she's been in all the same relationships as me - completely in love with her.