Author: Randy Slovacek

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News Round-Up: August 20, 2019

InstaHunk Alex Abramov says the world is not enough - BUT it is such a perfect place to start! Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Alex Abramov (above) says “the world is not enough – but it is such a perfect place to start!” • Washington Blade: VH1 has ordered two more seasons of the Emmy Award-winning, dragtastic series, RuPaul’s Drag Race. We can definitely plan on seeing Season 12 of RPDR, as well as a fifth season of, All-Stars. • The Atlantic: Just weeks ago, Donald Trump told the media he supported “meaningful background checks” for gun purchases after the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. But it appears he has called National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre to say he won’t pursue the issue, even though polls show Americans support the idea by 80+ support. • Vogue: A fan of Mayor Pete Buttigieg, designer Tom Ford reached out to offer some sartorial advice. While the White House hopeful demurred, Ford wasn’t upset. “Obviously he can’t wear my clothes. They’re too expensive, they’re wrong, they’re not made in America. And besides, whatever he’s doing is working. So does anyone need to fuck with it?” • Washington Post: You must read the latest essay from super-smart guy Michelangelo Signorile on Donald Trump’s devastating record on LGBTQ rights. • Out Music: We already know singer/songwriter Wrabel has the ‘magic’ touch when it comes to penning hit songs having written for major artists like Kesha, Pink, and the Backstreet Boys. So its no surprise this soulful new pop bop from the talented music man, appropriately titled, “Magic,” is a fun, easy on the ears track. And it’s definitely a departure from his more serious songs like “The Village” and “11 Blocks.” From his upcoming EP due out next month.

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Funny: Michael Henry Asks “Are You A Gentleman?”

Funnyman Michael Henry explores gender norms - "Who is the gentleman?" - in this short video featuring Mike Millan

Funnyman Michael Henry explores gender norms - "Who is the gentleman?" - in this short video featuring Mike Millan In his latest YouTube video, Michael Henry has a new beau, Wayne. But it appears there’s already trouble in paradise. As the couple takes a stroll, Henry insists that Wayne (played by Mike Millan) walk on the sidewalk closer to the street. Why? Because, as Henry sees it, Wayne is “the gentleman” of the couple. Now, this is a common trope we hear in the gay world – “which one of you is the man in the relationship?” Sometimes the pressures of mirroring heterosexual norms can interrupt the dynamics of gay dating when couples pause to think some of these things through. But our intrepid Mr. Henry is here to put a lighthearted spin on the issue. Hit the play button below.

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Trump Endorsement Elicits Exodus From Log Cabin Republicans

In the wake of the Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement of Donald Trump for reelection, several prominent members of the organization have resigned, and they are not going quietly. The endorsement came in the form of an op-ed penned by LCR chair Robert Kabel and vice-chair Jill Homan for the Washington Post last Thursday. The duo cited Trump’s promise to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in ten years as well as an announced plan to end the criminalization of homosexuality around the world. Of course, they also touted his much-ballyhooed tax cuts and other economic initiatives like ‘opportunity zones’ they say have helped create new LGBTQ-owned businesses. But the Washington Post reports that former board member Jennifer Horn sent a letter to Kabel and Homan on Monday announcing her resignation. In the missive, she argued that Trump’s “regular verbal assaults against women, immigrants, elected members of Congress, party members who do not agree with him on policy or principle and his willingness to stoke racial anger and unrest in order to advance his own political ambitions all subvert the founding principles of our great nation.” She also made note of the Trump administration’s “efforts to roll back civil rights protections” through the Justice Department. Further demonstrating her opposition to Trump, Horn recently served as campaign manager for Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, who has announced he will challenge Trump in the Republican primaries. Additionally, Robert Turner, a former president of the DC chapter of Log Cabin Republicans, has also left the group. In a social media post, Turner called the endorsement “a step too far,” adding that it left him “sad.” Jordan Evans, the only openly transgender elected official in the GOP, wrote her own op-ed for The Advocate where she called out the Trump administration for “hollow words, fairweather friends and a seemingly endless number of cuts for us to endure.” Evans said in granting the endorsement, Log Cabin Republicans “turn a blinder to the plights and fears of our colleagues in the queer movement and embrace an administration that has consistently antagonized the LGBTQ+ community through an endless array of rollbacks and rule changes.” Evans listed numerous agencies where attacks on the LGBTQ community have occurred in the past two and a half years, including the Department of Defense, HUD, Health and Human Services, Education and more. Since taking office, Donald Trump and his administration have been disastrous for the LGBTQ community from initiating a ban on transgender military service members to allowing healthcare professionals to refuse to treat LGBTQ people and more. Trump was asked about his record on LGBTQ issues today, specifically in regard to his administration’s decision to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court that says transgender Americans could be fired from their jobs simply because of their gender identity. The Donald immediately pointed to the Log Cabin endorsement (although he struggled to remember the group’s name) saying he’s “done very well with that community.” GLAAD took note of the comment and clapped back via Twitter pointing to 123 times LGBTQ people have been targeted since he took office. https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1163901936854339586 (sources: Washington Post,HRC, Advocate)

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Survivors Of Pulse Massacre To Headline ‘Ex-Gay’ Event In Orlando

Pulse Nightclub massacre survivor Luis Javier Ruiz

Pulse Nightclub massacre survivor Luis Javier Ruiz
Luis Javier Ruiz (image via Facebook)
Two survivors of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting who say they are no longer gay have been announced to headline an “ex-gay” rally in Orlando, Florida. Luis Javier Ruiz and Angel Colon will take part in the so-called “Freedom March” scheduled to take place September 14 at Orlando’s Lake Eloa Park, located just minutes from the site of Pulse Nightclub. As Newsweek reports, organizers of the event say the point of the rally is to celebrate “freedom from homosexual/transgender lifestyles by the grace and power of Jesus Christ.” The Freedom March organization has held similar events across the U.S. The most recent rally was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June 2019. Both Ruiz and Colon say they no longer identify as gay. At the Freedom March in Washington, D.C. in May, Ruiz told NBC News, “I don’t want to tell everyone it’s a ‘gay-to-straight’ thing because God is not calling me to that.” “I feel that I want to live in a life of purity,” he added. “I feel that through loving Christ, he will walk me out of any situation. I love the LGBTQ community, I love my family. There’s no hate here—there’s love.” During the Pulse massacre, Colon was reportedly shot six times and was trampled by club-goers trying to escape the shooter. It would be two months before he would be able to walk again. Colon recently appeared on a Christian podcast, The Roys Report, where he told the host the shooting was the impetus for him to renounce homosexuality. “A couple months before June, I started praying to God and I told him, ‘Lord, You know my situation, You know my heart, You know I want to worship you. But I cannot do it on my own will,” he told host Julie Roys. “Please help me come back to you.” And according to Colon, on June 12, at 2:02 a.m., “everything just changed in an instant.” The two men have also founded an organization called ‘Fearless Identity,’ which encourages people to “reject their LGBT identities.” According to Newsweek, forming the group was the mens’ response to backlash for identifying as ex-gay. Ruiz posted this video to YouTube where he explains being diagnosed as HIV-positive was what pushed him to ‘reject’ being gay.

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Biden Ad: “Battered By An Erratic, Vicious, Bullying President…”

(screen capture)
The Hill reports the Biden campaign has made its first big media buy targeting Iowa markets.

In the spot, a narrator intones the urgency of the 2020 presidential election. “We know in our bones this election is different. We have to beat Donald Trump, and all the polls agree — Joe Biden is the strongest Democrat to do the job.” Later in the ad, the voiceover says, “He’ll restore the soul of a nation that’s been battered by an erratic, vicious, bullying president.” The Donald will love that.

In related news, a new CNN/SSRS poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden has returned to a double-digit lead over his Democratic competitors garnering 29% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters. That represents an increase of 7 points since the last CNN poll in June. CNN notes that “no other candidate has made meaningful gains over that time.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) came in second with 15% support, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was a statistical tie at 14%. Those numbers are basically unchanged from June. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) fell 12 points since June to 5% support. Mayor Pete Buttigieg scored 5% as well.

(via CNN)
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First Look At New Netflix Series ‘The Politician’ Starring Ben Platt

Check out the latest from producer Ryan Murphy, who gave us Glee, American Horror Story, and Pose - the new original comedy series, The Politician.
Ben Platt in The Politician

Check out the latest from producer Ryan Murphy, who gave us Glee, American Horror Story, and Pose – the new original comedy series, The Politician.

Payton Hobart, played by Tony Award winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), is a wealthy student from Santa Barbara, California, who’s known since age seven that he’s going to be the President of the United States.

But before he can get to the White House, he’ll have to navigate the most treacherous political landscape of all: Saint Sebastian High School.

The longterm plan is: get elected Student Body President, get into Harvard, and no matter what – keep his eye on that Oval Office prize.

But first, Payton will have to outmaneuver his cold-blooded, cunning classmates without sacrificing his own morality and carefully crafted image.

Even his mother, played by Oscar-winner Gywneth Paltrow, admits to Payton, “Your ambition frightens me.”

The sly, satirical dark comedy offers a rare glimpse into just what it takes to make a politician.

The trailer is a fast-paced affair and includes a same-sex kiss for Platt – so don’t blink.

Bette Midler recently announced on Twitter that she and LGBTQ ally Judith Light have also joined the cast.

It’s worth hitting the play button just to see Jessica Lange wonder why calling a gay man a ‘butt-muncher’ would be a scandal: “It’s what gays do – munch butt and celebrate Halloween…”

The Politician premieres on Netflix September 27.

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Magnum Ice Cream Apologizes For Comparing Eating Ice Cream To Being Imprisoned For Being Gay

(image via Magnum Ice Cream)

After receiving a ton of heat on social media, Magnum Ice Cream has issued an apology for a Spotify ad in the U.K. that compared the ‘guilty pleasure’ of eating ice cream to gay people being imprisoned.

In the spot, a voiceover says, “A hug for my boyfriend—that’s my guilty pleasure. Because in my country, just a simple hug with the man I love could send me to prison for more than 10 years.”

The ad didn’t specify which country by name.

Folks on social media clapped back calling the spot “racist” and “homophobic.”

At the beginning of the backlash, a Magnum spokesperson told Newsweek that the aim of the spot was “to remind people that what is considered a guilty pleasure isn’t always what you would expect.”

A Magnum spokesperson has now issued a statement apologizing for the ad.

“Magnum has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights and Pride Month is a moment when lots of us celebrate progress,” read the statement. “We’re sorry for any offence caused by the advert, which aimed to bring awareness to the injustices people still face around the world.”

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NYPD Fires Officer For Chokehold Death Of Eric Garner

New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill

From The New York Times:

The New York City police officer whose chokehold was partly blamed for Eric Garner’s death in police custody in 2014 was fired from the Police Department on Monday, ending a bitter, five-year legal battle that had cast a shadow over the nation’s largest police force and the city it protects.

The police commissioner, James P. O’Neill, dismissed the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, just over two weeks after a police administrative judge found him guilty of violating a department ban on chokeholds.

“The unintended consequence of Mr. Garner’s death must have a consequence of its own,” Mr. O’Neill said. “Therefore I agree with the deputy commissioner of trial’s legal findings and recommendations. It is clear that Daniel Pantaleo can no longer effectively serve as a New York City police officer.”

The leader of the city’s largest police union immediately denounced the decision, saying Mr. O’Neill had bowed to “anti-police extremists” and that Mr. Pantaleo’s dismissal sent a message that the city did not stand behind its officers when they make arrests.

Garner died on July 17, 2014, after Officer Pantaleo tackled him from behind, then, along with other officers, jumped on top of Garner.

Video footage of the arrest showing Garner struggling for breath and repeatedly saying — “I can’t breathe” — quickly went viral and galvanized the Black Lives Matter movement.

Garner was being arrested on charges of selling untaxed, individual cigarettes on a street corner. For that crime, he was choked to death.

After watching the video himself, O’Neill said he came to two conclusions: Garner should not have resisted arrest; and that while Pantaleo began the interaction appropriately, the officer escalated to a prohibited chokehold.

I have this to say: at the time of his death, there were four – FOUR – police officers holding Garner down.

Nine times Garner, who was unarmed, said, “I can’t breathe.”

With three other police officers with him, couldn’t Pantaleo have loosened his (prohibited) chokehold just a bit?

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Trump Lies Again Claiming He Won 2016 Popular Vote

Citing a conservative group known for spreading false conspiracy theories, Donald Trump again claimed his 2016 electoral was "even bigger than thought" as he accused Google of "manipulating" votes in the last presidential election.
Donald Trump

Citing a conservative group known for spreading false conspiracy theories, Donald Trump again claimed his 2016 electoral was “even bigger than thought” as he accused Google of “manipulating” votes in the last presidential election.

“Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated from 2.6 million to 16 million votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016 Election!” Trump tweeted. “This was put out by a Clinton supporter, not a Trump Supporter! Google should be sued. My victory was even bigger than thought!”

Trump tagged Judicial Watch, which has a long history of targeting Democrats via unsubstantiated lawsuits.

However, study after study, investigation after investigation, show that no tangible voter fraud has ever been found, let alone millions and millions of manipulated votes.

As has been well-documented, Hillary Clinton lost the electoral college to Trump 304 to 227. But, due to high population blue states like California and New York, he garnered nearly 3 million more votes than Trump.

My question is: if the election was rigged in Hillary’s favor by such powerful interests like Google and Russia (as Trump claims), why isn’t she president?

Even Hillary Clinton clapped back at the nonsense:

This comes in a long string of allegations of election fraud by Trump.

Last week, at a New Hampshire rally, the Donald told his followers that voter fraud was to blame for his losing the Granite State’s four electoral votes in 2016. He told the crowd in Manchester, “It was taken away from us.”

And over the weekend, he insinuated to reporters in New Jersey that undocumented immigrants were to blame saying “many, many people voted that shouldn’t have been voted,” coming back repeatedly to “some people voted many times.”

But Ellen Weintraub, the chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission, quickly dispatched a letter to Trump calling for him “to provide any evidence” that could back up those statements.

“To put it in terms a former casino operator should understand: There comes a time when you need to lay your cards on the table or fold,” wrote Weintraub.

“Facts matter. And people of America need to be able to believe what their leaders tell them,” Weintraub said Monday.

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Colton Haynes Shares On Social Media & Mental Health

Colton Haynes (via Instagram)
Sunday evening, Arrow star Colton Haynes took a different tone on his Instagram account as he addressed how projecting “a curated life” has taken a toll on his mental health.The post, which he labeled ‘Throwback,’ included a collection of selfies from what appear to be past hospital stays. The images are a stark contrast from his Instagram’s usual fare of frolicsome, sunlit beach moments and model-perfect photos. And that would be the point. “I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy,’ penned the 31-year-old. “I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success.” The former Teen Wolf actor shared with his 6.4 million followers that today he feels “immense joy” when someone shares that his “willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way.” In March of this year, Haynes openly addressed his struggles with mental health and addiction with Attitude Magazine saying, “In 10 years, there were maybe 25 days I didn’t drink.”

Colton Haynes says worrying whether or not he "looked hot" in Instagram posts was a "complete waste" of time.
(image via Instagram)

He added that he had achieved six months of sobriety at the time. In his recent Instagram post, he admits that while he’s “struggled the past year” with trying to “find his voice,” he regards the journey as “the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through.” Pointing to his social media accounts, Haynes says he regrets the time he’s spent worrying about “what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes,” calling those concerns ” a complete waste of why I was put on this earth.” The point of the hospital photos, which he says were taken a year ago, is to “let y’all in on my truth.” Reflecting on what he describes as “dark” times, he offers candidly, “I’m a human being with flaws like you.” He closes the note with a word of encouragement to his fans: “If ur in the middle of the dark times…I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever.” You can read the full Instagram post from Haynes below.

 

Throwback. I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy. I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success. I have far more important things to say than what magazine I just shot for or what tv show I’m a part of (Although I’m very thankful I still get to do what I love). I no longer want to project a curated life. I get immense joy when someone comes up to me & says that my willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way. I’ve struggled the past year with trying to find my voice and where I fit in & that has been the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through. Worrying about what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes or being mad at myself that I don’t look the same way I did when I was addicted to pills is a complete waste of why I was put on this earth. I’m posting these photos to let y’all in on my truth. I’m so grateful to be where I am now ( a year after these photos were taken) but man these times were dark. I’m a human being with flaws just like you. If ur in the middle of the dark times…I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever. Love y’all ❤️
A post shared by Colton Haynes (@coltonlhaynes) on Aug 18, 2019 at 4:04pm PDT

The practice of chasing ‘Likes’ on Instagram has become an issue of late as Facebook (which owns Instagram) recently announced the platform is currently running a test in seven countries where ‘Likes’ will no longer be visible to followers. Instagram says it wants viewers to “focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get.”