Author: Randy Slovacek

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Betty Buckley – A Video Library

Playbill, in celebrating the birthday (July 3) of the brilliant Tony Award winner Betty Buckley, has assembled a list of some of Betty’s greatest performances caught on video.

If you love music theater you have to take a look. I watched every one.

I’ve loved Betty’s talent for as long as I can remember. I actually attended the same high school as I’m from the same hometown, Fort Worth, Texas.

I think she’s a thrilling talent. The first time I actually met her she came to see Carol Channing in “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway which I was lucky to be a part of. Then our cast went to go see her in “Sunset Boulevard.” She was heart-stopping. Some the “Sunset” songs are in this collection.

Hit the link and go watch some fabulous theater by a great artist.

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HBO Documentary: One Nation Under Dog

Americans have always had a love affair with canines, but lost amidst the pampering are unpleasant truths about dog ownership, care and commerce. ONE NATION UNDER DOG: STORIES OF FEAR, LOSS & BETRAYAL offers an eye-opening, three-part portrait of America’s complex relationship with dogs.

The documentary looks at FEAR, LOSS and BETRAYAL in it’s three episodes.

In FEAR, a dog owner is taken to court repeatedly for the aggressive behavior of his Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

LOSS covers the deep grief people can experience over the loss of their dogs.

And probably most difficult to watch, BETRAYAL presents an unflinching look at the issues of overpopulation, shelters, rescuing, spaying and neutering. Approximately two million dogs are destroyed in animal shelters each year.

As regular readers of The Randy Report know, dogs play an important part in my life and always have. I’m aware of how, for some, the responsibility of dog ownership falls short. In my home, Bruno, Bear, Tyler and Bandit have my attention every day. It is a relationship I take seriously.

I’ll be watching ONE NATION UNDER DOG. If you have HBO and love dogs too, I urge you to watch.

Watch Monday, June 19th at 9:00pm.

Thanks to reader Dave for the tip.

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Anderson Cooper comes out

“The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud,” Anderson Cooper writes in an email that he agreed to have published on The Daily Beast.

Cooper’s acknowledgment comes in response to a conversation with his longtime friend blogger-commentator Andrew Sullivan about Entertainment Weekly‘s recent cover story about the matter-of-fact way people in the public eye reveal their homosexuality these days. Cooper writes that despite being a public figure he’s tried to maintain a level of privacy for professional reasons. A journalist shouldn’t be the story, he’s long said.

“Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle,” he tells Sullivan. “It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something — something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Day One for President Adam Levine: legalize same-sex marriage

Get More: MTV Shows

According to the Advocate, Adam Levine says the first thing he’d do if he were president for one day is legalize same-sex marriage.

During an interview to promote their irresistible new album Overexposed, Levine and Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine are queried on what would be on their agenda if they were president for a single day. “First I’d make gay marriage legal because that’s just archaic and ridiculous,” Levine says immediately.

Levine, who will make his acting debut in Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story this fall, is a longtime equality advocate, who in 2010 recorded a video for the It Gets Better campaign to help prevent LGBT teen suicide.

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Could President Obama have done more on health care?

Great explanation on why the US got the Affordable Healthcare Act and not the single payer system many liberals and progressives truly wanted; both the political and realistic levels of accomplishment it just wasn’t possible in this political landscape.

Watch the video. Not long but it covers some issues in good common sense language.

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Outserve and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to combine

The boards of directors of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and OutServe today announced the intent to combine the two organizations into a single organization by October 2012 with a new name and a newly configured board of directors led by a representative from each existing organization.

In the intervening period, the boards and staff of both organizations will focus on unifying the two administratively, financially, and organizationally.

(Via press release)

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San Diego Pride 2012

With so many fun Pride celebrations clustered at the end of June, it’s great that San Diego LGBT Pride – one of the nation’s most vibrant, colorful, and friendliest such events – is scheduled for mid-July. It’s also a great place to beat the heat! While most of the country is steaming in summer’s intolerable temperature and humidity, San Diego is relatively cool, especially in the evening, much to the surprise of many visitors.

This year’s theme for the 38th annual celebration is “America’s Pride” and also honors the 40th anniversary of Stonewall with the Spirit of Stonewall Rally to be held on Friday, July 20. Check below for main highlights of the 2012 San Diego LGBT Pride event.

San Diego LGBT Pride Festival
 
Balboa Park
6th Ave and Laurel St
San Diego, CA  92103

WHEN

Saturday, Noon – 10 PM
Sunday, 11 AM – 8 PM

TICKETS

One day ticket $20
Two day ticket $30
Buy tickets online here.

PARKING

Parking lots in Balboa Park are free, but fill up fast during Pride weekend. A free shuttle is offered to the parade and festival when parking at the Old Naval Hospital parking lot. Pickup/drop off at 6th Ave. and Juniper St.

ENTERTAINMENT

San Diego LGBT Pride sure knows how to throw a party! Once again there will be three entertainment stages packed with amazing talent. Gay favorite and iconic comedian Sandra Bernhard headlines Saturday, along with Randy Report favorite and Billboard dance chart artist Matt Zarley, and  UK pop diva Natasha Bedingfield on Sunday. Other notable performers Erika Jayne, Frankie Negron, Wynter Gordon and Chris Cox. Festival amenities this year include a Farmers Market, hiNrg dance floor, Beer Gardens, Wine Grotto, Cool Zone for those 55+, Leather Realm, Interfaith Pavilion, Art of Pride (LGBT local artists), Youth Zone, Children’s Garden, and over 300 vendors. Click here or click the banner below for the entire weekend line-up.

Via Gay.net