Author: Randy Slovacek

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#BeBest? Melania Trump Breaks Tradition, Snubs Jill Biden

First Lady Melania Trump

First Lady Melania Trump
Melania Trump (image via Flickr/White House – public domain)
Melania #BeBest Trump will be the first modern First Lady to not invite her successor to walk through the White House residence. Show of hands – anyone surprised? Anyone? No? Me neither… From CNN:

From Bess Truman and Mamie Eisenhower’s meeting, to the visit Laura Bush hosted where Jenna and Barbara Bush showed Sasha and Malia Obama how to slide down the banister in the Residence, to the visit where Michelle Obama invited Melania Trump even after Donald Trump had questioned her husband’s citizenship, this tradition has long been one of the first lady’s many unwritten obligations. And Melania Trump has discarded it.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Melania Trump has flouted a social norm of her position. Every one-term president — and his wife — have felt the sting of defeat, but unlike her husband, none of them have refused to accept the election results.

In related news, a new CNN/ORC poll shows Melania departs the White House with a much lower approval rating than other recent First Ladies. Melania’s tenure garners a thumbs-up from only 47% of those polled. Compare that with the 69% approval of Michelle Obama upon her departure and 67% by Laura Bush. Hillary Clinton had a 56% approval rating after her 8 years in the White House. Of course, Melania was only there for 4 years. Perhaps she just needed time to improve…

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Biden, Harris Spend MLK Day Volunteering At Food Banks

Joe Biden spends MLK Day volunteering at a Philadelphia food bank

Joe Biden spends MLK Day volunteering at a Philadelphia food bank
President-elect Joe Biden (screen capture via The Hill)
FOX29 in Philadelphia reports President-Elect Joe Biden spent the morning of Martin Luther King Day, Jr. volunteering at food banks to help the homeless and those less fortunate.

Biden was volunteering as part of MLK Day of Service at Philabundance, assembling boxes of food for those in need.

The President-Elect and Dr. Jill Biden were among the many volunteers at the South Philadelphia location, working together to fill boxes of food. Joining them were daughter Ashley, granddaughter Finnegan Biden and a boyfriend of another Biden granddaughter, Peter Neal.

Philabundance is a member of Feeding America, a network of food banks across the United States. For more information on Philabundance and what they do, click on their website, here.

Similarly, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and soon-to-be Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff spent the holiday volunteering at Martha’s Table in Washington DC. The efforts are part of the Biden campaign’s national day of service ahead of the inauguration.

No word as to Donald Trump’s MLK activities today. The only known item on his schedule is his departure from the White House on Biden’s inauguration day.

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Adult Performer Matthew Camp Woke Up To Arson Attack

The home of adult performer Matthew Camp was destroyed in an arson attack he believes was a hate crime

The home of adult performer Matthew Camp was destroyed in an arson attack he believes was a hate crime
The home of Matthew Camp destroyed in an arson attack (images via Instagram)
Adult performer Matthew Camp woke up in the early morning hours of January 14 to find his home in Poughkeepsie, New York had been set ablaze in an apparent hate crime. “An arsonist poured gasoline on the front porch of my home and set it on fire in an apparent hate crime,” writes Camp in an Instagram post. “I was asleep inside. I am alive to face this person one day but everything I have ever owned is gone.” “Share this story because queer people are still under attack all over the world,” added Camp. “Our voices will not be silenced.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Matthew Camp (@matthewcamp)

The former go-go boy turned sex-positive advocate and OnlyFans star went on to share that since the attack “I’m just living day to day trying to piece together what’s left.” He closed his post thanking friends and fans for their support and “continued fight to keep our queer families safe.” Despite the vast damage to the home, Camp and his friend Six Carter were able to escape the fire unharmed.
(images via Instagram)
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by friends to help rebuild his life and replace some of his belongings. A home security camera captured the arsonist coming up the steps of Camp’s home just seconds before the blaze and splashing a liquid (presumably gasoline) all over the front porch. The time stamp on the video shows it was 5:09 am. The city’s police and fire departments received 911 calls reporting the fire at 5:12 am.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that once the fire was out, “an investigation quickly determined that it was a case of arson.” The identity of the arsonist is still unknown but authorities are continuing to investigate. The home was previously owned by a “Satanist,” Joe ‘Netherworld’ Mendillo who died in January of last year. Camp purchased the residence in October. The home is apparently well-known in the area as the “Halloween House.” The nickname is apparently derived from decorations both outside and inside the residence and a hearse reportedly used to sit in the driveway. I interviewed Camp a couple of years ago as he was launching a new video series project. I found him to be not only polite and well-spoken, but sharp as a tack regarding business and how he views life. You can listen to our chat below.

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InstaHunk Round-Up: Weekend Edition

Eles Quintero

Eles Quintero
Eles Quintero and friend (photo: Hoscos)
Checking in with the Hunks of Instagram this weekend. First up, Eles Quintero spent time hanging with his equally good-looking Weimaraner (above). Follow Eles on Instagram here. Pierre Vuala had a word from the wise:

Uber-dancer Michael Dameski was flipping around on the beach:

What to do when in São Paulo on a Sunday? Jim Newman made spaghetti in his underwear 🙂

 

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A post shared by Jim Newman (@jimnewmannyc)

Luke Evans caught just a whiff of a rainbow as the week began in Sydney, Australia.

 

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A post shared by Luke Evans (@thereallukeevans)

Sydney is a popular place it seems as Diego Arnary spent his weekend housebound there:

 

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A post shared by Diego Arnary ® ™ (@diegoarnary)

Ramses Principe was showing off his huge thighs before heading out for a ride:

 

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A post shared by Ramses Principe (@mia_fitness)

Guto Oliveira was being pensive in my town, Las Vegas, Nevada:

 

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A post shared by Guto Oliveira (@gutobahia)

Joe Blizzard was giving off Sunday vibes from Miami:

 

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A post shared by JOE BLIZZARD (@joeblizzard)

And finally, a word from our wise Uncle George Takei:

 

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A post shared by George Takei (@georgehtakei)

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Trump Pardoning Himself Is Very Unpopular With Americans

Donald Trump (screen capture)

A large majority of Americans oppose Donald Trump pardoning himself before leaving office
Donald Trump (screen capture)
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows two-thirds of Americans approve of how President-elect Joe Biden is handling the weeks leading up to his inauguration. According to the survey, 67% of those polled approve of Biden’s handling of the presidential transition while only 25% disapprove. Additionally, 49% are confident Biden will make the right decisions. Four years ago, only 35% believed  Trump would make good decisions. And speaking of the Donald… A large majority – 68% – oppose Trump pardoning himself versus 28% who support the move. Also – 54% of those polled feel Trump should be charged with a crime for inciting the riot that took place at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. By an almost 2-1 margin, Americans believe Biden won the presidential election. While 32% are naysayers, 62% believe Biden had a clean win. A clear majority of Americans – 58% – support Twitter’s decision to permanently suspend Trump’s account. Forty-one percent oppose the idea. Almost half, 48%, strongly support the decision, while 36% strongly oppose it. My thoughts: count on Trump pardoning himself before he boards Marine One on the 20th. You can find the full results of the survey here.  

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Happy 99th Birthday Betty White!

Happy birthday Betty White! Chippendales dancer Jace Crispin surprised White on The Ellen Show

Happy birthday Betty White! Chippendales dancer Jace Crispin surprised White on The Ellen Show
L-R Chippendales dancer Jace Crispin, Betty White (screen capture)
Celebrating the 99th birthday of the awesome, gifted Betty White. My one brush with the winning Ms. White happened a few years ago at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. My hubby Michael had to be in New York City with one of his clients when The Ellen Show decided it would be fun to surprise White with a Chippendales dancer. Since Michael was on the other other side of the country, I offered to accompany Chippendale Jace Crispin on a quick in-and-out of Los Angeles for the shoot. Jace was, as you’ll see, perfection in balancing the sexy without going out of bounds of afternoon TV. I was just barely out of sight backstage while this happened. Click the image of Jace and White below to play the video clip.

Betty White swoons for Chippendales dancer Jace Crispin
(photo courtesy of The Ellen DeGeneres Show)
Plus, Michael and I have been binge watching the 1970s sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show which starred White as the ‘happy homemaker Sue Ann Nivens. Check out some highlights of her MTM days below.

Check out my previous celebrations of the wondrous White here. White’s TV co-stars Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore Show) and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland) tweeted their birthday greetings to White.

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Graham: Pardons For Rioters Would ‘Destroy’ Trump

Sen. Lindsey Graham says rioters should not be pardoned

Sen. Lindsey Graham says rioters should not be pardoned
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
As news outlets begin reporting arrested insurrectionists are planning on asking Donald Trump to pardon them for invading the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) sends a message to Trump: No pardons for rioters. Graham fears Trump handing out pardons to the folks who violently attacked the Capitol would “destroy” the Donald. Speaking to Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Graham said:

“There are a lot of people urging the president to pardon folks who participated in defiling the Capitol, the rioters.

“I don’t care if you went there and spread flowers on the floor, you breached the security of the Capitol, you interrupted a joint session of Congress. You tried to intimidate, assault, you should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and to seek a pardon of these people would be wrong.

“I think it would destroy President Trump and I hope we don’t go down that road. They chose to go into that Capitol, defile the Capitol. President Trump never said, ‘Go into the Capitol and try to interrupt a joint session of Congress.’”

I completely agree that if Trump were to issue presidential pardons for rioters it would just make him look that much more guilty. Graham also flipped the script and attempted to place the blame for the assault on the Capitol building on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

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Mike Pence Calls Kamala Harris (Finally)

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence (images via campaigns)
Months after the election was called, Vice President Mike Pence (finally) called Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to congratulate her on her history-making election. From the New York Times:

Vice President Mike Pence telephoned Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Thursday to congratulate her and offer his belated assistance — filling a leadership role all but abdicated by President Trump, who is planning to fly out of the capital shortly before Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sworn in next week.

The Pence-Harris conversation, relayed by two officials briefed on the call, was described as gracious and pleasant. The discussion is the first time Mr. Pence and Ms. Harris have spoken since they debated each other last fall.

It also represents the only one-on-one interaction between the dueling 2020 presidential tickets: Mr. Trump has refused to call President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. and has not even fully conceded defeat.

The Times goes on to report that Pence may invite Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, to the vice-presidential residence prior to the inauguration ceremony next week. But the visit may not work out due to heightened security measures put in place since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building last week. Donald Trump has previously shared he will not attend the inauguration becoming the first president in 152 years to ghost on his successor. Neither will he meet with the Bidens at the White House before the inauguration as is presidential tradition. Trump will depart the White House in the hours before Biden’s swearing-in ceremony. According to the Times, he “hopes to depart to the blare of a military band, with a red carpet and military honors, those briefed on the planning said.”

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Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Loses It At Einstein Bros Bagels

A leopard print wearing 'Karen' was arrested for refusing to wear a mask in an Einsteins Bagel shop

A leopard print 'Karen' was arrested for refusing to wear a mask in an Einsteins Bagel shop
Cindy Falco DiCorrado (screen captures)
The Smoking Gun describes these clips as “Florida woman gives Palm Beach Sheriff’s deputies an ‘advanced Karen Masterclass’ during anti-mask meltdown at Einstein Bros. Bagels in Boca Raton.” This leopard print ‘Karen’ is registered Republican Cindy Falco DiCorrado, 61, of Boynton Beach.

While waiting for Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies to arrive, DiCorrado declared, “I’m an American and I’m allowed to breathe. And it’s against my religion. And it’s against the amendment.”

As she referenced purported legal citations proving that it was illegal to require masks inside a private business, an onlooker asked her, “Shouldn’t you be storming the Capitol?”

As you’ll see in the second clip, after being handcuffed next to the police cruiser, DiCorrado began chanting, “In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. I come against these principalities and powers…this abuse, this abuse.” After demanding to know why she was arrested, the officer informed her that she had been trespassing. “You can’t trespass in a public business,” she shrieks. Ultimately, DiCorrado was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest without violence and booked into the Palm Beach County jail. She was released the following day after posting a $2000 bond and ordered by a judge to stay away from Einstein Bros.

(mugshot via Broward County Sheriff’s Office)
For the record, according to Broward County Mayor Steve Geller, even though local Florida governments have mandated mask use, you can’t be arrested for not wearing a mask. BUT – a business owner can request people to leave for not following the rules, especially because a business can still be fined for not enforcing the mask mandate. The end result for noncompliance could be an arrest for trespassing. There is NO constitutional right to buy a bagel in a store. As a spokesman for Einstein Bros. Bagels noted, those who don’t want to or can’t wear a face mask can pre-order their food and have it delivered curbside. DiCorrado was arrested last May for trespassing and resisting at a West Palm Beach restaurant as part of a mask protest. In 2017, DiCorrado was forced to resign from a city advisory board after “racist,” “white supremacist” and “anti-immigrant” remarks. Wait until you see this. I’d call for a Bette Midler parody except this leopard print ‘Karen’ is already beyond the boundaries of parody. Btw – don’t white people always say ‘If you don’t resist the police you won’t have a problem?’

Click here for more of my coverage of ‘Karens gone wild.’

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Misinformation Dropped Dramatically After Trump Banned From Twitter

Misinformation dropped dramatically after Twitter suspended Donald Trump's account

Misinformation dropped dramatically after Twitter suspended Donald Trump's account Color me shocked, but a new report shows misinformation on social media dropped dramatically after Donald Trump was banned from Twitter. From the Washington Post:

Online misinformation about election fraud plunged 73 percent after several social media sites suspended President Trump and key allies last week, research firm Zignal Labs has found, underscoring the power of tech companies to limit the falsehoods poisoning public debate when they act aggressively.

The new research by the San Francisco-based analytics firm reported that conversations about election fraud dropped from 2.5 million mentions to 688,000 mentions across several social media sites in the week after Trump was banned from Twitter.

Election disinformation had for months been a major subject of online misinformation, beginning even before the Nov. 3 election and pushed heavily by Trump and his allies.

The drop in misinformation was seen across numerous platforms after Trump was kicked off social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Spotify and more. And it wasn’t just removing Trump that made the difference. Twitter also removed more than 70,000 accounts affiliated with the conspiracy movement known as QAnon, which played a large role in raising temperatures that led to the Capitol invasion on January 6. Read the full article at The Washington Post.