A starry line-up of Broadway favorites are toasting Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday with a once-in-a-lifetime concert event live on Broadway.com titled, ‘Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.’ As I was planning this post, I realized how much I admired Sondheim’s incredible talent, but how much his work impacted my own career in theater. The first musical I ever appeared in was one of the greatest musicals ever written – Gypsy (lyrics by Sondheim). I earned my actor’s union card in a gorgeous production of West Side Story (lyrics by Sondheim). Performing ‘Into The Woods’ – I’m the one hugging the cow Over the next couple of decades, I appeared in productions of Into The Woods (score by Sondheim), more West Side Story (playing about every Jet you can think of), and more. And the last Broadway production I appeared in was the 2001 revival of his masterpiece Follies starring Blythe Danner, Treat Williams, Judith Ivey and Gregory Harrison – a joyful experience from beginning to end. With Sondheim backstage during the 2001 Broadway revival of ‘Follies’ So, yes, I’ll definitely be watching tonight’s event. Hosted by Raul Esparza the Broadway-palooza will feature musical performances by: Iain Armitage • Annaleigh Ashford • Christine Baranski • Laura Benanti • Michael Cerveris • Melissa Errico • Beanie Feldstein • Sutton Foster • Maria Friedman • Alexander Gemignani • Josh Groban • Jake Gyllenhaal • Ann Harada • Neil Patrick Harris • Austin Ku • Judy Kuhn • Linda Lavin • Katrina Lenk • Kelvin Moon Loh • Patti LuPone • Lin-Manuel Miranda • Audra McDonald • Brian Stokes Mitchell • Donna Murphy • Kelli O’Hara • Mandy Patinkin • Bernadette Peters • Ben Platt • Randy Rainbow • Lea Salonga • Stephen Schwartz • Thom Sesma • Elizabeth Stanley • Meryl Streep • Aaron Tveit • Brandon Uranowitz • Chip Zien Directed by Paul Wontorek with musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the event will benefit Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP). You can watch the live stream below or at Broadway.com here beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT. https://www.youtube.com/live/A92wZIvEUAw?si=acVXCThYDK5IGxwH
Someone at the White House missed their shift in the presidential nursery again. Donald Trump rage tweeted today claiming to be “the hardest working President in history” and not getting credit for it.
The people that know me and know the history of our Country say that I am the hardest working President in history. I don’t know about that, but I am a hard worker and have probably gotten more done in the first 3 1/2 years than any President in history. The Fake News hates it!
….schedule and eating habits, written by a third rate reporter who knows nothing about me. I will often be in the Oval Office late into the night & read & see that I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom. People with me are always stunned. Anything to demean!
Trump really wants to be viewed as ‘hard-working’ and hates that the press notes his many, many golf outings, etc. While he claims to have not left the White House “in many months,” USA Today notes, “During this time, Trump played golf on Jan. 18 and 19, Feb. 1 and 15, and March 7 and 8, according to the Trump Golf Count website. He hosted rallies on Jan. 9 (Toledo, Ohio); 14 (Milwaukee), 28 (Wildwood, N.J.) and 30 (Des Moines, Iowa), as well as Feb. 10 (Manchester, N.H.), 19 (Phoenix), 20 (Colorado Springs), 21 (Las Vegas) and 28 (Charleston, S.C.).” Trump then turned on those reporters who “have received ‘Noble Prizes'” (Nobel Prizes?) for their reporting on Russia’s confirmed interference in the 2016 presidential election. Note – There is no Noble Prize or Noble Committee. There is a Nobel Prize and a Nobel Committee, but there is no Nobel Prize for reporting. There are Pulitzer Prizes for journalism, but at this point, do real facts or details matter when it comes to President Baby Hands?
When will all of the “reporters” who have received Noble Prizes for their work on Russia, Russia, Russia, only to have been proven totally wrong (and, in fact, it was the other side who committed the crimes), be turning back their cherished “Nobles” so that they can be given….
….Lawsuits should be brought against all, including the Fake News Organizations, to rectify this terrible injustice. For all of the great lawyers out there, do we have any takers? When will the Noble Committee Act? Better be fast!
Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win. This has been confirmed through investigations by Robert Mueller and the GOP-led Senate Intelligence Committee. https://t.co/KZAllebDnX
Secondly, Trump is just beyond jealous that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize and yet Trump will never even come close to winning the award. He can watch Greta Thunberg though. The only thing Trump will ever accomplish that Obama never could was getting impeached.
L-R Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally (via Instagram) As NBC was preparing for the (second) series finale of Will & Grace this week, Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan addressed the rumors of discord between series stars Debra Messing and Megan Mullally with Entertainment Weekly. You may recall Mullally quietly took a leave of absence during two episodes this season, and fans noticed she and Messing ‘unfollowed’ each other on social media. While Kohan and Mutchnick didn’t get into the details of the reported feud, they did acknowledge there were ‘tensions’ on set. Mutchnick said: “We always work under this kind of motto that everything’s about the work. It’s just about the work. And so if we stay true to that, then we just keep you guys out of whatever happened on the set this year because it would have done nothing but get in the way of the stories that we wanted to tell. It was not an easy year, but the permanent legacy of the show is much more important to us than any temporary squabble that would take place on the stage.” Mutchnick also shared that it was Messing’s “pain-in-the-ass” contract that forced producers to get to the series finale before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Hollywood. “Oh my God, thank God. It would have been the most unfinished feeling to not get to the end of this season,” said Mutchnick laughingly. “Thank God Debra had it in her contract that we had to be done by Christmas. I finally found the silver lining in that really pain-in-the-ass clause.” Check out the full interview on EW here. I personally thought it felt a bit ‘by the numbers.’ Like something that had to be done, but there wasn’t the snap that once was there. I’m glad the series came back – we needed it after the election of 2016. But I also think the creative team and cast were wise to bring the curtain down at an appropriate junction. Who watched the finale? What did you think? Yay? Nay? Blase?
Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci on SNL Earlier this month, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked who he’d like to see play him on Saturday Night Live and the good doctor said, “Brad Pitt, of course.” Well, it turns out dreams do come true as the Academy Award winner showed up via video last night as Fauci for the show’s second SNL-at-Home edition. Outfitted in a wig, glasses and Brooklyn accent, Pitt began, “First, I’d like to thank all the older women in America who have sent me supportive, inspiring, and sometimes graphic emails.” “Now, there’s been a lot of misinformation out there about the virus. And, yes, the president has taken some liberties with our guidelines. So tonight, I would like to explain what the president was trying to say. And, remember, let’s all keep an open mind.” From there, Pitt’s ‘Fauci’ attempted to fact-check of the erroneous things Donald Trump has said in recent weeks about the coronavirus. For example, Trump’s declaration that there would be a vaccine “relatively soon.” “Relatively soon is an interesting phrase. Relative to the entire history of Earth, sure, the vaccine’s going to come real fast. But if you were to tell a friend, ‘I’ll be over relatively soon’ and then showed up a year and a half later, well, your friend may be relatively pissed off.” Then there’s the Donald’s assertion that “like a miracle, [coronavirus] will disappear.” Pitt’s Fauci responds, “A miracle would be great. Who doesn’t love miracles? But miracles shouldn’t be plan A. Even Sully tried to land at the airport first.” Regarding Trump’s statement that “I’m not sure anybody knows what it [coronavirus] is.” (pause) “We know what it is,” says Pitt’s Fauci. Theorizing he may soon be fired from the White House Coronavirus Task Force for telling the truth and sharing the science behind the ongoing health threat, ‘Fauci’ added this: “Until then, I’m going to be there, putting out the facts for whoever’s listening. And when I hear things like ‘the virus can be cured if everyone takes the Tide pod challenge,’ I’ll be there to say, ‘Please don’t.’” Finally, Pitt removed his wig and glasses to address the public and frontline health workers as himself: “To the real Dr. Fauci, thank you for your calm and your clarity in this unnerving time. And thank you to the medical workers, first responders, and their families for being on the frontline.”
L-R Fred Rogers and Francois Clemmons In his new memoir, Officer Clemmons, Francois Clemmons shares that during his time as a cast member of the iconic children’s TV show, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, the show’s star Fred Rogers encouraged him to stay in the closet and to marry a woman. In a new interview with PEOPLE, Clemmons says, “I forgive him. More than that, I understand.” From 1968 to 1993, Clemmons became known to millions of children as ‘Officer Clemmons’ on the popular PBS series. Clemmons says he also came to see Rogers as “a mentor, father figure, and ultimately ‘the spiritual love of my life.'” The two men met at Rogers’ wife’s church and became fast friends. Having survived a difficult childhood, the calming nature of Rogers and his ‘neighborhood’ became an integral part of Clemmons’ life. But according to his new autobiography, Clemmons was summoned to Rogers’s office one day. “Franc, you have talents and gifts that set you apart and above the crowd,” Rogers told Clemmons per his new memoir. “Someone has informed us that you were seen at the local gay bar downtown. Now, I want you to know, Franc, that if you’re gay, it doesn’t matter to me at all. Whatever you say and do is fine with me, but if you’re going to be on the show as an important member of the Neighborhood, you can’t be out as gay.” Clemmons shares with PEOPLE he began to get emotional and broke down crying. “I could have his friendship and fatherly love and relationship forever,” says Clemmons. “But I could have the job only if I stayed in the closet.” Clemmons and Rogers on the set of ‘Mr. Rogers Neighborhood’ (image via Wikimedia Commons) He had given Clemmons inspiration and stardom but told him there was a cost. “You must do this Francois because it threatens my dream,” Clemmons recalled Rogers saying. “I was destroyed,” Clemmons shares in his book. “The man who was killing me had also saved me. He was my executioner and deliverer. But, at the same time, I knew that he would know how to comfort me. I didn’t have another mother or father to comfort me. I had no one to go and be a boy with. I was just vulnerable. He got in a few slaps, some tough love, a good spanking. But I was not kicked out of the family.” Rogers reportedly assured Clemmons, “The world doesn’t really want to know who you’re sleeping with — especially if it’s a man. You can have it all if you can keep that part out of the limelight.” But, it turns out, Rogers did have a plan. “Have you ever thought of getting married?” Rogers asked Clemmons. “People do make some compromises in life.” And that’s exactly what Clemmons did. “By the time I left his office, I had made up my mind to marry La-Tanya Mae Sheridan,” wrote the 75-year-old. He was 23 at the time. “At the wedding reception, Fred and Joanne approached me and my new wife,” adds Clemmons. “It felt as if Fred and I were sealing some kind of secret bargain.” Francois Clemmons’ memoir, Officer Clemmons And in making that bargain, Clemmons became one of the first gay Black men on television although no one would know. The marriage would only last six years until the couple amicably filed for divorce in 1974. It was then that Clemmons finally began living life as an openly gay man. But today, Clemmons harbors no resentment for Rogers. “Lord have mercy, yes, I forgive him,” Clemmons tells PEOPLE. “More than that, I understand. I relied on the fact that this was his dream. He had worked so hard for it. I knew Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was his whole life.” To be clear, I don’t hold any animus against Rogers, either. It was a different time. It was a children’s show. As I’ve noted many times on The Randy Report, the only depiction of LGBTQ people back then were as murderous monsters or mentally ill. There was no spin that could deflect that in 1968. That said, props to Fred Rogers for his inclusion of Clemmons. And not just as a member of his ‘Neighborhood,’ but as a police officer – a role Rogers insisted Clemmons play for a reason. As a young black man from Ohio, Clemmons grew up afraid of the police.
“The idea that he wanted me to become one of them, one of the enemy, was a tremendous shock to me,” Clemmons told HuffPost in 2018. “Then, he painted it in a different light. He said, ‘You can become one of the helpers. That is something else that policemen do that we can emphasize.’” And so, Clemmons became one of the earliest depictions of Black police officers that children could learn to trust.
In addition to his career in children’s TV, Clemmons was also an accomplished singer having received a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College, and a Master of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. He won a 1976 Grammy Award for his performance as “Sportin’ Life” in a recording of Porgy & Bess with the Cleveland Orchestra. Officer Clemmons is scheduled for release on May 5. Clemmons was prominently featured in the acclaimed 2018 documentary about the children’s series, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
L-R Kim Jong Un of North Korea, Donald Trump Via MarketWatch:
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is in a “vegetative state” after he underwent heart surgery earlier this month, a Japanese magazine says.
The weekly Shukan Gendai reported Friday that a Chinese medic sent to North Korea as part of a team to treat Kim believed a delay in a simple procedure left the leader severely ill, Reuters reported.
North Korean media hasn’t mentioned Kim’s health or whereabouts, even though reports by other media have sparked international speculation about his well-being.
The Chinese expert told the magazine that Kim clutched his chest and fell to the ground on a visit to the countryside earlier this month. A doctor accompanying Kim performed CPR and took him to a nearby hospital.
Kim, believed to be 36, needed a stent procedure, which calls for placing a tube into a congested blood vessel to allow blood to keep flowing to the heart, according to Shukan Gendai.
Earlier this week, Seoul-based website Daily NK reported that Kim was recovering after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure on April 12.
Political satirist Randy Rainbow is on top of his game as he releases his response to Donald Trump’s (non-sarcastic) suggestion that injecting patients with disinfectants might be a possible treatment. Set to the tune of “A Spoonful Of Sugar,” from Disney’s 1964 classic, Mary Poppins, Rainbow’s clever lyrics are on point as usual. Wikipedia notes that the tune’s lyricist, Robert Sherman, wrote the song after arriving home to find his children had received their polio vaccine, which was delivered in a sugar cube.
Set a reminder on your calendars, folks… GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today announced that Billy Porter, Pete & Chasten Buttigieg, Rosie O’Donnell, Jonathan Van Ness, Brian Michael Smith, Ross Mathews, and Tyler Oakley will join GLAAD’s livestream event, “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone,” on Sunday, April 26 at 8pm ET on GLAAD’s YouTube channel and Facebook Live. GLAAD also announced that Billy Eichner and Lilly Singh will co-host the event, which will include special performances from Alex Newell, the cast of Broadway’s “Jagged Little Pill”, as well as previously announced performances from Kesha and Melissa Etheridge. Mj Rodriguez and George Salazar, who previously co-starred in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Pasadena Playhouse, will also perform. “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone” will highlight the LGBTQ response to COVID-19 and amplify messages of acceptance and affirmation to the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV during this unprecedented time. The livestream will raise funds for LGBTQ community centers that are members of CenterLink. GLAAD previously announced special guests including Matt Bomer, Adam Lambert, Bebe Rexha, Dan Levy, Wilson Cruz, Kathy Griffin, Gigi Gorgeous, Nats Getty, Michelle Visage, Javier Muñoz, Sean Hayes, Sharon Stone, and Tatiana Maslany. The livestream event will feature performances, interviews, video messages, and interviews with front-line LGBTQ doctors and leaders of local LGBTQ community centers. Actor and producer Erich Bergen is creating the event with GLAAD. The “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone” livestream will also raise critical funds for CenterLink, a coalition of more than 250 LGBTQ community centers from 45 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, as well as Canada, China, Mexico, and Australia. CenterLink strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ community centers, which serve over 2 million people each year. Participating community centers will also share the livestream on their social platforms. I’m proud to be a media sponsor for the event 🙂 Follow GLAAD on Twitter and Facebook for links to watch the event.
Captain Crozier (image via U.S. Navy) While the chief of Naval Operations has recommended Captain Brett Crozier be reinstated as commander of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, Navy officials are surprised Defense Secretary Mark Esper hasn’t signed off on the reinstatement. Crozier was removed from his command after he emailed superiors with concerns for his crew regarding the coronavirus. Crozier was dismissed by then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly after the letter leaked. At the time, Crozier was characterized as having sent the email to 20-30 people. It was later revealed he only sent his concerns to 3 admirals and copied 7 captains. Modly resigned after he traveled to Guam to give a speech about the Roosevelt that berated Crozier as “stupid” or “naive.” From the NY Times:
Capt. Brett E. Crozier should be restored to command of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, the Navy’s top officials recommended on Friday.
But Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, who was briefed on the recommendations, has asked for more time to consider whether he will sign off on the reinstatement of the captain of the nuclear-powered carrier.
Mr. Esper received the recommendation that Captain Crozier be reinstated from the chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael M. Gilday, and the acting Navy Secretary, James McPherson, on Friday. Defense Department officials said earlier that they expected to announce the results of the Navy’s investigation into the matter on Friday afternoon.
Mr. Esper’s decision to hold up the investigation has surprised Navy officials, who believed that the defense secretary would leave the process in the hands of the military chain of command.
As of today, the Navy reports 856 positive cases of coronavirus have been found among the USS Roosevelt crew, with 112 recovered and four in the hospital. One sailor died last week. CNN offers this recap of the backstory and updates:
A starry line-up of Broadway favorites are toasting Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday with a once-in-a-lifetime concert event live on Broadway.com titled, ‘Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.’ As I was planning this post, I realized how much I admired Sondheim’s incredible talent, but how much his work impacted my own career in theater. The first musical I ever appeared in was one of the greatest musicals ever written – Gypsy (lyrics by Sondheim). I earned my actor’s union card in a gorgeous production of West Side Story (lyrics by Sondheim). 
