LGBTQ news and entertainment
The Hollywood Reporter shares the news that Broadway theater marquees will dim their lights before the Wednesday evening performance in memory of Jean Stapleton, the 3-time Emmy Award winning All in the Family star who died on Friday at the age of 90.
Stapleton appeared in several Broadway productions including Damn Yankees and Funny Girl.
The phrase “more than ever” covers a lot of meanings in this portrait of a gay couple in love over 7 decades.
Bill and John met on December 6, 1957.
From Freedom To Marry.
Now. More than ever.
Reports say about 2 dozen anti-gay activists gathered at the Human Rights Campaign offices to demonstrate more hate for the LGBT community on our “front door,” so to speak.
Here are some choice tidbits from the “press conference:”
Peter LaBarbera: “The escalation of homosexual power is bad for America….The deviant sexual revolution represented by the HRC headquarters behind us is built on a foundation of lies….You could fill a small book with the fake gay hate crimes that have been staged over the years….Most sins don’t get their own Pride parade.”
From Mission America’s Linda Harvey: “And children will be led into darkness, deception, and sin… HRC wants children to embrace the stress and anxiety of gender confusion. How wicked.”
From Diane Gromley, American Family Association: “What is their to be proud of when the sexual activity in which one chooses to engage leads to increased health risk and early death…Gay is definitely not okay as the human body responds to being misused during unnatural homosexual sex.”
Nice, right?
Pew Research has a new survey on the acceptance of homosexuality by society in 39 countries, broken down by region and country.
Some key points from the survey:
• Attitudes about homosexuality have been fairly stable in recent years, except in South Korea, the United States and Canada, where the percentage saying homosexuality should be accepted by society has grown by at least ten percentage points since 2007.
• Acceptance of homosexuality is particularly widespread in countries where religion is less central in people’s lives.
• Wealthier countries tend to be more accepting. In contrast, in poorer countries with high levels of religiosity, few believe homosexuality should be accepted by society.
First Lady Michelle Obama was confronted by a protester tonight at a private DNC fundraiser in Washington, D.C.
Ellen Sturtz, 56, a lesbian activist, interrupted her remarks to demand that President Obama sign an anti-discrimination executive order.
The First Lady apparently walked over to address Sturtz eye to eye, according to witnesses.
“One of the things that I don’t do well is this,” she said to applause from most of the guests, according to a White House transcript. “Do you understand?”
Sturtz was escorted out of the room. Sturtz said in an interview later she was stunned by Obama’s response.
“She came right down in my face,” Sturtz said. “I was taken aback.”
“I said I want your husband to sign the executive order,” Sturtz said. “Her husband could sign this order tonight and protect 22 percent of the work force in this country.”
I have to say – Sturtz was “taken aback” that the First Lady walked over to her eye to eye? So, Sturtz was hoping to have an anonymous, well-distanced protest?
The proposed executive order that prompted Sturtz’s outburst would prohibit federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. That would be a good thing. The First Lady, however, is not the person to protest.
I believe the President signing an executive order to outlaw LGBT discrimination in the workplace by federal contractors is a good thing. I do. But protesting the First Lady isn’t the place to get the message across.
(source)
UPDATE – CNN has video of the heckling and Mrs. Obama’s reaction:
The New York Times invited Tony nominees to perform scenes on location in New York.
Billy Porter and Stark Sands sing “Not My Father’s Son” from Kinky Boots in a new series from the New York Times in which Tony nominees perform scenes on location in NYC.
The song, “Not My Father’s Son,” is performed in the musical in a shoe factory.
Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics to the musical earning her a Tony nomination. Billy Porter is Tony-nominated for “Best Actor in a Musical” having already won this year’s Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards in the same category.
(shot at the shoemaker T.O. Dey)
NOM Chair John Eastman went for the big “liar, liar, pants on fire” today when he testified of “harassment” of his donors for Prop 8, which NO ONE has EVER documented actually happened.
NO ONE.
Isn’t lying a sin?
What this is is a classic “bait and switch” from the issue at hand to self-serving accusations to divert from the fact that NOM is not a “social welfare” organization.
Congressman Blumenauer responded to Eastman’s comments on the Huffington Post:
“Let’s get real and stop the charade about what a ‘social welfare’ organization is. Last year, internal National Organization for Marriage (NOM) strategy documents were leaked, stating that the organization seeks ‘to drive a wedge between gays and blacks’ by promoting “African American spokespeople for marriage,’ thus provoking same-sex marriage supporters into ‘denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots,’ and ‘to interrupt the assimilation’ of Latinos into ‘dominant Anglo culture’ by making the stance against same-sex marriage ‘a key badge of Latino identity.’
“Does this sound like social welfare to you? Social welfare organizations should work in the public interest — not to divide, exploit, and conquer. When I brought this up at the hearing today, Dr. Eastman, Chairman of the Board of NOM, angrily groused, ‘To say that defending traditional marriage doesn’t qualify for defense of the public good is beyond preposterous.’
“To Dr. Eastman, I say that it is the denial of my constituents, and all Americans, the right to marry the person they love is preposterous. To exploit racial and religious differences so you can fundraise for and enforce your specific worldview is preposterous. But your right to be preposterous should not extend to taking political positions under the guise of a social welfare organization, raising money and campaigning.”
– Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) for the Huffington Post
Pippin star Charlotte d’Amboise and Motown player Eric LaJuan Summers took home the awards for Outstanding Female and Male Dancer in a Broadway show, respectively, at the 31st Annual Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. The ceremony was held June 3 at New York University’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
Additionally, Pippin choreographer Chet Walker and Motown choreographers Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams tied for Outstanding Choreographer of a Broadway show.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaouit took home the award for Outstanding Choreographer in a Feature Film.
I was fortunate to perform in CHICAGO the Musical many times with Charlotte – my favorite “Roxie.” AND I’d followed and enjoyed her work for many years before and after. MORE than deserving of the honor. What a great, great theater artist.
Congrats to Charlotte and all the honorees!
When a female news anchor doesn’t like her weather forecaster.
I’m wondering how long this has been going on?
News Anchor Nicole Brewer of Channel 3 CBS Philly seems to not really get along with the weather lady Nicole. Does this seem to be uncommonly uncomfortable?
Eek!
Yay! Let’s hear it for Israel!