Fitness coach Austin Martin (via Instagram) Checking in on some of my favorite InstaHunks this weekend. First up, fitness coach Austin Martin (above) reminds us all to bundle up for winter. Next, Garrett Magee, of Bravo’s Backyard Envy, took some time to explore Joshua Tree National Park:
I discovered this delightful Instagram account of a hottie who began the account with an imaginary beagle, and then he actually got one named Pasta. Pasta, apparently, loves being pushed around in shopping carts – and Target carts are the “SUV of shopping carts.”
Hunter Biden with his dad, Joe Biden Part of what’s wrong with some folks today…I just see a father who loves his son. My dad had no problem telling me he loved me. But apparently, some on Twitter think this is ‘awkward.’ The photo was from an interview feature for Popular Mechanics in 2016 between former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter after the death of the vice president’s other son, Beau, to cancer. Tom Nichols at USA Today gets it right:
It is, in its way, an awkward image. The son looking into the camera, his face calm but haunted. The father’s face is partly hidden, as he embraces his son and puts a kiss on his cheek.
The son is young and strong, and his arms are sturdy as they gently rest around his father. But the father, while old, is even stronger. One arm is in front of his child, the other around the son’s shoulder, as if to hold on to him and to protect him at the same time.
It is a picture of Joe and Hunter Biden, but it would be moving enough were it of any father and son. Even strangers to these men would know what it means. All of us, after all, were once children. (The picture is really a portrait of the son, not the father.)
In this case, to know the circumstances in which it was taken is to know that it is a picture full of pain, love, forgiveness and acceptance, and to look at it for even more than a moment is to experience at least some of those emotions, especially in the memory of our own parents or children.
The answer is yes. I kiss my son, hug him, hold him tight. Tons of tender moments with my little dude. He’s gonna grow up secure, strong, brave, and he’ll always know that he’s loved. So, yes. Keep holding them tight @JoeBiden. https://t.co/45gAz5njUO
Trump Twitter is having a problem with beautiful pic of a wonderful father loving his son asking if it’s appropriate. It’s more than just appropriate. It’s inspiring & admirable, it shows us fathers how we should love our kids. I respect @JoeBiden even more after seeing this pic. pic.twitter.com/RxYZBzFGmz
Trump Twitter is having a problem with beautiful pic of a wonderful father loving his son asking if it’s appropriate. It’s more than just appropriate. It’s inspiring & admirable, it shows us fathers how we should love our kids. I respect @JoeBiden even more after seeing this pic. pic.twitter.com/RxYZBzFGmz
Hat tip to kenneth in the 212 for finding this clever side-by-side ‘Wear A Mask’ reenactment of the iconic opening credits of The Mary Tyler Moore Show brought to today’s COVID-19 times.
My friend Tom Viola, the Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, shares some very good news (which we all can use right now):
The Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS fiscal year 2020 has ended and October 1 marks the start of a new beginning. The last six months brought with it a devastating shutdown, anxiety, isolation and tragedy. Yet it also allowed the heart of our community to shine brightly.
We close out fiscal year 2020 with remarkable news: Thanks to the generosity of this community – a community that includes all onstage, backstage and in the audience – we have together provided a record $18.1 million in grants. That’s up 22 percent over our 2019 grant-making.
That total includes more than $11.2 million to The Actors Fund to support their entire safety net of social services – from the HIV/AIDS Initiative and the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative to the Friedman Health Center, Addiction and Recovery Services and the Career Center. I am especially proud and happy that $11 million also includes $6.5 million for the Fund’s COVID-19 emergency financial support and $1 million for the creation of a new, essential program, Every Artist Insured.
In addition, more than $5 million was also awarded to over 400 grantees across the country through our annual National Grants Program. Food banks and health clinics, supportive housing programs and harm reduction services, serving millions of men and women, families of all variety and colors, diverse communities too often underserved and now also buffeted by COVID.
Finally, another $909,000 was awarded as emergency grants to organizations outside our theatre/performing arts family and annual grantees in the National Grants Program that reached out for help. Folks and organizations who at another time might have fallen outside our safety net of grant making. Now, as best we can, is not about “no.” Now is about trying to reach out as much as possible with the resources at hand. Resources that so many of you reading this have made possible.
This has been a truly collaborative accomplishment that literally saved lives, put food on families’ tables and kept friends and colleagues safely in their homes. Learn more at broadwaycares.org/2020grants.
We didn’t get to present this year’s Easter Bonnet Competition in April which, since 1995, has ended with the anthem “Help is on the Way.” So, David Friedman, who wrote the song, gathered Broadway stars who have performed the Bonnets finale in the past and an army of other voices – some quite familiar, some soon-to-be – to create a virtual rendition that we share at this start of our new fiscal year.
May we all embrace its message of health and hope. On Friday, October 23, my castmates from the national touring company of CATS (back in 1986) will be presenting our own special streaming event benefitting the Broadway Cares COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. If you tune in, you just might get to see me swing my rehearsal tail a bit…Click here for details. But for now, let’s enjoy these world-class Broadway artists lift our hearts a bit 🙂
(image via Unsplash/Ian) The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which when implemented will allow Americans to simply dial ‘988’ to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, instead of the current ten-digit number. Passage of the bill authorizes the funding mechanisms needed for 988 to be successful and it contains several key LGBTQ-inclusive provisions, including requirements for LGBTQ cultural competency training for all Lifeline counselors and the establishment of an Integrated Voice Response option for LGBTQ youth and other high-risk populations to reach specialized care. Sam Brinton (they/them pronouns), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project, commended Congress in a statement saying, in part, “This passage is a historic victory, as this is the first explicitly LGBTQ-inclusive bill to pass unanimously in history — and 988 will undoubtedly save countless lives. The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. According to The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health:
40% of respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past twelve months, with more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having seriously considered it
68% of LGBTQ youth reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the past two weeks, including more than 3 in 4 transgender and nonbinary youth
48% of LGBTQ youth reported engaging in self-harm in the past twelve months, including over 60% of transgender and nonbinary youth
1 in 3 LGBTQ youth reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed in their lifetime due to their LGBTQ identity
46% of youth report they wanted psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past twelve months
(screen captures via Twitter) Let’s start the day with something to make you smile. I was amazed by this – completely didn’t see where it was going. One minute. Wait for it… 🙂
(photo: Honeybee’s Photography) How much do I love this photoshoot?I’m pretty sure this is the exact opposite of ‘toxic masculinity.’ Photographer Kait Lewis, who lives in Virginia, recently posted this collection of photos to Facebook featuring her fiancé, Devon (bearded), and his bestie since 8th grade, Trevor. Lewis recently launched her own family photography studio, Honeybee’s Photography, and when Trevor (who lives hours away) came to visit, she suggested the fun, lighthearted photo shoot. Both men are straight and have no issues in expressing their friendship. And did I mention they’re both totally woofy?(photo: Honeybee’s Photography)(photo: Honeybee’s Photography) “How hilarious is this session?” wrote Lewis on Facebook. “My fiancé’s bestie came to town so I jumped at the opportunity to capture their *unique* friendship!” She prefaced the post with a ‘Viewer Discretion Advised’ tag which apparently confused a few folks. “I LOVE these photos!” wrote one gay man in the comments. “It’s important to show two men can have a friendship like this and it be completely okay. Disappointed in the ‘viewer discretion advised.’ I saw that you said you’re a family-friendly business, but if this were a male-female couple, or two female friends the advisory wouldn’t be there. As a gay man, I’m disappointed because it only perpetuates male physical contact as inappropriate which encourages fragile masculinity and homophobia.” Lewis later added that it was the inclusion of alcohol and the suggestive poses, not the men’s genders, that prompted the advisory tag. “The viewer discretion was added because I am a family friendly photographer and the sexual posing and alcohol needed to be warned to AVOID offending people,” said Lewis. “It has nothing to do with the genders. Everybody’s interpretation on what is sexual and what is not is very different.” “I stand by the advisory and will not be removing it,” she added. “I wasn’t anticipating this post to reach 6,000,000+ people in a matter of 2 days. Unfortunately, with a lot of views, comes a lot of opinions and you can’t please everybody.” “If you are offended by ANY of this (the photos or the caption), feel free to keep scrolling.” (photo: Honeybee’s Photography)(photo: Honeybee’s Photography) The photos picture Devon and Trevor walking hand in hand wearing daisy duke shorts, hugging it out, pouring beer in each other’s mouths, and even recreating a famous moment from the film Titanic. Lewis playfully suggested in her post that Busch Beer should sponsor her. (photo: Honeybee’s Photography)(photo: Honeybee’s Photography) And while some photographers may have issues with shooting same-sex couples, Lewis said she would “absolutely” welcome the opportunity to photograph LGBTQ couples and weddings. “People who refuse clients for any reason regarding who they love is beyond me,” Lewis recently told Queerty. “It’s baffling, disgusting, and downright ridiculous. The sex of the people getting married makes no difference to me.” Since sharing the photos on September 7, the post has been shared over 42K times and received 24K comments. The vast majority of Facebookers applauded the fun and spirit of the shoot. “Thank you for sharing the story of their friendship and your love together! I love it!” wrote one woman. Another commented, “The photography is beautiful, the friendship is next level, and these guys are hilarious & adorable! It’s obvious they’re having a great time!” (photo: Honeybee’s Photography) More responses: “Men comfortable enough in their sexuality to appreciate a bromance. It’s truly heartwarming. These guys are amazing.”“These are fantastic.. a true friendship… bromance at its best. Good for them.”Thank you for breaking down the barriers! I love when men are open enough to love their friends and show it.”“If you have never been around men in the military then you might not understand the closeness that some men are able to share due to either a long relationship or a relationship forged in tough circumstances. I feel sorry for people that will never be this close to each other.” Lewis and Devon plan to tie the knot on April 10, 2021. Congratulations to the happy couple. You can view all the photos from the shoot on Honeybee’s Photograph Facebook page here and check out the official website here. (photo: Honeybee’s Photography)
Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (screen capture)Andrew Gillum, former mayor of Tallahassee and the first Black nominee for Florida governor, came out as bisexual today on The Tamron Hall Show. “I don’t identify as gay,” Gillum said, “but I do identify as bisexual. And that is something I have never shared publicly before.” You may recall Gillum was found naked and drunk in a hotel in Miami Beach in March 2020. An associate, Travis Dyson, was treated for an apparent drug overdose at the time. Gillum denied he went to hotel room to take part in any kind of sexual situation. When it was reported the police had apparently confiscated what was believed to be crystal meth, Gillum said he’d never used the drug. He checked into a rehab facility shortly thereafter. Related: Andrew Gillum Involved In Crystal Meth Incident Gillum’s wife, R. Jai Gillum, took part in today’s interview and confirmed that she’s been aware of her husband’s sexual orientation. She shared that she feels her husband’s sexuality should not be part of the public discourse because of widespread misconceptions about bisexuality. “So many people just don’t understand bisexuality,” his wife said. “All I care about is what’s between us and what agreement we make.” Gillum came up short in the 2018 race for governor of Florida to Republican Ron DeSantis. A longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights and protections, Gillum is a former mayor of Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida.
Former Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum tells Tamron Hall he’s bisexual: “That is something I have never shared publicly before” pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C
