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Matt Baume: How Many LGBT People Have Won Oscars?

Super smart guy Matt Baume follows up on Sam Smith’s Oscar flub where he mistaken said that no openly gay man had won an Academy Award before.

Sam Smith just won an Oscar and noted that he’s the first openly gay man to win an Academy Award — but wait, that can’t be right, can it? Well, no. Here some of Oscar’s queerest moments — and honestly, I think it’s a GOOD thing that Sam lost count.

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Broadway Legend Betty Buckley Has Had Enough Of The Ugly Political Discourse

Today, my dear friend, Betty Buckley, who happens to be a Broadway legend, put her foot down and declared the political season ugly and undone.

Miss Betty Lynn made it clear the ugliness must stop.

I wholeheartedly agree. Thank you Miss Betty for your clarity of voice and truth.

We are friends, and she knows I love her. Our friendship is based on this, because she lives by her truth.

This. This right here. Read this.

Dear Friends,

I have reached my Tipping Point. This is the worst political season I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. We are at a new and precarious low in our great Country’s history. I believe in free speech and wholesome debate. And the debasing and contemptuous, racist, sexist, homophobic, hate-filled posts I read every day are making me feel very ill.

I cannot abide the distortion of the founding principles of our Country, our Constitution and Christianity itself. While I have many friends here with differing views than my own, I have worked hard to be tolerant and open, and I have shared with you, individually, as respectfully as I am able.

And, now, I need to say this: I will not tolerate any further bashing of President Obama on my page. I will not allow any further mindless, propaganda based bashing of Hillary Clinton. I will not allow hatred or contempt here. That’s one thing I can do. While I have tried to be open to conversation and debate, I now feel that this coming election rhetoric has descended to a new low. I am done! If you post something ugly on my page I will block you. If you show even a shred of disrespect not only for our President and my candidate or any other human being, here, I will block you. Whether or not we have been “friends” online or in person, I simply will NOT allow it.

And I also need to say to my Republican and Right Wing friends: Donald Trump is clearly a narcissistic psychopath. He is a dangerous man! He and/or Cruz would take us back to the Dark Ages. If you aren’t awake to that fact, I ask that you rethink the fundamental human and humane issues. The only way we all win is if we work together to find compromise and treat one another with respect and fundamental courtesy.
I will NOT abide inhumanity or the representation of ignorant, cruel belief systems here.

With respect and love,

Betty Lynn

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News Round-Up: February 29, 2016

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Facebook is teaming up with Australian Marriage Equality so that all 14 million Aussies will have access to a marriage equality banner for their profile pictures.

• It’s Leap Day! Take advantage of your “once every four years extra day!”

• Canadian Prime Minister and all-around good guy will posthumously pardon a man who was sent to prison in the 1960s simply because he was gay.

•The triumphant revival of MISS SAIGON in the West End was filmed and will be made available in cinemas this coming fall.

• You can expect a gay character joining the STAR WARS universe as J.J. Abrams says, “It seems insanely narrow-minded and counterintuitive to say there wouldn’t be a homosexual character in that world.”

• Marco Rubio wins the “race to the bottom” as he suggests Donald Trump has a small penis.

• After ten years of silence, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked a question today.

• Even bestie Joe Scarborough had to dump Donald Trump over the recent David Duke/White Supremacy debacle. Scarborough calls the incident “disqualifying.”

• A journalist covering a Donald Trump rally in Virginia today was choked and body-slammed by Trump security for stepping a foot out of the media pen. Check the bottom right part of the video below:

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Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick Reunite For ” Trumped The Musical”

As is his tradition, Jimmy Kimmel hosted his post-Oscars show on ABC following the annual film awards celebration.

Lots of funny stuff with perhaps the best served up by Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick reuniting as their “The Producers” characters with a new scheme to bilk millions from old ladies and using Donald Trump as the frontman for the job.

The original musical focuses on two Broadway producing con-artists who plot to create a show guaranteed to fail so that they can present it as the next big hit and abscond with the investment funding and profits. In Kimmel’s take, Lane and Broderick are political consultants with a similar plan to profit off the fundraising for a doomed candidate, and they realize that Trump is exactly the kind of “train-wreck, gold-plated nincompoop,” they’re looking for.

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From the producers of “The Producers,” #Trumped starring Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Cloris Leachman and Donald J. Trump…
Posted by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Sunday, February 28, 2016

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Sam Smith’s Gay Oscar Flub

Out singer/songwriter Sam Smith had something of a surprise last night at the Oscars when his song “Writing’s On The Wall” snagged the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

But he kind of fumbled in his otherwise gracious acceptance speech saying he thought he was the first openly gay man to win an Oscar.

Smith referenced an interview Sir Ian McKellen gave to the Guardian recently where he said that, while straight men play gay and win the Oscar, openly gay men don’t have the same results. “No openly gay man has ever won the Oscar; I wonder if that is prejudice or chance,” McKellen said, later adding, “My speech has been in two jackets: ‘I’m proud to be the first openly gay man to win the Oscar.’ I’ve had to put it back in my pocket twice.” He was speaking about gay men in acting roles.

Smith, in his speech, said, “I read an article a few months ago by Sir Ian McKellen, and he said that no openly gay man had ever won an Oscar. If this is the case—even if it isn’t the case—I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world.”

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Oscars: Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith Win Best Original Song for “…
Watch SAM SMITH dedicate his Best Original Song win to the LGBT community. #Oscars
Posted by The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, February 28, 2016

Of course, there have been many openly gay people who have won Oscars in the past: Sir Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Stephen Sondheim, screenwriters Alan Ball and Bill Condon, and many more.

Among those who took to Twitter to correct Smith was another past winner, Dustin Lance Black, who had a mic drop moment of his own:

Smith was eventually told of his inaccuracy backstage, where he still seemed confused thinking he’s only the SECOND gay man to win.

“S–t. F–k that. Two’s my lucky number, so it’s all good. Who was the other person?”

“When I read the Ian McKellen piece I was just bowled over by it. I wanted to take this opportunity to show how much I care about my community,” he said. “In the past in my career people had said that I didn’t.”

Smith also copped to being slightly not his usual self, adding he was “completely overwhelmed. I can’t even speak. I’m a little bit drunk as well.”

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Oscar Winners 2016

A rather predictable Academy Awards ceremony, apart from Chris Rock’s constant hard hitting on the #OscarsSoWhite campaign.

The artists honored for the “Big Six” were all completely worthy for their amazing work.

Probably the biggest upset was Lady Gaga’s loss for “Best Song” to Sam Smith’s Bond film tune. Surprisingly, Smith made note that he was perhaps the first openly gay person to win an Oscar without doing a simple Google search.

Obviously, readers here will know that Dustin Lance Black, Melissa Etheridge, Elton John, and Stephen Sondheim have all previously won Oscars.

Be that as it may, Gaga’s performance was clearly the highlight of the evening.

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Radio Show: Looking Back At The Wild Week In Politics

Check out my latest radio show on BlogTalkRadio.

This episode I look back on the week’s biggest political campaign stories – from the Nevada Caucuses to the South Carolina Primaries to the upcoming Super Tuesday.

Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump both had big weeks but what’s going to happen on Super Tuesday? I take a look at the most recent polls and offer what I think could happen.

And don’t forget that “rock ’em sock ’em” Republican debate this week where Wolf Blizter basically lost control of the debate and the shouting was really something to see. Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz went full-court press on The Donald. Will it work? Too little too late?

And – Donald Trump refuses to disavow being endorsed by a former Ku Klux Klan leader. Will his supporters care? (Answer: no)

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Mya Taylor Becomes First Transgender Actress To Win At Independent Spirit Awards

Congratulations to transgender actress Mya Taylor who took home the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday for her performance in the acclaimed indie hit film, Tangerine.

In her acceptance speech Taylor said, “I have had a long journey through my 2015 because I had come from almost nothing and then got this role and this movie, and my life just did a total 360.”

“There is transgender talent. There’s very beautiful transgender talent. So, you better get it out there and put it in your next movie.”