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NY Magazine: Fox News To Drop Bill O’Reilly Over Sexual Harassment Allegations & Lawsuits


 New York Magazine is reporting this morning that Fox News has decided to cut ties with beleaguered host Bill O’Reilly in light of the many allegations of sexual misconduct leveled at him.

The Murdochs have decided Bill O’Reilly’s 21-year run at Fox News will come to an end. According to sources briefed on the discussions, network executives are preparing to announce O’Reilly’s departure before he returns from an Italian vacation on April 24. Now the big questions are how the exit will look and who will replace him.

Wednesday morning, according to sources, executives are holding emergency meetings to discuss how they can sever the relationship with the country’s highest-rated cable-news host without causing collateral damage to the network. The board of Fox News’ parent company 21st Century Fox is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the matter.

Inside sources say Rupert Murdoch was leaning to keeping O’Reilly as recently as last week, but his two sons have apparently lobbied hard to drop the conservative TV host as news spread that O’Reilly had paid out more than $13 million to end sexual harassment lawsuits.

According to the above article, the powers that be may not give the 21-year Fox News veteran a sign-off show.

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Deep Red Georgia Congressional Seat Heads To Runoff As Dem Leads By 28 Points

Democrat Jon Ossoff

Democrat Jon Ossoff will head into a run off with Republican Karen Handel on June 20 for Georgia’s 6th Congressional seat vacated by now Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

Ossoff fell just short of the 50 percent threshold that would have clinched the seat outright. Ossoff garnered 48.1% of the vote in a heavily Republican district. Handel, who got the second highest number of votes, trailed far behind with 19.8%.

To frame what a big scare this is to Republicans, and to President Trump, Price won his seat last November with 62% of the vote. Mitt Romney won the district by 23 points. But, Trump barely eeked out a win there with a one point margin.

Clearly, the lopsided voting last night was a referendum on the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

Democrats were so engaged in the special election, Ossoff raised over $8.3 million – more than four times his nearest competitor.

Ossoff issued this statement last night:

“This is already a remarkable victory. We defied the odds, shattered expectations, and now are ready to fight on and win in June.”

In a sign of how worried President Trump was about the race, he tweeted four times in less than 24 hours about the race.

This morning, Trump tried to frame the second place showing by Handel as a “win:”

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Trump Bestie Tom Brady Bails On Patriots’ White House Visit

Today, New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady issued a statement announcing that “In light of recent developments,” he will not be able to attend the White House visit with teammates today.

“I am so happy and excited that our team is being honored at the White House today. Our team has accomplished something very special that we are all proud of and will be for years to come. Thank you to the President for hosting this honorary celebration and for supporting our team for as long as I can remember. In light of some recent developments, I am unable to attend today’s celebration, as I am attending to some personal family matters. Hopefully, if we accomplish the goal of winning a championship in the future years, we will back on the South Lawn soon. Have a great day!”

Brady’s wife, Gisele Bündchen, has denied the Donald’s repeated statements that she and hubby are Trump supporters.

Six other Patriots players have announced they will be skipping the White House visit.

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Podcast: Celebrating The Return Of HELLO, DOLLY! To Broadway


 Hello, Dolly! is back on Broadway in a brand new, luscious revival starring the effervescent Bette Midler.

In this episode of The Randy Report podcast, I share some history of the classic Broadway blockbuster including how some songs were once cut, and then, restored to the show.

Who knows the songs “Penny In My Pocket,” “Love, Look In My Window,” and “World Take Me Back?” All were once cut from Dolly – guess which one is back in the new revival?

BONUS >>>Listen in as I share Tony Award winner Leslie Uggams’ performance of one of those “trunk songs,” delivered in spectacular fashion, from when she wore the “red dress” in a major production of Hello, Dolly!

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First Active DREAMer Deported Under Trump Administration

Sadly, we all saw this coming.

A 23 year-old male, who was brought to the U.S. when he was age 9 by his parents, was deported within hours after being detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.

And so, Manuel Montes becomes the first undocumented immigrant with active DACA status to be deported.

From USA Today:

Federal agents ignored President Trump’s pledge to protect from deportation undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children by sending a young man back to his native Mexico, the first such documented case, a USA TODAY examination of the new administration’s immigration policies shows.

After spending an evening with his girlfriend in Calexico, Calif., on Feb. 17, Juan Manuel Montes, 23, who has lived in the U.S. since age 9, grabbed a bite and was waiting for a ride when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer approached and started asking questions.

Montes was twice granted deportation protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by President Barack Obama and left intact by President Trump.

Montes had left his wallet in a friend’s car, so he couldn’t produce his ID or proof of his DACA status and was told by agents he couldn’t retrieve them. Within three hours, he was back in Mexico, becoming the first undocumented immigrant with active DACA status deported by the Trump administration’s stepped-up deportation policy.

“Some people told me that they were going to deport me; others said nothing would happen,” Montes told USA TODAY in his aunt and uncle’s home in western Mexico where he’s been staying. “I thought that if I kept my nose clean nothing would happen.” He asked that the exact location of their home be withheld.

You have to ask, why wouldn’t the CBP officers let him retrieve his wallet to prove his active DACA status?

Montes suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was young which contributed to learning disabilities. But thanks to special ed courses, he graduated from high school in 2013, and has been taking welding classes.

In January, President Trump speaking to ABC News about DREAMers, “They shouldn’t be very worried. I do have a big heart.”

I think all registered DACA immigrants should be VERY worried. This isn’t done yet.

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News Round-Up: April 18, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• Fitness model/trainer Lony Pizzaro makes a great distraction from Tax Day 2017.

• According to Tourism Economics, the U.S. economy could lose more than $18 billion and about 107,000 jobs this year and next year due to President Trump’s travel ban policy.

• New York Magazine says Rupert Murdoch is now leaning towards firing Bill O’Reilly from his luxe Fox News job.

• A new poll shows 61% of adults living in Texas oppose President Trump’s plan to build a wall along the W.S./Mexico border. And yet, they voted for him.

• And speaking of Texas, did you hear the one about the idiot who stole a rainbow flag from flying at a church so he could leave an American flag in it’s place? With the flag was a note reading, “I didn’t agree with your flag so I took it down. If you don’t agree with this one, you can take it down. P.S. there are only 2 (two) genders.” No worries, though – the church figured it would happen some day, and had a backup Pride flag waiting in the wings.

• Even the cops get in on the act at New Orleans’ Easter Parade:

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Kevin Spacey To Host 2017 Tony Awards

According to the Hollywood Reporter, film (“The Usual Suspects,” “American Beauty”), TV (Netflix’s “House of Cards”) and theater veteran (“The Iceman Cometh,” “Lost in Yonkers”) Kevin Spacey has been tapped to host this year’s Tony Awards on CBS June 11th at 8PM ET.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

“I was their second choice for Usual Suspects, fourth choice for American Beauty and 15th choice to host this year’s Tony Awards. I think my career is definitely going in the right direction,” said Spacey. “Maybe I can get shortlisted to host the Oscars if everyone else turns it down.”

Last year’s awards were held at the Beacon Theatre and hosted by Tony winner and Late Late Show host James Corden. The Hamilton-heavy broadcast — in which the hit musical won 11 awards — was the most-watched Tonys in 15 years.

The nominations are slated be announced the morning of May 2nd by Christopher Jackson (“Hamilton”) and Jane Krakowski (“She Loves Me,” “Nine”).

Spacey’s hit Netflix series “House of Cards” returns for Season 5 on May 30, 2017.

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LGBT Activists Request Canadian Authorities Issue Emergency Visas For Gays In Chechnya

Canadian human rights organization, Rainbow Railroad, has announced plans to assist LGBTs in Chechnya who are in danger of detention and torture for being gay.

Via press release:

With recent reports of abductions, detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and deaths targeting gay and bisexual men in Chechnya, a Canadian non-profit human rights organization announced today an emergency response plan to assist those in danger. Founded in 2006, Rainbow Railroad actively assists LGBTQ people escape danger through its global network of safe routes.

“Since we first received initial reports of gay concentration camps being established in Chechnya, Rainbow Railroad immediately re-classified Eastern Europe as a priority region,” explains Executive Director, Kimahli Powell. “This means we’re expanding our on-the-ground contacts as well as increasing our capacity to identify and assess new or alternative safe routes out of Chechnya.”

To assist in this effort, Rainbow Railroad is working closely with the Russian LGBT Network, a non-governmental organization currently leading the campaign to rescue those facing danger in Chechnya. The two organizations will work together to identify individuals who need to be evacuated – with Rainbow Railroad providing direct travel assistance.

“An important part of our emergency response plan is to support the Russian LGBT Network in their rescue campaign,” says Powell. “This includes fundraising to support the organization while allocating resources to increase the number of people we can support in the region.. In addition, we are formally requesting the Canadian government provide direct assistance to those in need by way of emergency visas.”

Donations can be made on the Rainbow Railroad’s official website here.

More about Rainbow Railroad via the official website:

Rainbow Railroad receives hundreds of requests for help every year from countries where LGBT individuals are open targets of violence.

Because the volume of requests is so high, we focus our efforts on assisting LGBT people who have faced physical violence or face an imminent threat of violence, imprisonment, or death.

At any given time, Rainbow Railroad is working on 30-50 open cases, confirming their details, putting them in touch with local resources and helping them identify safe routes for escape. As the situation worsens in many parts of the world, these numbers continue to grow.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Trump Worried As Democrat Jon Ossoff Leads By 25 Points Leading Up To Today’s Special Election In Georgia

Pensive President Trump

President Trump must be worried about the special Congressional election happening in Georgia today to fill now Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s vacant seat.

A Democrat, Jon Ossoff, is leading the pack of 17 running for Georgia’s 6th congressional district seat.

Averaging a 25 point lead in polling, Ossoff would need to win 50% today to avoid a runoff with the second place competitor.

Click image to enlarge

It would be an embarrassing blow to President Trump, and a possible sign of things to come in the 2018 elections, should a Democrat take the reliably red Congressional seat.

Trump’s concerns are evident by his four tweets in less than 24 hours on the election.

While Ossoff has never held office, the 30 year-old has the bona fides to validate his run: grew up in Georgia, earned his undergrad degree from prestigious Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics; was a national security aide to Rep. Hank Johnson; and he interned for Rep. John Lewis.

I watched Ossoff make an appearance yesterday on a cable news channel and was very impressed. He’s clearly in his element.

In theory, Ossoff will lead the pack today. Only question is can he get to 50% and avoid a runoff?

If he’s forced to a runoff, expect all the Republicans to pull together against him, and that could be tough. Republican Karen Handel has consistently held the number two spot in polls. I would imagine she would head into a runoff with Ossoff were he not able to cross the 50% threshold.

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Boyband MeseMoa Is Kissing Up The Place In New Music Video “Shadow Kiss”

Back in the 90s, I was all up for boy bands. Catchy tunes, some smooth dance step, sometimes cute guys – what’s not to like?

But we never saw the kind of action on display by Japanese boy band MeseMoa in their new music video for “Shadow Kiss.”

These guys are practically making out with each other the the whole video. Not that I’m complaining.

Apparently, the guys of MeseMoa have been quite coy about their sexuality since the band began. Asked in 2012 by the media if any of them were gay, the only response given was: “I don’t know.”

Watch below.

(h/t NewNowNext)