Will & Grace stars Debra Messing and Eric McCormack recently took to social media to call for making public the list of Hollywood attendees to an upcoming Beverly Hills fundraiser to be held for Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Trump, no surprise, clapped back proclaiming Messing once ‘profusely thanked’ him for starring in The Apprentice back in the day claiming his reality show “helped NBC’s failed lineup greatly.” https://twitter.com/DebraMessing/status/1167658588384501760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167658588384501760&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/EricMcCormack/status/1167309987393110016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167309987393110016&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1168153045026463747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168153045026463747&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://www.instagram.com/p/B14QDYYHIfC/ https://twitter.com/LOLGOP/status/1168170925688311815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168170925688311815&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all
The so-called ‘Straight Pride Parade’ in Boston ended up a massive fail for the organizers as only a small number of participants showed up on Saturday while the pro-LGBTQ counterprotesters far outnumbered those marching. From NBC News:
The parade, which drew several dozen participants, kicked off at around noon to the sound of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” with some floats displaying messages of support for President Donald Trump, with signs such as “build the wall,” “Trump nation” and “Blue Lives Matter.”
Since plans for the event were announced in early June, organizers have come under criticism. Some critics said that parade organizers are white supremacists whose intent was to bait members of the LGBT community in one of America’s most liberal cities.
The organisers of a controversial “Straight Pride” rally are heavily linked with far-right movements and nationalist protests, it has emerged. Now questions have been raised over the past political activities of the trio of men behind the group, John Hugo, Mark Sahady, and Chris Bartley.
Mr. Sahady and Mr. Bartley are both heavily associated with Resist Marxism – a loose ultra-conservative group found to have links to white supremacist organisations – while Mr. Hugo ran, unsuccessfully, for congress in 2018 with an endorsement from the same group.
The small crowd that gathered in support of the parade was met with signs and protesters who seemed to outnumber the parade attendees in the early hours.
Boston police donned riot gear in anticipation of potential violence, as the parade was expected to feature an appearance by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, who was set to be the grand marshal and mascot for the parade.
The Proud Boys, a far-right group that often clashes with far-left Antifaduring demonstrations and gatherings, also made an appearance in Boston for the Saturday parade.
Yiannopoulos was first spotted shortly before 1 p.m. donning a glittering “Make America Great Again” hat. The parade began a short time after, and police began using physical force to maintain order as emotions on both sides ran high.
Photojournalist Bob Bishop reports during his speech at the event, Yiannopoulos told the crowd gays should pay reparations to the families of AIDS victims and Hurricane Dorian may be gods punishment to Florida for allowing Disney to create gay characters. More from Bishop: https://twitter.com/sebishop99/status/1167818605800697862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167818605800697862&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/sebishop99/status/1167824156957822976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167824156957822976&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/sebishop99/status/1167833711271907334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167833711271907334&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all And finally, this little nugget: https://twitter.com/sebishop99/status/1167866975365656576 Remember, according to the Straight Pride organizers:
“Super Happy Fun America advocates on behalf of the straight community in order to build respect, inclusivity, equality, diversity, unity, solidarity, dignity, social mobility, empowerment, sustainability, justice, awareness, intersectionality, human rights, education, access, participation, dialogue, visibility, tolerance, and alliances with people from all walks of life.
“We encourage everyone to embrace our community’s diverse history, culture, and identity regardless of sexual orientation.”
I came across this track, “Prisoner,” from the soundtrack of the film The Eyes of Laura Mars and remembered how much I loved this edgier phase of Babs’ recording career. Featured as the love theme in the film, the single went to #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Mayor Pete shows big-time staying power as he tops the Democratic candidates for president in terms of NY fundraising. From the New York Post:
Pete Buttigieg has tapped into the New York fundraising scene better than any other 2020 Democratic candidate — and he’ll be back this Labor Day weekend to rake in more big bucks.
The South Bend, Indiana, mayor already brought in $3.7 million from New York state — including $2.9 million just from New York City, according to donor data provided by the Center for Public Integrity and analyzed by The Post.
He bests all other Democratic White House hopefuls in the Big Apple — by a landslide — including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who raised $885,000 in New York with $658,000 coming from NYC; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who brought in $2.3 million statewide with $1.6 million from NYC residents before dropping out Wednesday; and former Vice President Joe Biden ($2.5 million/$1.6 million from NYC), who has the powerful endorsement of New York’s well-connected Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Four-time Emmy Award-winner Valerie Harper has died at age 80 after a long battle with cancer. Last month, her family began a GoFundMe campaign to help with medical expenses. The fundraiser garnered over $66,000 before ending. Her husband Tony Cacciotti reached out to fans via social media:
I have been told by doctors to put Val in Hospice care and I can’t [because of our 40 years of shared commitment to each other] and I won’t because of the amazing good deeds she has graced us with while she’s been here on earth. We will continue going forward as long as the powers above allow us, I will do my very best in making Val as comfortable as possible.
The venerable actress was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, and then in 2013 with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. She was told she wouldn’t live past three months, but chemotherapy helped her to rally. Harper went back to work, even appearing in the 2015 edition of Dancing with the Stars. Her early career including bit parts in Broadway musicals and films, but she will forever be remembered as one of the great sidekicks of all time, Mary Tyler Moore’s bestie, Rhoda Morgenstern, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The role, which would eventually be spun off to her own series, Rhoda, garnered her a Golden Globe Award and four Emmys. She was also nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Hollywood legend Tallulah Bankhead in Looped (2010). She is survived by her husband and their adopted daughter. Click over to Boy Culture where Matt Rettenmund has much more on Harper’s long and celebrated career.
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: From Ricky Martin – “I’m joining my friend @AlejandroSanz on this great initiative to support the #Dreamers in the US. By purchasing this t-shirt www.CharityStars.com/Alejandro you can be part of our #DreamerTeam too. Because #WeAllDream. We all belong. We are all one. And EVERYONE matters.” • The Advocate: “The Country Music Awards nominated the track from Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in the category of Musical Event of the Year. … Lil Nas X is now the first out gay man to be nominated at the CMAs” • Courthouse News: After announcing the children born to U.S. service members while overseas would not automatically have U.S. citizenship, Immigration Director Ken Cuccinelli had to issue a statement clarifying the new rules will affect children of military service members and government workers who are legal U.S. permanent residents but not citizens. They can also affect U.S. citizens who can’t show evidence they lived in the U.S. for a sufficient amount of time. • Buzzfeed News: Steven Canals, co-creator of FX’s POSE, shares how his Bronx upbringing helped inspire the most important show on television. •CNET: Apple sent invitations to the media on Thursday for its next big product launch. On September 10, the tech company will unveil the 11 series iPhones. The devices likely will include better cameras, faster processors and iOS 13. They come at a time of malaise in the smartphone market, with people holding onto their devices longer than before. • New Music: Since I’m on a Ricky Martin tangent today, he has teamed up with Madonna collaborator Maluma for a new duet, “No Se Me Quita.” Check out a sample below. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1weT0QAyAP/
A new study published in the journal Science found there’s not a single gene that determines human sexuality but several genes that contribute to whether someone is LGBT or not. The study, the largest ever to explore the connection between genetic makeup and sexual orientation, involved over 470,000 participants from Sweden, the US, and the UK. DNA data was accessed from the UK Biobank study and from 23andMe, a private genetics company. 26,000 participants reported at least one same-sex sexual encounter. Researchers found a strong connection between homosexuality and five autosomal loci (areas of DNA not on sex chromosomes). The researchers acknowledged that the presence of the genes does not in itself determine someone’s sexual orientation. But, the scientists found that a range of 8% to 25% of the variance in sexuality could be explained by the genes. Some of the genes were more impactful on men, some on women, and some on both. And so, the authors wrote in the study, “Same-sex sexual behavior is influenced by not one or a few genes but many.” Eric Vilain, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children’s National Health System, said that the study could have been more specific had the scientists focused on only gay and bi people instead of just asking if people have ever had a same-sex sexual experience and lumping them all together. Vilain added that the study should be replicated with more diverse participants. Interestingly, media outlets have spun the study in several ways. For instance, the headline in Science read, “There’s no evidence that a ‘gay gene’ exists.” Over at Bloomberg, they wrote, “Science Hasn’t Found A ‘Gay’ Gene – So What?” That seems vague to me. But the New York Times headlined more accurately, “Many Genes Influence Same-Sex Sexuality, Not a Single ‘Gay Gene.’” And the Washington Post – “There’s no one ‘gay gene,’ but genetics are linked to same-sex behavior,” new study says.” Considering how many – MANY – people read headlines and think they read ‘the news,’ you can see how a few words make a big difference.
Political satirist Randy Rainbow’s latest hysterical offering is his mashup of tunes from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice classic musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. But in this iteration, Rainbow riffs on Donald Trump’s recent headlines when he tweeted about a political pundit referring to him as the “King of Israel,” and when he looked up to the sky and said, “I am the chosen one.” So, Randy mixes his magic on three songs from the show: “King Herod’s Song,” “Everything’s Alright,” and the title track. “Cheeto Christ, Cheeto Christ / He’s like if Jesus were pumpkin-spiced.” Hit play below for the uber-clever word-play:
Randy is currently on tour where crowds are flocking to experience his very funny sense of political theater. Click here for details about the tour.
Ryan Russell, currently an NFL free agent, hopes to return to the game after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury. But before he begins his journey to redemption, he had a little business to take care of. In a first-person essay for ESPN, Russell has come out as bisexual, writing, “My truth is that I’m a talented football player, a damn good writer, a loving son, an overbearing brother, a caring friend, a loyal lover, and a bisexual man.” “Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly,” penned the 6’5″ 267-pound defensive end. “I want to live my dream of playing the game I’ve worked my whole life to play, and being open about the person I’ve always been.” Back in 2015, Russell was a fifth-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Alas, he only played in a single game for the Cowboys before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Having missed all of last year’s season, he’s now working to get back in the game. More from his ESPN piece:
Growing up, I always felt as though my existence slipped between the cracks of two worlds.
I wasn’t flamboyant, tidy, or any other stereotypes kids are forced to construct their world around.
I wasn’t straight, hyper-masculine or aggressive; I cried quite a bit, and, as a young black man, I didn’t fit the bill.
I played football — so I put that in the straight column. I wrote poetry and romance stories — so I put that in the gay column.
Over time, I came to build two worlds. There was football, the drive to play at a professional level, a place that catered to my competitive instincts. Football was a world of opportunity where, if I performed well, I could earn a scholarship, support my family and build a life for myself long after I stopped playing.
Then there’s my personal world, which probably isn’t much different from most people who are figuring out who they are in adulthood.
I admire his honesty and authenticity. At this point, the question is, after the Michael Sam / NFL debacle of 2014, can an openly bisexual man return to the game? https://www.instagram.com/p/B1wP7kwgjmQ/
Will & Grace stars Debra Messing and Eric McCormack recently took to social media to call for making public the list of Hollywood attendees to an upcoming Beverly Hills fundraiser to be held for Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Trump, no surprise, clapped back proclaiming Messing once ‘profusely thanked’ him for starring in The Apprentice back in the day claiming his reality show “helped NBC’s failed lineup greatly.” https://twitter.com/DebraMessing/status/1167658588384501760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167658588384501760&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/EricMcCormack/status/1167309987393110016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1167309987393110016&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1168153045026463747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168153045026463747&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all https://www.instagram.com/p/B14QDYYHIfC/ https://twitter.com/LOLGOP/status/1168170925688311815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168170925688311815&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffeedly.com%2Fi%2Fcollection%2Fcontent%2Fuser%2Ffd6bf860-11d9-45fb-87cf-d7d48c69ac3d%2Fcategory%2Fglobal.all
Mayor Pete shows big-time staying power as he tops the Democratic candidates for president in terms of NY fundraising. From the 
Some news items you might have missed: • 
Take a look at the contrast between Trump speaking in 2015 and the Donald addressing folks today. Rather stunning… 
