Promo photo for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Some news items you might have missed: • NewNowNext: A new documentary special, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Corona Can’t Keep A Good Queen Down, takes fans behind the scenes to see how the Emmy Award-winning series pulled off shooting a new season amid COVID-19. • Broadway Cares: The fan-inspiring, steamy stream of ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway, a nostalgic evening of song and conversation with the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital, raised a stellar $130,565 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the philanthropic heart of Broadway. • Kenneth-in-the-212: It’s Wrestle Wednesday over on KIT212 – click over to see this week’s athletic twunk. (image via kenneth-in-the-212) • Washington Blade: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) signaled he would oppose the Equality Act, legislation to expand the prohibition on anti-LGBTQ discrimination under federal law, unless Christians get a carve-out to discriminate based on religious grounds. • Revry: The queer streaming platform celebrates Black History Month with an entire February calendar highlighting incredible Black Queer content made by and for the community. Check out the 2019 film Trade which tells the tale of two men, one a streetwise hustler, the other a straight-laced lawyer, who meet and form a relationship that brings to light who they really are. • Disney: Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (La La Land) stars in Disney’s Cruella, an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. Due out May 2021.
• NBC News: Tim Boyd, mayor of Colorado City, Texas, resigned after lashing out at constituents who have been paralyzed by this week’s devastating cold snap. In a Facebook post, Boyd told town residents to stop complaining about the cold weather that has left millions across Texas stranded without power. “No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim, it’s your choice!” • CNN: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly laughed about Donald Trump’s recent attack statement and has no plans to engage the former President. He’s done talking Trump, with plans to focus on push to take back Senate and focus on Biden agenda. “He’s moving on,” one source said.
“You probably are not going to hear him utter the name Donald Trump ever again,” per one source. Trump also claimed McConnell “begged” for his support and gave McConnell a 20-point boost in polls. The claim has no basis in reality, per sources. McConnell is not planning to engage
Remember him? (via 2016 Super Bowl) Some news items you might have missed: • Super Bowl: So, I grew up watching tons of football because my dad was a sports writer. And I still enjoy it, so you can be sure I’ll be watching the big SportsBall game on Sunday for moments like the one above – remember the attention this ref (rightfully) received during the big game in 2016? • Out: Florida Democrat and one-time candidate for governor Andrew Gillum has opened up with more details of that fateful night in Miami when he was found in a hotel room passed out with a male prostitute. “At this point I’m like, ‘This is set up.'” • Kenneth-in-the-212: Don’t miss Kenneth’s weekly round-up of LGBTQ publications like Valentine’s hotties Franco & Roberto covering Hot Spots Magazine (below). (cover image via Hot Spots Magazine) • The Advocate: A group of 185 actors came out in Germany to demand more LGBTQ+ diversity in film, television, and theater through a manifesto in a national newspaper. Among the issues raised is the fear of losing the opportunity to portray straight people due to biases in casting. “We are actors. We don’t have to be what we play. We act as though we were — that is our job.” • LA Times: Fox News Media has canceled “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” the program hosted by one of Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters. The cancellation comes a day after voting software company Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News and three of its hosts — Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. • AP News: Johnson & Johnson asked U.S. regulators Thursday to clear the world’s first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, an easier-to-use option that could boost scarce supplies. The vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, according to early findings from a study of 44,000 people, but it was 85% protective against the most serious symptoms. • Deadline: Christopher Plummer, who starred in The Sound of Music, won an Oscar for Beginners and was nominated for All the Money in the World and The Last Station, died peacefully today at his home in Connecticut, his family confirmed. Along with becoming the oldest person to win an Oscar, Plummer also won a pair of Emmys and two Tonys during a nearly 70-year career.
BREAKING: Actor Christopher Plummer has died aged 91.
Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in ‘Breaking Fast’ Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: First lady Dr Jill Biden is visiting an LGBTQ health center and HIV/AIDS clinic on her third day in the White House “to highlight and promote support services for cancer patients and caregivers, and hear about the impact of COVID on access to health care, including cancer screenings and prevention efforts.” • Queer Cinema: The gay-themed romantic comedy Breaking Fast, starring Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy (lead image), gets released today on VOD and digital outlets. The acclaimed film offers rare visibility for gay Muslims. Set against the twinkling lights of West Hollywood, Breaking Fast is a romantic comedy that follows Mo, a practicing Muslim still reeling from heartbreak. When an All-American guy named Kal offers to join him in his nightly Iftars –the traditional meal eaten by Muslims during Ramadan– meal after meal, the two start to discover they have more in common than meets the eye.
• Boston Herald: Mark Sahady, 46, of Malden, and Suzanne Ianni, 59, – organizer’s of Boston’s so-called ‘Straight Pride’ event – were arrested for taking part in the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. Because of course. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Michigan’s BTL featuring Brian Michael Smith (below). • The Nation: Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) has misled the public about training for the Paralympics, just as he misrepresented his education and business history. After saying he “had an opportunity” for the Paralympics with hopes of breaking the 100-meter dash, journalists took a deep dive and couldn’t find any evidence he’d ever competed anywhere. • Instinct Magazine: YouTube star Jojo Siwa (Dance Moms, Nickelodeon) came out via a photo on Twitter.
Some news items you might have missed: • Chippendales: It’s a new year which means it’s time for a new calendar. This year’s edition of the iconic Chippendales calendar (above) is an all-star affair packed with fan favorites. • NBC News: The Arizona Republican Party will vote on a measure to censure Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain, on January 23, in part because of her support for President-elect Joe Biden and for same-sex marriage. • The Hill: Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s confirmation hearing for the role of Transportation secretary will be held Thursday. If he’s approved, Buttigieg will be the first openly gay Cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate.
• BosGuy: The veteran Boston blogger celebrates Furry Friday and we’re all the better for it 🙂 • New York Times: Prosecutors in Georgia appear increasingly likely to open a criminal investigation of President Trump over his attempts to overturn the results of the state’s 2020 election, an inquiry into offenses that would be beyond his federal pardon power. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out the weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like this week’s issue of MetroWeekly (below). • People: In a new interview, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson does not hold back saying Donald Trump is “grossly limited in his ‘understanding of global events, his understanding of global history’ and hamstrung by his own attention span.” • Arkansas Online: Peter Francis Stager, 41, caught on video using an American flag and flagpole to beat a police officer during the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot was arrested by federal authorities Thursday night. Remember, these are the folks who were upset at people taking a knee during a football game.
Screen capture from Cadbury’s new commercial Some news items you might have missed: • LGBTQ Nation: Rising star wrestler Mr. Grim came out as pansexual on New Year’s Day. After he “struggled” with his identity for years, the imposing figure known as the “Hitman For Hire” thanked a trans woman athlete for being his “inspiration.” • Instinct Magazine: Cadbury has taken their annual advertising in an egg-citing direction, and are featuring a stunning gay couple as they creatively dive into a seasonal favorite, the Cadbury egg.
• Pink News: Alexandria Winchester, a 24-year-old Latina transgender woman, was shot dead on Boxing Day in the Bronx making 2020 the deadliest year for trans people on record. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out the weekly round-up of LGBTQ publications by KIT212 like South Florida’s Hot Spots Health issue (below). (image via South Florida’s Hot Spots) • Washington Post: Dominion Voting Systems on Friday filed a defamation lawsuit against lawyer Sidney Powell, demanding more than $1.3 billion in damages for havoc it says Powell has caused by spreading “wild” and “demonstrably false” allegations, including that Dominion played a central role in a fantastical scheme to steal the 2020 election from President Trump. • The Advocate: Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican senator who was an ardent critic of Donald Trump until the latter was elected president, was rushed away from an angry pro-Trump mob Friday. Trump supporters heckled and screamed at Graham, who is not visible in the video. “Traitor!” and “Liar!” are screamed by the increasingly angry mob.
JUST IN – Lindsey Graham approached by an angry crowd at the airport in DC, ranting “You traitor.”pic.twitter.com/usNJMMpt8B
Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness and husband Mark Peacock (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • Deadline: Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race will feature several A-list guest judges including Cynthia Erivo, Nicole Byer, Loni Love, TS Madison, and Jamal Sims. • Boy Culture: Taylor Dayne is getting dragged for pretending to be apolitical after she appeared at Donald Trump’s New Year’s Eve event at Mar-a-Lago. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Click over to KIT212’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Attitude Magazinenaming out presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as their ‘Person of the Year.’ (image via Attitude Magazine) • CNN: A federal judge has shitcanned Rep. Louie Gohmert’s ridiculous lawsuit to compel Vice President Mike Pence to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election. • New York Post: The “Soho Karen” who accused the 14-year-old son of jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold of swiping her iPhone in a hotel (turned out she left it in an Uber) has been identified. Apparently, she also had two brushes with the law last year — one for public intoxication and another for drunken driving, according to a report. • Men’s Variety: Breaking down the reasons why you shouldn’t be worried about the coronavirus vaccine. • NewNowNext: Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness secretly got married last summer. Congratulations to the happy couple!
Me and my sleeping companion, Scarlett Some news items you might have missed: • Life: In an attempt to escape Brody’s over-the-top puppy energy last night, this (above) was where Scarlett decided she wanted to sleep. #doglife You can check out more photos of the pups first Christmas with us here. • Gr8erDays: The Santa and Rudolph puppets used in the 1964 stop-motion classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (the only known survivors), were appraised and sold in 2006 for $10,000. Last month, the pair sold at auction for $368,000, and are now on loan to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. • KIT212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Eric Guilmette covering the latest from Wire Magazine. Eric Guilmette covers the latest issue of Wire Magazine • Deadline: I was excited for, but somewhat disappointed by, the recently released Wonder Woman 1984. Most of the smart folks I follow on social media felt the same way. And yet, the film did well enough ($85 million worldwide so far) that Wonder Woman 3 has been fast-tracked. • Mediaite: During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett Giroir said Sunday he’s encouraged by the timeline of the vaccine rollout and expects that “any American who wants a vaccine can be vaccinated by June.”
Bremen Menelli (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • Men’s Variety: With gyms closing in parts of the country due to COVID-19, here are 10 tips on how to exercise outside this winter during the pandemic – although InstaHunk Bremen Menelli (above) seems to have it figured out 😉 • Gay Star News: After a seven-year campaign, Switzerland’s parliament has passed the final vote on same-sex marriage, making the central European country the 29th country in the world to approve marriage equality. • KIT212: Kenneth round’s up the what’s what in LGBTQ publications each week like this issue of Dallas Voice. • LGBTQ Nation: A 17-year-old transgender girl died by suicide earlier this week, just days after she was humiliated by a school administrator for wearing a skirt. • OMG Blog: The brainless bombshell known as the bimbo is one of our most familiar tropes, but recently, a new brand of halfwit hottie has been gaining recognition. Enter the himbo. Like their bimbo counterparts, the requirements for a himbo are simple: They’re hot, kind… and not too bright.
• The Advocate: A gay couple in Eureka, California, woke up to find their Christmas decorations had been ripped down, torn, and smeared with feces. The local police chief has announced that, if found, the perpetrator will be charged with a hate crime. • Metro Weekly: A federal judge has ordered the state of Wisconsin to provide a transgender inmate with gender confirmation surgery to treat her gender dysphoria. Although she was permitted to receive hormone treatments, counseling, and even allowed to wear some women’s clothing, she was denied gender confirmation surgery after requesting it in 2013. • NBC News: A Republican committee in Virginia unanimously passed a resolution censuring Rep. Denver Riggleman, R-Va., saying he betrayed the party’s values when he officiated a same-sex wedding in 2019.
Glad the @VA_GOP finally admits they rig a convention because of the wedding. We already knew this, but here’s your sign
(image via Kenneth-in-the-212) Some news items you might have missed: • KIT212: Kenneth’s new regular feature, “Mask4Masc,” offers some ‘hunky highlights’ (above) for these otherwise grim days. More at the link. • Gay Star News: New data shows 1 in 6 adopted children in the UK are finding homes with same-sex couples. The number of ‘rainbow families’ has increased for three years in a row now. • YouTube: From the description – “The von Trapplings have so far only been singing about Covid. But current events compel them to add their sound of music once more, to farewell a president who just doesn’t seem to want to leave office after being democratically fired.”
• NewNowNext: The pop culture site spoke with four queer performers at different stages of their OnlyFans careers to get a better sense of the labor and investment they put into their business models. Regular readers know I find the financial possibilities of OnlyFans fascinating. • Variety: A “True Blood” reboot is in the early development stages at HBO. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Jami O’Brien are attached to write the script and executive produce, with original series creator and showrunner Alan Ball also attached to executive produce. At this time, none of the show’s original cast is attached to return. • The Hill: Sixty percent of voters don’t want President Trump to run for president again in 2024, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Wednesday. The survey found just 32 percent of respondents think the president should run for a second non-consecutive term. • CNN: While Donald Trump continues to whine about his epic fail in his quest for reelection, First Lady Melania Trump is already making plans for ending her time in the White House. According to sources, she’s begun inquiring about “what was available to her in terms of budget and staff allocation for post-White House life.”
(image via Instagram/MrOliverDoxie) Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: Today’s lead image comes from the adorable Mr. Oliver Doxie account – if you love dachshunds (and who doesn’t?) – you should follow here. The caption for the pic: “When you eat too much and wear a blanket around the house like…” #WhoHasntBeenThere? • The Hill: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams are among the list of nominees for TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year distinction for 2020. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly collection of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like entertainment journalist Karl Schmid on the cover of A&U Magazine(below). (image via A&U Magazine) • New York Daily News: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro doesn’t intend to get vaccinated for coronavirus, despite having suffered from the virus himself earlier this year. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine said populations can safely stop social distancing if at least 75% of people are vaccinated with a shot that’s over 70% effective. • CBC News: A disabled young man who works as a greeter at a Walmart in British Columbia, Canada, was assaulted – pushed to the ground and punched repeatedly – after asking a customer to wear a mask in the store.
• Wall Street Journal: The number of people hospitalized in the U.S. due to Covid-19 surpassed 90,000 for the first time, as the pandemic loomed over Thanksgiving Day celebrations. • The Street: Walt Disney plans to lay off a total of 32,000 employees in the first half of 2021, a further reduction in its workforce as the Covid-19 pandemic and severe drop-off in visitors to its theme parks continues to slam its business. Still, the company will be issuing $1.5 billion to its shareholders.
Disney is laying off 32,000 workers after: *Issuing $1.5B dividend *CEO temporarily cut compensation 5% & makes 1,242x the median worker *Execs kept bonuses & returned to regular pay in August *Workers started food pantry & GoFundMe for laid off coworkershttps://t.co/EUVAJmc474
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