Gustavo Naspolini in Santorini (via Instagram) Some news stories you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Gustavo Naspolini (above) shares this shot from Santorini – which is where I was supposed to be today if it hadn’t been for COVID-19. #HowNiceForHim • NBC News: Brooklyn’s East River State Park was renamed Monday after Marsha P. Johnson on what would have been the transgender rights activist’s 75th birthday. Marsha P. Johnson State Park is New York’s first state park to honor an LGBTQ person and transgender woman of color, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. • Washington Post: Openly gay former US Ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, recently claimed Donald Trump to be the ‘most pro-gay president in history.’ The Post took a moment to debunk the ‘stew of misleading timelines and out-of-context quotes.’ • CBS News: Following 46 cases of bleach ingestions in the North Texas Poison Center region since the start of August, experts are again warning people that drinking the chemical won’t prevent COVID-19. #srsly • Theatermania: Now that the powers that be have announced the Tony Awards will happen digitally this fall, David Gordon breaks down how things might shakeout with the truncated Broadway season. For instance, it appears only two actors will be eligible in the Best Actor in a Musical category. • Election 2020: Miles Taylor, who served as chief of staff in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, says the Donald told officials to break immigration laws in order to enact his policies, and if there were problems he would pardon them. This new spot, from Republican Voters Against Trump, will be airing in battleground states on Fox News. Trumpers will probably be thrilled the Donald wanted to break immigration laws.
New Ad: Miles Taylor reveals that Trump offered pardons to DHS staff in exchange for implementing his illegal immigration policies at the border.
Randy Kaufman (via Instagram) Checking in to see what some of my favorite InstaHunks are up to this weekend. Randy Kaufman (aka RandyLand) isn’t having today’s beach weather in Provincetown, so he’s throwing back to last weekend (above) from a near-perfect day (and pic) at Herring Cove. Out veteran newsman Thomas Roberts (who’s been sharing #GoodGayNews during the pandemic) announces he’s got a new gig hosting Daily Mail TV starting September 7. #CongratsThomas
InstaHunks Gymbear79 ‘social-fitnessing’ (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Yes, Wes Dupree (“Gymbear79”) is practicing his “social-fitnessing.” Good on him… • The Wrap: Ratings for The Ellen DeGeneres Show sunk to a new series low last month following a bombshell Buzzfeed News report about the toxic work environment behind the scenes. Ratings for the talk show were down 9% from the prior week and a glaring -29% from the same week last summer. • Gay Star News: The Democratic Party has unveiled its platform for November’s elections and it is the most LGBT+ inclusive ever including major pledges to reverse Donald Trump’s anti-LGBTQ policies, ban ‘conversion therapy’, AND pass the Equality Act. • Winnipeg Sun: Former WWE pro wrestler Marty Jannetty posted (then deleted) on social media that at the age of 13 he murdered a gay man he was buying weed from after an alleged sexual assault. • NBC News: Facebook removed hundreds of fake accounts linked to conservative media outlet The Epoch Times that pushed pro-Trump conspiracy theories about coronavirus and protests in the U.S. Facebook took down the accounts as part of its enforcement against the use of fake accounts to inflate the reach of content or products on social media. The Epoch Times is owned by the virulently anti-LGBTQ Falun Gong cult, which also produces the touring acrobatics show, Shen Yun. • Cognitive Decline: Just days after Donald Trump was mocked for mispronouncing Yosemite National Park as “Yo-semites,” the Trumpster – who accuses former Vice President Joe Biden of not being mentally on point – referred to Thailand as “ThighLand.”
BREAKING: Three days after pronouncing “Yosemite” ats “Yo-Semite,” Trump pronounces “Thailand” as “Thighland.”
Dr. Andrew Neighbors (screen capture) Living in the current COVID-19 world, funnyman Michael Henry has been working on a solution to his one big issue with wearing face masks: how to flirt. And the answer is? Becoming a ‘winker.’ Sitting appropriately socially distanced in the park, Henry explains his new technique to hunky optometrist Andrew. “I’m a big smiler, and guys can’t see how sweet and sensual I am with these masks on – look,” says Henry as be breaks into a dead corpse state. Yeah, that isn’t going to get it done.Michael Henry (screen capture) The problem for Henry is he “gives off a lot of social cues ‘orally.'” Read that however you like… Andrew’s not convinced, though, in part because he thinks winking is “creepy.” “It’s not!” insists Henry. “It’s friendly – it’s flirtatious – it’s coy – it’s CONFIDENT!” Andrew: “I feel like when guys wink at me it just means they want to f$%k me.” Henry: “Yeah, that too. I want guys to know I’m DTF…but also coy and confident.” Cue the slow-motion demonstration. #creepy
Asking the obvious, Andrew wonders why Henry doesn’t just say hello to guys. “Cause that’s not coy – AND I’M COY!,” insists a demur Henry before adding, “ And I’m DTF.” Andrew still isn’t convinced but it turns out he has his own issue the approach: he’s wink-challenged. But that’s alright because Andrew has figured out his own way to break the ice and let guys know he’s DTF that usually works. p.s. it works Hit the play button to see Andrew’s solution (which also tends to bring out the Gay Bottom Mafia). By the way, this post is actually a twofer because – in case you noticed – the hottie Andrew is totally InstaHunk worthy, so head over to his Instagram account where 337K people check in on the good doctor and self-described ‘wizard.’ Happy Hump Day!
Green.Joel (via Instagram) Checking in with the Hunks of Instagram – first up, Joel Green (above) answers the eternal Sondheimian question: Does anyone still wear…a hat? (The answer is clearly yes, and, well). International pop star Maluma is dancing in Hawaii asking if anyone celebrates “for the love that is gone?”
Reichen and Chip win Season 4 of The Amazing Race (screen capture) Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: My colleague at my ‘other home’ has done a terrific round-up of LGBTQ reality show winners over the years including Amazing Race Season 4 champs Reichen and Chip (above). Hit the link for winning LGBTQ moments from Survivor, Big Brother and more. • Global News: Shane Daum, 43, reports he was gay-bashed by a group of seven individuals while camping in British Columbia. During the incident, the men (who recognized him from his local grocery store) held his dog as they beat him unconscious. He was treated for a concussion, but law enforcement says they aren’t pressing charges because there are “no independent witnesses to identify any particular accused at the time.” • Out Music: With his work in television, film and theater, Tituss Burgess is quickly emerging as one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile and dynamic performers. Burgess recently dropped his first single, “Dance M.F.,” aimed squarely at the dance music culture and this year’s many unstoppable virtual pride celebrations. The track is a sultry sexy stomper with an attitude that is certain to bring comfort and escapism to our currently socially distanced souls. Burgess says the song “is a love letter to all the party people who in spite of the pandemic, are still committed to ‘live their best lives,’ party on down and celebrate Pride safely while in lockdown.”
• Variety: Facebook is unleashing hundreds of thousands of music videos in the U.S. starting this weekend — a direct challenge to YouTube, which has had a virtual lock on the internet music-video space for years. With the U.S. launch of music videos, which Facebook has been actively developing since at least last fall, the company has updated Artist Pages of musicians and singers with a new section to let users browse their official music videos. • Yahoo News: Now that Donald Trump’s big GOP donor buddy Louis DeJoy has been installed as Postmaster General, orders are going out to employees reducing hours and services. I’m sure it’s all part of a plan to hobble voting by mail which Trump has been demonizing for weeks now for alleged ‘election fraud’ potential. • The Hill: Some Republicans are urging GOP leaders to abandon the attacks on mail-in voting and to instead embrace it, warning that the president is effectively sabotaging his own party. The impact could be particularly pronounced in Florida, a battleground state where Republicans have traditionally outpaced Democrats among absentee voters. It’s also the preferred method of voting for many seniors, who broke for Trump in 2016. • InstaHunks: I thought I’d share another shot of Backyard Envy host Garrett Magee since he made such a splash yesterday in my post about the upcoming Season 2 premiere on Tuesday, August 4.
Phillip Evelyn II (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Phillip Evelyn II (above) is giving you full-on Ninja-ness in this post. #Dang Follow him on the Gram of Insta here. • Pink News: A homophobe in South Dakota went on a profanity-heavy anti-gay rant while burning an LGBTQ Pride flag during a Facebook video. The local district attorney says he won’t be pursuing hate crime charges despite the video. • CBS News: President Barack Obama’s powerful eulogy at the funeral of the late civil rights leader, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), was perfection. Obama said Americans should honor Lewis’ legacy by continuing to work for democracy and voting rights. “He, as much as anyone in our history, brought this country a little bit closer to our highest ideals.” Hit the play button to hear a president speak about someone other than themself (and in complete sentences).
• Courthouse News: Federal prosecutors have agreed to abandon the gag order against Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and current felon, Michael Cohen. Cohen is now free to use social media, participate in interviews, and release his Trump tell-all book, which is due go on sale in September. • Fox News: File this under ‘metaphors you could never make up.’ Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign bus collided with a dump truck today while stumping in Western Pennsylvania. • Gay Star News: International pop star Elton John shared the 30th anniversary of his sobriety with his Instagram followers writing, “If I hadn’t finally taken the big step of asking for help 30 years ago, I’d be dead. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have inspired and supported me along the way.”
(image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Dan Tai (above) is giving me life wearing his sexy swim shorts from Box Menswear. Dan’s post shares some very wise somethingsomethingsomething and then asks how many other people are in the photo? #OtherPeople? • The Advocate: The past 12 months saw LGBTQ+ representation in elective office in the U.S. grow by 21 percent, with 843 known out officials as of June. The number of out officials is likely to grow even more over the next 12 months with more than 880 openly LGBTQ+ people currently running for office in 2020 — the most ever. • U.S. Military: A study by the Palm Center shows Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service members could realistically be reversed within a 30-day period. “All the ingredients are there for a virtually instant reversal.” • The Lincoln Project: Major props to this anti-Trump group for their latest – a totally Seinfeld-inspired campaign ad. You’ve got to give it to these folks for style.
• Gaily Grind: Another day, another ‘Karen.’ A woman in Washington state walked into a pizza restaurant demanding they serve her when she refused to wear a face mask. ‘I have a right to my pizza!’ #srsly • NBC News: Two data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Tuesday say true COVID-19 rates are more than 10 times higher than reported cases in some U.S. regions. The estimates are based on COVID-19 antibody tests performed on routine blood samples in 16,000 people in 10 U.S. regions. • Snoop Watch: My hubby Michael got tired of waiting for our new dog to freely offer up kisses, so he bribed the Snoop with peanut butter (top photo). Hit the play button below to see the craven bribery.
Dan Tai (via Instagram) Checking in with some of my favorite InstaHunks this weekend. First up, ex-pro Rugby player Dan Tai (above) reminds us that ‘health is wealth.’ Which makes Dan the ‘Bill Gates of fitness’ 🙂 Justin and Nick are back from a short Insta-Sabbatical and they brought their handsome 8-month-old rescue Bear. #woof https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1BFk6ngo1/ Max Souza checks in to see how YOUR Sunday is going? https://www.instagram.com/p/CCjgodvAFVQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Bremen Menelli rocked his swimsuit as he got ready to ‘refresh’… #thirsty https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1p5EFgPQz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Philip Evelyn II reports from the Bronx: “It’s f*ckin’ hot out here and this summer is gonna take whatever f*cking body I give it.” We’ll take it! https://www.instagram.com/p/CCywGbJpdno/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Rick and the Griffopotamus served up Rorschach Mind F@ck Madness behind-the-scenes with legendary photographer Mike Ruiz and make up genius Nick Lujan. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCzYzjRAhKi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Fitness model Killian got his morning stretches in: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCyMeh5Io2L/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Joel Green proves he simply can’t take a bad photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCwoFVqp4Oi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Ignacio Pérez Rey showed off his golden, sun-kissed tan from Madrid: https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1UP1is44F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Also in Madrid – y’all Spain has got it going on – paleontologist Francesc Gascó gives a final Crossfit flex as he says ‘Good night.’ https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1p_8Qo3e0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
InstaHunks Gymbear79 ‘social-fitnessing’ (via Instagram)
Michael Henry (screen capture)
