Made in Brazil

A Semana: Gay Publications, Tourism, Kaká, And Rihanna

Brazil's newest gay publication called AIMÉ has apparently already been released, but nobody I know has seen an actual issue of the magazine. So far all that has surfaced is the cover with ex-Big Brother Brazil Fernando Fernandes.

Tourism minister Marta Suplicy stated this week that the government needs to implement more gay friendly policies in order for Brazil to start attracting more gay tourists than Argentina. Unfortunately the minister did not propose any solutions to the problem other than suggesting more support to the gay pride parades which take place in São Paulo, Rio, and Salvador. Now how about trying to make the country more safe in general for tourists, then focusing on the gay agenda?

Ford and V Man began their nationwide model search at the Diesel store in Union Square in New York this week, and Models.com has caught some of the action on video.

I am loving the cover of the new issue of OUT magazine featuring the 2008 Hot List, as well as some of the hottest male models around (unfortunately no Brazilians).

Soccer player Kaká is the only Brazilian featured on Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people.

Talking about lists, head over to AfterElton and vote for who you think should make it to this year's list of the to 100 Hottest Guys.

DNA magazine launched DNAmobi online.

Singer Ricky Martin has reportedly paid US$8 million for an island off the coast of Rio, which I hope will lead to more pictures of him in speedos.

Maroon 5 and Rihanna team up in "If I Never See Your Face Again".

Brazilian funk group Bonde do Role will be performing at Europa in Brooklyn on May 14. Tickets can be purchased at Ticket Web.

Madam Andreia Schwartz will be hosting a party tonight at nightclub The House in Rio to celebrate the release of the May issue of Sexy magazine, for which she posed naked.

Model Izabel Goulart will be meeting fans and signing photos tomorrow afternoon from 2pm to 4pm at the Armani Exchange store in SoHo. Armani Exchange will be donating 10% of total sales at the store tomorrow to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, so make sure to stop by, shop, and email me pictures.

A Semana: Models, Seal, Leona, Beyoncé, And A Big Gay Wedding

Brazilian model Raphael Lacchine is on his way to Milan to shoot the new Diesel underwear campaign.

Raquel Zimmermann teamed up with Kaiser Karl for yet another Fendi ad campaign, and Models.com managed to capture the shoot on video.

Model Aline Weber, who you may remember as look #1 on Balenciaga, just shot a 26-page spread for Numéro, and is in LA shooting the new Moschino campaign with David Bailey.

Seal performed in São Paulo last night after being away from Brazilian stages for 16 years. He plays in the city again tonight.

Both Justin Timberlake and Shakira have canceled their upcoming performances in Brazil.

Leona Lewis' debut single Bleeding Love just broke into the #1 spot at Billboard's Hot 100, making her the first British female solo artist in 21 years to achieve this milestone. I told you she was gonna be huge.

Beautiful Nigthmare: a new track by Beyoncé makes its way to YouTube.

Ricky Martin (in muscle bear version) gives naked thrill in hotel sauna.

Ohlala Mag goes backstage at a fashion show in Brooklyn.

São Paulo will host a big gay wedding on April 10. 30-year-old Felipe Campos and 24-year-old Rafael Cordeiro will sign a partnership agreement in a ceremony for over 1,000 guests, done candomblé style. The couple hopes to raise awareness of gay marriage with the big bash, and possibly inspire other couples to do the same.

Quick thank you note to my friends Billy and Matthew for The Little Black Book Of Style I got on Monday. I love it and can't believe you guys did that. Now if you could only get Nina Garcia to pose with a Made In Brazil sign.

A Semana: Madonna, Miro Moreira, Josh Holloway, Batman, And Ricky Martin

Rumor has it that Timbaland sneak peeked a few minutes of a new Madonna song entitled 4 Minutes to Save The World at radio station Z100's Jingle Ball in Philadelphia yesterday. The leaked track features Timbo and JT, and can be downloaded here.

São Paulo Nightclub The Week is putting the final touches in its first ever calendar. It was shot at the club this past Saturday by Fernando Torquatto, and counts with models Miro Moreira and Igor Macedo on the casting of twelve boys. Profits from sales of the calendar will benefit charitable organizations.

Model Fernanda Tavares shot the new Davidoff Cool Water fragrance campaign with Lost star Josh Holloway.

The Batman sequel The Dark Knight does not hit theatres until next summer, but a preview is already available online, and it looks like The Joker will steal the movie again.

MySpace was officially launched in Brazil last Friday, where it will have to face Orkut, the leading relationships site in the country with over 14 million registered users.

Gay publication Odissey was relaunched in the country this month with a much improved design, and fotolog and Orkut favorite Lebart on the cover.

Ricky Martin showed off his bom bom at LAX airport this past Saturday.

Brazil's highest-paid singer Ivete Sangalo said she would like to tape her next concert DVD in New York, with special guests such as Bono Vox and Jennifer Lopez.

Getting a US visa is going to be more expensive starting January 1st. The price is going up from USD $100 to $131 for all new visas.

Ricky Martin On How To Pose With Your Grammys

Ricky Martin proved last night that he sure knows how to work an award.

The pop star won Male Pop Album and Best Long Form Video for his MTV: Unplugged at the 2007 Latin Grammys in Vegas. Brazilians Ivete Sangalo and Chico Buarque were up against Ricky for Best Long Form Video. I am not saying Ivete should have won in the category, but her Multishow ao vivo no Maracanã concert is definitely worth watching.

Ricky also kicked off the show with a performance of Lola with the Blue Man Group.

Click here for a complete list of Latin Grammy winners.

A Semana: Art, Gay Media, Ricky, Justin, And Ipanema Fashion Week

The Venice Biennale announced this year's Golden Lion award recipients. The Golden Lion for an artist participating in the central international exhibition was awarded to Argentinian León Ferrari for La Civilización Occidental y Cristiana, his 1965 sculpture of Christ crucified on a fighter jet.

Brazil's gay media is now flourishing: Junior was just released last month, and there is already a new gay magazine set for a November launch. It will be called Dom, and it will likely feature Andre Ziehe on the cover of the first issue, with 50,000 copies printed. Competition will grow next year with the release of a third gay magazine called Romeu.

29-year-old bartender and go-go dancer Edmilson Araújo was voted Mr. Gay Manaus.

Ricky Martin got a much deserved star in the Walk Of Fame.

Thanks to his single Until The End Of Time parking on the 24th slot on the Billboard charts this week, Justin Timberlake became the first solo male artist this decade to spawn six top 40 hits from the same album. Shania Twain's Come On Over, which had six top 40 Hot 100 hits from 1997 to 99, was the last album overall to reach the same heights.

Rumor has it that Matthew McConaughey is thinking about having a baby with Brazilian girlfriend Camila Alves.

Someone at DNA magazine is reading Made In Brazil.

The work of Brazilian illustrator Filipe Jardim recently ended up on the pages of the NYT and The Wall Street Journal, thanks to his partnership with Tiffany's. Filipe had previously collaborated with Louis Vuitton and Hermès.

Cathy Horyn takes a final look at the spring 2008 collections, and elects her favorite show.

Style.com picked their Ten favorite collections of the season. Question: why is Rodarte on the list?

Fashion Rio is getting a very strong competitor come 2008. Enterpreneur Nizan Guanaes is planning to launch his much anticipated Ipanema Beach Fashion Week on November of next year, bringing together the biggest names in Brazilian beachwear and sportswear. There are rumors going around that Mr. Guanaes is also looking into buying São Paulo Fashion Week, which would turn him into the emperor of Brazilian fashion.

Too Much Hotness In One Video: Eros Ramazzotti With Ricky Martin

It is the best duet in Spanish since Alejandro Sanz teamed up with Shakira on La Tortura.

And the song is also available in Italian.