Bloomberg Newsreports animal shelters in New York City have suddenly seen a surge in adoption rates during the coronavirus threat.
That’s right, in the New York City area, the epicenter of the disease, there is suddenly a run on pets. At least of the adopted or fostered kind. Muddy Paws Rescue and Best Friends Animal Society are reporting shelters they work with are either all out of or almost out of cats and dogs after a surge in applications of as much as 10-fold in the past two weeks.
Ordered to shelter in place at home, and both a little bored and a lot anxious, New Yorkers apparently see the four-legged friends as way to calm frayed nerves.
“For the moment we definitely don’t have any dogs left to match” with foster volunteers, said Anna Lai, the marketing director at Muddy Paws. “Which is a great problem to have.”
Lyle Waggoner on ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ (images public domain)Lyle Waggoner, who rose to fame in the 1970s as a regular on “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Wonder Woman” has passed away at the age of 84 due to cancer. From Variety:
In a statement released by Waggoner’s family, it was revealed that the “loving husband, father, grandfather, entrepreneur, and actor passed away peacefully at home on March 17th at the age of 84 with his wife at his side. The cause of death was cancer.”
Waggoner may have become best known for his roles on “The Carol Burnett Show,” where he started as the announcer in 1967 but stayed on with the sketch show through 1974. Some of his most notable sketches include being interrogated by a Nazi and his finger puppet and playing a love-lorn man in “As The Stomach Turns,” a slave master in “The Oldest Man,” Olympian Mark Spitz to Burnett’s Charo, and an alien known as the Jolly Green Thing.
But that show was hardly his only claim to fame. His very first role was in “Gunsmoke” the year before he began on “The Carol Burnett Show,” and he also guest-starred on classic 1960s and 1970s series such as “Lost in Space,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Barbara Eden Show” and “Maude.”
After Waggoner left “The Carol Burnett Show,” he booked the role of Colonel Steve Trevor, Jr. on the 1975 “Wonder Woman” series, on which he starred for four years.
Additional screen credits include appearances on “Happy Days,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Golden Girls,” “Mork & Mindy,” and many, many more. Something I didn’t know: he was the first male centerfold in Playgirl in 1973. And in the 1960s, he tested for the role of “Batman,” but lost out to Adam West.
His last TV appearance was in 2017 for the 50th-anniversary celebration for “The Carol Burnett Show.” Even as he starred on television, Waggoner created a side gig as the founder of Star Waggons. The company provided customized dressing room trailers to production companies and studios for their stars out on location. Waggoner is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sharon; his two sons, and his four grandchildren. RIP Lyle Waggoner.
— Rojo Wash Your Hands 🧴🧼 (@RojoRurba002) March 17, 2020
Lyle Waggoner, best known for ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and his portrayal of Steve Trevor in the 1970’s ‘Wonder Woman’ series, has passed away at 84 years old
Sad to hear that Lyle Waggoner has passed away, age 84. Lyle had a connection to Batman because he screen-tested for the title role before Adam West was ultimately cast.
In my latest episode of The Randy Report podcast, I chat with Abigail Saguy – Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies at UCLA – who’s written a fascinating new book, Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are. The new book details the evolution and history of how and why LGBTQ people “come out.” Saguy’s new book offers background and details from the earliest of gay movements and chronicles how we got from there to here. Over time, though, other marginalized groups – like fat acceptance activists, the #MeToo movement, undocumented immigrants – have adopted a similar dynamic of “coming out” in their efforts to resist stigma and bring about social change. Saguy and her collaborators offer an engaging exploration into how being ‘different’ has led to a universal movement for visibility and acceptance. Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are is available at most online booksellers. You can check it out on Amazon here. Hit the play button below 🙂
Danny Tidwell on So You Think You Can Dance (screen capture) Acclaimed dancer and choreographer Danny Tidwell, who first came to the national spotlight as the runner-up of Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance, has passed away. He was 35. Eonline is reporting Tidwell died in a car accident on Friday. Travis Wall, who was the runner-up of Season 2 of SYTYCD, shared the news via a post on Instagram. “My heart is broken,” began Wall. “Yesterday I lost a brother. And we all lost a gift. I’m not ready. But I never think I will be. Because I can’t believe this is real.” “I can’t believe you’re gone,” continued Wall. “You were more than my brother. You were my inspiration. I idolized you growing up. Wanted to dance just like you. Wanted to be you!” “I wish I could jump in your arms again like we used to when we were kids and onstage dancing,” he added. “We will all remember the joy and passion you brought to everyone you came in contact with through out your journey. A journey cut to short. You are a legend. And I love you so much Danny. Rest In Peace my brother. I can’t believe I’m even typing this . Please pray for my mom and my family during this difficult time.”
Tidwell was adopted by Wall’s mother when he was 12-years-old. Tidwell began his dance journey when he was only 8-years-old in an after-school program for at-risk kids. He would go on to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet and win a silver medal in the USA International Ballet Competition. His performing career included dancing for Debbie Allen, Mia Michaels, and the American Ballet Theatre. In September 2009, he made his Broadway debut in Memphis.
Danny Tidwell our beautiful dancing genius “Prince amongst Paupers” you are in God’s Ensemble. We will always speak your name with love and respect. See you on the other side. 😢🙏🏽💕 Love, Mama D pic.twitter.com/74XJqJcagS
Since September 2010, Tidwell has lived in Oslo where he was hired as a soloist for Norway’s National Ballet. In 2014, Tidwell married journalist David Benaym who also paid tribute to his late husband on Saturday. “I’m devastated that my Danny, the love of my life, my beloved friend, the artist, the talented angel, fierce mind, legendary dancer, my now late husband, Danny Tidwell died last night in a car crash while his friend was driving him home from work,” wrote Benaym. “We were so lucky to have him, life was so challenging for him. But he was a warrior, and he came back standing, always. We loved each other so much, he was and always will be family.”
Who doesn’t love good news on Hump Day? Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, currently on a survival journey with pancreatic cancer, gave his fans an upbeat update today – his one year anniversary since his diagnosis. As Alex notes, the one-year survival rate for stage 4 pancreatic cancer is 18 percent. He adds that, while the two-year survival rate is 7 percent, his oncologist recently told him he expects to be sitting with Alex face to face next March 4. While he acknowledges there have been not-so-good days along the way, he jokes it won’t be cancer that kills him but the chemo treatments. As a cancer thriver myself, I completely understand that, and I’m more than appreciative that Alex is not only sharing his journey but doing so with such grace and conviction. Radiating positivity and courage, he closes his update saying, “If we – because so many of us are involved in this same situation – if we take it just one day at a time, with a positive attitude, anything is possible.” See you next year, Alex.
In an essay for AskMen.com, writer/comedian Ross Asdourian explains that, yes, you can break your penis. After personally experiencing his own bruised banana during a romp in the sheets, followed by two emergency surgeries, he hopes to explain the ‘nuts and bolts’ (as it were) of the what and how of surviving a broken penis. As Asdourian points out, the penis isn’t a bone you can technically break. “The penis has three relevant parts to this article — two spongy tissues sacks (corpora cavernosa) that fill up with blood when you get erect and the urethra (that thing you pee and squeege out of),” explains Asdourian in his non-medical way. “If you’ve ever heard of a break, it’s actually a tear of one of those tissue sacks or a fracture of the urethra.” The writer shares that he hit the trifecta of penile injuries by tearing both of his ‘spongy sacks’ and severing his urethra. Asdourian shares that his banana break occurred having sex in the doggy position. In fact, a small 2017 study found that doggy-style is the sexual position that offers the most danger for guys going to Pound Town. If you like a big swing to your strokes, chances are you might miss reentry sometime. The result might be what’s known as a ‘penile fracture.’ Not only will there be substantial pain involved, but if you’ve really broken something there will be ample swelling and discoloration. Ross Asdourian Asdourian is stone-cold serious when he says: do not hesitate, get yourself to the emergency room. Sometimes, guys don’t want to face the embarrassment of explaining the incident to medical personnel. And sure, if this were stubbing your big toe, you might just tough it out. But as Asdourian notes: This. Is. Not. Your. Toe. What happens if you delay? Most importantly, your penis will not heal properly. The upshot of that could be bad blood flow meaning possibly no erections. And if you get erections, they could be really painful. In Asdourian’s case, he had to endure a three-hour surgery to repair the damage done. It took four weeks of recovery to be able to urinate on his own. After a few months, he regained full sexual function. “The long term effects of short term inaction are irreversible,” reports Asdourian. “Set your ego aside, do not play it cool, and get that hose to a doctor.” You can read more about his adventures with a broken penis in his funny/not-so-funny take on the experience titled, Broken Bananah: Life, Love, and Sex…Without a Penis.
(image via Reddit) They say a picture paints a thousand words. A vintage photo recently posted in several social media circles (I found it on Reddit) appears to show two young military servicemen dancing shirtless cheek to cheek. One soldier facing the camera has his eyes closed with a blissful smile as he holds his bare chest against his friend. It’s not clear if the duo is just messing around, or having a moment. One commenter wrote, “They were probably goofing around but some of them probably secretly enjoyed it.” Another seemed to agree with that assessment: “No women to dance with so they were just bros being bros.” One aspect of the pic was undeniable though as one Redditor wrote, “I love how happy they look together.” “I find it sad how today this is seen as homosexual behavior, but back then this was simply nonsexual and non-romantic fondness shared between two guys,” said another. “I want straight guys to not be stigmatized for sharing affection.” And this Redditor summed up the feelings of many: “Everybody just wants some warmth in dark times. This is an awesome photo.” I thought it was a touching way to begin the week. Does anyone know the story behind the mystery photo? No one seems to know the true origin of the pic, although a poster on Imgur suggested it was from Sweden in 1955. But it’s set hearts aflutter in imagining the scenario. Let me know in the comment section.
Bloomberg News reports animal shelters in New York City have suddenly seen a surge in adoption rates during the coronavirus threat. 
“Who, me? Nothing. Just, you know…social distancing…”
