Boy Band Confidential - It's official: Justin Timberlake is the coolest straight person of 2002. I suppose it's a mere coincidence that the Advocate's December cover article on our "allies" just happened to pick a 21-year-old hottie. (Good move on the haircut, Justin.) I've actually heard good things about his new album Justified, and it can't be bad that Michael Jackson is pissed off that a person whiter than he is being called the new king of pop. And lets not forget that racy photo spread and interview Justin did for tres hip Euro fashion mag Arena Homme Plus last year. True, the edgy Fight Club-inspired images of a bloodied Justin sporting a shaved head were withdrawn in the aftermath of 9/11. Timberlake had defended the pictures, by photog Steven Klein, but after everything changed, he agreed to pulling them off the shelves. Maybe JT is worth the buzz. His Advocate interview shows a remarkably enlightened attitude towards gay friends and gay fans. How far we've come in a decade! (Paging Mark Wahlberg...) And just look at how popular he is with the N'Sync slash crowd.