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Trump’s Personal Physician: Trump Bodyguard Raided My Office, Confiscated Trump’s Files

Donald Trump’s personal physician in New York City told NBC News today that Trump’s former bodyguard and a Trump Organization lawyer showed up in February 2017 and “raided” his files on Trump.

The incident, which Dr. Harold Bornstein described as a “raid,” took place two days after Bornstein told a newspaper that he had prescribed a hair growth medicine for the president for years.

In an exclusive interview in his Park Avenue office, Bornstein told NBC News that he felt “raped, frightened and sad” when Keith Schiller and another “large man” came to his office to collect the president’s records on the morning of Feb. 3, 2017. At the time, Schiller, who had long worked as Trump’s bodyguard, was serving as director of Oval Office operations at the White House.

“They must have been here for 25 or 30 minutes. It created a lot of chaos,” Bornstein said, who described the incident as frightening.

Bornstein told NBC News that he was not given a signed HIPAA form authorizing the release of the records. Releasing medical records without a patient’s knowledge and signature is a violation of patient privacy law.

The doctor also admitted Trump severed ties with him after he told the press that he’d prescribed Propecia for the Donald. The drug is used to treat an enlarged prostate as well as hair loss.

CNN later reported that a “source familiar with what happened” says the doctor overreacted when Schiller arrived.

Watch the reports below.

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With No Re-Election Worries, John McCain Now Feels Free To Speak His Mind, Vote His Conscience

Sen. John McCain

In an excerpt from his new book, The Restless Wave, Sen. John McCain admits that, in light of his cancer diagnosis and his leaving public office at the end of this year, he now feels free to speak his mind “without fearing the consequences.”

McCain also takes a swipe at Donald Trump for caring more about “a reality show facsimile of toughness” than American values.

From CNN:

“This is my last term. If I hadn’t admitted that to myself before this summer, a stage 4 cancer diagnosis acts as ungentle persuasion,” he wrote in his book, “The Restless Wave,” according to the excerpt published on Apple News on Monday. “I’m freer than colleagues who will face the voters again. I can speak my mind without fearing the consequences much. And I can vote my conscience without worry.”

Referring to President Donald Trump, McCain wrote, “He has declined to distinguish the actions of our government from the crimes of despotic ones. The appearance of toughness, or a reality show facsimile of toughness, seems to matter more than any of our values.”

For much of McCain’s career in politics I’ve admired him as a self-styled “maverick.”

But, unfortunately, this admission doesn’t sound like the maverick we once knew. “Voting his conscience” and “speaking freely” is what folks wanted from McCain all along.

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Survey: 44 States Now Have Majority Support For Marriage Equality

As we approach the three year mark since same-sex marriage became the law of the land thanks to the June 2015 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) shared the results of a survey of over 40,000 Americans during the last half of 2017 on the acceptance of marriage equality.

The poll shows, as a country, 61% of Americans support gay and lesbian couples right to marriage, while only 30% are opposed.

When you break it down state-by-state, same-sex marriage has majority support in 44 states.

Only 6 states fail to show at least 50% support. Those six states are: Alabama (41%), Mississippi (42%), Tennessee (46%), West Virginia (48%), Louisiana (48%), and North Carolina (49%).

Of those, only Alabama has a majority of residents who oppose same-sex marriage.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Mariah Carey Announces New Las Vegas Residency “The Butterfly Returns”

Well, that was quick.

Pop superstar Mariah Carey just ended her Mariah #1 to Infinity run in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace last year, but is already back with a new show titled, The Butterfly Returns.

The 48-year-old diva will premiere the new production beginning July 5 with performances through September 10.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace? with a BRAND NEW residency, THE BUTTERFLY RETURNS, beginning July 5th! Fan Club presale starts Tuesday 5/1 before the public on sale this Friday at 10am PT! For tickets & all dates visit mariahcarey.com/tour! #thebutterflyreturns,” Mariah shared via Instagram.

Dates and ticket info on her official website here.

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Lance Bass Shares Why He Remained Closeted During NSYNC Years

At the ceremony honoring NSYNC with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Lance Bass spoke about his fears of coming out and how it might have affected not only him but his bandmates.
NYSNC on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

The men of mega-successful boy-band NSYNC – Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and JC Chasez – were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this week.

In his acceptance comments, Bass (who came out in 2006 after the band broke up) addressed how and why the enormous success of the group kept him in the closet.

From his remarks:

“The other thing I want to say here today is something I’ve been trying to put into words maybe my whole life. Growing up in Mississippi and in a Southern Baptist church, in a town where everyone knows your business, I had a secret: I was gay.”

“And at the time, I thought that I would never be able to tell anyone because not only was I terrified of the lasting rejection I was certain that that would happen. But more than that, I didn’t want to jeopardize the careers of these guys up here, much less the hundreds of amazing people who worked tirelessly to bring NSYNC to the world.”

“I thought if I had come out, NSYNC would be over. So I kept my secret. And our wildest dreams were coming true and we were so incredibly thankful, and I still am. But so many nights onstage, I’d see so many young, gay fans singing their hearts out and I wanted so badly to let you know, I was you. I just didn’t have the strength then.”

“But I do today, and so let me say loud and proud to all my LGBT brothers and sisters who embrace me and show me the way to be who I am, thank you so much.”

Bass married his husband Michael Turchin in 2014 after publicly coming out in 2006.

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2018 Tony Award Nominations Announced

The 2018 Tony Award nominations were announced today by Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. and “Waitress” star Katharine McPhee.

Here’s my observations and thoughts:

• Two big brand-name musicals, Mean Girls and Spongebob Squarepants, lead the nominations with 12 nods each.

• Critically acclaimed new musical The Band’s Visit, as well as revivals of Angels in America and Carousel, each garnered 11 nominations.

• The new two-part play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Lincoln Center’s highly-praised revival of My Fair Lady each received 10 nominations.

• The Harry Potter plays are the only nominee in the Best Play category still running on Broadway.

• Disney darling Frozen only received 3 nods (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score).

• The Jimmy Buffett jukebox musical, Escape to Margaritaville, was shut out of the nominations completely as it continues to struggle at the box office.

• Of the seven new musicals on the Great White Way this year, Margaritaville, Summer and Prince of Broadway didn’t make the cut for the Best Musical category.

• Two plays garnered nominations in categories usually reserved for musicals. Composer Adrian Sutton was recognized for his work on Angels in America in Best Original Score, and choreographer Steven Hoggett received a nomination for his work on the Harry Potter plays.

• Bruce Springsteen will receive a special Tony Award for his huge hit, Springsteen on Broadway.

• Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and Broadway icon Chita Rivera will receive lifetime achievement awards at this year’s ceremony.

• All four nominees in the Best Book of a Musical category made their Broadway debut this season.

• Personal congrats to my longtime pal Chris Gattelli for his TWO nominations for choreography this season for My Fair Lady and Spongebob Squarepants.

• This season had the smallest number of productions eligible for nominations in a decade.

The 72nd annual Tony Awards will air June 10 on CBS hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban.

Here’s the full list of nominations:

Best Musical

“The Band’s Visit”

“Frozen”

“Mean Girls”

“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical”

Best Play

“The Children”

“Farinelli and the King”

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

“Junk”

“Latin History for Morons”

Best Revival of a Musical

“Carousel”

“My Fair Lady”

“Once on This Island”

Best Revival of a Play

“Angels in America”

“Lobby Hero”

“Three Tall Women”

“The Iceman Cometh”

“Travesties”

Best Book of a Musical

“The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses

“Frozen,” Jennifer Lee

“Mean Girls,” Tina Fey

“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Kyle Jarrow

Best Original Score

“Angels in America,” Adrian Sutton

“The Band’s Visit,” Music and Lyrics: David Yazbek

“Frozen,” Music and Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

“Mean Girls,” Music: Jeff Richmond; Lyrics: Nell Benjamin

“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Various contributors

Best Leading Actor in a Play

Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”

Tom Hollander, “Travesties”

Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and the King”

Denzel Washington, “The Iceman Cometh”

Best Leading Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, “Three Tall Women”

Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”

Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”

Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”

Best Leading Actor in a Musical

Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”

Joshua Henry, “Carousel”

Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Leading Actress in a Musical

Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”

Hailey Kilgore, “Once on This Island”

LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”

Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”

Jessie Mueller, “Carousel”

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”

Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”

Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”

David Morse, “The Iceman Cometh”

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Susan Brown, “Angels in America”

Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Deborah Findlay, “The Children”

Denise Gough, “Angels in America”

Laurie Metcalf, “Three Tall Women”

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”

Alexander Gemignani, “Carousel”

Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”

Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

Renée Fleming, “Carousel”

Lindsay Mendez, “Carousel”

Ashley Park, “Mean Girls”

Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “Three Tall Women”

Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King”

Santo Loquasto, “The Iceman Cometh”

Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Dane Laffrey, “Once on this Island”

Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit”

Scott Pask, Finn Ross and Adam Young, “Mean Girls”

Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”

David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King”

Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”

Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Ann Roth, “Three Tall Women”

Ann Roth, “The Iceman Cometh”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”

Clint Ramos, “Once on This Island”

Ann Roth, “Carousel”

David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Paule Constable, “Angels in America”

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “The Iceman Cometh”

Paul Russell, “Farinelli and the King”

Ben Stanton, “Junk”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once on This Island”

Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”

Brian MacDevitt, “Carousel”

Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Direction of a Play

Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”

Joe Mantello, “Three Tall Women”

Patrick Marber, “Travesties”

John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

George C. Wolfe, “The Iceman Cometh”

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, “Once on This Island”

David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”

Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”

Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”

Best Choreography

Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”

Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”

Justin Peck, “Carousel”

Best Orchestrations

John Clancy, “Mean Girls”

Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

AnnMarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin, “Once on This Island”

Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”

Jonathan Tunick, “Carousel”

Sound Design in a Play

Adam Cork, “Travesties”

Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”

Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Tom Gibbons, “1984”

Dan Moses Schreier, “The Iceman Cometh”

Sound Design in a Musical

Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”

Peter Hylenski, “Once on This Island”

Scott Lehrer, “Carousel”

Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”

Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater

Chita Rivera

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Special Tony Award

John Leguizamo

Bruce Springsteen

Regional Theater Tony Award

La MaMa E.T.C.

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Nick Scandalios

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater

Sara Krulwich

Bessie Nelson

Ernest Winzer Cleaners

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Trump Rants At Reports His Chief Of Staff Calls Him “An Idiot”

Donald Trump

Earlier today I shared that NBC News had spoken to several folks in the White House that say Chief of Staff John Kelly has referred to Donald Trump as an “idiot” on several occasions and could depart his position as soon as July.

As the story began to dominate the evening news, the Trumpster was clearly disturbed that anyone might view his administration (where people quit or are fired on a weekly basis) as anything but “smooth.”

Calling the story “unhinged,” Trump got in a swipe at the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller (“witch hunt”) while bragging about “great Energy and unending Stamina.”

Classic Trump.

And hey – it’s just Monday!

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Designer Nate Berkus Takes High Road After Attack By Derick Duggar

Jeremiah Brent (L), daughter Poppy and Nate Berkus (R)
(Image via Twitter)

Out interior designer Nate Berkus’ and his partner Jeremiah Brent have a new show on TLC called Nate & Jeremiah By Design.

In only three episodes, the telegenic couple has already developed a wide audience.

But after the cable network shared a photo of Nate and Jeremiah with their daughter Poppy, former TLC personality Derick Duggar (remember the Duggars???) had a big problem calling them “a travesty” and lamenting the “perversions” being exposed to their child.

However, Nate responded on Twitter, taking the high road:

The next episode of Nate & Jeremiah By Design airs tonight at 9:00 PM EST on TLC.

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Sweet Marriage Proposal On “The Voice Australia,” Kelly Rowland Offers To Sing At Wedding

Nathan Brake (R) asks his bf of 6 years, Mitchell Baines (L)
to marry him live on The Voice Australia


The Voice Australia had some romantical excitement when a contestant proposed to his boyfriend during this weekend’s episode.

Marriage equality is newly-legal in the land down-under, having come into effect in January.

Singer Nathan Brake was about to announce his choice of judge after knocking out a killer cover of Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” but hit pause to announce another decision he’d made.

Brake called for his partner, Mitchell Baines, who was waiting in the wings to come out onstage.

“I just wanted to bring you out here, because we’ve had a beautiful six years together,” said Brake, thrilling the judges and live audience with the impending marriage proposal.

Judge Kelly Rowland offered to sing “When Love Takes Over” at the couple’s nuptials, regardless of which judge he chose.

In the end, Baines said ‘yes’ and Brake joined Delta Goodrem’s team for the talent competition.

You can watch the sweet moment below.