News Round-Up: June 27, 2019

Nick Jonas (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Nick Jonas is giving you seriously 'daddy' grown-up goodness in this promo pic introducing his character "Bruno Gaido" from his upcoming movie, Midway, due out November 8. #Dang

• A gay couple were the target of homophobic insults before being spat on, clawed and physically attacked in an unprovoked attack in Essex in southeast England.

• Senate Democrats have introduced a resolution recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, the first time Congress has formally acknowledged the event that led to the modern LGBTQ rights movement.

• Alphonso David has been named the next president of the Human Rights Campaign. He is the first civil rights lawyer and the first person of color to lead the LGBTQ advocacy organization.

BREAKING: Alphonso David has been named the next president of the Human Rights Campaign! David will be the first civil rights lawyer and the first person of color to lead @HRC. #AlphonsoDavid pic.twitter.com/GgiFQBtUVP

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 25, 2019

• Prince William says it would be "absolutely fine" if one of his children came out as gay.

• Deadline reports that Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman, along with James Corden, Andrew Rannells, and Keegan-Michael Key, have all been tapped by Ryan Murphy for the Netflix adaptation of the LGBTQ-themed Broadway musical, The Prom.

• As WorldPride gets underway in New York City today, just a reminder of how a leader CAN relate to his LGBTQ constituents. Folks, I give you Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Toronto's Pride event this past weekend.

Justin Trudeau joined the Toronto #Pride parade this past weekend, and it was rather adorable! 🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/lnvppOz7s0

— Shomeo (@SassBaller) June 26, 2019

News Round-Up: March 11, 2019

Jonas Brothers score their very first #1 song

Some news items you might have missed:

• The Jonas Brothers have officially topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their come-back single “Sucker." It's the Jo Bros first number one (previous high was #5) and first boy band #1 in sixteen years.

• Democratic Presidential contender Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said this weekend that she never supported conversion therapy, despite working for an organization that promoted it.

• Milwaukee beat out Houston and Miami for the 2020 Democratic Convention scheduled for July 13-16, 2020. Since the Democratic ticket barely lost usually 'true blue' Wisconsin in 2016, this makes perfect sense.

• This idiot not only got a beat down for grabbing the employee at McDonalds, but he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The customer was apparently irate he couldn't find a straw. Watch him get more than he bargained for below.

• Jussie Smollett's lawyer, Mark Geragos, says the former Empire star is getting 'gang-banged' by the media.

• A Brazilian politician called same-sex kissing ‘obscene’ and suggested it could be punishable with prison time.

• Speaking of Brazil, Donald Trump has invited the country's newly-installed, virulently anti-LGBTQ president, Jair Bolsonaro, to visit at the White House. #OfCourse

•Music icon Olivia Newton-John celebrates the release of her first memoir, Don't Stop Believin'.

With her trademark positive outlook, the Grease star shares personal anecdotes including a new afterword (added after the Australian printing) of her stay in her own hospital, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research  Centre, last fall when she experienced a fractured sacrum.

The four-time Grammy Award winner went undercover for a few weeks for treatment and shares how proud she is of the world-class facility.

She also shares never-before-told stories from her 50+ year-old career in entertainment.

You can order the book on Amazon here.

News Round-Up: January 30, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• Nick Jonas covers Clash Magazine (in sexy leather pants) for a piece that chronicles his creative evolution from boy bander to A-list pop music artist/actor. #ThirstTrap

• San Francisco's oldest gay bar closed its doors this past Sunday after 108 years. #OurHistory

• Party drug GHB is making a comeback (witness the death of reality star Joel Taylor last week). Click over to The Gaily Grind for lots of good info on the dangers of the drug.

• A new study shows a "vote by mail" program across the U.S. would increase voter participation in elections.

• Following Donald Trump's "State of the Union" address, the Human Rights Campaign's Sarah McBride will join other equality activists for "The People's State of the Union response over at NowThisNews.

• I recently featured out singer/songwriter Calum Scott's new music video for his soaring romantic anthem, "You Are The Reason" here on The Randy Report.

But sometimes you want a little more pep in your giddy-up. So, check out the newly-released bouncy John Gibbons remix of "You Are The Reason" below.

News Round-Up: January 19, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Can we start the weekend admiring Nick Jonas (above) admiring his NY Yankees hat in the background? #TheresAHat?

• Indonesia's IT Ministry is asking Google to block  LGBT-related networking apps.

• Check out the newly-announced list of nominees for the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards here.

• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will be a guest judge on an upcoming episode of "RuPaul's Drag Race" #YouBettaWerk

All I can say is, you betta werk! Had a fabulous time with @RuPaul and good luck to all the queens. #DragRace https://t.co/ZrJDyDmuVh

— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) January 18, 2018

• And speaking of, on the latest episode of Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations podcast, RuPaul shares what he's learned from drag: “What it teaches people is that all things are temporary. Everything’s temporary: just clothes, some paint, powder – this body, even, is temporary.”

• The FBI is looking into whether a top Russian banker funneled money through the National Rifle Association to help elect Donald Trump. It's illegal to use foreign funds to influence federal elections, and the NRA spent $30 million on Trump's behalf in 2016.

• Warning: NSFW - Fischerspooner shares their new single and music video, “TopBrazil,” from their upcoming album, Sir, produced by Michael Stipe due out February 16.

In the video, shadow and light create a collage of naked male bodies becoming one, all the while blurring the lines of masculinity and femininity.

Spooner explains, "The video celebrates a pop aesthetic typically reserved for the female archetype and liberates the male form to be sexual, expressive and fearless."

I think it's a very cool video, but again - Adult Content.

News Round-Up: September 18, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• Hottie Nick Jonas (above) raises the temperature as he journeys from desert to beach party in his sultry new music video, "Find You," today.

• Tennis legend and newly revealed homophobe Margaret Court says the LGBT community wants to destroy marriage. “There will be no Mother’s Day, there will be no Father’s Day, there will be no Easter, there will be no Christmas.”

• Police in Tanzania arrested 20 "suspected homosexuals" this weekend in an effort to "intensify vigilance" against LGBTs. Conviction of a sexual act “against the order of nature” in Tanzania can lead to up to 30 years behind bars. The 8 men and 12 women were arrested at a hotel where they were attending an HIV/AIDS education training session.

• Clearly concerned about losing the ratings war to MSNBC of late, Fox News is shuffling it's evening schedule to pit far-right pundit Sean Hannity directly opposite MSNBC's ratings champ Rachel Maddow at 9PM.

• Pop star and LGBT ally Demi Lovato says even though magazines and TV seem to be trying "to break" what her sexuality is, she doesn't intend on giving those folks their soundbite. She says watch her upcoming YouTube documentary "Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated" on October 12 for some of those answers offered on her "own terms."

• Always awesome Maroon 5 drops the lyric video and Slushii Remix for their latest single, “What Lovers Do” featuring SZA.

Nick Jonas Covers Men's Fitness

The Jo bros are all grown up and looking fine.

Behind the scenes of his Men’s Fitness shoot, Nick Jonas opens up about staying in shape on the road, his diet, and his song writing process.

Plus, he talks about playing an MMA fighter in Kingdom and working with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in Jumanji. Watch the video here.

Radio Show: This Week In LGBT News

Dancing With The Stars champ Nyle DiMarco

Take a listen to my latest radio show episode, hosted on BlogTalkRadio, which aired today.

Episode synopsis:

Join Randy as he wraps up the latest in LGBT news from the worlds of entertainment, music, politics and sports.

• Three time Olympic medalist Danell Leyva is not only a double-silver medal winner but an ardent equal rights activist ally

• Hottie Nick Jonas talked about criticism he received for playing a gay MMA fighter on "Kingdom"

• "American Idol" alum/out musician David Hernandez drops his new single and music video "Beautiful"

• "America's Next Top Model" & "Dancing With The Stars" champ Nyle DiMarco announced as next 'Celebrity Guest Host' for the world-famous Chippendales

• E! Network cancels "I Am Cait" after only two seasons

• A new study shows homophobic men are possibly just hiding their own latent homosexuality

Tune in as Randy covers these stories and more.

Hit the play button below to listen.

3-time Olympic medalist Danell Leyva

Nick Jonas

Caitlyn Jenner

Trailer: GOAT Starring Nick Jonas And James Franco

Nick Jonas and James Franco star in the upcoming Goat, a drama that follows two brothers who pledge the same fraternity and face the experiences of brutal hazing and "hell week" which tests the limits of loyalty to each other.

The very nature of hyper-masculine fraternities makes queer undertones unavoidable in the trailer.

Official Synopsis:

Reeling from a terrifying assault over the summer, 19-year-old Brad Land (Ben Schnetzer) starts college determined to get his life back to normal.

His brother, Brett (Nick Jonas), is already established on campus and with a fraternity that allures Brad with its promise of protection, popularity, and life-long friendships.

Brad is desperate to belong but as he sets out to join the fraternity his brother exhibits reservations, a sentiment that threatens to divide them. As the pledging ritual moves into hell week, a rite that promises to usher these unproven boys into manhood, the stakes violently increase with a series of torturous and humiliating events.

What occurs in the name of ‘brotherhood’ tests both boys and their relationship in brutal ways.

I will mention I was a brother in my university's Sigma Chi chapter back in the day.  While the pledging/"hell week" period was tough, it was actually the period of time when becoming a brother felt like I was joining something meaningful because you had to take part in activities, and the ideals of the fraternity were so front and center.

But, to be honest, after I became a brother there really wasn't much "there" there for me. I'm certain in part because they picked up on my being gay before I did. There was clear and present homophobia constantly.

That's not to say my entire Sigma Chi experience was bullshit. Some of the guys were really good, good guys. And god knows, I enjoyed the partying at the time.

I'm sure some of my brothers from back then ended up coming out eventually. I'd love to know who and what their thoughts were on the experience.

Oh, and practically none of my chapter's brothers looked like Nick Jonas. But then, neither did I.

Goat lands in theaters and VOD September 23rd.

Nick Jonas Gets Screen Action On KINGDOM

Audiences finally got to see Nick Jonas' Kingdom character "Nate" have some sexy sexy screen time, except not in a good way.

In Wednesday night's episode "No Fault," Jonas' character got drugged at a party and, while woozy, finds himself in the middle of a three-way.

As the world is outraged over the recent Stanford rapist incident, this isn't how folks really wanted to see "Nate" finally get some screen action.

You can watch a bit of the scene below.

e essa cena cena gay/bi do Nick Jonas em Kingdom pic.twitter.com/FvQIkx4e3f

— porra βrou (@mariobrou) June 9, 2016

News Round-Up: June 1, 2016

Nick Jonas

Some news stories you may have missed:

• All-around hottie and LGBT ally Nick Jonas says he's "technically" had gay sex.

• Australia's Prime Minister predicts public vote on same-sex marriage by the end of the year.

• Only 12% of those polled in NBC/Wall Street Journal poll say Donald Trump has the temperament to be president.

• You too can own Zac Efron's movie jockstrap from Dirty Grandpa, includes “assorted stains from use during production but remains in good condition.”

• New Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Bernie Sanders by 2 points 49%-47%.

• The Massachusetts House has passed transgender protections, and the governor has signaled he will sign the bill into law.

• Britain's healthcare system refuses to cover PrEP.

• This GIF of a Chippendale defeating a shark in the upcoming "Sharknado: The 4th Awakens" is my favorite thing today. Now THAT's technique!

Nick Jonas "Checks That Shape" On Sesame Street

Nick Jonas, extolling his love of pentagons and octagons, joined Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster, Bert, and the Count for a reworked version of his song “Chains”, adapted as “Check That Shape.”

Sesame Street has a long tradition of famous singers dropping by the Street with educational versions of their current hit songs.

Nick Jonas Covers OUT Magazine

Hottie and current "It Boy" Nick Jonas covers the June/July 2016 issue of OUT Magazine, and inside chats on his burgeoning acting career, his upcoming solo album, Last Year Was Complicated, and the constant accusations of gay baiting.

From the interview with Chadwick Moore:

On the accusations of courting the LGBT community and working both the LGBT press and New York City’s gay club circuit:
The accusations of gay baiting and opportunism have left Jonas a bit wounded. “It’s not the majority, but a large handful have a negative opinion for whatever reason,” he says, “and I think it’s really quite sad.”

On "Nate," his queer character on television series Kingdom, who is grappling with masculinity and a conservative family:
“It’s been a great character to play,” says Jonas, “One that I try to be respectful of and take myself out of. He’s on his own path.” To prepare for the part, he spoke to some of his closest friends, some of whom were raised in conservative families about their coming-out experiences. “It was a good way to research,” says Jonas, “to kind of build the character with some elements of real life.”

On having his romantic life in the public eye and being dissected by the media:
“It definitely sucks. It sort of feels like, on top of dealing with the situation with the person, you have to be thinking about other people’s opinion about it, and without all the information.” When he was younger (and still a Jonas Brother), he found this attention rather creepy. “The fact that people were intrigued by a 14 – or 15-year-old’s relationships was strange to me,” he says. “Now I think it makes a bit more sense. I think it’s kind of amusing, people’s interests. But it’s funny, because I think I live a pretty low-key life.”

Check out Nick performing his single "Close" on ELLEN:

Nick Jonas & Demi Lovato Cancel North Carolina Concerts

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas have added their names to the long list of performers cancelling concerts in North Carolina (Raleigh and Charlotte) due to the recently passed anti-LGBT bill, HB2.

Longtime LGBT rights allies, Jonas and Lovato are undeniably the most influential millennials to stand against the hate law.

Via GLAAD:

After much thought and deliberation, Nick and I have decided to cancel our shows in Raleigh and Charlotte. One of our goals for the Honda Civic Tour: Future Now has always been to create an atmosphere where every single attendee feels equal, included, and accepted for who they are.

North Carolina’s discriminatory HB2 law is extremely disappointing, and it takes away some of the LGBT community's most basic rights and protections. But we will not allow this to stop us from continuing to make progress for equality and acceptance.

We know the cancelation of these shows is disappointing to our fans, but we trust that you will stand united with us against this hateful law.

#RepealHB2

Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and Boston have all canceled North Carolina shows because of HB 2.

Music Video: Nick Jonas "Close"

The passion between Nick Jonas and Tove Lo is so fierce, it literally rips the clothes off their bodies in the new music video for "Close" from Nick's upcoming album, Last Year Was Complicated.

Nick Jonas On HIs Sexuality: "I Have Nothing To Prove"

Nick Jonas

In a new cover story for Complex, Nick Jonas says he "has nothing to prove" when asked about his sexuality:

“There’s always going to be negativity toward anything that is a positive effort toward change,” he says. “As a heterosexual male, [I am] open and comfortable about loving my fan base, gay or straight, because to me there is no difference, it is my fan base. Your sexual preference does not matter to me and it shouldn’t matter to anybody. I thought [the criticism] was kind of dumb, considering I play this gay character on a gritty show. There’s a gay sex scene. I kissed a man.

“The goal is acceptance on all levels— that should be the focus,” he continues. “I’ve gone to normal clubs, straight clubs, and I’ve gone to gay clubs, to party with my friends and fans. There’s no difference. I have nothing to prove. I’m very comfortable in my own skin and I’m thankful to have as many close gay friends as I have, people who have been so supportive in my life, and have always been there for me.”

News Round-Up: December 12, 2015

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Nick Jonas doesn't think of himself as a "gay icon" but feels more straight artists should embrace their LGBT fans more.

• The American Nazi Party really, really likes Donald Trump.

• Republican White House hopeful Dr. Ben Carson threatens to "leave" the GOP after rumors that Republican insiders were discussing the possibility of deal-making to decide the eventual nominee at the Republican National Convention.

• Soon you'll be able to send mail directly to Cuba for the first time in 50 years.

• Activist hacking group Anonymous puts Donald Trump on notice.

• Lin Manuel Miranda’s mega-hit Broadway show, Hamilton, will launch two tours in the US in 2016.

Nick Jonas' Shirtless Workout Turns Into The Gun Show During Scream Queens Premiere

So, I'm hearing good things about the new horror/comedy series from Ryan Murphy, Scream Queens, which debuted last night.

What I'm REALLY hearing is how hot Nick Jonas is in his new role as a preppy student who has a crush on his fraternity brother. Apparently, Nick's workout scene pretty much stopped the show for many :)

In taking on his second high-profile gay role, Nick tells Entertainment Weekly that he’s “honored” to represent the LGBT community:

“I’ve been so honored to play some really strong gay characters,” he said. “I think it’s all about being true to who you are. Whatever I can do for the community is just a blessing for me.”

In the same way he once did for his character on Kingdom, Jonas revealed there’s much more to come for Scream Queens’ Boone.

“Boone is very intense. He’s got a lot under the surface that you don’t see at first, and it all unravels as the show goes on,” he said. “I would say get ready to be surprised by a lot of different things. In his heart of hearts, that may be who he is, but we’ll have to find out as we watch.”

Scream Queens airs on Tuesdays at 8PM on Fox.

A video posted by James Duke Mason (@jamesdukemason) on Sep 23, 2015 at 1:13am PDT

Nick Jonas To Headline Pittsburgh Pride After Iggy Azalea Drops Out Days From Event

Exit the hater; enter the hunk.

Rapper Iggy Azalea dropped out yesterday as the headliner for Pittsburgh Pride in the Street over mounting criticism regarding racist and homophobic tweets published years ago before she was famous.

It looked like Pittsburgh Pride was in a tight spot, but LGBT ally, hunky KINGDOM star, and current "It" guy Nick Jonas rides in to the rescue.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports:

“Nick had heard about Pittsburgh Pride in the media and called us on Tuesday and said he would like to come and perform,” said Gary Van Horn, president of presenting nonprofit Delta Foundation of

Pittsburgh, in a statement. “He has been a supporter of the LGBT community, and he wanted to make sure that the community and Pittsburgh had a Pride event that they could be proud of.”

“When I heard about the difficult position Pittsburgh Pride was in just days before their event, I knew I had to find a way to help,” said Mr. Jonas.

“I'm excited to do what I can to support the LGBT community in Pittsburgh, and I look forward to seeing you this Saturday as we celebrate together."

Nick Jonas Says He'll Be Back For Season 2 of KINGDOM

Nick Jonas recently told DigitalSpy that he WILL return to his role of martial arts fighter "Nate Kulina" in the second season of Kingdom.

The Direct TV series, picked up for a 20 episode season 2, will air 10 episodes this fall, then the second 10 in 2016.

The season finale of the first season revealed his character to be gay.

"We just started filming a week and a half ago, which is why I've shaved my head."

"I do know where it's going but I can't say because it's going to be a big reveal and surprise."

"It's great writing, really honest and personal, and I'm just excited for people to see it and be able to tell the story in the way we're telling it."

Jonas looks to have a busy year ahead of him as he tours to promote his new self-titled album as well as star in the upcoming Ryan Murphy series Scream Queens.

Just Because...

(via Boy Culture)

Having more tooth-ache issues today, so I wanted to distract myself by looking at something pretty.