Category: Round-Up

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News Round-Up: January 27, 2020

(via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: I love the wisdom and illustrations of artist Henry J. Garrett like the one above. Make sure to follow him on the gram of Insta here. • Miami Herald: Former New York mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg broke with most of the Democrats vying for the party’s nomination to unequivocally back statehood for Puerto Rico in a policy plan released Monday. • Reuters: The U.S. Supreme Court gave the go-ahead on Monday for the Trump administration to implement a rule denying legal permanent residency to certain immigrants deemed likely to require government assistance in the future. Opponents of the policy view it as a “wealth test” that would disproportionately keep out non-white immigrants. • CNN: Apparently, a blending tank door at Rodney Strong Vineyards popped open and spilled 97,112 gallons of red wine into the Russian River. #alcoholabuse • Politico: Andrew Yang is the seventh candidate to qualify for the next Democratic debate joining Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Elizabeth Warren. • NY Times: In a recent interview, SNL cast member Bowen Yang revealed that when his parents found out he might be gay, they sent him to conversion therapy – an experience Yang describes as ‘crazy.’ • Out Music: The latest from international pop star Ricky Martin, “Tiburones,” was filmed in Puerto Rico. No translation needed, really. Both the song and the video are about deciding to change plans or directions so all involved can move forward together. Sounds simple enough, yes?

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News Round-Up: January 24, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Ramses Principe (above) waxes grateful about the journey thus far. Always a good idea, no? Follow the hunky fitness expert on Instagram here. • Washington Blade: A woman falsely accused a circuit party that caters to queer people of color of being “an organized sex party” setting off a string of investigations. • ABC News: Two-thirds of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say the U.S. Senate should call new witnesses at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. • Talking Points Memo: Sen. Elizabeth Warren has pledged to release all impeachment-related documents that the White House has barred should she become president.

• KIT212: Kenneth rounds up the what’s what in local gay rags across the country. Check the latest from Gloss Magazine (below) here.
The latest issue of Gloss Magazine (via Kenneth-in-the-212)
• The Gaily Grind: A Republican ‘family values’ candidate was busted for joining a dating website for married men looking to cheat. • CNN: Bernie Sanders is facing a backlash from some Democrats after his campaign trumpeted an endorsement from comedian Joe Rogan, a popular podcast and YouTube talk show host with a history of making racist, homophobic and transphobic comments. Sanders’ national press secretary issued a statement that read, in part: “Sharing a big tent requires including those who do not share every one of our beliefs, while always making clear that we will never compromise our values. The truth is that by standing together in solidarity, we share the values of love and respect that will move us in the direction of a more humane, more equal world.”

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News Round-Up: January 23, 2020

(image via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: When you look like Brazilian tourism expert Kiko Riaze (above), I’ll FIND something in my house that needs to be painted. Follow Riaze on Instagram here. • HuffPost: L.A. Law star Harry Hamlin said he’s proud of his role in the groundbreaking 1982 gay flick Making Love but believes the film was ahead of its time. “It was like 10 years too early and it completely ended my career. That was the last studio picture I ever did. The door shut with a resounding smash.” • The Advocate: A month after the Hallmark Channel’s dust-up with LGBTQ people over removing an ad for Zola wedding planning that featured a lesbian wedding, the company’s president and CEO, Bill Abbott, has stepped down. • Out Music: The Pet Shop Boys new album Hotspot drops tomorrow, January 24, and in advance of that release we get to step behind the velvet rope for their new single “Monkey Business.“ Set in a sexy nightclub and featuring a wild bunch of characters who eventually end up in a champagne fight, the tribe bust their best moves on a dance floor straight out of Saturday Night Fever.

• New York Times: Despite their fiery history on the debate stage, Sen. Kamala Harris of California is considering endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nominee for president. Great – then he can pick her for veep duties and they’ll win. • BroadwayWorld: In a tribute to longtime GRAMMY executive producer Ken Ehrlich, and to acknowledge the importance of music education in schools to the Recording Academy, GRAMMY Museum® and Ehrlich, artists associated with Ehrlich’s 40-year career will gather to perform “I Sing The Body Electric” from the film Fame. The performance will feature current nominees Camila Cabello, Gary Clark Jr. and John Legend joined by Debbie Allen, Joshua Bell, Common, Misty Copeland, Lang Lang, Cyndi Lauper, Ben Platt, and The War And Treaty. • People: Did Prince Charles diss Vice President Mike Pence as he made his way down an assembly line of world leaders at the World Holocaust Forum?

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News Round-Up: January 21, 2020

Joss Mooney and Rogan O’Connor
Some news items you might have missed: • Chippendales: MTV’s “The Challenge” hottest dynamic duo and reality star heartthrobs, Joss Mooney and Rogan O’Connor (aka JOGAN) will join the world-famous Chippendales as celebrity guest hosts for four shows only, January 24 and 25 (8:30 pm and 10:30 pm) at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. • New York Times: The impeachment trial of Donald Trump is underway, and it’s pretty much what I expected. Check-in with the New York Times for the lowdown on today’s developments including the Senate Republicans blocking subpoenas for new evidence. • OUT: Katie Sowers, who is an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, will make history when she steps on the field. Having been with the 49ers for just two seasons, she will become the first female, and the first openly LGBTQ+ assistant coach to work at the event • The Gaily Grind: Vice President Mike Pence called on all Americans to remember the words of Martin Luther King Jr. “in these divided times” while attending a church where an anti-LGBTQ bishop claimed that homosexuality is caused by “a demonic spirit” and is wrong because of “plumbing.” • Davey Wavey: It seems porn star Diego Sans finds kissing even more intimate than having sex (I can understand that) and so sex-positive DW offers some tips on the art and intimacy of kissing. Note – NSFW language. • HRC: The Human Rights Campaign has released its 2020 Corporate Equality Index, an annual report that measures how effectively America’s leading companies include and protect their LGBTQ employees and this year’s results show a record-high 686 businesses and law firms earned a perfect 100 on HRC’s scoring system. • Self-Improvement: Singer Calum Scott shared pics of his progress to get fit in 2020 and it’s pretty impressive. Good on him – slow and steady wins the race.

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News Round-Up: January 20, 2020

Devon Gibby for DadnDaddies/Instagram
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Devon Gibby (above) spent the day at Mystic Hot Springs in Utah. “Not only is it super accessible (no 5-mile hike like others I’ve been to), but it’s the perfect balance of man-made quirkiness mixed with natural beauty. And who wouldn’t love sitting in actual bathtubs where the water doesn’t get colder while you watch the sunset behind snow-capped mountains!?” • RawStory: ‘Emasculated’ Virginia gun nuts mocked for ‘purchasing toys, dressing up in costumes, and playing fantasy games’ as they march on Richmond today. • Washington Post: In a single year, Donald Trump doubled the total number of false or misleading claims he had made in the previous two years combined. Put another way: He averaged six such claims a day in 2017, nearly 16 a day in 2018 and more than 22 a day in 2019. Lies like this one:

• RealClearPolitics: With two weeks to go until the ‘first in the nation’ Iowa caucuses on February 3, the two most recent polls there both show former Vice President Joe Biden leading the pack of Democratic White House hopefuls by 6 points. • Washington Blade: Some LGBTQ folks got riled up when Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign decided to nix a fundraiser planned at a gay club in Providence which the venue says is over a dancing pole the owners refused to remove. The Blade interviewed male pole dancers who were offended and say the decision was ‘unwarranted.’ • CNN: About half of Americans say the Senate should vote to convict President Donald Trump and remove him from office in the upcoming impeachment trial (51%), according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, while 45% say the Senate should vote against conviction and removal. • CBS This Morning: Over nearly three decades, RuPaul Charles has left his mark on culture in music, movies and reality television including taking home his sixth Emmy Award in September for RuPaul’s Drag Race. Vladimir Duthiers spoke to RuPaul about doing “it all” and how his childhood impacted his career.

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InstaHunk Round-Up: Weekend Edition

Jeff Ferreira (via Instagram)
Checking in with some of our favorite hunks of Insta-Land: First up is NYC-based Jeff Ferreira (above) living for the uber-mild winter weekend in the big apple. MTV’s team of hotties #JOGAN (Joss and Rogan) are prepping for their debut on the Las Vegas Strip next weekend as they take on Celebrity Hosting duties at the world-famous Chippendales:

Karlitos Amarilla in Paraguay leaned on some tires looking anything but tired:

 

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We only REGRET the rides We didn’t take!!… So don’t fear dying, fear not living!! let’s take a Ride!!!

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Woofy Matthew Camp took a snow day to just lay back:

Tyler Valenzia worked out as he chatted on workout motivation:

Designer Daniel Sheehan got ‘savage’ for a moment:

Award-winning singer/songwriter (and former Broadway baby) Matt Zarley caught up with longtime friend (and Tony Award winner) Lilias White:

Broadway, TV and recording star Vanessa Williams (in London for the upcoming revival of the hit musical City of Angels) shared this clip of RuPaul saying hi to the fans of DragConUK:

 

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UK came out to welcome @rupaulofficial #dragconuk was fab! Much love and respect to all the Queens

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News Round-Up: January 14, 2020

Ignacio Pérez Rey (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunk: Ignacio Pérez Rey (above), in Madrid, Spain, proves clothes are sexy, smiles are sexy, and Madrid is sexy. #grrr • Bloomberg News: Democratic Senator Tim Kaine says he has enough votes to pass a resolution that would limit President Donald Trump’s ability to carry out a military attack against Iran without congressional authorization. Kaine said Tuesday he has 51 “declared votes“ for his resolution including GOP senators Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Susan Collins and Todd Young. • The Gaily Grind: High school freshman Kayla Kenney was expelled from her Christian school after wearing a rainbow sweater while celebrating her 15th birthday with her family at a local restaurant with a rainbow cake. The school seems to have assumed celebrating with rainbows meant the teen was lesbian…? • Los Angeles Blade: Pete Buttigieg attended a primarily black gay fundraiser in Los Angeles at the home of Jordan Fudge, a managing partner of the venture capital firm Sinai Ventures. The event was co-hosted by Empire writer/director Lee Daniels, who called Buttigieg “a candidate that is worthy of serious, serious consideration.” • The Advocate: Tennessee lawmakers have approved a bill that would give faith-based adoption and foster care agencies legal cover to turn away same-sex couples and other prospective parents who offend the agencies’ religious beliefs. The governor has signaled he plans to sign the bill into law. • Netflix: The streaming giant offers this supercut of RuPaul’s most fab performances featured in the new series, AJ and the Queen. While I found parts of the series surprisingly flat and slow, Ru does bring some heat serving up lewks and body as she lip syncs for her life in these drag performances.  

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News Round-Up: January 13, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • Mancrush Monday: As if it’s any secret I have a ‘thing’ for former pro rugby player Dan Tai (above). You can follow the handsome InstaHunk here. • Belfast Telegraph: Same-sex marriage comes to Northern Ireland today as couples are now able to give notice of their intent to form a civil same-sex marriage to the General Register Office for Northern Ireland. The first same-sex weddings are expected to take place from February 10, following the minimum period of notice of 28 days. • Buzzfeed News: After a year fighting with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) — successfully overturning a policy widely regarded as discriminatory — and nearly two years of intense training, James Bushe, 31, became the first person with HIV to gain a commercial pilot’s license and fly a commercial flight. • TV Line: Rumored backstage tension at Will & Grace did not precipitate the series’ end, NBC’s top exec maintains. “Some things come to a natural end,” NBC Chairman Paul Telegdy explained to TVLine. “[Series creators] Max [Mutchnick] and David [Kohan] told the story they wanted to tell. Just wait for the finale.” • Detroit Free Press: As police search for more men who may have hooked up with accused murderer Mark Latunski, the Grindr cannibal is now pleading insanity. • Daily Dog: This little guy deserves some Twitter attention. Look at him go!

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News Round-Up: January 10, 2020

Burt Ward as Robin and Adam West as Batman (promo photo via ABC)
Some news items you might have missed: • PageSix: Burt Ward, recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his role of ‘Robin’ (above) in the campy 1960s series Batman, says ABC advised him to take pills to reduce the bulge in his Robin trunks. #ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmm • Lambda Legal: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling in Roe & Voe v. Esper that halted efforts by the Trump administration to discharge members of the Air Force because they are living with HIV. The panel of three judges wrote, “Any understanding of HIV that could justify this ban is outmoded and at odds with current science. Such obsolete understandings cannot justify a ban.” • Deadline: Trevor: The Musical, an acclaimed stage adaptation of the 1994 Oscar-winning short film that gave rise to one of the nation’s most prominent LGBTQ organizations, will make its New York debut this April in an Off-Broadway staging. • CNN: The latest CNN/Des Moines Register polling shows four Democrats closely clustered at the top of the rankings: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (20%), Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (17%), former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (16%) and former Vice President Joe Biden (15%) all cluster tightly at the top of the pack. That’s an increase of 5 points for Sanders and a drop of 9 points for Buttigieg since the last DMR poll in November. • NBC News: After nearly 40 governors agreed to allow refugees in their states, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot became the first governor in the country to refuse to take in refugees today. However, 18 of his 26 Republican counterparts chose to open the door to refugees, much to the surprise of the Trump administration. • USA Today: Brazil’s Supreme Court has reversed a ruling that would have required Netflix to remove a satirical film depicting Jesus as gay. • Out Music: Randy Report favorite Halsey drops her new music video, “You Should Be Sad,” in advance of her third studio album Manic set for release January 17. The video is set at a country-inspired barn dance/rave and features choreographed sequences as Halsey channels her best Shania Twain. Fun clip and visually there’s lots of eye-candy.

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News Round-Up: January 9, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • LGBTQ Nation: A priest was removed from ministry after he was caught taking ‘disturbing’ photos of high school wrestlers. A bystander saw the priest taking zoomed-in photos of the young men in their wrestling tights and contacted authorities. • The Advocate: Culture Club frontman Boy George, who was once a pioneer in unconventional gender expression, was called out for  being transphobic after hateful comments regarding respecting people’s pronouns. • NY Daily News: A wacko customer at a Manhattan gay bar mailed a powder-filled envelope with a message reading “It’s called anthrax. Enjoy,” to an employee after he was threatened with a ban from the watering hole, prosecutors charged Monday. Unhinged patron Ameen Keshavjee has allegedly menaced the male employee at Nowhere Bar in the East Village since February. He now faces up to ten years in prison. • Allure Magazine: Emmy Award winner Billy Porter is the first-ever male to grace the cover of Allure Magazine as he stars in their Art of Beauty issue.

• LA Times: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who flirted with the idea of running for president but skipped the 2020 campaign, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination on Thursday. • Arizona Capital Times: Arizona state Senator Sylvia Allen (R) has proposed legislation to remove the word “homosexuality” from all public school teaching materials and to prevent any student below the age of 12 from receiving sex education. • Daily Dog: This beautiful little mama gave birth today to six puppies. How precious is this video?