LGBTQ news and entertainment
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) is still spreading disinformation that the New Orleans attack had to do with the border, even though it’s confirmed the terrorist was born and raised in Texas and was a US Army veteran. Continue reading “Johnson Still Spreading Disinformation About New Orleans Attack”
The F.B.I. has identified the driver who killed at least 10 people and injured about 35 more in New Orleans as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen born in Texas. Continue reading “New Orleans Driver Identified As Former Army Veteran From TX”
UPDATE: Investigators now believe the U.S. Army veteran who plowed a pickup into New Year’s revelers acted alone, after previously saying they were looking into whether other people might have helped him plant explosives in coolers in the French Quarter.
Ten people are dead and 30+ injured after a man in a white pickup truck drove through the crowds of NYE partygoers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Continue reading “10 Dead, 30+ Injured After Truck Drives Through Bourbon Street Celebration”
Some news items you might have missed: • Variety: Masked out country singer Orville Peck (above) hinted that he could be working on a project for Broadway at an appearance this week at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Continue reading “Orville Peck Headed To Broadway? + More News”
• It’s sunny skies for my buddy Alex Chavez (above) after he won his body building competition last week. Check out his serious gyming on his Instagram account here.
• San Diego polar bear dies after her same-sex companion of 20 years relocated from Seaworld:
BREAKING: Szenja, a polar bear at #SeaWorld, has died. PETA believes she died of a broken heart after companion of 20 yrs was shipped away 💔 pic.twitter.com/dwr0Vm0vrR— PETA (@peta) April 19, 2017
• Folks are wondering why Mar-a-Lago is suddenly being promoted on a federal government sites?
• The Navy and Marines have issued new regulations that ban spreading nude images in the wake of last month’s photo scandal involving the Marine Corps.
• Caitlyn Jenner’s 20/20 interview in 2015, which delivered the news that the Olympic gold medalist is, in fact, transgender was a ratings bonanza. The interview drew 17 million viewers. Jenner’s followup with Diane Sawyer this past Friday was a bit of a bust bringing only 4.2 million sets of eyeballs and losing to a rerun of CBS’ Blue Bloods.
• Plans for removing four Confederate monuments by the city of New Orleans including having workers wear armor and stationing police snipers to keep watch for lunatic racists that might try to interfere with the removal.
New Orleans is removing Confederate monuments.It scary that workers are wearing armor in fear of being shot by racists who want them up. pic.twitter.com/umPJUyr3bo
— Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) April 24, 2017
New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) and members of the New Orleans community gathered together during Mardi Gras 2017 to create a tourism video letting potential visitors know that New Orleans welcomes everyone.
Via press release:
If there ever was a celebration to honor diversity and equality, it is Mardi Gras New Orleans. To emphasize this important message that New Orleans is ‘always open’, New Orleans tourism joined people from all over the community at New Orleans’ famous Bourbon and St. Ann streets to march together in its first-ever Reverse Parade.
Through word of mouth, some four hundred citizens gathered and volunteered their time to create a message of diversity and equality. Donning full make-up, Mardi Gras garb, beads, or just plain clothes, the New Orleans community and its supporters marched backwards in a symbolic gesture shedding colorful clothing and masks along the way. Everything stopped, quiet ensued, then a flag appeared stating “We Are Never Going Back.” Music filled the streets as participants marched forward in celebration.
“New Orleans has a history of welcoming all people all the time,” said Mark Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC). “The amount of excitement and numbers of citizens who came to participate in the parade and film is a testament to the city’s determination to never relinquish its achievements in human rights.”
In Touch Magazine is reporting that Channing Tatum has a new project: running a racy theme bar—complete with all-male revues!
In Touch says that the “Magic Mike” star and best friend Keith Kurtz, purchased Saints and Sinners, a brothel-style pub in New Orleans and hope to re-open it in November.
The opening night guest list might even include Channing’s famous stage pals Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello for a reunion that could turn into a live male-review show!
From Newsy: The saying “out with the old, and in with the new” is hitting home in New Orleans. The city’s daily newspaper, The Times-Picayune, announced starting this fall it will only publish Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Jobs will also be cut as the paper makes some more modern changes. CNN explains.
“The publisher said in a memo the Time-Picayune needed to dedicate more resources to its online presence. He announced a new media group including NOLA.com which will continue to report seven days a week.”
A new company called NOLA Media Group will include the Times-Picayune and its affiliate website. Forbes.com says according to the paper’s publisher the…
“…best path to success lies in a digitally focused organization that combines the award winning journalism of the Times-Picayune and the strength of NOLA.com”
The Times-Picayune received international recognition for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But many of its subscribers were forced out of the city by the storm, never to return. Today, the paper reaches about 155-thousand doorsteps on Sundays and 134-thousand on weekdays. But Poynter says it was double that before the storm.
“…circulation in March 2005, before Katrina flooded the city and shrank the population: about 285,000 on Sundays and 257,000 on weekdays.”
On Twitter, David Hammer, the investigative reporter at the Times-Picayune told his followers…
“…It’s like a morgue in the newsroom today.”
But According to Gambit, a New Orleans Weekly newspaper, it may be the way the announcement was made that had people so upset. The website says…
“…Even longtime senior writers and editors — said they learned of their fates from The New York Times report. One employee said, ‘I had to find this out by Twitter. Do I go into the office tomorrow? Do I even have a job to go in to tomorrow?’”
That same report says about a third of the paper’s reporters will be fired, along with top executives. When the change is made, New Orleans will become the largest U.S. city without a daily newspaper.