LGBTQ news and entertainment
Everybody at the Super Bowl say “Yeah!”
From the Facebook page of Broadway’s hit musical KINKY BOOTS:
Tune in to FOX on Sunday at 2pm ET to see the cast of Kinky Boots on Broadway in the pre-show opener.
Can you imagine the Million Moms folks heads exploding when THIS happens?
Already gone viral with over a million views in just a few hours, watch Budweiser’s 2014 Super Bowl commercial following the special friendship between the Clydesdales and a puppy.
(tip by TRR reader John)
HBO will move it’s Sunday night original series programming to Saturday night, February 1st, for one weekend to avoid head-on competition with this year’s Super Bowl.
Instead of pitting their shows against the biggest American sports event of the year, HBO will debut new episodes of their original shows at their normal times on Saturday — “Girls” at 10 p.m. EST and “Looking” at 10:30 p.m. EST. A re-run of the third episode of “True Detective” will lead into the double header, according to TV Guide listings.
“Girls” will air its fifth episode, “Only Child.” Its description reads, “Hannah looks for a new publisher in the wake of another social misstep, and tries to broker peace between Adam and Caroline. Meanwhile, Marnie asks Ray for an honest assessment of her personality; and Shoshanna discovers her future plans with Jessa.” “Looking” will debut its third episode, “Looking at Your Browser History.”
Both will appear again at their normal times on HBO’s Sunday night lineup, as re-runs.
Apparently, HBO did the same scheduling shuffle last year to avoid any hits to viewership due to the Super Bowl.
Pretty smart 😉
It’s been announced that opera star Renee Fleming will sing the national anthem before this year’s Super Bowl.
This is a departure from recent years which have focused on rock, pop and country stars singing the vocally challenging song.
Known as “The People’s Diva,” the soprano is closely identified with the New York City region, having spent years singing on such iconic stages as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Last year, she received the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor the government gives to artists.
Fleming will be the first opera star to sing the anthem at a Super Bowl.
What do you think? Is an opera singer the right choice for the Super Bowl? Yay or nay?
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| Graphic by Red Line Chemistry |
Pepsi tracked down Rory O’ Connor, a passionate fan who went to Super Bowl IV.
Check out what happens when he experiences the halftime performance of a lifetime starring Broadway legend Carol Channing —for a second time.
Tune in to the Pepsi Super Bowl 48 Halftime Show with Bruno Mars, happening on February 2nd, 2014.
Kind of fascinating and cringe worthy at the same time.
The 21 year old model Matthew Terry from the Calvin Klein underwear Super Bowl ad makes an appearance on Andy Cohen’s late night Bravo show.
The point seems to be to see Matthew take his shirt off, but Jenny McCarthy looks a bit overboard about the whole thing. Plus, there’s an awkward “Gun Oil” mention by McCarthy.
But Matthew is a good sport about it all. And let’s be honest, when you’ve got a Porsche you don’t keep it in the garage…
Here’s the Super Bowl ad that brought Matthew to the world’s attention:
Brendon Ayanbadejo, of the world champion Baltimore Ravens and LGBT ally, has written a powerful op-ed for USA Today published today, explaining why now is the time for professional athletes to lead when it comes to treating gays and lesbians as equals.
Excerpt:
The NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA should and can be leaders against discrimination. Whether you’re a commissioner, an athlete, a coach or a fan, your voice will let every kid out there know that there is a place for him or her in sports. We all can be ourselves and still compete with dignity and at the highest level.
This is our time and our cause. Everything we know as athletes, teammates, spokesmen and vehicles of American pastimes compels us toward the kind of action and camaraderie we saw from Pee Wee Reese nearly 66 years ago. It’s as simple as putting our arm around the shoulder of another athlete. It’s a gesture; it’s a pledge; it’s solidarity at its most basic. Our Jackie is coming. We need to pave the way.
Click here to read the entire piece at USA Today. Very well-written, and more importantly, perfectly on point.
The world should take note of how a champion handles himself.
This. This is the interview people need to see.
Super Bowl Champion Brendon Aueanbadejo talks to CNN’s Don Lemon about his mission to support equal rights for the LGBT community. He is clear, strong and articulate on the subject.
This is how someone speaks when they know what they feel. Go back and watch Chris Culliver speak to the press about his “apology” for his anti-gay comments. He looks dazed, confused and shocked.
Now look at Brendon here. This is a champion.
Just some of Brendon’s statements in this great interview with Don Lemon:
• “I don’t consider it gay rights. I just call it rights. Everyone deserves to be treated equally, said Ayanbadejo, kicking off a discussion about his advocacy for marriage equality, Chris Culliver’s remarks, what he thinks about people that call being gay an abomination, and the other straight athlete allies working to bring acceptance of LGBT people to sports.”
• “Now that I’m a Super Bowl champion now my voice just projects that much further and hopefully it can lead to more change and more positive things for the LGBT community.”
• “Everyone’s been talking to gay people their whole lives whether we know it or not. We really believe that you’re born gay. I’ve had plenty of conversations with people that are gay and they say they are born gay, no different than me being born this beautiful almond coconut color that I am. People are born gay. So why treat them any differently? It’s time that we treat everyone fairly. And not only are we trying to dictate who people should love. We’re also trying to dictate who people should be. If a woman wants to wear a man’s clothes or a man wants to wear a woman’s clothes or you feel like you’re a woman on the inside and you’re really a man. Who cares? Let’s just treat everybody equally. Let’s move on. Let’s evolve as a culture, as a people.”
• When asked about Chris Culliver’s remarks: “I think more than anything it’s going to be a learning experience for him…We have to start talking about this issue. There’s groups like Athlete Ally, and myself, Chris Kluwe, Scott Fujita. We’re all about inclusiveness in sports and treating everyone equally… It’s unfortunate that he made the comments. I know he’s sorry for them, and I know he’s gonna make it right when he gets the opportunity to do so.”
• How do you address people who say being gay is an abomination? “I say that this Constitution gives you the right to believe in whatever you want to believe in… Don’t use those same rights to disenfranchise others.”
• Brendon says he does not know any closeted players but says he’s working with other allies so that when a player does decide to come out he’ll have help: “When our Jackie Robinson does come out he’s going to have a supporting cast around him.”
According to a poll done last night, this Budweiser commercial was chosen the best of Super Bowl ads.
Kind of has a “War Horse” tug to it.
Ah… I like.
What do you guys think? Did you have a favorite commercial this year? Or one you thought stunk?
(via JMG)