News Round-Up: March 1, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• Awesome illustrator Silverjow (above) reminds us that this is the lunar year of the dog! Make sure you check out his totally woofilicious art on Instagram.

• Washington state will be next to ban so-called “conversion therapy.”

• Donald Trump says we need more teachers with guns in schools. And then yesterday, an actual teacher with an actual gun went nuts at a North Georgia high school. I guess that answers the question, “What could possibly go wrong?”

• Four-time married Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis has laughably penned a book about her “courage” to stand up for “traditional marriage.” You’ll recall she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples due to her “deeply held religious beliefs” about marriage. #SanctityOfMarriageMyAss #ROTFL

• Out Olympian Adam Rippon has been invited to the Oscars!

• Actor Lee Pace, who plays “Joe Pitt” in the Broadway revival of Angels In America, kinda-sorta comes out in an interview with W Magazine.

•  A new Suffolk University/USA Today poll shows 47% of Americans would vote for a Democrat today versus 32% who would vote Republican. This is the third recent poll to show Dems with double-digit lead in upcoming 2018 mid-terms.

• Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts $6.8 billion from the US Housing department budget. But they’ve still got enough scratch hanging around to buy HUD Secretary Ben Carson a $31,000 dining table for his office.

• The new “Fab 5” from Netflix’s Queer Eye offer their advice on how to throw a – what else? – FAB Oscar party.

The cast of Queer Eye

News Round-Up: February 27, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Bernardo Belmar (above) reminds us why winter living is luscious on the left coast.

• Speaking of the left coast, California lawmakers have proposed legislation that would declare so-called “conversion therapy” an “unlawful practice” and fraud.

• In March of 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted it never had direct contact with long-time Trump friend/adviser Roger Stone. The Atlantic has obtained private Twitter messages between the two showing the denial was a lie.

• Donald Trump son-in-law and presidential adviser Jared Kushner has had his security clearance downgraded.

• “Goddess of pop” and awesome gay ally Kylie Minogue will headline New York City Pride.

• Trans actress Laverne Cox dropped her first single “Beat for the Gods” this week, and the music video gives glory to voguing, drag and club dance with some Fosse references thrown in for good measure.

News Round-Up: February 23, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Fitness model Quin Bruce looks ready for date night. #ThatFace #ThoseArms #Woof

• Sixteen year-old Joshua Rush, who plays the Disney Channel’s first openly gay character on Andi Mack, says it was important to him to “do it right.”

• Members of the Republican-controlled Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday killed a proposed amendment to the House budget bill that would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to its nondiscrimination provision.

• In the aftermath of last week’s school massacre in Parkland, Florida, several major businesses are ending their partnerships with the National Rifle Association.

• According to Donald Trump, CNN and MSNBC are “failing.” But not according to the latest info from the Standard Media Index which shows that MSNBC grew its revenue from from January 2017 to last month by a 62% and CNN jumped 32% year-over-year. Fox News showed a polite 17% increase.

• Brendan Fraser says a Hollywood bigwig sexually assaulted him by fondling his butt (and more) and the incident affected his acting career.

• Out bronze medalist Adam Rippon says with the Olympics coming to a close, he would definitely take time to chat with Vice President Mike Pence about LGBT issues.

But – Rippon doesn’t think the two have much to chat on: “Mike Pence doesn’t stand for anything that I was taught when I grew up, and I think that it’s important if you’re given the platform to speak up for those who don’t have a voice.”

News Round-Up: February 22, 2018

Joe Manganiello (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Talk about #ThrowbackThursday – how about 18-year-old Joe Manganiello’s first professional headshot (above)? #Woof #Handsome

• The acclaimed revival of Angels In America starring Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield begins performances at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theater tomorrow night. This groundbreaking LGBT-centric play is a “must-see.” Use code “World” to get a discount and see this deeply moving theatrical experience.

• Broadway luminaries Norm Lewis and Brandon Victor Dixon will join John Legend and Sara Bareilles for the upcoming TV presentation of Jesus Christ Superstar on Easter Sunday.

• Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir will share hosting duties with NBC sportscaster Terry Gannon for NBC’s coverage of the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics on Sunday.

• The Kansas Republican Party has endorsed a resolution that opposes any recognition of the transgender community, while still claiming to respect the “dignity” of LGBT people.

• Platinum selling recording artist BØRNS recently released the new video for “I Don’t Want You Back” from his latest album Blue Madonna.

I recently shared his collaboration with Lana Del Rey, “God Save Our Young Blood” here. I like the moody, atmospheric quality he brings to his sonic landscape.

Listen below and let me know what you think.

News Round-Up: February 21, 2018

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• In case you missed it, Jim Newman definitely wished you all a Happy Valentine’s Day (above)

• Melonie Diaz has been cast as the first magical sister in the Charmed CW reboot. She’ll play “Mel,” the time freezing lesbian sister of the trio of witches featured on the show.

• American voters overwhelmingly support allowing undocumented children brought to the U.S. as children, so-called “Dreamers,” to remain and eventually apply for citizenship by 80%-16%.

• Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy says he’d like to explore acting as his next chapter and Wes Anderson would be his dream pick as director. Hey, Wes…

• Defense Secretary James Mattis’ deadline for recommending how to handle transgender military service members came and went today. What next?

• MTV fired reality personality James Eason for homophobic tweets that compared gays with dogs or fleas, or something really stupid.

News Round-Up: February 13, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• It’s a “light and shadow” kind of day here in Las Vegas. And so, I give you the handsome Ignacio Pérez Rey photographed by the incomparable Joan Crisol.

• A recently unearthed quote from Academy Award winner Marlon Brando confirms he had homosexual experiences.

• Underwear designer Andrew Christian has found a way to deal with all those pics of beleagured porn boy Topher DiMaggio on his website after “suspending” Topher as a “trophy boy.” The answer? They simply cut off his head.

• The 30-year-old man who set off a bomb in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan ( a popular gay neighborhood)  in September of 2016 has been sentenced to two life sentences plus 30 years for his actions.

• This popular Miami first grade teacher was fired for marrying her wife. The Catholic school she taught for had a “moral turpitude” clause in her contract they say she broke. Florida, as you may know, has no protections for LGBTs in the workplace.

• Pop diva Toni Braxton has a brand new single “Long As I Live” out now, and is one of several tracks Toni co-wrote and produced for her upcoming new album, Sex and Cigarettes, due out March 23. Check out the new single below.

News Round-Up: February 9, 2018

(photo credit: AJ Lopez)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Woofy fitness model Quin Bruce is looking for the weekend that’s almost here. #ThisClose

• A top Fox News executive had his anti-diversity op-ed yanked offline. “Unless it’s changed overnight, the motto of the Olympics, since 1894, has been ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger,'” he wrote. “It appears the US Olympic Committee would like to change that to ‘Darker, Gayer, Different.'” Out of 243 U.S. athletes in PyeongChang, 10 are African-American, 10 are Asian-American and only 2 are openly gay.

• The Trump administration wants to allow states to add work requirements and possibly lifetime caps for Medicaid recipients. How might that affect people with HIV?

• Veteran professional race-car driver Hurley Haywood comes out in the upcoming autobiography Hurley: From The Beginning.

• Maryland lawmakers have introduced bills to ban so-called “conversion therapy” for minors.

• And as I close out this round-up, how about one more pic of our out Olympians Gus Kenworthy and Adam Rippon at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games? #LGBTproud

News Round-Up: February 8, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• A little #TBT action: two years ago today we were all kinda in awe of Super Bowl referee Clete Blakeman (above) whose biceps made him one of the most jacked guys on the field.

• The Netflix reboot of Queer Eye launched last night with members of the new and original cast taking part in the premiere. Hard to believe it’s been 15 years since the original Emmy Award-winning series made it’s bow in 2003.

• Gay porn star Topher DiMaggio has been suspended as a “trophy boy” for Andrew Christian fashion label as two more allegations of sexual assault have been made. That brings the total to five different accusers.

• Walgreens has changed its national bathroom policy after a lesbian in Los Angeles was told she couldn’t use the ladies room because she looked like a man. The new policy will allow people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

• Gold star Trump supporter Scott Baio is facing new allegations from another “Charles in Charge” co-star.

• Power producer Ryan Murphy just got a two-season straight-to-series order from Netflix for The Politician which will star Tony Award winner Ben Platt. Barbra Streisand and Gwyneth Paltrow are in talks to co-star. Platt will play a wealthy Santa Barbara resident running for public office. And yes, Platt will have musical numbers in the series.

Cosmopolitan invited several hunky U.S. Olympic athletes heading to Pyeongchang for the Winter Games to recite really cheesy pick-up lines as they gave a little peek at their well-toned bodies.

I think out freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy scored the best moment with his line: “I wanted the gold medal in Sochi, but I settled for silver because I want to make sure you come first.” Watch below.

News Round-Up: February 2, 2018

Jim Newman (photo via Instagram – Isauro Cairo)

Some news items you might have:

• I loved actor/singer Jim Newman in “Daddyhunt The Serial” – and now I just discovered his Instagram! I had no idea he performs with the Village People as “The Cowboy.” #SaveAHorse

• Out transgender actress Candis Cayne will star in “ground-breaking” trans storyline on Grey’s Anatomy.

• Tickets went on sale for Elton John’s final world tour and sold out in minutes. #NoSurprise

• Pride.com shares 13 questions straight people have about gay sex (but are afraid to ask…)

• For her 60th birthday, Ellen DeGeneres gave her studio audience $1 million to split.

• A hater trolled the Pittsburgh Penguins on the announcement of taking part in diversity/inclusion program “Hockey Is For Everyone.” And the Penquins clapped back:

News Round-Up: January 22, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• I’m still jazzed about 2016 Summer Olympic sensation Pita Taufatofua (above) becoming a cross-country skier heading to the 2018 Winter Olympics in only a year.

• A young gay came out to his mother in Mississippi last week. But when the mother didn’t know how best to respond, she wisely called a gay bar looking for advice 🙂

• The Twitterverse is not happy seeing Timothée Chalamet lose the Golden Globe and SAG Awards for his acclaimed performance in Call Me By Your Name to Gary Oldman.

• Porn actor Tegan Zayne tweets that two summers ago his co-star, Topher DiMaggio, forced him to have sex the night before shooting a scene. Zayne also alleges DiMaggio demeaned and degraded him during the video shoot calling him “a girl.” DiMaggio denies the allegations.

Back2Stonewall reports on anti-LGBT banners outside a gay-friendly church near Indianapolis. The banner read, “Die Faggots Just Like Orlando and Las Vegas.” #HowCharming

• According to Fox News host Howard Kurtz’s new book, Media Madness: Donald Trump, The Press, And The War Over The Truth, Donald Trump secretly admitted he was wrong to have former White House press secretary Sean Spicer exaggerate the size of the crowd attending his inauguration.

• Gus Kenworthy and Adam Rippon aren’t the only gay athletes heading to the Winter Olympic Games. Check out these three queer women – Cheryl Maas, Ireen Wüst, and Belle Brockhoff – going for the gold in Pyeongchang, South Korea.