Category: Uncategorized

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Boston: St. Patrick’s Day Parade U-Turns, Votes To Allow Gay Veterans Group To March After Backlash

Earlier this week organizers of the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade voted to not allow LGBT veterans group OUTVETS to march in this year’s parade after two years of participation.

After several sponsors and prominent politicians pulled out of the event, parade organizers u-turned today and issued an invite to the group.

From the Boston Fox News affiliate:

“This is something that had to be fixed. This is something that I needed to do,” parade organizer Tim Duross said.

OUTVETS had initially been denied entry because parade organizers said they violated the code of conduct which prohibits ‘the advertisement or display of one’s sexual orientation’ by carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a logo with a rainbow on it.

No word yet on whether or not OUTVETS will accept the invite.

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Las Vegas: Hunky “Dancing With The Stars” Pros Open DANCE WITH ME

Val Chmerkovskiy & Tony Dovolani celebrate the opening of Dance With Me studios in Las Vegas

I’ve long felt the true stars of Dancing with the Stars are the fab professional dancers.

Not only do they come up with the choreography for the celebs, but also the concepts, the lighting and the costume ideas.

And then there’s the fact that the men of DWTS are all so easy on the eyes.

I confirmed that last night when I attended the gala opening of Dance With Me dance studio – the ballroom dance studio chain founded by Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Val Chmerkovskiy and Tony Dovolani.

After years of watching at home, fans can learn the cha cha in private dance lessons, rumba in a group setting, and even mambo at social dance parties. Students at Dance With Me can learn ballroom, Latin, hip hop or contemporary dance moves, and can even take dance fitness classes.

According to press materials, all the instructors are hand-picked by Val, Tony and Maksim. And the space is gorgeous.

I chatted with Val and Tony on the red carpet (Maks’ flight was slightly delayed but he appeared about an hour into the event). Both Val and Tony were way charming, and super-comfortable with their fans.

And speaking of the fans – the line out the door went around the block. Hundreds and hundreds of DWTS die-hards had no problem waiting their turn to get to meet the ballroom boys.

Dance With Me now has nine locations now open across the country.

Val showed he’s also a selfie pro
Me with Val, Tony and hubby Michael on the red carpet
Quick interview with Val and Tony

Just one more question…

Tony Dovolani took plenty of time with every fan

Val Chmerkovskiy had no shortage of personality & charm interacting with fans
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News Round-Up: March 10, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward early Sunday morning. Of course, I have my own thoughts on the subject above.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger is trolling President Trump with rumors of a possible run for U.S. Senate in 2018.

• The Washington Blade, which the New York Times rightfully calls the “newspaper of record for the LGBT community,” is set to launch a west coast sister publication, the Los Angeles Blade.

• The Office of Government Ethics isn’t happy with the White House deciding to let Kellyanne Conway off with just a slap on the wrist after promoting Ivanka Trump’s merchandise line at Nordstroms.

• With a shortage of Catholic priests, the Pope signals he may be open to allowing married men be priests.

• Out singer/songwriter Wrabel follows up his hit “11 Blocks” with new single, “Bloodstain:” “I’m used to wearing my heart on my sleeve but this time it’s bleeding. I would rather love and bleed than never feel love at all.” Watch the lyric video below.

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Trailer: New Live-Action “The Little Mermaid”

As the world readies itself for the premiere of the new live-action Beauty and the Beast from Disney this weekend, audiences get their first look at the upcoming The Little Mermaid.

But, this new take on the deep-sea story is way different tale than Disney’s animated version. This flick draws from Hans Christian Anderson’s original storyline.

So no cartoon “Flounder” in sight, but we do get hottie love interest William Moseley, who starred in “The Chronicles of Narnia” and is currently on E!’s “The Royals.”

In the film, a reporter (Moseley) and his sister (Loreto Peralta) journey to small town Mississippi where they find the long-rumored “Little Mermaid” (Poppy Dayton). From the encounter they learn the fairy tale of a girl born on land with the heart of a mermaid. Along the way, the brother and sister try to save the Mermaid from the owner of a carnival who seems to have a hold on the mermaid’s soul.

The cast also includes Academy Award-winner Shirley MacLaine, Gina Gershon, William Forsythe, and Diahann Carroll.

Watch the trailer below:

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Trump: Unemployment Numbers May Have Been Phony In The Past, But “Very Real Now”

After years of knocking unemployment reports from the Department of Labor Statistics as “phony,” President Trump has a brand-new outlook now that he’s in the White House.

“Don’t believe these phony numbers,” Trump told supporters early last year. “The number is probably 28, 29, as high as 35 [percent]. In fact, I even heard recently 42 percent.”

But when White House spokesman Sean Spicer was asked about the past versus present on the topic of unemployment today, Spicer replied, “I talked to the President prior to this, and he said to quote him very clearly. ‘They may have been phony in the past, but it’s very real now.’”

Watch below.

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GOP: Last February’s 242K New Jobs Was “Disappointing” But Feb 2017’s 235K Is “Great”

The latest jobs report is out from the Department of Labor Statistics and the good news is the effects of the Obama years continues as the U.S. economy added 235,000 jobs, and unemployment fell to 4.7%

The Trump administration, of course, immediately attempted to take credit for the stats. As everyone knows, President Trump’s economic policies have barely begun implementation. Plus, it takes months for policies to begin to affect the economy in a broad, significant manner.

I would note the fact that this February’s numbers (235K) are very similar to the last two February’s stats – February 2015 (238K) and February 2016 (237K). Kind of hard for Trump to take credit when we’re basically on the same track; no real change of direction here.

And then there’s the fact that just last year, Trump called this very same metric for unemployment “phony.”

On February 9, 2016, Trump said in New Hampshire, “Don’t believe those phony numbers when you hear 4.9 and 5 percent unemployment. The number’s probably 28, 29, as high as 35. In fact, I even heard recently 42 percent.”

But, just to show how the Republicans have been spinning job stats for years, take a look at GOP Congressman Kevin Brady’s statements on both February 2016’s jobs report and this year’s.

Funny how 242,000 new jobs were described at “disappointing to see so little growth” in February of last year under Obama, but this year’s 235,000 number rated “This is a great report.”

Check out Brady’s statements below.

Things that make you go “hmm…”

(source)

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Viral Video: Serious Skype Interview Goes Astray

And to think my biggest worry thus far has been my dogs barking in the background when conducting a radio interview.

The toddler rolling in his walker is perfection.

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Tennessee “Don’t Say Gay” Lawmaker Accused Of Adultery With Second Cousin

File this under “Christian Values Hypocrisy.”

Ye who protesteth the loudest, do it the mosteth!

Tennessee state Sen. Joey Hensley, four times married and divorced “Christian family values” crusader, has been named in the divorce filing for a local couple.

According to court documents, both parties in the divorce allege he’s been “having relations” with the wife for three years.

Apparently, having sex with your married second cousin is ok with Jesus, but whatever you do, “don’t say gay.”

From The Nashville Scene:

Hensley, 61, was subpoenaed to appear last week in Williamson County Circuit Court to testify in the divorce proceedings of Hohenwald Vice Mayor Don Barber and his wife Lori. He refused to show up, citing legislative and medical privilege. “I didn’t have time to do it,” Hensley said when contacted on Friday afternoon. “I had nothing to do with the court case, and any testimony I would have given wouldn’t have made any difference.” But according to the sworn testimony of both Barbers, Hensley has been having an affair with Lori since 2014. Lori, 48, is a part-time nurse in Hensley’s medical practice in Lewis County; she is also his second cousin.

Hensley gained national notoriety in 2012 as a sponsor of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would have banned public school teachers from even mentioning that homosexuality exists. During one hearing that year, Hensley commented, “I don’t think Modern Family is appropriate for children to watch” — because it features a married gay couple raising children. This session, Hensley is sponsoring a bill from the Tennessee Family Action Council that would make children created using donor sperm illegitimate — an attempt to make it harder for gay and lesbian parents to establish paternity. He is also a sponsor of the so-called “Milo Bill,” aimed at liberal practices on college campuses.

But Lori Barber is not just a friend or a cousin or a lover — she is also Hensley’s patient. Barber testified in court that Hensley is her only doctor other than a cardiologist, and that she relies on him for recurrent Botox injections. She also said he has regularly prescribed her the hydrocodone pill Lortab — a Schedule II controlled substance — for “chronic back pain,” which she said Hensley first diagnosed after she hurt her neck.

Bolding is mine.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Lady Gaga Goes Undercover As Contestant On “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

Check out this fun clip of Lady Gaga (captured at the invited premiere party) going “undercover” as a Gaga impersonator in the upcoming season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

It looks like the queens are pretty blown away by Gaga’s “impersonation,” much in the vein of Derrick Barry’s “Britney Spears.”

Can’t wait to see the reactions from the contestants when the queens figure it out.

The new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race premieres March 24 on VH1.

Watch the clip below.

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News Round-Up: March 9, 2017

Caleb Reynolds of Survivor

Some news items you may have missed:

• Yes, the new season of CBS’ Survivor began last night. And yes, I watched (big fan). And yes, I have a favorite – the hunky Caleb (above). #woof #TeamCaleb

• Even though the Congressional Budget Office has yet to return a report on the newly introduced American Health Care Act, meant to replace the Affordable Care Act, the two House committees designated to debate and markup the legislation have already approved the legislation to the full House. For comparison, Obamacare took six months from introduction to signing into law.

• Boston’s Mayor Walsh has announced he will not march in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in light of parade organizers booting LGBT veterans group OutVets from the parade after allowing the organization to march the past two years.

• Utah lawmakers have passed legislation that would repeal the state’s “no homo promo” law. All eyes on Gov. Gary Herbert to see if he signs the bill. Stay tuned.

• Despite the howls of conservatives over a rumored “gay” storyline in the upcoming live-action remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, film industry insiders are predicting the flick will break March box office records.

• Watch below as Congresswoman Maxine Waters tells MSNBC that the unverified allegations of compromising video footage of President Trump with Russian prostitutes are “absolutely true.”