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Mario Lopez Misses EXTRA Taping After Issuing Trans Apology

After issuing an apology for comments about parents raising transgenger children, TV host Mario Lopez missed the latest taping of his entertainment gabfest, Extra.
Mario Lopez on the Candace Owens podcast

After issuing an apology for comments about parents raising transgender children, TV host Mario Lopez missed the latest taping of his entertainment gabfest, Extra. Lopez, who has been a presenter at GLAAD media events in the past, caught heat for suggesting that it was “dangerous” for parents to be supportive of a child’s transition during an interview on the conservative Candace Owens podcast. After media outlets picked up on the comments, he released an apology saying, “The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were.” Deadline reports “No explanation was given for Lopez’s absence from today’s show, although Extra hosts Renee Bargh and Tanika Ray addressed the controversy by interviewing GLAAD director Anthony Ramos and Dr Johanna Olson Kennedy, an expert on trans youth development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.” Additionally, producers for Extra issued this statement: “While we have enjoyed a long relationship with Mario Lopez, who we know to be a caring person, the opinions he expressed in this interview do not reflect those of Extra. “We wholeheartedly embrace our friends from the LGBTQ community and believe they need support and love. For more support on these issues you can go to GLAAD.org.”

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AGT Judge Julianne Hough: “You Know I’m Not Straight, Right?”

In a new interview for Women’s Health Magazine, DWTS alum/America’s Got Talent judge Julianne Hough shares that she once told her husband, “You know I’m not straight, right?”
Julianne Hough (image via Facebook)

In a new interview for Women’s Health Magazine, DWTS alum/America’s Got Talent judge Julianne Hough shares that she once told her husband, “You know I’m not straight, right?”

The revelation came amid a “massive transformation” period for the 31-year-old actress and dancer just four months after marrying hockey player Brooks Laich in July 2017.

In working to develop her own dance-based workout called Kinrgy (kin as in family and kinesthetic, plus energy), she felt more and more empowered and confident.

Hough says that confidence became transformative and cathartic in her life.

“I’ve been de-layering all the survival tactics I’ve built up my whole life,” she explains. “Now, I feel limitless.”

As her new-found confidence began to permeate other aspects of her life, she wondered if that might be a turn-off for her husband.

“I was connecting to the woman inside that doesn’t need anything, versus the little girl that looked to him to protect me,” Hough tells Women’s Health. “I was like, ‘Is he going to love this version of me?’ But the more I dropped into my most authentic self, the more attracted he was to me. Now we have a more intimate relationship.”

With that deeper intimacy came the courage to share some truths with Brooks.

“I [told him], ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’” says Hough.

“And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.’”

Audiences have grown to know Hough since she was first cast in 2007 as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars. That was followed with the leading role in the 2011 film remake of Footloose.

In 2016, she played Sandy in the live Fox television production of Grease. And in 2019, she joined the reality TV series America’s Got Talent as a judge.

It’s understandable that Hough would have some trepidation about opening up about her sexuality. She and her famous DWTS brother, Derek, were raised in the very anti-LGBTQ Mormon Church in Utah.

But today she finds ’safety’ in living authentically.

“I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised.”

Hough also shares how she got over her fear of being naked as she posed for an extensive nude photo shoot for the ‘Naked Strength’ issue of Women’s Health.

SShe recently joined her hubby Brooks and his co-host Gavin DeGraw on their podcast, How Men Think, to discuss intimacy, sex and more.

“We have never been so specific, detailed and open about exactly what goes on in our relationship and our respective thoughts and approaches to intimacy and sex,” the former Los Angeles King forward told Closer Weekly about the podcast chat.

“We give people our exact specifics, how we create intimacy, why it’s important to us and open up about our sex life.”

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Heavy Metal Band Defies Russia’s Anti-LGBTQ Law With Onstage Lip Lock

Richard Kruspe and Paul Landers of Rammstein (photo: Jens Koch)

Two members of the German heavy metal band Rammstein shared an onstage kiss in defiance of Russia’s anti-LGBTQ policies during their concert at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow Tuesday night.

While performing their song “Aüslander,” which means “foreigner” in German, guitarists Richard Kruspe and Paul Landers slowly walked towards each other. After briefly catching each other’s eyes, they leaned in for a quick kiss.

And the crowd goes wild!

The kiss took place just days after a prominent LGBTQ activist was found murdered in St. Petersburg.

The band posted a photo of the kiss by photographer Jens Koch on their Instagram account with the caption, “Russia, we love you.”

A post shared by Rammstein (@rammsteinofficial) on Jul 30, 2019 at 10:23am PDT

Since the band was formed in 1994, Rammstein has scored two Grammy nominations, six number-one albums on German and European music charts, and had dozens of Top Ten singles across Europe.

While the kiss itself was a quick peck, it’s clear the bold moment was inspired by Russia’s 2013 ‘gay propaganda’ law which bans promoting “non-traditional sexual relationships” to young people.

The passage of the legislation has increased hostile pressures on LGBTQ people in Russia.

In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled the law “had reinforced stigma and prejudice and encouraged homophobia.”

Foreigners found to have violated the law may be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($78) and deported, or detained for up to 15 days before being deported.

Rammstein is well-known not only for spectacular stage shows but also for standing up for LGBTQ rights while on tour.

The Washington Post notes that just last week, during a concert in Chorzów, Poland, the band waved rainbow Pride flags while crowd surfing in inflatable rafts.

Photographer Jens Koch snapped the moment and shared it to her Instagram with the caption, “Wow, this means a lot to me. My favorite band standing up for equal rights in Poland this week. #LIFAD#lgbtqpoland#lgbti#rammstein”

Here’s a video of the kiss that rocked Russia:

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News Round-Up: July 31, 2019

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: So, I went to take a selfie after working out at the gym today (cause I hear that’s what you’re supposed to do), but I somehow ended up with a snap of woofy Jeff Ferreira (above). And everyone is all the better for it…

• Journal-Constitution: Police have arrested Shaleeya Moore and Joshua Ellis in connection with the shooting death of Ronald “Trey” Peters, a 28-year-old gay social worker in Decatur, Georgia.  A third suspect is still being sought.

• CNN: After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates a quarter point, the Dow dropped 450 points following comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell who said not to expect any further rate cuts.

• Kenneth-in-the-212: It’s Hump Day! And that means it’s ‘Wrestle Wednesday’ over at Kenneth’s blog! Yay!

• New York Times: Students who said they were discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender identity were significantly less likely to get any relief from the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights under the Trump administration than they were under the Obama administration

• IMF: There are more $100 bills in circulation than $1 bills. And most are held abroad.

• Twitter: When the wave pool operator gets drunk and moves the setting to “Tsunami.” According to reports, 44 people were injured in Yanbian, Manchuria (Eastern China) when the malfunction occurred.

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Mom Rants That ‘Childless’ People Should Be Banned From Disney World

Twitter user @JenKatWrites recently shared a mother’s off-the-charts Facebook rant about ‘childless couples’ at Disney World, and the Twitterverse took note.
(stock photo via Depositphotos)

Twitter user @JenKatWrites recently shared a mother’s off-the-charts Facebook rant about ‘childless couples’ at Disney World, and the Twitterverse took note.

The post, which is dated September 22, begins, “It pisses me off TO NO END!!!!! when I see CHILDLESS COUPLES WITHOUT AT Disney World!!!!”

Warning – the mother likes her capital letters.

“DW is a FAMILY amusement park!!!!,” continued our super-pissed off mom. “Yet these IMMATURE millennials THROW AWAY THEIR MONEY ON USELESS CRAP!!!!”

This is probably a good time to point out a married couple without kids are still a family, but, hey…

“They have NO idea the JOY and happiness it is to MOHTER WHO BUYS THEIR BABIES TREATS AND TOYS!!!!!,” continued Miss Hannigan. “THEY WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE EXHAUSTION THAT IT IS TO CHASE A 3 YEAR OLD AROUND AND GETTING STARES ASSUMING IM A BAD MOTHER!!!!”

Ok, I think we’re getting closer to the heart of the rage here.

“This c*nt in some very SLUTTY shorts was buying a Mickey pretzel and Aiden wanted one but the line was very long so I said later and it broke his poor little heart and he cried,” said the mom, finally getting to the crux of the tantrum.

“I WANTED TO TAKE THAT FUCKING PRETZEL FROM THAT TRAMP LIKE THANKS B*TCH YOU MADE MY SON CRY!!!”

Well, actually, it sounds like the mom made her kid cry because she didn’t have the patience to wait in line. I hear lines are common at Disney World.

The mother of the year then kicked into high gear with, “DW is for CHILDREN!!!! People without CHILDREN need to be banned!!!!!”

Now, that’s not going to work for some Disney queens I know. But the mom has her own self-interest at heart it seems. She’s wanting some privilege as part of her parenthood.

“Mothers with children should be allowed to skip ALL THE LINE!!!! YOU HAVE NO F*CKING IDEA WHAT ITS LIKE TO STAND IN LINE FOR 3 HOURS WITH A CRANKY TIRED EXHAUSTED TODDLER!!!!”

Miss Thing really likes some exclamation points, huh?

“AND I CANT’ JUST TELL HIM THAT WE CANT DO SOMETHING BECAUSE ITS HIS VACATION TOO!!!!,” adding just a few more exclamation points to the epic rant.

She closed with this charming bon mot: “I f*cking hate childless women with a BURNING PASSION!!!!”

Thrown in throughout were many red frown face emojis.

Needless to say, that’s all a bit over the top.

And this “banning childless couples from Disney” is not going to fly. Especially for the LGBTQ community – a vast majority of which do not have children.

Disney, as I understand it, appeals to the kid in all of us no matter the age.

As expected, the Twitterverse dragged the ‘mom from hell’ for her comments.

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Mario Lopez Backpedals On ‘Ignorant’ & ‘Insensitive’ Transgender Comments

Mario Lopez (screen capture)

Much of LGBTQ media has put EXTRA host Mario Lopez on blast for saying it’s “dangerous” for parents to support their transgender children on the Candace Owens radio show.

Lopez appeared on the show in June, but the comments are only just now getting attention.
During the chat, Owens – whose politics run waaay to the right and is a big Trump supporter – began the chat about trans kids by saying, “A lot of weird trends come out of Hollywood and one of the weirder ones, for me, is this new trend where celebrities are coming out — and I know Charlize Theron did this a few weeks ago — is saying that their child is picking their gender. And this is strange to me.”

Notice how she frames the transgender issue as a ‘weird trend’ out of Hollywood…

“I’m trying to undertstand it myself. And please don’t lump me into that whole (group). I’m kind of blown away, too,” Lopez chimed in. “I’m never one to tell anyone how to parent their kids obviously and I think if you come from a place of love, you really can’t go wrong.”

Ok, so far, so good…

“But at the same time, if you’re 3-years-old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way or you think you’re a boy or a girl or whatever the case may be, I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make this determination,” continued Lopez.

“It’s sort of alarming,” he added. “I just think about the repercussions later on.”

Ok, not so good…

Here’s the appearance by Lopez on the radio show. The clip should be cued up to the chat on trans kids.

Lopez also seemed confused about the difference between gender and sexuality saying, “When you’re a kid you don’t know anything about sexuality yet. You’re just a kid.”

To be clear, sexuality has nothing to do with feeling you’re male or female. That’s gender identity.

That said, I’m not for calling for pitchforks and such regarding Lopez’s trans statement. Reading the whole quote, he makes a point to say ‘lead with love’ and not tell parents how to raise kids. So, he gets credit for that.

I will say, as someone who writes in the LGBTQ space every day, I don’t know anyone trotting their 3-year-old into surgery. That’s pretty much a big ole exaggeration.

Later in the chat, Lopez criticized the “politically correct” nature of Hollywood, and also expressed concern about the me too movement, saying hashtags like #BelieveWomen are “dangerous” because they could be lying.

“God forbid you have a son out there and a girl may have felt a certain way about a situation—dismissed, hurt, whatever, and is feeling vengeful and just decides to tell a certain story that’s not even exactly true, come back and hurt that individual,” he said.

Following the social media buzz, Lopez issued a statement via his press rep.

“The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were,” said Lopez.

“I have been and always will be an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself. Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful,” he added.

One would think Lopez would be a bit more informed on trans issues seeing that he has been a presenter at the 2011 and 2012 GLAAD Media Awards and was named grand marshal of the Miami Beach Gay Pride parade in 2015.

GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement that Lopez “clearly needs a primer on trans issues.”

“Medical and psychological experts, and parents of children who are transgender have long discredited the ideas that Mario Lopez shared last month,” Ellis said. “The real ‘dangerous action’ is when someone with a public platform uses bad science to speak against a marginalized and vulnerable group of children.”

GLAAD also reached out to the producers of EXTRA who confirmed they did not share Lopez’s view stated on the radio show. The producers added they will address the topic in tonight’s show.

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Legendary Broadway Producer/Director Hal Prince Dead At 91

Hal Prince

Hal Prince, producer and/or director of many of the theater’s most important and provocative musicals, including Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, Sweeney Todd and The Phantom of the Opera (the longest-running show in Broadway history), died on Wednesday in Reykjavik, Iceland. He was 91.

His legendary career began as a stage manager for shows like Call Me Madam and Wonderful Town, then produced his first musical at the age of 26, he went on to win a staggering 21 Tony Awards for his ground-breaking work.

His first Tony honor would come for co-producing the 1955 best musical, The Pajama Game. Number 20 recognized his gorgeous direction for the 1995 revival of Show Boat.

His final Tony Award was presented in 2006 for lifetime achievement.

No other theater artist comes close to his Tony haul.

The New York Times shares this never-before-seen mini-documentary on Prince’s illustrious career.

He was well-known for his workaholic habits sometimes producing three Broadway musicals at the same time.

And then there’s his long list of top-flight creative talents who often found themselves at the top of their game when working with him.

His list of illustrious collaborators included choreographers Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Michael Bennett and Susan Stroman; designers Patricia Zipprodt, Eugene Lee, and Florence Klotz; and composers John Kander, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim (his most frequent collaborator), and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

It was with Webber that Prince found two of his greatest, and most profitable successes – Evita and The Phantom of the Opera.

His last Broadway production was, fittingly, a retrospective of his own profilic career titled, Prince of Broadway.

My husband Michael worked on The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and in Germany, and knew Hal well.

Michael Caprio and I with Hal Prince in Las Vegas
L-R Hubby Michael Caprio, Hal Prince, me

The last time we saw Hal was when he did a wonderful Q&A evening here in Las Vegas.

He was a terrific and gracious man.

The theater world has lost a giant.

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Podcast: HIV & The Border Patrol, 90s Actor Made An HIV Joke, George Michael’s Ex, Gay Star News Shutters

In this week’s podcast:

• The chief of Customs & Border Patrol told Congress an immigrant’s HIV+ status is enough to justify family separation at the border

• A 90s child actor made an AIDS joke on Twitter, and no one laughed

• George Michael’s ex trashed the deceased pop star’s mansion

• A major LGBTQ news website closes its doors

• Jake Gyllenhaal shares about his iconic Brokeback Mountain role

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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Out Music: Kat Cunning “King Of Shadow”

Out actor/singer Kat Cunning recently released her new single, "King of Shadow," which has been featured on the hit Netflix series Trinkets where she plays rocker chick, "Sabine."
Kat Cunning (image via Instagram)

Out actor/singer Kat Cunning recently released her new single, “King of Shadow,” which has been featured on the hit Netflix series Trinkets where she plays rocker chick, “Sabine.”

Since her performance of “King of Shadow” on the show in mid-June, Kat’s streaming platforms have seen 7.8 million streams with “King of Shadow” garnering over 3 million streams.

As a musician, the beguiling artist crafts alternative pop songs, drawing from her study of dance as well as her time on stage which includes appearances on Broadway in Dangerous Liaisons and Cirque Du Soleil’s Paramour.

“A lot of my music is pretty queer because I’m telling my stories and I’m queer, and I really believe in representation for anybody who’s marginalized,” she told PEOPLE in 2018. “Being a queer person, I can’t really help but write true stories about love with female pronouns.”

“The themes my music ends up being about are sexuality, religion — as one of those metaphors for sexuality and love — and also heartbreak and love,” she added.

In “King of Shadow,” Cunning exudes seductive romantic confidence that combines with rich pop production resulting in a richly-layered musical tapestry.

I like.

The multi-hyphenate artist is currently working on her debut EP. Hit play below.

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News Round-Up: July 30, 2019

• Hottie of the Day: Prior to last week's red carpet at Chippendales in Las Vegas when 'Jersey Shore' star Vinny Guadagnino returned as celebrity guest host, my hubby Michael (longtime publicist for Chipps) helped photographers get their light settings right standing in for the reality star. This was his 'back of the dress' pose.
Michael Caprio

Some news items you might have missed:

• Hottie of the Day: Prior to last week’s red carpet at Chippendales in Las Vegas when ‘Jersey Shore’ star Vinny Guadagnino returned as celebrity guest host, my hubby Michael (longtime publicist for Chipps) helped photographers get their light settings right standing in for the reality star. This was his ‘back of the dress’ pose.

• Tennessee: A group of over 300 lawyers says Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcutt should have his law license suspended after admitting he doesn’t prosecute domestic violence crimes involving married same-sex couples. “I don’t prosecute them because I don’t recognize it as marriage. There’s no marriage to protect.”

• Sun Sentinel: The South Florida newspaper had an ‘oopsie’ when it tweeted out a headline about moving a 100-year-old house, but instead featured a hot guy and a link to a story about an ‘adult-themed’ party in Key West.

• Lambda Legal: Military leaders, medical associations, public health groups, and HIV advocates joined three friend-of-the-court briefs which argue the Pentagon’s exclusion and discharge of HIV-service members is outdated, irrational and discriminatory given the advancements made in HIV medicine.

• Newsweek: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell got his panties in a wad when #MoscowMitch began trending on Twitter after he refused to allow a vote on new election security measures to stop interference in U.S. elections. What he’s not keen on admitting is he received campaign donations from voting machine lobbyists before blocking the vote.

• Out Music: Earlier this month, I interviewed out singer/songwriter Tom Goss about his latest single, “Quayside,” from his upcoming album, Territories.

The song is born out of Goss’s own experience exploring a polyamorous relationship after his husband asked to open their marriage. It was a journey he’d not previously considered.

“I really wanted the video to reflect the uncomfortableness of my situation,” Goss recently told Parade. “I want the viewer to feel the uncertainty and fear that I did visiting the Quayside for the first time.”

“That said, we were very conscious to make sure that my actions were still my own,” he added. “Nobody ever forced me through the door, I was, and am, a person who chooses his own path. The final decision, to walk into the Quayside and to completely submerge, represents the most complicated and uncharted path of them all — polyamory.”