Tag: Cyndi Lauper

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News Round-Up: November 26, 2019

InstaHunk Max Souza is looking fierce

InstaHunk Max Souza is looking fierce Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: When the future’s so bright you gotta wear shades, you might be hottie Max Souza (above). • NZ Herald: Ken Miller and his husband Jason Brumbaugh moved to New Zealand two years ago and bought a restaurant, Saluté, that became the target of local homophobia. Then, an online review of the small-town restaurant raved about the food and denounced the homophobia sparking a nationwide wave of support for its owners. • The Gaily Grind: Actress Jamie Lee Curtis said in a new interview that she “fully accepts outing” hypocritical politicians that pass “anti-gay legislation.” And I’m totally with her. • Boy Culture: First a hit novel, then a movie, and in 2020 will become ‘The Series,’ Matt Rettenmund is releasing a 25th Anniversary Edition of his book, Boy Culture. Click here for the backstory on the novel, a cavalcade of sexy covers from all the international iterations of the book, plus a link to buy the new, updated edition. Congrats, Matt! • PEOPLE: First lady Melania Trump was met with a “resounding chorus of loud boos” from middle and high schoolers as soon as she walked on stage at an opioid awareness event on Tuesday. • Advocate: For her decades of activism with LGBTQ youth, Cyndi Lauper will be awarded the inaugural High Note Global Prize presented by the United Nations Human Rights and the High Note Global Initiative at her annual Home for the Holidays concert on December 10. • JustJared: Wendy Williams denied she’s gay telling her audience today, “I am no lesbian. I like women for friendship. I like men and I like the D.” • Instagram: Madonna had ‘a moment’ with out rapper Lil Nas X at the Wiltern Theater during the residency of her Madame X tour in Los Angeles.

 

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Is happy to Share her last name ❌ and a beer 🍺 with @lilnasx #madamextheatre #thewiltern

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News Round-Up: September 17, 2019

Some news items you might have missed: • KIT212: Kenneth-in-the-212’s ‘Tennis Tuesday‘ serves up some serious booty workout tips from hunky Australian trainer, Coach Clayton (above). Definitely worth the click here. • NewNowNext: The 5th season of the acclaimed sitcom Schitt’s Creek will debut on Netflix on October 10, with the sixth and final installment to drop in January. The series, heralded for its positive portrayal of LGBTQ life, is nominated for 3 Emmy Awards this weekend. It is the first Canadian sitcom to receive an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy Series. • Variety: After snagging another Emmy Award this past weekend (for her guest appearance on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Jane Lynch told reporters she and Cyndi Lauper are set to co-star in a new Netflix series that will be “a Golden Girls for today.” • The Sun: Nicole Scherzinger has accepted a reported ‘multi-million pound’ offer to rejoin her former Pussycat Dolls band mates for a 10th anniversary reunion/world tour. • Merriam-Webster: The venerable dictionary has announced a new definition for the word ‘they’ in referencing the gender identity of nonbinary people. • PBS: Longtime ABC News political reporter Cokie Roberts passed away at the age of 75 from complications due to breast cancer. She was NPR’s congressional correspondent for more than a decade beginning in 1978, and co-anchored ABC’s “This Week” from 1996 to 2002. •  Roll Call: 13 House Republicans have announced they will not be running for reelection in 2020. • TVLine: Shortly after comedian Shane Gillis was announced to join the cast of Saturday Night Live this season, footage of racist and homophobic ‘jokes’ by Gillis surfaced and SNL reversed their casting decision. Gillis initially issued one of those ‘I apologize if anyone was actually offended’ statements, but then followed up with a bitter little tweet saying he was “always a MADtv kind of guy” anyway. p.s. MADtv got cancelled, too, so…maybe he is that kind of guy.

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News Round-Up: April 5, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Dan Tai (above) believes you should “go hard or go home.” #legs #thighs #calves #everything #woof

• Colorado’s state Assembly has approved HB 1129, which will protect LGBTQ youth from so-called ‘conversion therapy.’ Gov. Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, will sign the bill into law. Colorado will become the 16th state plus the District of Columbia to prohibit the harmful practice.

• Failed politician and talk show host Mike Huckabee says LGBTQ people are the “greatest threat to the moral fiber of America.”

• University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health scientists report in EBioMedicine that they’ve developed an all-in-one immunotherapy approach that not only kicks HIV out of hiding in the immune system, but also kills it.

• Donald Trump is celebrating the election of homophobe Brian Hagedorn to the Wisconsin state Supreme Court. Hagedorn infamously wrote some years ago that being gay leads to bestiality, and recognition of LGBTQ pride events creates a “hostile working environment” for Christians. But, Trump is thrilled with the news.

• LGBTQ ally Cyndi Lauper & YouTube Todrick Hall have been announced to perform at the opening ceremonies of New York Pride this year. Whoopi Goldberg will host the event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on 26 June.

• Click here if you want to hear former The View co-host moan and whine about being scolded by Barbra Walters back in 2006. It pretty much confirms what I always thought about the former reality show contestant.

• Out recording artist Gia Woods drops her latest single, “Keep On Coming,” complete with a moody music video set in a shadowy bedroom.

Woods says the seductive song is about “Someone’s body that ‘keeps coming’ — meaning I’ve never met this person, but for some reason, I’m supposed to know them. I feel like somehow life relentlessly finds a way to make paths keep crossing. This is the realization whether or not you want to meet the person, it’s inevitable.”

Her breakout single, “Only A Girl,” has garnered over 10 million views on YouTube. I recently wrote about her track, “Jump The Fence,” here.

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Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colors Fund’ Is Now ‘True Colors United’

Cyndi Lauper

Pop icon and human rights advocate Cyndi Lauper announced via Instagram that her True Colors campaign, which works to help homeless LGBTQ youth, will now expand its work to advocate for all homeless youth as True Colors United.

From Lauper’s Instagram:

Big News! The True Colors Fund is now @truecolorsunited. Advocate. Educate. Collaborate. End youth homelessness. We have to solve this issue by working together.

Via press release:

The True Colors Fund, a leader in the pursuit to prevent and end youth homelessness, has announced a major rebrand, including a new name, logo, and visual identity.

The new name, True Colors United, emphasizes the importance of working together to create an equitable world and reflects the responsibility we have as a society to eliminate the barriers youth experiencing homelessness face in achieving happy and healthy lives.

In the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year, with LGBTQ youth 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers. Furthermore, up to 40% of all youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ, while only 10% of the general youth population is LGBTQ. Black/African American youth have an 83% higher risk of homelessness, while Hispanic youth have a 33% higher risk. True Colors United has set bold new goals for the future to bring these numbers down. By 2024, the organization aims to:

• Establish and implement LGBTQ inclusion standards for organizations and communities working to address youth homelessness.
• Activate policymakers to center the experiences of LGBTQ youth and youth of color to create equitable policies and practices.
• Establish youth collaboration as an industry standard for youth homelessness work.
• Expand the work of True Colors United internationally, beginning in Europe and Canada.

As they move into their second decade, True Colors United is also expanding their work to help ensure they are preventing and ending homelessness for all disproportionately affected youth, not just those who identify as LGBTQ.

They will continue to partner with young people with lived experience of homelessness to ensure they’re in positions of power to drive change through their ideas, skills and talents so their peers in the future won’t have to experience homelessness.

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Adam Lambert Brought Cher To Tears With Spectacular ‘Believe’ At Kennedy Center Honors

Adam Lambert sings in tribute to Cher at 2018 Kennedy Center Honors

Last night, CBS aired this year’s Kennedy Center Honors which recognizes those in the performing arts for a lifetime of achievement.

This year’s honorees included Cher, Reba McEntire, composer Philip Glass and jazz legend Wayne Short.

And, for the first time, the Kennedy Center honored a groundbreaking work of art: Hamilton. The blockbuster Broadway musicals creators – Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler and Alex Lacamoire – received special honors for their work.

Many spectacular performances were thrown down during the telecast, but it was the tribute to Oscar & Grammy winner, Cher, that left the audience wiped out.

Whoopi Goldberg, in a sequin dress perfect for the moment, took to the stage to offer spoken tribute to the goddess.

Little Big Town rocked a medley of “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “I Found Someone” and “Baby Don’t Go;” the indomitable Cyndi Lauper laid down her take on “(If I Could) Turn Back Time” as well as dueting with Adam Lambert for a show-closing “I Got You Babe.”

Cyndi Lauper (screen capture)

But Adam Lambert’s intimate-to-soaring performance of Cher’s iconic “Believe” was ‘the’ moment of the night.

Set in an orchestral soundscape, Lambert turned the 1998 dance hit into an stunning, emotional pop anthem with diva-worthy vocals building to the American Idol alum’s signature high notes.

Cher took to Twitter after the telecast to express her feelings about the tribute.

“Tried 2 write Feelings About Adam Lambert Singing Believe In Words, but Cant seem 2,” Cher shared on Twitter. “When Your senses are Overwhelmed All Can you feel with your [heart].”

“I Was Shocked AND Over The MOON When Cindi (Lauper) came out Rocking the house,” the diva continued. “Shocked Because SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS IN LA, & Over The Moon Because My Friend CINDI Is One Of Our ‘Great’ Singers. When Adam & Cindi Sang Together It=Heaven. ‘Little Big Town’ Were Adorable, & Harmonies. Amanda Was Genuine & Dear & When Whoopi Came Out In ”Cher Outfit” She brought Down House.”

Lambert tweeted back, “It was a total honor!!!! You’re a goddess!”

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News Round-Up: November 3, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• Woofy Steve Raider (above) wants to know “Who’s your daddy wolf?”

• 40% of America’s homeless youth are LGBT. And to help, AT&T recently launched its Live Proud Holidays campaign to support Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund in their work to end LGBT youth homelessness. Click here to find out how you can support and participate.

• After two appearances on Will & Grace during the show’s initial run, might Cher willingly grace the NBC series one more time?

• 8 House of Cards employees accuse Kevin Spacey of sexual harassment/assault.

• CNN is now looking at putting up a subscription paywall like several major newspapers have done. The New York Times and Washington Post allow ten free articles to be read before being blocked. Wall Street Journal gives you nothing free. Thoughts? Post below.

• Out professional athletes Robbie Rogers (MLS) and Jason Collins (former NBA) share their coming out stories as part of the “One Stride, Many Journeys” series by Barefoot Wine + Out. Watch below.

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Cyndi Lauper Reimagines Poignant, Acoustic “Not My Father’s Son” From KINKY BOOTS

With the original stars of Kinky Boots back in the Broadway company of the hit musical for a limited 15-week engagement, it’s no wonder the Tony Award-winning composer of the show Cyndi Lauper would take time to reflect and reimagine one of the most impactful songs in the show.

Via press release:

Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award winning artist and activist Cyndi Lauper today released the poignant music video for “Not My Father’s Son,” the heartbreaking and inspiring song from her smash hit, Tony Award winning musical, Kinky Boots.

Lauper re-imagined the song, producing and arranging a new, acoustic version of the track, which features original cast members Billy Porter and Stark Sands, released today by Sony Masterworks Broadway.

The music video, which Lauper conceived and directed herself, features gives visual to one of the most important songs from the hit show – telling the story of two very different people from wildly different backgrounds who find common ground through their shared trauma. Exploring the pressure of growing up with a parent’s very narrow expectations, the song celebrates finding peace in your own skin. The video, shot in stark black and white on New York City streets, only leaps into color as the two men, who are on a physical as well as metaphorical journey, are reunited in their safe space.

“Now felt like the right time to do this,” Lauper explained. “I wanted to tell the story of two totally different men, from different walks of life, that come together to realize that it’s our differences that should bring us together. That’s inspiring. And I think we could all use some of that these days… It’s also a great way to welcome Billy and Stark back to Broadway!”

Porter and Sand continue in Kinky Boots on Broadway through January 7, 2018.

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Cyndi Lauper Takes A Country Music DETOUR

Music icon and LGBT ally Cyndi Lauper goes country with her latest album, DETOUR

LGBT ally, music icon, Grammy®, Emmy® and Tony®-winning singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper’s takes a “detour” on her celebrated musical journey with DETOUR, her 11th studio album, which finds the pink haired diva putting her signature spin on a dozen classic country songs.

DETOUR showcases Lauper’s unmistakable voice on country classics from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s and features guest appearances from county music stars Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Willie Nelson. Lauper recorded the album in Nashville alongside a band comprised of the city’s top session players.

DETOUR will be available May 6 on CD and digitally.

For the album, Lauper duets with several special guests, including country music royalty: Emmylou Harris (on the title track), Willie Nelson (“Night Life,” a song he wrote over 50 years ago), Vince Gill (Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty’s “You’re The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”) and Alison Krauss (Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas.” Jewel also makes an appearance on DETOUR, showcasing her prodigious yodeling skills on “I Want To Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” which was the first country song by a woman to sell one million copies.

Lauper is launching a 35 city tour of the U.S. which will conclude in my hometown of Las Vegas (good choice, Cyndi!).

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Cyndi Lauper Will Play North Carolina Concert, Donate All Profits To Repeal Of HB2

In a statement to JoeMyGod, Grammy/Emmy/Tony Award winner Cyndi Lauper announced today she will play her scheduled concert in North Carolina on June 4th in Raleigh (in support of her new country album DETOUR), and donate all profits to Equality North Carolina’s effort to repeal HB2.

“Sadly, once again, the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have been trampled on with the recent passage of HB2 in North Carolina. Me and my team at the True Colors Fund have been closely monitoring the situation in North Carolina and support the efforts of the Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina, and others to repeal HB2 in the upcoming legislative session. The pressure to repeal HB2 is building and it is beautiful.

“In the dark haze of such oppression, people and companies are stepping up to fight back against this unjust law and ensure that all North Carolinians are treated with dignity and respect, especially the transgender community. I have seen time and time again what can happen when people join together to do what is fair and the effort to repeal HB2 is the right and fair thing to do. I am hopeful that all of the current efforts to repeal HB2 will be successful and the True Colors Fund and I will continue to do all that we can to help.

“In that vein, the best way I know how to make a difference is what I have strived to do my whole life and that is show up for my family, friends, and fans in the LGBT community. So, for that reason I think the best way I can do my part is to turn my show in Raleigh on June 4th into an entire day to build public support to repeal HB2. I will be donating all of the profits from the show to Equality North Carolina’s efforts to repeal HB2 and I am proud of my manager and agent for joining me in this effort by donating their commissions from the show to this vital effort. I look forward to coming to North Carolina and standing up for equality and fairness.

“If we truly want an inclusive society, we all have to include ourselves in the effort to make that happen. This is the best way I know how to include myself and urge you to join me in the best way you know how.”