LGBTQ news and entertainment
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| Artie O’Daly (L) and Tony Harth (R) |
‘Bad Boy On Probation’ is the third installment of the comedy web series that has almost a million views on YouTube.
“Mack (Tony Harth) gets his “Daddy Scott” (Artie O’Daly) to pretend to be his real dad when a probation officer (Alina Bock) comes for a check in. But Scott gets more than he bargained for.”
I’ve previously shared the earlier “Bad Boy” videos here.
Take a break and check it out below.
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| Aretha Franklin |
Aretha Franklin, the undisputed Queen of Soul, is reported to be “gravely ill” and surrounded by close family members.
From IHeartRadio:
Franklin, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, turned 76 in March. Her last performance was on November 2, 2017 for the Elton John AID Foundation in New York and her public performance occurred at the Philadelphia’s Mann Center last August.
Franklin has struggled with weight issues throughout her life and has battle alcoholism and was a chain smoker for a large part of it.
Rolling Stone once named Franklin the number 1 singer of all time. The American singer and songwriter began her career while still a child singing gospel music at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father was a minister.
In 1960, Franklin was signed to Columbia Records where she only achieved modest success. It wasn’t until she signed with Atlantic Records in 1967 that she acheived commercial success with songs like “Respect,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Think.” By the end of the 1960s, she had become known as the “Queen of Soul.”
(image via Flickr/Joe Ortuzar – CC license)
In this lip-sync video challenge, viewers get a peek into the music video dreams of the Paris Fire Department in Texas.
From Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” to Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder” (under pouring rain, of course) to Aqua’s 1997 hit “Barbie Girl,” its a fun ride watching hunky firemen live their video dreams.
Happy Sunday!
Former reality show personality and White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman has shared that she recorded conversations during her time at the White House including her own firing.
Via Axios:
Former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault-Newman released an alleged audio recording of her firing by Chief of Staff John Kelly in the White House Situation Room during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.
While the White House stated that Omarosa resigned back in December, it was an open secret at the time that she had actually been fired by Kelly — allegedly causing a scene upon her departure from the White House grounds.
EXCLUSIVE: @OMAROSA tells @chucktodd that John Kelly firing was a “threat” pic.twitter.com/y53SZm0uzL— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 12, 2018
Who in their right mind thinks it was appropriate to hire @OMAROSA to work in the White House in the first place? https://t.co/jxXmbwzfMI— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) August 12, 2018
Omarosa! I hear you mentioned me on Meet The Press. Don’t reference me or use my name. Keep my name out of your mouth. You have done enough. Your lies and crazy behavior are catching up to you. Can you say National Security breach? Lawyer up!— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) August 12, 2018
If Omarosa could record the Chief of Staff in one of the most secretive of places in the world, there’s no way career Russian spies haven’t infiltrated the White House or Donald Trump’s unsecured cell phone…Not a chance 😐 https://t.co/RbKrBTWIy3
— UnsilentMajority 🌹 (@The_UnSilent_) August 12, 2018
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| Kathleen Turner |
Kathleen Turner, who starred in hit after hit movie in the 80s and 90s – Body Heat, Prizzi’s Honor, Peggy Sue Got Married, The War of the Roses, Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile – recently shared as only she can in an excellent interview with Vulture.
Along the way, the outspoken actress was asked about her time guesting on the biggest sitcom of all time, Friends, where she played the father of Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). At the time, the approach was highly criticized by the LGBTQ community as homophobic and transphobic.
Apparently, she didn’t feel the cast was “there” for her.
“I’ll be quite honest, which is my wont: I didn’t feel very welcomed by the cast,” Turner says. “I remember I was wearing this difficult sequined gown — and my high heels were absolutely killing me. I found it odd that none of the actors thought to offer me a seat. Finally it was one of the older crew members that said, ‘Get Miss Turner a chair.’”
“The Friends actors were such a clique — but I don’t think my experience with them was unique,” the actress shared. “I think it was simply that they were such a tight little group that nobody from the outside mattered.”
Asked how she viewed the sitcom stars as actors and actresses: “I won’t comment on that.”
It’s a fabulously unfiltered interview. Highly suggested for your reading pleasure.
With Scissor Sisters still on hiatus, frontman Jake Shears continues to journey on solo including a recent turn on the Great White Way in the hit musical, Kinky Boots.
Now, Shears is releasing his first solo album titled – what else? – Jake Shears.
Billboard gushes, “The result overflows with the opulence of orchestral Seventies pop — as if ELO and the Bee Gees got together to make a Muppet fantasia of Cajun rock.”
While the Elton John influence is unmistakable, Shears shares his own musical voice and vision as only he can.
Watch below.
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| Republican Congressman Chris Collins of New York |
Donald Trump’s first congressional endorser, Rep. Chris Collins of New York, was not only investigated, but arrested on insider trading charges.
From CNBC:
Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y. pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon to federal insider trading charges, according to NBC News.
The congressman was arrested earlier in the day on charges that he shared non-public information with family and friends related to Australian biotech company Innate Immunotherapeutics, on which Collins served as a board member.
An indictment released Wednesday alleges that Collins, 68, scrambled to call his son from the White House lawn and share information with him about a failed drug trial, and that his son and others then sold stock based on that tip before the trial results became public.
Collins’ son, Cameron Collins, 25, as well as the father of his fiancee, Stephen Zarsky, 66, were also charged, according to the court filing. All three pleaded not guilty on Wednesday and will be released on $500,000 bond. Collins now must surrender his diplomatic passport and firearms within 14 days.
CNBC has also reported that Collins used campaign donations to pay legal bills while being investigated – probably not what his supporters expected their money to be used for.
Since July 2017, Federal Election Commission records show Collins’ campaign has been paying up to $60,000 per month in legal services to prestigious law firm BakerHostetler.
Collins announced Saturday that he is dropping his bid for reelection.
#DrainTheSwamp
#SwampitySwampSwamp
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| Francesc Gascó |
Some news items you might have missed:
• Paleontologist and athlete Francesc Gascó is pumped for the weekend. #dang
• A record number of LGBTQ candidates are running for public office.
• Fox News host Laura Ingraham got in hot water revealing her racism during an on-air rant saying “massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people” thanks to “both illegal, and in some cases legal, immigration.” Ingraham later recanted saying her message had nothing to do with race or ethnicity.
• The Puerto Rican government has submitted a report to Congress counting the death toll in the wake of Hurricane Maria at over 1,427, much higher than the 64 deaths acknowledged as the current official count.
• Attorney General Jeff Sessions got testy saying the virulently anti-LGBTQ law group Alliance Defending Freedom (representing every anti-gay bigot you can find) isn’t a hate group even though it is.
• Out artist Ryan Beatty drops his latest single, “Powerslide.”
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| The one and only Cher |
Cher’s new album of ABBA cover songs, Dancing Queen, drops September 28.
Via press release:
The Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Award winning icon was inspired to record the album following her stunning performance in the recently-released mega-hit film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Says Cher, “I’ve always liked Abba and saw the original Mamma Mia musical on Broadway three times. After filming Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, I was reminded again of what great and timeless songs they wrote and started thinking, ‘Why not do an album of their music?’ The songs were harder to sing than I imagined but I’m so happy with how the music came out. I’m really excited for people to hear it. It’s a perfect time.”
Dancing Queen was recorded and produced in London and Los Angeles with Cher’s longtime collaborator Mark Taylor, who previously produced Cher’s global smash “Believe” which was number one in over 50 countries.
A co-producer for the upcoming The Cher Show on Broadway, she is scheduled to be awarded a Kennedy Center Honor on December 2nd in Washington DC.
The diva also has an ongoing residency at MGM Resorts.
Dancing Queen track list:
1. Dancing Queen
2. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
3. The Name Of The Game
4. SOS
5. Waterloo
6. Mamma Mia
7. Chiquitita
8. Fernando
9. The Winner Takes It All
10. One Of Us
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| Donald Trump |
Donald Trump couldn’t resist ranting at NFL players who took a knee during a preseason game between the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The NFL players are at it again – taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their “outrage” at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love……— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2018
…..Be happy, be cool! A football game, that fans are paying soooo much money to watch and enjoy, is no place to protest. Most of that money goes to the players anyway. Find another way to protest. Stand proudly for your National Anthem or be Suspended Without Pay!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2018
From HuffPost:
The Miami Dolphins’ Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson both knelt during the anthem ahead of their preseason opener game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Miami Herald sports reporter Adam Beasely.
It was a show of solidarity with the ongoing protests against police brutality and racial injustice, launched by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a ban on the kneeling protests in May, but plans to enforce it were put on hold after the NFL Players Association filed a grievance against the new policy.
Kaepernick applauded the Dolphins players for their protest of “systemic oppression.”
My brother @kstills continued his protest of systemic oppression tonight by taking a knee. Albert Wilson @iThinkIsee12 joined him in protest. Stay strong brothers!✊🏾
📸 @footcandles#imwithkap #imwithereid #takeaknee pic.twitter.com/LimoadfUcW— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) August 10, 2018
Players kneel, raise fists during national anthem at NFL preseason games https://t.co/kwZKPYoo5x pic.twitter.com/mwcaFuc3Rh— New York Post (@nypost) August 10, 2018