Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

Randy Rainbow: “The Covfefe Medley”

With a word as complex and sophisticated as “Covfefe,” there’s no way one song could encapsulate it’s range.

And so Randy Rainbow brings us this “Covfefe Medley” which parodies great songs from Broadway like West Side Story‘s “Maria,” Oklahoma’s “Oklahoma,” and “Consider Yourself” from Mary Poppins.

Watch the fun below.

Posted on

Kathy Griffin: Donald Trump Is “Trying To Ruin My Life”

Comedian Kathy Griffin gave an emotional, sometimes rambling press conference today regarding the controversy surrounding the image and video of her holding a mask of Donald Trump meant to look like his severed head.

Standing alongside her publicist, Lisa Bloom, Griffin addressed the scandal saying, “I make mistakes. I’m an out there comedian.”

She made a point of saying her apology, issued earlier this week, still stands but added, “I don’t think I’m going to have a career after this. I’m going to be honest. He broke me. A sitting president of the United States and his grown children and the First Lady, personally, I feel, are trying to ruin my life forever.”

The former My Life on the D-List star shared that she is receiving death threats that are “constant, detailed and specific.”

I’m, personally, not sure the press conference was a good idea. In situations like this, where she did go too far, it’s best to make your apology and then step back.

Watch below.

Posted on

Ireland Elects First Gay Prime Minister

(Image via Twitter)

Two years after becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote, Ireland just elected it’s first openly gay Prime Minister.

In addition, the 38 year-old becomes Ireland’s youngest leader ever as well as the first from an ethnic minority background.

From The Independent:

Leo Varadkar is the new leader of Fine Gael and on course to become Ireland’s first gay Taoiseach.

The Social Protection Minister got the support of 51 TDs, senators and MEP to get over the line despite losing the popular vote.

Massive cheers greeted Mr Varadkar as he arrived at the count centre in the Mansion House.

In his speech he declared Ireland a Republic that holds no prejudice.

He became emotional as he described how he was proud to live in a country where the son of an immigrant can become leader.

“Prejudice has no hold in this Republic,” he said, acknowledge that he is a gay man and the son of an Indian immigrant.

Posted on

Olivia Newton-John’s Personal Anthem Goes To Number One

Upon learning of Olivia Newton-John’s recent diagnosis of breast cancer, her dedicated fans banded together with a plan to take her to the charts, again.

Olivia has shared with audiences at her concerts for years that when she first conquered cancer, she wrote a song, “Not Gonna Give In To It” for her 1994 Gaia album, which she says has become her personal anthem. Written in the middle of the night, the song is a testament to facing down our fears.

Oh I’m not gonna give into it no
I’m not gonna give into it no no
I’m not gonna give into it no
I’m not gonna give into it

And I watch you sleep soundly
So peacefully unaware
And your breath is soothing to me
And it’s good to know you’re there

Then the morning comes
With it’s golden light
And I feel alright
And my heart beats again
But the night is not my friend

Oh I’m not gonna give into it no
I’m not gonna give into it no no
I’m not gonna give into it no
I’m not gonna give into it

Livvy’s fans spread the word that they wanted to show the Aussie icon she was in their thoughts, and that they knew she wasn’t “gonna give in to it.”

The dedicated fans coordinated to buy the track from Amazon in solidarity on the same day with the hopes of seeing the anthem chart.

Not only did the plan work, but it took the song all the way to number one on the “Pop/Rock” chart.

Those are some great fans for a awesome artist.

Best thoughts to Livvy as she beats this once again and returns to the stage to celebrate her music.

Posted on

Google Doodle Celebrates 66th Birthday Of Gilbert Baker, Creator Of The Rainbow Flag

Google Doodle celebrates the 66th birthday of Gilbert Baker, the creator of the rainbow flag, a symbol of pride and freedom for the LGBTQA+ community.

Baker, who passed away in March of this year, designed the flag in 1978 in San Francisco.

You can see the animated doodle here.

Teaching himself to sew, Baker put his skills to work for the San Francisco gay community, making banners for marches and protests. In 1978 Baker used those skills to create a new symbol for the LGBT Community to replace the pink triangle, a symbol of oppression and devastation from the Nazi’s classification of LGBT people in World War II. Baker’s Rainbow was a more positive and celebratory symbol.

“We needed something beautiful, something from us,” Baker explained. “The rainbow is so perfect because it really fits our diversity in terms of race, gender, ages, all of those things. Plus, it’s a natural flag—it’s from the sky!”

Making the flag was no small task. Baker gathered thirty people in the attic of the Gay Community Center in San Francisco to hand-dye and sew together over 1000 yards of cotton. The modern day rainbow flag features six colors, but the original used eight, each representing a different aspect of the community. The iconic symbol stuck and soon Baker was flooded with requests for more flags.

Baker’s sister, Ardonna Cook, also reflects on his life and legacy by sharing, “Our family is so proud of the legacy of activism and artistry that Gilbert has left to the world. He touched millions across the globe and empowered them to become stronger and more visible LGBT people. Gilbert led a bold and inspiring life by bringing The Rainbow Flag to life and it is that legacy which should guide us in respecting and celebrating diversity.”

Posted on

U.S. Navy Celebrates LGBT Pride Month

President Trump may not have anything for LGBTs during Pride Month, but check this out fresh from the U.S. Navy:

The Navy joins the nation in recognizing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month throughout June.

ALNAV 006/17 encourages participation in all the heritage celebrations and special observances throughout the year. The Department of Defense (DoD) began observing LGBT Pride Month in 2012.

Initially established as “Gay and Lesbian Month” by Presidential Proclamation in 2000, LGBT Pride Month recognizes the accomplishments of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The LGBT community is part of One Navy Team that contributes their diverse talents, skills and service to the strength of the force.

“To remain the finest seagoing fighting force, the Navy needs men and women who are the right fit for the right job regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, creed or gender identity,” said Capt. Candace Eckert, Special Assistant for Inclusion and Diversity. “Our goal is to ensure that the mission is carried out by the most qualified and capable Sailors. If an individual can meet the Navy’s standards, they should be afforded the opportunity to be part of the One Navy Team.”

The Navy is committed to recruiting and retaining top talent regardless of race, class, sex or background. A diverse, inclusive environment allows diversity of thought and innovation to thrive.

In 2016, the DoD instituted a policy change allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military as their preferred gender.

For service members, repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2011 allowed gay, lesbian and bisexuals to serve openly in the United States Armed Forces.

The image above accompanied the news with this caption: Capt. Craig Clapperton, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), speaks about the importance of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) celebration. Theodore Roosevelt is currently moored and homeported in San Diego and is undergoing a scheduled Planned Maintenance Availability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex Millar/Released)

Posted on

Barbra Streisand’s Love Letter To The LGBTQ Community For Pride Month

Billboard asked pop culture icons to write ‘love letters’ to the LGBTQ community, and wow, what a turn out they got.

Check out the letter from superstar Barbra Streisand, long-time LGBTQ ally:

The first time I ever sang for a paying audience was at a gay club, The Lion, in Greenwich Village. I was 18 years old and had never been in a nightclub before. The gay community supported me from the start, and I will always be grateful.

Decades later, I remember sitting in a theater and watching Larry Kramer’s play, The Normal Heart, with tears running down my cheeks. It was 1985 and Ronald Reagan was president and it was heartbreaking to know people were dying while he refused to even say the word AIDS. I wanted more people to see this powerful story about everyone’s right to love, so I tried for 25 years to get it made as a movie. No one would touch it, but thank God times have changed.

Marriage equality is the law and that deserves a toast… to all of us, because we’re all unique and beautiful in our own way and entitled to love and be loved by whomever we choose.

And if you want to read even more letters to the LGBTQ community from folks like Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Dionne Warwick, Kelly Clarkson and Liza Minnelli, click here.

Posted on

French President Macon Trolls Trump On Abandoning Paris Climate Accord – “Make Our Planet Great Again”

President Emmanuel Macon of France

French President Macron denounced Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Check a bit of Macron’s speech today – especially the last line where he trolls the Donald with a twist on his 2016 campaign slogan.

Speaking in English, Macron tells the world to remain “confident” in climate fight.

“We will succeed … [and] make our *planet* great again.”

And here’s a few more reactions via Twitter:

And then there was this on The Weather Channel (click pic to enlarge):

Posted on

Obama: Decision To Withdraw From Paris Climate Agreement An “Absence Of American Leadership”

Addressing President Trump’s announcement to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement today, Barack Obama issued a rare statement calling the move an “absence of American leadership.”

Additionally, Obama zinged, “This Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future.”

Here is President Obama’s full statement:

A year and a half ago, the world came together in Paris around the first-ever global agreement to set the world on a low-carbon course and protect the world we leave to our children.

It was steady, principled American leadership on the world stage that made that achievement possible. It was bold American ambition that encouraged dozens of other nations to set their sights higher as well. And what made that leadership and ambition possible was America’s private innovation and public investment in growing industries like wind and solar – industries that created some of the fastest new streams of good-paying jobs in recent years, and contributed to the longest streak of job creation in our history.

Simply put, the private sector already chose a low-carbon future. And for the nations that committed themselves to that future, the Paris Agreement opened the floodgates for businesses, scientists, and engineers to unleash high-tech, low-carbon investment and innovation on an unprecedented scale.

The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created. I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack. But even in the absence of American leadership; even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got.

The 2015 agreement was adopted by 195 countries seeking to decrease carbon emissions and combat climate change.

Only two other countries, Syria and Nicaragua, are not part of the agreement.

Posted on

Former FBI Director Comey To Testify Before Senate Committee Next Thursday

James Comey

Former FBI Director James Comey will testify before the Senate Intelligence committee next Thursday where he is widely expected to confirm rumors that President Trump asked him to drop an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

From Politico:

Former FBI Director James Comey will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, June 8, regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, committee leaders announced on Thursday.

The hearing will be one of the most highly anticipated events on Capitol Hill in years, after President Donald Trump suddenly fired Comey in May and a flood of news reports followed suggesting that the president tried to get Comey to squash an investigation into former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn.

After an open session in the morning, the committee will then be further briefed by Comey behind closed doors, said Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.).

In addition to Russia’s efforts to influence the presidential election, much of the questioning is likely to center around Comey’s termination, which shocked senators in both parties.

Trump has said that the Russia investigation was on his mind when he fired Comey, though administration officials have also said that Trump fired Comey based on the guidance of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, however, told senators in a closed briefing that it was clear Trump had already decided to fire the former director before asking for Rosenstein’s guidance.

Comey’s appearance will be the first since his firing. The former director agreed to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee several weeks ago, but the committee first had to “deconflict” any of his testimony with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties with Russia.