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Sexy US Navy ‘First Kiss’ Gets Some Local Backlash But Cheers On Social Media

Bryan Woodington kisses husband Kenneth upon returning home from deploymen
Bryan Woodington kisses husband Kenneth upon returning home from deployment

As is tradition in the US Navy, a lottery is held to determine which lucky spouse will get to receive the ceremonial ‘first kiss’ as sailors return home from a long deployment

Spouses can enter the raffle with the funds donated to charity.

Kenneth Woodington, who works in special education, was the lucky winner meaning he would be first to kiss his spouse, Bryan Woodington, when the USS The Sullivans returned from seven months in the Middle East.

Kenneth told News4Jax, “When he got off the ship, I lost all control, I just dropped everything and I just ran.”

“And I knew I was going to dip him,” added Bryan.

The kiss reminded many of the iconic 1945 Times Square kiss on V-J Day.

In the news report from News4Jax, you can hear the cheers from the crowd.

But some folks just got to hate. And so it was that the news station received some angry emails over broadcasting the same-sex kiss.

From some of the email comments:

How sad that your station has dropped to such a low as to show a gay couple kissing on your newscast. How many people are now trying to explain their young kids why 2 men are kissing, very disgusting.

I’ll never watch your news again!!!! So long, News4Jax.

I thought this was a ‘family friendly’ news channel.

However, the photo of the smooch was also posted to Naval Station Mayport’s Facebook page where the image received overwhelmingly positive response.

From the Facebook comments:

Times have changed when a Gay sailor can welcome home his partner without fear. Welcome home. Life is short love whoever you want to love

Duty, honor, country. Love whomever you want. Semper fi.

I’m not gay and this doesn’t offend me one damn bit. Why should it? Love is love for goodness sake!

Wish my man would kiss me like this!! Just saying…

This is so bad ass

Some folks trolled the few haters with backhanded comments about the weather and fashion sense:

This is digsuting. (sic) The weather should be ashamed of itself looking all gloomy.

This makes me sick to my stomach. White shoes after Labor Day

In the responses, over 500 viewers clicked “Love,” another 250+ clicked “Like,” and only four sad fools clicked “Angry.”

The Woodingtons, who are newlyweds, are aware of the negative comments, but say this moment can be a teaching moment in 2018.

“It didn’t really bother me,” Kenneth said. “Honestly, I’m the type of person who doesn’t really care that much about what people say.”

“My grandmother always taught me, she said, ‘You know some people have a different life and that’s just how they are and you just have to treat them as such, and treat them with kindness and respect,'” Bryan added.

For now, Bryan says that he’s more focused on happiness: “I gave him nothing but love and care and understanding right out the gate, so I think we just fell for each other really hard and we both knew what we really wanted.”

The couple also says the Navy has been nothing but supportive to them as a family.

A spokesman for Naval Station Mayport, Bill Austin, told News4Jax this isn’t the first same-sex kiss and it is not an issue for the Navy. He said the maritime branch of the armed forces “has always been gender neutral and on the forefront of progress.”

Watch News4Jax’s report below.

Back in 2015, I reported on this couple, Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Sawicki and his boyfriend Shawn Brier, who shared a ceremonial ‘first kiss’ in San Diego.



(h/t News4Jax)

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News Round-Up: December 27, 2018

Adult film performer Markie More recently accused his former studio producer of making death threats.
Markie More (image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Adult film performer Markie More (above) recently accused his former studio producer of making death threats.

• Gender-neutral, sexually fluid pop star Miley Cyrus married her hunky longtime boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth.

• According to those who’ve seen a test screening, Disney’s first openly gay character (in the upcoming The Jungle Cruise) never says he’s gay in the film.

• Greater Palm Springs now has its own LGBTQ entertainment and news radio station, K-GAY 106.5FM. You can listen online by clicking here.

• A New York City taxi driver has been suspended and fined for kicking a gay man out of his taxi for – you guessed it – being gay.

• Lawmakers in India have passed a bill banning gay couples from becoming parents through surrogacy.

• Earlier today, McClatchy News reported, “A mobile phone traced to President Donald Trump’s former lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen briefly sent signals ricocheting off cell towers in the Prague area in late summer 2016, at the height of the presidential campaign, leaving an electronic record to support claims that Cohen met secretly there with Russian officials, four people with knowledge of the matter say.”

Cohen has long said he not only didn’t meet with Russians in Prague but that he has never been to Prague. He took to Twitter today to again deny the allegation.

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Emmy Winner Leslie Jordan: “I Wanted To Be The Gay Version Of Hugh Hefner”

Leslie Jordan (image via Facebook)

In a new interview with Attitude Magazine, Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan says he’s enjoying playing it straight on his Sky TV/UK series, Living The Dream, because he’s been the ‘go-to gay guy’ for so long.

In Living The Dream, Jordan plays ‘Aiden,’ a resident of a caravan park in Florida. The character is straight, which Jordan finds refreshing.

“I like it because it’s different,” says the 63-year-old. “This season I have a flirtation with Paula Wilcox. Last season, I was desperately in love with Jen, played by Lesley.”

“I like that because I tell you, in the US I’m the go-to gay guy,” he adds. “The all-gay men, the all-gay queen. You need an old sissy called Leslie? I’m there.”

Jordan also likes that the casting director took him to lunch and pursued him (“That doesn’t happen a lot”).

With appearances on Will & Grace (“We’re doing more”), his new FOX TV series The Cool Kids, plus Living The Dream, Jordan candidly declares, “I got rich for the first time ever. I got money.”

Attitude follows up on that imagining the “rich” part would have come with Will & Grace?”

Nope.

Sean Hayes & Leslie Jordan on 'Will & Grace'
Sean Hayes & Leslie Jordan on ‘Will & Grace’

“I was making $7,500 an episode which is starting salary,” says Jordan. “And they were making $750,000 – I made one per cent.”

Even though he won the Emmy (“I didn’t win the Emmy until the show was off the air”), he laments that he didn’t get to cash in on the big success of the show.

And Jordan had some big dreams.

“When I got to Hollywood, I wanted a big house up in the Hollywood Hills and I wanted to be the gay version of Hugh Hefner,” the actor told Attitude. “I wanted seven twinkly blond boys in their thongs all over me and I wanted everyone to come to my house on Sunday and have brunch. But my life is so not that!”

That’s ok, Leslie, I think you are “so that!”

Living The Dream returns to the air in UK January 8 on Sky TV, and The Cool Kids airs Thursdays on Fox at 8:30pm.

(h/t Attitude)

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Funny: What If Kevin Spacey Turned To Infomercials?

There’s lots of news going on around the upcoming January arraignment of Oscar winner Kevin Spacey regarding allegations of sexual assault.

Ever since the explosion of reports of inappropriate sexual misconduct began over a year ago, the bad press has made employment options for Spacey understandably slim.

His agents fired him, his publicist fired him, his manager fired him. I mean, what’s he gonna do?

Perhaps there’s work to be had as… an infomercial pitchman?

That’s what the funny folks at VegBurger envision in this neatly-edited parody video which riffs off Spacey’s recent creepy YouTube video

Watch as Spacey extols the virtues of “Stiff Cup” – a nearly indestructible coffee mug – as “too strong, too powerful.”

The Stiff Cup is also, apparently, very easy to use (“Wouldn’t that be easy? If it was all so simple?”).

For the low, low price of $49.95, you not only get your own Stiff Cup – wait, there’s more – but a beautiful ‘designer ring’ just like the one worn by Spacey in House of Cards.

Watch the clever clip below.

(h/t Towleroad)

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Netflix: Season 5 Of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Gets Even More Gay (Yay!)

Noah Reid and Dan Levy in 'Schitt's Creek'
Noah Reid and Dan Levy in ‘Schitt’s Creek’

We’re so excited for the new trailer for the upcoming 5th season of the Netflix series Schitt’s Creek.

In case you haven’t been watching the show (and you really should be), the series follows the Rose family, a formerly wealthy family (video store magnate Johnny and soap opera star wife Moira) who find they’re almost broke after an employee embezzles their money.

The only asset they are left with turns out to be ownership of a small town, named Schitt’s Creek, Johnny bought years ago as a joke.

The Roses are forced to relocate to the small town with their two spoiled children, daughter Alexis and uber-gay son David, leaving their pampered, wealthy lives behind.

Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara star as the parents, and Levy’s real-life son Dan Levy co-created the series and plays David alongside Annie Murphy’s Alexis.

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Speaking to the Toronto Star, Dan (who’s openly gay) shared that the fan base for the series is very wide ranging – from seniors to teens, from Democrats to Republicans.

In fact, he says “some of the most touching feedback” has come from conservative, religious viewers who’ve never “understood” the LGBTQ community.

They’d never had an in to that world before, and they’ve fallen in love with the characters,” says Dan. “If we can continue to open people’s eyes to realize that everyone’s deserving of love, that’s a wonderful thing.”

He also celebrates the creative freedom he and the show’s creative staff has enjoyed in exploring gay storylines.

From The Toronto Star:

“As a gay person to tell these stories and to have no questions asked and no notes from network and to feel completely uninhibited in saying, ‘This is a gay couple on TV; they’re going to kiss like any straight couple would” — it’s amazing.

“Gay relationships have historically not been treated the same as straight relationships. You don’t see the same kind of sexuality, intimacy, kissing, because it’s been considered taboo or headline-grabbing for so long. I love that we’ve been able to just tell a relationship as it is, as it exists, for me, for my friends, for people I know, for people out in the world, that doesn’t come with a lesson to be learned. It’s just two people loving each other.”

Calling the show’s 4th season a “midpoint,” Levy feels the series has a “whole half a football field to go” in exploring Schitt’s Creek’s characters.

Season 5 of Schitt’s Creek drops on Netflix January 16. Watch the trailer below.

(h/t Toronto Star)

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Trump Visits Troops In Iraq, Lies About Pay Increase, Reveals Navy Seal Team & Pisses Of Iraq

Donald Trump speaks to troops in Iraq

So, to give credit where credit is due, Donald Trump finally visited US troops in a combat zone for the first time since taking office.

Trump flew to Iraq for a few hours yesterday to meet and take photos with military service members.

However, while speaking to the troops, he lied to the soldiers he says he loves so dearly saying he had given them their first pay raise in ten years (nope) and it was a 10% raise (nope).

“You protect us. We are always going to protect you. And you just saw that, ’cause you just got one of the biggest pay raises you’ve ever received. You haven’t gotten one in more than 10 years. More than 10 years. And we got you a big one. I got you a big one. I got you a big one.”

“They had plenty of people that came up, they said, ‘You know, we could make it smaller. We could make it 3%, we could make it 2%, we could make it 4%.'”

“No. Make it 10%. Make it more than 10%. Cause it’s been a long time, it’s been more than 10 years. Been more than 10 years, that’s a long time.”

HuffPost has the facts:

In fact, military members have seen a pay raise in each of the last 10 years, ranging from 1 percent to 3.9 percent, according to the Defense Department. They even saw pay bumps when other federal workers were subjected to a three-year pay freeze in the wake of the Great Recession.

The pay increase for 2019 passed by Congress and signed by the president in August will be 2.6 percent, the largest since 2010. It is not far above last year’s raise for troops, which was 2.4 percent.

Trump also appeared to have compromised the mission of a Navy Seal team by tweeting video of the team without blurring their faces which a break from protocol designed to keep secret locations of special forces secret.

Newsweek reports, “The president’s video posted Wednesday did not shield the faces of special operation forces. Current and former Defense Department officials told Newsweek that information concerning what units are deployed and where is almost always classified and is a violation of operational security.”

And finally, Trump managed to piss off the Iraqis.

From Rolling Stone:

The nation’s lawmakers called the trip an infringement on its independence, as Trump failed to stop by Baghdad or meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. “Trump’s visit is a flagrant and clear violation of diplomatic norms and shows his disdain and hostility in his dealings with the Iraqi government,” read a statement from Iraqi parliament’s Bina bloc.

Just remember I gave him credit for at least visiting the troops.

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Michelle Obama Named “Most Admired Woman In America”

Michelle and Barack Obama named "Most Admired" in America
Michelle and Barack Obama named “Most Admired” in America



Gallup reports that for the first time in 17 years, a woman other than Hillary Clinton tops the list of women Americans admire most.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, who finished second to Clinton three times and is currently touring to promote her recently released autobiography, won by a significant margin this year. Oprah Winfrey was second, with Clinton and Melania Trump next.

Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama was the winner among men for the 11th consecutive year, including one year as president-elect, eight as president and two as former president. President Donald Trump ranks second for the fourth year in a row.

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Adam Lambert Brought Cher To Tears With Spectacular ‘Believe’ At Kennedy Center Honors

Adam Lambert sings in tribute to Cher at 2018 Kennedy Center Honors

Last night, CBS aired this year’s Kennedy Center Honors which recognizes those in the performing arts for a lifetime of achievement.

This year’s honorees included Cher, Reba McEntire, composer Philip Glass and jazz legend Wayne Short.

And, for the first time, the Kennedy Center honored a groundbreaking work of art: Hamilton. The blockbuster Broadway musicals creators – Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler and Alex Lacamoire – received special honors for their work.

Many spectacular performances were thrown down during the telecast, but it was the tribute to Oscar & Grammy winner, Cher, that left the audience wiped out.

Whoopi Goldberg, in a sequin dress perfect for the moment, took to the stage to offer spoken tribute to the goddess.

Little Big Town rocked a medley of “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “I Found Someone” and “Baby Don’t Go;” the indomitable Cyndi Lauper laid down her take on “(If I Could) Turn Back Time” as well as dueting with Adam Lambert for a show-closing “I Got You Babe.”

Cyndi Lauper (screen capture)

But Adam Lambert’s intimate-to-soaring performance of Cher’s iconic “Believe” was ‘the’ moment of the night.

Set in an orchestral soundscape, Lambert turned the 1998 dance hit into an stunning, emotional pop anthem with diva-worthy vocals building to the American Idol alum’s signature high notes.

Cher took to Twitter after the telecast to express her feelings about the tribute.

“Tried 2 write Feelings About Adam Lambert Singing Believe In Words, but Cant seem 2,” Cher shared on Twitter. “When Your senses are Overwhelmed All Can you feel with your [heart].”

“I Was Shocked AND Over The MOON When Cindi (Lauper) came out Rocking the house,” the diva continued. “Shocked Because SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS IN LA, & Over The Moon Because My Friend CINDI Is One Of Our ‘Great’ Singers. When Adam & Cindi Sang Together It=Heaven. ‘Little Big Town’ Were Adorable, & Harmonies. Amanda Was Genuine & Dear & When Whoopi Came Out In ”Cher Outfit” She brought Down House.”

Lambert tweeted back, “It was a total honor!!!! You’re a goddess!”

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News Round-Up: December 26, 2018

Do not forget to watch the Kennedy Center Honors tonight on CBS at 8pm as Cher, Philip Glass, Reba McEntire, and Wayne Shorter receive the 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors. Hamilton co-creators Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler, and Alex Lacamoire receive a special Honors for groundbreaking work.
The 2018 Kennedy Center Honors air tonight on CBS at 8pm

Some news items you might have missed:

• Do not forget to watch the Kennedy Center Honors tonight on CBS at 8pm as Cher, Philip Glass, Reba McEntire, and Wayne Shorter receive the 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors.

Hamilton co-creators Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler, and Alex Lacamoire receive a special Honors for groundbreaking work.

• An unhinged Catholic priest claimed Satan designed the Pride flag.

• Legal pot was a popular Christmas gift in California this year as cannabis businesses reported up to 5x normal foot traffic in the days leading up to the holiday.

• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi trolled Donald Trump and his infamous wall telling USA Today he’s now shifted from a concrete structure to “a beaded curtain or something.”

• The transgender teen who was bullied by an assistant principal in a bathroom speaks to the press about the hideous experience.

• A new USA Today/Suffolk University poll asked Democratic and Independent voters who would excited them the most in the 2020 presidential race.

“Someone entirely new” garnered 59%, followed closely by former Vice President Joe Biden (who is the exact opposite of that) at 53%.

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Police Report: There’s Video Evidence In The Sex Assault Case Against Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey

The sexual assault case involving Oscar winner Kevin Spacey includes video evidence of the actor touching the alleged victim’s pants, according to MassLive.com.

As reported earlier this week, Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on January 7.

The former House of Cards star faces one count of indecent assault on a person over the age of 14 after being accused of groping an 18-year-old in a Nantucket bar in the summer of 2016.

The alleged victim is the son of local news anchor Heather Unruh, who came forward last year with the story.

MassLive obtained the State Police report after it was filed with criminal complaint in Nantucket District Court.

It’s worth noting that the alleged assault was reported to police on October 31, 2016, a year before the onslaught of accusations against Spacey that eventually led to his firing from the hit Netflix series House of Cards and being replaced in the film, All the Money in the World.

Among the details revealed in the police report:

The teen was employed at the bar where the alleged incident took place, known as the Club Car, as a bus boy.

He asked a coworker to introduce him to Spacey after his shift.

While chatting, the teen told Spacey he was 23-years-old and the actor offered to buy him a drink.

The teen admitted to having 4-5 beers before Spacey reportedly suggested switching to whiskey saying, “Let’s get drunk.”

As the evening progressed, singing songs at a piano, the boy mentioned his girlfriend of five months to which Spacey alleged responded to by talking about the size of his penis.

Spacey reportedly asked the boy to go back to the where house he was staying, which the teen says made him uncomfortable.

Later, standing in group of people at the piano, Spacey allegedly began touching the teen’s leg, then unzipped his pants and touched him without consent.

The police trooper wrote in the report the teen was uncertain how to handle the situation as he knew he could get in trouble as he was under legal drinking age and he was drinking at work.

The boy admitted to police that he didn’t say anything nor did he walk away during the assault.

As the touching went on for some minutes, he took out his phone and captured video of Spacey groping him via Snapchat and sent it to his girlfriend. The girlfriend has confirmed receiving the video.

Eventually, Spacey went to the bathroom and Unruh’s son told a woman in the bar he thought Spacey was being inappropriate. He then ran home and shared the story with his sister.

The police report notes that the son has attempted to play down the incident, but his sister and mother both feel that response has been a ‘coping mechanism.’

Unruh’s son eventually went to the police and an investigation began.

Interviewing members of the Club Car staff, no one reported seeing any assault although two employees recalled the teen and Spacey chatting. And one remembered the boy looking “pale, blank and a bit frightened.”

As Instinct reported, the day the charges were announced, Spacey tweeted out a link to a bizarre YouTube video. The tweet was his first in a year.

Spacey delivered a monologue to the camera as his former House of Cards character, ‘Frank Underwood,’ saying in part, “But, you wouldn’t believe the worst without evidence, would you?”

In the heat of the #MeToo movement last year, Spacey was accused by actor Anthony Rapp (RENT, Star Trek: Discovery) of inappropriate behavior at a holiday party decades ago when both were appearing on Broadway. Rapp was 14 at the time of that alleged incident.

Spacey responded to Rapp’s accusation by saying he was ‘horrified’ by the story but didn’t remember it. He then offered an apology to Rapp characterizing the episode as what must have been “deeply drunken behavior.”

He also used the apology to finally come out as gay after years of rumors.

During the following weeks, more than a dozen more allegations of sexual misconduct involving Spacey were reported.