Category: Life

Posted on

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Provided Record-Breaking $18+ Million In 2020 Grants

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

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 🙂

Posted on

Congress Approves 988 Suicide Hotline

(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

(via The Trevor Project)

Posted on

Chris Evans Responds To D-Gate With Call To Get Out The Vote

Chris Evans (screen capture via Captain America)
Avengers star Chris Evans nearly broke the internet over the weekend when he accidentally leaked a very “personal” photo (yep, the D) on his Instagram stories that revealed his camera roll. Continue reading “Chris Evans Responds To D-Gate With Call To Get Out The Vote”

Posted on

Social Media Is Loving Fun Photoshoot Of Two Straight Besties

(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)

Posted on

Andrew Gillum Comes Out As Bisexual

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.

Posted on

Podcast: Chatting With ‘Sas’ – Broadway & TV’s Rachelle Rak

The Randy Report podcast delivers the week's top stories in a quick, convenient podcast - 'the 60 Minutes of gay news - only shorter' In this episode I chat with my longtime (and awesomely talented) friend, Rachelle Rak, or as she’s known to countless friends and fans, “Sas.” A quick run-down of her lengthy resume includes her many Broadway Credits: Fosse, Catch Me If You Can, The Look of Love, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Thou Shalt Not, Oklahoma!, and CATS. Numerous TV appearances including Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and Dance Moms on Lifetime TV, and you’ll remember her from the Broadway documentary Every Little Step: The Making of A Chorus Line. There are two aspects to this chat: Two friends catching up on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected life, but also how the coronavirus crisis doesn’t have to slow us down.

Broadway & TV star Rachelle Rak
In addition to starting her own dance conventions, Ignite Dance Live, which have now gone virtual, she’s also starring in a new fitness series for Broadway On Demand called “Sas and Shred” that she conceived and filmed in lockdown. She’s started offering her own masterclasses (SasStorm.com) where studios around the country can book her one on one for their students. Oh, and she’s written a musical that she’s workshopped with 15 veteran female Broadway performers. Oh, and she’s going to college at almost 50. COVID is clearly not slowing Sas down. My favorite Sas-ism: “Stop worrying about how to do it better. DO it better.” Follow Rachelle Rak on Facebook here.

Posted on

Brain Break: Pianist Plays Beethoven For Elephants

Give yourself a brain break as pianist Paul Barton shares his story of how he came to play the ‘Emperor’ concerto for a 61-year-old elephant named Mongkol who decided to stay and listen. Many elephants at Elephants World sanctuary in Thailand were rescued from the logging trade. Barton discovered the beautiful denizens of the sanctuary and has been playing for the elephants for years now. Click here for a YouTube playlist of Barton playing full pieces for the gentle giants. I love elephants 🙂

(h/t Larry at theOUTfront.com)