Last year we reported on the end of Phil Hartman's Two Boots Pioneer Theater in the East Village. Now EV Grieve reports that construction seems to be continuing at the space, a work permit has been filed, and soon enough it will be a new outpost of the popular Upright Citizens Brigade.

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Mere days after the sudden death of the eccentric pop legend, Grub Street reports that bars in the East Village are already planning a way to celebrate his legacy with binge drinking.

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Earlier this week we reported on HX being sold to undisclosed buyers. Now Matthew Bank has officially "suspended" publication of New York Blade. It really doesn't seem to matter: the pub has been a sad shell of its former self for some time. That means the only official gay newspaper in NYC at the moment is Gay City News, published byVillager Media (who also publish The Villager, Chelsea Now and Downtown Express).

The big worry: What's going to happen to the Washington Blade, the once venerable publication that is part of Window Media and is tied in complicated ways to this media conglomerate. It's a D.C. pub that people actually give a damn about and was still (reportedly) turning a profit. As Chris Crain explains it, the Washington Blade and Southern Voice (in Atlanta), may both be spared as part of this blood letting that is involved in Avalon Equity money issues. 

It all points to a larger problem: What is the point of gay media in 2009? Is this niche so mainstream that no one cares to advertise in the pubs? Or do they lack the bite due to budget cuts so no longer seem essential reading? With excellent (?) blogs out there covering much of the same issues in rapid, immediate posts, perhaps the out-of-touch reporting of the gay-focused papers is no longer needed. It may seem that way in NYC, but in other cities around the country, news related to LGBT issues is severely underreported. Although much of these pubs have a conservative gay agenda, and often supported mainstreaming efforts that have now made them irrelevant, they also break news regarding hate crimes, political machinations harmful to LGBT causes and offer unusual insight for beat reporters who may not be able to connect the dots when it comes to sensitive issues dealing with sex and sexuality. Younger generations certainly don't see the need to pick up the New York Blade. If they did happen upon a story reported by one of these pubs, it was probably via the Web. And yet none of the publishers have put much effort into creating effective websites. The most difficult growing pain for the gay community may be that, having won freedoms, the battle does indeed mean a generational gap of identity confusion. And if there does need to be gay print media, perhaps these tired models need to pass away so someone else can dream up something original and essential.

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Are you and your model friends always having trouble finding a place to go? Do you feel like an outsider? Are the doors too heavy to open and the lines too tiring to stand in? I understand, it’s not easy being a model, believe me I know. Don’t worry because the kind people at Delicatessen are opening their doors to the frail and the famished. With hearts filled with love and charity, they have opened a models only lounge that is only available to those who have been outcast by our society. It’s a Garden of Eden of models where no ugly, short and nutritionally stable individuals will come attacking with deep-fried snacks and pouches of Capri Sun.

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It’s not difficult to see how quickly the Bowery is becoming gentrified. The past few years have seen new restaurants, bars, salons, apartments and oh, the giant luxury Bowery Hotel that sits almost on top of tenements. If the latter isn’t a clear enough sign of gentrification, try this on for size.

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A little gay bird told us that HX, the little gay rag that has been pumping up go-go boys and queer parties since 1991, was folding. That's not exactly true. Turns out that it's being sold. When we contacted owner/founder Matthew Bank, he sent us this release:

"HX Magazine and the web site hx.com have been sold. The new owners of HX Magazine will be releasing details and information on their plans for the future of the title shortly. In the meantime, Bank and HX Magazine Publisher Gary Lacinski will be assisting them in the transition. HX Magazine issue 931 dated July 10th, which will be released on July 3rd, will be the last one produced by HX Media and its staff.

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The battle against pirates has finally been settled for one file-sharing website.

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Brooklyn Vegan is reporting that Studio B is set to close by the end of July. The Greenpoint club, located at 259 Banker St., has already switched management once this year, opening a rowdy rooftop area that has angered sleepy neighbors. News of the closing of the popular venue has sparked a venomous exchange online, as commenters search for someone to blame for the demise.

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Pina Bausch, the acclaimed dancer and choreographer, is reportedly dead at 68. Bausch had recently been diagnosed with cancer, but she had continued to work and the death was "unexpected," according to the director of the Tanztheater Wuppertal, which Bausch founded in 1973. Although criticized by ballet traditionalists, Bausch's inventive dance-theater was also quite visually arresting. It received much wider attention after being featured in Almodovar's Oscar-winning film Talk to Her. Tanztheater Wuppertal was a frequent guest of BAM, and most recently Bausch's Bamboo Blues was part of BAM's Next Wave festival in 2008.

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Sunday's UnFancy Food Show, at the East River Bar in Williamsburg, wins the prize for biggest misnomer of the year.

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