LGBTQ news and entertainment
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren hit the campaign trail today with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Cincinnati today.
Warren was fiery from the start and didn’t let up. She’s been mentioned as a possible VP pick for Hillary.
Great to see the two together.
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Broadway blockbuster Hamilton is really showing up for the Hillary Clinton campaign by giving an additional performance to the hit Broadway musical with proceeds going to the Democratic presidential candidate.
The Hollywood Reporter has the details:
On July 12, the cast will put on an extra 11:30 a.m. matinee showing in Clinton’s honor. The event is titled “Hamilton: An American Musical with special guest Hillary Rodham Clinton.” Tickets start at $2,700 for a general seat and reach as high as $100,000 for an “event chair” entry, which includes “two Premium Seats and Wrap Party with Hillary and other special guests, and Invitation to the Democratic National Convention,” according to Clinton’s official website.
For $10,000, buyers will score a premium seat that includes a photo reception with Clinton; and for the $33,400 host ticket, donors will sit in a premium seat as well as enjoy the aftershow wrap party with Clinton and guests.
The Tuesday matinee will add an additional performance to the week’s regular slate of eight shows. Despite the fundraiser being held in Clinton’s honor, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and co-stars Leslie Odom, Jr. and Phillipa Soo are not expected to perform as they will be leaving the show following their final performance on July 9.
Ticket prices for the musical have soared as the Broadway hit has gained massive popularity, with premium seats at a current high of $849. Seats on the secondary market are going for as much as $4,000 apiece.
Hamilton’s special matinee showing is presented by the Hillary Victory Fund, as part of its efforts to raise money for the Democratic candidate’s “Hillary for America” campaign.
This could be a huge opportunity for some Hamilton and Clinton fans. Current top ticket price is $849 for best seats, but the show is sold waaaay out. You can buy tickets on the “secondary market” but they are selling for up to $4,000. So, $2,700 could be a deal if you are one of those who expect to donate the max amount to Hillary anyway.
My pockets aren’t that deep, but I applaud the creativity in fundraising.
The U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue of abortion for the first time in nearly a decade, and it’s good news for pro-choice supporters.
Via CNN:
In a dramatic ruling, the Supreme Court on Monday threw out a Texas abortion access law in a victory to supporters of abortion rights who argued it would have shuttered all but a handful of clinics in the state.
The 5-3 ruling is the most significant decision from the Supreme Court on abortion in two decades and could serve to deter other states from passing so-called “clinic shutdown” laws.
Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the majority opinion, which was joined in full by Justice Anthony Kennedy, considered the swing vote on the abortion issue.
“There was no significant health-related problem that the new law helped to cure,” Breyer wrote. “We agree with the District Court that the surgical-center requirement, like the admitting-privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions, and constitutes an “undue burden” on their constitutional right to do so.”
There were two provisions of the law at issue. The first said that doctors have to have local admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, the second says that the clinics have to upgrade their facilities to hospital-like standards.
Donald Trump has previously stated that women should be “punished” for having abortions if it were to become illegal.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton immediately praised the ruling:
SCOTUS’s decision is a victory for women in Texas and across America. Safe abortion should be a right—not just on paper, but in reality. -H— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 27, 2016
Talking Points Memo recaps a heated exchange between Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
During a Sunday panel discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union,” former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) railed against President Obama and complained that Republicans are so frequently labeled bigots.
Brewer was responding from comments Obama made on Friday warning against “charlatans” and “bigotry,” likely referring to Donald Trump.
“President Obama just always comes tearing after Republicans constantly, calling names and calling people bigots and racists. And that’s their big comeback, you know. And it’s absolutely ridiculous,” Brewer said. “To see a president speak like that is offensive.”
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) then jumped in to defend Obama.
“President Obama doesn’t say this about all Republicans. But he did say rightly that Donald Trump is a bigot, Donald Trump is a racist, Donald Trump is, in fact, making fascist appeals,” he said. “That’s why many self-respecting Republicans are not supporting Donald Trump.”
Later, when asked if Trump has said anything offensive, Brewer said that Trump is new to politics and has had to revise some remarks.
I’ve seen this before on the interwebs, but coming across it this morning it stuck with me.
There were a few things I saw here that kickstarted a couple of ‘realignments’ for me.
I’m currently working on a really terrific production of Hello, Dolly! in Sacramento. One of the other folks who’s part of the team in a different department has clearly decided on having some kind of issue with me. I have no idea what it is – we don’t have a huge amount of interaction. But, he’s decided to have a problem.
Last night, during a rehearsal, he made a point of pushing me out of his way while I was in the middle of giving someone a note about dancing. There was no emergency, we weren’t in a performance. He just decided to push me out of his way.
My initial reaction was to pull him aside and address the issue in the moment. Who am I kidding? My first thought was to shove him back. But I was busy doing my job.
The incident stuck with me though. I went in and out of options: Should I have punched him? Should I take this to the producer? Should I make preparations for constructing a virulently angry voodoo doll?
Then I woke up to this list of common sense and realized I don’t need to “do” anything. This guy is on his own journey, and the best way for me to cope with the intersection of his issues on my path is to “Don’t argue” and “Be kind to unkind people.”
I’m not a saint. I’d still like to shove him back. But it wouldn’t fix his issues or my issues with his issues. The second I read the above list, it was easy to let it go.
Did I mention this production of Hello, Dolly! is looking really awesome? I love my theater tribe.
Don’t sweat the small stuff; it’s all small stuff.
Forward.
Happy Monday!
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton surprised NYC Pride Parade goers today as she became the first presumptive presidential candidate of a major party to walk in an LGBT Pride Parade.
She was joined by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Rev. Al Sharpton and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Estimates put attendance of this year’s NYC LGBT Pride events at around 2 million.
By the way – don’t come at me with the “she used to be against gay marriage” BS. It took me years to deal with the fact that I was gay. Hillary evolved and she’s there now, loud and proud. She mentions LGBT rights in every speech or appearance she makes. I believe her, and #ImWithHer.
Presumptive Republican candidate and New Yorker Donald “Better for the Gays” Trump was not in attendance.
From the Washington Blade:
Clinton joined attendees near the landmark Stonewall Inn, where in 1969 riots began that were considered the start of the modern LGBT rights movement. President Obama named a national monument in New York City on Friday in honor of the riots.
It’s not the first time Clinton has participated in a Pride event. In 2000, Clinton marched in the New York City Pride parade during her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in New York, marking the first-time ever a first lady participated in a Pride celebration.
H I L L A R Y ! ! ! pic.twitter.com/cFtoEP7klf— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) June 26, 2016
‘It’s Hillary!’ People are elated that @HillaryClinton is at #NYCPride #NYCPrideParade pic.twitter.com/lbfvuk1Ry4— William Mathis (@MathisWilliam) June 26, 2016
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 26, 2016
In a head-to-head general election matchup, Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump 51% – 39% among registered voters nationwide, according to the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll:
This is Clinton’s largest lead in Post/ABC polling since last fall, and a dramatic reversal from last month’s survey, which found the race nearly even, with Trump at 46 percent and Clinton at 44 percent.
The same poll showed President Obama’s approval rating at 56% — its highest level in Washington Post polling since May 2011, after the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Obama is more popular now than Republicans George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush in the waning months of their presidencies.
Additionally, the June 20-24 Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed Clinton in double-digits over Trump 46.6% – 33.3%.
New music from dance diva Kristine W – just in time for Pride, the appropriately titled “Out There.”
If you’re in Seattle, don’t miss KW at Seattle Pride Fest today at 2PM!
I hope everyone gets their Pride on. Dance, kids!
Now you KNOW I’m seeing this in July. Not to be missed.
Via press release:
Broadway’s daring musical sensation Grey Gardens — The Musical arrives at the Ahmanson Theatre starring the fabulous Rachel York (Broadway’s City of Angels) and the legendary Betty Buckley (Tony Award®-winning Grizabella in Cats).
Based on the cult classic documentary and directed by Michael Wilson, this haunting and often hilarious musical recounts Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ most eccentric relatives’ fall from society darlings to notorious recluses in their crumbling East Hampton estate.
Grey Gardens — The Musical was hailed as Time magazine’s number one show of the year and garnered 10 Tony Award nominations when it premiered on Broadway in 2006.
Center Theatre Group’s production at the Ahmanson is the Los Angeles debut of Grey Gardens — The Musical.