Apparently the cost of a kiss, hug and a spanking from Peppermint Gummybear retails for about $1500 on the street.  Or so she said anyway.  And so she convinced a bidder at Sunday night’s GLAAD Out Auction at the Metropolitan Pavilion.  That promise from Peppermint insured that the Herb Ritts photo of a simmering Tony Ward sold for $7,500, well above its estimate, while another photograph of Tony Ward, kneeling and possibly peeing, and done by Steven Klein went for $2,200.  A bit pricier than Tony’s DVDs, but certainly less than the $139 million Picasso that casino magnate Steve Wynn had planned to sell last month—before he poked a hole in the canvas with his elbow. Not to be outdone by Wynn, GLAAD also had a Picasso up for live auction—albeit a ceramic tile—and Christies auctioneer, Richard Rabel whipped the audience into a $4000 froth for that little luxury item.   

Now in its fifth year, the GLAAD Out Auction celebrates established and emerging artists, and this year, more than 500 attendees turned it out in attire as creative as some of the more than 150 pieces up for silent auction, which is saying something given that one piece for sale–on the wall–was a diptych of P. Diddy/Sean Puffy Combs, trimmed in mink and complete with elongated leather member. There was also a portrait of Candis Cayne, in rococo gilt wood frame, as well as a photo of Ari Gold, zealously guarded by Mitchell Gold who, with his partner Bob Williams, insured that Ari was going home with them. (And incidentally, are they related?) The Montreal artist, Kat Coric, worked a dress as green as East Hampton lawns in summer, which had photographers in hot pursuit. And DJ Revive, out of New Orleans and of the Star 69 stable, played a up-tempo mix of fevered vocalists and sensuous grooves designed to incite purchasing frenzy. Patrons were further wet-nursed by potent cocktails by Svedka (can we saw FemBot Fatale?). Meanwhile Tom Ford, all but incognito, had apparently made a posse-free entrance—but the crowd was too fixated on buying to notice.  At night’s end, GLAAD had raised over $121,000, monies which will be utilized to continue GLAAD’s mission of eliminating homophobia and promoting accurate representation of gay people in the media. As Peppermint would have it, that’s worth at least a $1500 spanking.