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CNN Reporter & Crew Arrested During Live Broadcast In Minneapolis

Minnesota police arrested CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew live on-air early Friday morning after they had clearly identified themselves as press and repeatedly offered to move ‘wherever you want us.’ As you can see in the video below, the officers have Jimenez and his crew surrounded and seem to say nothing for some time until they step in and arrest the reporter. CNN anchors said Jimenez and his crew were arrested for not moving after being told to by police, though the live footage prior to their arrests clearly shows Jimenez talking calmly with police and offering to move wherever necessary. CNN president Jeff Zucker spoke with the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz on Friday morning, following the arrest of CNN’s team in Minneapolis, Walz said he “deeply apologizes” for what happened and is working to have the CNN team released immediately. The Minneapolis State Patrol said this about the incident: “In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.” CNN disputed the state police characterization in a statement on Twitter. “This is not accurate — our CNN crew identified themselves, on live television, immediately as journalists. We thank Minnesota @GovTimWalz for his swift action this morning to aid in the release of our crew.”

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Out Music: Mike½Nelson ‘Crazy World’

Mike ½ Nelson (via Instagram)
Out recording artist Mike½Nelson ponders the plight of the planet in “Crazy World,” the first single and music video release from his new visual EP, All Are Welcome. The pop-noir mid-tempo brims with an uneasy sense of foreboding meant to convey to listeners that it is ok to hit rock bottom. Mike½Nelson’s vocals sit right in the pocket with an edge that cuts like a knife through the hooky chorus. “There have been moments in my life when I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to surrender to a higher truth,” admits the artist. “I mean, look at how things are today. Why shouldn’t we feel despair and rage? The f*cking Nazis and KKK are back. They’re being called ‘very good people.’ The unacceptable has become acceptable. We should feel anguish.” “I wrote ‘Crazy World’ when I was trying to emotionally detach myself from a relationship that wasn’t working anymore,” adds the Iowa native from his NYC home. “My ex was in the throws of an intense opiate addiction, and it was a very volatile experience. At the same time, Sandy Hook, the mass shooting of an elementary school, was in the news and I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to scream my grief out the window.” In the song and its music video, directed by Max Richardson of HBO’s Euphoria, Mike½Nelson encourages listeners experiencing pain to surrender to it. Especially men, he says. “Society teaches men to suppress their emotions, but if we were given space to feel the pain inside, maybe we would have more music videos and less mass shootings.”

As a gay young man, he admits to feelings of isolation through much of high school, but says he eventually found his niche within the artsy crowd. They would wear outrageous costumes and put on theatrical shows in their town square. It was at that time that he started writing music and continued through his years at the University of Iowa, where he also discovered his first gay bar, a tiny watering hole called “The Alley Cat.” After college, he made the journey to NYC where he found his new tribe – the underground scene populated by drug addicts, prostitutes and scoundrels. “They were nice to me when nobody else would be,” he remembers. “And I loved the drama that they brought. They were fun and I have a soft spot for people who struggle because I have struggled myself.” He watched as some would eventually evolve into healthier occupations. Others found their bliss going even deeper into the underground. “If someone is lucky enough to find happiness in this life, then go for it, baby. I really can’t judge. It’s a big tent. All are welcome.” The songs for All Are Welcome view the world through a prism of danger, grit and fun as they explore topics of resilience, hope, and heroism. “One thing that gives me hope for the world is witnessing the courage and devotion of the frontline heroes and hospital workers today,” Mike½Nelson adds. “To get up every day and fight to help others when you’re putting your own life on the line. That’s a strong heart, baby.” Mike½Nelson’s “Crazy World,” is available now on Apple iTunes, Amazon, and all other major e-music retailers. His upcoming EP, All Are Welcome, drops June 12. Follow Mike½Nelson on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

(photo credit: Wiafe)

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The Circle Of Life

Our ‘Prince of April Wind’ – Bear
I’m sad to share that our puppy Bear, who was nearly 17-years-old, passed away on Saturday. He’d been on medication for a heart condition for the past few months but was doing well. Thursday night he was fine, occasionally taking the time to bark at a friend’s basset hound we were dog-sitting. But out of nowhere on Friday, he stopped eating food and barely took any water and couldn’t keep the water he did drink down. Listless and a bit disoriented, he was very quiet and basically slept all day. In the past, he also experienced brief seizures that began coming more often. He’d had them before, but usually weeks between episodes. Friday night, he was very restless and couldn’t get comfortable. We were up most of the night watching him. On Saturday morning, we were already very concerned, but then the seizures came again. He had six episodes throughout the morning – each more violent than he has ever had. Heartbroken, we knew what we had to do. We had to be his “humans” and take his pain away.
Michael with Bear
Our ‘Prince of April Wind’ crossed the rainbow bridge – on his favorite blanket that he slept on every night – with the help of two very compassionate veterinarians who came to the house.
I took this photo of Bear looking out the front door just days before his passing
Bear was born last in Michael’s hands, and over the years his timid nature put him down the pecking order in terms of alpha-dom. But in the past seven months, being the lone dog of the house, he flourished and grew confident. Even in his last moments, when the vets came into the bedroom on Saturday, he stood up and barked ferociously defending us from what he perceived as a threat. Our prince had become a knight.
Me with baby Bear getting some water during the puppy days
With the passing of any loved one comes grief, but in addition to losing Bear, we find ourselves at the end of our wonderful 23-year adventure with this beautiful dachshund family. We began with the mama, Sabrina, in December 1997. Daddy dog Bruno joined the family in 2002, and in July of 2003, their puppies Tyler, Bandit, and Bear were born. As our friends know, the dogs ruled in our house. For years, the house was full of boundless dog energy.
The dogs help Michael take a break from work
Everywhere we look, the dogs’ presence is undeniable. Five water dishes spread around the house, six beds, the pantry full of treats, their blankets on our bed… For all these years, this furry family has loved on us and brought more joy than words can describe. We realize that, as adults, for the past 32 years, we’ve both always had dogs in our lives. But in 2011, we lost Sabrina. Bandit passed in 2017, Bruno followed a year later, and this past November Tyler departed.
Me with all five doxies
As we lost them over the years, there was always the surviving pups to love on and pour our hearts into. Now, just silence. We are heartbroken and the pain is so deep we are both literally numb. Rest in peace our little teddy Bear – your family is there waiting for you on the other side of the bridge. It’s the end of our Doxie Dynasty.
Bruno being daddy with the puppies as Sabrina looks on

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Lincoln Project Ad Takes Aim At #RichMitch McConnell’s Personal Wealth

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Wow. The Lincoln Project, a super PAC comprised of anti-Trump conservatives, has released some potent attack ads against the Donald in recent days and now they are going after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The new ad focuses on the Kentucky Republican’s personal wealth and wonders aloud how #RichMitch became one of the wealthiest men in the Senate on a senator’s salary. The spot also draws contrasts between his financial good fortune versus how his state has fared during his 35 years in Washington – ranked 40th in job opportunity, ranked 45th in education and 43rd in health care.

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Wisconsin: Record High COVID-19 Deaths 2 Weeks After Striking Down Stay At Home Order

(screen capture via CBS News)
From Yahoo News:

Wisconsin saw a record number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported in a single day on Wednesday, two weeks after the state’s Supreme Court struck down its statewide stay-at-home order.

The state reported 599 new known COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 22 known deaths, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, the highest recorded daily rise since the pandemic began there. As of Wednesday, the state had more than 16,460 known cases and 539 known deaths, according to the department.

The previous record in new coronavirus cases was 528 the week prior.

Gov. Tony Evers (D) implored his constituents to wear face masks when out in public to keep others safe from the coronavirus. “One of the most important things you can do to help others is to wear a mask or other face-covering in public,” he said. “Wearing a mask shouldn’t be a political statement. It isn’t controversial, and it’s not hard to do.” Immediately after the state Supreme Court struck down the stay-at-home order, the media reported Wisconsinites flocking to bars. Of course, none of those folks chose to wear a face mask or practice any health guidelines.

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Rep. Brian Sims Calls Out GOP Lawmakers For Hiding Positive COVID Diagnosis

Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims (screen capture)
Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims, an openly gay Democrat, went on an epic Facebook Live rant Wednesday night calling out state Republicans for covering up a GOP lawmaker’s positive diagnosis for COVID-19. Sims says House Republicans called for in-person committee meetings to argue that business sectors were safe to reopen even as they knew they had been exposed to the virus. From NBC News:

“Every single day of this crisis this State Government Committee in Pennsylvania has met so that their members could line up one after one after one and explain that it was safe to go back to work,” said Sims during his. “During that time period they were testing positive. They were notifying one another. And they didn’t notify us.”

“I never ever, ever knew that the Republican leadership of this state would put so many of us at risk for partisanship to cover up a lie,” he said during the nearly 12-minute tirade. “And that lie is that we’re all safe from COVID.”

Rep. Andrew Lewis, R-Dauphin, said in a Facebook Live address Wednesday night, hours after he publicly announced he had tested positive, that he informed as few people as possible about contracting the coronavirus because he wanted to protect the privacy of those around him and because he was only in close quarters with a handful of house colleagues.

Sims shares in the video that he donated a kidney in January and so he currently has a compromised immune system making him more susceptible to the coronavirus. Sims is demanding an investigation into how the notification about the diagnosis was handled. He’s also called for Speaker of the House Mike Turzai to resign. Here’s the Facebook Live video. Note – Sims uses some profanity in here.

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Podcast: Chatting With Jamison Stern Of 5-Time Emmy Winning ‘After Forever’

Actor Jamison Stern
In this episode of The Randy Report podcast, I’m chatting with the fabulous TV and stage actor Jamison Stern. As a cast member of the Amazon Video series After Forever, he was a part of the team that was honored with 8 Daytime Emmy nominations in 2019 and took home five – including Best Digital Series, Best Writing Team for Digital Series, Best Actor in a digital series and more. Last week, the 2020 Daytime Emmy nominations were announced and it was more good news for the After Forever crew – six nominations this year including – again – Best Digital Series and Best Writing Team for a Digital Series. So, it’s terrific timing to sit down and chat with Jamison about the journey and success of the show.

One of the busiest actors in New York City, Jamison has appeared on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in just about every leading regional theater across the country. He recently won rave reviews for his tour de force turn in Fully Committed at TheaterWorks in Hartford playing 33 characters – onstage alone. One critic wrote, “The production showcases an awesome star in Jamison Stern, who lights up the stage and fills the play with dozens of characters, even though he is completely—and gloriously—on his own.” He also brings that creative output to his Instagram account. During the run of a show, he’ll become obsessed with new ways to include his followers in his theatrical journey. Jamison is one of the actors who bring theatre to life for so many across the country starring in top-notch productions in cities like Hartford CT, Atlanta GA, Houston TX, and Seattle WA. Hit play and you’ll see why this is one of my favorite interviews to date on The Randy Report. You can follow Jamison on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jamisonstern/ and check out After Forever on Amazon here.

 

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Me and EMMY!! It’s an honor just to be blah blah blah. @afterforevertheseries @daytimeemmys

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News Round-Up: May 27, 2020

A man asks sex advice columnist if isolation could make him gay (stock image)
Some news items you might have missed: • Chicago Tribune: A 32-year-old man wrote to sex advice columnist Anna Pulley to ask if being isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic could be responsible for developing a sexual attraction to men. • KSTP: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called for the police officer involved in the incident that led to the death of George Floyd to be arrested. Floyd was pronounced dead Monday night after he was taken into custody by police in south Minneapolis. A video that was circulated online shows an officer holding his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for several minutes. • The Lincoln Project: As the COVID-19 death toll crossed the 100,000 mark in the U.S. today, the conservative anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project released a new campaign ad criticizing the Donald’s handling of the coronavirus health threat. The spot features Trump announcing on February 26 that “You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.” As his words echo, a shot of seven body bags slowly pulls back to reveal thousands.

• Out: NBA great Dwyane Wade and his daughter Zaya were celebrating this weekend by posting pics on social media of their matching bright red-dyed hair. It was yet another way the Hall of Fame parent is supporting and empowering his teenage trans child. • Hollywood Reporter: California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing has filed a lawsuit against the executive producers of the CBS series Criminal Minds, Disney and the network itself. The filing alleges multiple instances of sexual touching by Gregory St. Johns, a director of photography on the show. According to the lawsuit, over a dozen male employees were fired at the request of St. Johns when they complained or didn’t respond to his behavior which included butt slaps and pinches. • EXTRA: Pose star Billy Porter shares that quarantining with his husband Adam Smith has been “a very deepening time for our relationship.” Along with expressing the importance of self-care, Porter added, “I am mentally solid, I have been going through some trauma therapy that’s really intense.”

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Queer Eye OGs Compete Against The New Class On ‘Celebrity Family Feud’

The original cast of Queer Eye
It’s OG versus New Class as Celebrity Family Feud shares this teaser for its upcoming face-off between the original cast of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and the current crop of ‘make better’ experts on Netflix’s Queer Eye. The OG Fab Five – Carson Kressley, Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia, and Jai Rodriguez – will compete on the longtime game show for The Trevor Project, the leading organization for LGBTQ at-risk youth. And the new lineup – Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, and Wesley Hamilton (stepping in for Kamaro Brown) – will be playing to benefit GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network).
The new class of Queer Eye
The new teaser video features both squads in backstage banter chatting on playing against each other as well as quick clips from the episode. When host Steve Harvey notes the two teams have ‘different energies,’ he turns to Carson to clarify, “So, you all are considered the OGs?” “Right, the Old Gays,” quips Carson which a smile. Tune in for the royally gay battle royale on May 31 at 8 pm on ABC.

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Playwright & Lifelong Activist Larry Kramer Dead At 84

Larry Kramer in 2010 (photo: David Shankbone – CC License)
Larry Kramer, whose activism shocked the country into addressing the HIV epidemic as it killed thousands of Americans, has passed away at the age of 84. In addition to his work as an award-winning playwright including The Normal Heart, he helped co-found the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (the first public service organization for those with HIV) and the activist group ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) which staged “die-in” protests to draw attention to the mounting death toll from AIDS. From the New York Times:

Larry Kramer, the noted writer whose raucous, antagonistic campaign for an all-out response to the AIDS crisis helped shift national health policy in the 1980s and ’90s, died on Wednesday morning in Manhattan. He was 84.

His husband, David Webster, said the cause was pneumonia. Mr. Kramer had weathered illness for much of his adult life. Among other things he had been infected with H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS, contracted liver disease and underwent a successful liver transplant.

An author, essayist and playwright — notably hailed for his autobiographical 1985 play, “The Normal Heart” — Mr. Kramer had feet in both the world of letters and the public sphere. In 1981 he was a founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the first service organization for H.I.V.-positive people, though his fellow directors effectively kicked him out a year later for his aggressive approach. (He returned the compliment by calling them “a sad organization of sissies.”)

He was then a founder of a more militant group, Act Up (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), whose street actions demanding a speedup in AIDS drugs research and an end to discrimination against gay men and lesbians severely disrupted the operations of government offices, Wall Street and the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, credits Kramer with playing an “essential” role in the development of drug regimens that could help those living with HIV, and in urging the FDA to streamline its process for vetting and approval of new drugs.

Kramer’s play, The Normal Heart, opened at the Public Theater in April 1985 and ran for nine months. The play chronicled the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis and his often aggressive activism to get people engaged in solving the epidemic. In 2011, The Normal Heart was revived on Broadway winning the Tony Award for Best Revival. And in 2014, Kramer wrote a television adaptation for HBO (directed by Ryan Murphy) which won the 2014 Emmy for outstanding television movie. In his review of the revival, Ben Brantley of the New York Times wrote, “By the play’s end, even people who think they have no patience for polemical theater may find their resistance has melted into tears. No, make that sobs.” I encourage you to read the full profile by the New York Times here.