Politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community
Ben Cohen (image via official Facebook)Some news items you might have missed:
• Metro Weekly: Rugby champ and longtime LGBTQ ally Ben Cohen makes his acting debut in the coming-of-age, coming-out episode “SuperBen”in Dekkoo’s new queer-themed British anthology series Patterns. Continue reading “Ben Cohen Makes His Acting Debut + More News”
(promo image for ‘Everybody Dance’)Some news items you might have missed:
• What To Watch: In recognition of July being Disability Pride Month, the award-winning documentary Everybody Dance is available for free on Amazon’s Freevee app for smart TVs or mobile devices, or via web browser. Continue reading “What To Watch: ‘Everybody Dance’ On Amazon’s Freevee + More News”
LGBTQ ally and anti-bullying advocate Ben CohenSome news items you might have missed:
• Calendar Season: LGBTQ ally and anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen (above) announces his 2021 calendar is available for shipping by October 30. #WeLoveBenCohen #Woof
• The Advocate: Monica Roberts, the transgender activist and blogger who founded TransGriot 15 years ago, has died. She was honored with special recognition award for her blog at the 2016 GLAAD Media Awards and named one of The Advocate’s 2020 Women of the Year in May.
• Pink News: CNN’s Anderson Cooper condemned Trump’s “recklessness” while carrying a deadly disease (coronavirus) while pointing out that HIV positive people can be jailed for the same offense.
• Instinct Magazine: How do you show up for Black Lives? By actually showing up where they are and getting to know them.
• Forbes: Democrats raised $15 million in just over 12 hours after the start of Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate—a sign that Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-Calif.) performance against Vice President Mike Pence resonated with at least some viewers.
• Fox News: Take a few seconds to take in the epic clap back from former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg when he dropped by Fox News prior to last night’s veep debate. The hosts tried to score a dig at Sen. Kamala Harris and Buttigieg didn’t hesitate to throw shade with a straight face. Watch below.
Pete Buttigieg really went on Fox News and asked “why an evangelical Christian like Mike Pence wants to be on a ticket with a president caught with a porn star.” pic.twitter.com/PQnodtivC8
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 8, 2020
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| 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.
Sigh.
Long-time readers of The Randy Report know what a fan I am of rugby legend and anti-bullying advocate, Ben Cohen.
For several years, a highlight for me was to share the news of the new Ben Cohen calendar.
Ben is back with a new calendar! But this time it’s a limited run of only 1,000 calendars.
You can check it out at www.bencohencalendar.com.
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| Ben Cohen |
Some news items you might have missed:
• Some #ThrowBackThursday action as I’m reminded of my major man crush on rugby champ and anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen (above). Check out his 2018 charity calendar here.
• Researchers say having older brothers could increase the likelihood of being gay.
• Failed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore threw more anti-LGBT shade even as he refuses to concede his race to Democrat Doug Jones. Moore says he lost due to “sodomy” sweeping the nation.
• Just six months after legalizing same-sex marriage, Bermuda’s lawmakers have reversed course and outlawed marriage equality.
• Gay porn star sentenced to life in prison for “brutal and vicious” murder of his millionaire boyfriend.
• Afterglow, the controversial off-Broadway hit one-act play, celebrates 200 performances tonight and has added a new block of tickets through March 2018.
Via press release: The play explores the emotional, intellectual, and physical connections between three men and the broader implications within their relationships.
The Advocate called the play “compelling and raw” and “not to be missed.”
Huffington Post wrote, “It’s clear Afterglow will be a must-see among New York theatergoers.”
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| Afterglow (photo: Mati Gelman) |
Some news stories you might have missed:
• Yes, it’s calendar season! Whoo-hoo! Today’s charity calendar (above) is from former rugby champ and total LGBT ally Ben Cohen. Ben’s StandUp Foundation works to bring awareness to the long-term effects of bullying and strives to bring an end to bullying.
• Justice League star Ezra Miller was told by entertainment insiders he’d “made a mistake” by coming out. He’s not too worried 😉
• Embattled Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore told reporters yesterday that “Transgenders don’t have rights.”
• Folks are so over Kevin Spacey in the wake of the numerous sexual harassment allegations that Ridley Scott has recast Spacey’s supporting role in the upcoming All the Money in the World with Christopher Plummer. The entire movie was already filmed, edited and ready to be released in six weeks, but Sony is so freaked out they are going back into production to remove Spacey from the film.
• Gay adult film actor Ali Liam has been arrested for the stabbing death of his boyfriend.
• In case you missed it, check out Maroon 5 performing their latest single, “Like Lovers Do” from the new album Red Blue Pills on ELLEN this week. #ILovePopMusic
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| Ben Cohen |
Some news items you might have missed:
• Rugby champ and LGBT ally Ben Cohen is more than enough woofy goodness for my Monday 😉
• Two male-identifying transgender students were kicked off a school bus in upstate New York after choosing to sit with other male students.
• Anti-same-sex marriage folks tried to hold a “Straight Lives Matter” rally down under in Sydney, Australia, as the country is currently in the middle of a vote-by-mail on marriage equality. A whopping 20 people showed up. #Fail
• Donald Trump’s nominee for a federal district judgeship says transgender folks are proof “Satan’s plan is working” and that he doesn’t see “anything right about same-sex marriage rights.”
• Former Congressman Anthony Weiner sentenced to 21 months in prison for sexting a 15 year-old girl.
• Among the many NFL players who spoke out against Donald Trump’s Twitter rant on those “taking a knee” during the national anthem football games was Trump pal and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who called Trump’s attacks “divisive.”
• Check out indie singer/songwriter Sara Phillips’ latest, “Rich and Famous.” Phillips wrote the hypnotic track as an homage to her journey through the music industry – “about trying to navigate the music industry, the loneliness of it all, and the hope that all the sacrifices you make will one day be worth it.” I find the song sexy and ethereal.
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| Ben Cohen |
Some news items you may have missed:
• Woofy, shirtless, straight ally Ben Cohen tweets from the gym (above). #Grrrr
• Hundreds gathered outside the Russian embassy in London to protest on behalf of Chechen gays after weeks of reports indicating Chechnya has rounded up over 100 gay men in “concentration camps.”
• According to The Guardian, investigators looking into connections between the Trump campaign and Russia now have specific concrete and corroborative evidence of collusion,” the source said. “This is between people in the Trump campaign and agents of [Russian] influence relating to the use of hacked material.”
• The doctor who was forcibly dragged off a United Airlines flight apparently suffered a concussion, loss of two front teeth and a broken nose. #TheFriendlySkies?
• Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord calls President Trump “the Martin Luther King of health care.” Hmm, vagina grabbing president compared to humanitarian…
• Two “Jean Val Jeans” – Ramin Karimloo (currently in previews on Broadway for Anastasia) shares this awesome moment from a few years ago when the original star of Les Miserables, Colm Wilkinson, joined him in an encore of “Bring Him Home.” Ramin’s voice just kills – and how beautiful that he steps back to give Colm the last note.
Randy Report favorite and woofy anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen is back in the gym, and moving into beast mode.
Via Facebook: ”Morning!! Back in the gym this morning. Nearly finished my C9 diet from @OfficialForever.”
For several years, Ben’s hunky charity calendars raised funds for The StandUp Foundation, which spotlights the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it. Additionally, the organization looks to eradicate homophobia from sports.
In November of 2015, Cohen shared with his fans that he felt out of shape (although I thought he looked woofy as ever), and so would not release a 2016 calendar, much to the howls of his admirers.
Looks like this world-class rugby champ could be ramping back up for the lens again soon 🙂