Aaron Hicklin

It's quitting time at Blackbook.

On the heels of the major departures of its managing editor and photo director, Blackbook has now lost its publisher, Joe Landry.  read more »

“Any premise that the magazine is in trouble is an incorrect premise,” said Aaron Hicklin, the editor in chief of Out magazine.

And yet one could be forgiven for making it. Back in April, the gay-targeted monthly and its older-sister biweekly, The Advocate, were sold in a veritable fire sale by PlanetOut to Regent Releasing (who also run the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-geared here!  read more »

Tonight, Out magazine will honor its 100 most influential people in gay culture with a big bash at Cipriani Wall Street. Kathy Griffin must be on a cruise ship somewhere, so Tori Spelling and Tim Gunn will co-host the camp affair, where the five people on the cover of Out’s December issue—Jennifer Hudson, Mary-Louise Parker, Bryan Batt, Thom Browne and Bill T. Jones—will be among the bellini-sipping award-winners this evening. Annie Lennox is expected to make a special appearance, and Chaka Kahn and Kat Deluna will perform.

We spoke with the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Aaron Hicklin, today to learn more about the selection process behind this year’s honorees.

He talked a lot! Click "Read More" below to read what he said.  read more »

Last night we asked Bill Clinton whether he was ready to become America’s first male First Lady (OK, first gentleman.)

“If the American people are ready to elect [Hillary Clinton], I am," the 61-year-old Mr. Clinton told The Transom. "I’ll do whatever I’m asked to do. I hope they will, because I think it’ll be good for America and the world, but whatever happens…” And then he gave a slight shrug.  read more »

Yesterday, Time's blogger Andrew Sullivan announced that the new editor of Out magazine is a heterosexual. "Seriously, I think it's great that a straight guy is now heading up a gay magazine," he wrote.

While that idea fits nicely with Mr. Sullivan's theories on the continued blurring of straight and gay culture and identity, it doesn't quite deliver, as Out's new editor, Aaron Hicklin, is actually not a heterosexual.

Mr. Hicklin and Mr. Sullivan have never met, although Mr. Sullivan did once write approvingly of a review by Mr. Hicklin in Gear magazine of a Moby album.

"He's going to be very disappointed when he sees my first issue devoted to Judy Garland," Mr. Hicklin said from the Black Book offices. "And the Cher issue!"

Mr. Hicklin is staying at Black Book long enough to close the June/July issue; he will then immediately transfer to Out, without a break.

—Choire Sicha