The sex scandals continue...

After first trying the deny, deny deny route, anti-gay mega-church leader Ted Haggard now admits to "indiscretions" with a gay male escort, Mike Jones. "Jones also claims Haggard used drugs with him."

In that light, you'll want to take a look at this video clip from Jesus Camp (brought to our attention by Zontar). I'd call this footage jaw-dropping, but that wording might tempt some of you to make a truly sinful pun:




Can someone explain the psychology at work here? Even though fundies thrive on fear of gays, most televangelists act in a fashion that one can only describe as flamboyant. If Liberace had studied the Bible instead of the piano, he'd have found a home on the Trinity Broadcast Network.

Meanwhile, on the heterosexual side of the aisle: I am fascinated by the tale of Las Vegas waitress Chrissy Mazzeo, who claims that she was assaulted in a parking garage by Nevada Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons, formerly an undistinguished congressman.

Gibbons at first admitted that he was in the parking garage in question. Then he called for the release of surveillance footage that, he claimed, would exonerate him. The footage, duly released, showed neither Gibbons nor Mazzeo, despite Gibbons' previously-confessed presence at that time and place. To my eyes, a mislabeled or misidentified tape offers the simplest explanation for this puzzlement.

Mazzeo, a single mother, claims that Gibbons -- using an intermediary -- offered hush money. He also may have directed threats at both Chrissy and her child.

Many members of the Nevada media seem intent on assassinating this woman's character. They've tried their damnedest to dig up dirt; so far, they haven't found much.

To be frank, Mazzeo is quite attractive -- a factor which may cause the public to mistrust her veracity. Many people have an irrational distrust of the comely. On the other hand, one can argue that her looks add credibility to her claims. Quite a few men tend to take their stupid pills when in the presence of a lovely member of the opposite sex. God knows I have. Gibbons seems to have overdosed.