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Netflix Announces New 10-Episode Season Of “Tales Of The City”

Netflix has announced a new 10-episode season of the classic queer TV series, Tales of the City, based on the books by Armistead Maupin.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

The streaming giant on Tuesday confirmed the 10-episode sequel to the Showtime/PBS take on the LGBT-themed novel. Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis are confirmed to reprise their roles as Mary Ann Singleton and Anna Madrigal, respectively, from the original series. Barbara Garrick also will return as DeDe Halcyon Day.

The Netflix take also has enlisted Ellen Page, who will play Shawna. Lauren Morelli (Orange Is the New Black) has joined the production and will serve as writer and showrunner.

Based on the books by Maupin, Tales of the City follows Mary Ann (Linney), who returns home to San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter (Page) and ex-husband Brian 20 years after leaving them behind to pursue her career.

Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture-perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann returns home to her chosen family and will quickly be drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Dukakis) and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane.

Maupin is arguably one of the best-known gay authors in the world. His Tales of the City began as an ongoing serial in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper during the 1970s. The serial became a novel in 1978 and was followed by 8 sequels published over the past four decades.

Maupin’s novels led to three Tales of the City mini-series for Showtime/PBS starring Linney and Dukakis. Along the way, Tales of the City (1993), More Tales of the City (1998), and Further Tales of the City (2001) garnered a Peabody Award and multiple Emmy Award nominations.

The new 10-episode season is scheduled to begin filming later this year and will debut in 2019.

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PFLAG Rescinds Award To MSNBC’s Joy Reid Over Reports Of More Anti-LGBT Blog Posts

MSNBC host Joy Reid

MSNBC host Joy Reid says her now-defunct blog from years ago has been hacked and anti-LGBT content inserted into the archives.

From HuffPost:

A cybersecurity expert working with Reid said in a statement to HuffPost on Tuesday that he found evidence five months ago of “suspicious activity” and that the alleged hacking was the subject of an ongoing federal investigation.

Jonathan Nichols, identified as an independent security consultant by a representative of MSNBC, said the posts in question had been “entered with suspicious formatting and time stamps.”

Reid had previously apologized in December for writing homophobic blog posts after Twitter user @Jamie_Maz tweeted screenshots of them. In those posts ― written in 2007 for The Reid Report, a politics blog Reid kept during her years as a morning talk show host in Florida ― she repeatedly accused then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (D) of being a closeted gay man.

“As someone who is not a member of the LGBT community, I regret the way I addressed the complex issue of the closet and speculation on a person’s sexual orientation with a mocking tone and sarcasm,” Reid wrote in her statement in December. “It was insensitive, tone deaf and dumb.”

Last week, @Jamie_Maz shared new screenshots that allegedly feature dozens more anti-LGBTQ posts from Reid’s old blog, as Mediaite first reported on Monday. While the blog itself has been shut down for several years, the amateur sleuth allegedly accessed the posts via the Internet Archive, a nonprofit dedicated to building a massive digital library known as the Wayback Machine.

Some of the most damning posts claimed “most straight people cringe at the sight of two men kissing” and that “adult gay men tend to be attracted to very young, post-pubescent types.”

As a result of the newly discovered blog posts, PFLAG National — the nation’s first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people, their families, and allies — has rescinded its Straight for Equality in Media award to Reid.

Reid has issued this statement about the alleged hacks:

In December I learned that an unknown, external party accessed and manipulated material from my now-defunct blog, The Reid Report, to include offensive and hateful references that are fabricated and run counter to my personal beliefs and ideology.

I began working with a cyber-security expert who first identified the unauthorized activity, and we notified federal law enforcement officials of the breach. The manipulated material seems to be part of an effort to taint my character with false information by distorting a blog that ended a decade ago.

Now that the site has been compromised I can state unequivocally that it does not represent the original entries. I hope that whoever corrupted the site recognizes the pain they have caused, not just to me, but to my family and communities that I care deeply about: LGBTQ, immigrants, people of color and other marginalized groups.

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Matt Baume Explores Homophobia Via “The Simpsons”

Smart guy Matt Baume explores homophobia via a 1997 episode of The Simpsons with guest star John Waters. Homer Simpson just couldn't seem to figure out why he didn't like Waters. Until he did...

The Simpsons recently came under fire due to a controversy over the character of Apu. For years, Apu has been voiced by a non-Indian actor playing into what many feel are old, tired, and insulting stereotypes.

Ironically, The Simpsons has used the platform of its enormous viewership to combat harmful stereotypes for years.

One example: head back to 1997 when John Waters guested on the show and Homer couldn’t seem to figure out why he didn’t like Waters.

Smart-guy Matt Baume explains:

The 1997 episode of The Simpsons entitled “Homer’s Phobia” doesn’t just mark a turning point for queer characters on television — it’s a turning point for homophobia on television as well.

With an unlikely appearance by cult filmmaker John Waters, the episode features a groundbreaking depiction of intolerance, a crash course in camp, and a smarter conversation about queer Americans than on any other show at the time — all in a medium that was still thought of as only being for kids.

Watch the segment below.

For more insight into the current “Apu” issue, watch voice-over actor (and voice of “Apu”) Hank Azaria explain what’s up to Stephen Colbert below.

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Podcast: Drag Queen Ada Vox Makes American Idol’s Top 10; Massachusetts To Get LGBT Curriculum; New Study Says Gay Couples Are Least Likely To Part Ways

In this week’s podcast:

• Ada Vox becomes American Idol‘s first drag queen contestant in the Top 10

• A new study shows surprising results – gay male couples are least likely to part ways

• High school students in Massachusetts will soon have courses that will include LGBTQ history and literature by gay authors

• The Trump administration launches a new attack on transgender people

• Prince Harry and Suits‘ Meghan Merkle reaffirmed their commitment to LGBTQ rights

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast

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Netflix’s “Sense8” Finale To Premiere On June 8

Fans of the Netflix sci-fi series Sense8 will get our long-awaited finale movie on June 8!

Squee!!!!!

In making the announcement for the two-hour wrap-up movie, Netflix also unveiled the above graphic for the event.

According to press materials, in the series finale “personal lives are pushed aside as the cluster, their sidekicks and some unexpected allies band together for a rescue mission and BPO take-down in order to protect the future of all Sensates.”

The LGBT-inclusive series (two gay couples plus a transgender principal character) got its closing notice last year after only two seasons. Netflix blamed high costs – apparently $9 million per episode – for the cancellation.

But a fan-driven letter writing campaign swayed the streaming network to give fans a conclusion to the story which saw 8 individuals across the planet suddenly psychically bound to each other.

Check out the newly-released teaser below. See you all on June 8!

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News Round-Up: April 24, 2018

InstaHunk Liam Jolley makes nap time a lot more appealing...
(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• UK fitness model Liam Jolley makes the idea of nap time a whole lot more appealing…

• Seventy-three year-old multi-millionaire Edward Bazinet married 30-year-old Brett Jordan just 10 months before his death. It will probably not surprise you Bazinet’s family is fighting Jordan’s possible inheritance of $32 million.

• Miss America 2005, Deidre Downs Gunn, married her girlfriend, attorney Abbott Jones, in a ceremony Saturday at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Congrats to the happy couple!

• White House adviser Kellyanne Conway was asked why she thought First Lady Melania Trump hasn’t been featured on magazine covers like Michelle Obama was during her time in the White House. Conway’s response? “Melania Trump is such a superior and excellent First Lady.” The word “superior” when comparing a white woman to a black woman is an interesting choice.

• This will be sure to piss off the haters – Disney now has rainbow Pride “Mickey Mouse” ears:

• Back in 2015, Indiana pizzeria Memories Pizza made headlines when the owners told local press that they would never cater a same-sex wedding in response to the state’s “religious freedom and restoration act.” Glenn Beck helped spearhead a campaign to raise almost $850K for the homophobic owners. Fast forward to today – the pizza joint has now posted an out-of-business sign.

• Parkland shooting survivors Cameron Kasky and David Hogg got the attention of the Twitterverse when openly gay Kasky posted the pic below with the caption “Prom 2018.”

Not sure if they are attending together, but gay + straight sure looks great 🙂

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Drag Queen Ada Vox Advances To ‘American Idol’ Top 10 After Emotional “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”

Drag queen Ada Vox, also known as Adam Sanders, advanced to the American Idol top 10 when the judges decided she deserved to move ahead in the singing competition.
American Idol contestant Ada Vox heads to the Top 10

There was quite the dramatic moment last night on American Idol as Ada Vox, the drag persona of Adam Sanders, found herself without enough viewer votes to be automatically advanced to the Top 10.

So, the San Antonio native had to sing for her life. The judges were given the power to “save” four contestants from elimination and head into the top 10.

Choosing the apropos “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, Ada wowed the judges yet again.

As an emotional Vox waited to learn her fate, Katy Perry quieted the crowd and said:

“I don’t know everything. I’ve got a lot to learn. But I have worked my butt off for over 10 years in the spotlight and these gentlemen on my side (pointing to Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan) – all of us collectively together – how many years would that be, maybe 60? Collectively? I think we do know talent when we see it. I would say that we would like to make an executive decision right now that Ada – you get that seat, baby.”

And with that Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan joined Perry in pointing to the area where the Top 10 contestants were sitting.

Later, Vox commented on the video page below expressing her thanks:

Hey, y’all!!! Firsrly, I wanted to start by saying that I love you all!!!
Secondly, I wanted to make note that I am aware of my much less than perfect vocal. Haha not only did my emotions run wild on me, but before the show, I had an allergic reaction to our lunch which made my tongue and throat swell up almost immediately. So that was fun… Lol. Thank you to everyone who did vote!!! If you want to see me continue on, make sure to vote next week! I promise it will be so much better!

America, we have our first American Idol drag contestant – Ms. Ada Vox.

Watch the clip below.

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Massachusetts High Schools To Offer LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum

High school students in Massachusetts will soon have access to LGBTQ-themed history, English and health this fall in an effort to help all students see themselves in the courses they study.

From The Boston Herald:

The curriculum, developed by a team of teachers with Massachusetts Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students and the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, will be released this summer. It will feature lessons on the 1969 Stonewall Riots and writings by gay and lesbian authors such as Langston Hughes and Willa Cather. It will also feature lessons like how Nick Carraway’s love for Jay Gatsby may have influenced themes in “The Great Gatsby.”

“We talk about mirrors and windows,” said Jeff Perrotti, director of the Massachusetts Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students. “Students need to see themselves reflected and see others who are different from themselves. It is important that all students feel safe, valued and respected in school so they can be ready to learn.”

“If students don’t see themselves in the curriculum, they are not as likely to pay attention,” said commission director Corey Prachniak-Rincon. “It is a huge demand we hear from teachers. They recognize part of the reason why LGBTQ students feel excluded is they’re not reflected and that part of their identity is ignored.”

The Herald goes on to quote teachers who say students have come back after graduating to say how much it helped them to discuss literature and history that included facts such as poet Walt Whitman being gay.

I am, of course, waiting to hear from the haters who will label this “gay indoctrination.”

But the fact is the new gay-themed curriculum will not be required for all schools to teach. The choice to offer the courses will be left to local school districts.

According to a 2015 study, 11% of high school students in Massachusetts identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning their sexual orientation. Almost 3% identify as transgender.

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James Comey’s Blockbuster Memoir, “A Higher Loyalty,” Sells 600K Copies In First Week

Former FBI Director James Comey's new memoir "A Higher Loyalty" sells over 600K copies in its first week.

Whether Donald Trump and the Trumpers like it or not, former FBI Director James Comey’s new memoir, A Higher Loyalty, is an instant blockbuster having sold over 600,000 units in it’s first week.

From The New York Times:

The early sales figures for Mr. Comey’s book dwarfed other recent political best sellers. Hillary Clinton’s memoir, “What Happened,” sold more than 300,000 copies in all formats in its first week on sale.

And “Fire and Fury,” Michael Wolff’s explosive look inside the Trump White House, sold around 200,000 hardcover copies in its first full week on sale, according to NPD BookScan, which tracks about 85 percent of print sales. Mr. Wolff’s book, which came out in January, has sold more than 2 million copies to date.

Mr. Comey has no doubt benefited from wall-to-wall television coverage. He has given revealing interviews on every major news network, drawing angry tweets from President Trump, which in turn prompted more news coverage of the book.

That cycle will likely drag on as Mr. Comey continues his book promotion tour this week with an appearance at a CNN Town Hall and an interview on Fox News Channel.

According to the publisher, multiple reprints have been ordered.

In this highly polarized political landscape, Amazon has limited reviews of the book to people who actually purchased the memoir from the website to avoid skewing the ratings.

Of the nearly 800 reviews of the tome on Amazon, 90% are 5-stars raves.

As The Times points out, the Trump followers/Comey haters were basically too cheap to actually buy the book before they got ready to hate on it.