LGBTQ news and entertainment
From today’s onboard ‘Beach Party’ on the Atlantis Mediterranean cruise. The photo above is with our new friend David, a lawyer from Texas. Trust and believe the photo doesn’t do David justice 🙂 And just a few boys dancing… https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rJaXaB7SV/?igshid=1f3mk97sy88zg
The latest polling by Morning Consult shows Donald Trump has seen his net approval rating decline in every key battleground state since taking office in January 2017. From Axios:
These are the states that Republicans and Democrats are vying for in 2020, and where, as of now, the campaigns think the presidential election will be decided, according to conversations with several Trump and Democratic campaign staffers.
In addition to the key purple states — Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — that both sides recognize as targets, the Trump campaign has its sights set on Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire and New Mexico, all states Trump lost in 2016, several campaign officials said.
The official added that the campaign, which is planning to beef up its communications and rapid response team with additional hires before the end of the year, will soon be flooding these states with stories that don’t get a lot of attention at the national level — such as Trump’s work on opioids and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal.
Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping they can pick up Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Texas and Georgia, per talks with campaign aides and Democratic strategists.
Taylor Swift won big at the MTV Video Music Awards Monday night as she scored the trophy for Video of the Year for her LGBTQ anthem, “You Need To Calm Down.” Taylor opened the night’s festivities performing “YNTCD” as well as her new single “Lover.” The Hollywood Reporter has the details.
Dancers dressed in colorful ensembles moved around the stage before the drag queens featured in the music video appeared next to Swift as she sang the anti-hate anthem. The first number concluded with the words “Equality Act” largely written behind the performers.
Swift has been an advocate for the Equality Act and has urged her followers to sign a petition in its favor on social media. The House of Representatives passed legislation in May that protects those living in states where it’s legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity when it comes to housing, employment and other services.
Taylor Swift got political during her 2019 MTV #VMAs acceptance speech for video of the year to call out the Trump administration’s current lack of acknowledgment of the Equality Act petition for LGBTQ rights.https://t.co/Kd3otERFMG pic.twitter.com/LPSZxFMAEq
— New Day (@NewDay) August 27, 2019
NBC News is reporting Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a $572 million penalty for its part in the Oklahoma opioid epidemic which caused more than 6,000 deaths.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter claimed in court that Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and its pharmaceutical subsidiary, Janssen, marketed opioids to doctors while downplaying the risks of the addictive painkillers since the 1990s.
The state claimed that the company’s sales push created “a public nuisance” that led to more than 6,000 deaths in Oklahoma over nearly two decades.
J&J has denied any wrongdoing and its attorney, John Sparks, disputed the application of the public nuisance law made by Oklahoma prosecutors. Sparks said the state was misinterpreting the law, having previously limited it to disputes involving property or public spaces.
Oklahoma had asked for $17.2 billion in its lawsuit.
There is simply no way I can flip through Instagram without stopping to appreciate the ridiculously photogenic dog-lover, Steve_In_LA. So, let’s just take a moment, shall we? Happy Monday everyone! https://www.instagram.com/p/Byg8IbsBcQ4/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BlMxjqQgarc/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk5gNGNgfMH/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BtmEiQqnwGr/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BsJZZDcHVaG/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BtKDOG8HhyP/
Members of the so-called ‘Straight Pride Coalition’ in Modesto, California, found themselves outnumbered by counter-protesters when the group staged a demonstration in front of a Planned Parenthood. According to local NBC News affiliate KCRA, the Straight Pride crowd of 20 participants – holding signs in support of Donald Trump and his policies – was soon faced with over 200 counter-protesters. 
From KCRA:
Don Grundmann, the coalition’s director, said the group believes that “the LGBT community is trying to destroy America by destroying the culture.”
“Straight culture is under attack. I’ll call it normal, natural, healthy, sane is under attack, and we’re going to illustrate that in the election cycle upcoming,” Grundman said. “We’re going to illustrate our point, and we’re going to bring sanity back to the nation.”
In the lead-up to the demonstration, more than 100 members of the LGBTQ community and their supporters joined together at Enslen Park to counter the coalition’s message.
“I want to celebrate each and every ally,” James Varble said into a microphone before those in attendance.
“This is all of Modesto and a big part of the valley coming together for us to say we’re not going to stand for bigotry. We’re not going to stand for hate. We’re going to look after each other, and we’re going to embrace each other,” he said.
The counter-protesters then made their way from Enslen Park to the straight pride demonstration, where they faced down the coalition chanting, “No hate, no fear. Straight pride is not welcome here.”
(images via screen capture/KCRA)
Axios is reporting that Donald Trump (above) has suggested on more than one occasion to national security officials that the U.S. bomb hurricanes with nuclear weapons.
During one hurricane briefing at the White House, Trump said, “I got it. I got it. Why don’t we nuke them?” according to one source who was there.
“They start forming off the coast of Africa, as they’re moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can’t we do that?” the source added, paraphrasing the president’s remarks.
Asked how the briefer reacted, the source recalled he said something to the effect of, “Sir, we’ll look into that.”
Trump replied by asking incredulously how many hurricanes the U.S. could handle and reiterating his suggestion that the government intervene before they make landfall.
The briefer “was knocked back on his heels,” the source in the room added. “You could hear a gnat fart in that meeting. People were astonished. After the meeting ended, we thought, ‘What the f—? What do we do with this?'”
Axios’s Jonathan Swan notes the concept of bombing hurricanes isn’t a ‘Trump original,’ as the question has been raised before going back as far as the Eisenhower administration. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have published a fact sheet which addresses the flawed idea. One issue the researchers mention, among many, is radiation fallout. From the fact sheet: “Apart from the fact that this might not even alter the storm, this approach neglects the problem that the released radioactive fallout would fairly quickly move with the tradewinds to affect land areas and cause devastating environmental problems.” The Trumpster denied suggesting such things it on Twitter, so that pretty much confirms he said it. https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1165918301932916736?s=21
Trump is stone cold sober but all his ideas sound like something you come up with when you’re super high:
– we should just nuke the hurricanes – how much would it cost to buy Greenland – hear me out: SPACE FORCE – fuck it let’s order 600 burgers pic.twitter.com/sCfPb5B2oi — Dan Amira (@DanAmira) August 26, 2019
Trump wants to nuke hurricanes. I repeat: the president thinks it’d be a great idea to drop nuclear bombs into hurricanes. #NotTheOnion
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) August 25, 2019
Trump: I hear voices and they tell me to buy Greenland and lob nukes at hurricanes Sane People: I am worried that the President is a loon Media: *reports that Sane People are concerned* Trumpers: Why are the media manufacturing this false narrative about Trump’s sanity
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 26, 2019
Again, if we didn’t elect Trump to annex things like Greenland, or nuke hurricanes, then what are we even doing this for?
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) August 25, 2019
CNN’s John Berman sits down with Randy Report favorite Randy Rainbow (yep, that’s his real name) to chat on his meteoric rise as political parody satirist. Randy’s career took off during the 2016 presidential campaign when his satirical take on the first Hillary Clinton/Donald Trump debate garnered over 20 million views in two days on Facebook alone. He’s now nominated for an Emmy Award and touring the country performing live concerts.
Here’s the video that began Randy’s triumphant run as Political Satirist in Chief plus his Emmy nominated “Barr:”
Guest post by Lawrence Pfeil, Jr. of TheOUTFront.com For three decades, BroadwayCares/EquityFightsAIDS has been at the forefront of the entertainment industry’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic raising over $300 million and supporting more than 450 health organizations. During that time, Disney Theatrical Productions arrived on Broadway becoming a leading player and champion in their vital work raising more than $18M for the nonprofit. Nine Broadway productions later, Disney and BC/EFA will share the stage of the New Amsterdam Theatre for one night only, on November 4th at 8 pm “Celebrating 25 Magical Years of Disney on Broadway.” The benefit concert, produced in partnership with Disney Theatrical Productions, will feature beloved songs from Aida, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Newsies, Tarzan and a few surprises along the way. This unforgettable evening is set to feature a star-studded lineup of Broadway favorites to be announced in the coming weeks. 
From the BC/EFA website, Thomas Schumacher, president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions and executive vice president of Broadway Cares’ Board of Trustees is quoted,
“Broadway Cares rose from a time of crisis and need to become an essential part of the Broadway landscape. It would be hard to imagine our community without the essential resource that is Broadway Cares.
“Direct support to The Actors Fund as well as an extraordinary array of grants to service organizations here at home, around the country and as far away as South Africa, is only possible because of the extraordinary efforts of Broadway Cares working side by side with theatre professionals throughout the Broadway community.
“This special evening allows our Disney on Broadway family to both express our deep thanks and to raise much-needed funds for Broadway Cares.”
Individual tickets start at $100. VIP tickets include a post-performance reception with the stars. The Backstage & Beyond package offers exclusive dress rehearsal access on the day of the show, a backstage tour, dinner with members of the company and the post-performance reception. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Purchase tickets HERE Support BC/EFA’s life-changing and lifesaving work HERE Here are just a few of our favorite moments from 25 years of Disney on Broadway! From the show that started it all, the OG Beast, Terrence Mann sings “If I Can’t Love Her” from Beauty and the Beast: https://youtu.be/J7SkaANlNnI You know we love a strong black woman who can sang, and Heather Headley’s Tony Award-winning star turn in Aida is a throw down. https://youtu.be/RcgqkqWP_Jo Still the pride of Broadway after 22 years, The Lion King has been described “like being in a dream awake.” But audiences don’t get to see the breathtaking, “Circle of Life” in a full 360 experience like this. Goosebumps: Standby Goosebumps: GO https://youtu.be/7T57kzGQGto
Checking in with our favorite InstaHunks this weekend… Hunky actor BJ Gruber (above) got his CrossFit workout done and done. #sweat Mario Hervas was a man in motion: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WYyEKCk2-/ Dan Tai is content with just a beach and coconuts: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jLCrOlMRU/ ABC news guy Gio Benitez and model hubby Tommy Didario had a movie date night checking out Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kLCSTFt8k/ Bodybuilder Bremen Menelli is celebrating bulking season: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kCRSjAUGb/ Austin Wolf got in one last workout here in Barcelona before joining me on Atlantis Cruise’s Mediterranean cruise. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jljlKDVk-/ NYC real estate guy Brett Miles had to work this weekend (as a Realtor myself, I feel your pain, Brett): https://www.instagram.com/p/B1grqCvgcmw/ Max Emerson went camping in Yosemite National Park (funny, I’ve always called this something else…): https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jZnJdgfbP/ And fitness guru Ramses Principe waxed philosophical about learning from failure: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1jbTSRHTHd/