Category: Uncategorized

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Trump Continues To Fixate On Electoral College Win

According to the New York Times, President Trump continues to stew and sulk that he has not received the credit nor the celebration he feels he deserves for landing in the White House.

In the small dining room next to the Oval Office where he works much of the time, President Trump keeps a stack of color-coded maps of the United States representing the results of the 2016 election. The counties he won are blotchy red and span most of the nation.

Mr. Trump sometimes hands the maps out to visitors as a kind of parting gift, and a framed portrait-size version was hung on a wall in the West Wing last week. In conversations, the president dwells on the map and its import, reminding visitors about how wrong the polls were and inflating the scope of his victory.

At the root of Mr. Trump’s unpredictable presidency, according to people close to him, is a deep frustration about attacks on his legitimacy, and a worry that Washington does not see him as he sees himself.

As he careens from one controversy to another, many of them of his own making — like his abrupt decision to fire the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, who was leading an investigation into the president’s associates — Mr. Trump seems determined to prove that he won the election on his own. It was not Russian interference. It was not Mr. Comey’s actions in the case involving Hillary Clinton’s emails. It was not a fluke of the Electoral College system. It was all him.

At times even Trump seems astounded that he is the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Celebrating the House vote on Trumpcare legislation a week ago in the White House Rose Garden, he asked Republican lawmakers, “How am I doing? Am I doing O.K.? I’m president. Hey, I’m president. Can you believe it?”

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When That Extramarital Affair Pays Off

Newt and Callista Gingrich

CNN is reporting that Callista Gingrich, wife of former Speaker of the House Newt and serial adulterer Newt Gingrich, is the front runner to become the next ambassador to the Vatican.

According to White House officials, the decision to nominate Gingrich has been made, the only issue left to decide is when to make the official announcement. The only snag at the moment appears to be pending approval from the Office of Government Ethics.

The White House hopes to formally nominate Gingrich as soon as this week.

Gingrich has shared in interviews that she considers herself a devout Catholic, saying she has “always been a very spiritual person.”

You may recall that the “very spiritual” Callista Gingrich testified in 1999 during divorce proceedings that she had been having a six year affair with Newt Gingrich while he was married to his second wife, Marianne.

#SanctityOfMarriage #Spiritual #DevoutCatholic

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Tony Award Preview: “War Paint” Starring Patti LuPone & Christine Ebersole

Tony Award winners Christine Ebersole (L) and Patti LuPone (R)

Via BroadwayWorld:

War Paint, the new Broadway musical about cosmetic doyennes Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, earned four Tony nominations, including for its stars, Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone.

Today, CBS SUNDAY MORNING’s Richard Schlesinger sat down with the actresses, along with author Lindy Woodhead, in a behind-the-scenes story.

War Paint tells the remarkable story of cosmetics titans Helena Rubinstein (Patti LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Christine Ebersole), who defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th Century.

Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both women were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the country’s first major female entrepreneurs. They were also fierce competitors, whose 50-year tug-of-war would give birth to an industry that would forever change the face of America.

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White House: “The President Cannot Imagine That Russia Is Pleased” About North Korea Missile Test

From The New York Times:

North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Sunday, the first test since a new president took office in South Korea this past week and called for dialogue with the North.

The missile took off from the northwestern city of Kusong and flew more than 430 miles before landing in the sea between North Korea and Japan, the South Korean military said in a statement. Data on the launch was still being analyzed by the South to determine the type of missile.

Saying that North Korea had been “a flagrant menace for far too long,” the White House said in a statement late Saturday in Washington that the test served “as a call for all nations to implement far stronger sanctions” against Pyongyang.

“The United States maintains our ironclad commitment to stand with our allies in the face of the serious threat posed by North Korea,” the statement said.

It also noted that the missile had fallen closer to Russia than Japan, adding that “the president cannot imagine that Russia is pleased.”

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“The Flash” Star Keiynan Lonsdale Comes Out As Bisexual

Keiynan Lonsdale, currently appearing as “Kid Flash” on the CW’s The Flash, came out as bisexual in a earnest Instagram post this weekend.

Lonsdale began his post, “I like to change my hair, I like to take risks with how I dress, I like girls, & I like guys (yes), I like growing, I like learning, I like who I am and I really like who I’m becoming.”

He added, “I’ve become bored of being insecure, ashamed, scared… no one should feel like that about themselves, especially when there is so much good life to live.”

I like to change my hair, I like to take risks with how I dress, I like girls, & I like guys (yes), I like growing, I like learning, I like who I am and I really like who I’m becoming. Spent way too many years hating myself, thinking I was less valuable because I was different.. which is just untrue. A couple years ago I was able to accept myself, & it saved my life, but now I’ve gotten to a new road block & I feel kind of lost. I gotta take the next step & actually embrace who I am, which is pretty exciting. Not faking shit anymore, not apologising for falling in love with people no matter their gender. I’ve become bored of being insecure, ashamed, scared… no one should feel like that about themselves, especially when there is so much good life to live. Ya know more & more I see so many young people being their best / truest selves, it’s fucking inspiring… so what have I been waiting for!? Who knows. Everyone in their own time. I hope we can all learn to embrace who we are & not judge people who aren’t exactly the same as us. The truth is we are all family, we’re all one. Just love. Keiy. ❤
A post shared by Keiynan Lonsdale 🥀 (@keiynanlonsdale) on May 12, 2017 at 11:17pm PDT

Out producer Greg Berlanti, who created The Flash, has hired several out actors for the super-hero series including Victor Garber (Martin Stein/Firestorm), Wentworth Miller (Captain Cold), and Andy Mientus (Pied Piper).

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“Sean Spicer” And “Donald Trump” Make Out In SNL Sketch

Melissa McCarthy as “Sean Spicer” and Alec Baldwin as “Donald Trump”

With Melissa McCarthy returning to Saturday Night Live for her 5th appearance as host, fans immediately hoped for a reprisal of her wild and wacky version of White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer.

Not only did SNL deliver more “Spicey” Spicer, but we got a double-team with Alec Baldwin’s “President Trump.”

In the skit, an embattled “Spicer” returns to the press podium at the White House to explain that Trump had nothing to do with Russian interference during the 2016 election.

“Let me just put this whole Russian thing to bed once and for all: Trump is innocent. How do we know? Because he told us so. Period. Then he hired lawyers to agree with him. And they’re gonna prove it with a certified letter which you know is the truth because it costs an extra $2 to have it certified.”

But “Spicey” is quickly informed by White House press correspondents that Trump is prepping to replace him with press side-kick Sarah Huckabee.

Immediately hitting the road (via his podium), the press secretary sets out to find his boss and directly ask about the possible firing.

But Baldwin’s Trump demures, “Sean, come on, I would never do that. She doesn’t have your special spice—salt and pepper, a little bit of sugar.” Then, switching gears, Trump pleads, “Sean, kiss me.”

“No, I’m married,” Spicer argues. “I can’t, I have a wife, I took vows!”

“I’m famous, it’s okay,” Trump says.

I’m amazed the Trumpster hasn’t issued one of his Twitter rants yet.

Watch the segment below.

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Podcast: “Sex Tips For Straight Women From A Gay Man” With Jai Rodriguez & Kendra Wilkinson

In this episode of The Randy Report podcast, Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, The Producers, RENT) and Kendra Wilkinson (Kendra on Top, The Girls Next Door) chat about their new production of the hit off-Broadway play Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man coming to the Las Vegas Strip this month.

The play is good, clean, naughty, interactive fun, so what’s not to like?

I talk with Jai and Kendra about the play, what audiences can expect, and why gay men and straight women make such great team mates in life.

Plus, with 2017 being the 10th anniversary of the finale of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, I ask Jai his thoughts on the newly announced Netflix reboot of the iconic Emmy Award winning show.

For audiences either in or coming to Las Vegas, Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man will perform nightly (except Wednesdays) at Paris Las Vegas beginning Saturday May 27 at 7 p.m. with additional 11 p.m. shows Friday and Saturday nights. For now, the production is slated for a 12 week limited engagement, but you never know… Tickets are now on sale at the Caesars.com website.

Hit the play button below to listen to the very charming Jai and Kendra:

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Out Music: Jeb Havens’ Gorgeous Cover Of Lorde’s “Liability”

Jeb Havens

Back from a year-long trek around the world (I actually caught him in concert in Puerto Vallarta last month), uber-talented Jeb Havens was quick to start recording new music.

And here’s his first new track – a cover of Lorde’s “Liability.”

I’m sooooo excited that Lorde has new music coming out! I absolutely adore her and can’t wait to hear the rest of this album in a few weeks. I heard this beautiful, dark, and emotional pre-released single and it immediately resonated with me, and I couldn’t get it out of my head until I recorded it in my closet.

Listen to the powerful yet sensitive reading of “Liability” below. You can find Haven’s music on iTunes here.

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Fox TV Chooses RENT As Next Live Action Musical

Broadway smash-hit musical RENT, winner of 4 Tony Awards, will be Fox TV’s next live action musical production.

From Variety:

“Rent” tells the story of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams during a time of great social and political turmoil, under the shadow of AIDS. Set in New York City’s gritty East Village, the show is a re-imagining of Puccini’s “La Bohème.”

With the estate of the late original playwright Jonathan Larson, Marc Platt — who worked on Fox’s “Grease: Live” musical,” “La La Land” and “Wicked” — will executive produce the event. Other executive producers are Adam Siegel, Julie Larson, Al Larson and Revolution Studios’ Vince Totino, Scott Hemming and Marla Levine.

More details and casting will be announced later. No premiere date has been set for “Rent.”

The live musical trend at the broadcast networks started in recent years at NBC, which kicked off the craze with Carrie Underwood’s “Sound Of Music Live,” which was then followed by “Peter Pan Live,” “The Wiz Live,” and most recently, “Hairspray Live.” In the works at NBC is “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which will air on Easter Sunday 2018, plus “A Few Good Men” and “Bye Bye Birdie,” both of which do not have airdates yet. Later this month, ABC will air a TV movie of “Dirty Dancing,” though the project is not live.

I was on Broadway the year RENT opened, and I remember it was all anyone could talk about. It was the coolest thing anyone had seen on the Great White Way (until the next coolest thing came around).

The show features leading characters in same-sex relationships as well as shining a bright spotlight on the AIDS epidemic. For it’s time, it was quite the groundbreaking piece of theater.

Watch the original Broadway cast perform on the 1996 Tony Awards below.

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NY Times: Possible White House Shakeup In The Works

President Trump


The New York Times reports that a major shakeup could be in the works for the Trump administration.

Mr. Trump is growing increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of his chief of staff, Reince Priebus; the communications director, Michael Dubke; and Mr. Spicer, a Priebus ally, according to a half-dozen West Wing officials who said the president was considering the most far-reaching shake-up of his already tumultuous term.

He has been especially critical of Mr. Spicer, they said, openly musing about replacing him and telling people in his circle that he kept his own press secretary out of the loop in dismissing Mr. Comey until the last possible moment because he feared that the communications staff would leak the news.

Mr. Spicer’s blustery style mimics Mr. Trump’s, but people close to both men said he has not developed an especially close relationship with the president and has failed to use the self-protective tools that savvier Trump aides have adopted.

That seems to be changing. On Friday, Mr. Spicer prefaced much of what he said at the daily briefing with, “The president’s statement.” And while Mr. Trump has raised the Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle to allies as a possible press secretary, he has spent several hours with Mr. Spicer this week, praising his television “ratings” during the briefings.