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House Passes $25 Billion Support For Post Office

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Saturday to give the U.S. Postal Service a $25 billion boost and to ensure November ballots will be delivered to and from voters in time for the upcoming November presidential election. By a vote of 257-to-150, House Reps also explicitly noted that no operational changes shall occur during the weeks leading up to the election. The Washington Post reports “the legislation would ban the removal of mail-sorting machines and public mailboxes, reverse any operational changes that could delay service and mandate that all official election mail be considered “first-class.” In that Donald Trump tweeted his opposition to the legislation prior to the vote today, don’t expect the Republican-led Senate to take up the legislation any time soon. Twenty-six Republicans broke ranks with Trump and the GOP leadership and joined Democrats in backing the bill.

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Melania Trolled For Lackluster Renovation Of WH Rose Garden

(images via the official Twitter account of the First Lady)
First Lady Melania Trump proudly tweeted photos of the White House Rose Garden today. From NBC News:

The White House Rose Garden has been spruced up in time for its moment in the campaign spotlight. First lady Melania Trump will deliver her Republican National Convention speech Tuesday night from the garden, famous for its close proximity to the Oval Office.

The three weeks of work on the garden, which was done in the spirit of its original 1962 design, were showcased to reporters on Saturday. White House officials said the renovations were paid for by private donations. They declined to reveal the cost of the work.

The location of the first lady’s speech will be just one of the ways that the Republican National Convention will break with political norms.

Many folks on Twitter were aghast that the First Lady ripped out all of the color and 12 mature crabapple trees that were planted by First Lady Jackie Kennedy. I’m not one to attack presidential spouses, but the results are less than “better.”

In addition to the first lady’s convention speech, Donald Trump will deliver his address Thursday night from the White House’s South Lawn, where a stage was being constructed over the weekend. Federal rules prohibit the White House from being the setting for expressly political events, but when did Trump ever care about “rules?” NBC News reports that the trees that were removed will, thankfully, be replanted elsewhere.

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Randy Rainbow Apologizes For Racist Tweets From 2010

Comedian/satirist Randy Rainbow
I’ve been a big fan of political satirist/Broadway parody king Randy Rainbow for years now. A quick search on The Randy Report will show tons of posts sharing his sharp wit and lyric skills. But old tweets recently came to light from 2010-2011 that show a harsher, edgier comedian that included some racist tropes. The two-time Emmy Award nominee issued an apology while speaking with The Advocate, which read in part:

“Twitter has recently reminded me about 10 years ago, in my maiden quest to be funny, I tweeted some jokes that were completely offensive and insensitive to look back on them now, especially with no context or nuance and through the prism of where we are in 2020 with racial inequality and the fight for social justice, which I’m proudly a part of,” he begins.

“In light of issues that are now at the forefront, which I’m passionate about and have spoken up about over the years, these tweets just sound racist and awful. I’m embarrassed by them. They make me sick to my stomach, in fact, and I deeply apologize to anyone I offended.”

The aforementioned tweets, some of which have been deleted, span from 2010 to 2011 and reference racist tropes.

“My parents said that had I been a girl, my name would’ve been Randi with an ‘i.’ And had I been black, it would’ve been ‘MISS JENKINS!!!’” read one tweet dated March 24, 2010.

Another tweet from February 2010, reads, “Why is it OK to call it a ‘white noise’ machine, yet offensive to say that I bought it to drown out all the ‘black noise’ in my building?”

Rainbow explains that at the time, he was in the early stages of crafting the “character” he’s now known for.

“The comedy landscape was completely different back then,” he argues. “This kind of edgy shock comedy was not only acceptable but a prevalent style. I was an aspiring comedian in my 20s working the stages in gay nightclubs where we said the most outlandish, raunchy things we could think of. I was searching for my comedy voice, my persona, and I was emulating styles and jokes of people that I was seeing in the mainstream.”

“I had this sort of character in my head and there were different ingredients I was throwing into the pot. There was some Karen Walker from Will & Grace, there was some Joan Rivers, there was some this, some that. 

“Any jokes that I tweeted out around this time were meant to be read in the voice of this character I created, and the intention was always that my forced ignorance would be the butt of the joke,” he says. “Now, comedy is not evergreen. Jokes have timestamps and reflect the times you’re in when you wrote them. 

“I am incredibly sorry. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt anyone,” he continues. “I learned many years ago, over the last decade, that there are things that you must be sensitive about. I continue to educate myself, I continue to listen and learn.

“I am in no way a racist. I am in no way transphobic,” he adds. “I’m a gay Jew who was brought up in a very open, accepting family. There is not a racist or intolerant bone in my body. When I say that I have evolved with the times, I mean that my comedy has. I did not need to be taught not to be racist or transphobic because I never was.”

Read his full comments at The Advocate.

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Dem Convention Highlight – Teen Inspires Millions Sharing His Journey Stuttering

L-R Brayden Harrington, Donald Trump
I thought I posted this early today. By far, my favorite moment of the last night of the Democratic presidential convention was the incredible appearance by 13-year-old Brayden Harrington. The teen spoke at the DNC about how he bonded with Joe Biden because they both have a stutter. “He told me that we were members of the same club — we stutter.”

Just some of the reactions on the Twitter:

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Former DHS Official Warns Of 2nd Term For Trump

Former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff Miles Taylor
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, longtime Republican and former Trump official Miles Taylor warned about Donald Trump if he achieves a second term, “You will see the president align with dictators around the world.” Republican Voters Against Trump has released a new Miles Taylor ad in which the former DHS chief of staff revealed he will vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

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News Round-Up: August 21, 2020

L-R Jim Parsons and Matt Bomer in ‘The Boys in the Band’ (image via Netflix)
Some news items you might have missed: • EW: Netflix has released the first look photos (above) of the upcoming movie version of the acclaimed Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band set to premiere September 30. The cast of the Tony Award-winning production is reuniting for the film including The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, The Sinner’s Matt Bomer, NOS4A2’s Zachary Quinto, Black Monday’s Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins, Teen Wolf’s Charlie Carver, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Michael Benjamin Washington. • Washington Blade: The State Department has stubbornly appealed a federal judge’s ruling that said it must recognize the U.S. citizenship of a gay Maryland couple’s daughter who was born in Canada via surrogate. Section 301(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act that states “a baby born abroad to married parents is a U.S. citizen at birth when both parents are U.S. citizens and one of them has resided in the United States at any point prior to the baby’s birth.” Both parents are citizens, both had resided in the U.S. • Vice: A member of a Facebook group dedicated to taking pictures of loaded weapons pointed at their d*cks finally shot himself in the balls, according to photos and video he posted on social media. The apparent point of the private group Facebook group “Loaded Guns Pointed at [B]enis” is to somehow ‘trigger the libs.’ I’m not sure how shooting your own junk ‘owns the libs,’ but you do you, boo.

• Journal Sentinel: Vandals burned a Joe Biden yard sign, a Pride flag and an American flag at a home in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. “I think it was (a) hate crime ‘cuz someone started the pride flag on fire,” the owner said. “We felt targeted.” • KIT212: Check out Kenneth’s round-up of the latest in local LGBTQ publications. • Washington Post: Trump’s latest attempt to shield his tax records from the Manhattan district attorney was rejected Thursday by a federal judge, who said Trump’s legal team failed to show the subpoena was issued “in bad faith.” • CNN: Anderson Cooper spoke with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell about his campaign for an herbal “cure” for COVID-19 called oleandrin based on the oleander plant. Lindell has no background in medicine or science, but he does donate big bucks to the GOP and is a member of Donald Trump’s inner circle. Oh, and Lindell was added to the board of (and received a financial stake in) Phoenix Biotechnology, which produces the supplement. Trump is now touting the supplement as well.

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Laughable: Quisling Touts Trump As “Most Pro-Gay President” In History

Richard Grenell for Log Cabin Republicans (screen capture)
The Log Cabin Republicans, an organization representing conservative LGBTQ voters, recently released a misleading video featuring Richard Grenell, the openly gay former Ambassador to Germany, praising the Donald as the “most pro-gay president in American history.” That’s certainly some serious hyperbole (and a lie), but it was right up the Donald’s alley as he retweeted the clip with the caption, “My great honor!!!” The video, which has been viewed over 5.2 million times on Twitter at this writing, is meant to attack former Vice President Joe Biden’s record on LGBTQ issues. In the clip, Grenell (who briefly served as acting Director of National Intelligence) points to Trump being the “first president in history to be pro-gay marriage from his first day in office.” What Grenell doesn’t note is that marriage equality was the law of the land by that time, decided in 2015 by the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s not exactly an act of courage to acknowledge the law. When asked about the issue shortly after his electoral win in 2016, Trump told CBS News reporter Lesley Stahl his personal view on the matter was “irrelevant” and that he considered the matter “settled.” He added, “I’m fine with that.” Hardly a glowing endorsement of marriage equality. Especially when, during the campaign, he sent mixed signals about gay rights. While Trump mentioned “L. G. B. T. citizens” during his nominating convention speech (in a halting cadence that sounded like he’d never used the phrase in his life), he went on to tell Fox News he would “strongly consider” appointing judges who might overturn same-sex marriage. Grenell also mentions the Trump administration’s supposed push to end the criminalization of homosexuality around the world. You might recall the initiative, announced to be headed up by Grenell himself, was unknown to Trump when he was asked about it. And, since the announcement of the campaign, there’s been no news or apparent action on the issue. NBC News also reported that State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino downplayed Grenell’s new effort, describing it as “long-standing,” “bipartisan” and “really is not a big policy departure.” Additionally, Trump’s administration has attacked the LGBTQ community on numerous fronts including the transgender military ban, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court LGBTQ people shouldn’t be protected under federal civil rights law, and supporting taxpayer-funded religious adoption agencies that refuse to place children in LGBTQ homes.

Just this week, the Trump Administration intrinsically erased LGBTQ people from an updated foreign policy on gender and women’s empowerment by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Throughout the video, Grenell ignores that transgender people even exist as he only uses the terms “gay and lesbian.” Grenell also alleges that Biden believes “gays are security risks,” which is a pretty far stretch as Grenell is referencing an off-hand statement made almost 47 years ago. Biden was reportedly ‘startled’ by a question about gays serving in the military and civil service at an informal event with neighbors in 1973. According to the conservative Free Beacon, Biden responded, “My gut reaction is that they [gay people] are security risks but I must admit I haven’t given this much thought,” he said. “I’ll be darned!” You’ll note Grenell doesn’t mention the incident happened back in 1973, and he also doesn’t include the part of Biden’s response that said he hadn’t given the subject much thought. In reality, Biden’s movement on LGBTQ rights has pretty much mirrored the nation’s perspective. He’s publicly evolved to become a champion for gay rights – most memorably coming out in support of same-sex marriage in 2012 just days before President Obama. While Joe Biden has promised full-throated support for the Equality Act, which would extend existing civil rights protections to LGBTQ people, Trump and the majority of his fellow Republicans have stood firmly against the legislation. Biden has also named a fierce Black lesbian, Karine Jean-Pierre, as the chief of staff for vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris. If you want the facts, click over to GLAAD for an extensive list of Trump’s attacks on the LGBTQ community. For information about Biden’s plans for LGBTQ equality, check out my report on his proposals for our community here.

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Broadway: 74th Annual Tony Awards Will Take Place This Fall

Tony Award Productions announced today that they will present the American Theatre Wing’s 74th Annual Tony Awards digitally this fall. Final eligibility determinations will be made by the Tony Awards Administration Committee in the coming days. Additional information, including a date and platform for the awards ceremony, will be announced soon. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. “Though unprecedented events cut the 2019-2020 Broadway season short, it was a year full of extraordinary work that deserves to be recognized,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “We are thrilled not only to have found a way to properly celebrate our artists’ incredible achievements this season, but also to be able to uplift the entire theatre community and show the world what makes our Broadway family so special at this difficult time. The show must go on, no matter what – and it will.” The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Award, which was founded by the American Theatre Wing in 1947, is bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway. As a reminder, here’s the opening number from the 2019 Tony Awards hosted by James Corden:

(via press release)

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Trump Adviser Arrested On ‘Build The Wall’ Money Laundering Charges

L-R Brian Kolfage, Stephen Bannon (via social media)
From Buzzfeed News:

Stephen Bannon, a former top aide to President Donald Trump, and Brian Kolfage, the leader of the crowdfunded “We Build The Wall” effort, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Kolfage, the criminal complaint said, “covertly took more than $350,000 in funds that has been donated to “We Build The Wall” for his personal use.”

Kolfage allegedly spent his money on “home renovations, payments toward a boat, a luxury SUV, a golf cart, jewelry, cosmetic surgery, personal tax payments, and credit card debt.”

Bannon and the other two spent on “travel, hotels, consumer goods, and personal credit card debts.” The four men found out they would potentially be subjected to a criminal investigation in October 2019, at which point they allegedly “took additional steps to conceal the fraudulent scheme.”

The New York Times reports prosecutors say that after siphoning money from the project, Mr. Bannon plowed nearly $1 million into paying off his personal expenses. Of course, asked about the arrests and indictments, Trump now knows practically nothing about the project and in his recollection, Bannon was barely a part of his team. When asked about other Trump allies like Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort and others who’ve been indicted on serious charges, Trump pivots, “Well, there was great lawlessness in the Obama administration.”

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Is There Pride Or Shame In The PDA Game?

L-R Michael Henry, Chris Renfro, Michael Fariss
Funnyman Michael Henry’s latest video takes a dive into the sometimes divisive discussion of public displays of affection (PDAs) among the gays. Chris Renfro brings up the topic while hanging out (with perfect social distancing btw) with Henry and Michael Fariss. After some initial confusion on Henry’s part, he’s happy to extol the virtues of public affection: “I love it! Hugs and kisses!” “It’s gross and it’s showy,” says Fariss. Renfro agrees chiming in, “Yeah, I don’t need to see someone sucking face or holding hands at a Jamba.” But when Henry shares that he’s gone so far as having actual “sex” in front of people, our naysayers are totally down with THAT. “Oh, I’m ok with public sex,” agrees Fariss which seems to short-circuit Henry. So, holding hands is bad, but performing oral sex in public is cool? Apparently, these guys view holding hands or a public peck as “inappropriate,” “desperate,” and “phony.” Says Renfro, “That kind of behavior is for private.” After running down a series of scenarios that are either full-on womp-womp or merely affectionate, Henry shares that he likes letting the world know “this is my guy.” “But WHY do you have to let everyone know?” Fariss asks. “I don’t have an answer for you,” adds Renfro. “I just know that when a man holds my hand – it makes me uncomfortable. When I see a couple making out in front of me at the store – I’m uncomfortable.” Like all of his videos, Henry brings up some great questions regarding how the LGBTQ community views itself. One commenter on the YouTube page writes, “‘Public sex is okay but PDA isn’t’ is just a sign of the gay community being overly sexualized but not being okay with love and feeling something in a relationship.” Another responded, “Because we grew up seeing us represented only in adult entertainment.” What do you think readers? Is this a generational issue? Is it a safety issue? Is there pride or shame in the PDA game? Who likes holding hands in public? Who can’t handle it? Let us know in the comment section below.