Author: Randy Slovacek

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Celebrating My Birthday & The Anniversary Of My Best Friendship

Carlye at Disney World; both of us at the opening night of ‘Hello, Dolly!’ on Broadway
Today, France celebrates Bastille Day, or as we say in my house, my birthday. I am not a ‘birthday person.’ I never have been, not that I mind getting older. The best part of my birthday really isn’t about me. The best part of my birthday is the anniversary of one of the best parts of my life. The best part of my birthday is that on July 14, 1980, I found my best friend, the foundation of who I am and how I got here. Today is the anniversary of the day Carlye and I officially became best friends. Yes, officially. We decided on that day. I can never write enough about how I was made better the day we met. I can never write enough about how Carlye and her family made me feel like I belonged. I can never write enough about how Carlye and I survived New York City and life together: • being briefly homeless at midnight on October 30, 1985 • living in what we called ‘the hovel’ in a six-floor walk-up on the Upper East Side • waiting tables and auditioning, and waiting tables and auditioning, and waiting tables and auditioning • getting to opening nights • getting through funerals • getting through illnesses – hers and mine I could all go on and on. But I’ll leave it at that – for now. The best part of my birthday is not about ‘me.’ It is about ‘we.’ Happy birthday to me, but more importantly happy anniversary Carlye.

Carlye and I at a holiday party some year in NYC

 

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Out Music: Michael Fairman ‘Better Late Than Never’

Singer/songwriter Michael Fairman (photo: Ryan Hutchins)
Out singer/songwriter Michael Fairman claps back at folks who might think he missed his chance at attaining his music dreams with his latest single, “Better Late Than Never.” Written and produced by Fairman and Kyle Mangels, “Better Late Than Never” catches the ear with the classic feel of R&B harmonies but lives in a very current, modern pop soundscape. Fairman’s vocals soar through the wide-ranging, contemporary pop anthem with unerring ease as he evokes a determined spirit reminiscent of John Parr’s “St. Elmo’s Fire.” The song’s message is simple and universal: if you believe, you can achieve. “If you want something bad enough, isn’t it worth trying for it rather than forever wondering, ‘what if’?” Fairman asks. Check out this teaser video for “Better Late Than Never.”

“Better Late Than Never” builds on Fairman’s previous releases – “Thing About Me” “Can’t Let You Go” and “Other Side” – three songs about the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by the underdog, whether at love or in life. “As a man in mid-life trying to get my music heard, I know about climbing mountains,” says Fairman. “I am told multiple times a week that this is a pipe dream, but I don’t let it stop me. I’m proud to be representing boomers.” “It may have taken me an extra thirty years than it did Shawn Mendes to get to this point, but my life experience makes me more confident now in my craft as a singer-songwriter.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CQXWnTfDg_6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Fairman recognized his passion for music early in life releasing his first recordings through a small label in Chicago as a teen. Once he graduated high school, he moved to Los Angeles and then to New York to pursue his career as a recording artist. His story is a familiar one: he formed a band, played out in clubs, invited record label execs, but…they seldom came. Eventually, finances dictated he hit pause on music and returned to Los Angeles where he launched a successful career in entertainment journalism and TV production. Today, Fairman is the founder and editor of the popular daytime soaps channel https://michaelfairmantv.com “The time wasn’t right, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try again,” Fairman reflects. “Back then, artists were at the mercy of someone seeing them live in order to land that major label deal. In today’s digital age, artists can put out their music for the world to hear and decide if it fits their musical tastebuds.” “Better Late Than Never” is available on Apple Music and Spotify.  Follow him on Instagram here. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMOeH8DVOD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Trailer: Emotional Story Of Father’s Tribute To Son ‘Joe Bell’

Mark Wahlberg in 'Joe Bell' (all photos: Quantrell D. Colbert)

Mark Wahlberg in 'Joe Bell' (all photos: Quantrell D. Colbert)
Mark Wahlberg in ‘Joe Bell’ (all photos: Quantrell D. Colbert)
Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg stars in the upcoming film Joe Bell, which tells the intimate and emotional true story of an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his teenage son Jadin. The film, written by Academy Award winners Diana Ossana & Larry McMurtry (Brokeback Mountain), is based on a true story. In 2013, at the age of 15, Jadin Bell took his own life at a nearby elementary school playground after being bullied and ridiculed by classmates for being gay. Following his son’s death, Joe Bell embarks on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.
Reid Miller and Mark Wahlberg in 'Joe Bell'
Reid Miller and Mark Wahlberg in ‘Joe Bell’
The film also stars Connie Britton, Reid Miller and Gary Sinise. Joe Bell arrives in theaters July 23.

Sadly, the issue of mental health and bullying is not just a story for a dramatic film. The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health notes that:

• 75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime.

• 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth.

If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 via chat www.TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678678.

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NJ Candidate For Gov Wants To End LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum

Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Jack Ciattarelli

Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Jack Ciattarelli
Jack Ciattarelli (image via Twitter)
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor, promised potential supporters during a campaign appearance that if elected he would put a stop to the LGBTQ curriculum currently being taught in schools. Ciattarelli made the remarks while visiting a gun range on June 26. Video of the comments were released on Tuesday, July 13, by The Gothamist.

“I feel lucky [our kids] are in their 20s and I don’t have to be dealing with what you’re dealing with right now. You won’t have to deal with it when I’m governor, but we’re not teaching gender ID and sexual orientation to kindergarteners. We’re not teaching sodomy in sixth grade. And we’re going to roll back the LGBTQ curriculum. It goes too far.”

First, kindergarteners are not being “taught” sexual orientation. A law recently passed in the state, Assembly Bill 4454, “requires school districts to include instruction on diversity and inclusion” beginning this fall for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. A second law, Senate Bill 1569, requires instructional materials “that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.” “Sodomy” is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “anal or oral copulation with a member of the same or opposite sex.” But, it’s often used as ‘code’ to equate LGBTQ people with deviancy. Ciattarelli was asked about his use of the word. The candidate said in a statement that it had “absolutely nothing to do with someone’s sexual orientation and the inference that it does is purposefully misleading.” He added, “Read my statement. It has to do with mature content being taught to young children. That is a parent’s job, not the school district’s.” I don’t think the Republican picked the word “sodomy” to reference all kinds of “mature content.” And I’m not alone.

Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, told The Gothamist that Ciattarelli’s use of the word sounded as if he was “speaking in code or virtue-signaling to a very specific group of people.” “He goes on to say more bluntly that he wants to roll back some of the progress the LGTBQ community has made,” added Fuscarino. “We’ve seen enough of that at the federal level the last four years with the Trump administration.”

Ciattarelli’s opponent in November will be the current governor, Democrat Phil Murphy. Murphy, a longtime ally to the LGBTQ community, has received support and endorsements from several LGTBQ advocates and leaders in the Garden State.

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News Round-Up: July 13, 2021

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: A record 121 out athletes are set to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, more than doubling the number from the last Olympics in Rio. • Nevada Independent: As of Friday, Nevada (my state) had the fourth highest case rate in the nation per capita over the last seven days; for many days last week, it was first. The Delta variant was responsible for 54% of cases in June in Clark County (where I live) but only 38% are vaccinated. #ugh • OUT: A shirtless man, appropriately wearing a pink shirt wrapped around his head as a pitiful disguise, attempted to rip down a Pride flag, but the homeowners had anticipated such hateful actions and secured the flag with carabiners and screwing posts.

@leftovergainskid tries and fails to steal my pride flag#fail #pride #rainbow #getoffmylawn #ohnowyouwannawearamask♬ original sound – leftovergains

• PopCulture: Actor Jerry O’Connell is reportedly close to closing a deal to become the first-ever full-time male host of The Talk. O’Connell, who is a frequent guest host, would take over Sharon Osbourne’s seat, who left the show earlier this year amid scandal. • Tennessean: The average number of new cases per day in Tennessee has more than doubled in the past two weeks. But the state Department of Health has halted all vaccine outreach to kids – not just for COVID-19, but all diseases – amid pressure from GOP. • Out Music: Singer-songwriter Allison Ponthier recently shared her new single, “Hell Is A Crowded Room,” featuring crystal-clear vocals skimming along a gentle guitar. The  delicate track explores the social anxiety felt by introverts (like me) and learning to push through those challenges.

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Trump Trashes Supreme Court Justice In New Book

Donald Trump

Donald Trump (public domain)
In the new book – Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency – author Michael Wolff shares some surprisingly bitter remarks by ‘the former guy’ about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “There were so many others I could have appointed, and everyone wanted me to,” Donald Trump told Wolff in an interview for the book. From Axios:

“Where would he be without me? I saved his life. He wouldn’t even be in a law firm. Who would have had him? Nobody. Totally disgraced. Only I saved him.”

For Kavanaugh to not do Trump’s bidding on the matter of ultimate importance — overturning the election — was, in Trump’s mind, a betrayal of the highest order.

Wolff writes that Trump feels betrayed by all three justices he put on the court, including Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, but “reserved particular bile for Kavanaugh.”

Recalling the brutal confirmation fight, Trump said: “Practically every senator called me … and said, ‘Cut him loose, sir, cut him loose. He’s killing us, Kavanaugh.’ … I said, ‘I can’t do that.'”

“I had plenty of time to pick somebody else,” Trump continued. “I went through that thing and fought like hell for Kavanaugh — and I saved his life, and I saved his career. At great expense to myself … okay? I fought for that guy and kept him.”

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Emmy Nominations: POSE Star Mj Rodriguez Makes History

Mj Rodriguez of POSE

Mj Rodriguez of POSE
Mj Rodriguez of POSE (via Instagram)
Mj Rodriguez made history today as she was honored with an Emmy Award nomination for her role as ‘Blanca’ on the acclaimed FX series POSE. Receiving a nod for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Rodriguez becomes the first trans actress to be recognized in a lead acting category. Series co-creator Steven Canals celebrated the news on Twitter:

The third and final season of POSE garnered a total of 9 nominations this morning including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Billy Porter. This is Porter’s 3rd nomination having previously made history himself when he took home the Emmy For Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role of ‘Pray Tell’ in 2019.

The series has been a trailblazer from the get-go by featuring the largest trans cast in TV history. And yet, until now, none of the trans female cast members had been recognized by the Emmys. “Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez’s Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is a breakthrough for transgender women in Hollywood, and a long-overdue recognition for her groundbreaking performance over the past three seasons of POSE,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Additionally, the show’s nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, as well as Billy Porter’s third nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, mark a historic show that undoubtedly raised the bar for trans representation on television and changed the way viewers around the world understand the trans community.

In additional LGBTQ Emmy news, RuPaul’s Drag Race was honored with 9 nominations including Outstanding Competition Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for Mama Ru. Plus, two nods for RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. Netflix’s Queer Eye garnered 6 nominations including Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program as well as Outstanding Structured Reality Program.

And Randy Rainbow received his 3rd nomination for Best Short Form Variety Series. He won in 2019.

GLAAD has assembled a complete list of LGBTQ nominations here.

You can see the full list of 2021 Emmy Award nominations here. The 73rd Annual Emmy Awards will air live on CBS Sunday, September 19. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRRfkBornK0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CRRf7uArCFF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CRRgGb1rlCX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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‘Fantasy Island’ Gets The Reboot Treatment On FOX

The popular 1970s/80s TV series Fantasy Island is getting the reboot treatment

The popular 1970s/80s TV series Fantasy Island is getting the reboot treatment As a youngster, my Saturday nights were usually spent at home watching TV totally safe fare like The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Now, the folks at FOX TV are giving Fantasy Island the reboot treatment. The original series aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious host, Mr. Roarke, and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Here’s the synopsis for the reboot:

A modern semi-anthology series, FANTASY ISLAND takes place at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Delving into the “what if” questions — both big and small — that keep us awake at night, each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who arrive with dreams and desires and depart enlightened and transformed through the magical realism of Fantasy Island.

Roselyn Sanchez (“Devious Maids,” “Grand Hotel”) stars in the series as Elena Roarke, a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Elena set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy. Like her predecessor, she’s sophisticated, insightful and always charming. Kiara Barnes (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) stars as Ruby Akuda, who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness and is given a new lease on life there; and John Gabriel Rodriquez (“Miranda’s Rights,” “Rosewood”) as pilot Javier, who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades. You may recall a one-season revival of the series was attempted in 1998. In February 2020, a horror film adaptation was released. The new series premieres Tuesday, August 10, on FOX at 9 p.m. ET. The anthology series Fantasy Island returns to TV this August p.s. In case you were wondering – nope, there’s no reboot currently on the horizon for The Love Boat.

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Texas Democrats Leaving State To Block Voting Restrictions Bill

Texas

Road sign reading Texas Democratic lawmakers in the state of Texas are reportedly leaving the state today in order to break the quorum required to pass new voting laws. The governor had called the special session into order primarily for the purpose of passing the legislation. From the Texas Tribune:

Upping the ante in both the legislative fight at home and the national debate over voting rights, most House Democrats are expected to board a flight out of Austin headed for the U.S. capital without a set return date.

At least 51 of the 67 Democratic representatives — the number needed to break quorum — were in the process of leaving, most arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Monday to board a chartered flight.

The House is set to reconvene Tuesday morning, but the absent Democrats would mean there will not be enough members present to conduct business under House rules.

Texas Democrats are hoping to find some (any) leverage to force their way to the negotiating table as them say they’ve been shut out of drafting of the voting bill.