Author: Randy Slovacek

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Dolly Parton Gets Sassy With RuPaul

Dolly Parton chats with RuPaul in a new Marie Claire interview
In a new interview with the iconic Dolly Parton for Marie Claire, RuPaul asked the diva about some of the more mundane aspects of her day like how many hours of sleep she gets and cooking some biscuits and gravy for breakfast. The Emmy Award-winning Drag Race host inquired if the country superstar cooks in high heels to which Dolly replied, “I always wear my high heels. Don’t you?” RuPaul answered, “No. That’s the thing: There are similarities in what we do, but I take all that stuff off.” But Dolly had a different view:

“I have to always stay ready – street ready, I always say. I have to keep my makeup on and keep my hair done. Like, when I’m in LA – I’ve told you about it – if it’s going to earthquake, if we get an earthquake, I’m not running out in the street looking like you look now.”

Like. You. Look. Now. LOL…Of course, Dolly wasn’t being ugly. That’s just not in her character. It’s a fun interview as Dolly is promoting her new holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, and her new Netflix Christmas movie, Christmas on the Square. Read the full chat over at Marie Claire.

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Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Tests Positive For COVID-19

First, there was the wave of coronavirus infections among White House staffers and aides. Then, Donald Trump tweeted that his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has been diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. Today, we hear another Team Trump lawyer, Jenna Ellis, has also tested positive for the virus. From Axios:

President Trump’s lawyer Jenna Ellis has informed associates she tested positive for the coronavirus, multiple sources tell Axios, stirring West Wing fears after she attended a senior staff Christmas party on Friday.

Driving the news: There are concerns about the potential for another White House superspreader event, though it was unclear whether Ellis posed a risk when she attended. Ellis declined to confirm the diagnosis to Axios.

Ellis showed up to the White House senior staff party in the East Wing on Friday as the guest of Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro and was not seen wearing a mask, according to sources who attended the indoor event.

So many folks in Trump’s camp getting diagnosed – it’s almost as though they are doing something wrong…?

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Biden To Name Gen. Lloyd Austin As Defense Secretary

Gen. Lloyd Austin (image – public domain)
President-elect Joe Biden plans to tap retired four-star Army General Lloyd Austin to be Secretary of Defense. He would be the first African-American to lead the Pentagon. From the New York Times:

General Austin, 67, was for years a formidable figure at the Pentagon, and is the only African-American to have headed U.S. Central Command, the military’s marquee combat command, with responsibility for Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria — most of the places where the United States is at war.

He was selected over another front-runner, Michèle A. Flournoy, who had served in senior Pentagon policy jobs and mentored a generation of women in national security who had pushed for her appointment as the first female defense secretary.

Mr. Biden, who is meeting with N.A.A.C.P. leaders Tuesday, was facing pressure from the Congressional Black Caucus and other Black officials to name an African-American to run the Defense Department or Justice Department.

According to Reuters: “Austin will need a waiver from Congress since it has been less than the required seven years since he served.” He will be the second Pentagon chief in just four years to require such a waiver, after Jim Mattis. 

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Trump Administration Passed On Purchasing Additional Pfizer Vaccine

From the New York Times:

Trump administration officials passed when Pfizer offered in late summer to sell the U.S. government additional doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, according to people familiar with the matter.

Now Pfizer may not be able to provide more of its vaccine to the United States until next June because of its commitments to other countries, they said.

As the administration scrambles to try to purchase more doses of the vaccine, President Trump plans on Tuesday to sign an executive order “to ensure that United States government prioritizes getting the vaccine to American citizens before sending it to other nations,” according to a draft statement and a White House official, though it was not immediately clear what force the president’s executive order would carry.

As I understand it, Pfizer has a contract with the U.S. to deliver 100 million doses. Any more would be a new order. And, as Pfizer wasn’t part of Operation Warp Speed and received no federal funds for research and development, the company isn’t beholden to the U.S. In related news, the CEOs of vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna have declined an invitation to attend a “vaccine summit” (read that as “photo opp – victory lap”) at the White House tomorrow.

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Who Will Win The Epic ‘Bad Boy’ Lap Dance-Off?

Artie O’Daly and Drew Canan in ‘Bad Go-Go- Boy’
In the latest installment of Artie O’Daly’s ‘Bad Boy’ web series, Scott (played by O’Daly) takes a trip to his writing agent’s office to discuss the plot for a proposed movie. Jim (Drew Canan) tags along since, due to forces out of Scott’s control, the upcoming film is supposed to be about Jim’s life (“One of the first real people to have a movie made about their lives. Like Forrest Gump…”). But with the agent fired, and a temp worker moved up to full-fledged decision-maker, Scott pitches some new ideas like the next prison story blockbuster (or Mamma Mia 3…if need be) instead of Jim’s life story but the agent, Jamila (Julia Pace Mitchell), is smitten with the bad boy’s charms. But Jim’s nemesis BJ (Braden Davis) uncloaks from his invisibility (don’t ask) and pitches his own story for movie stardom. Everyone wants to pitch a story! But who’ll catch?
Drew Canan throws down in the go-go competition
Ultimately, things come down to an epic lap dance-off between the two ‘bad boys’ (as happens so often in life) where the winner takes all. Making sense so far? As we’ve come to expect in O’Daly’s wild and wacky world, the dialogue takes some fast and furious turns leaving ‘Daddy Scott’ with some mental whiplash. You can check out my previous coverage of the ‘Bad Boy’ web series here.

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Kohl’s Holiday Ad Lands With Viewers

An analysis by Ace Metrix found Kohl’s 2020 holiday ad titled “Give With All Your Heart” scored high across several metrics and it’s easy to see why. From PopSugar:

Set to the song “Rainbow Connection,” viewers see a girl attempt to get to know her elderly neighbor by posting signs in her window. Seemingly set amid COVID-19, the pair enjoys some wholesome back and forth before the neighbor disappears without explanation.

After what appears to be weeks of waiting, the girl begins to lose hope. However, on Christmas morning, the woman returns.

She is wearing a hospital bracelet, likely having experienced a significant health scare or contracted COVID-19. We see them reunite, and once the woman holds up a sign saying, “Did you get what you wished for?” it’s hard not to tear up.

I love it when a message is clear without hitting you over the head. This is quite lovely.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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10th Annual ‘Home For The Holidays’ Concert Benefiting Homeless LGBTQ Teens

Cyndi Lauper has announced that her 10th annual 'Home for the Holidays' benefit concert will premiere on December 11 on her TikTok at 8PM EST. Cyndi Lauper – the Grammy, Emmy and Tony-winning icon and advocate – has announced that her 10th annual Home for the Holidays benefit concert will premiere on Friday, December 11 exclusively on her TikTok at 8PM EST, with an additional stream Sunday, December 13 on Lauper’s YouTube and Facebook handles at 8PM EST. Continue reading “10th Annual ‘Home For The Holidays’ Concert Benefiting Homeless LGBTQ Teens”

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SCOTUS Declines To Review Transgender High School Policy

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a court ruling regarding public school policies allowing transgender students to use bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity. The case was brought by Oregon parents who objected to a trans student being allowed to use the boys’ bathrooms and locker rooms in 2017. From The Hill:

By declining to hear the case, the justices preserved a federal appeals court’s decision to permit transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms associated with their gender identity instead of their sex assigned at birth.

Parents brought the case against the Dallas School District in Oregon in 2017 after a transgender student was permitted to use the boys’ bathrooms and locker room at the high school.

The parents alleged that the district’s permission for transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity violated the privacy and constitutional rights of other students.

A lower court initially refused to strike down the school district’s policy, prompting the parents to appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.

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InstaHunk Round-Up: Weekend Edition

Ignacio Pérez Rey (via Instagram)
Checking in with the hunks of Insta… First up, Ignacio Pérez Rey (above) continues to prove Madrid, Spain, is a beautiful place we all need to visit (as long as the views look like this). Ramses Principe proved that you can look like he does AND eat pancakes (or at least pose in front of them).

 

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A post shared by Ramses Principe (@mia_fitness)

Dr. Marco explained something deeply inspiring about “discipline” and “delaying gratification” and…I forget, where was I?

Actor/singer Jim Newman reminds us that “it’s not cold and rainy…somewhere.”

 

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A post shared by Jim Newman (@jimnewmannyc)

Presenting his “hairy wolf daddy” bod, DJ Thiago Oliveira wants to know who likes a furry bod?

Joel Green wants to know “what’s next?”

 

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A post shared by Joel Green (@green.joel)

Rodiney Santiago took a dive into the difference between physical and mental beauty. ” Instagram is full of beautiful hopeless romantics who’ve spent all their time on their appearance and not enough time on the mind.”

 

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A post shared by Ródiney Santiago (@rodineysantiago)

And Jeff Ferreira sends greetings from Parque Cachoeira das Andorinhas in Brazil:

 

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A post shared by Jefferson Ferreira (@jeffferreira22)

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California AG Xavier Becerra To Be Tapped For Health & Human Services Secretary

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra (image via Twitter)

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (image via Twitter)
President-elect Joe Biden has named California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services for the incoming administration. The inclusion of Becerra, a former congressman, to such a high-level post will likely help to quell some concerns that Biden hadn’t named more Latinos to the Biden cabinet. From the New York Times:

Mr. Becerra became Mr. Biden’s clear choice only over the last few days, according to people familiar with the transition’s deliberations, and was a surprise. He has carved out a profile more on the issues of criminal justice, immigration and tax policy, and he was long thought to be a candidate for attorney general.

But as attorney general in California, he led legal efforts on health care, including seeking to protect the Affordable Care Act from being dismantled by Republican attorneys general. He has also been a leading voice in the Democratic Party for women’s health.

If confirmed, he will immediately face a daunting task in leading the department at a critical moment during a pandemic that has killed more than 281,000 people in the United States — and one that has taken a particularly devastating toll on people of color.

If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino to lead the department. He’ll also be the first person ever with a name beginning with the letter X to hold a cabinet position. I like Becerra. I’ve watched him for many years – from his time in Congress to becoming Attorney General of the Golden State. Some reports suggested Becerra might have been in the running to take Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s U.S. Senate seat.