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July 5, 2005

REGULARS

Crush of the Week

Topfree activist Elizabeth Book was arrested for popping a breast out of her tube top in Daytona Beach on Saturday. Police charged her with disorderly conduct a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by two months in jail in part because she caused a traffic jam of gawkers when she stood near an intersection, breast bared, holding a sign that read "Sic Semper Tyrannis." Book said her goal is "to decriminalize the human breast; our forefathers saw our breasts as a symbol of courage and strength." And for that, she is our crush of the week. Sarah Crichton

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Quotes of the Week

"Things would be a lot easier if every man had a perfect penis. But is there such a thing? In the humorous documentary The Search for the Perfect Penis, the search begins." Best TV show ever?

"We've done it maybe three times, but I've made him erase the tape afterwards because I didn't look like a fancy porn star." Jenny McCarthy.

Some married Hong Kongers "don't know where their sex organs are." Grace Wong of the southern Chinese territory's Family Planning Association.

Trend Alert

"Well, I think it started way back with the Rat Pack or possibly even before that. It's just when men even straight men are able to bond with each other, let their defenses down and show their feeling and even crush on each other's power and creditability without worrying what people are going to say about it." Michael Musto, sociologist.

"Whether this shiny, pretty new take on masculinity is the product of decades of primped heartthrobs, a redefining of gender roles that's finally come to fruition, or just the result of an endless onslaught of marketing campaigns by the fashion and beauty industries in pursuit of the single male's dollar is anybody's guess." Salon article on "smoothies."

"There are these wacky straight men who have this crazy thing called 'friends.' Some of them also enjoy wearing 'nice clothes.'" The Nerve staff.

Photos of the Week
	You know you have a cool job when you come back from vacation and have this on your desk.
	It's summer, and you know what that means: nude protests! Spaniards get naked to protest the running of the bulls; Californians, Iraq.
	Meanwhile, Anna Nicole shows her support for Live 8 the only way she knows how.
	Lego porn.

From Our Inbox

Ada,

I'm a freelance arts writer who has written for the NY Daily News, Gannett publications and magazines. I really enjoy Nerve's take on things and was wondering if you needed anything on the upcoming documentary "Murderball" about the lives of ballsy paraplegics who play aggressive wheelchair rugby. Blasting through all the typical stereotypes of the disabled, "Murderball" did phemomenally well at the film festivals and premieres in NYC on July 8th.

I've already viewed it and have access to some of the actors and the filmmakers (who are from NYC). I'm interested in doing a review and/or a profile/Q&A (on the subjects or the creators) for Nerve.

Thanks,

[redacted]

When we got this email, we were all, uh, we just ran something on Murderball. Then we opened a second email from the writer (sent fifteen minutes later), which contained a freelancing faux pas even more scandalous than failure to read the site:

Hi Kerry,

I'm a freelance arts writer who has written for the NY Daily News, Gannett publications and magazines. I'm a fan of Salon.com and was wondering if you could use a profile on the director of the amazing documentary "Murderball" about the lives of ballsy paraplegics who play aggressive wheelchair rugby. The director followed these spirited men around for two years at home and through the Paralympics. The film premieres in NYC on July 8th.

Blasting through all the typical stereotypes of the disabled, "Murderball" did phemomenally well at the film festivals and is set to do well in theaters. I've already viewed the film and also have access to some of the fascinating subjects for profiles.

Let me know if you could use profiles of any of these people.

Best,

[redacted]

In the News
	The Mustang Ranch is back in business.
Sharon Stone is going to have a body double in Basic Instinct 2, and this woman, who made a recent sexual conquest via a Basic Instinct-esque panty-flash, claims she almost had the part. Alas, her breasts were too big.
Bo Bice got married.
The average penis size is smaller than most people believe, but many men still worry about size.
A man wired his underwear to simulate a heart attack.
	FOX aired a segment called "How not to be a Bridezilla" in which Wedding Channel interns dressed up as brides were plunged into a transparent dunk tank.
Women feel more pain than men.
A man in drag was caught trying to take a test for his sister.
Roberto Cavalli is redesigning the Playboy bunny outfit.

Product Placement
	Get yer abstinence posters here, $1.00 each or 10/$7.50, 25/$15. The messages: "Sex is serious. Just because some kids do it doesn't make it child's play. Wake up: 1 in 5 Americans 12 and older has genital herpes. Sex is not a game. Abstinence: Think about it. Seriously."
	'Tis totally not the season for snowboarding, but we're taken with Snowbunny's odd, poetic advertisement: "You ride like a girl, which means you ride hard, but with grace and style. You're a Snow Angel, an Ice Queen. Snowbunny is made for you."

Tabloid Fodder
	People All you need to know: There are sharks in the water and BTK may be in your closet. Also, Brad and Angelina had a fab British vacation.
	Us Weekly All you need to know: Rosie O'Donnell has "turned on" Tom Cruise, posting "a haiku-like rant on rosie.com."
	In Touch All you need to know: Jennifer has cut Brad completely out of her life because he speaks with a "forked tongue." Mariah really wants to produce and star in a musical remake of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Demi Moore is pregnant, as is Punky Brewster's Soleil Moon Frye.
	Star All you need to know: Tom's rants against psychiatry make perfect sense; Nicole Kidman's father is a clinical psychologist.