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Report: Kushner Spiked National Testing Because Blue States Hit Hardest, Dem Govs Could Be Blamed

L-R Jared Kushner, Donald Trump (image via public domain/White House)
Vanity Fair has obtained a copy of a detailed plan spearheaded by Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, that would have provided for a national testing approach for the COVID-19 pandemic. While the goal of the team putting the plan together was “apolitical,” the approach never saw the light of day because, according to Vanity Fair, the virus had mainly affected blue states. With that in mind, the decision was made to let states handle the health threat because “they could blame those governors” as a political strategy if things went awry. From Vanity Fair:

Countries that have successfully contained their outbreaks have empowered scientists to lead the response. But when Jared Kushner set out in March to solve the diagnostic-testing crisis, his efforts began not with public health experts but with bankers and billionaires. They saw themselves as the “A-team of people who get shit done,” as one participant proclaimed in a March Politico article.

[snip]

The effort of the White House team was “apolitical,” said the participant, and undertaken “with the nation’s best interests in mind.”

But the effort ran headlong into shifting sentiment at the White House. Trusting his vaunted political instincts, President Trump had been downplaying concerns about the virus and spreading misinformation about it—efforts that were soon amplified by Republican elected officials and right-wing media figures.

Worried about the stock market and his reelection prospects, Trump also feared that more testing would only lead to higher case counts and more bad publicity. Meanwhile, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, was reportedly sharing models with senior staff that optimistically—and erroneously, it would turn out—predicted the virus would soon fade away.

[snip]

Most troubling of all, perhaps, was a sentiment the expert said a member of Kushner’s team expressed: that because the virus had hit blue states hardest, a national plan was unnecessary and would not make sense politically. “The political folks believed that because it was going to be relegated to Democratic states, that they could blame those governors, and that would be an effective political strategy,” said the expert.

Vanity Fair also reports Kushner’s team allegedly purchased 3.5 million Covid-19 tests from an Abu Dhabi–based artificial intelligence company without using normal procurement procedures. Despite the $52 million price tag, the tests were never utilized after being found “contaminated and unusable.”

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Congressional Republicans Push Back On Trump’s Call To Delay Election

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Congressional Republicans pushed back on Donald Trump’s suggestion that the 2020 presidential election should be delayed. Trump tweeted Thursday that mail-in voting would “be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history.” He suggested the election be delayed “until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” From Huffpost:

Hours after Trump’s tweet, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) assured a Kentucky news station that the government would make sure the election takes place on Nov. 3.

“Never in the history of the country, through wars and depressions and the Civil War, have we ever not had a federally scheduled election on time, and we’ll find a way to do that again this November third,” McConnell told WNKY-TV.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) assured reporters that the law was clear about the election date.

“All these things are pretty well set and have been going on for decades,” Grassley said. “So we are a country based on the rule of law, so nobody is going to change anything until we change the law.”

When asked whether Trump’s suggestion on Twitter was appropriate, Grassley said: “It doesn’t matter what an individual in this country says; we still are a country based on the rule of law.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) pointed out that the U.S. has never missed an election.

“Never in the history of federal elections have we ever not held an election, and we should go forward with our election,” he said.

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Music Video: All Aboard The Fire Island Ferry

Seth Sikes (screen capture)
Cabaret performer Seth Sikes’s new video pays tribute to two of his favorite things: Judy Garland and the Fire Island Ferry. Sike’s new video “Atchison Topeka (Fire Island Ferry)” is his loving homage to Garland’s “On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe” from the MGM classic film musical The Harvey Girls. “I’ve been hiding out on Fire Island since Covid hit and learning the tricks of the trade: editing, sound mixing and writing. If we never get back to normal then at least I’ve learned a new skill.”

  Sikes was supposed to perform his latest show Seth Sikes Sings the ‘20s! at Feinstein’s/54 Below last Spring but because of Covid-19 it has been rescheduled for October 26 at 7PM. Tickets are available here.

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US Economy Contracts By 32.9% As 1.4 Million New Unemployment Claims Filed

Donald Trump

Donald Trump (image via Flickr/White House)
So. Much. Winning. Remember when Donald Trump predicted ‘only’ 60,000 deaths from COVID-19 and the economy would come roaring back in the summer when the virus magically disappeared? From CNN:

The US economy contracted at a 32.9% annual rate from April through June, its worst drop on record, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Thursday.

Business ground to a halt during the pandemic lockdown in the spring of this year and America plunged into its first recession in 11 years, putting an end to the longest economic expansion in US history and wiping out five years of economic gains in just a few months.

A recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of declining gross domestic product — the broadest measure of the economy. Between January and March, GDP declined by an annualized rate of 5%.

Additionally, the number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims rose for the second week in a row. Some 1.4 million people filed for initial jobless claims last week, up 12,000 from the prior week’s revised level, which was the first increase in 16 weeks, according to the Department of Labor. At this writing, 152,074 Americans have died from COVID-19. The U.S. has more than 50% more fatalities from the virus than Brazil which ranks second in the world with 91,263 deaths.

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Podcast: ‘An Older Gay Guy Show’ Chats Me Up About A Life In The Theater

My actual headshot from back in the day…
Ok, a post about … me 🙂 A couple of months ago, Joey Hernandez, of the uber-popular podcast An Older Gay Guy Show, interviewed me about the work I do here on The Randy Report. Joey and I have been a virtual mutual admiration society on Twitter for years. I love his podcast, I never miss it, and he’s been a big supporter of mine. Over the years, An Older Gay Guy Show has received many award nominations and twice been a finalist (wow) for The People’s Choice Podcast Awards. During our chat, though, he realized that I’d had this whole other life as a dancer/singer/actor on Broadway and he asked if I’d come back and share some of that journey. We ended up chatting so much about my beginnings in the theater, moving to NYC, and my differents jobs that he’s sharing it as a two-part show (those that know me are aware I can share a story or two…). Hit the play button to hear me chat on how my career in theater began, including the not so great, early salad days before I finally got a break. And this is just Part One, folks…LOL And if you enjoy, you can click over to The Podcast Awards to nominate An Older Gay Guy Show in the Best LGBTQ category as well as the People’s Choice Award.

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News Round-Up: July 30, 2020

Phillip Evelyn II (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Phillip Evelyn II (above) is giving you full-on Ninja-ness in this post. #Dang Follow him on the Gram of Insta here. • Pink News: A homophobe in South Dakota went on a profanity-heavy anti-gay rant while burning an LGBTQ Pride flag during a Facebook video. The local district attorney says he won’t be pursuing hate crime charges despite the video. • CBS News: President Barack Obama’s powerful eulogy at the funeral of the late civil rights leader, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), was perfection. Obama said Americans should honor Lewis’ legacy by continuing to work for democracy and voting rights. “He, as much as anyone in our history, brought this country a little bit closer to our highest ideals.” Hit the play button to hear a president speak about someone other than themself (and in complete sentences).

• Courthouse News: Federal prosecutors have agreed to abandon the gag order against Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and current felon, Michael Cohen. Cohen is now free to use social media, participate in interviews, and release his Trump tell-all book, which is due go on sale in September. • Fox News: File this under ‘metaphors you could never make up.’ Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign bus collided with a dump truck today while stumping in Western Pennsylvania. • Gay Star News: International pop star Elton John shared the 30th anniversary of his sobriety with his Instagram followers writing, “If I hadn’t finally taken the big step of asking for help 30 years ago, I’d be dead. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have inspired and supported me along the way.”

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Ellen DeGeneres Apologizes To Staff For Toxic Work Environment

Ellen DeGeneres (screen capture)
Following the announcement of an investigation into numerous reports of a toxic work environment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen DeGeneres has reportedly emailed her staff apologizing for the alleged behind-the-scenes transgressions. Via Variety:

DeGeneres acknowledged a culture that did not reflect the values with which she started the 17-year-old franchise, and pledged to do better. In addition, insiders familiar with the series said executive producer Ed Glavin is set to exit his role imminently.

“On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness — no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect. Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case,” DeGeneres wrote.

“I could not have the success I’ve had without all of your contributions. My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that. Alongside Warner Bros., we immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues.

As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done. Clearly some didn’t. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again,” she continued.

DeGeneres’ full note to staff:

Hey everybody – it’s Ellen. On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that The Ellen DeGeneres Show would be a place of happiness – no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect. Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.

I could not have the success I’ve had without all of your contributions. My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that. Alongside Warner Bros, we immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues. As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done. Clearly some didn’t. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.

I’m also learning that people who work with me and for me are speaking on my behalf and misrepresenting who I am and that has to stop. As someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am, I truly understand and have deep compassion for those being looked at differently, or treated unfairly, not equal, or – worse – disregarded. To think that any one of you felt that way is awful to me.

It’s been way too long, but we’re finally having conversations about fairness and justice. We all have to be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others, and I’m glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention. I promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow. It’s important to me and to Warner Bros. that everyone who has something to say can speak up and feels safe doing so.

I am so proud of the work we do and the fun and joy we all help put out in the world. I want everyone at home to love our show and I want everyone who makes it to love working on it. Again, I’m so sorry to anyone who didn’t have that experience. If not for COVID, I’d have done this in person, and I can’t wait to be back on our stage and see you all then.

Stay safe and healthy.

Love,

Ellen

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Seth Rogen To Pen Movie About Legendary Hollywood Hustler

L-R Scotty Bowers, Seth Rogen (images via Amazon, Instagram)
Searchlight Pictures will produce a feature film based on the documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. Seth Rogen (An American Pickle) and Evan Goldberg have been tapped to pen the script and Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) will direct the film. From Deadline:

The film focuses on Scotty Bowers, a World War II Marine combat veteran who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima and became a legendary bisexual male hustler and date-arranger for gay Hollywood movie stars from the 1940s until the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.

The docu is based on Bowers’ book Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars, a dishy tell-all that was so titled because Bowers arranged these liaisons from a gas station he ran in the shadow of the Hollywood studios.

Despite the prurient nature of his business, Bowers was beloved because he created a safe environment for gay members of the showbiz community to hook up in secret in what otherwise would have been a much more dangerous and possibly deadly pursuit.

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Hearse Carrying Rep. John Lewis Pauses At Rainbow Intersection

The hearse carrying the late Rep. John Lewis pauses at Rainbow Intersection
As the motorcade for the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) made its way through the streets of Atlanta on Wednesday heading to the Georgia State Capitol, the hearse carrying his body paused in tribute to his support for the LGBTQ community at an intersection marked by rainbow-painted crosswalks. Supporters were already waiting at Piedmont and 10th Street where the scheduled stop had been previously announced. When the hearse paused in the intersection, supporters clapped and cheered the memory of the civil rights legend. And as the motorcade resumed its journey, Terrence James, a downtown Atlanta resident, began singing “We Shall Overcome.”

In addition to his lifelong commitment to equal rights for Black Americans, Lewis was an early ally to the LGBTQ community In 1996, long before gay rights were widely embraced by mainstream America, Lewis took to the floor of the House of Representatives to denounce the heinous anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as a “mean” and “cruel” bill. “This bill seeks to divide our nation, turn Americans against Americans, to seed fear, hatred, and intolerance,” declared Lewis. “Marriage is a basic human right. You cannot tell people they cannot fall in love.”

A few years later, he penned an op-ed for the Boston Globe urging equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. “This discrimination is wrong,” he wrote in 2003. “We cannot keep turning our backs on gay and lesbian Americans. I have fought too hard and too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination based on sexual orientation.” “I’ve heard the reasons for opposing civil marriage for same-sex couples. Cut through the distractions, and they stink of the same fear, hatred, and intolerance I have known in racism and in bigotry.” And in 2017, he compared the struggles by the LGBTQ community to those of other marginalized Americans. “It doesn’t matter whether they are black or white, Latino, Asian American or Native American, whether they are straight or gay, Muslim, Christian or Jews,” Lewis said during a Congressional hearing. “We all live in the same house. The American house.”

Rest in power, Rep. John Lewis.

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Herman Cain, Former Presidential Hopeful, Dies Of COVID-19

Herman Cain (image via Facebook)
Herman Cain,  former CEO of the Nebraska-based Godfather’s Pizza and former 2012 Republican presidential hopeful, has died from complications from COVID-19. He was 74.

From NBC News:

Last month, Cain had tested positive for COVID-19, just a little over a week after he had attended a Trump campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 20.

While there’s no way to pinpoint exactly where he contracted the virus, Cain posted a photo of himself with others at the event, which showed him without a mask on.

More than 150,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19.

An unabashed social conservative, he opposed same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Cain had recently joined conservative news outlet Newsmax TV and was set to launch a weekly show before he died in an Atlanta-area hospital where he had been critically ill for several weeks.