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Mike Pence Calls Kamala Harris (Finally)

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence (images via campaigns)
Months after the election was called, Vice President Mike Pence (finally) called Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to congratulate her on her history-making election. From the New York Times:

Vice President Mike Pence telephoned Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Thursday to congratulate her and offer his belated assistance — filling a leadership role all but abdicated by President Trump, who is planning to fly out of the capital shortly before Joseph R. Biden Jr. is sworn in next week.

The Pence-Harris conversation, relayed by two officials briefed on the call, was described as gracious and pleasant. The discussion is the first time Mr. Pence and Ms. Harris have spoken since they debated each other last fall.

It also represents the only one-on-one interaction between the dueling 2020 presidential tickets: Mr. Trump has refused to call President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. and has not even fully conceded defeat.

The Times goes on to report that Pence may invite Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, to the vice-presidential residence prior to the inauguration ceremony next week. But the visit may not work out due to heightened security measures put in place since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building last week. Donald Trump has previously shared he will not attend the inauguration becoming the first president in 152 years to ghost on his successor. Neither will he meet with the Bidens at the White House before the inauguration as is presidential tradition. Trump will depart the White House in the hours before Biden’s swearing-in ceremony. According to the Times, he “hopes to depart to the blare of a military band, with a red carpet and military honors, those briefed on the planning said.”

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Leopard Print ‘Karen’ Loses It At Einstein Bros Bagels

A leopard print wearing 'Karen' was arrested for refusing to wear a mask in an Einsteins Bagel shop

A leopard print 'Karen' was arrested for refusing to wear a mask in an Einsteins Bagel shop
Cindy Falco DiCorrado (screen captures)
The Smoking Gun describes these clips as “Florida woman gives Palm Beach Sheriff’s deputies an ‘advanced Karen Masterclass’ during anti-mask meltdown at Einstein Bros. Bagels in Boca Raton.” This leopard print ‘Karen’ is registered Republican Cindy Falco DiCorrado, 61, of Boynton Beach.

While waiting for Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies to arrive, DiCorrado declared, “I’m an American and I’m allowed to breathe. And it’s against my religion. And it’s against the amendment.”

As she referenced purported legal citations proving that it was illegal to require masks inside a private business, an onlooker asked her, “Shouldn’t you be storming the Capitol?”

As you’ll see in the second clip, after being handcuffed next to the police cruiser, DiCorrado began chanting, “In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. I come against these principalities and powers…this abuse, this abuse.” After demanding to know why she was arrested, the officer informed her that she had been trespassing. “You can’t trespass in a public business,” she shrieks. Ultimately, DiCorrado was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest without violence and booked into the Palm Beach County jail. She was released the following day after posting a $2000 bond and ordered by a judge to stay away from Einstein Bros.

(mugshot via Broward County Sheriff’s Office)
For the record, according to Broward County Mayor Steve Geller, even though local Florida governments have mandated mask use, you can’t be arrested for not wearing a mask. BUT – a business owner can request people to leave for not following the rules, especially because a business can still be fined for not enforcing the mask mandate. The end result for noncompliance could be an arrest for trespassing. There is NO constitutional right to buy a bagel in a store. As a spokesman for Einstein Bros. Bagels noted, those who don’t want to or can’t wear a face mask can pre-order their food and have it delivered curbside. DiCorrado was arrested last May for trespassing and resisting at a West Palm Beach restaurant as part of a mask protest. In 2017, DiCorrado was forced to resign from a city advisory board after “racist,” “white supremacist” and “anti-immigrant” remarks. Wait until you see this. I’d call for a Bette Midler parody except this leopard print ‘Karen’ is already beyond the boundaries of parody. Btw – don’t white people always say ‘If you don’t resist the police you won’t have a problem?’

Click here for more of my coverage of ‘Karens gone wild.’

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Misinformation Dropped Dramatically After Trump Banned From Twitter

Misinformation dropped dramatically after Twitter suspended Donald Trump's account

Misinformation dropped dramatically after Twitter suspended Donald Trump's account Color me shocked, but a new report shows misinformation on social media dropped dramatically after Donald Trump was banned from Twitter. From the Washington Post:

Online misinformation about election fraud plunged 73 percent after several social media sites suspended President Trump and key allies last week, research firm Zignal Labs has found, underscoring the power of tech companies to limit the falsehoods poisoning public debate when they act aggressively.

The new research by the San Francisco-based analytics firm reported that conversations about election fraud dropped from 2.5 million mentions to 688,000 mentions across several social media sites in the week after Trump was banned from Twitter.

Election disinformation had for months been a major subject of online misinformation, beginning even before the Nov. 3 election and pushed heavily by Trump and his allies.

The drop in misinformation was seen across numerous platforms after Trump was kicked off social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Spotify and more. And it wasn’t just removing Trump that made the difference. Twitter also removed more than 70,000 accounts affiliated with the conspiracy movement known as QAnon, which played a large role in raising temperatures that led to the Capitol invasion on January 6. Read the full article at The Washington Post.

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Ralph Lauren Cuts Ties With Pro Golfer Over Homophobic Slur

Justin Thomas apologizes after using word 'faggot' during Tournament of Champions
Ralph Lauren ends sponsorship of pro golfer over homophobic slur
Pro golfer Justin Thomas (screen capture)

The Ralph Lauren Corporation has announced an end to their 7-year sponsorship of pro golfer Justin Thomas less than a week after Thomas was heard using the word ‘faggot’ after missing a putt at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

The remark occurred after Thomas attempted a five-foot putt at the fourth hole when his shot went astray. He could clearly be heard saying “fa**ot” in frustration.

 

Upon finishing the round, Thomas was informed his remark had been picked up by the TV microphones. He was apparently unaware he’d even used the word.

The Golf Channel spoke to Thomas, currently ranked #3 in the world, about the remark and he immediately expressed his regret for using the word.

“It’s inexcusable – first off I just apologize,” said Thomas. “There’s no excuse. I’m an adult, a grown man. There’s absolutely no reason for me to say anything like that. It’s terrible. I’m extremely embarrassed. It’s not who I am. It’s not the kind of person that I am. Unfortunately I did it and I have to own up to it.”

“I found out when I got done with my round…it’s bad,” he added. “There’s no other way to put it. I need to do better.”

“I deeply apologize to everybody and anybody who I offended and I’ll be better because of it.”

The next day, Thomas finished the tournament in third place banking a $490,000 payday.

Apology aside, Ralph Lauren Corporation announced on Friday they were “disheartened” by the incident and distanced themselves from Thomas saying the use of the slur is “entirely inconsistent with our values.”

The full statement from the Ralph Lauren Corporation:

At the Ralph Lauren Corporation, we believe in the dignity of all people, regardless of age, race, gender identity, ethnicity, political affiliation or sexual orientation. This is part of our longstanding commitment to foster cultures of belonging – in the workplace and in communities around the world.

We are disheartened by Mr. Thomas’s recent language, which is entirely inconsistent with our values. While we acknowledge that he has apologized and recognizes the severity of his words, he is a paid ambassador of our brand and his actions conflict with the inclusive culture that we strive to uphold.

In reflecting on the responsibility we have to all of our stakeholders, we have decided to discontinue our sponsorship of Mr. Thomas at this time. As we make this decision, our hope is that Mr. Thomas does the hard and necessary work in order to partner with us again – truly examining this incident, learning, growing and ultimately using his platform to promote inclusion.

Gay former professional golfer Maya Reddy told Sky Sports this week that Thomas’ anti-LGBTQ language reflects homophobia in professional golf. In 2016, Reddy qualified at the age of 23 to play on the Symetra Tour – the LPGA’s developmental tour – but decided to walk away from the sport due to incidents of discrimination and a lack of inclusivity in the culture of professional golf. “I had tournament directors on mini-tours say xenophobic, racist, and homophobic things to me on the first tee, in the guise of a joke,” explained Reddy. “I’m kind of in two minds about it,” said Reddy about the Thomas incident. “I think the fact that he apologised about it so quickly and with force, saying that this wasn’t OK and that he should do better, is really important because he acknowledges the harm that using that specific slur causes. “I think the PGA Tour saying that it wasn’t OK and acknowledging the harm it causes is also very important,” she added. “That being said, what is frustrating for me and many who watched this play out, was that it was so easy for him to jump to that word.”

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News Round-Up: January 15, 2021

Chippendales calendar

Chippendales calendar Some news items you might have missed: • Chippendales: It’s a new year which means it’s time for a new calendar. This year’s edition of the iconic Chippendales calendar (above) is an all-star affair packed with fan favorites. • NBC News: The Arizona Republican Party will vote on a measure to censure Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain, on January 23, in part because of her support for President-elect Joe Biden and for same-sex marriage. • The Hill: Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s confirmation hearing for the role of Transportation secretary will be held Thursday. If he’s approved, Buttigieg will be the first openly gay Cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate.  

• BosGuy: The veteran Boston blogger celebrates Furry Friday and we’re all the better for it 🙂 • New York Times: Prosecutors in Georgia appear increasingly likely to open a criminal investigation of President Trump over his attempts to overturn the results of the state’s 2020 election, an inquiry into offenses that would be beyond his federal pardon power. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out the weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like this week’s issue of MetroWeekly (below). Cover of MetroWeekly Magazine • People: In a new interview, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson does not hold back saying Donald Trump is “grossly limited in his ‘understanding of global events, his understanding of global history’ and hamstrung by his own attention span.” • Arkansas Online: Peter Francis Stager, 41, caught on video using an American flag and flagpole to beat a police officer during the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot was arrested by federal authorities Thursday night. Remember, these are the folks who were upset at people taking a knee during a football game.  

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Biden Will Deploy National Guard & FEMA To Ramp Up Vaccinations

President-elect Joe Biden will utilize the National Guard and FEMA to ramp up vaccinations against the coronavirus
President-elect Joe Biden (via campaign)
President-elect Joe Biden has announced he will direct FEMA and the National Guard to build coronavirus vaccine clinics across the United States in order to make vaccinations more widely available faster. From CNBC:

The Biden administration will also “quickly jumpstart” efforts to make the vaccines available at local pharmacies across the U.S., which should ensure that Americans have access to doses at facilities only miles from their home, according to the plan.

“Here’s the deal: The more people we vaccinate, the faster we do it, the sooner we can save lives and put this pandemic behind us and get back to our lives and loved ones,” Biden said at a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, Thursday night. “We won’t get out of it overnight and we can’t do it as a separated nation.”

The rollout of the coronavirus vaccine has been much slower than anticipated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of this morning more than 31.1 million doses of vaccine had been distributed across the U.S. Of that, just over 12.2 million vaccinations have been administered. At this writing, Johns Hopkins University of Medicine reports there have been 23,478,669 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and 391,279 deaths related to the virus.

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Pew Research: Trump Numbers Are Down, Biden’s Are Up

Results from latest Pew Research Center
L-R President Donald Trump, President-elect Joe Biden
As Donald Trump exits the presidency and Joe Biden is about to take the reins, Pew Research Center has released the results of its latest survey. The news is good for Biden, not so good for Trump. First of all, Trump leaves office with the worst job approval rating (29%) since he took office. The percentage of voters who score Trump’s conduct since the election as only fair or poor has ticked up from 68% in November to 76%. Pew shares that nearly all of the increase was in his “poor” ratings (62% now, 54% then). Even true Trumpers have grown weary of his post-election conduct. The share of his supporters who categorize his conduct as “poor” has doubled over the past two months, from 10% to 20%. Related – Gallup poll: Trump Approval Rating Continues To Drop More than two-thirds of voters (68%) say Trump should not continue to be a major national political figure while 29% feel he should remain a major figure in U.S. politics. • 75% say Trump bears at least some responsibility for the chaos and carnage that occurred at the U.S. Capitol building last week • 54% support Trump being impeached and removed from office • 58% of Americans approve of the job Joe Biden has done in explaining his plans and policies • 57% approve of Biden’s Cabinet choices and other high-level appointments • 46% expect Biden to improve the way the federal government in Washington, D.C., works, while 28% say he will make things worse Check out more results of the survey at Pew Research Center.

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Top 10 Off-Kilter Things Said To Gay Dads

Two gay dads and their son

Two gay dads and their son
(stock photo via Depositphotos)
Ah, the things said to gay dads… Robin Morgan-Bentley, a senior manager at Audible, and his husband became parents this past year. He shared via his Twitter account some of the somewhat awkward comments they’ve received as gay dads. “Top 10 things actual people have said to me and my husband this year, as new gay dads,” writes the proud dad.

Some of the remarks are harmless but show a cluelessness: “Oh it’s lads’ day out today! So cute. Is mummy having the day off?”

There’s the eternal “Which of you is the real dad?” Umm, they are both ‘real dads…’

Many folks seem to wonder about the absence of the child’s mother: “Is the mum still involved? It must be so hard for her”

Some people seem to think the year that was 2020 along with the pandemic might have a lasting effect on the boy.

There were those who apparently offered to help with the little guy:

But the oddest remark the dads encountered was a woman whose offer to help raised some eyebrows:

Clearly the men took it all in stride, and like good dads let their adorable little guy have the last word.

Folks in the Twitterverse acknowledged the awkwardness of the remarks but for the most part focused on the happiness being parents can bring.

Related – Teacher rants to student: Why would you be thankful for being adopted by gay dads?

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DC Police Officer: They Were Screaming ‘Kill Him With His Own Gun’

Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone

Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone
DC Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone (screen capture)
DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone spoke to CNN about his frightening ordeal being dragged from the U.S. Capitol building and beaten by pro-Trump insurrectionists last week. According to CNN, Fanone is a narcotics detective who works in plain clothes. But when he heard the commotion at the Capitol, he grabbed his still brand-new police uniform that had been hanging in his locker and put it on for the first time. He raced to the building with his partner and helped officers who were being pushed back by rioters. But he was soon overwhelmed by the insurrectionists and tasered several times as he was pulled down the steps of the Capitol building. “I was just, you know, trying to fight as best I could,” Fanone told CNN. “I remember guys were stripping me of my gear, these rioters pulling my badge off my chest. They ripped my radio off my vest, started pulling ammunition magazines from their holder on my belt.” “Some guys started getting ahold of my gun and they were screaming out ‘Kill him with his own gun.’ At that point it was, you know, self-preservation – how do I survive this situation?” “I thought about using deadly force, I thought about shooting people. And then I came to the conclusion that if I was to do that I’d hit a few but I’m not going to take everybody. They’d probably take my gun away from me and that would definitely give them the justification they were looking for to kill me.” “The only option I came up with was to appeal to somebody’s humanity. I just remember yelling out that I have kids. It seemed to work, some people in the crowd started to encircle me and offer me some kind of protection.” “A lot of people have asked me my thoughts on the individuals in the crowd that helped me or tried to offer some assistance, and I think kind of the conclusion I’ve come to is like, you know, ‘Thank you, but fuck you for being there.’” Watch below as Fanone describes the scene in his own words. Remember – Trump supporters believe they are the ‘party of law and order…’

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Podcast: Biden’s LGBTQ Promises, New TV Series ‘It’s A Sin,’ And More

The Randy Report podcast

The Randy Report podcast delivers the week's top stories in a quick, convenient podcast - 'the 60 Minutes of gay news - only shorter' In this week’s episode: • What can queer people expect from Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office? • Donald Trump takes a final swipe at LGBTQ Americans • North Carolina begins enacting LGBTQ protections (again) • Russell T. Davis, creator of the new UK TV drama It’s A Sin, shares his thoughts on casting gay actors in gay roles • A lesbian former pro golfer speaks up about number 3 ranked Justin Thomas’s ‘faggot’ remark during this weekend’s tournament of champions • Plus, two new commercials hit the gay sweet spot All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report