LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items you might have missed: • Queerty: The Facebook group “Gay and Fabulous” recently asked the question – “What instantly makes a man unattractive?” Yes, there was a ‘most popular’ answer. Continue reading “What Makes A Guy Unattractive? + Pentagon Halts Trans Healthcare + More”
Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: Fellow Travelers star Jonathan Bailey is reportedly set for a leading role in the latest dinosaurs-on-the-rampage film, Jurassic World 4. Continue reading “Jonathan Bailey Set To Duel With Dinosaurs + More News”
Carl Siciliano, the founder of The Ali Forney Center – the nation’s largest housing program for homeless LGBTQ youth, has penned a tender, uplifting account of his friendship with a nonbinary teenager who inspired him to live a life of service and resistance – Making Room. Continue reading “New Book: ‘Making Room’ By Carl Siciliano, Founder Of The Ali Forney Center”
Guest post by Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.: Justin Elizabeth Sayre’s all-star homage to the legendary Judy Garland returns this month for its 11th annual Night Of A Thousand Judys. The “over the rainbow” Pride concert benefits The The Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest agency dedicated to helping LGBTQ homeless youth. Continue reading ““Night Of A Thousand Judys” All-Star Concert Benefiting Ali Forney Center”
The 10th annual “Night Of A Thousand Judys” – the Pride concert to benefit The Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest agency dedicated to helping LGBTQ homeless youth – will take place at Joe’s Pub on Sunday, June 5. Continue reading “10th Annual ‘Night Of A Thousand Judys’ Benefiting Ali Forney Center”
Guest post by Lawrence Pfeil Jr. What better way to start Pride Weekend 2021 than with a galaxy of stars paying tribute to the iconic, Judy Garland? Even better you don’t have to be in Hollywood, Kansas or in Oz to do it! You can enjoy the event from the comfort of your own home when the ninth annual “Night of A Thousand Judys” – the Pride concert to benefit The Ali Forney Center written and hosted by Justin Sayre – will be presented as a streaming online event on Thursday, June 24 at 8:00 PM Eastern.
“A rambunctious, uproarious, unpredictable all-star concert” — The Wall Street Journal
“Night of a Thousand Judys” will honor the iconic Judy Garland with tributes and songs from her legendary career as movie star, recording artist and stage performer. The virtual event is written and hosted by Justin Sayre, featuring Tracy Stark as music director. Performers will include Alan Cumming (Cabaret, “The Good Wife”), Vivian Reed (two-time Tony nominee), Sam Harris (The Life, Grease), Mary Testa (three-time Tony nominee), Karen Mason (Netflix’s “Halston,” Sunset Boulevard), Nathan Lee Graham (Zoolander, CW’s “Katy Keene”) Jose Llana (The King & I, Here Lies Love), Margo Seibert (Rocky, Octet), Jane Monheit (two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist), Grace McLean (The Great Comet of 1812, Alice by Heart), Kevin Smith Kirkwood (Kinky Boots, The Wiz), Nadia Quinn (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Robber Bridegroom), Duchess Trio (“Vocal Group of the Year” – Jazz Journalists Association), and Gabrielle Stravelli (award-winning vocalist), with others to be added. The Ali Forney Center is the nation’s largest agency dedicated to helping LGBTQ homeless youth. Watch the concert – which will be broadcast live and then available online for a month after the show – and donate to the cause at ThousandJudys.com “We’re all getting back to normal, but maybe we can make a new normal,” says Sayre. “A normal where LGBTQIA kids don’t experience homelessness at such a larger rate than most.” “Maybe our new normal can be better, for these kids. Maybe we can insist that it is,” Sayre added. “We all had to stay at home this year to be safe. We all deserve a home where they can be safe. That’s what the work, that’s the new normal that the Ali Forney Center is fighting for. We’re all honored to help them creating this new normal.” 
The Ali Forney Center is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive agency dedicated to LGBTQ homeless youths—assisting nearly 1,400 youths per year through a 24-hour Drop-In Center which provides over 65,000 meals annually, medical and mental health services through an on-site clinic, and a scattered site housing program. AFC’s goal is to provide them with the support and services they need to escape the streets and begin to live healthy and independent lives. Support the lifesaving work of the Ali Forney Center by donating HERE Night of a Thousand Judys – Written and Hosted by Justin Sayre, musical direction by Tracy Stark, produced by Dan Fortune and Adam J. Rosen. 
Lawrence Pfeil, Jr., is a freelance writer/playwright who has written for media outlets including The Randy Report, the New York Blade, and Edge Publications. You can follow him at TheOUTfront.com.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! At The Randy Report, I talk a lot about politics and the political positions we all have. The official policies here today are definitely “pro-Thanks” and “pro-Giving.” I’m thankful for so many things this year – especially my hot hubby, Michael, and the 1st Amendment 🙂 That said, it’s easy for so many to enjoy this day. Whether wealthy or not, most of us have family, friends and a warm place to be today. I’m thankful that’s the case for me and my family today. But there are many less fortunate. Today I’m thinking of LGBTQ kids who have been turned out of their homes because their families won’t accept them for who they are, and they become homeless. And that’s just the beginning of a nightmare journey for these kids in crisis. The mission of the Ali Forney Center in NYC is to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) youth from the harm of homelessness, and to support them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood. The Center is committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. I humbly ask you to please take one minute – 60 seconds – and consider what a small donation could mean to help these young people.
If you feel so moved, click over to the Ali Forney Center website and consider this worthy organization when you think of “giving” today. No amount is too small to help. For anyone willing to help, donations can be made online via credit card or PayPal. Or they can be mailed to: Ali Forney Center 224 West 35th Street, 15th Floor New York, NY 10001 I’m thankful every day that I get to share, post and pontificate here on The Randy Report. Hopefully, I entertain a bit, help crack a smile, and every now and then inform. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here. Happy T-day everyone!
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Some news items you might have missed:
• I’d love to say the above looks just like how hot hubby Michael and I begin our mornings, but it kinda wouldn’t be exactly the altogether, absolute truth… 🙂
• Did you hear Little Richard has now denounced his years as a homo after coming out in 1995?
• A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Donald Trump’s support in rural America is eroding. Back in February, 55% of rural Americans approved of Trump, 39% disapproved. That’s now dropped to 47% approval, 47% disapproval. This is his base, and they are growing weary of his antics.
• Hey NYC – don’t miss the Ali Forney Center’s Annual Fall Gala “A Place At The Table” this coming Friday. The event is hosted by Tituss Burgess and honoring Lady Gaga and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. BUT – the main deal is supporting an awesome organization that helps at risk LGBT homeless youth.
• The Apprentice producer Bill Pruitt admits Donald Trump used lots of racial slurs on the set of the now defunct reality show. Pruitt says he never called the Trumpster out because it wasn’t his job to do so.
• Check out the trailer for the upcoming Danseur, a documentary on young male ballet dancers. The clip description reads, “Unfortunately, not everything is beautiful in ballet. Young boys are often verbally, physically abused and bullied. These are their stories.”
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Acclaimed Canadian pop singer/songwriter Maggie Szabo recently released her moving and uplifting new music video, “Don’t Give Up On Love,” from her upcoming EP Worthy.
The video, a love letter of support to the LGBTQ community, tells the story of a transgender high school student attending prom.
Szabo’s soaring vocals sweep across an emotional, anthemic musical landscape accompanied by gospel-tinged backing vocals. The lyrics share an empowering message of hope and acceptance.
When your back’s against the wall
Cuz you feel you’ve lost it all
There’s nowhere left to turn and no one left to call
There is someone just like you
Who feels the same way too
Why would you surrender?
Don’t give up on love
Touching and authentic, the video is dedicated to transgender youth around the world who live in fear and suffer from rejection and exclusion.
Via press release:
The powerful and poignant narrative of ‘Don’t Give Up’ is reflected in an exquisitely cinematic video, that follows a girl who is struggling with her gender identity and the pressures of conformity in high school. Szabo’s ultimate messages to fight for social justice and equality, “people are people, love is love. Society needs to stand up” professes Szabo. “I can’t stand by and watch millions of transgender youth live in fear for their safety, outcast from their homes and marginalized by society simply because they are struggling to understand their gender identity. I want to stand with them.”
“Don’t Give Up” was written and recorded in Los Angeles along with Stefan Lit (One Direction) and Chaz Mason.
With over 14 + million Youtube views, Szabo has been featured on several high profile media outlets including Billboard, Perez Hilton, Huffington Post and Yahoo Music!
A portion of the proceeds from this music video will be donated to the Ali Forney Center whose mission is to protect LGBTQ youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently.
Watch “Don’t Give Up” below.
Lady Gaga, during a visit to the Ali Forney Center in NYC, says that kindness has been an important component to finding peace in her life.
Via The Today Show:
“I’ve been searching for ways to help myself. And I found that kindness is the best way,” she told TODAY recently while on a visit to Harlem’s Ali Forney Center, a shelter for homeless LGBT youth, to surprise the teens living there.
She’s a superstar singer and passionate activist, but when Lady Gaga meets a trauma survivor, she’s just one of them. “I told the kids today, ‘I suffer from PTSD.’ I’ve never told anyone that before. So here we are. But the kindness that’s shown to me by doctors as well as my family, and my friends, it’s really saved my life.”
According to the Ali Forney Center, 80 percent of the youth there are kicked out of their homes because of their sexuality. The rest run away because of neglect, abuse, rejection, or a combination of those.
“How’s it going? I’m Lady Gaga; it’s nice to see you,” she said to the shocked crowd. Needless to say, the introduction was not necessary. One teen told her, “When family was, like, kind of, like, pushing me away because I’m gay, all I had is you and ‘Born This Way’ album on repeat.”