Breaking: US Senate confirms Chuck Hagel as Sec. of Defense

From ThinkProgress: The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Chuck Hagel to become the next Secretary of Defense, just hours after the upper chamber of Congress broke the Republican-led filibuster of Hagel’s nomination.

The final vote was 58-41. Four Republicans joined the Democrats in voting for Hagel: Sens. Mike Johanns (NE), Thad Cochran (MS), Richard Shelby (AL), and in a surprise move, Rand Paul (KY), who voted against cloture earlier today.

Eighteen Republicans supported the cloture motion to bring about the up-or-down vote this afternoon.

Music Video: Father Tiger – “Head Hung Low”

Fun song and eye candy in this new video from Father Tiger. The song is sexy, fun and full of great energy.

Keep watching Father Tiger, because I said so…

You may remember Father Tiger’s holiday video “On Christmas Day” featuring a sexy, furry Santa I posted back in the holiday season.

Check out Father Tiger on iTunes here.

Opening number from 2004 Tony Awards with Hugh Jackman

Now, you know, THIS is how to open an awards show.

Over the top silliness and fab talent singing a great song from a Broadway musical.

I love Hugh kissing the puppet from AVENUE Q at the 3:09 mark. And coming downstage with the Rockettes is a great visual.

From the YouTube description:

Hugh Jackman performs “One Night Only”, the opening number from The 58th Annual Tony Awards with the “Dynamites” from Hairspray, the “Radio” from Caroline, or Change, and the “Urchins” from Little Shop of Horrors, along with members of the casts of Avenue Q, The Boy from Oz, Fiddler on the Roof, Wonderful Town, and Wicked, and the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.

Las Vegas: Oscar night at HRC fund raiser

A little bit of silliness with Michael and I as we arrived at the Academy Awards viewing party this past Sunday at the fab Share Night Club in Las Vegas that raised funds for the Human Rights Campaign.

Great party; great spirit of fun watching the awards. Great way to enjoy the Oscars.

Next year, find an Oscar event near you, and go help a great cause & enjoy the party atmosphere.

Breaking: US Senate votes to break filibuster of Hagel nomination

From ThinkProgress: The Senate on Tuesday voted to break the Republican-led filibuster of Chuck Hagel’s nomination to become the next Secretary of Defense, clearing the way for his confirmation.

Senate Republicans made history earlier this month by successfully filibustering a president’s Defense Secretary nominee for the first time in U.S. history.

But a number of Republicans who voted to uphold the filibuster joined Democrats in breaking the filibuster on Tuesday.

Overall, 18 Republicans voted for cloture, which ultimately passed by a vote of 71-27.

According to Senate rules, a final up-or-down vote on Hagel’s nomination will take place no later than 30 hours from today’s cloture vote. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) said today that he hopes the vote will take place later on this afternoon.

Read more at ThinkProgress

Illinois: state House committee to consider marriage equality bill today

The Illinois House Executive Committee will consider SB 10 (the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act)  at 3 pm CST today.

The Chicago Phoenix reports:

The committee vote is the next hurdle the bill must overcome on its path to becoming law and needs at least six votes there before it is cleared to hit the full House floor.
Advocates are expecting success in the committee, which comprises seven Democrats and four Republicans, but anticipate a tougher road to the 60 “yes” votes required to pass the measure in the full House.

The Illinois Senate passed the bill on Valentine’s Day in a 34-21 vote.

Lyric Theatre of OKC celebrates 50 years of creating theater and community

Great video celebrating the 50th anniversary of Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City, OK.

The video features several shots of my production of SWEET CHARITY I choreographed there last summer. Makes me smile just to see that again.

But my connection to Lyric goes back even further, as Lyric Theatre was my first professional job at the age of 17, back in 1981. I was in the dance ensemble for the summer in SHOWBOAT, MACK & MABEL, SOUTH PACIFIC and PLAIN AND FANCY.

Lyric was the first place I was paid to be a responsible, professional working in the theater. I actually went to work, traveling from Fort Worth, Texas, before I had even graduated from high school. I had to request a day off from Lyric to go back home and attend my graduation ceremony.

I worked with great artists there, like Joel Levine, who had a long career with Lyric as their music director and went on to become music director of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. I’ve been in touch with Joel a few times over the years and it’s amazing how those long days of summer forge life-time friendships.

I’ve worked at several similar theaters over the years; from Casa Manana in Fort Worth, Texas, to most recently San Diego Music Theater in San Diego. These theaters bring a lot more than a bit of “showbiz” to their communities. From self-confidence to appreciation for the arts to learning responsibility that serves us well in life – these theaters bring a lot to the table.

Wherever you are, I hope you find the local theaters in your area. Get off the couch, so see live theater.

As Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! says “It’s an adventure, Barnaby!”

Conservative leaders file brief in support of SCOTUS Prop 8 repeal

Via press release: This week, more than 80 social and political conservatives, moderates, and libertarians from diverse religious, racial, regional, and philosophical backgrounds will file an amicus curiae, or “friend of the Court,” brief with the United States Supreme Court in support of the Plaintiffs challenging California’s Proposition 8 in Hollingsworth v. Perry.

Those currently listed as signatories to the brief include Mary Bono Mack, Alex Castellanos, James B. Comey, Gary Johnson, Stephen Hadley, Jon Huntsman, James Kolbe, Ken Mehlman, Steve Schmidt, William F. Weld, Christine Todd Whitman, and Meg Whitman.

Enacted in November 2008, Proposition 8 eliminated the fundamental freedom of gay and lesbian Californians to marry.

The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) is the sole sponsor of Hollingsworth v. Perry, the federal constitutional challenge to Proposition 8.

“The support for marriage equality demonstrated by this amicus brief represents a microcosm of what we see happening all across the country,” said AFER executive director Adam Umhoefer. “Americans are united behind the concepts of freedom, dignity and strong families. Since the inception of our case, AFER has worked to strip the partisan veil that had existed for too long around marriage equality. The conservative movement toward the freedom to marry is what we like to call the ‘Ted Olson effect.’ We value the support of our conservative colleagues and welcome their voices to the growing majority of Americans who stand for marriage equality.”

Building bi-partisan support has been part of AFER’s mission ever since the filing of its federal constitutional challenge to overturn Proposition 8. AFER assembled a bi-partisan legal team led by Theodore B. Olson, Solicitor General of the United States during the first term of President George W. Bush, and renowned litigator David Boies to demonstrate that Proposition 8 violates the United States Constitution by denying millions of people their fundamental right to marry and their right to equal protection of the laws.

While the list of amici continues to grow, the current list includes:

  • Ken Mehlman, Chairman, Republican National Committee, 2005-2007
  • Tim Adams, Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, 2005-2007
  • David D. Aufhauser, General Counsel, Department of Treasury, 2001-2003
  • Cliff S. Asness, Businessman, Philanthropist, and Author
  • John B. Bellinger III, Legal Adviser to the Department of State, 2005-2009
  • Katie Biber, General Counsel, Romney for President, 2007-2008 and 2011-2012
  • Mary Bono Mack, Member of Congress, 1998-2013
  • William A. Burck, Deputy Staff Secretary, Special Counsel and Deputy Counsel to the President, 2005-2009
  • Alex Castellanos, Republican Media Advisor
  • Paul Cellucci, Governor of Massachusetts, 1997-2001, and Ambassador to Canada, 2001-2005
  • Mary Cheney, Director of Vice Presidential Operations, Bush-Cheney 2004
  • Jim Cicconi, Assistant to the President & Deputy to the Chief of Staff, 1989-1990
  • James B. Comey, United States Deputy Attorney General, 2003-2005
  • R. Clarke Cooper, U.S. Alternative Representative, United Nations Security Council, 2007-2009
  • Julie Cram, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director White House Office of Public Liaison, 2007-2009
  • Michele Davis, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and Director of Policy Planning, Department of the Treasury, 2006-2009
  • Kenneth M. Duberstein, White House Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President, 1981-1984 and 1987-1989
  • Lew Eisenberg, Finance Chairman, Republican National Committee, 2002-2004
  • Elizabeth Noyer Feld, Public Affairs Specialist, White House Office of Management and Budget, 1984-1987
  • David Frum, Special Assistant to the President, 2001-2002
  • Richard Galen, Communications Director, Speaker’s Political Office, 1996-1997
  • Mark Gerson, Chairman, Gerson Lehrman Group and Author of The Neoconservative Vision: From the Cold War to the Culture Wars and In the Classroom: Dispatches from an Inner-City School that Works
  • Benjamin Ginsberg, General Counsel, Bush-Cheney 2000 & 2004
  • Adrian Gray, Director of Strategy, Republican National Committee, 2005-2007
  • Richard Grenell, Spokesman, U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations, 2001-2008
  • Patrick Guerriero, Mayor, Melrose Massachusetts and member of Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1993-2001
  • Carlos Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce, 2005-2009
  • Stephen Hadley, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, 2005-2009
  • Richard Hanna, Member of Congress, 2011-Present
  • Israel Hernandez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, 2005-2009
  • Margaret Hoover, Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, 2005-2006
  • Michael Huffington, Member of Congress, 1993-1995
  • Jon Huntsman, Governor of Utah, 2005-2009
  • David A. Javdan, General Counsel, United States Small Business Administration, 2002-2006
  • Reuben Jeffery, Undersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs, 2007-2009
  • Greg Jenkins, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Advance, 2003-2004
  • Coddy Johnson, National Field Director, Bush-Cheney 2004
  • Gary Johnson, Governor of New Mexico, 1995-2003
  • Robert Kabel, Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, 1982-1985
  • Theodore W. Kassinger, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, 2004-2005
  • Jonathan Kislak, Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture for Small Community and Rural Development, 1989-1991
  • David Kochel, Senior Advisor to Mitt Romney’s Iowa Campaign, 2007-2008 and 2011-2012
  • James Kolbe, Member of Congress, 1985-2007
  • Jeffrey Kupfer, Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy, 2008-2009
  • Kathryn Lehman, Chief of Staff, House Republican Conference, 2003-2005
  • Daniel Loeb, Businessman and Philanthropist
  • Alex Lundry, Director of Data Science, Romney for President, 2012
  • Greg Mankiw, Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, 2003-2005
  • Catherine Martin, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director for Policy & Planning, 2005-2007
  • Kevin Martin, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, 2005-2009
  • David McCormick, Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, 2007-2009
  • Mark McKinnon, Republican Media Advisor
  • Bruce P. Mehlman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, 2001-2003
  • Connie Morella, Member of Congress, 1987-2003 and U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2003-2007
  • Michael E. Murphy, Republican Political Consultant
  • Michael Napolitano, White House Office of Political Affairs, 2001-2003
  • Ana Navarro, National Hispanic Co-Chair for Senator John McCain’s Presidential Campaign, 2008
  • Noam Neusner, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Speechwriting, 2002-2005
  • Nancy Pfotenhauer, Economist, Presidential Transition Team, 1988 and President’s Council on Competitiveness, 1990
  • J. Stanley Pottinger, Assistant U.S. Attorney General (Civil Rights Division), 1973-1977
  • Michael Powell, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, 2001-2005
  • Deborah Pryce, Member of Congress, 1993-2009
  • John Reagan, New Hampshire State Senator, 2012-Present
  • Kelley Robertson, Chief of Staff, Republican National Committee, 2005-2007
  • Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Member of Congress, 1989-Present
  • Harvey S. Rosen, Member and Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers, 2003-2005
  • Lee Rudofsky, Deputy General Counsel, Romney for President, 2012
  • Patrick Ruffini, eCampaign Director, Republican National Committee, 2005-2007
  • Steve Schmidt, Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor to the Vice President, 2004-2006
  • Ken Spain, Communications Director, National Republican Congressional Committee, 2009-2010
  • Robert Steel, Undersecretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, 2006-2008
  • David Stockman, Director, Office of Management and Budget, 1981-1985
  • Jane Swift, Governor of Massachusetts, 2001-2003
  • Michael E. Toner, Chairman and Commissioner, Federal Election Commission, 2002-2007
  • Michael Turk, eCampaign Director for Bush-Cheney 2004
  • Mark Wallace, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Representative for UN Management and Reform, 2006-2008
  • Nicolle Wallace, Assistant to the President and White House Communications Director, 2005-2008
  • William F. Weld, Governor of Massachusetts, 1991-1997, and Assistant U.S. Attorney General (Criminal Division), 1986-1988
  • Christine Todd Whitman, Governor of New Jersey, 1994-2001, and Administrator of the EPA, 2001-2003
  • Meg Whitman, Republican Nominee for Governor of California, 2010
  • Robert Wickers, Republican Political Consultant
  • Dan Zwonitzer, Wyoming State Representative, 2005-present

Fraternity helps raise funds for brother’s transgender surgery

Being a Sigma Chi brother from the long gone Psi Psi chapter at Syracuse University, I’m pretty aware of the upside of being a fraternity brother.  There’s a kind of “instant” family when you become a brother, and often those ties extend way into adult life.

When I was at Syracuse, I was just beginning to travel down the road of my life as a gay man.  So, I wasn’t a “gay frat brother” during my time there.  It wasn’t a part of that journey, although I had some great times and certainly felt that sense of “brotherhood” that gets talked about so often in Greek life.

Today, however, I read this very cool story about transgendered sophomore Donnie Collins at Emerson College and his brothers at Phi Alpha Tau.  Collins realized he was transgendered when he was 17, and has since been struggling to handle the finances of his transition from female to male.

From Out.com:

Collins’s brothers in Phi Alpha Tau have rallied together to cover some of the surgery’s cost. Find their indiegogo fund here: Brothers of A Boston Fraternity – FTM: Top Surgery. The brothers’ fund has already surpassed the $2,000 they initially hoped to donate, but now they’re looking to cover even more of the procedure’s $8,100 cost.

Collins has been completely overwhelmed by the wave of support, admitting to have cried out of gratitude when he heard what his brothers were doing. But the thought that this is a fraternity raising money for him never even crossed his mind.

“I was just like, ‘Oh that’s such a Tau thing to do,’ and I didn’t even think it was that weird,” he says. “But then I started sending [the indiegogo link] out to people, and they were like, ‘Oh my god, that’s amazing! See, Greek Life isn’t bad; it’s amazing.’”

The brothers’ site says that they hope less to raise money with their efforts and more to spread acceptance, brotherhood, and love. “We are here… to tell a story. The story of transformation, the story of self-discovery, and the story of brotherhood.”

It seems that Donnie Collins and his brothers’ story is certainly one worth telling. Please consider donating to their cause.

Best Tim McGraw quotes from “Q on CBC” interview

Tim McGraw recently gave a great, in depth interview with CBC-TV’s Jian Ghomeshi in Canada.  The appearance is in support of his current tour and new CD TWO LANES OF FREEDOM.

While he wasn’t shirtless during the interview, like his recent People Magazine appearance, he’s just as smart and articulate as ever. Great answers.

They covered topics ranging from McGraw’s new album and his old records, to his father and his own sobriety.

Here are his 12 best quotes from the interview:

“When you make a record, you give up a piece of your soul. There’s a physical part of your body that goes in.”

“Nobody wants to hear an artist who makes a lot of money complain.”

“You’re at the prom, and everybody else is dancing, but you’re stuck in a chair over in the corner.”

“It’s about being attacked viscerally by something. From the first verse, I can know if I’m gonna like a song or not.”

“I can’t imagine being up there singing ‘Indian Outlaw’ or ‘I Like It, I Love It’ at 65 years old.”

“When you know, you know. You can’t be too cerebral in this business.”

“You don’t get into this business without some sort of egotistical thought that you wanna be the biggest artist that there’s ever been. On the other hand, there’s this compete insecurity of not thinking you’re good enough.”

“Art’s for art. Money’s for pizza.”

“[My dad] gave me this confidence without ever meaning to, without ever being part of my life. To think there are other things I could reach for in life, it made me think it was in me, as well.”

“It’s like an avalanche of your life catching up with you, and it just got to a point where I realized instead of facing things I was covering things up. I was using alcohol — and drugs to some extent — to get through things. There was only one place I could look, and that was in the mirror.”

“You can fail at any moment. You’re on a high wire act. If you’re doing it right, you’re being vulnerable.”

“This is not a swan song album.”

Watch the full interview below:

(via CMT)