Political satirist Randy Rainbow has some good advice for Donald Trump in his clever parody of “Put On A Happy Face” from the classic Broadway musical, Bye Bye Birdie. In his health-conscious iteration of the tune – “Cover Your Freakin’ Face!” – Rainbow addresses Trump’s avoidance of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic even though the federal government’s experts say it’s an important safety measure in tamping down the spread of the virus.
Please don’t politicize it, Don’t be a putz like PenceDon’t sit and scrutinize it, It’s only common senseDon’t spread droplets all over the placeCover your freakin’ face
As the last weekend of Pride Month 2020 comes to a close, make sure you check out these two terrific streaming Pride events today. Unfortunately, the two events overlap, but you get a fantastic experience with either one. First, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will sponsor a one-night-only streamed presentation of the 2013 multi-actor performance of David Drake’s Award-winning play – The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me – on June 28 at 7pm ET/4pm PT to benefit Provincetown Theater. After joining the activist group ACT UP, Drake began writing autobiographical monologues about the AIDS crisis that eventually became a one-man show about this critical point in American history. Drake won an Obie Award for his work, and the original Off-Broadway run at the Perry Street Theatre, produced by Sean Strub and Tom Viola, became one of the longest-running solo shows in New York theatre history. Comprised of seven monologues, the play explores many different stages in a gay man’s life, from childhood to adolescence, to adulthood, and travels through his personal timeline, from past, to present, to future. The soliloquies veer from hysterically funny (“Why I go to the Gym”) to deeply inspiring. In the piece, “The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me,” Drake recalls in vivid detail attending a performance of Larry Kramer’s award-winning play, The Normal Heart and the impact of Kramer’s words on the soon-to-be activist. “As Larry Kramer was such a formative figure for me and several generations in the LGBTQ community, it seems absolutely appropriate to stream this virtual event as a salute to his towering legacy at the conclusion of Gay Pride Week on Sunday, June 28,” said Drake in a press statement. “Indeed, I believe the activism inherent in the piece also provides a great gatherer of the current manner in which Gay Prides are being celebrated this year—by joining forces with the Black Lives Matter movement in the march for unequivocal equality.” For its 20th anniversary in 2013, the celebrated solo show was re-imagined to feature an ensemble cast of twelve. The 2013 cast of ‘The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me’ (photo: Monica Simoes) Directed by Tony Award nominee Robert La Fosse, the cast in the archival video features playwright and Provincetown Theatre Artistic Director Drake, Tony winner André De Shields (Hadestown), Tony winner BD Wong (M. Butterfly), three-time Tony nominee Robin De Jesús (The Boys in the Band), Tony nominee Rory O’Malley (The Book of Mormon), Anthony Rapp (If/Then, Rent), and more. On a personal note, I want to add in 1991, while I was still working as an actor in NYC, I was cast as the standby for the original cast of the off-Broadway hit musical, Pageant. David Drake, who stopped the show nightly as ‘Miss Deep South, Lurinda Summerford,’ had in his contract a week’s leave for an early workshop production of The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me. So, when I was hired it was with the knowledge I would, at the very least, be going on in that role soon. #SQUEEEE!!! First of all, it was a thrill to go on in David’s brilliant role in Pageant. His performance is indelibly stamped on the role and the play forever. Thankfully I had the good sense God gave a goat and studied his blueprint thoroughly before I went on 🙂 But working with David, and observing the genesis of this stunning one-man show was a gift of inspiration. It was in watching David develop his Obie Award-winning play that I found my own awakening activism. It is impossible for me to underscore what a groundbreaking event his play was for me and thousands of theatergoers. The stream will be available at ProvincetownTheater.org and on YouTube. Although the stream is free, donations are encouraged to Provincetown Theater, which has canceled its operations through 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.
At the same time, Playbill’s Pride Plays ends its month-long series of primetime livestreams with a musical celebration, Playbill’s Pride Spectacular. Honoring iconic LGBTQIA+ musicals, creators, and musical performers, the Pride Spectacular will feature performances by a cavalcade of theater luminaries including (in alphabetical order) Jelani Alladin, Alexandra Billings, Billy Bustamante, Jenn Colella, DeMarius Copes, Wilson Cruz, Robin De Jesús, Lea DeLaria, Brandon Victor Dixon, Eden Espinosa, Niani Feelings, Harvey Fierstein, Gaby Gamache, Celia Rose Gooding, Matt Gould, James Harkness, Curtis Holland, Cheyenne Jackson, Jawan M. Jackson, Michael R. Jackson, Francis Jue, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Caitlin Kinnunen, L Morgan Lee, Raymond J. Lee, Matthew Lopez, Rick Lyon, Cheech Manohar, Matt Manuel, Griffin Matthews, Anastacia McCleskey, John McDaniel, Michael McElroy, John McGinty, Gerry McIntyre, Chris Medlin, Ezra Menas, Paul HeeSang Miller, John Cameron Mitchell, Mary Kate Morrissey, Javier Muñoz, Alan Muraoka, Shakina Nayfack, Ariana Notartomaso, Diana Oh, Ken Page, Lauren Patten, Clint Ramos, Jelani Remy, Matt Rodin, Jai Rodriguez, Mj Rodriguez, Mars Rucker, Sushma Saha, George Salazar, Miriam Shor, Jason Tam, John Tartaglia, Sonya Tayeh, Sergio Trujillo, Vishal Vaidya, Nik Walker, BD Wong, Iain Young,and Brittany Zeinstra. The 90-minute musical evening includes accompaniment by Dan Berkery, Justin Craig, Charity Wicks-DePinto, Matt Gould, Emmy and Grammy Award winner John McDaniel, and Meg Zervoulis and appearances by Matthew Lopez, Clint Ramos, Sonya Tayeh, and Sergio Trujillo. I hope that you will support the essential work of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Please join the incredible lineup of Pride Plays artists in making a lifesaving difference for men, women and children across the country affected by COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses and crises. Your generosity will help provide lifesaving medications, nutritious meals, housing, emergency assistance and other vital services. Hit this link to watch Playbill’s Pride Spectacular. The video player will be posted at this link at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT.
L-R President Donald Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden New polling in six battleground states won by Donald Trump in 2016 (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina) offers some disconcerting news for the Trump campaign. The surveys, conducted by the New York Times/Siena College, show former Vice President Joe Biden leading in all six states including double-digit leads in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. The new polling shows: • Biden in the lead in Michigan by 11 points (47-36). Trump won there in 2016 by less than one point. • Wisconsin, where Trump also won by less than 1% nearly four years ago, indicates Biden holds an 11 point lead as well (49-38) • Another ‘less than 1 percent win’ state, Pennsylvania, appears to favor Biden by ten points (50-40) • Florida, where Trump eked out a 1 point win in 2016, shows Biden leading by 6 points (47-41) • Arizona, traditionally a Republican enclave where Trump won by 4 points during the last election, indicates Biden ahead of Trump by 7 points (48-41) • And North Carolina, another 4 point victory for Trump in 2016, shows Biden beating Trump by 9 points (49-40) Note: while the break-down of Democrats/Republicans/Independents polled was close in each swing state, there were more Republicans surveyed in Florida and Wisconsin. So, any claims of ‘weighting’ the polls in favor of Biden wouldn’t hold water. If Biden were to win all six of those states and hold onto those carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, he would win the presidency with by least 333 electoral votes, far more than the 270 needed, if he won all six of the states surveyed and held those won by Hillary Clinton four years ago. Scoring a win in any three of the six states listed above, however, would be enough to put him over the 270 point threshold to win the White House. Biden currently leads in virtually all national polls by an average of 9.4 points. A separate New York Times/Siena College national poll released this week showed Biden with a 14 point lead nationally (50-36). But as I’ve written many times, national polls don’t really tell the tale of an election that’s predicated on the Electoral College. Keep watching the swing state polling. A margin of plus/minus two or three points is close to a draw, but 6+ shows a clear advantage.
L-R Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump (image via White House/Public Domain) American intelligence officials reportedly concluded months ago that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly approached Islamic insurgents linked to the Taliban offering rewards in exchange for killing U.S. military forces in Afghanistan. From the New York Times:
The United States concluded months ago that the Russian unit, which has been linked to assassination attempts and other covert operations in Europe intended to destabilize the West or take revenge on turncoats, had covertly offered rewards for successful attacks last year.
The intelligence finding was briefed to President Trump, and the White House’s National Security Council discussed the problem at an interagency meeting in late March, the officials said. Officials developed a menu of potential options — starting with making a diplomatic complaint to Moscow and a demand that it stop, along with an escalating series of sanctions and other possible responses, but the White House has yet to authorize any step, the officials said.
“Not only has he failed to sanction or impose any kind of consequences on Russia for this egregious violation of international law, Donald Trump has continued his embarrassing campaign of deference and debasing himself before Vladimir Putin,” Said Mr. Biden.
“His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin, but this is beyond the pale,” added Biden. “It’s a betrayal of the most sacred duty we bear as a nation, to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm’s way.”
Trump tweeted today that neither he, Vice President Mike Pence, or Chief of Staff Mark Meadows were ever told about bounties on American troops. He also threw shade at Biden for reading a prepared statement, which Trump does all the time.
…Nobody’s been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration. With Corrupt Joe Biden & Obama, Russia had a field day, taking over important parts of Ukraine – Where’s Hunter? Probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax. Who is their “source”?
Funny to see Corrupt Joe Biden reading a statement on Russia, which was obviously written by his handlers. Russia ate his and Obama’s lunch during their time in office, so badly that Obama wanted them out of the then G-8. U.S. was weak on everything, but especially Russia!
Funny to see Traitor Donald Trump refusing to address the fact that Putin tried to kill American troops, and instead just attack Joe Biden who has absolutely nothing to do with any of this, and the media for reporting on the horrific things that took place.
It’s the last weekend of Pride 2020, and since we can’t get out on an actual dance floor here’s new music to bop to from Lizzo and the Fab 5, Ariana and the Rose, The Aces, GRiZ and Sara Bareilles. • Self-care queen Lizzo teams up with the men of Queer Eye for the music video for her hip-hop/pop tune, “Soulmate.” The colorful video is an animated Pride-themed romp with the Fab 5 as Lizzo picnics with Bobby, throws a corgi party with Antoni and throws down a pole dance with Karamo.
• Ariana and the Rose serve up an inclusive, colorful celebration of all kinds of love with “True Love.” The synth-pop dance track is a bouncy bop, and the video features six diverse, real-life couples spanning the diverse spectrums of race, age and sexuality. Ariana DiLorenzo, the band’s frontwoman, is a “proud and fierce ally for the LGBTQ community,” and told NewNowNext that performing at Pride events, lending her voice as a soundtrack to the celebrations, “is an honor.”
• “Daydream” is the latest single from Utah-based all-girl pop/rock band The Aces. While the infectious track is about long-distance lovers, the tune can easily relate to the distance many of us are feeling during the ongoing pandemic. The band, launched by queer sisters Cristal and Alisa Ramirez, decided to make the video about the crew out on a summer adventure rather than a too “on-the-nose” tribute to romance.
• Multi-instrumentalist and producer GRiZ releases his new single, “Medusa,” featuring DJ and producer Wreckno. What he coins his ‘queer anthem banger’ is a bass-fueled, hip-hop-laden slice of empowerment, created to uplift the underrepresented LGBTQIA+ voices in dance music. In celebration of Pride Month, “Medusa” is a message to queer kids encouraging them to embrace exactly who they are. (Explicit lyrics).
• And finally, Sara Bareilles covers the title track from the Grammy/Emmy Award-winning TV special, “Free To Be…You And Me.” Bareilles’s pure, soulful voice is perfect for the folk/pop tune. Created by actress and activist Marlo Thomas (That Girl) in 1972, the iconic album, book, and television special was the first anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-judgment entertainment for children. All proceeds for the project will benefit NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Fans of the song will notice the new version of the includes two lyric changes. The word “children” has been changed to “people” in one of the song’s main refrains. And, in order to better embrace the non-binary community, a lyric that referred to ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ growing up to be ‘men’ and ‘women’ was rewritten: “Every child in this land, may you all understand, that you’re proud and you’re strong and you are right where you belong.”
Donald Trump is on the golf course again today. Remember back in 2015 when he said, “I’m not going to have time to go play golf.” Folks are counting his trips to his golf clubs.
“I was going to go to Bedminster, New Jersey, this weekend, but wanted to stay in Washington, D.C. to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced,” Trump tweeted on Friday. “I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe.” Which, of course, means ‘play golf.’
(screen captures) UPDATE: A Twitter user has posted a detailed account by a friend who says they witnessed this sad episode. According to them, the ‘Karen’ in question wore a mask with no problem while waiting in line outside the store for 30 minutes. Apparently, once inside the store, she removed her mask and began “getting up in people’s face, getting as close as possible,” all while putting not one item in her basket. Check out the tweets following the video clips below for more details.
In this installment of the ‘Karen’ Chronicles, a woman shopping at a newly-opened Trader Joe’s in North Hollywood, California, on Friday evening became irate when asked to wear a face mask. In a video shared on Twitter, the woman seems incredulous that a mask is required to shop in the store. After slamming her shopping basket to the floor, she screamed “Democratic pigs!” as she headed to the door. Passing the man recording the incident, she made a point to say she has “a breathing problem” and her doctor would not “let” her wear a face mask. Please note – that ‘breathing problem’ doesn’t seem to inhibit her from yelling at the top of her lungs. As one person on Twitter noted, if she has a respiratory condition she would be at a higher risk of coronavirus infection. You think her ‘doctor’ would either tell her to wear a mask or stay at home. On June 18, California officials announced face coverings will be required in public areas, workplaces, public transportation, and in common walkways and elevators of offices and businesses. Dining, drinking, or participating in outdoor athletic activity that can be done with a distance between people of 6 feet are exempt from the requirement. The order also exempts medical conditions. The Los Angeles CBS News affiliate reports hospitalization rates for COVID-19 in the Golden State have been steadily increasing. Currently, 4,240 people with coronavirus occupy hospital beds, which is a 32 percent increase from two weeks ago. Intensive care units are seeing 1,306 people with the virus, up 19 percent over the last two weeks.
— MelonCollieFlower 🍉🐕🌸 (@TheMelindaBeast) June 27, 2020
For someone with a “breathing problem” she sure has a set of lungs.
Also, she’s blatantly wrong. Her rights are not being violated. Example: When of age we can drink alcohol, & we can drive. But we can not drink alcohol & drive. Why? Because it endangers lives. Like #COVID19! — Andrew M. Hogsten (@Andrew_Hogsten) June 27, 2020
If she really had a breathing problem she DEFINITELY should be wearing a mask so she doesn’t catch the COVID – a virus that attacks the lungs
A woman in Branson, Missouri, was captured on video at a Black Lives Matter protest earlier this week waving a Confederate flag and yelling at protesters “I will teach my grandkids to hate you all.” She also called out “KKK belief.” Kathy Jenkins told local news station KOLR10 that since the video went viral she’s lost her job (a punishment she says she deserves) and has left Branson, her home of six years. Jenkins claims, however, that she “blacked out” and doesn’t remember making those racist statements to BLM protesters assembled outside a store that sells Confederate merchandise. She does, however, say she remembers chanting along with the protesters “Black Lives Matter.” According to Jenkins, she was watching the protest from the other side of the street and was handed a Confederate flag. She says she thought it was a symbol of “unity.” Jenkins says in the video she was yelling at a pair of neighbors who were heckling her and calling her a racist for waving the flag. “I wasn’t saying I’m KKK or for the KKK,” she told KOLR10 reporter David Chasanov on Wednesday. “I was mocking them because I don’t like being called a racist.” “I’m so, so sorry,” Jenkins told KOLR10. “I mean, if it would help for me to stand with Black Lives Matter, I absolutely would do that.” “I didn’t understand that the Confederate flag meant hate,” said Jenkins. “I don’t understand the whole history of the Confederate flag, but I’m learning.” But Faith Pittser, one of the Black Lives Matter organizers, disagreed with that version of the story. She told the news station in a statement:
“She knew exactly what she was doing. She was there from the start on the counter-protesters’ side shouting obscenities and hateful words at our protesters. I think her claims to not know what the confederate flag is and what it represents are absurd and lies. She proudly shouted “KKK belief” in front of all of us.
“Her apology does not make sense as she’s trying to state she didn’t realize she was on the opposing side. How do you not realize that if you’re on Dixie Outfitter’s property holding a confederate flag along with the other counter-protesters that are facing us? She never once shouted ‘black lives matter’ along with us. This woman is lying and apologizing because she’s sorry she got caught in her acts of racism.”
Here’s the original video that went viral on Twitter. The clip has been viewed over 13 million times.
Health officials are imploring young people to wear masks and practice social distancing as coronavirus transmission among younger Americans continued to drive record outbreaks in several states.
The pleas come as governors in Texas and Florida instituted new limits on bars and alcohol consumption to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, citing the skyrocketing number of young people who are contracting it.
At the White House Friday, Vice President Pence and other members of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, in its first briefing in weeks, urged young people to take the virus more seriously.
“Younger Americans have a particular responsibility to make sure that they’re not carrying the coronavirus into settings where they would expose the most vulnerable,” Pence said.
Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said younger people are often asymptomatic or have mild symptoms but can easily spread the virus to older or immune-compromised patients.
In Oklahoma, nearly half of all new cases reported since the state began reopening 65 days ago are under the age of 35. According to the Centers for Disease Control, younger coronavirus patients (ages 18-49) made up 35 percent of hospitalizations last week.
Some news items you might have missed: • The Gaily Grind: The U.S. House unanimously passed a bill Friday that would establish the Pulse nightclub in Orlando as a national memorial site, four years after a gunman opened fire on hundreds of people inside the club, killing 49 LGBTQ Americans and wounding dozens more. • Texas Tribune: Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday expressed regret for the first time about the reopening process he spearheaded during the coronavirus pandemic, saying he should not have allowed bars to open as quickly. “If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, now seeing in the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting,” Abbott said. • New Music: The late Harry Hains, a compelling musician, actor (best known for American Horror Story, The OA) as well as artist and model, didn’t define himself by the constructs surrounding us, and his concept of ANTIBOY offers a portal into an age of existence where there is complete unparalleled freedom to live without preconceptions and societal labels. At a time when society is rising up to break down old systems and demanding equality for all, Harry’s personal perspective of the intersection of sexuality, gender, race, and self-expression endures because of its cultural relevance.
• NY Times: In the middle of a world-wide pandemic, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court late Thursday to overturn the Affordable Care Act — a move that, if successful, would bring a permanent end to the health insurance program popularly known as Obamacare and wipe out coverage for as many as 23 million Americans. • NPR: Donald Trump’s disapproval numbers are at an all-time high, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Trump’s approval rating sits at just 40% overall, while a record 58% disapprove. What’s more, a whopping 49% of voters “strongly disapprove” of the job Trump is doing. That kind of intensity of disapproval is a record never before seen for this president or any past one. • Twitter: Add another musical group not having Donald Trump use their music at his rallies. Brendon Urie, lead singer for Panic! At The Disco, made it short and sweet in tweeting his disgust at the Trump campaign for using one his band’s song during its MAGA rally in Phoenix this week. “Dear Trump campaign,” Urie wrote on Twitter. “F*ck you. You’re not invited. Stop playing my song. No thanks, Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco & company.”
Dear Trump Campaign,
Fuck you. You’re not invited. Stop playing my song. No thanks, Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco & company. — Brendon Urie (@brendonurie) June 24, 2020
Political satirist Randy Rainbow has some good advice for Donald Trump in his clever parody of “Put On A Happy Face” from the classic Broadway musical, Bye Bye Birdie. In his health-conscious iteration of the tune – “Cover Your Freakin’ Face!” – Rainbow addresses Trump’s avoidance of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic even though the federal government’s experts say it’s an important safety measure in tamping down the spread of the virus. 
At the same time, Playbill’s 
