Tag: news round-up

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News Round-Up: October 26, 2020

Sexy man wearing t-shirt which reads "Say hey if you're gay"

Sexy man wearing t-shirt which reads "Say hey if you're gay"

Some news items you might have missed:

• Monday Mancrush: Throwing back to the hottie above from this past summer. It turned out he’s a model used by the t-shirt company, but I still like looking 🙂

• Pink News: Despite warnings of a homophobic boycott, Strictly Come Dancing scored its best ratings for a first live show in years this weekend as millions tuned in to see Nicola Adams and her partner Katya Jones make history by becoming the first competitive same-sex couple to take to the Strictly ballroom floor.

• Boy Culture: From this weekend’s all-star streaming concert, I Will Vote, Academy Award-winner Cher chirped this lovely rendition of “Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe,” with some specialty lyrics to honor Joe Biden. From the 1943 classic movie, Cabin in the Sky, the Yip Harburg/Harold Arlen tune was nominated for Best Original Song at that year’s Oscars.

• People: Felicity Huffman has completed her full sentence, which included 11 days of jail time, 250 hours of community service, and supervised release for one year. In May, Huffman pleaded guilty to paying disgraced admissions consultant Rick Singer $15,000 to have a proctor change her daughter Sophia’s answers after she took the SAT test.

• CBS News: Soldiers and police in Mexico seized an industrial-scale meth and fentanyl lab that was so big it startled investigators. The lab had chemical preparation vats about two stories tall that could process 11,000 pounds of raw material at a time, said Felipe de Jesus Gallo of the federal Attorney General’s Office.

• Bear World Magazine: In 2005, I had the absolute pleasure of performing in the Reprise Series’ revival of the musical Applause with the oh-so-talented and woofy Kevin Chamberlin. Fast forward to today, and the 3-time Tony Award nominee is about to appear in the Netflix screen adaptation of the Broadway musical, The Prom, with Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman and Andrew Rannells.

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News Round-Up: September 3, 2020

Anderson Cooper (art design: Sean Penn)

Some news items you might have missed:

• The Advocate: Dictionary.com has replaced references to homosexual and homosexuality with gay, gay man, gay woman, or gay sexual orientation. Additionally, Pride is now capitalized and its own separate entry that refers to the celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and events that raise the visibility of the community. The website also added a host of other LGBTQ+ terms including ace, ambisextrous, asexual, biromantic, deadname, gender-inclusive, gender diversity, and trans+.

• ABC News: Russia has sought to “amplify” concerns over the integrity of U.S. elections by promoting allegations that mail-in voting will lead to widespread fraud, according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by ABC News. The warning was issued after finding with “high confidence” that “Russian malign influence actors” have targeted the absentee voting process “by spreading disinformation” since at least March.

• Instinct Magazine: Get your first look at the upcoming LGBTQ-themed Christmas season film, Happiest Season, starring Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen, and Dan Levy. The filmmakers hope to release the film in theaters around Thanksgiving.

 

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Happiest #Pride from #HappiestSeason. 🏳️‍🌈 In theaters this Thanksgiving. Photo by: Lacey Terrell

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• The Gaily Grind: A married youth minister, Thomas “Tommy” Callaway, who slapped a female reporter’s butt on live television as she delivered a report in Georgia has pleaded guilty to a sexual battery charge. The 44-year-old was sentenced to a year probation, 200 hours of community service, and fined $1,000 by a Savannah judge who accepted his plea for the misdemeanor count on Tuesday.

• USA Today: Rick Synder, former GOP governor of Michigan, endorses Joe Biden for president – “For years, I mentioned in most of my speeches the need to bring back civility to our nation. We will not continue to be the greatest nation in the world if we can’t get along among ourselves. We have only become more divided over the past four years. We need a leader who believes in civility and bringing Americans closer together.”

• Variety: Filming has been suspended in the United Kingdom on the upcoming movie The Batman as the star of the flick, Robert Pattinson, has tested positive for COVID-19.

• Instagram: Bravo’s Andy Cohen decided to have some fun sharing a shirtless pic of his buddy, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, as a lighthearted way to rib his pal. But 2-time Academy Award-winner Sean Penn took things to another level as he celebrated the photo posting his own updated version including rainbows and hearts along with the caption, “Good morning to Twunk Zaddy Anderson Cooper and his tiny hard sharp nips.” #AforEffort

 

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Good morning to Twunk Zaddy Anderson Cooper 🔥 and his tiny hard sharp nips 😍 🔪

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News Round-Up: August 27, 2020

L-R Michael Caprio, Matt Zarley, Chad Quintero, Randy Slovacek, Greg Chase

Some news items you might have missed:

• TBT: Remembering sunsets at our pool (above) when we could actually have a group of folks over for summertime cocktails in our Olivia Newton-John cups. Ah, good times…

• The Advocate: The city of Anchorage has become the first in Alaska to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors. This makes Alaska the 40th state where some jurisdiction has taken action against the harmful practice.

• New York Times: More than 100 former staff members for Senator John McCain are supporting former Vice President Joe Biden in a show of support across the political divide. The list of signatories includes a range of people — from chiefs of staff in Mr. McCain’s Senate office to junior aides on his campaigns — who worked for him over his 35 years in Congress and during two presidential bids. Republican Voters Against Trump also released this ad today in McCain’s home state of Arizona.

• OUT: A bodybuilding gay couple in Malta were brutally slain in their home on August 18. Police are looking for three persons captured on security cameras leaving the residence, as well as a suspected driver in an awaiting vehicle.

• JoeMyGod: After GoFundMe canceled a crowdfunding campaign for legal costs for accused 17-year-old murderer Kyle Rittenhouse, ‘Christian’ crowdfunding site GiveSendGo raised over $59,000 in the first few hours.

• ABC News: Cocky North Carolina congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn, 25, got it wrong during his four-minute speech during the Republican National Convention last night when he boasted the accomplishments of other youthful politicians in history, like James Madison, who he mistakenly announced signed the Declaration of Independence.

“If you don’t think young people can change the world, then you just don’t know American history. George Washington was 21 when he received his first military commission. Abe Lincoln, 22 when he first ran for office. And my personal favorite: James Madison was just 25 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence.” Today, Cawthorn says he was just testing the fact-checkers.

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News Round-Up: June 30, 2020

Patricia and Mark McCloskey (screen capture)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Bear World Magazine: During a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has rightfully taken up space on our news feeds, a conversation has opened up again in Bear spaces about the lack of diversity and inclusion, and the silence of White gays when it comes to the lives of Black people and People of Color. But, it’s a conversation that many White Bears still seem to not want to have.

• Local10: In early April, openly gay Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy Shannon Bennett was the first South Florida first responder to be killed by COVID-19. His family was crushed by the loss. Now, they feel like they’ve been dealt another blow after the AIG insurance company denied their claim for accidental death in the line of duty.

• NY Post: Mark and Patricia McCloskey (above), the St. Louis lawyers who brandished an AR-15-style rifle and a silver-colored handgun at protesters marching past their home on Sunday, are being investigated for possible criminal charges. The couple insists they were “victims” of threatening trespassers who entered a gated community. Nothing says ‘tough’ as much as a pink polo shirt tucked into a pair of khakis, no?

• AOL: Remembering back to 1993 when Mattel released ‘Earring Magic Ken,’ the accidentally gay version of Barbie’s bf that was just about every ’90s gay stereotype in a chiseled hunk of plastic.

• Washington Blade: Amid concerns the iconic Stonewall Inn in New York City may close due the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Gill Foundation announced on Sunday it will match contributions of up to $250,000 to protect the business from closure.

• Twitter: This Dallas-area ‘Karen’ threw a temper tantrum when she was told she had too many items for the Express lane. She also refused (surprise!) to wear the face mask she’s holding in her hand. #smh

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News Round-Up: May 29, 2020

Guillaume Cizeron (above right – via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Out: Olympic medal-winning ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron (above) has come out publicly as gay. Though the athlete, who won a silver medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics never considered himself in the closet prior, having spoken openly to family and his friends about his sexuality, he acknowledges that a new interview in the French-language magazine Tetu is his first time speaking publicly.

• TikTok: A teen in North Carolina came out to her mom by making some cupcakes that said “I like girls” and recorded herself surprising her mom with them. The TikTok sharing the moment has more than 3 million views.

• KIT212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in local gay rags like this month’s issue of DNA Magazine featuring Nick Bracks (below) chatting on his new role as a mental health advocate.

Nick Bracks covers the new issue of DNA Magazine

• The Advocate: Tony McDade, a Black transgender man, was shot to death by a police officer Wednesday morning in Tallahassee, Fla. McDade, 38, was accused of having fatally stabbed another man just minutes before his own death.

• New Music: Lady Gaga released her highly anticipated sixth studio album Chromatica via Interscope Records, which has already debuted at #1 on the iTunes charts in 57 countries. Gaga has previously released duets with Ariana Grande (“Rain On Me” – the biggest Spotify debut of 2020 reaching #1 on the Global and US Spotify charts) and with Blackpink (“Sour Candy” – #1 on iTunes in 53 countries) from the collection. Check out the banging dance collaboration “Sine From Above” with international superstar Elton John below.

• The Hill: Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States is “terminating” its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) over its response to the novel coronavirus, following through on a threat issued earlier this month. Trump accused the WHO of being under China’s “total control” and of failing to make reforms requested by his administration. The president said he would “redirect” funds promised to the WHO to assist other global health needs.

• TechCrunch: SpaceX had just conducted yet another static fire test of the Raptor engine in its Starship SN4 prototype launch vehicle on Friday when the test vehicle exploded on the test stand in Boca Chica, Texas. This was the fourth static fire test of this engine on this prototype, so it’s unclear what went wrong vs. other static fire attempts.

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News Round-Up: March 16, 2020

Sean O’Donnell (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: Cutie Sean O’Donnell (above) says, “Day 6 of self-isolation. I have done my skincare routine 47 times, eaten everything in sight, can almost levitate and have played maybe 100 hours of video games.” How about you folks? How’re you doing?

• CNBC: Former Vice President Joe Biden is the apparent winner of Washington’s Democratic primary, NBC News reported Monday, chalking up another victory in a string of recent upsets over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. With 99% of results in, Biden led with about 38% of the vote, edging out Sanders at 36%. Biden will win at least 42 of the state’s delegates, while Sanders will receive 40 delegates.

• NowThis News: This Italian opera singer serenades a quarantined Florence, Italy from his balcony every night. There are now 24,747 diagnoses of coronavirus in Italy with 1,809 confirmed deaths.

• RealClearPolitics: Democratic voters go to the polls in Illinois, Florida, Arizona, and Ohio tomorrow for their states’ primaries. Biden leads by an average of 29.5 points in Illinois, 18 points in Arizona, 22.5 points in Ohio, and 39 points in Florida.

• ABC News: Donald Trump says guidelines to combat the coronavirus outbreak could last until July or August, if not longer.

• Global News: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that Canada will be closing its borders to foreign travelers in an attempt to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. Trudeau said the restrictions will go into effect Wednesday but exceptions will be made for aircrews, diplomats, immediate family members, and U.S. citizens.

• OUT: On April 7th, when the finale of Schitt’s Creek airs, it will be joined by an hour-long special. Titled Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt’s Creek Farewell, that special includes behind the scenes footage and commentary by Levy and the team on creating special Schitt’s moments.

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News Round-Up: January 31, 2020

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: Australia’s Coach Clayton (above) shares great legs/butt workouts on his Insta. Why? Because no one ever wrote a song about a small butt. #amiright Follow him on Instagram here.

• Press Herald: Jack Phillips, the anti-gay baker from Colorado who took his case all the way to the Supreme Court in order to avoid making a cake for a same-sex couple, just got a book deal for his story.

• KIT212: Kenneth has the what’s what in gay rags across the country including the latest issue of DNA Magazine (below).

• LA Times: Joshua Ebow, 30, was arrested in connection to a string of brutal anti-gay hate crimes in the Los Angeles area. If convicted he faces up to 14 years in prison. Ebow was charged with punching and stabbing “men who were gay or perceived to be gay.”

• USA Today: The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory amid the coronavirus outbreak. The new message is firm: “Do not travel to China.” The alert, which is a Level 4 (the highest level), cites the fact that the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency as reason to suspend travel.

• Iowa: Donald Trump warned an Iowa crowd in a wild campaign speech Thursday night that global warming activists are out to “kill our cows,” and “that means you’re next.” #srsly

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News Round-Up: August 30, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: From Ricky Martin – “I’m joining my friend @AlejandroSanz on this great initiative to support the #Dreamers in the US. By purchasing this t-shirt www.CharityStars.com/Alejandro you can be part of our #DreamerTeam too. Because #WeAllDream. We all belong. We are all one. And EVERYONE matters.”

• The Advocate: “The Country Music Awards nominated the track from Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in the category of Musical Event of the Year. … Lil Nas X is now the first out gay man to be nominated at the CMAs”

• Courthouse News: After announcing the children born to U.S. service members while overseas would not automatically have U.S. citizenship, Immigration Director Ken Cuccinelli had to issue a statement clarifying the new rules will affect children of military service members and government workers who are legal U.S. permanent residents but not citizens. They can also affect U.S. citizens who can’t show evidence they lived in the U.S. for a sufficient amount of time.

• Buzzfeed News: Steven Canals, co-creator of FX’s POSE, shares how his Bronx upbringing helped inspire the most important show on television.

• CNET: Apple sent invitations to the media on Thursday for its next big product launch. On September 10, the tech company will unveil the 11 series iPhones. The devices likely will include better cameras, faster processors and iOS 13. They come at a time of malaise in the smartphone market, with people holding onto their devices longer than before.

• New Music: Since I’m on a Ricky Martin tangent today, he has teamed up with Madonna collaborator Maluma for a new duet, “No Se Me Quita.” Check out a sample below.

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News Round-Up: August 12, 2019

L-R Andrew Grose, me, Jeff Williams, Jeff Collins, Bill Ullman (circa 1985)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Monday Memory: A friend from my days at Syracuse University recently sent me this backstage photo (above) of me with my fellow ‘Men of Syracuse’ before a performance. Dang, I hung out with some good-looking dudes.

• Billboard: Out rapper Lil Nas X continues his reign atop the Billboard Hot 100 as his “Old Town Road” notches its 19th week as number one.

• OUT: In 2015, there were 1,400 reported cases of Hepatitis A in the U.S. Over the past three years, the number has spiked to 23,000. Since type A can be transmitted via anal sex, the CDC recommends gay and bisexual men get vaccinated against the disease. Click here to find the nearest pharmacy or clinic that offers Hepatitis A vaccinations. If you’ve had it, you have built-in immunity now.

• Business Insider: A new study shows that as New York City raised the minimum wage to $15 this year from $7.25, its restaurant industry outperformed the rest of the US in job growth and expansion. Researchers found no negative employment effects due to the city increasing its minimum wage.

• Axios: The federal budget deficit is up 27% from the same period last fiscal year, which begins in October. Spending has continued to outpace revenue, with a 3% rise of revenue overshadowed by an 8% jump in spending. Remember how the Trump tax cuts were going to pay for themselves?

• HBO: In this parody of FX’s POSE ball sequences, Bob the Drag Queen channels his version of Billy Porter’s ‘Pray Tell’ as host of “The Basic Ball.”

Instead of the kids showing off fabulousness, the categories here are “clinical depression,” “barbecue daddies,” and “running errands,” with competitors giving you neutral colors and family reunion t-shirts.

No ‘extra’ here, folks. It’s all down to ‘basic.’ Watch below or on YouTube here.

 

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News Round-Up: August 8, 2019

Some guy…

Some news items you might have missed:

• #TBT: The above photo was from one of my last headshot sessions while I was still an actor. I hated having to take headshots. I remember early on in New York City, I was sitting for one photographer. He told me, “Turn away, then look at me and think ‘SEXY.’ I turned away and then shifted back to the camera…but there was no click as the photographer said, “Umm, no…” And there you have it LOL.

• Splinter: Friends say the Dayton shooter’s slain sibling was transgender.

• The Hill: House Republicans in the Illinois delegation are calling for President Trump to not commute the prison sentence of former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is serving 14 years on federal corruption charges.

• Advocate: Donald Trump attacked another gay journalist. This time out Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, one of the few Fox personalities willing to criticize him, as worse than “Fake News CNN.” Trump has previously denounced CNN’s Don Lemon calling him “dumb.”

• Axios: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote a letter to President Trump on Thursday asking him to use his Article II powers to call the Senate back into session in order to consider gun control legislation passed in the House.

• Web Series: Funnymen Matthew Wilkas & Dan Gordh are back with Season two of their absurdist sketch series, Matt & Dan. The comedy duo promises more guest stars, bigger wigs, and more twisted, uncomfortable situations.

Premiering August 15, the eight episodes in Season 2 will include a zombie apocalypse, surviving a plane crash in the Himalayas, and stripping at a bachelorette party.