The U.S. stock markets surged on the news that Congressional leaders are close to agreement on a stimulus package to help cope with the ongoing coronavirus threat. From Fox Business:
U.S. equity markets registered the strongest one-day rebound in history on Tuesday amid investor optimism that members of Congress will overcome their differences to reach a deal on a nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.
In the final hour of trading, gains picked up steam giving the Dow Jones Industrial Average a 2,112 point gain, the biggest ever, or 11 percent, while the S&P 500 gained over 9 percent and the Nasdaq over 8 percent.
Acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally accepting a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2019 Playwright Terrence McNally, a four-time Tony Award winner, died Tuesday at the age of 81 from complications to the coronavirus. He was a lung cancer survivor who lived with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Throughout his career, he created richly layered stories that often explored the LGBTQ experience: Love! Valour! Compassion!, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Full Monty, The Ritz, Mothers and Sons. His work validated and humanized our experiences. Other McNally plays and musicals include The Rink, Master Class, Ragtime, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,The Lisbon Traviata, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, A Perfect Ganesh (Pulitzer Prize nomination), The Visit and Anastasia. For his acclaimed efforts, he was honored by the Tony Awards with Best Book of a Musical for both Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1992 and Ragtime in 1998; and Best Play for both Love! Valour! Compassion in 1995 and Master Class in 1996. He also received 3 Drama Desk Awards for Love! Valour! Compassion, Master Class and Ragtime. In 2019, he received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
While he wasn’t fond of being called a “gay playwright,” since much of his material wasn’t limited to gay material, it is a topic he visited often. In a preface to the published version of Love! Valour! Compassion!, he wrote, “I think I wanted to write about what it’s like to be a gay man at this particular moment in our history.” “I think I wanted to tell my friends how much they’ve meant to me,” he added. “I think I wanted to tell everyone else who we are when they aren’t around. I think I wanted to reach out and let more people into those places in my heart where I don’t ordinarily welcome strangers.” For even more insight into the personal life of McNally, please make sure to add the recent documentary of his life, Every Act of Life, to your viewing playlist.
In that my time living in New York City as a working actor coincided with McNally’s heyday, it’s with great fondness that I remember seeing nearly all of the NY productions listed above. Funny, life-affirming, and deeply human – that’s how I view the emotional landscapes created by McNally. To this day, I believe Ragtime is easily one of the greatest American musicals to arrive on Broadway. I saw my own life in his plays. I vividly remember having to stifle sobbing when I heard Nathan Lane, during a performance of Love! Valour! Compassion! ask, “Who will be there to hold my hand when I let go?” My husband worked with McNally on several projects over the years. At the end of each, Michael would receive a hand-written ‘thank you’ note that the word gracious can’t begin to describe. Rest in power, Terrence McNally.
My dear sweet brilliant kind Terrence. The world is not nearly as sweet of a place without you in it. My heart is breaking yet again. 💔 Terrence McNally Dead: Tony-Winning Playwright Dies of Coronavirus – Variety https://t.co/IDQPbS80ml
A huge part of me is gone. But then it’s not. Terrence wouldn’t like that. He helped to make me who I am as a person. He is the epitome of love and friendship. Only God knows how much I will miss him. 💔🙏💋 pic.twitter.com/qItUOWkEqI
Heartbroken over the loss of Terrence McNally, a giant in our world, who straddled plays and musicals deftly. Grateful for his staggering body of work and his unfailing kindness.
My first acting award at a one-act festival in high school. My first Tony nomination was for Full Monty. Both shows written by Terrence McNally. He had a monumental impact on my career and will be missed. Rest In Peace, my friend. #RIPTerrenceMcNally
I am devastated hear about Mr McNally. A true legend. A true gentleman. I am so grateful my path crossed with him for a period of time. – Playwright Terrence McNally, Tony-Winning Playwright, Dies of Coronavirus – Variety https://t.co/4rHFYweYsy
My Broadway debut. THE RITZ by the late, great Terrence McNally. A pioneer. A true man of the theater. All his comedy had pathos. And boy, did he love musicals. He made his mark. And he will be missed. pic.twitter.com/KTKR1S4BQm
We lost a great artist today. I worked for and with Terrence McNally twice in my life and they were two of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. His work was vital, intense, hysterical and rare. My hope is that he will inspire writers for years to come. #RIPTerrenceMcNally
Terrence McNally was one of the founding fathers of @BCEFA. Truly among the greatest playwrights in #Broadway history, Terrence gave voice to both the voiceless and those who can stand tall, not only through his art but also his actions. pic.twitter.com/szAFZn7G42
Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg (screen capture) Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: Pete and Chasten Buttigieg have started live-streaming on the Gram. While their chat with actress/singer Mandy Moore was fun today, the big news is that #BeardEdgeEdge (above) is happening! #Yassss! • Reuters: Andorra, a nation of 80,000 people on the border of France and Spain, is set to legalize gay marriage, highlighting that eastern European countries with anti-LGBT laws are “on the wrong side of history”, leading human rights specialists said on Monday. A bill presented by the ruling coalition of Andorra will remove the legal distinction between same-sex civil unions and heterosexual weddings. • Out Music: Singer/songwriter Philp La Rosa’s latest single, “Paradise,” was inspired by his 7-year relationship with his boyfriend. Says La Rosa, “The journey of our love has honestly been like running through Paradise. But even in Paradise, we can trip and fall sometimes. The beauty of being in a loving relationship is we get to pull each other up, point out where we went wrong and keep running.” The synth-pop track has a mellow, chill vibe that partners well with La Rosa’s winning, winsome vocals. Hit the play button below. • US News & World Report: Addressing a shortage of ventilators for the coronavirus pandemic, Donald Trump said on Saturday, “General Motors, Ford, so many companies — I had three calls yesterday directly, without having to institute like: `You will do this’ — these companies are making them right now.” Fact check: No automaker is anywhere close to making medical gear such as ventilators. • Science Magazine: Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci on dealing with Trump’s coronavirus exaggerations and lies during pressers: “I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down. OK, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.” • Gay Star News: Pride in London, the UK’s biggest LGBT+ Pride event, has announced it is postponing its 2020 event. The march, rally and official street parties were all due to take place on Saturday 27 June this year. Moreover, Pride bosses are also postponing the festival in the run-up to the main day. • Business Insider: Dow dives 582 points as impatience over pending coronavirus bill outweighs new Federal Reserve stimulus. #SoMuchWinning
Ryan Worley of the world-famous Chippendales With all of the hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip temporarily shut down, as well as the area gyms, the world-famous Chippendales are getting creative in finding ways to keep in shape while doing the self-quarantine thing at home. Ryan Worley, who performs in the troupe’s Vegas-based production at the Rio Hotel & Casino, is making a series of videos sharing his tips for working out at home. The clips are short, easy to understand and definitely easy on the eyes. “We’re quarantined here in Vegas but we’ve got to keep our spirits high and we’ve got to stay in shape because we’ve got a show to come back to,” says Worley. The first video offers Worley in the trademark “cuffs & collar” offering info for working out your shoulders. He uses two one-gallon jugs of almond milk (about 8 lbs each) to hit all three heads of the shoulders – front, side, and rear. Not for nothing – Worley is giving you cute-icious face and body.
The Chipps’ second video features a more G-rated Worley in a tank-top (dangit!) coaching us on how to get our glutes tight. Worley recommends doing a hip thrust (aka glute thrust, we like that term better) at home with a pillow under your upper back and your feet either on the floor or on a stair-step. Press through your heels so your upper body goes as high as possible, hold for a few seconds, then lower. The winsome Worley recommends 15-20 reps in a set depending on your fitness level, and if things get too easy you can add some weight to your hips. Worley shares that he’s a licensed personal trainer and plans to do several more videos in the near future. Side note – Worley’s colleague Pat Tanski is taking a different tact keeping busy at home by busting moves as his adorable dog takes it all in. Hit the play button below – you’re going to like this 😉
As Worley mentions in the videos, there’s no down-time for the Chippendales because the (fingers-crossed) plan in Las Vegas is to hopefully have casinos, hotels, and shows back up and running sooner than later. The governor in Nevada ordered all non-essential businesses to close for a 30-day period which expires on April 16. And a Chipps-approved body doesn’t happen on its own. The Chippendales are hoping to be back in full-swing when Vinny Guadagnino of Jersey Shore fame returns to handle celebrity hosting duties again. The ‘Keto Guido’ is currently scheduled to rejoin the men of Chipps from April 24 to June 7. You might recall when the Jersey Shores star flashed his ‘mini-Vinny’ onstage and the cell phone video of the moment went viral? #goodtimes Not one to sit idle, Worley recently launched a new “fantasy dates” website – BodyKink. “This is a platform that connects models with fans,” says Worley. “It’s a strictly legal website and we do fantasy dates and companionship. He adds, “BodyKink is a safe place where people can express their kinky desires and they don’t have to be ashamed for it or anything like that.” The hunky former Mormon shares that a portion of the proceeds will be donated each month to Golden Rainbow, a local charity founded by the entertainment industry that provides housing and financial assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada. Check out a few shots from Worley’s thirst-tastic Instagram:
My friend Peter sent me this from Facebook. As they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Of course, it goes without saying the video is for humorous purposes. Calvin Klein underwear is not coronavirus-approved. LOL…
In a move not done since World War II, USA Todayreports the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Tokyo will be postponed.
Veteran International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told USA TODAY Sports Monday afternoon that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are going to be postponed, likely to 2021, with the details to be worked out in the next four weeks.
“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound said in a phone interview. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”
Pound, a Canadian who has been one of the most influential members of the IOC for decades, said he believes the IOC will announce its next steps soon. “It will come in stages,” he said. “We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”
U.S. surgeon general Jerome M. Adams is not playing. He’s not doling out “hopes and wishes.” He really, really wants people to stay home in order to help mitigate the worsening coronavirus threat.
During an appearance on the TODAY show Monday morning, he lamented that people choosing to visit beaches or spend time crowding around Washington’s cherry blossoms is how the virus is going to keep spreading.
Adams reminded the public that the numbers of coronavirus cases they see reported reflects what happened two weeks ago and stressed that mitigation measures, such as practicing social distancing and postponing elective surgeries, are designed to ignite a sense of urgency in Americans.
He noted, however, that they are only effective as early preventive tactics. Positive cases of coronavirus have ballooned to more than 35,000 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, though experts agree that the actual number of U.S. cases is much higher.
“Everyone needs to act as if they have the virus right now,” Adams said, echoing words from the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony S. Fauci. “You could be spreading it to someone else or you could be getting it from someone else. Stay at home.”
“I want America to understand this week, it’s going to get bad and we really need to come together as a nation,” said Adams to Savannah Guthrie. “So test or no test, we need you to understand you could be spreading it to someone else, or you could be getting it from someone else.”
In this week’s podcast: • A new study shows having an older brother could increase the odds of being gay • Canadian Idol alum Gary Beals comes out and a drops new single, “Me for Me” • Virtual dance parties online help to alleviate stress during the ongoing health crisis. LInk – www.instagram.com/mkik808/ • Talking about the coronavirus pandemic, certain risk factors for LGBTQ people in particular, and where dating apps fall in all this. GLMA provides a directory for welcoming providers here: www.glma.org/index.cfm?fuseacti…iewPage&PageID=939 The Human Rights Campaign has a list of LGBTQ-friendly medical centers and hospitals here: www.hrc.org/hei/search All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
Sen. Rand Paul (photo: Gage Skidmore) Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has become the first U.S. Senator to test positive for coronavirus. From NBC News:
“Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19,” Paul’s account tweeted. “He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”
“He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time,” the thread continued. “Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”
Paul is the third member of Congress to announce a positive test for coronavirus, following Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Ben McAdams, D-Utah. Several Republican lawmakers also self-quarantined earlier this month after learned they had interacted with someone who tested positive for the virus at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Some might note the irony that Paul was the only senator to vote against a bipartisan $8 billion deal to provide emergency coronavirus funding earlier this month. Earlier this week, I reported that Walking Dead actor Daniel Newman developed symptoms, knew he’d been exposed to the coronavirus, went to the ER and was told (after ringing up a bill for $9,000+) that his test couldn’t be “processed” because he wasn’t a senior citizen or traveled recently in China or Italy. How did an asymptomatic U.S. senator get tested if Newman and others couldn’t? Of course, we know the answer to that question.
Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.
big concerns in Senate gop ranks about @RandPaul’s positive test for coronavirus and what it means for everyone else. Rand was in lunches w his colleagues. Jerry Moran said at lunch today that Paul was at the gym this AM swimming. Paul got the results late this am and left.
Sen. Rand Paul has been sitting with GOP senators at lunches and meetings every day. And per CNN, he was at the Senate gym this morning! I think a lot of GOP senators are going to have to isolate right now.
The volume of food and paper products passing through a warehouse just outside Los Angeles is up 30 percent from the same time a year ago.
Pizza deliveries are surging as people around the country hunker down. Medical product manufacturers are racing to help hospitals lacking critical equipment needed to diagnose and treat Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Millions of people lost jobs or saw their wages severely curtailed last week as many companies shut down or cut back on operations. But the pandemic has also created a spike in demand for critical products and services, causing some of America’s biggest employers to scramble to try to hire workers.
On Thursday, Walmart, the nation’s largest employer, said it was looking to hire 150,000 additional employees through the end of May.
The grocery chain Kroger is hiring 10,000 people across its stores and distribution centers. Amazon is also planning to hire 100,000 additional people to keep up with the crush of online orders.
While the casinos here in Las Vegas are closed, I did see several of the large grocery stores have “Hiring” signs up. I know these may not be some people’s “chosen careers,” but if a family needs an income, at least there are a few opportunities to earn a living.
The U.S. stock markets surged on the news that Congressional leaders are close to agreement on a stimulus package to help cope with the ongoing coronavirus threat. From Fox Business: 
My friend Peter sent me this from Facebook. As they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Of course, it goes without saying the video is for humorous purposes. Calvin Klein underwear is not coronavirus-approved. LOL… 
