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Mayor Pete Leads Campaign Fundraising In NY

Mayor Pete shows big-time staying power as he tops the Democratic candidates for president in terms of NY fundraising. From the New York Post:

Pete Buttigieg has tapped into the New York fundraising scene better than any other 2020 Democratic candidate — and he’ll be back this Labor Day weekend to rake in more big bucks.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor already brought in $3.7 million from New York state — including $2.9 million just from New York City, according to donor data provided by the Center for Public Integrity and analyzed by The Post.

He bests all other Democratic White House hopefuls in the Big Apple — by a landslide — including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who raised $885,000 in New York with $658,000 coming from NYC; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who brought in $2.3 million statewide with $1.6 million from NYC residents before dropping out Wednesday; and former Vice President Joe Biden ($2.5 million/$1.6 million from NYC), who has the powerful endorsement of New York’s well-connected Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

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Valerie Harper Passes Away At 80

Four-time Emmy Award-winner Valerie Harper has died at age 80 after a long battle with cancer. Last month, her family began a GoFundMe campaign to help with medical expenses. The fundraiser garnered over $66,000 before ending. Her husband Tony Cacciotti reached out to fans via social media:

I have been told by doctors to put Val in Hospice care and I can’t [because of our 40 years of shared commitment to each other] and I won’t because of the amazing good deeds she has graced us with while she’s been here on earth. We will continue going forward as long as the powers above allow us, I will do my very best in making Val as comfortable as possible.

The venerable actress was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, and then in 2013 with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. She was told she wouldn’t live past three months, but chemotherapy helped her to rally. Harper went back to work, even appearing in the 2015 edition of Dancing with the Stars. Her early career including bit parts in Broadway musicals and films, but she will forever be remembered as one of the great sidekicks of all time, Mary Tyler Moore’s bestie, Rhoda Morgenstern, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The role, which would eventually be spun off to her own series, Rhoda, garnered her a Golden Globe Award and four Emmys. She was also nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Hollywood legend Tallulah Bankhead in Looped (2010). She is survived by her husband and their adopted daughter. Click over to Boy Culture where Matt Rettenmund has much more on Harper’s long and celebrated career.

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News Round-Up: August 30, 2019

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: From Ricky Martin – “I’m joining my friend @AlejandroSanz on this great initiative to support the #Dreamers in the US. By purchasing this t-shirt www.CharityStars.com/Alejandro you can be part of our #DreamerTeam too. Because #WeAllDream. We all belong. We are all one. And EVERYONE matters.” • The Advocate: “The Country Music Awards nominated the track from Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in the category of Musical Event of the Year. … Lil Nas X is now the first out gay man to be nominated at the CMAs” • Courthouse News: After announcing the children born to U.S. service members while overseas would not automatically have U.S. citizenship, Immigration Director Ken Cuccinelli had to issue a statement clarifying the new rules will affect children of military service members and government workers who are legal U.S. permanent residents but not citizens. They can also affect U.S. citizens who can’t show evidence they lived in the U.S. for a sufficient amount of time. • Buzzfeed News: Steven Canals, co-creator of FX’s POSE, shares how his Bronx upbringing helped inspire the most important show on television. • CNET: Apple sent invitations to the media on Thursday for its next big product launch. On September 10, the tech company will unveil the 11 series iPhones. The devices likely will include better cameras, faster processors and iOS 13. They come at a time of malaise in the smartphone market, with people holding onto their devices longer than before. • New Music: Since I’m on a Ricky Martin tangent today, he has teamed up with Madonna collaborator Maluma for a new duet, “No Se Me Quita.” Check out a sample below. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1weT0QAyAP/

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New Study Finds Not One But Several Genes Have Effect On Sexuality

A new study published in the journal Science found there’s not a single gene that determines human sexuality but several genes that contribute to whether someone is LGBT or not. The study, the largest ever to explore the connection between genetic makeup and sexual orientation, involved over 470,000 participants from Sweden, the US, and the UK. DNA data was accessed from the UK Biobank study and from 23andMe, a private genetics company. 26,000 participants reported at least one same-sex sexual encounter. Researchers found a strong connection between homosexuality and five autosomal loci (areas of DNA not on sex chromosomes). The researchers acknowledged that the presence of the genes does not in itself determine someone’s sexual orientation. But, the scientists found that a range of 8% to 25% of the variance in sexuality could be explained by the genes. Some of the genes were more impactful on men, some on women, and some on both. And so, the authors wrote in the study, “Same-sex sexual behavior is influenced by not one or a few genes but many.” Eric Vilain, director of the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children’s National Health System, said that the study could have been more specific had the scientists focused on only gay and bi people instead of just asking if people have ever had a same-sex sexual experience and lumping them all together. Vilain added that the study should be replicated with more diverse participants. Interestingly, media outlets have spun the study in several ways. For instance, the headline in Science read, “There’s no evidence that a ‘gay gene’ exists.” Over at Bloomberg, they wrote, “Science Hasn’t Found A ‘Gay’ Gene – So What?” That seems vague to me. But the New York Times headlined more accurately, “Many Genes Influence Same-Sex Sexuality, Not a Single ‘Gay Gene.’” And the Washington Post – “There’s no one ‘gay gene,’ but genetics are linked to same-sex behavior,” new study says.” Considering how many – MANY – people read headlines and think they read ‘the news,’ you can see how a few words make a big difference.

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Randy Rainbow Skewers Trump With ‘Cheeto Christ Stupid-Czar’

Political satirist Randy Rainbow’s latest hysterical offering is his mashup of tunes from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice classic musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. But in this iteration, Rainbow riffs on Donald Trump’s recent headlines when he tweeted about a political pundit referring to him as the “King of Israel,” and when he looked up to the sky and said, “I am the chosen one.” So, Randy mixes his magic on three songs from the show: “King Herod’s Song,” “Everything’s Alright,” and the title track. “Cheeto Christ, Cheeto Christ / He’s like if Jesus were pumpkin-spiced.” Hit play below for the uber-clever word-play:

Randy is currently on tour where crowds are flocking to experience his very funny sense of political theater. Click here for details about the tour.

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NFL Free Agent Ryan Russell Comes Out As Bisexual

NFLer Ryan Russell comes out as bisexual in an ESPN op-ed Ryan Russell, currently an NFL free agent, hopes to return to the game after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury. But before he begins his journey to redemption, he had a little business to take care of. In a first-person essay for ESPN, Russell has come out as bisexual, writing, “My truth is that I’m a talented football player, a damn good writer, a loving son, an overbearing brother, a caring friend, a loyal lover, and a bisexual man.” “Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly,” penned the 6’5″ 267-pound defensive end. “I want to live my dream of playing the game I’ve worked my whole life to play, and being open about the person I’ve always been.” Back in 2015, Russell was a fifth-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Alas, he only played in a single game for the Cowboys before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Having missed all of last year’s season, he’s now working to get back in the game. More from his ESPN piece:

Growing up, I always felt as though my existence slipped between the cracks of two worlds.

I wasn’t flamboyant, tidy, or any other stereotypes kids are forced to construct their world around.

I wasn’t straight, hyper-masculine or aggressive; I cried quite a bit, and, as a young black man, I didn’t fit the bill.

I played football — so I put that in the straight column. I wrote poetry and romance stories — so I put that in the gay column.

Over time, I came to build two worlds. There was football, the drive to play at a professional level, a place that catered to my competitive instincts. Football was a world of opportunity where, if I performed well, I could earn a scholarship, support my family and build a life for myself long after I stopped playing.

Then there’s my personal world, which probably isn’t much different from most people who are figuring out who they are in adulthood.

I admire his honesty and authenticity. At this point, the question is, after the Michael Sam / NFL debacle of 2014, can an openly bisexual man return to the game? https://www.instagram.com/p/B1wP7kwgjmQ/

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Trump Will Campaign For Anti-Trans ‘Bathroom Bill’ Candidate In NC

Donald Trump has announced he will campaign at a night-before rally for Republican candidate Dan Bishop (above with Trump) for Congress in a special election in North Carolina. Because, of course… Bishop, among other things, was the author of the hateful, anti-transgender ‘bathroom bill’ in the Tar Heel state. Via The Charlotte Observer:

President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Fayetteville on Sept. 9, the night before a special congressional election in the 9th District.

The Trump campaign announced the rally Tuesday, fulfilling a promise he made in a tweet last week to return to the state to campaign for Republican Dan Bishop. Trump will rally at the Fayetteville Regional Airport at 7 p.m.

Bishop faces Democrat Dan McCready and two third-party candidates in the special election. The election was called after allegations of election fraud caused state officials to nullify the election last fall. The seat has been vacant since January.

You’ll recall the special election is being held because the ‘winner’ from the 2018 election was found to have hired election ‘influencers’ who took and threw away ballots to swing the election to the Republican.

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Trump Admin: Children Born To Service Members Overseas Won’t Automatically Be US Citizens

Thanks to a new policy announced by the Trump administration, some children born to U.S. service members and government employees will not automatically be considered citizens of the United States. The new policy came via policy alert issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. From Task & Purpose:

Previously, all children born to U.S. citizen parents were considered to be “residing in the United States,” and therefore would be automatically granted citizenship under Immigration and Nationality Act 320.

Now, children born to U.S. service members and government employees who are not yet themselves U.S. citizens, while abroad, will not be considered as “residing in the United States,” changing the way that they potentially receive citizenship.

Children who are not U.S. citizens and are adopted by U.S. service members while living abroad will also no longer receive automatic citizenship by living with the U.S. citizen adopted parents.

This will affect the children born to U.S. service members serving on military bases abroad as well children adopted by military service members. Also affected are children born to service members while overseas who are green card holders but not yet citizens. Children born to parents serving in diplomatic regard will be affected as well. Parents in these situations will have to apply for citizenship for their children before the child’s 18th birthday.

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Ten Dems Make The Cut For 3rd Primary Debate

Ten candidates for the Democratic nomination for president have made the cut for the third primary debate. The 10 candidates who qualified for September’s debate are Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julián Castro, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang. Just hours before the announcement Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced she was dropping out of the race. Via a video tweet, the NY senator shared that she’s proud of what her team accomplished, and expressed hope that a woman would end up the eventual nominee. “I think that women have a unique ability to bring people together and heal this country,” Ms. Gillibrand said, according to the NY Times, adding, “I think a woman nominee would be inspiring and exciting.” But she added: “I will support whoever the nominee is, and I will do whatever it takes to beat Trump.” https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/1166826680134057984 With his usual lack of class, Donald Trump trolled Gillibrand shortly after her announcement.

Also not making the cut for the third debate were billionaire Tom Steyer, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and self-help guru Marianne Williamson as well as Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and a handful of others. (lead image via MSNBC screen capture)