Donald Trump announced today that lawmakers have reached a deal to end the longest government shutdown in the history of the country, and fund the government through February 15.
After 35 days of posturing by the president, the agreement includes zero money for his proposed border wall.
President Trump agreed Friday to reopen the federal government for three weeks while negotiations proceeded over how to secure the nation’s southwestern border, backing down after a monthlong standoff failed to force Democrats to give him billions of dollars for his long-promised wall.
The decision paved the way for Congress to quickly pass spending bills that Mr. Trump will sign to restore normal operations at a series of federal agencies until Feb. 15 and begin paying again the 800,000 federal workers who have been furloughed or forced to work for free for 35 days.
Trump made note during his announcement that he still has “a very powerful” option to get his way (most probably declaring a ‘national emergency’) but didn’t want to use that “at this time.”
It’s difficult to imagine how Trump can spin this as anything other than wasting five weeks and inflicting financial hardship on the American people.
JUST IN: “I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” President Trump says pic.twitter.com/N9OqqLaRwr
Art of the Deal: hold out 35 days to end up where you could have been on Day 1. Only you’ve pissed off the opposition and let down your allies and killed your poll numbers
Pelosi, asked how Trump will handle backdown on reopening government without wall money, gestures toward her office decorations: “we could plant these flowers along the border and he’d say, ‘I got my wall.’ “
To build a wall Trump has: -Delivered primetime Oval Office address -Toured the border -Shut the government down for 35 days -Warned of rapists, murderers, drugs, terrorists coming from Mexico
Right now Trump is folding to Democrats having secured $0 for the wall
And Ann Coulter, who goaded Trump into the shutdown, is furious:
Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States.— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 25, 2019
Roger Stone, a longtime close adviser to Donald Trump, was arrested shortly after 6am this morning at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on multiple charges stemming from the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
In an indictment unsealed on Friday, the special counsel disclosed evidence that a top campaign official in 2016 dispatched Roger J. Stone, a longtime adviser to President Trump, to get information from WikiLeaks about the thousands of hacked Democratic emails. The effort began well after it was widely reported that Russian intelligence operatives were behind the theft, which was part of Moscow’s broad campaign to sabotage the 2016 president election.
The indictment makes no mention of whether Mr. Trump played a role in the coordination, though Mr. Mueller did leave a curious clue about how high in the campaign the effort reached.: A senior campaign official “was directed” by an unnamed person to contact Mr. Stone about additional WikiLeaks releases that might damage the Clinton campaign, according to the court document.
Mr. Stone was charged with seven counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding, making false statements and witness tampering.
A reporter from CNN, David Shortell, had been staking out Stone’s house due to recent activity by the Special Counsel investigation.
According to neighbors, CNN has had a truck out in front of Stone’s house Thursday-Saturday since the midterm elections.
And last week, the investigation was negotiating an appearance by Jerome Corsi’s stepson. His legal team was told to pick a day for grand jury testimony “just not Friday.”
Donald Trump took to Twitter angry that CNN was there to capture the early morning arrest. The Trumpster alleged the Special Counsel’s office had tipped off the media so they could embarrass Stone.
CNN’s ability to capture the arrest of Roger Stone was the result of determined reporting and interpreting clues revealed in the course of events. That’s called journalism. #FactsFirsthttps://t.co/71zu7RylxX
As Stone left his indictment hearing, he struck a Nixon-like pose. Reminding the American people of a disgraced president who lied would seem to be an ‘interesting’ strategy.
As he comes down the steps for his post-indictment hearing news conference, Roger Stone, who was a Nixon campaign aide, strikes the Nixon double V pose. pic.twitter.com/5sWXvthvLs
This morning, Mj Rodriguez (Pose) and Nico Santos (Crazy Rich Asians, NBC’s Superstore) announced the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards nominees via live-stream from the Sundance Film Festival.
As announced yesterday, Bohemian Rhapsody was removed from consideration due to fresh allegations of sexual abuse by director Bryan Singer.
I’m thinking that makes Love, Simon the front-runner for Outstanding Film – Wide Release, and that’s a good thing 🙂
Also glad to see that conversion therapy movies The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Boy Erased earned nominations.
The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.
The ceremonies, which fund GLAAD’s work to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance, will be held in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 28 at The Beverly Hilton, and in New York on Saturday, May 4 at the Hilton Midtown.
Please find a complete list of nominees below.
Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Blockers (Universal)
Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros.)
Deadpool 2 (20th Century Fox)
The Girl in the Spider’s Web (Sony Pictures)
Love, Simon (20th Century Fox)
Outstanding Film – Limited Release
1985 (Wolfe Releasing)
Boy Erased (Focus Features)
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight)
Disobedience (Bleecker Street)
The Favourite (Fox Searchlight)
Hearts Beat Loud (Gunpowder & Sky)
A Kid Like Jake (IFC Films)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (FilmRise)
Saturday Church (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
We the Animals (The Orchard)
Outstanding Drama Series
Billions (Showtime)
Black Lightning (The CW)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Instinct (CBS)
Pose (FX)
Shadowhunters (Freeform)
Star (Fox)
Supergirl (The CW)
Wynonna Earp (Syfy)
Outstanding Comedy Series
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)*
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
Dear White People (Netflix)
Modern Family (ABC)
One Day at a Time (Netflix)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Superstore (NBC)
This Close (Sundance Now)
Vida (Starz)
Will & Grace (NBC)
*Note: Brooklyn Nine-Nine now airs on NBC
Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular LGBTQ character)
“King in the North” Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)
“Prom” Fuller House (Netflix)
“Service” Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
“She” The Good Doctor (ABC)
“Someplace Other Than Here” The Guest Book (TBS)
Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series
American Horror Story: Apocalypse (FX)
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Life-Size 2 (Freeform)
Sense8 (Netflix)
A Very English Scandal (Amazon Prime)
Outstanding Documentary
Believer (HBO)
Call Her Ganda (Breaking Glass Pictures)
My House (Viceland)
Quiet Heroes (Logo)
When the Beat Drops (Logo)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Adventure Time (Cartoon Network)
Andi Mack (The Disney Channel)
Anne with an E (Netflix)
She-Ra (Netflix)
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network)
Outstanding Reality Program
American Idol (ABC)
I Am Jazz (TLC)
Love & Hip Hop (VH1)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Outstanding Music Artist
Brandi Carlile, By the Way, I Forgive You (Low Country Sound/Elektra)
Brockhampton, Iridescence (RCA)
Christine and the Queens, Chris (Because Music)
Hayley Kiyoko, Expectations (Atlantic)
Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer (Bad Boy Records)
Kim Petras, Turn Off the Light, Vol. 1 (BunHead)
Shea Diamond, Seen It All (Asylum Worldwide)
Sophie, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides (Future Classics)
Troye Sivan, Bloom (Capitol Records)
Years & Years, Palo Santo (Polydor)
Outstanding Comic Book
Batwoman, written by Marguerite Bennett, K. Perkins (DC Comics)
Bingo Love, written by Tee Franklin (Image Comics)
Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, written by Mark Russell (DC Comics)
Fence, written by C.S. Pacat (BOOM! Studios)
Iceman, written by Sina Grace (Marvel Comics)
Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass, written by Lilah Sturges (BOOM! Studios)
Oh S#!t It’s Kim & Kim, written by Magdalene Visaggio (Black Mask Comics)
Runaways, written by Rainbow Rowell (Marvel Comics)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, written by Kieron Gillen, Simon Spurrier (Marvel Comics)
Strangers in Paradise XXV, written by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
Outstanding Video Game
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft)
The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset (Bethesda Softworks)
Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire (ArenaNet)
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Versus Evil)
The Sims Mobile (Electronic Arts)
Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Mike Pence and ‘A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo'” Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
“NRA Problems, Chicken Bone Problems, Birmingham Problems” Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas (HBO)
“Trans Rights Under Attack” Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
“Troye Sivan Hopes ‘Boy Erased’ Reaches All Parents” The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
“Valedictorian Seth Owen” The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
“Conversion Therapy: God Only Knows” CBS Sunday Morning (CBS)
“Historic Number of LGBTQ Candidates on Ballots This Year” NBC Nightly News (NBC)
“Mississippi Town Denies Pride Parade” Vice News Tonight (HBO)
“Olympian Adam Rippon” New Day (CNN)
“Same-sex Couple Reacts to Supreme Court Ruling” CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (CNN)
“Trump: ‘Looking Very Seriously’ at Changing Transgender Definition” Velshi & Ruhle (MSNBC)
Outstanding Newspaper Article
“He Took a Drug to Prevent AIDS. Then He Couldn’t Get Disability Insurance.” by Donald G. McNeil Jr. (The New York Times)
“LGBTQ Parents Challenge Stereotypes in China” by Sue-Lin Wong, Jason Lee (Reuters)
“‘More Than Fear’: Brazil’s LGBT Community Dreads Looming Bolsonaro Presidency” by Marina Lopes (The Washington Post)
“Pistons’ Reggie Bullock to Transgender Community: ‘I see y’all as people that I love'” by Malika Andrews (Chicago Tribune)
“Transgender Students Asked Betsy DeVos for Help. Here’s What Happened.” by Caitlin Emma (Politico)
Outstanding Magazine Article
“21 Transgender Stars, Creators Sound Off on Hollywood: ‘I Want to Portray These Characters, and I’m Ready'” by Chris Gardner, Rebecca Sun, Lindsay Weinberg, Joelle Goldstein, Bryan White (The Hollywood Reporter)
“Can a Transgender Woman Get Justice in Texas?” by Nate Blakeslee (Texas Monthly)
“Ex-Scientologist Michelle LeClair Says Church Officials Humiliated Her After She Came Out as Gay” by Johnny Dodd, Tierney McAfee (People)
“Lena Waithe is Changing the Game” by Jacqueline Woodson (Vanity Fair)
“They are the Champions” by Katie Barnes (ESPN The Magazine)
Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
Billboard
Ebony
Entertainment Weekly
GQ
Variety
Outstanding Digital Journalism Article
“Across U.S., LGBTQ Christians Try to Change Hearts and Minds From the Pews” by Julie Compton (NBCNews.com)
“Bermuda Same-sex Marriage Ban Means Trouble for Tourism and Cruise Ships” by Ryan Ruggiero (CNBC.com)
“Deadnamed” by Lucas Waldron, Ken Schwencke (ProPublica.org)
“LGBTQ Caravan Migrants Marry While Waiting for Asylum in Tijuana” by Sarah Kinosian (INTOmore.com)
“Workplaces Need to Prepare for the Non-Binary Future” by Samantha Allen (TheDailyBeast.com)
Outstanding Digital Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“I Was Jailed for Raising the Pride Flag in Egypt” by Amro Helmy (Buzzfeed Video)
“The Latinx Drag Queens Spearheading HIV Activism on the Border” by Paola Ramos (Vice.com)
“March for Our Lives and LGBT activism: ‘They’re definitely linked for me,’ says Emma González” by Beth Greenfield (Yahoo! Lifestyle)
“Marielle and Monica: The LGBT Activists Resisting Bolsonaro’s Brazil” by Fabio Erdos, Marina Costa, Charlie Phillips, Jacqueline Edenbrow (TheGuardian.com)
“Trans Model Aaron Philip is Making a Space for Disabilities on the Runway” (NowThis)
Outstanding Blog
Gays With Kids
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
My Fabulous Disease
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
TransGriot
Special Recognition
Nanette (Netflix)
TransMilitary (Logo)
SPANISH-LANGUAGE NOMINEES
Outstanding Scripted Television Series (Spanish-Language)
Élite (Netflix)
Mi familia perfecta (Telemundo)
Mi marido tiene más familia (Univision)
Papá a toda madre (Univision)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine (Spanish-Language)
“Denuncian trabas migratorias contra la comunidad transgénero” Un Nuevo Dia (Telemundo)
“Entrevista con Luis Sandoval para National Coming Out Day” Despierta América (Univision)
“No es fácil en EEUU ser un gay latino” Noticias Telemundo Mediodía (Telemundo)
“La primera escuela para niños transgénero de Chile” Nuestro Mundo (CNN en Español)
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment (Spanish-Language)
“Entrevista con Pat ‘Cacahuate’ Manuel” NoticiasYa Tampa Bay (Univision)
“LAFC Pride Republic” Noticiero Univision Los Ángeles (Univision)
“Madre hispana lucha contra un agresivo cáncer seno” Noticias Univision Arizona (Univision)
“Primera Pareja Gay en Casarse en un Consulado Mexicano” Noticias Telemundo Mediodía (Telemundo)
“Transpesina” Univision 21 Fresno (Univision)
Outstanding Digital Journalism (Spanish-Language)
“Apoyo y recursos para jóvenes LGBTQ y sus familias” por Virginia Gaglianone (LaOpinion.com)
“Así pinta la televisión hispana a los personajes LGBTQ, una representación preocupante” por Daniel Shoer Roth (ElNuevoHerald.com)
“Dallas: Para jóvenes LGBT con DACA, la lucha ha sido salir de dos clósets” por Jenny Manrique (AlDiaDallas.com)
“De la censura a la celebración: la historia de una exposición queer en Brasil” por Ernesto Londoño (NewYorkTimes.com/es)
“Desaliento y miedo en medio de celebración del Orgullo LGBT en NYC” por José Martínez (ElDiarioNY.com)
• An openly gay congressman who is a political opponent of anti-LGBT Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is leaving his job and the country amid death threats.
• In a ‘Hold my Dom Pérignon’ moment, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross (who is a billionaire) says he doesn’t understand why federal workers not getting paid during the Trump shutdown don’t just ‘take out loans’ to feed their families. #clueless
And this is billionaire Wilbur Ross saying he doesn’t understand why federal workers not getting paid during the #TrumpShutdown don’t just take out loans *to feed their families*.
• The Trump Administration has waived anti-discrimination requirements for a federally-funded child welfare agency in South Carolina opening the door for discrimination of LGBTQ and non-Christian people who may be seeking to foster or adopt.
• Citing the recent article in The Atlantic regarding allegations of sexual abuse against director Bryan Singer, GLAAD has made the decision to remove Bohemian Rhapsody from contention for a GLAAD Media Award in the ‘Outstanding Film – Wide Release’ category this year.
• Dido has shared a gorgeous live rendition of her new single “Give You Up,” from her first album in five years, Still On My Mind, out March 8th.
Dido describes the track as “a good break up song, where you’ve been hurt but feel strong.”
“It’s that point in a relationship where you are pulling yourself out of the gutter and deciding that it’s their loss,” she adds. “Which I can totally relate to.”
Having already lost twice in court, the owners of a wedding invitation design firm in Phoenix, Arizona, have appealed to the state Supreme Court to determine if a public accommodation ordinance that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination violates their First Amendment rights of free religion and free speech.
The co-owners of Brush & Nib Studio, Breanna Koski and Joanna Duka, said in an interview with conservative radio host Todd Starnes they are prepared to go to jail if the state’s high court rules against them.
“I mean that’s that’s a possibility that we’re hoping we won’t have to face,” Duka told Starnes. “We’re hopeful that the Arizona Supreme Court will affirm some rights of artists that will never violate our beliefs and our conscience.”
They are being represented at the state Supreme Court by the virulently anti-LGBTQ law firm, Alliance Defending Freedom.
It’s important to note that no gay couple has asked Brush & Nib Studio for wedding services, nor has anyone has filed a complaint against the artists with the city.
The duo decided to file their initial lawsuit, in May 2016, as a pre-emptive strike of sorts against Phoenix’s non-discrimination ordinance.
The Phoenix City Council added sexual orientation and gender identity to its existing ordinance in 2013.
After losing in the Maricopa County Superior Court, the artists went to the state Court of Appeals. And lost there, too.
Now, the Arizona Supreme Court has agreed to hear their appeal.
“Phoenix’s non-discrimination ordinance is about access to goods and services on equal terms. The ordinance does not tell businesses what to write, what to think, or what to believe. The city’s legal team made this point to the Arizona Supreme Court. Four judges have already agreed that businesses in Phoenix must be open to everyone.
“Those legal rulings protect all and confirm that everyone should be treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, or disability. The city of Phoenix will continue to observe these shared community values, allowing the non-discrimination ordinance to protect and respect the rights of all residents.”
(screen capture)
Some LGBTQ activists, like Joe Jervis of JoeMyGod, have wondered aloud if the company might have been created by Alliance Defending Freedom to surreptitiously present a challenge to the Phoenix ordinance.
When their initial lawsuit was filed in 2016, the company didn’t appear to have a physical address. And the artists’ social media accounts were only months old, making it credible that the company might have been created just to file the lawsuit.
The video below, titled “Getting to Know the Artists of Brush & Nib,” was uploaded to YouTube just days before the lawsuit was filed, and the comments section is closed.
Additionally, the video is listed as “Unlisted.”
Now, why have a “getting to know” video be “unlisted” on YouTube?
#ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmm…
In the video, the artists make a point to say their teaming up was a “God thing,” “beautiful things just come from God,” and how “special” they view their work on wedding invitations.
Former Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel (image via FL Dept of State)
Florida’s newly-appointed Secretary of State, Michael Ertel, has resigned on his 16th day in office after photos surfaced of him posing as a Hurricane Katrina victim in blackface, lipstick and fake breasts at a Halloween party some years ago.
“I am submitting my resignation as Florida secretary of state effective immediately,” he wrote in an email. “It has been an honor to serve you and the voters of Florida.”
The Governor’s Office issue a statement: “The governor accepted Secretary Ertel’s resignation.”
“It’s unfortunate. He’s done a lot of good work,” DeSantis said at an event later in the day.
DeSantis explained he accepted the resignation because “I don’t want to get mired in side controversies.”
Garbage people like Michael Ertel will dress in full blackface and mock hurricane survivors WHILE SERVING AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, then turn right around and condemn @RashidaTlaib for using a swear. pic.twitter.com/Ng7ndkvS5J
The photo is apparently from a 2005 Halloween party, eight months into Ertel’s tenure as Seminole County supervisor of elections and just two months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans.
The Tallahassee Democrat calls the photos “the sole blemish on a seemingly spotless public career, highlighted by a record of increasing voter registration and making the elections office more accessible to the public.”
#Florida's top elections official, the newly appointed Secretary of State Mike Ertel, just resigned after unforgivably awful blackface photos of him emerged and they're much worse than that. He mocked Hurricane Katrina victims.#ThursdayThoughts#FlaPolhttps://t.co/qpdbbQ6fTU— Grant Stern (@grantstern) January 24, 2019
Do not wear blackface. It is racist and inappropriate. Someone will take your photo and you will lose your job, which you will deserve. (Unless you’re a teenage boy in Catholic school, then, whatevs). https://t.co/aDBn8Rp9k3— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) January 24, 2019
Last Spring, I reported on Napoleon Jinnies and Quinton Peron becoming the first male cheerleaders to dance in the NFL when they auditioned and made the Los Angeles Rams cheer squad.
The 2018 season marked the first time men danced at NFL games as part of the official cheer squads. Jinnies and Peron joined the Rams, and Jesse Hernandez joined the New Orleans Saints cheerleaders.
Other teams, like the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts have had men on their cheer squads but they acted primarily as stunt men, not dancers, lifting the female cheerleaders.
Jinnies, Peron and Hernandez have been getting down doing the same dance routines as the ladies, albeit without pompoms.
Now, with the Rams heading to the Super Bowl, that means more history in the making as the guys are set to become the first-ever male cheerleaders to dance at a Super Bowl.
Quentin Peron, Napoleon Jinnies and Emily Leibert for the LA Rams
The men appeared alongside their coach, Emily Leibert, on Good Morning America today. They say heading to the Super Bowl as part of their first season with the team “feels like a fairy tale.”
“It’s been a crazy 10 months,” said Jinnies. “Dancing hard and really engaging with our community and our team and supporting our players. I can’t believe that we made it to this point, so I’m pretty sure it’s showing off that we’ve been working pretty hard.”
Aye Napoleon, you think Atlanta is ready for us? … NAHHHHHH .. WE’RE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL! pic.twitter.com/oWFAElcw61
When asked what surprised them the most about their first season, “How crazy our fans are,” said Peron. “We have the best fans ever!”
Leibert gushed about how easily the guys integrated into the squad, saying, “Having these two on the team has been really incredible, and to work community events with them to see the way they’ve been embraced by our fans is pretty unbelievable.”
“They’re extraordinary in that they are trailblazers but they are also totally normal teammates,” she added. “They fit right in.”
The guys share that they’ve heard from men across the country “who are so excited to try out!” And not just adults but younger guys who plan to try out for their junior high and high school cheer teams.
Peron and Jinnies are clearly feeling high on life right now, and they should be.
The Super Bowl featuring the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots airs on CBS, February 3 at 3:30pm EST.
NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs new voting reforms into law
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that he has signed new voting legislation into law that brings his state “into the 21st century,” including (finally) allowing for eight days of early voting before an election.
Democrats have tried for years to enact early voting laws, but have been blocked by a Republican-controlled Senate until this new legislature.
• Establish early voting: Enacting early voting will make voting more convenient for voters whose professional or family obligations make it difficult to physically get to the polls, as well as reduce waiting times and ease logistical burdens for poll workers.
• Synchronize federal and state elections: New York State currently holds separate primary elections for state and federal elections. With the addition of a presidential primary every four years and a general election, this means that in some cases New York is holding four different elections in a year. This can be confusing to voters and wastes administrative resources. This bill will unify the federal and state primaries once and for all and ensure that voters only go to the polls once to choose their nominees.
• Provide for pre-registration for minors: New Yorkers are not permitted to register to vote unless they will be 18 years of age by the end of the year, and by the date of the election in which they intend to vote. This bill will allow 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, meaning that a voter will automatically be registered on his or her 18th birthday.
• Universal transfer of registration: When New Yorkers move to a different county, their voter registration does not move with them. This requires the voter to re-register with his or her new local board of elections as if he or she were registering for this first time. This bill will ensure that when a voter moves elsewhere in the state, his or her voter registration will seamlessly go with them.
• Close the LLC Loophole: This bill will close the LLC loophole by limiting political spending by an LLC to a total of $5,000 annually, which is the same limit as corporations. The bill will also require the disclosure of direct and indirect membership interests in the LLC making a contribution, and for the contribution to be attributed to that individual.
The new laws make New York the 38th state to hold early voting.
Emrhys Cooper (Mamma Mia, Vanity) directed and starred in the short film which has been acquired by production, financing and distribution company Dynamic Television.
Gerald McCullouch, of the Bear City movie trilogy and the award-winning web series, Hustling, is also featured in the film.
Anthony Johnston, Emrhys Cooper, Gerald McCullouch in ‘Trophy Boy’
In the short, Cooper plays ‘James,’ who after living as a social media ‘celebrity’ finds out the hard way what real life is like.
The official synopsis:
Trophy Boy is your classic “riches-to-rags” story. It depicts the downward spiral of James – a spoiled, influencer and narcissist, who, based on his social media accounts, appears to have it all.
But, just before his 30th birthday, his much older boyfriend, on whom he was financially dependent, breaks up with him. James now must face reality with no work experience and no idea where to start.
With his sex-addicted best buddy by his side, James takes a crash course in living and sets out to prove that he doesn’t need anyone to take care of him.
He ultimately ends up alienating himself further from reality and comes face-to-face with the bitter fact that if he doesn’t learn to live as an adult in the real world, he’ll never be more than a washed-up, unwanted accessory.
Emhrys Cooper in ‘Trophy Boy’ (photo: Andrey Kopylov)
Speaking to Towleroad last year, Emhrys explained his inspiration for making the film: “Social media has created a generation of self-obsessed narcissists obsessed with self-obsessed narcissists. My goal for Trophy Boy is to say look up from your phone, breathe, observe, and think about what really matters; honesty, integrity and deep sense of responsibility.”
Critics have raved about the film:
“With impeccable dialogue delivery, amazing body language and performance, he (Cooper) consumes the screen every time he faces the camera…The climax is a pure masterpiece in terms of both, acting and story. The dark, haunting depth attained in performance and narration makes ‘Trophy Boy’ worth a watch!”” – Indie Shorts Mag, September 14, 2018
Cooper and Trophy Boy co-star Donal Brophy will executive produce the new series along with Dynamic Television’s Holly Hines.
Dynamic’s list of series include SYFY’s Trapped, Van Helsing, Wynona Earp and Z Nation, East Los High for Hulu, and Madiba on BET.
You can watch the entire 12 minute short film, Trophy Boy, below.
President Trump said late Wednesday that he would deliver his State of the Union address once the federal government reopens, capping a day of brinkmanship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told the president that he was not welcome to deliver the speech in the House chamber while the government is partly closed.
“As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after 11 p.m., hours after he had said he would look for another venue for the speech. “I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over.”
As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an….
….alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber. I look forward to giving a “great” State of the Union Address in the near future!
House Democrats continue to say they are willing to give Trump substantial amounts of money for border security (technology, manpower), just not for his beloved wall.
The Senate will vote to day on two different proposals – one that supports Trump’s demands, one that funds the government shutdown to an end without funding ‘the wall.’
Neither proposal is expected to get the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass, although 3 Republicans – Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), have signaled they would vote for the continuing resolution that would reopen the government.
Speaker Pelosi circled back one more time for clarity:
Mr. President, I hope by saying “near future” you mean you will support the House-passed package to #EndTheShutdown that the Senate will vote on tomorrow. Please accept this proposal so we can re-open government, repay our federal workers and then negotiate our differences. https://t.co/57KMATZZTO
