Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Donald Trump Trips - Doesn't Tell Mexican Prez He'll Pay For "Trump Wall"


After dramatically flying to Mexico for a one on one photo op with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Donald Trump told reporters at a short press event with the Mexican President that the issue of who would pay for the now infamous "Trump Wall" didn't come up.

Now comes news, via President Pena Nieto's spokesman, that the President told Trump during their one hour meeting that Mexico would not be paying for any wall.

From Reuters:

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday told Donald Trump that Mexico would not pay for the Republican presidential candidate's proposed wall along the Mexico-U.S. border, contradicting Trump's assertion they didn't discuss payment.

"What the president said is that Mexico, as he has said on several occasions ... will not pay for that wall," presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez told Reuters by telephone.

Trump earlier told a joint news conference with Pena Nieto after their meeting in Mexico City that the pair had discussed the wall but not who would pay for it.

https://twitter.com/EPN/status/771118159654891520

President Peña Nieto said in a tweet (above)"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."

Did Trump lie during the presser? Or if not, why didn't the Mexican president correct Trump during the Q&A?

It seems Trump is full of swagger in front of his adoring fans, but not so much when he actually has to step on the world stage.

In my opinion, I don't know how "presidential" Trump looked today. Standing next to the young, handsome and clearly comfortable President Pena Nieto, Trump swayed side to side looking tired while slumping at the podium. It was certainly not the "strong" Donald Trump image he's promised his supporters he would be.

https://twitter.com/AP/status/771121029863378944

Happy Hump Day - Nick Sandell


Dang.

Not only is fitness model Nick Sandell good looking, but look at that body - shoulders, pecs, arms, legs for days.

And not to get too technical, but he's so evenly developed all over. It's clear he's not one of those guys who just looks at how big their arms get.

Check out his walk in the park in his boxer briefs during a recent photo shoot with photographer Michael Hallenbeck below.

Double-dang.



(h/t kenneth-in-the-212)

How To Get Away With Murder's Conrad Ricamora Honored By HRC With Visibility Award


This past Saturday, television and stage actor Conrad Ricamora (How To Get Away With Murder, The King & I) received the HRC Visibility Award at the 2016 Cleveland Gala.

Ricamora is a wonderful choice for this honor. He's been openly gay for years as he's been starring on the hit network television show "How To Get Away With Murder" at the same time he's been starring on Broadway in the recent sterling revival of The King & I.

Not only is Ricamora openly gay for some time now, he plays an openly gay character on HTGAWM who is also HIV+.

Watch his disarmingly charming acceptance speech below. He's especially effusive in praise for those out actors before him like Sean Hayes, George Takei and Sir Ian McKellen.

“I want to thank all of the out actors that have empowered other actors like me to live with integrity because there’s a lot of pressure to stay in the closet when you first start acting. There are some actors though who have chosen to live their lives with integrity, both personally and professionally.

"From George Takei to Sean Hayes, to Sir Ian McKellen to Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and countless, countless others, your honesty and your openness in your public lives allows kids like me from Niceville, Florida to see you on screen, or online, or in print and feel like there’s a place for us in the world, even when we’re scared for our own safety in the communities that we’re living.”


Former President Of Mexico: Trump "Is Not Welcome To Mexico"


We shall see if Donald Trump's last minute trip to Mexico to meet with President Enrique Peña Nieto works out as a net positive for him.

What's clear right now is that a LOT of the Mexican people are not pleased to hear he was visiting there today. Especially former President Vincente Fox.

From Talking Points Memo:

"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his message. I don't understand why President Pena has offered this opportunity. I think it's nothing more than a political stunt," Fox said on CNN's "New Day." "Trump is using Mexico, is using President Pena to boost his sinking poll numbers. I think that President Pena is taking an enormous political risk by hosting Trump. If he's perceived as going soft on Trump, it will hurt him greatly."

Fox is not a big fan of Trump. He made headlines in February when he told Trump that Mexico is "not going to pay for that fucking wall," and he later called Trump a "false prophet."

On Wednesday, Fox told CNN that Trump's decision to meet with the Mexican president is an "opportunistic move." He also blasted Trump for lying.

"You cannot cheat people. You have to be straight. You have to speak the truth," Fox said, adding that he hopes Americans will "finally see what is behind Trump, this false prophet that is just cheating everybody."

Fox said he does not understand why the country's president invited Trump to meet with him, but said he hopes he "will take a very firm stand" and call on Trump to apologize to Mexicans.

When asked about Trump's recent comments on immigration and whether the Republican nominee may be softening his position, Fox said that he can't "trust" Trump.

"How can we grant confidence and support to ideas that change every day? He's cynical. He continues to disregard its [sic] own people and disregard Mexicans," he said, adding that Trump cannot win over both "xenophobic" voters and minorities.



Trump, as usual, tried to take on Fox via Twitter, but Fox is no shrinking violet:



Tweet Of The Day

(via charlotteirene8)

Trump Campaign Manager: It's A Shame Hillary Clinton Never Wants To Share Thoughts On Policy


This is the kind of "spin" that slips by folks who aren't huge political junkies day in, day out.

Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager for Donald Trump, makes this odd comment during a segment on MSNBC regarding the upcoming presidential debates:

“I think people who actually want to know what Hillary Clinton thinks about the issues literally have to tune into those debates to watch it. And I think that’s a shame that people have to wait until September 26, here in New York, to listen to what Hillary Clinton believes, unless you want to go to the website and click, what she believes on different policies.”

As everyone knows, Clinton is the ultimate policy wonk. It would make her happy to talk about nothing else.

Conway, trying to pretend that Clinton never addresses policy, is one of the most absurd things I've seen in a long time.

It's like saying what a shame it is that I never drink wine...



(h/t JoeMyGod)

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

News Round-Up: August 30, 2016


Some news stories you may have missed:

• Photographer Ricki Beason's 2017 “Heartthrobs and Hound Dogs” calendar is out, featuring hunky Texas police officers, firefighters and military veterans. Proceeds go to help Texas dog rescue organizations, so winners all around :)

• Former models for the Donald Trump company Trump Model Management say they worked for months without proper visas or or work permits. #ColorMeShocked

• Lance Bass, host of the LOGO TV gay dating show "Finding Price Charming," confirms that one contestant is HIV+ and that the disclosure will be front and center in an upcoming episode.

• Sarah Palin on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick: "American, let's sack this ungrateful punk."

• Meet the guy who's making bank offering folks a chance at "Dinner with Trump" for a campaign donation - trick is, he's not affiliated with the Trump campaign.

• Listen below as wing nut Wayne Root explains folks who receive food stamps or welfare or birth control through Obamacare should lose their right to vote. Of course, the idea is unconstitutional, but hey...

Headline Of The Week


Gotta love the NYC tabloids. No one does it better.

Glorious New York Post headline. If you've lived in NYC, you know.

Trailer: WILD OATS Starring Shirley MacLaine & Jessica Lange


If you're a "Grace & Frankie" fan, you might be interested in the upcoming Wild Oats flick starring Oscar winners Shirley MacLaine and Jessica Lange.

Bearing the tag line "Newly Rich. Newly Single. Forever Young." the film involves a death, an insurance check and a road trip in store for the two besties.

When a woman accidentally receives a life insurance check for $5,000,000 instead of $50,000, her friend convinces her to keep the money and they both end up on a mad dash towards the Canary Islands.

The film premiered on Lifetime on August 22, 2016, prior to being released in a limited release on September 16, 2016.



(h/t kenneth-in-the-212)

Ever Wonder What Social Media Celebs Get Paid For "Sponsored" Posts?


The New York Times has an interesting article about the Federal Trade Commission cracking down on the paid posts of celebrities on social media, encouraging folks to make paid posts more obvious to viewers.

The article focuses mainly on how folks like Kylie Jenner are having to alter their language on social media from phrases like "Thanks for the birthday home, AirBNB" to "Thanks for the gift of a lovely birthday home, AirBNB." The FTC is also advising folks add “#ad” or “#sponsored” at the start of those kinds of social media posts. The main point being that it should be clear to viewers the post is paid for.

At this point, we all know when we see a brand anywhere in social media, someone's getting paid. But have you ever wondered how much?

Captiv8, a company that connects brands to influencers, says someone with three million to seven million followers can charge, on average, $187,500 for a post on YouTube, $75,000 for a post on Instagram or Snapchat and $30,000 for a post on Twitter. For influencers with 50,000 to 500,000 followers, the average is $2,500 for YouTube, $1,000 for Instagram or Snapchat and $400 for Twitter.

The NY Times article goes on to cite one Snapchat user who, with 700,000 followers, gets from $10K up for a sponsored "story," which is a collection of video and stills that evaporates after 24 hours. The user mentions he booked five such posts the prior month.

So, kids, if you have a sizeable following somewhere, what are you waiting for?

Fake Hillary Email Sends Trump Followers Into Frenzy


A wannabe Trump troll really got the more gullible Trumpers in a frenzy today as they breathlessly retweeted what they believed was "proof" that Hillary Clinton was paying off pollsters to show her leading in the race for the White House.

A sad little Twitterer who goes by the handle "MassRafTer" posted the poorly Photoshopped image above trying to pass it off as a communication between the Hillary Clinton campaign and Public Policy Polling.

The truly cringeworthy aspect of the exercise was in seeing how many Trumpers believed the "fake email."

The next thing you know, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted the post and folks lost their minds. Mainly because Don Jr. fell for a such a badly done fake.

Even Public Policy Polling got into the fun by retweeting an Upworthy writer who called Jr. out for his naivete.


Hate Pastor Is No Match For Bagpipe Playing Lesbian


A hate preacher and his megaphone were no match for Florida Gulf Coast University student Brice Ehmig.

From the Daily Record:

As the video ends, applause and cheering can be heard from out of shot as Brice calls her girlfriend over. Brice, originally from Dunedin, Florida, said: “I have seen too much tragedy in the LGBTQ community to let a man in cargo pants tell me I am the embodiment of sin. I am a gay bagpiper and I’m proud. I decided since this is my last year at university that I should do things that make me feel brave.”

The best part is how Ehmig follows the street preacher back and forth while playing her bagpipes.

Watch below #FTW



(h/t JoeMyGod)

Trump Campaign Manager: Conservative Women Are "Hated" Because They Aren't "A Bunch Of Dykes"


Stephen Bannon, head of "alt-right" Breitbart News and current chief of the Donald Trump campaign explained on  Political Vindication Radio in 2011 that conservative women like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are hated by the left because they "threaten the progressive narrative" and they are not “a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools.”

Charming.

Bannon has also been in the headlines lately regarding reported domestic violence involving his former wife.

Listen below:

“That’s why there are some unintended consequences of the women’s liberation movement,” he continued. “That, in fact, the women that would lead this country would be pro-family, they would have husbands, they would love their children.”

“They wouldn’t be a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools up in New England,” he concluded. “That drives the left insane and that’s why they hate these women.”

Coldplay Remembers Gene Wilder

In a world of pure imagination... R42

A video posted by Coldplay (@coldplay) on

Pastor Mark Burns Apologizes For "Blackface Hillary" Image But Not For Message


Multi-millionaire evangelist/Trump supporter Mark Burns apologized today saying he didn't mean to "stir up the pot" when he tweeted a picture of Hillary Clinton in blackface.

Seriously.

Via Buzzfeed:

In Burns’ now-deleted tweet, Clinton wears a t-shirt saying, “no hot sauce, no peace!” and holds an anti-police sign while saying, “I ain’t no ways tired of pandering to African Americans.”

Burns apologized to those he offended Tuesday, telling CNN, “It was never my intention to hurt anyone or offend anyone, but the message is very clear. The message I stand by, the methodology I do not.”

He said that the Democratic Party “has been using the black voting bloc.”

“The promises made to the African American community are not being carried out,” he said.

“I want to say to the people who were offended — obviously many people were offended by my tweet — that it was not my intention to offend anyone.”

Burns said that he did not create the cartoon and that it was tweeted at him. He said that the Trump campaign was not making him apologize.

He asserted that while he was apologizing for the “offensive picture,” he was not apologizing for “the message that it was carrying.”

“I still believe Clinton and the Democratic Party pander to black people,” he said.

Funny: Thor Takes Down Time Down Under


In case you were wondering what Thor was up to during CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR.

Turns out he needed some "me" time after saving the planet, so he decided to chill in Australia. Along the way he met a dude named Darryl and moved in with him.

Chris Hemsworth is quite funny in this little bit. Apparently, this was shown at Comic Con and there's more :)



Study: Dogs Understand Our Words And Our Tone


A study done in Budapest shows that dogs not only understand our tone of voice, but they also understand many of the words we use.

From the Washington Post:

To determine this, Attila Andics and colleagues at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest recruited 13 family dogs — mostly golden retrievers and border collies — and trained them to sit totally still for seven minutes in an fMRI scanner that measured their brain activity. (The pups were not restrained, and they “could leave the scanner at any time,” the authors assured.)

A female trainer familiar to the dogs then spoke words of praise that all their owners said they used — “that’s it,” “clever,” and “well done” — and neutral words such as “yet” and “if,” which the researchers believed were meaningless to the animals. Each dog heard each word in both a neutral tone and a happy, atta-boy tone.

Using the brain activity images, the researchers saw that the dogs processed the familiar words regardless of intonation, and they did so using the left hemisphere, just like humans. Tone, on the other hand, was analyzed in the auditory regions of the right hemisphere — just as it is in people, the study said.

And finally, they saw that the dogs’ “rewards center” — which is stimulated by pleasant things such as petting and food and sex — did the brain equivalent of jumping and yelping when positive words were spoken in a positive tone.


Daily Dance: Camillo Lauricella Via Urban Dance Camp


Choreography by Camillo Lauricella & Dejan Tubic

Monday, August 29, 2016

LOGO Celebrates New Barbra Streisand Album With One Hour Special


Music, film and Broadway icon Barbra Streisand's new album is out, and inspiring calls of "Hello, gorgeous!"

Not only is the new album available now, tomorrow night LOGO will air a one hour special showing 'behind the scenes' footage during the making of the album.

Alec Baldwin hosts the presentation which will also include her duet partners Anne Hathaway, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Melissa McCarthy, Seth McFarlane, Jamie Foxx and Chris Pine.

ENCORE: Behind The Scenes With Barbra Streisand airs Tuesday, August 30 at 7PM ET on Logo.




Media Matters To CNN: Cut Ties With Corey Lewandowski


How is it possible that former Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is still receiving pay from the Trump campaign while currently on payroll at CNN as "political analyst?"

From Media Matters:

CNN hired Corey Lewandowski in late June after Donald Trump relieved him of duties as campaign manager. What looked at first like an indefensible hire has mushroomed into perhaps the worst conflict-of-interest problem in the history of cable news. It’s time to send a message to Jeff Zucker and CNN: Cut ties with Corey Lewandowski at once.


Out Music: Jonathan Allen "Amen"


Jonathan Allen, openly gay semifinalist from Season 8 of “America’s Got Talent” Season 8, has released his first single since his appearances on AGT, "Amen."

During his initial audition for AGT, Allen shared that he was thrown out of his house at the age of 18 when his parents told him being gay was "sinful" and that living openly as a gay man meant he would have to leave. The resulting eviction left him homeless.

He made it to the semi-finals of AGT during the summer of 2013 with powerful yet emotionally vulnerable performances of pop/classical crossover material ("Time To Say Goodbye") and stirring Broadway ballads  ("The Impossible Dream," "Bring Him Home").

Via press release:

For the last year, Jonathan has based himself out of Albuquerque, NM where he has established his business and worked on his music. Since his appearance on the show he has matured in his musical endeavors. Combined with strikingly original music and euphoric live performances; he has become recognized as one of the most captivating artists around.

“AMEN was primarily arranged and produced in my home and speaks to the many trials and tribulations that we all face, but is an LGBT liberation song at its heart, said Allen.

“The song touches on several issues that surround the community in day-to-day life, and in the political realm. The song attempts to chip away at many issues by starting a dialogue that shows people we all can believe the same things, deal with the same things, and be torn apart by the very same things that should bring us together,” continued Allen.

“Despite the title, AMEN is a song that transcends any one belief system. It is not so much about Christianity as it is about breaking free from hatred and celebrating love on this Earth in the highest form possible,” concluded Allen.

Allen's already impressive voice sounds even more reassured since his AGT days. The slightly religious bent isn't my thing, but there's no denying the power and depth of his voice.

You can listen to "Amen" below, along with his impressive debut on AGT.

Find the track on iTunes here.


Reality Check

(via Facebook)

"Young Frankenstein/Willy Wonka" Star Gene Wilder Dead At 83

Gene Wilder
Is it possible that when you've inspired countless belly laughs through decades of sterling film work,  that the impact of passing away registers even more acutely?

That's how I feel upon hearing the news that comic genius Gene Wilder passed away today at his home in Connecticut due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Via USA Today:

Wilder was unforgettably funny in such classics as The Producers, Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, his frizzy hair enveloping his head like a halo, his voice rising to a shriek when the role called for panic. And his roles usually did.

He was a specialist at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only a madman such as Brooks could devise, whether reviving a monster in Young Frankenstein or bilking Broadway in The Producers.

But he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozy sheriff in Blazing Saddles and as the charming candy man in the children's favorite Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.



Wilder was twice nominated for the Academy Award: first for his performance in The Producers, second for co-authoring the screenplay for Young Frankenstein.


His last acting assignment was on the hit TV show "Will & Grace" during the 2003-04 season. He won an Emmy Award for that performance.

Wilder's family issued a statement which read in part:

“We understand for all the emotional and physical challenges this situation presented we have been among the lucky ones — this illness-pirate, unlike in so many cases, never stole his ability to recognize those that were closest to him, nor took command of his central-gentle-life affirming core personality. The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn’t vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him “there’s Willy Wonka,” would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world."

Countless tributes will undoubtedly pour in. The Twitterverse is already acknowledging the loss:







Trump Campaign Spot Features New World Trade Center


Check out Donald Trump's latest campaign ad - which will run in nine swing states - Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, New Hampshire, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada - to the tune of $10 million.

While the 30 second clip depicts two different future "Americas" - one failing under Hillary Clinton, the other bright and shiny under the Trumpster - the folks over at Right Wing Watch noticed near the end of the spot the inclusion of the new 1 World Trade Center.

The tower’s inclusion in the ad is curious because Trump himself was a vocal opponent of the One World Trade Center project, claiming in 2005 that design of the tower let “the terrorists win.”

“I don’t want to have the terrorists win … and that’s what’s going to happen if we build this pile of junk,” he said.

Trump had proposed instead building a taller version of the Twin Towers, calling the design that was ultimately chosen “disgusting,” “just terrible,” “a catastrophe” and “the worst pile of crap architecture I have ever seen in my life.”

The spot also makes a point to include an African-American family next to the U.S. flag.

So subtle.


Monmouth University Poll: Hillary Clinton Holds 7 Point Lead Over Donald Trump


Monmouth University poll shows Democrat Hillary Clinton currently leads Republican Donald Trump by 7 points in the survey's latest results.

Clinton snagged 46% support versus Trump's 39%.

Third party candidates remain in the single digits with Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson at 7% and Green Party's Jill Stein at 2%.

Those numbers make it unlikely that they will make the presidential debate stage. The debate commission rules state that candidates have to average at least 15% across five major polls to qualify for the debate stage.

While the two major candidates both have low "favorable" scores and high "unfavorables," Clinton does better than Trump in both categories.

In the current poll, 34% of voters have a favorable opinion of Clinton and 51% have an unfavorable view of her.

Even fewer (26%) have a favorable opinion of Trump and 57% have an unfavorable view of him.

Streisand Visits Her Funny Girl Dressing Room On Broadway


Very sweet moment as Barbra Streisand visits her Funny Girl dressing room on Broadway for the first time in 50 years.

I visited that very dressing room 30 years ago when I was rehearsing for the national touring company of CATS and the Broadway production was playing at the Winter Garden Theater.

Via CBS' "Sunday Morning:"

In this web exclusive, the singer who became a superstar in the 1960s Broadway musical "Funny Girl" visited her old haunts at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City, including the dressing room now occupied by "School of Rock" star Sierra Boggess.

Huma Abedin Announces Separation From Husband Anthony Weiner

Anthony Weiner and wife Huma Abedin

Disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner has done it again.

After being caught in a sexting scandal back in 2011, Weiner was forced to resign from Congress.

Some folks never learn nothing.

From the New York Post:

While his wife, Huma Abedin, travels the country campaigning for Hillary Clinton, the disgraced ex-congressman has been sexting with a busty brunette out West — and even sent her a lurid crotch shot with his toddler son in the picture, The Post has learned.

The stay-at-home cad shot the revealing photo while discussing massage parlors “near my old apartment” shortly after 3 a.m. on July 31, 2015, a screen shot of the exchange shows. Weiner was clearly aroused by his conversation with the 40-something divorcee when he abruptly changed the subject.

“Someone just climbed into my bed,” Weiner wrote. “Really?” she responded. Weiner then hit “send” on the cringe-inducing image, which shows a bulge in his white, Jockey-brand boxer briefs and his son cuddled up to his left, wrapped in a light-green blanket.

The object of Weiner’s affections is his polar opposite politically: a self-avowed supporter of Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association who’s used Twitter to bash both President Obama and Clinton.


The exchanges between Weiner and this woman have apparently been going on since February 2015.

Moments ago, Abedin announced she is separating from Weiner:

“After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband. Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy.”

As many know, Abedin is a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton. Wait for Donald Trump to politicize this indiscretion for his own gain in 3, 2, 1...

What Life Looks Like Through The Eyes Of A Trump Voter


Clever video by Rudy Mancuso.



Campaign Ad: "Don't Believe The Hat"


New campaign spot from Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump out for saying he wants to "make America great again," but in real life outsourced his manufacturing to 12 countries including China, India, Mexico and Slovenia.

With shots of Trump wearing his campaign cap, the 30 second clip includes the tagline, "Don't Believe The Hat."



Fitness Model Eric Turner Launches #HunksForHillary


Now here's a presidential campaign ad I can get behind. Or in front of.

Fitness model Eric Turner proudly shows his support for Hillary Clinton (and a good bit more) via Facebook:

Join me and let's start a movement! It takes a real man to vote to empower women! Are you for Hillary Clinton too? Take a pic and show your support. Don't forget to # it #HunksForHillary

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Most Fabulous Baton Twirling Routine EVER!


I promise this will be the most fabulous thing you see today on the interwebs.

Quickly going viral, this video - posted to Facebook by The Baton Twirling Sport Association of Ireland - features an unidentified girl performing an awesome routine to the Broadway classic, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," from Dreamgirls.

It's a flawless routine that includes several passes where she throws the baton so high she has time to do three flips before she catches the baton behind her head!

I screamed out loud a few times. If you need something to lift you up this morning - this is it.

I looked and looked for her name because she deserves a serious shout out. Congrats!

UPDATE: The talented twirler's name is Savannah Miller and she was world champion in 2015. My Twitter pal Tracey Heinhold informs me this is from this year's world championships where Savannah came in 2nd!


Has Donald Trump's Campaign Manager Met Her Boss?


I honestly don't think Donald Trump's campaign manager knows who she's working for.

As I say over and over, I can only hope she's getting paid a TON of money to embarrass herself like this.

According to many in political circles, she's very well regarded. At least before she took on this challenge.

Trump Campaign Defends Trump Tweet About Death Of NBA Star's Cousin


Donald Trump's campaign manager sought to tamp down criticism of Donald Trump's insensitive tweet Saturday which looked to capitalize on the shooting death of NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin.

From The Hill:
"He tweeted his condolences to the family right after that," Kellyanne Conway said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

"I would like everybody to know about both tweets, because I think it's incredibly important for all of us to come together in a very nonpartisan fashion and express our condolences to families like the Wade family and also our outrage that things like this can happen."

Trump on Saturday faced backlash over his tweet about Nykea Aldridge, who was caught in crossfire and shot in the head and arm while leaving a school in Chicago.

"Dwayne [sic] Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!" he tweeted.
He later posted another tweet expressing his condolences to the family.

Conway says Trump tweeted his condolences "right after" the first tweet, but that's not accurate.

If you check the time stamps on the original tweet and then the "condolences" tweet they were four hours apart. The first was sent at 6:24AM, the second at 10:48AM.

It took Trump more than four hours to realize how heartless he appeared. And more importantly, "condolences" weren't his first impulse.

By the way, Trump couldn't even manage to spell Dwyane Wade's name correctly in his original tweet.

#Sad #Loser

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/769592508879892480

Campaign Ad From #NeverTrump "Keep Your Word"


Another campaign ad using Donald Trump's own words against him.

During the GOP primary season, Donald Trump repeatedly told the press he would drop out of the race if polls showed him losing.

"What am I? A masochist?" he said.

The #NeverTrump folks will be running this spot in several swing states urging the Trumpster to drop out of the race so another candidate can possibly beat Hillary Clinton.

Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Trump would lose in a landslide if the election were held today - 362 to 176 in the electoral college.


Radio Show: Talking With Dancing With The Stars Champ Nyle DiMarco

Nyle DiMarco

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to meet and interview the very handsome and charming Nyle DiMarco, winner of both  America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars.

DiMarco is set to begin a run as the Chippendales' "Celebrity Guest Host" in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel & Casino beginning September 22nd.

Here's my radio show interview:

Dancing with the Stars/America's Next Top Model champ Nyle DiMarco talks with me about his upcoming gig as next Celebrity Guest Host at Chippendales in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel & Casino.

Along the way, Nyle shares some of his secrets to learning those amazing dance routines for DWTS; his plans for the Nyle DiMarco Foundation which aims to get American Sign Language learning access to deaf children and their families; the first time someone made a fuss about his most handsome face; plus, what his thoughts on the current fashion trends.

Most interviews you see or hear on TV are shortened to two or three questions, so this 20 minute interview is probably one of the longest, more detailed Q&As you'll find of him, thanks to his generosity of time.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Charity Watch Rates The Clinton Foundation An "A"



The folks at Charity Watch: "Regardless of what you think about Hillary, the Clinton Foundation is an excellent charity."

News Round-Up: August 27, 2016


Some news stories you may have missed:

• Make sure you hit this link to listen to my one on one interview with the charming. talented and oh so handsome champion of America's Next Top Model AND Dancing with the Stars, Nyle DiMarco, who is about to be the next "Celebrity Guest Host" for Chippendales in Las Vegas.

• According to reports, the letter from Donald Trump's physician saying he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency" was written in five minutes with the Trump limo waiting in the driveway.

• Donald Trump's totally not racist campaign head Stephen Bannon didn't want his kids going to school with "whiny brat" Jewish students.

• Dr. Drew lost his HLN show this week after speculating about Hillary Clinton's health without examining her.

• I completely agree with Graham Grenmore at Queerty - can folks stop sticking out their tongues in selfies at gay bars?

• Guess which country had the most active Grindr users during the Olympics? Don't worry - no identifying info is shared. But I will say, Poland got the most "Favorites."

• Now you, too, can have your own Donald Trump "LGBTQ For Trump" t-shirt. Expect to see a ton of these at a Goodwill near you after the election. Oh - I forgot - he doesn't really donate to charity.

Sign Of The Day


When Worlds Collide - "The Oz Project"


What if "Dorothy" from THE WIZARD OF OZ and her counterpart "Dorothy" from THE WIZ  went on the same journey together?

Awesome stuff from some of those Broadway folks - directed by Sean Barrett.

Who doesn't love both? Very  creative. Bravo.

Here's the video description:

The Oz Project is a love letter to THE WIZARD OF OZ and THE WIZ created by some of their diehard fans at heart. This 10-minute music video follows the parallel journeys of the Dorothy character in each adaptation as they both get whisked away in the same tornado, land in their respective versions of Oz, and follow their own yellow brick road. Their stories are interwoven as the two classic versions are combined through their well-loved scores, and sung by some of the greatest voices on Broadway.

The cast includes: Kate Rockwell, Brynn Williams, Joshua Henry, Rob McClure, Nancy Opel, Liz Larsen, Mykal Kilgore, James T. Lane, Ryan VanDenBoom, Grasan Kingsberry, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Ben Jacoby, Jennie Harney, Natalie Joy Johnson, Ashlee Dupre, Patrice Covington, Alan Wiggins, Julia Knitel, Marty Thomas, Louis Jones, Gabrielle Reed.

Neil Patrick Harris For Heineken Light: "Can I Flip Your Meat?"


New spot from Heineken Light featuring the always effervescent Neil Patrick Harris.

Would you let Harris "flip your meat?"