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Las Vegas: Sam Harris at The Smith Center

With Michael, Sam Harris and music director Todd Schroeder

Michael and I had a fab time last night at The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz presenting the incomparable Sam Harris.

At this point, Sam’s career is so long and varied it’s difficult to pin point from where audiences know his work: as the very first Star Search winner in 1983; as the Broadway actor in THE PRODUCERS, GREASE, and THE LIFE (Tony nomination); TV and film actor (“The Class,” “Rules of Engagement”); or TV producer and writer (4 seasons of “Down To Earth” on TBS).

I’ve always admired his passionate and powerful singing having watched that premiere season of Star Search and seeing him on Broadway. The power and range that I’ve always associated with Harris was on full display last night, but masterfully moderated by artful choices.

Widely known for his power and range, I wasn’t prepared for how “moment to moment” Harris was throughout the entire evening’s songs.   Or how hysterically funny he was.

While the comedic level was high, it was matched by Harris’ effortless yet masterful singing.

Vocal highlights included “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “You’ve Got To Use What You’ve Got,” a touching  “Cockeyed Optimist” combined with “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and of course, Harris’ signature song “Over The Rainbow.”

I also appreciated the specific yet spare way Harris used the stage.  He made simple but clear choices when to stand still, when to move and where to move to.  Never obvious, but clearly thoughtful.  Props to the sound and lighting at Cabaret Jazz for framing the show with excellent technical support.

His partner in crime, Todd Schroeder, was more than a music director; Schroeder was every bit a collaborator.  His arrangements were top notch, as was his playing.  But his chemistry with Harris – they’ve worked together for 20 years – was a magic ingredient all evening long.

Harris has a Christmas CD – ON THIS NIGHT – for those of you looking for new tunes for the upcoming holiday season.  I would also recommend his CD titled ALWAYS.  Many of the songs from last night came from the album and I find it to be a great representation of where Harris is “at” musically these days.

Look for Sam Harris’ book to be released soon and if he comes to a performing arts center, run buy those tickets.  A great time is waiting for you.  Thanks to The Smith Center for bringing first class entertainment to Las Vegas.

More info about Sam can be found at www.samharris.com

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When marriage equality begins in Washington, Maryland and Maine

Thanks to the American Foundation for Equal Rights, here is the timeline for implementing the recently passed marriage equality initiatives:

  • Maine: December 6 at the earliest. This date may change. The initiative goes into effect 30 days after the governor makes a “public proclamation of the result of the vote,” within 10 days after the result has been determined.
  • Maryland: January 1, 2013. This date was included in the original legislation passed by the state’s General Assembly, which was approved by voters.
  • Washington: December 6. All referendums that are approved by voters in the Evergreen State go into effect 30 days after the election.

A response from the US Supreme Court on Prop 8 and DOMA challenges is expected November 26th.

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Veteran’s Day 2012

Today is Veteran’s Day.  Please be sure you thank every service member you can for their service to our country.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN today released a video called “Second Skin,” a visual representation of how gay and lesbian soldiers, though allowed to be out, continue to be discriminated against under the Defense of Marriage Act.

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The Amazing Race: Team Chippendales try synchronized swimming

LOL… I don’t know why I think this is funny.

Bless these guys for giving it a good try – synchronized swimming is clearly not in their wheelhouse.

BUT it does give the TV audience a good opportunity to see the guys with less clothes on.

Go Team Chippendales!

The Amazing Race airs Sunday at 8/7c on CBS.

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Florida: US Rep. Allen West loses his seat to Patrick Murphy; won’t concede

The Palm Beach Post is reporting that US Rep Allen West has lost his re-election campaign to Patrick Murphy in Florida’s 18th Congressional district, but West won’t concede:

The final tally — still considered unofficial — put Murphy ahead of West by 2,429 votes. Overall, Murphy captured 166,799 votes to West’s 164,370 in District 18, which spans portions of Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. An automatic recount is triggered by a margin of 0.5 percent. Murphy’s lead gives him a .7 percent advantage. All ballots in Martin and St. Lucie counties have been counted.

Those tallies include all election day, early voting and absentee ballots.

In addition to declaring on his Facebook page that the race is “far from decided,” West filed lawsuits to have ballots and voting machines impounded in Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The judge in Palm Beach threw the case out on Friday, though, telling West’s lawyers that their arguments fell “woefully short” of what was required for an injunction.

A St. Lucie judge is slated to hear West’s case on Tuesday.

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Fox anchor, Tricia Macke, calls Maddow “angry young man”

An anchor for a Fox affiliate in Cincinnati, Ohio called lesbian MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow “such an angry young man” on her Facebook page last month.

Tricia Macke was taken to task by followers and asked to apologize. “You are right,” she wrote. “I am sorry. I should have said ‘antagonistic.'”  This was followed by “I knew what I was saying.”

GLAAD President Herndon Graddick said that Macke owes an apology to Fox 19 viewers, as well as “young people in Ohio who are subjected to unfair bullying and harassment like this on a daily basis.”

The exchange has been removed from her Facebook page, but a follower took a screenshot of the post, which was obtained by Equality Ohio and GLAAD.

Click pic to enlarge

A few hours after GLAAD, Equality Ohio and many in the LGBT community called for Macke to apologize, the station issued an apology on their Facebook page as reported by Gay South Florida’s Steve Rothaus:

To all FOX19 viewers and Facebook fans,

We have received several expressions of concerns about a recent Facebook posting by FOX19 Anchor Tricia Macke on her personal Facebook page. Tricia’s response is provided below and is also posted on her personal Facebook page. We also apologize to anyone who may have been offended by her comments.

WXIX Station Management

Here is Tricia Macke’s apology:

I recently posted comments on my personal Facebook page regarding cable news anchor Rachel Maddow which were insensitive and inappropriate. I apologize to Ms. Maddow and any others who may have been offended by my comments, as they do not reflect my firm beliefs in individual and equal rights, and they certainly do not represent the opinions or position of my employer WXIX-TV.

Tricia Macke

(source)