Author: Randy Slovacek

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NY: Gov. takes marriage equality agenda on the road

Called the “People First” Tour, Governor Cuomo will take his legislative agenda to the people of NY state to talk about his priorities in the final days of the legislative session, including marriage equality.

“Our entire team is going to travel the state to speak directly to New Yorkers about the issues that can move this state forward, and it begins in Syracuse,” said Cuomo in a statement that announced the first stop of the tour late Monday. “We need to pass a property tax cap, ethics reform, and marriage equality during this legislative session. The clock is ticking, but when the people speak, the politicians will listen. We will assemble a broad coalition of New Yorkers to support this agenda and work tirelessly to get it passed in Albany.”

More from The Advocate

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NYC’s Paramount Hotel

Ok, so I figured I’d check online to see if I could get a decent, cheap hotel room for the night since I’m going to a reunion of my Broadway cast of FOLLIES tonight.

I got what seemed like a terrific rate for mid-town at the Paramount Hotel of $129. I had heard the rooms were small, but figured it was better than taking a late, late train back up to Peekskill to Carlye’s place.

AND I booked a “standard” room – not the “Petite” special thing they have that’s actually smaller (twin bed!) for $119.

See the picture. This is the room. Almost the whole room. Those ARE the walls next to the bed. I’m standing in the bathroom to take this picture. And then on the bed to take the second pic.

No biggie since I’m just going to sleep here one night. But I laughed…

This place must have been a YMCA at some point. Only not as fun.

Ah, NYC.

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NY Rangers Sean Avery: Speaks Out for Gay Rights

NY Rangers forward Sean Avery recently recorded a video, becoming one of only a few active athletes in American team sports to voice support for gay rights, and is believed to be the first in New York to publicly advocate for same-sex marriage. No active male player in a major American team sport has declared his homosexuality, and homosexual slurs remain in use to insult opponents and officials.

Avery, a 31-year-old from Pickering, Ontario, has played nine seasons in the N.H.L. Known as a fashion-conscious, on-ice agitator, he has never been afraid of what others think of him.

“The places I’ve played and lived the longest have been in West Hollywood, Calif., when I played for the L.A. Kings, and when I moved to New York, I lived in Chelsea for the first four years,” Avery said in a phone interview. “I certainly have been surrounded by the gay community. And living in New York and when you live in L.A., you certainly have a lot of gay friends.”

More from the NY Times.

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Pubic priorities on energy

From the Center for American Progress: Overall, the public prioritizes developing alternative energy over expanding oil, coal, and natural gas by a 63-29 margin. And, as shown in the chart below, seven of Pew’s eight active typology groups support this position, including a whopping 40-point margin among the Main Street Republican group. Only the staunch conservatives (9 percent of the public) dissent from the rest.

Now why do you think that 9% hangs on to old technology rather than look to the future?

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Chippendales everywhere

Has anyone noticed that recently the Chippendales seem to be everywhere? Living in Vegas I’m used to seeing them on billboards, on TV and at charity events. But they seem to be in demand on TV a lot nowadays.

Not that I’m complaining. I celebrate that women can a good time looking at good looking guys. Chippendales are the new “cool.”

This past Friday they were featured on “ELLEN” and will be again this coming Monday, and are now set to be on “Chelsea Lately” on Monday also.  They were just on Wendy Williams Show a bit back.  When Ellen AND Wendy AND Chelsea are joining in the fun, you know it’s back on the radar.

Ronnie from Jersey Shore stopped by the Vegas production to show some muscle lately.

And on their own time they take part in charity events all over Las Vegas, between performances at their theater at the Rio Hotel and Casino.

This ain’t your mama’s Chippendales.

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“Thor” movie grosses $65 million US first weekend

Thor opened to a strong $66 million from 3,955 theaters at the domestic box office.

Overseas, where the movie debuted first, Thor has earned an impressive $176 million in only 11 days — better than the lifetime international gross of fellow Marvel properties X-Men ($139 million) and Fantastic Four ($175.9 million). Thor’s worldwide total is $242 million.

All along, Paramount said the film would open better than X-Men and Fantastic Four, which debuted to roughly $56 million domestically, but not reach the heights of Spider-Man or Iron Man, which cleared $100 million.

Yeah – I know there are pics of Hemsworth as “Thor” – I just like this one.

🙂