THEGAYUK

Tag: Top List

  • 11 gay films you need to stream on Netflix

    11 gay films you need to stream on Netflix

    Netflix has a great selection of LGBT+ films on its platform. Whether you’re in the mood for a smushy romance or a heartbreaking documentary there’s something available for everyone.

    Here is our top list for 11 LGBT+ films you need to stream on Netflix. To find out how to view all LGBT+ content on Netflix via a secret code click here.

    UPDATED: July 2020

    Beach Rats ★★★★

    Drama

    A young man plays it very cool with his friends while he hides his true sexuality in the new film Beach Rats.

    UK born Dickinson is very good as Frankie. He nails down the accent and the attitude almost perfectly. With no previous film credits, he’s a natural and very compelling to watch on the big screen (and boy is he sexy)! Director Eliza Hittman gets almost everything right in this film, with the exception of the last 20 minutes that gets a bit too unbelievable. But it’s Dickinson you’ll remember when the screen credits go up. He’s on to bigger and better things. (TIM BAROS)

    I Am Michael ★★★★

    Biography

    It’s based on the true story of Michael Glatze, who claimed he was no longer gay and became a straight pastor. But in 1999, Michael was in a gay relationship with boyfriend Bennett (Zachary Quinto) and was the editor of the successful real-life XY Magazine, while at the same time living in San Francisco – it was the ultimate gay life and gay lifestyle. But Bennett’s father has a job for him in Halifax, Canada, so they relocate there – it’s a city with not much to do, but they end up hooking up with the young good looking Tyler (Charlie Carver). But after a few panic attacks, and memories of his late father and mother, Michael starts to question his homosexuality – he starts to re-evaluate his life, loves, and takes up to reading the bible for answers, until one day he leaves it all behind for a new life. (TIM BAROS)

    King Cobra ★★★★

    Biography

    Dive into the back story of one of gay porn’s most popular actors, Brent Corrigan.

    The film stormed the Toronto Film Festival and had its European premiere at the London Film Festival. The film has stirred up a lot of controversies as it shows the discovery of Brent Corrigan (Garrett Clayton) before two other agents then decide to take charge of his mega career which leads to an infamous murder that shocked the porn industry, remember this is real and true-life story. (PAUL STAG)

    Alex Strangelove ★★★

    Romance

    High school senior Alex Truelove’s plan to lose his virginity to a loveable girlfriend goes awry when he meets the equally lovable Elliot. An easy and inoffensive watch.

    Holding The Man ★★★★★

    Biopic

    Holding the Man is one of the better, or perhaps maybe the best, of all the films that’s dealt with the AIDS crisis. It’s a movie that simply tells a story, a love story so enduring and epic that it’s irrelevant whether the characters are gay or straight. Plus it’s a story that some of us, who were around in the 1980s and 1990s when friends and partners were dying right and left from AIDS, can, unfortunately, relate to.

    Corr and Stott are terrific and give it their all (Anthony LaPaglia is especially good as Caleo’s stern and unforgiving father). But it’s in the storytelling where this film excels. Credit goes to director Armfield and writer Murphy for successfully bringing this story to the screen. It’s a story that’s been told a few times (Philadelphia), but not in such a meaningful, and very realistic, way. However it’s Conigrave’s book on which this film is based, it’s his book about his relationship with Caleo, a sort of love letter to him, and we’re all very lucky to be able to see what an amazing, yet heartbreaking, relationship it was. This film is highly recommended. REVIEW: TIM BAROS

    Dallas Buyers Club ★★★★★

    Biography

    This film has been a long time coming. Scriptwriters Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack based it on the hundreds of interviews they had with the film’s main character, Woodroof, and then waited 20 years for the movie to finally get made. Several directors and stars were attached to it until it ended up in the hands of Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee.

    His two principal stars lost a ton of weight for the parts, Jared Leto, as Rayon dropped 30 lbs and Matthew McConaughey a scary 50 lbs. They both gave powerful dazzling performances. It was definitely a stunning change in direction for McConaughey in particular who has established his career so far mainly in rom-coms, but for my two cents (!) it was Leto’s heartbreaking turn as the drug-addicted Rayon that totally bowled me over. It makes one appreciate that Leto has been off our screens for too long. (ROGER WALKER-DACK)

    Dreamboat ★★★★

    Documentary

    An intimate look at gay cruising. Not the type you’d encounter in the woods or a cottage, but at sea. Why is cruising (at sea) so popular with gay men. This documentary follows the stories of five men and their reflections and discoveries as they cross the ocean. And possibly the only actual non-porn blowjob scene you’ll actually see on film.

    Ideal Home ★★★

    Comedy

    Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan (at his campiest best) play, respectively, Paul and Erasmus Brumble (what a name!), a gay couple who have been together long enough, perhaps too long, to be set in their argumentative ways. Brumble is a flamboyant TV chef and Paul is his producing partner, and they live in the stunningly beautiful town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. They run their empire from their adobe house that has views to die for of the landscape which includes turquoise sunsets and rolling luscious mountains. They seem to have it all, but yet there also seems to be something missing in their lives. (TIM BAROS)

    McQueen ★★★★★

    Biography

    Fashion designer Alexander McQueen was a genius He had an eye for fashion but was also a troubled soul. The new documentary McQueen shows the highs, and the lows, of McQueen’s life.

    McQueen is an excellent testament to the man who was also called Lee. Through his friends, associates and sister Janet, we really feel that we get to know who Lee actually was ourselves. But it’s through the footage of his fashion shows where we get to see the real talent that he had. His shows were events, some very dark (which explains how deep and troubled he was), and showed how gorgeous, and emotionally beautiful, his creations were. Alexander McQueen died way too young, but through this documentary, you can at least experience his life and work, which was cut way too short. (TIM BAROS)

    The Miseducation of Cameron Post ★★★★

    Drama

    A powerful and understated story of conversion therapy in the heart of the USA. Cameron is forced into a religious gay cure camp to pray the gay away, except, she’s headstrong and clings to her identity.

    Behind The Candelabra ★★★★

    Biography

    Even if one knows little about Liberace, the story is a familiar one, basically a celebrity marriage that goes wrong. The end of Liberace’s relationship with Thorson is already there in the beginning.

    When Thorson first meets Liberace, we also meet Liberace’s current lover, a relationship that has obviously soured, so it is no surprise when the scene is replicated later in the film, this time with a young dancer taking the Thorson role, and Thorson taking the role of the disgruntled lover. There is no doubt about the love and affection the two men have for each other at the beginning of the relationship, but things take a bizarre turn when Liberace decides he would like to adopt Thorson, and asks Thorson to undergo plastic surgery to make him look more like Liberace’s younger self. (GREG MITCHELL)

  • 7 ways to avoid the afternoon energy slump

    Research by BRITA has revealed that we all feel an energy slump around 4pm, so we often reach for a sugary snack to keep us going until dinner. To encourage us to have healthier habits, BRITA has launched Pour O’Clock, suggesting that we pick up a glass of water mid-afternoon instead of snacking on something unhealthy.

    Nutritionist Jo Travers shares her tips for making sure you don’t feel tempted to dip into the biscuit tin at 4 PM.

    1. Eat three meals a day

    Eating regularly will sure you get the necessary nutrients to keep your bodies running smoothly. It’ll also keep blood glucose levels even, so you don’t feel that slump in energy.

    2. Don’t skip breakfast

    Make sure you get a good breakfast, no matter how busy you are. This will make sure that your body isn’t craving nutrients throughout the day, making that afternoon snack attack less likely to occur.

    3. Go for a stroll

    Keeping active is great for muscle tone and heart health and will also help keep your weight in check. Go for a stroll to take your mind off unhealthy foods and you’ll also improve your circulation, making you feel healthier all round.

    4. Get your five a day

    Fibre, fluid and movement are all essential for a healthy digestive system. Vitamins and minerals from fruit and veg are needed for every process in the body so not getting at least five portions a day could be compromising your health.

    7. Team up with a friend

    Avoiding the biscuit tin can be hard if everyone else is tempting you towards it. Team up with a friend to support each other in staying healthy and happy.

    5. Drink a glass of water

    Hydration is important as it has an impact on our productivity and concentration. Getting thirsty is actually one of the very last physical effects dehydration has on the body so the damage may have already begun. Learning to identify the other signs of dehydration, like dry eyes or lack of concentration, will help avoid it.

    6. Treat yourself

    Give yourself a non-food related treat by doing something you enjoy for five minutes at 4pm. We often snack because we are bored, so listen to a song you like or read a few pages of a book to divert your attention from something sugary.

  • Five totally rubbish ways to end things with your boyfriend

    Exit Strategies (…or rubbish my ex-partners have told me)

    Extricating yourself from a relationship isn’t easy. We’ve all been there; watching a once-promising union limping sadly towards the end, trying to fan the fire of a lukewarm love life or just living through that daily battle of trying not to slip a pinch of Arsenic into his latte. I’ve been through a few relationship breakdowns and my behaviour can be charted somewhere on a continuum that ranges from psychopathic maniac to saintly martyr. One thing I wish though is that my ex-partners had sometimes been more truthful.

    Here are my top 5 pieces of crap which have been uttered to me over the past 20 years:

    1) It’s not you, it’s me: This one is a total classic and is invariably nonsense. Of course, it was me too. I made that remark about your mother, didn’t put out as often as you wanted and was often snippy and critical. Yes, you were pretty dire at times and those nasty clothes and the penchant for 80s soft rock was hard to tolerate but let’s be honest. We both played a part in causing this once quite promising future to turn post-apocalyptic.

    2) I need to find myself: Seriously? How careless to mislay something so important. In my experience, this one always means ‘I need to spend time on Grindr and see what I can find within a 3-mile radius that is willing to take his pants down and lube up for me.”

    3) I want an open relationship: See above. This is also often the cowardly way of saying: “I want an affair or ten and you to stay at home, ask no questions but remain totally faithful to me. If you so much as brush up against another man on the tube I’ll get all psycho on you but please don’t complain when I bring home pubic lice and my phone buzzes with texts from morning till night.”

    4) I’m not sure that I’m really gay: This one was uttered by a very plausible and slightly mixed up man and got my sympathy (albeit in a puzzled way). I felt sorry for his messed up emotions. This sympathy lasted until I spotted his new Gaydar profile two weeks later in which he was seeking: ‘Young good looking versatile men who want to be pounded and give some cock back”. That’s not normally the request of someone who is feeling all hetero all of a sudden. Don’t they like fishing, football and tits? I’m not sure they’re always so keen on hard anal with another man. That desire implies leanings, to me.

    5) I love you but you’re impossible to be around: If you love someone then surely being around him or her is easy or something you’ll work to be able to do. You love them and that involves you wanting to be with them however difficult they can be. This actually translates as: “I’ve finally woken up to what a nightmare you can be and realised we’re not compatible. Don’t feel bad but I now regard you in the same light as an episode of Friends. It was once endearing, funny and I kind of liked it but now it makes me wince and wonder what the hell I was thinking.”

    I accept that honesty isn’t always good. We all need some sugaring of the pills from time to time but there’s dishonesty and there’s downright ridiculousness. Sometimes a pinch of honesty peppered with a smidgeon of tact is really the best policy of all.

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • What you need to do to score a second date with your dream man

    So you’ve met this man, you really like him and you want to score yourself a second date. Well, you’re going to have to impress him.

    CREDIT: © actualtime Depositphotos

    Here are some ways to impress a man:

    Time keeper

    On the first date, let’s start with common curtsy: be on time. He’s not going to be impressed if you’re half an hour late because you were doing your hair or choosing what to wear. Leave yourself enough time to get ready and travel to the venue of the date.

    Make an effort

    Make an effort with your appearance. Looking smart will impress a man far more than looking like you fell out of a skip. Make sure what you wear is appropriate to the venue of your first date. So there’s no need to wear a suit if you’re going to the cinema, but still, make an effort to look your best.

    Compliments

    When your date arrives, give him a genuine compliment. We all like receiving a compliment, especially if we’ve made a particular effort to look good. So your date will like this and you are likely to be rewarded by a smile and positive regard.

    Confidence is king

    Be confident, but not arrogant or cocky. Watch what you say and do. Are you talking about yourself negatively? What does your body language say about you? You need to like yourself and show that you do, before you can expect your date to appreciate, like and fall for you. Remember: you are wonderful and unique. There’s no one else in the world that’s you.

    Single focus

    While we’re talking about body language, keep your eyes off other guys. Looking at other men will tell your date that you’re not interested in him. Your date should be your focus, so keep your attention focused on him and show this by making regular eye contact.

    Have fun

    Don’t forget that you’re on a date. It’s supposed to be fun, so have fun, smile often and make him laugh.

    Give And Take

    In conversation, you should talk about 50% of the time and listen 50% of the time. Ask your date open questions to discover his interests and passions. Keep conversation light. Avoid emotive topics such as ex-boyfriends and politics.

    Be Honest

    Always be honest with you date. Trust is built on honesty. If your not honest and things go well, sooner or later he’s going to find out. This doesn’t mean you have to tell him your deepest and darkest secrets on the first date. Save intimate secrets for later on when the relationship has developed. It’s OK to tell him you don’t want do discuss certain subjects until you get to know him better.

    Be You

    Being yourself is perhaps the most important advice in this article. Don’t try to be something you’re not. It’s exhausting and won’t lead to you being happy. Any gay man who has tried to play it straight will know this.

    Expectations

    Have no expectations about how the date will go or what will happen. That way you won’t disappointed if the spark isn’t there or you don’t get on. But you will be pleasantly surprised if things go well. There are no rules, so just do what feels right.

  • 14 totally jerky things to do at work

    14 totally jerky things to do at work

    Those things we do that are totally assholely

     

    1) Passive aggressive emailing when you don’t get the answer you want.

    2) Not putting an “xx” after your name when someone else has in their email.

    3) Using up the last of the milk/teabags/chocolate digestives and not replacing them.

    4) Leaving your washing up in the sink for someone else to clean it up.

    5) CCing a non-responder’s boss on email – why don’t you just call them!

    6) Not going for drinks/birthdays/parties

    7) Getting “offended” at every little thing. Life’s short smile once in a while

    8) Have the messiest desk ever.

    Messy office desk
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

    9) Eating your smelly food at your desk.

    10. Constant, constant, constant interruptions.

    11. When you’re on a “go slow”

    12. Take personal calls that EVERYONE can hear.

    13. Coming into work when you’ve got a stinking cold or flu.

     

    14. Go hard on the aftershave.

  • Top 10 gay romance films on Netflix for Valentine’s Day 2017

    Top 10 gay romance films on Netflix for Valentine’s Day 2017

    One of the best feelings in the world is to snuggle up with a loved one on the sofa, a bag of chocolate sweets and a good romance film to get you in the mood for love this Valentine’s Day. We’ve pulled together the top 10 films on Netflix to set the heart a flutter.

    1. Appropriate Behaviour

    2. August

    3. Bare

    4. Big Eden

    5. Boys

    6. Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party

    7. Holding The Man

    8. Boy Meets Girl

    9. Is It Just Me?

    10. Love Is Strange

  • 5 things that are actually the worst about shopping

    Last week I experienced something horrific: shopping on Oxford Street.

    I avoid clothes shopping until my wardrobe is decimated. I wait until I’m down to a few pairs of socks and my underwear is looking like the type of thing your parents warned you not to wear in case of being run over before I venture out to rectify the situation. I try to ignore the dwindling collection of shirts and trousers that have been ravaged by over washing, deodorant marks and time until I can do it no more.

    Last week was the turning point and I had to face the ugly truth: I needed to go clothes shopping. It was my bi-annual clothes procurement mission and I gritted my teeth, revved myself up on caffeine and went for it.

    ALSO READ: 17 you only know if you’ve worked as a go go boy in a gay bar

    Maybe Oxford Street on a Sunday wasn’t the best choice for a pathological shopping hater but needs must. I needed new basic items and chain stores are the place to go. I just needed to suck up a whole world of pain.

    I won’t go into all the messy details. I won’t describe the moment (fifteen minutes in) when my partner offered to go home and leave, as he couldn’t take my mood any more. I won’t describe the inner demon that emerged and the childish tantrums, rages and traumas (for everyone else, not me). I’ll just tell you why it was so bloody awful.

    1) Un-priced garments:

    It’s a shop. You sell things. If there’s no price on it then you can keep it. I’m not asking around or waiting for some glassy eyed teenager to go and check. I’ve got a life to live. I also hate that concealed price/size thing. A whole stack of shirts, neatly folded, with every one having a tag tucked discretely away so that you have to wade through each one and extricate the size label only to find after 10 minutes that they only have extra small and XXL. Strangely a lot of shops seem to cater solely for the very burly or the painfully thin.

    2) Changing rooms:

    Bright lights and mirrors at all angles are not something most of us need. I know I’ve got a bald spot. I know that years of smoking have ravaged my skin. I really don’t want this hammering home in an overheated cupboard as I puff and pant and try to ram myself into the sizes I wore 20 years ago.

    3) Vacant automaton shop assistants:

    Working in retail is tough, I’m sure, especially with people like me about. Being British, I kind of expect you to show that to me though. I don’t mind surly, truculent and disinterested. What displeases me is the false, robotic eagerness to please. It’s terrifying and disingenuous. I don’t trust the fakery, especially when it’s clearly being delivered through a world of pain and has been taught by a smiley man called Bob on an away day in Milton Keynes.

    4) Other shoppers:

    Faster, quicker and out of my way. They’re the only words I need to say. Unfortunately, shouting them out loud only gets you into trouble so I keep them in and just get angrier and my ulcer grows deeper by the moment. People also seem to be having a good time, lingering over the whole experience, which of course, makes me even angrier.

    5) It’s illegal to carry a Taser:

    I don’t need to explain that one

     

    The ordeal is over. I have clothes. Project forward in time to six months down the line: that’ll be my next foray into the world of retail. I’d mark it in your diary and avoid the day.

  • 8 totally annoying things you’re doing in the theatre

    8 totally annoying things you’re doing in the theatre

    Here in the UK, we are privileged to have a vast array of such wonderful theatres. We have the bright lights of the West End with its huge productions and international box office smashes, the incredible array of regional theatres producing their own very high quality shows and providing venues for wonderful touring productions and those little community theatres which provide immense pleasure for those both performing and viewing the amateur productions and the more off-beat shows.

    So, given the gift of theatre that we are given, is it really so hard for people to behave in a manner befitting? I have increasingly noted that theatre etiquette is sadly lacking, which is a shame when you have paid a not insignificant amount of money for your ticket, only to have the joys of watching a live performance tainted by the severely lacking social skills of those around you. Only last night at the theatre, I had to engage in my now regular pastime of telling audience members around me to please be quiet. I am quickly developing into a habitual “shush-er”, when really, I shouldn’t have to engage in such a disruptive and unpleasant activity.

    So, following a frustrating evening listening to the old woman three seats down talk about how her neighbour had slipped a disc (yes, really – this was an actual discussion taking place during the performance) and listening to the guy two rows behind singing along with every musical number, I have written this cut out and keep guide to theatre etiquette. There are seven simple steps to take to ensure that everyone has a pleasant evening.

    Rule 1 – Keep it buttoned. There is absolutely no need to talk during the play or show. If you want to have a night out with your friends and have a good old chin-wag, then instead of spending £35 each on a theatre ticket, spend it on booze in a pub, where you can chat away to your heart’s content.

    Rule 2 – Keep it in your pocket. There is a reason why, at the start of every performance, there is a request to turn off your mobile phone. Even if it is on silent, it doesn’t prevent you from annoying the people around you by checking your Facebook, twitter, emails or texts every five minutes. Seriously, if you cannot live for two hours (or even an hour if you know that the interval is coming up) without checking whether your friend’s status has changed or to see if someone has posted a hilarious picture of a kitten in a wine glass, then you either need to stay in your home indefinitely or obtain some therapeutic intervention.

    Rule 3 – Keep ‘em still. Tapping your feet to the musical numbers is a terrific compliment to the composer, but there is no need to use your feet to rhythmically tap out each bar to the song on the seat in front of you, much to the annoyance of the theatre goer occupying your impromptu percussion instrument. Equally, there is no need to announce to the four rows around you that “Oh…I like this one”, when the opening bar of a song is played.

    Rule 4 – Keep your vocal chords in check. Just because you think you sound great singing along to your Grease soundtrack CD in the shower doesn’t mean that you can undertake an encore performance in the middle of the theatre. People have come to hear the performers sing, not listen to your out of tune caterwauling. So, you know some of the words to the songs – well done – but please don’t feel the need to demonstrate your lyrical knowledge.

    Rule 5 – Keep it real. Just because you once performed in an amateur production of Sweeny Todd, it doesn’t mean that you have to recite the script with the actors on stage, tell your companion how your scenes were done differently to the ones on the stage or hum along to the music. Also, just because it is an amateur production and you have only paid a few quid for your ticket; it does not negate the need to be respectful to those around you. Equally, with amateur productions, just because you vaguely know one of the cast members because she is your next door neighbour’s best friend’s babysitter’s dog walker doesn’t give you the right to talk all the way through the show.

    Rule 6 – Keep it on time. It’s not that difficult to get somewhere on time. If the show starts at 7.15pm, then aim to get to theatre for 7pm. Distracting the audience by making a kerfuffle arriving late and disrupting an entire row of people to get to your seats in the middle of the row halfway through the opening number is very off-putting.

    Rule 7 – Keep it in the seat. Leaning forward in your seat, especially in the Balcony, simply blocks the view of the person behind you. That leads to them having to lean forward, blocking the view of the person behind them…. and like ripples on the surface of a pond caused by a stone being casually tossed into the still water, the effect spreads out until the majority of people have a blocked view. Also, if you are tall, as I am, be mindful of the person behind you. It doesn’t hurt to sit a little lower in your seat. After all, no one has come to the theatre to see a performance by the back of your head.

    Rule 8 – Don’t have a top bun…

    It’s not hard, is it? Please note that the majority of this guide applies equally to the cinema as well.

    Joking aside, it is a case of common courtesy both to the performers on stage and those around you. I know an increasing number of theatre goers who share my frustrations. The thing is, everyone’s experience is enhanced by a little courtesy and those who chat their way through the show may actually find they enjoy it even more if they actually sit and watch it, instead of tweeting, emailing, and texting before engaging in a four minute conversation by asking their companion what they have just missed!

  • 5 really annoying things about going to a wedding

    Now, I’m not one to rain on anyone’s parade and I’m the first to shout out a resounding YES to the fact that we have marriage equality. I’m stunned that I’ve seen so many changes in societal attitudes since my teenage years 20 plus years ago. I’m all for liberty, equality and freedom of expression. Except when it comes to bad taste.

    There’s just one issue in this whole thing. I may now get more wedding invites and I bloody hate weddings. I dodge, feign illness and fake deaths (including my own): just to avoid these often-horrible things. They’re just not my thing at all. One sniff of a fat uncle dancing with a small child to ‘Come on Eileen’ or the oily drip of a 99% oil chocolate fountain and I’m running for cover.

    Here’s my top five wedding don’ts for those planning to tie the knot:

    1) Eskimo/Native American/Self-penned love poems.

    OK. We get it. We know you’re quite fond of each other but we do not want to regurgitate our lunch. If you need to recite little poems to each other then there’s a time and a place…maybe just before you are both put to death by lethal injection for mawkish bad taste? Is that a crime punishable by death? I hope so.

    2) Bizarre Outfits.

    OK, so your mother’s cousin’s milkman’s best friend was Scottish or at least he once shared a lift with someone from Perth, but this is no reason to wear a kilt, especially if you haven’t got good knees. Cummerbunds, tuxedos, matching suits, pastel shades: they’re fine as an ironic statement but not to have in photographs that we’re quite frankly all going to be wincing at before we’ve even recovered from our hangovers.

    3) The Chocolate Fountain

    Unless this is a euphemism for some nefarious sexual practice that you and your guests will all enjoy then no. Just no. OK? It’s dirty, unhygienic and just plain oily.

    4) Wedding lists.

    Save up for it like the rest of us. The world doesn’t owe you a living. Have you not heard of payday lending and credit cards or just getting a job? Maybe you could sell a kidney or take to the streets with a bowl? It’s a more honest form of begging. I recently went to a wedding where the list contains items such as wide screen TVs, washing machines and a shed. I kid you not.

    5) Bankrupt your guests.

    OK, You’re getting married. That’s lovely. We’d love to come. Oh, the wedding is in Lapland? We have to attend a weeklong stag do in Borneo? We need a minimum £50 gift spend, not to mention the new outfits and the stint in rehab after that stag do? That’s fine. We’ll shelve those plans to move out of our hovel/ever own a home/ have a decent holiday. It’s not like the divorce stats are 50/50 is it? We’ll play along and don’t worry about that new hip we were planning on buying.

    Apart from all that. Have a great day, whatever your wedding.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Top 10 parody twitter accounts you need to follow

    Top 10 parody twitter accounts you need to follow

    Twitter, you either love it or hate it, but one thing you can’t deny is it’s pop-culture power ranging from creating new meme trends, breaking news and the parody account. Most of them are rubbish, but amongst them are some genuinely lol’some accounts so get your following finger at the ready!

    UKIP Weather – @UkipWeather

    A genuinely laugh-out-loud satirical account about the crazy land of politics, Daily Mail and UKIP.

    https://twitter.com/UkipWeather/status/582803002731429888

     

    Katie Weasel – @KatieWeasel

    Rejected from the X Factor a few years ago and now the subject of a very witty and very bitchy parody account of the latest X Factor and Showbiz goings on.

     

    Fifty Sheds Of Grey – @50ShedsofGrey

    A very funny parody account for men “of a certain age”

    https://twitter.com/50ShadesMay/status/826152976360300544

     

    The Daily Mash – @thedailymash

    A firm favourite, a very funny satirical account of all things news worthy and un-news worthy

     

    Brit Problems – @British_Problem

    A very funny look at those problems us British folks face on a daily basis.

     

    Modern Clueless – @ModernClueless

    Everyones favourite 90s rich bitch film, gets a very sassy 21st century makeover.

     

    Jesus M Christ – @Jesus_M_Christ

    “You know who I am. If not, google me bitches” Just like his Twitter Bio says. Often rude, often funny

     

    KIM JONG NUMBER UN – @KimJongNumberUn

    If you don’t mind good old fashioned offensive mockery and satire then this account is a must follow

     

    Pharrell’s Hat – https://twitter.com/pharrellhat

    Within 10 seconds of its appearance at the Grammys, it was clear this Vivienne Westwood creation was the true star of the show.

     

    Derek Faye @

    https://twitter.com/Derek_Faye/status/826536587198623744

  • How posh are you? 5 top tips on Etiquette

    Life… it’s all about good manners, being polite to the person who just pushed in front of you in the queue, and knowing how to greet the Queen properly when you do meet her.

    guide to etiquette
    CREDIT: Rawpixel.com-bigstock

    With that in mind, William Hanson, the UK’s leading consultant in etiquette and protocol and author of the newly published Bluffer’s Guide To Etiquette, has offered his top five tips on how to be more posh in 2017:

    1. Never say ‘Pleased to meet you’. You may think you’re being terribly nice saying this upon greeting a stranger, but those in the know will have mentally clocked that you are not saying ‘How do you do?’ If you don’t know who they are, can you be sure you really are pleased to meet them?

    2. Revise your handshake. The last time someone told you how to shake hands you were probably very young. Get a loved one to review your handshake honestly. Try to avoid being a wet fish or a bone crusher. People judge others on the quality of their handshake.

    ALSO READ: Etiquette tips for the dating app

    3. Abandon Pancake Day. For houses of quality, it’s called Shrove Tuesday. Serve crêpes in the evening. Oh, and it’s St Valentine’s Day, also.

    4. Avoid attending Facebook parties. If you are invited anywhere by Facebook then don’t go. It won’t be worth it and you’ll probably be served beer in the bottle or be given wine that hasn’t been decanted.

    5. Pudding v dessert. The final course of a dinner (and arguably the best one) is the pudding. Note, it is called the pudding. NOT ‘dessert’! If you call your lemon posset with spun sugar basket a dessert when dining with the hoity toity, then you might as well prepare for a future dining at a Toby Carvery – where you can help yourself to the dessert buffet for the rest of eternity.

     

    The Bluffer’s Guide to Etiquette is available for Kindle and iPad at Amazon.co.uk and the iBookstore (RRP £4.99)

    This article was first published in 2014.