Gay in the UK video blog (Ep. 20): Gay fathers, showering bartenders, and more

Again, lads, a stonkingly good vlog - and please note, I will now expect dancing in all your new video postings.

Congrats on your new homophobe job and the Paris gig sounds exciting. But don't make the mistake of James Dreyfuss in Gimme Gimme Gimme when he had to play an uncouth street thug in a cop show, but broke his leg before he had the chance to become a star.

Last time I went to a Parisian gay club - Volcano - it was run by really scary lesbians, but gay men went there because it was bascally the only gay club in town. All the gay men would be dacing around and flirting and taking their shirts off, and then one of the lesbians who owned/managed the place would cough/grunt and all the men would put their shirts back on. It happened about four times the night I was there. And now there are gay clubs that are so paranoid that the barmen have to take a shower on a regular basis to meet with stringent Food Hygiene standards. The Paris gay scene is going to hell in a handbasket, I tells ya.

I'm ambivalent about the gay fathers. I'm really glad they trailblazed the way for gay men to become fathers through surrogacy in the UK. And I'm seriously happy for them that they have the confidence to become fathers again. But really, the names they give their babies - isn't that child abuse?

On a more serious note, what's your take on the Conservatives. In the UK Parliament they have openly gay shadow ministers and seem forward thinking about gay rights. But in the European Parliament they've joined up with some horrifically homophobic political parties from Eastern Europe who are actively working against gay rights. I don't know what I feel about it, but it strikes me as one of the big gay issues in British life at the moment considering that the Conservatives are currently likely to win the next election.

Also, why weren't you two mentioned on the Independent on Sunday Pink List this year. I think we should start the campaign for your inclusion NOW!

Oh, and I love this garden as well - but having overdosed on Alan Titchmarsh, I'm now convinced you need a pelagonium theatre - in the Victorian mode - as a backdrop.

Wow! You actually saw a frenchman take a shower!? Astonishing! That alone is more of a spectacle than anything at the Moulin Rouge!

Okay, enough of my hateful American French-bashing.

Aren't you guys still in political turmoil over there? Brown seems to be hanging on by sheer desperation and the somewhat bemused support of Mandy. This expenses row certainly seems to be quite the thing. Have there been any major hits to any gay MP's, other than Alan Duncan's gardening expenses (I truly was shocked, if anything I thought he'd be expensing hair products)?

Bloody good clip as always!

Sorry to say this lads, but given the high numbers of gay and bi men and lesbians/potential bi women on Big Brother this year, yes, you really ought to be watching it and commenting on it. It's not nice but it's a professional obligation on your part to explain the differences between how the UK treats gays and how the US does.

Put a bottle of vodka on expenses each night and just do your job. I'm sure your esteemed editor Michael will pay for your rehab in the Priory once Big Brother has finished. But it's a cultural phenomenon touching on gay politics between both countries.

To the front lines of war reporting, lads. I will pray to God that you're kept safe. And I might knit socks if you need them.