Author: Randy Slovacek

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22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards – Hollywood

From GLAAD.org: Last night, GLAAD honored the media’s most outstanding images of the LGBT community at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, hosted by Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones.

Sean Hayes presented the Vanguard Award to Broadway & TV actress Kristin Chenoweth in recognition of her work to promote LGBT equality.

Music legend Dolly Parton presented the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to Chairman of NBC Entertainment, Robert Greenblatt, in recognition of his work to bring LGBT characters to living rooms across the nation. Greenblatt gave life to such LGBT-inclusive TV shows as ‘The L Word,’ ‘Queer as Folk,’ ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘United States of Tara.’

‘Glee’ and ‘Modern Family’ tied to take home the Outstanding Comedy Series Award. Golden Globe-winning actor Chris Colfer and Mike O’Malley accepted on behalf of ‘Glee,’ while ‘Modern Family’ stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Julie Bown and Ariel Winter accepted on behalf of the ABC smash comedy.

Lifetime’s Project Runway took home the award for Outstanding Reality Series, and MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell was joined by Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns to accept the award in the Outstanding TV Journalism Segment category for O’Donnell’s segment ‘Fort Worth Speech,’ which highlight Burns’ passionate plea to end anti-LGBT bullying.

An especially poignant moment came when actress Kirsten Dunst presented the Special Recognition Award to 17-year-old Nikki Peet, who attracted national media attention after she successfully petitioned her Corpus Christi high school to form a Gay-Straight Alliance, despite the administration’s opposition.

The GLAAD Media Awards series will continue in San Francisco on May 14, the final ceremony in 2011.

Pop sensation Ricky Martin and hip hop mogul Russell Simmons were among the winners at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, held last month at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

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Law & Order: SVU star joins NY-ers for Marriage Equality

From The Advocate: Law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni joins the marriage equality video series from the Human Rights Campaign.

“Already five states and the District of Columbia have marriage equality,” says the actor, who was born in D.C. and is best known for playing NYPD detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama. “It’s time for New York to lead again.”

The video arrives one day after a Siena Research Institute poll indicated record levels of support for marriage equality among New York voters at 58%, with opposition falling to 36%. Moreover, the poll showed that voters hold high levels of confidence in Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Democrat who has pledged to make marriage equality a priority in the post-budget portion of the legislative session that ends in June. The state senate, now controlled by Republicans, failed to pass the bill in 2009 by a vote of 38 to 24, but the Democratic-led assembly has voted for marriage equality three times.

“We are thrilled to add Christopher Meloni to the growing majority of New Yorkers who support the freedom to marry,” said Brian Ellner, senior strategist for HRC in New York. “With support for equality at a record high 58% in the state, we’re confident that all loving, committed couples will soon be able to marry the person that they love. As Chris says in his video, it’s time for New York to lead again.”

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign, which has appeared online and on the city’s Taxi TV, features prominent New Yorkers to move viewers to lobby their state lawmakers. Other videos in the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign so far have included Barbara Bush, daughter of former president George W. Bush; New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg; former mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins; former police commissioner Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman; Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Joan Rivers; Whoopi Goldberg; Lucy Liu; Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon; Russell Simmons; Julianne Moore; Ethan and Ryan Hawke; Moby; Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell; Fran Drescher; Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo; chefs Mario Batali, David Chang, and Tom Colicchio; Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe; Kenneth Cole; John Slattery; and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

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Former Sen. Alan Simpson – “We’ve got homophobes in our party”

From ThinkProgress: On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews today, former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of President Obama’s debt commission, railed against the social conservatives in the Republican party. He admonished male legislators for voting on abortion issues and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:

SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, and I don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.

Then you’ve got homosexuality, you’ve got Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We have homophobes in our party. That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children. Now if they’re going to get off on that stuff — Santorum has said some cruel things —cruel, cruel things — about homosexuals. Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul.

Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values — while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.

So let’s hear it for Sen. Simpson. A Republican who isn’t afraid to call things out. I’m sure Sen. Simpson and I may not agree on everything, but these are the members of the GOP I can handle. Moderate and straight-talking. Have your ideals, but leave the “evil” out of politics.

Very refreshing to hear today in light of the Palins, Bachmanns and Gingrichs.

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NY: Poll shows record high support for marriage equality

Via LGBTQ Nation: A new poll indicates support for marriage equality in New York has reached 58 percent, the highest in the state’s history.

The poll, released Monday by the Siena Research Institute at Siena College, also revealed a “record low” of 36 percent of New Yorkers opposed the marriage equality. Six percent had no opinion.

Among Democrats and Independents, support was over 60 percent; among Republicans, 48 percent were opposed, although support registered at 45 percent.

“The more New Yorkers learn about marriage equality, the more they support this basic issue of fairness,” said Brian Ellner, the Human Rights Campaign’s senior strategist for the Campaign for New York Marriage.

“We will continue our campaign to educate across the state so that everyone has the right to make a commitment and build a family with the person they love,” Ellner said.

Ross D. Levi, Executive Director at the Empire State Pride Agenda, released this statement: “State legislators who have not supported marriage equality in the past should take note that New Yorkers — including nearly two thirds of suburban voters and a majority of upstate and Catholic voters — clearly believe in fairness and equality for their LGBT family, friends, neighbors and colleagues.”

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5 month-old puppy starved, left to die on sidewalk

It’s not often I ask people who read my blog to actually “do” anything.

But after reading this news I am asking you to please click on the link below and sign a petition urging the maximum penalty be given to the two owners of this puppy.

According to change.org: Snoop was like any other puppy; he did nothing to deserve the neglect and abuse that ultimately led to his death.

His abusers — 19-year-old Bryan Hutcherson and his girlfriend — told police that they stopped feeding Snoop because his food was “too expensive.” Hutcherson also admitted to police that Snoop was simply too stressful to care for and they hadn’t fed him in over a month. Not one kibble, crumb or bite for a month.

Instead of doing the right thing and rehoming Snoop, returning him to the place of purchase or surrendering him to a rescue or shelter, Hutcherson and his girlfriend decided to take matters into their own hands. They chose to do absolutely nothing until their dog died.

The last sighting of Snoop before his body was discovered happened in late March by an anonymous person. Snoop was in an uncomfortably tiny cage measuring just two feet by three feet. Snoop was covered with his own feces and shaking uncontrollably.

A few days before Snoop’s death, Hutcherson removed the horribly skinny, sick dog from his living room prison, walked two blocks from his residence, placed Snoop on the cement, and walked away. The official cause of death was reported to be organ failure due to starvation and dehydration. On top of that, Snoop had complications from exposure to the elements.

A petition has been set up by Change.org member Natalie Puccio, who was so touched by Snoop’s story she had to do something. The petition is asking for the maximum penalty to be given to both Hutcherson and his girlfriend.

If given the maximum sentence, Hutcherson faces a $10,000 fine and 3 to 5 years of jail time. The preliminary hearing is set for April 14th. You can help little Snoop get justice.

I’ll end this post the way I started it – it’s not often I ask reader do “do” anything.  But was I write this with one of my dogs in my lap, I will ask you to please click on the link below and sign the petition.  Our dogs, our cats, our pets come into our lives depending on us.  Hutcherson and his girl friend could have taken Snoop to a shelter where he could have found a loving home.  At the very least, he could have been euthanized in a humane manner.  I’m horrified by these events.

Please sign the petition today in support of maximum penalties for Snoop’s abusers.

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Broadway: Reviews for “Catch Me If You Can”

“Nobody’s going for a long con here. They’re all just looking to get you through the night, and this they achieve (“in style,” as Frank promises) with flying colors and a few bonus miles left over.  Seized by the acrobatic nostalgia of Jerry Mitchell’s excellent choreography, (the female chorus) uncurl like newborn butterflies who’ve been doing nonstop Pilates in the chrysalis.  By the time the orchestra goes silent and things get dark for swingin’ Frank, their relationship feels a lot more earned than I’d ever expected. Maybe I got conned. If so, I didn’t mind.” – NY Magazine

“Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman again prove themselves an ace songwriting team. Their score evokes cocktail lounges, glitzy floorshows, Rat Pack suaveness, mellow jazz and energized go-go, all wrapped up in Shaiman and Larry Blank’s silky-smooth ‘60s-styled orchestrations. Jerry Mitchell’s choreography puts a vigorous period-appropriate spin on every number. As Hanratty, Butz (a Tony winner for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) does nuanced work balancing the jaded, paunchy slob with the wisecracking professional, driven in his quest to catch Frank. The boyishly handsome Tveit, who turned heads in Next to Normal, graduates to a lead role with sparkling self-assurance, strong pipes and natural charm.” – The Hollywood Reporter/Reuters

“Mr. Butz so completely takes on the stoop, shuffle, mumble and pallor of an overworked, middle-aged man, stopped the show with “Don’t Break the Rules,” a number about how Carl got into police work.  Holding on to his character’s sad sack mannerisms, and leading with his convex belly, Mr. Butz works the friction between Carl’s dumpy, arthritic form and the jivey spiritedness of the song to create a witty portrait of the passion that pulses within one gray, weary soul.” – NY Times

“Conductor John McDaniel presides from a perch in the stage right corner, bobbing along to swinging orchestrations by Shaiman and Larry Blank. That musical sound and the perfs from Butz and Tveit (with assists from the briefly seen Butler and Hart) offer considerable entertainment value.” – Variety

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And the polls numbers keep dropping for Palin

Former half-term governor Sarah Palin’s approval numbers continue on a sharp downward spiral as a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey shows 53 percent of all Americans say they hold a “negative” or “very negative” view of the reality TV performer, while only 25 percent give Palin high marks.

A year ago in the same poll, her negative numbers stood at 45%, while this past December it had climbed to 50% before reaching the current high of 53%.

Among independents, only 2 in 10 have a favorable impression of Ms. Palin.

In a recent Gallup poll, only 12% of likely Republican primary voters showed support for her – a downward trend from an earlier 16%.

These numbers are similar to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll which showed her support among likely Republican primary voters has slipped from 19 to 12%.

Although she is getting rich based on her “weeks long” national run for VP, it doesn’t look good for her Presidential aspirations.

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Budget agreement reached between Senate and House

I have to say I approve of the outcome of the budget negotiations that we’ve all watched unfold in the past few weeks.

Fiscally speaking, I’m pretty moderate. I believe in compromise between parties and chambers of the Federal government. I think we do need to make steps to reduce the national debt, but I think it needs to be done in a thoughtful, moderate manner. To make drastic, heavy handed cuts could negatively impact the slowly but surely improving economy.

What has emerged as the solution, for now, seems fair and a good step forward on many levels. AND it leaves social issues out of the equation – as it should be.

I applaud the work done to get the result the American people have been presented with. While I understand the “rock and a hard place” Speaker Boehner found himself, he made the right choices in jettisoning the social riders and got a good set of budget cuts for his caucus.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid did well for his caucus in standing up against the social issue riders but agreeing to substantial budget cuts.

It was a dramatic day, but in the end this was a good thing for America.

Not that anyone is asking me, but I approve of where this all landed.

Onward.