For the first time in 11 months, the daily average of new coronavirus infections in the United States has fallen below 30,000 amid continuing signs that most communities across the nation are emerging from the worst of the pandemic.
The seven-day average dipped to 27,815 on Friday, the lowest since June 22 and less than a tenth of the infection rate during the winter surge, according to state health department data compiled by The Washington Post.
The pandemic map remains speckled with hot spots, including parts of the Deep South, the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest.
The big question at this point is whether the virus will be snuffed out completely or if it will ‘smolder’ in isolated areas where folks choose to not be vaccinated. The second scenario could leave pockets of the virus laying in wait allowing it to return with colder weather. #GetYourShot
For the first time in 11 months, the daily average of new coronavirus infections in the United States has fallen below 30,000 https://t.co/M7JayuJAFr
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 22, 2021
(screen capture via YouTube) John Earle Sullivan, of Utah, has had $90,000 confiscated from him after he sold video footage of a woman being fatally shot during the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. Sullivan has also been charged with entering the building unlawfully and taking part in the invasion. From Reuters:
According to the court filings, Sullivan portrayed himself as an independent journalist who was reporting on the chaos, but actually encouraged other participants to “burn” the building and engage in violence.
Sullivan recorded video of the confrontation between rioters and police just outside the U.S. House of Representatives chamber that included the shooting of protester Ashli Babbitt and, according to court filings, boasted to an unnamed witness that “my footage is worth like a million of dollars, millions of dollars.”
Sullivan sold that footage to several news outlets for a total of $90,000, according to a seizure warrant.
More than 440 individuals have been charged for taking part in the attack by Trump supporters which left 5 dead and over 100 police officers injured.
Jimmy Kimmel (screen capture) I’ve actually been talking about this with friends for some time. Jimmy Kimmel notes that Google searches for ‘fake vaccination cards’ is up 1100% since the CDC announced vaccinated people don’t have to wear face masks in most situations. In other words, anti-vaxxers want to be able to lie and say they got the shot. As Kimmel points out – the reason why the economy is opening up and people are safe is thanks to those of us who actually got the shot.
“The only reason you’re somewhat safe now is that other people got the shot.”
“You’re the person who heads for the bathroom when the check comes at the restaurant. You’re the lady who takes home the centerpieces from a wedding you weren’t invited to. You’re the guy who brings five napkins to a potluck dinner. That’s you.”
The one and only Brody Some news items you might have missed: • TheOUTfront: My pup Brody (above) is famous! The Brody-o makes an appearance in TOF’s post on the upcoming Broadway Barks event this Sunday! #AdoptDontShop #RescueDogs • Pink News: Andy Cohen says there have been ‘talks’ about a gay Real Housewives franchise for Bravo. • Right Wing Watch: Right-wing pastor Andrew Wommack recently announced that homosexuality is “three times worse than smoking.” In his view, gays should have a label across their forehead, ‘This can be hazardous to your health.’ #Assholery #homophobes
Right-wing pastor Andrew Wommack claims that being gay is “three times worse than smoking,” so gay people “ought to put a label across their forehead, ‘This can be hazardous to your health.'” https://t.co/kQWBHESBwRpic.twitter.com/KzrevwYJ1O
• LGBTQ Nation: Out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reversed a Trump administration policy this week, allowing for more federal dollars spent on public works projects to go to minority and disadvantaged workers. “As we invest in world-class infrastructure for Americans, we want to make sure that our investments create jobs for people in the communities where the projects are located.” • The Daily Beast: Former New York City police officer and current Queens GOP district leader Philip Grillo admitted to the FBI that he breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection pro-Trump—but said he “was drunk at the time.” The FBI says he was turned in by two childhood friends. • JoeMyGod: The hate group that hired accused sexual molester Josh Duggar now wants Lego cancelled for celebrating Pride Month with its first rainbow Lego set. “The Left is tearing down mainstream values — brick by brick! Lego, the latest company to pander to the woke, just decided to test the waters with a rainbow set of “LGBTQIA+” figures.”
John Duff in his new music video ‘I Hate L.A.’ Out singer/songwriter John Duff releases his fun and infectious new single, ‘I Hate L.A.’ which riffs on all the things about Los Angeles the artist loathes. Duff’s negative outlook isn’t so much about the City of Angels itself but “what Los Angeles represents ideologically.” “It’s about the product being sold – all in all, it’s about lack mentality,” adds the woofy artist. “I wanted to create something out of my negativity that sounded anthemic and proud.” A scene from ‘I Hate L.A.’ Setting out to glamorize his view of the city, Duff and his director Brad Hammer worked to include layers of symbolism in each scene. Whether its laying on Astroturf, dressed as a rhinestone cowboy, puffing on cigarettes while surrounded by healing crystals, or standing next to a $130,000 G-wagon filled to the gills with plastic bottles from fancy juice places, wearing an “I Voted” sticker, Duff wants the viewer GET the hypocrisy he sees in LA. The painted face scene is a nod to the city’s beauty influencers, an industry that ranks low in Duff’s estimation: “I think marketing ‘facial improvement’ to children is kind of gross.” Follow John Duff on Instagram here and on Facebook here. Check out the clever music video below. You can find my previous coverage of Duff’s music here.
Heritage of Pride, the group that organizes New York City Pride events each year, reversed it’s decision to ban gay armed police officers in uniform from marching in this year’s Pride Parade last night. The original decision, announced last week, sparked days of controversy voiced by the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL). So, last night the general membership voted to allow uniformed gay officers to march in the parade “By a 55-40% margin (5% abstaining), they voted to let GOAL march in uniform with concealed weapons but NOT to have an ‘NYPD’ contingent in the parade,” wrote Andrew Humm on Facebook. “Andre Thomas, the co-chair, resigned as did some other people of color at the meeting who were left in tears.” But at 1:30am, the HOP board announced they had reversed the reversal, saying they “voted to set a new policy regarding GOAL’s participation in an effort to be mindful and focus on our mission of creating safe space for marginalized communities.” “It fell under our purview to do so, as elected representatives of this organization,” continued the board. “We firmly believe that this decision is in the best interest of our community.” Having decided the officers “will not march armed and in police uniforms,” the board shared it may consider allowing gay officers to march out of uniform and without armed weapons.
The Executive Board of HOP cited past actions by police officers against LGBTQ people and POC as the reasons for excluding armed police officers in uniform.
The NYPD, and policing across America, is fundamentally flawed. These are institutions started as slave patrols, and continue to oppress Black, Brown, Indigenous, POC, LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals who stand at the intersections of these identities.
Over their lifetime, Black men have a 1 in 1000 chance of being killed by the police. LGBQ people are six times more likely to be stopped by the police.
Nearly 3 out of 4 of lethal anti-LGBT hate crimes committed against transwomen and girls.
Transgender individuals who survive violence are 3.7 times more likely to experience police violence compared to non-transgender survivors and7times more likely to experience physical violence when interacting with the police.
Until 2021, transpeople in New York could be arrested for wearing clothes that did not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. And after over 267 complaints related to abuse of force by NYPD when dealing with protesters, only two officers have faced serious disciplinary action.
In the past year, as Black Lives Matter protests spread across the nation following the murder of George Floyd and other Black men, HOP notes that NYC police officers attacked queer people who took part in the protests. HOP also points out that the gay rights movement was born out of a vicious 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay bar. That said, due to pressure from LGBTQ advocacy groups, the NYPD issued an official apology in 2019 for the 1969 raid as well as for years of brutal treatment of LGBTQ people in the city. In their statement last week, GOAL made note of the work being done by gay police officers to improve relations between police and the LGBTQ community. As I reported last night, the New York Times editorial board penned an op-ed this week calling the banning of gay police officers by HOP a “misstep.” The Times added that the decision “disproportionately affects L.G.B.T.Q. police officers, many of whom have been fighting for reforms; they shouldn’t be judged, and even set back, by the worst behavior of their colleagues.”
(image via Lego) Some news items you might have missed: • NBC News: Lego is kicking off LGBTQ Pride month by releasing a special set, called “Everyone is Awesome,” that celebrates the diversity of its fans. This is the first time in Lego’s 72-year history that it is releasing an official LGBTQ Pride set. • The Hill: Coronavirus vaccinations in Ohio jumped 28 percent in the days following the governor’s announcement of a lottery for residents who get the shots, state health officials said Thursday. Residents who have been vaccinated will be eligible for five drawings of $1 million each. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Six foot seven doctoral candidate Aidyn asks if he’s “still a big boy” as this week’s ‘Mask4Masc’ feature. #woof https://www.instagram.com/p/CKg2FIchBpt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link • New York Times: The Times editorial board penned an op-ed calling the decision by Pride organizers in NYC that police officers would not be allowed to march in the annual Pride parade until 2025 a ‘misstep.’ I agree. • Right Wing Watch: QAnon Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) falsely claimed in an interview that Texas has not reported a single COVID-19 death since the state lifted all restrictions over two months ago. ACTUALLY, the Texas Department of State Health Services reports more than 3,400 people have died of COVID-19 since the state removed all restrictions two months ago. • OUT: It seems folks who hadn’t seen (or didn’t know much about) the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen were under the impression it was about a gay high school student after the official trailer for the upcoming movie adaptation dropped yesterday. p.s. it’s not
so many people wikipedia-ing dear evan hansen today and so many people finding out it’s not a musical about a gay kid who broke his arm lol
For a lot young LGBTQ folks, coming out may seem like crossing a finish line, but as we know – it’s just a beginning.
Hulu released the official trailer for Season 2 of Love, Victor today which picks up right at the moment we last saw Victor (Michael Cimino) – coming out to his parents.
The series is the TV spinoff of the acclaimed 2018 film Love, Simon directed by Greg Berlanti.
But the new season of the coming-out/coming-of-age series won’t be our young hero coming out just to his family but the whole community of Creekwood High School.
In the trailer, Victor and boyfriend Benji (George Sear) decide they’re going public as a couple. “I want to tell people,” says Victor. “I’m ready. No more hiding who I am.” The next scene shows the adorbs duo linking hands as they walk through the school hallways.
And we’re off and running as Victor enters his junior year navigating the challenges and excitement of being out while trying to figure out “the perfect level of gay to keep everyone happy.”
Michael Cimino and George Sear in ‘Love, Victor’
While Victor copes with his family and basketball teammates dealing with his revelation, his ex-girlfriend Mia (Rachel Wilson) is trying to move on but has her own turbulent times ahead of her.
Plus, Victor’s bestie Felix (Anthony Turtle) is getting more serious with his girlfriend Lake (Bebe Wood) as his mother’s battle with depression deepens as well.
And along the way, having sex for the first time waves hello in the distance.
Last June, co-showrunner Brian Tanen told TVLine, “We’d love to tell sexier stories.” And that looks to be the case as this is the first season of the dramedy produced for Hulu. The first season was originally filmed for Disney+ but was moved to Hulu after the material was deemed too mature for that family-friendly audience.
Season two premieres with all episodes on June 11th on Hulu.
The cast of the mega-hit sitcom FRIENDS (image: HBO Max) It’s finally happening much to the excitement of true blue Friends fans. Via HBO Max:
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and special guests reunite to discuss everything from their casting process to whether or not Ross and Rachel were really on a break.
Witness the unbreakable bond of the group that perfectly captured the moment in life when your friends become your family.
The eagerly-awaited Friends: The Reunion will stream May 27 on HBO Max. While I was never the serious hard-core Friends fan, I did enjoy the show. It was truly comfortable, and often very funny. Who didn’t think Matt LeBlanc was uber-cute? This Instagram post pretty much sums up my relationship with the show. https://www.instagram.com/p/CO5yKxdMSvw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In the past year, as Black Lives Matter protests spread across the nation following the murder of George Floyd and other Black men, HOP notes that NYC police officers attacked queer people who took part in the protests. HOP also points out that the gay rights movement was born out of a vicious 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay bar. That said, due to pressure from LGBTQ advocacy groups, the NYPD issued an official apology in 2019 for the 1969 raid as well as for years of brutal treatment of LGBTQ people in the city. In their statement last week, GOAL 
