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Leaked Memo Urges GOP House Members To Pressure Amazon Regarding Conversion Therapy Books

(stock photo of depressed teen via Depositphotos)

A memo currently being circulated among Republican members of Congress asks the lawmakers to “contact Amazon with concerns” regarding “censorship” after the online retail giant announced it had removed books on the subject of so-called ‘conversion therapy.’

Earlier this month, Amazon announced it had removed all books by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, widely credited as the ‘father of conversion therapy.’

The action by Amazon was the result of months of complaints and an online petition that garnered over 82,000 signatures demanding the removal of the titles which included A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, Healing Homosexualityand How a Gay Boy Became a Straight Man.

Conversion therapy, sometimes known as reparative therapy, has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.

The discredited practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity has been widely denounced by major medical organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association as phony ‘pseudo-science.’

Currently, 18 states plus dozens of local municipalities have banned the harmful practice for minors.

But Vice News obtained a copy of the memo, given to members of the Republican Study Committee, which includes more than 70% of all GOP members of the House. The document was handed out during a private meeting of the members on Wednesday.

It would appear that Republicans want to see Nicolosi’s books back in circulation on Amazon.

“These books were available on Amazon until an LGBT activist repeatedly petitioned Amazon to remove the ‘homophobic books’ from the company’s website,” reads the memo per Vice News. “Amazon removed Dr. Nicolosi’s books and those of several other authors on similar topics.”

“It is not clear that any of the banned books have violated an Amazon policy,” continues the document. “But rather that the company is choosing to censor speech.”

The memo urges the GOP lawmakers to read an article from the Federalist which tries to assert hypocrisy for banning books on conversion therapy when Amazon still sells history book about Hitler, Mussolini, KKK leader David Duke and U.S. terrorist Timothy McVeigh.

Calling the LGBTQ community “a supposedly oppressed and marginalized group,” the Federalistarticle states the community “wields an extravagant amount of power” aimed at “anyone who chooses not to support” LGBTQ rights.

Vice News contacted Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) who has previously chaired the Republican Study Committee. Walker shared he didn’t know about the move to pressure Amazon but admitted he thinks Amazon shouldn’t be in the business of ‘banning speech.’

The author of the online petition, Sky Gray, told Vice News via email that the goal of banning conversion therapy books could be hampered with members of Congress getting involved.

”It shouldn’t be surprising that the conservatives are in support of conversion therapy; they’ve made it clear they are in the past,” said Gray. “It looks like this is going to be a bigger fight than previously anticipated, though I knew it would be an uphill battle.”

“Looks like the hill just got a lot steeper, with this knowledge in mind,” he added.

A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling released in April this year showed 80% of respondents believe performing conversion therapy on minors should be illegal.

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CNN Draws Lineups For 2nd Democratic Debates As Biden Continues To Lead

A new NBC News|SurveyMonkey online poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden still leading the pack of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, although the numbers are beginning to tighten.

Biden garnered 25% support in the survey taken after the first Democratic debate.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) tied at second with 16% support each.
California Sen. Kamala Harris barely behind them with 14% and Mayor Pete Buttigieg rounds out the Top 5 with 8% support.

These seem to be coalescing into the top tier candidates.

In related news, CNN drew the placements last night for the second Democratic debates set to take place July 30 and 31.

Looks like Sanders and Warren will get to go head-to-head on the first night along with Mayor Pete, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, while Harris and Biden will have another chance to go at it on the second night .

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InstaHunk Round-Up: Heat Wave Edition

Paleontologist Francesc Gascó

There’s a heat wave spreading across the U.S., and according to weather.com, it looks like we won’t be seeing any relief until early next week.

We figure if it’s going to be hot, let’s enjoy it. So we’re checking in on some of our favorite celebs and InstaHunks to see what they’re doing to beat the heat.

Paleontologist Francesc Gascó (above) took one look out the window and said, “Nope, not gonna do it.”

Ignacio Pérez Rey says the answer is cold showers. Lots and lots of cold showers.

A post shared by Ignacio Pérez Rey (@igperey) on Jul 19, 2019 at 9:05am PDT

Fitness trainer Ramses Principe says he was chilling with three pints of ice cream last night.

Britney Spears’ main squeeze, fitness model Sam Asghari, says when Brit-Brit is in the mood for moves, they hit it.

A post shared by Sam Asghari (@samasghari) on Jul 17, 2019 at 8:55pm PDT

International pop star Ricky Martin is actually turning UP the heat, and not in the way we’re used to. Martin has been down in Puerto Rico helping fire up protesters who are raising their voices in response to leaked homophobic and sexist text messages between Gov. Ricardo Rosselló and his associates.

A post shared by Ricky (@ricky_martin) on Jul 17, 2019 at 10:20pm PDT

Woofy Joe Blizzard describes himself as “a bit of a nerd, introverted and shy…” Uh-huh.

Brazilian travel blogger Rodiney Santiago is all smiles at Manhattan Beach in California.

Live your life, do what YOU want, not what everyone expects you to do or be. I don’t live my life to please the haters, I live my life to please myself, the people who love and support me. What’s important to me is not others opinions of me, but what’s important to me is my opinion of myself . I take my conscience more serious than my reputation, because my conscience is who I am and my reputation is what people think of ME. And what the others think is their problem. Just smile and try your best To be in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, because it reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. #rodineysantiago #smile #beach #beachworkout #rodineymotivation photo by 📸 @alfiecinematic
A post shared by Ródiney Santiago (@rodineysantiago) on Jul 17, 2019 at 11:06am PDT

UK TV personality and fitness guy ’King’ David McIntosh says he can’t even think of a caption for this post “Cos my brains so cooked from Miami, I can’t think of one.”

Cheyenne Jackson is walking it out in rehearsals for Into The Woods at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles next weekend. Check out his new take on ‘Prince Charming:’

DJ Thiago Oliveira (Daddy Wolf) had enough of the heat (he was in Hell’s Kitchen, so there you go…)

Rick and the Griffopotamus are out on Lake Lanier in Georgia in a stare-down with the sun. “Lookin at the sun like, ‘Damn, sis. You extra fiery today. Why you so lit?’”

Out college athlete Jake Bain is being a beach bum getting baked out on Hilton Head Island.

A post shared by Jake Bain (@jake.bain) on Jul 18, 2019 at 2:59pm PDT

“Where’s the beef?” Hunky artist & model Steve Raider knows the way…

A post shared by Steve Raider (@steve_raider) on Jul 18, 2019 at 6:24am PDT

Even in the heat, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is out in neighborhoods talking to folks at the Veteran’s Community Project.

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Podcast: Emmy Award Nominations, Bullied Teen Convicted, ‘Straight Pride’ Gets Smackdown, Kevin Spacey

In this week's podcast: • The 2019 Emmy Award nominations have been announced and there’s good news for lots of LGBTQ artists • A gay high school student in NYC has been found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing two of his bullies • 'Straight Pride' organizers get a smackdown by Netflix's legal team • Out rapper Lil Nas X keeps breaking records on the Billboard charts • Charges against Kevin Spacey are dropped after his accuser invokes his 5th Amendment rights All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

In this week’s podcast:

• The 2019 Emmy Award nominations have been announced and there’s good news for lots of LGBTQ artists

• A gay high school student in NYC has been found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing two of his bullies

• ‘Straight Pride’ organizers get a smackdown by Netflix’s legal team

• Out rapper Lil Nas X keeps breaking records on the Billboard charts

• Charges against Kevin Spacey are dropped after his accuser invokes his 5th Amendment rights

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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News Round-Up: July 18, 2019

Rugby legend and LGBTQ ally Ben Cohen

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: LGBTQ ally Ben Cohen is inviting supporters of his anti-bullying foundation to come out and join him for cross-training. I’ll go, but only if I can follow Ben 🙂

• New York Times: A federal judge on Thursday denied bail for Jeffrey Epstein, the financier facing sex-trafficking charges in Manhattan, rejecting his request to await trial under home detention at his Upper East Side mansion.

• NPR: Some of Puerto Rico’s biggest stars rallied a crowd of many thousands in San Juan on Wednesday, calling on the island’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, to resign. It was the fifth day in a row of protests in the U.S. territory, following a leak of hundreds of pages of misogynistic and homophobic texts between the governor and his main advisers.

• Washington Post: The House passed a bill by a vote of 231-199 that would raise the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade. However, don’t expect the legislation to be taken up in the Republican-controlled Senate.

• AFP News: Donald Trump asked Nobel laureate Nadia Murad how she won the Nobel Peace Prize after she explained how she won the Nobel Prize. Murad survived in the aftermath of her mother and six brothers being killed by ISIS and that 3,000 Yazidis remained missing. Trump asked, “And you had the Nobel Prize? That’s incredible. They gave it to you for what reason?” Murad paused, then repeated her story.

• The Lion King: Check out Beyoncé’s musical contribution to the upcoming live-action remake of Disney’s The Lion King.

Titled “Spirit,” I find the video gorgeous. I’m on the fence about the melody. Let me know what you think.

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Trailer: CATS The Movie

Jennifer Hudson as ‘Grizabella’ in CATS

The trailer for the upcoming live-action movie of CATS the musical has landed.

I think it has some amazing visuals going on, although the anthropomorphic/naked cat look will take a bit of getting used to.

Along the way, there looks to be some fantastic casting with Rebel Wilson as ‘Jennyanydots,’ Sir Ian McKellen as ‘Gus the theater cat,’ Dame Judi Dench as ‘Deuteronomy,’ and James Corden as ‘Bustopher Jones.’

Oh, and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson belts out the show’s hit tune, “Memory,” throughout.

Judi Dench in CATS

In theaters this Christmas. Take a look below.

Longtime readers of The Randy Report may recall being cast in the national touring company of CATS back in the mid-80s was my first big gig after moving to New York City.

Ah yes, ‘the magical Mr. Mistoffelees’…

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Trailer For Upcoming ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Doesn’t Disappoint

I ain’t mad at that… 🙂

Who feels the need? The need for speed?

Paramount Pictures dropped the official trailer for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster, Top Gun, which helped launch the career of a young, hunky Tom Cruise into the stratosphere.

The new trailer doesn’t have much story-telling going on, but let’s face it – folks will be coming for the action. And by ‘action,’ we mean Tom Cruise in action.

There’s that smile, the confident quips, that leather jacket, Cruise on a motorcycle,…oh – and some shirtless volleyball shots as well.

Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

According to reports, the film picks up 34 years after the original where Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) is now a flight instructor at the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar.

“You should be at least by two-star admiral by now,” says veteran actor Ed Harris (Westworld, Apollo 13), “yet here you are, a captain. Why is that?”

Maverick responds, “It’s one of life’s mysteries, sir.”

Cue the fast-paced montage of action scenes before we hear Harris continue, “The end is inevitable, Maverick,” to which Cruise replies, “Maybe so, sir, but not today.”

In the film, Mitchell discovers one of his students, played by Miles Teller (Fantastic Four, Only the Brave), is the son of his late partner, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, who is following the old man’s path in the Navy.

The film also sees the return of Val Kilmer as ‘Iceman,’ and features new stars Jon Hamm (Good Omens, Mad Men) and Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Alita: Battle Angel).

Not only was the original Top Gun a hit at the box office grossing over $357 million worldwide, but the iconic soundtrack was a monster in the 1980s.

In addition to the score by composer Harold Faltermeyer, the soundtrack featured two major radio hits written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock: “Danger Zone” performed by Kenny Loggins (#2 on Billboard) and “Take My Breath Away” (#1 on Billboard, Oscar & Golden Globe winner) performed by Berlin.

Both Loggins and Faltermeyer have signed on to update their musical contributions for a new generation.

Look for Top Gun: Maverick to land in theaters June 26, 2020.

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Liar: After Followers Chant “Send Her Back” Trump Says He Disagreed With It & Tried To Stop It

At last night's campaign rally, Donald Trump whipped up the crowd to such a frenzy, they began chanting "Send her back," referring to Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Donald Trump

At last night’s campaign rally, Donald Trump whipped up the crowd to such a frenzy, they began chanting “Send her back,” referring to Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Trump claims he “disagreed it,” and tried to stop the chant saying he began speaking “very quickly.”

But if you watch the video, 13 long seconds of chanting goes by before he continues speaking. And when he does, it isn’t to admonish the racist chant.

We do have video recordings, you know…

Rep. Omar responded to the news of the chant by tweeting a quote from author Maya Angelou:

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CNN Speaks To GOP Voters But Doesn’t Reveal They Are All Organized Trump Activists

(screen capture via CNN)

This is bad.

CNN interviewed a group of women presented as ‘Republican’ voters who happen to support Donald Trump, when they are actually part of an organized group that promotes the Donald.

From The Washington Post:

The seemingly random group of eight women were, in fact, members of an organized group dedicated to promoting Trump. The group calls itself the Trumpettes of America 2019 Palm Beach Team, although CNN and correspondent Randi Kaye didn’t mention anything about such a group. Nor did the anchors, including Anderson Cooper, who introduced Kaye’s report.

The network simply identified the panelists individually, with their names appearing onscreen next to the word “Republican.” Kaye gave no hint that the women knew one another and had a common cause.

As a result, the segment left the impression that CNN had assembled a panel reflecting a cross-section of opinion from Republican women about the crossfire between Trump and four freshman Democratic congresswomen of color, whom Trump told to “go back” to their own countries in Sunday tweets, despite all four being American citizens.

Rather than a cross-section, however, the Trumpettes were plainly of one mind.

Some of the women had appeared on CNN before, and neither time was an affiliation to being part of an organized Trump group acknowledged.

Edward Wasserman, dean of the University of California at Berkeley journalism school, described the lack of disclosure as “a fraud on the viewer.”

Wasserman told the Post the network may have withheld the identity of the group “to cover up the lack of news value in the interview and to provide ‘something that looks like balance’ in the face of Trump’s criticism that CNN is anti-Trump.”

The women do seem pleased with how the segment went, even going so far as to promote the clip on their Facebook page.

However, note that they encouraged their followers to watch them on “the Anti-Trump Fake News CNN Show.”

There’s gratitude for you…

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Netflix Orders ‘Straight Pride’ To Stop Using Their Logo: ‘Our Legal Dept Is Here, It’s Queer, and It’s Telling You to Steer Clear’

Organizer’s of the so-called ‘Straight Pride Parade’ scheduled for August 31 in Boston, got all butt-hurt after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from streaming giant Netflix informing them to remove their logo from the organizer’s website as a “prospective sponsor.”

Organizer’s of the so-called ‘Straight Pride Parade’ scheduled for August 31 in Boston, got all butt-hurt after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from streaming giant Netflix informing them to remove their logo from the organizer’s website as a “prospective sponsor.”

The organizers, operating under the name ‘Super Happy Fun America,’ included Netflix along with dozens of other major corporations on their website.

Journalist Ford Fischer was first to tweet the letter written by Netflix to the organization informing them they were infringing on trademark and other intellectual property.

“You are using the Netflix logo to promote your event, which despite its name is about hate–-not pride,” read the letter from Netflix’s legal team. “That’s gross and deeply hurtful, but it’s also deceptive misinformation and infringes our legal rights. Netflix has nothing to do with your organization or event. Indeed, it’s telling that you feel the need to lie to gain legitimacy.”

Saying that the streaming giant is “unafraid of bullies,” Netflix closed with, “Our legal department is here, it’s queer, and it’s telling you to steer clear.”

BOOM! Suh-nap!

‘Straight Pride Parade’ organizers posted on their website that they had reached out to Netflix “with an offer to sponsor” their event “based on their reputation as a progressive and forward-looking company.”

The organizers added they believed that Netflix “would jump at the opportunity to become involved” in what they describe as a “young civil rights movement.”

“Sadly, we have learned that Netflix is a heterophobic company steeped in hatred and bigotry,” continued Super Happy Fun America. “They not only rejected our offer but threatened us with litigation if we did not stop using their name and logo, which is perfectly legal for editorial or informational purposes.”

“Obviously, Netflix has no qualms about using their position of power to threaten marginalized groups who are exercising their 1st Amendment rights,” added the organizers. “It appears that their legal department is staffed by gay supremacists who are so accustomed to privilege that our goal of equality for straights feels like oppression to them.”

“In fact, it is Netflix that is acting like a bully,” they wrote in conclusion. “We have every right to inform the public about our attempts to gain sponsors for our parade and their hate will not stop us.”

Speaking of hate, The Independent has previously reported that the ‘Straight Pride Parade’ organizers have been “heavily linked with far-right movements and nationalist protests.”

Netflix isn’t the only company calling the ‘Straight Pride’ folks out.

Bank of America has also reached out informing Super Happy Fun America to “remove Bank of America name and logo from all of your organization’s print and online materials.”

(image via Twitter/FordFischer)