Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Exciting News Here At The Randy Report


I can't believe I'm actually writing this!

After over 8 years of hosting The Randy Report on Blogger.com, I've finally launched the blog at my own domain, TheRandyReport.com.

I've been meaning to do this for years but never made the time. Thank you to everyone who has followed me here since 2011.

Please bookmark the new site - www.TheRandyReport.com - and visit me there (often, I hope). 

You can also follow me on my award-winning podcast, The Randy Report, here.

In addition to being a more sleek, modern style, the new website loads and functions much faster.

Here's a sample of what you'll find.


All of my previous content has been copied over to the new site, but I plan on leaving this version of TRR here on Blogger as an archive because, you know, just in case...

There will be some kinks to work out as I get used to the workflow, but I'm excited about this next chapter for The Randy Report.

#Forward

Posted by Randy Slovacek at 10:16 AM 0 comments
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Monday, August 19, 2019

First Look At New Netflix Series 'The Politician' Starring Ben Platt

Check out the latest from producer Ryan Murphy, who gave us Glee, American Horror Story, and Pose - the new original comedy series, The Politician.
Ben Platt in The Politician

Check out the latest from producer Ryan Murphy, who gave us Glee, American Horror Story, and Pose - the new original comedy series, The Politician.

This is the first series for the streaming service from Murphy, who last year signed a five-year $300 million contract with the company.

The show will be an anthology series, like Murphy's American Horror Story and American Crime Story, wherein each season will tell its own tale.

In Season One, Payton Hobart, played by Tony Award winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), is a wealthy student from Santa Barbara, California, who's known since age seven that he's going to be the President of the United States.

But before he can get to the White House, he'll have to navigate the most treacherous political landscape of all: Saint Sebastian High School.

The longterm plan is: get elected Student Body President, get into Harvard, and no matter what - keep his eye on that Oval Office prize.

But first, Payton will have to outmaneuver his cold-blooded, cunning classmates without sacrificing his own morality and carefully crafted image.

Even his mother, played by Oscar-winner Gywneth Paltrow, admits to Payton, "Your ambition frightens me."



The sly, satirical dark comedy offers a rare glimpse into just what it takes to make a politician.

The trailer is a fast-paced affair and includes a same-sex kiss for Platt - so don't blink.



Bette Midler recently announced on Twitter that she and LGBTQ ally Judith Light have also joined the cast.

It's worth hitting the play button just to see Jessica Lange wonder why calling a gay man a 'butt-muncher' would be a scandal: "It's what gays do - munch butt and celebrate Halloween..."

The Politician premieres on Netflix September 27.


Posted by Randy Slovacek at 1:47 PM 0 comments
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Magnum Ice Cream Apologizes For Comparing Eating Ice Cream To Being Imprisoned For Being Gay

(image via Magnum Ice Cream)

After receiving a ton of heat on social media, Magnum Ice Cream has issued an apology for a Spotify ad in the U.K. that compared the 'guilty pleasure' of eating ice cream to gay people being imprisoned.

In the spot, a voiceover says, “A hug for my boyfriend—that’s my guilty pleasure. Because in my country, just a simple hug with the man I love could send me to prison for more than 10 years.”

The ad didn't specify which country by name.

Folks on social media clapped back calling the spot "racist" and "homophobic."



At the beginning of the backlash, a Magnum spokesperson told Newsweek that the aim of the spot was “to remind people that what is considered a guilty pleasure isn’t always what you would expect.”

A Magnum spokesperson has now issued a statement apologizing for the ad.

“Magnum has a history of championing LGBTQ+ rights and Pride Month is a moment when lots of us celebrate progress," read the statement. "We’re sorry for any offence caused by the advert, which aimed to bring awareness to the injustices people still face around the world."

Posted by Randy Slovacek at 12:57 PM 0 comments
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NYPD Fires Officer For Chokehold Death Of Eric Garner

New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill

From The New York Times:

The New York City police officer whose chokehold was partly blamed for Eric Garner’s death in police custody in 2014 was fired from the Police Department on Monday, ending a bitter, five-year legal battle that had cast a shadow over the nation’s largest police force and the city it protects.

The police commissioner, James P. O’Neill, dismissed the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, just over two weeks after a police administrative judge found him guilty of violating a department ban on chokeholds.

“The unintended consequence of Mr. Garner’s death must have a consequence of its own,” Mr. O’Neill said. “Therefore I agree with the deputy commissioner of trial’s legal findings and recommendations. It is clear that Daniel Pantaleo can no longer effectively serve as a New York City police officer.”

The leader of the city’s largest police union immediately denounced the decision, saying Mr. O’Neill had bowed to “anti-police extremists” and that Mr. Pantaleo’s dismissal sent a message that the city did not stand behind its officers when they make arrests.





Garner died on July 17, 2014, after Officer Pantaleo tackled him from behind, then, along with other officers, jumped on top of Garner.

Video footage of the arrest showing Garner struggling for breath and repeatedly saying — “I can’t breathe” — quickly went viral and galvanized the Black Lives Matter movement.

Garner was being arrested on charges of selling untaxed, individual cigarettes on a street corner. For that crime, he was choked to death.

After watching the video himself, O'Neill said he came to two conclusions: Garner should not have resisted arrest; and that while Pantaleo began the interaction appropriately, the officer escalated to a prohibited chokehold.

I have this to say: at the time of his death, there were four - FOUR - police officers holding Garner down.

Nine times Garner, who was unarmed, said, "I can't breathe."

With three other police officers with him, couldn't Pantaleo have loosened his (prohibited) chokehold just a bit?





Posted by Randy Slovacek at 12:18 PM 0 comments
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Trump Lies Again Claiming He Won 2016 Popular Vote

Citing a conservative group known for spreading false conspiracy theories, Donald Trump again claimed his 2016 electoral was "even bigger than thought" as he accused Google of "manipulating" votes in the last presidential election.
Donald Trump

Citing a conservative group known for spreading false conspiracy theories, Donald Trump again claimed his 2016 electoral was "even bigger than thought" as he accused Google of "manipulating" votes in the last presidential election.

"Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated from 2.6 million to 16 million votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016 Election!" Trump tweeted. "This was put out by a Clinton supporter, not a Trump Supporter! Google should be sued. My victory was even bigger than thought!"

Trump tagged Judicial Watch, which has a long history of targeting Democrats via unsubstantiated lawsuits.

However, study after study, investigation after investigation, show that no tangible voter fraud has ever been found, let alone millions and millions of manipulated votes.

As has been well-documented, Hillary Clinton lost the electoral college to Trump 304 to 227. But, due to high population blue states like California and New York, he garnered nearly 3 million more votes than Trump.

My question is: if the election was rigged in Hillary's favor by such powerful interests like Google and Russia (as Trump claims), why isn't she president?



Even Hillary Clinton clapped back at the nonsense:





This comes in a long string of allegations of election fraud by Trump.

Last week, at a New Hampshire rally, the Donald told his followers that voter fraud was to blame for his losing the Granite State’s four electoral votes in 2016. He told the crowd in Manchester, "It was taken away from us."

And over the weekend, he insinuated to reporters in New Jersey that undocumented immigrants were to blame saying “many, many people voted that shouldn't have been voted,” coming back repeatedly to “some people voted many times.”

But Ellen Weintraub, the chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission, quickly dispatched a letter to Trump calling for him “to provide any evidence” that could back up those statements.

“To put it in terms a former casino operator should understand: There comes a time when you need to lay your cards on the table or fold,” wrote Weintraub.

"Facts matter. And people of America need to be able to believe what their leaders tell them,” Weintraub said Monday.



Posted by Randy Slovacek at 10:07 AM 0 comments
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Colton Haynes: 'I Don't Want Worrying If I Look Hot On Instagram To Be My Legacy'

Colton Haynes gets real on Instagram
Colton Haynes (images via Instagram)

Sunday evening, Arrow star Colton Haynes took a different tone on his Instagram account as he addressed how projecting “a curated life” has taken a toll on his mental health.

The post, which he labeled ‘Throwback,’ included a collection of selfies from what appear to be past hospital stays. The images are a stark contrast from his Instagram’s usual fare of frolicsome, sunlit beach moments and model-perfect photos.

And that would be the point.

“I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy,’ penned the 31-year-old. “I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success.”

The former Teen Wolf actor shared with his 6.4 million followers that today he feels “immense joy” when someone shares that his “willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way.”

In March of this year, Haynes openly addressed his struggles with mental health and addiction with Attitude Magazine saying, “In 10 years, there were maybe 25 days I didn’t drink.”

Colton Haynes says worrying whether or not he "looked hot" in Instagram posts was a "complete waste" of time.
(image via Instagram)

He added that he had achieved six months of sobriety at the time.

In his recent Instagram post, he admits that while he’s “struggled the past year” with trying to “find his voice,” he regards the journey as “the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through.”

Pointing to his social media accounts, Haynes says he regrets the time he's spent worrying about "what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes," calling those concerns " a complete waste of why I was put on this earth."

The point of the hospital photos, which he says were taken a year ago, is to “let y’all in on my truth.”

Reflecting on what he describes as “dark” times, he offers candidly, “I’m a human being with flaws like you.”

He closes the note with a word of encouragement to his fans: “If ur in the middle of the dark times…I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever.”

You can read the full Instagram post from Haynes below.



Throwback. I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy. I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success. I have far more important things to say than what magazine I just shot for or what tv show I’m a part of (Although I’m very thankful I still get to do what I love). I no longer want to project a curated life. I get immense joy when someone comes up to me & says that my willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way. I’ve struggled the past year with trying to find my voice and where I fit in & that has been the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through. Worrying about what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes or being mad at myself that I don’t look the same way I did when I was addicted to pills is a complete waste of why I was put on this earth. I’m posting these photos to let y’all in on my truth. I’m so grateful to be where I am now ( a year after these photos were taken) but man these times were dark. I’m a human being with flaws just like you. If ur in the middle of the dark times...I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever. Love y’all ❤️
A post shared by Colton Haynes (@coltonlhaynes) on


The practice of chasing 'Likes' on Instagram has become an issue of late as Facebook (which owns Instagram) recently announced the platform is currently running a test in seven countries where 'Likes' will no longer be visible to followers.

Instagram says it wants viewers to "focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get.”
Posted by Randy Slovacek at 9:09 AM 0 comments
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Sunday, August 18, 2019

Podcast: Chatting With Journalist, Recording Artist & Red Carpet Ninja Corey Andrew


Join me as I chat with my Instinct Magazine colleague, Corey Andrew.

In addition to the terrific writing Corey contributes to Instinct, he also has an international music career as an accomplished singer/songwriter and producer with songs that have been streamed over a million times.

Working together, Corey and I realized we have many interests and friends in common having both arrived in New York City at around the same time in the late 1980s. So, our perspective on many topics jives with each other.

Corey Andrew

When I asked Corey to join me for a chat for the podcast, I said I’m going to hit record and we’ll go from there.

Along the way, we touch on how Corey approaches writing, bringing style to his red carpet interviews, his adventures covering World Pride this year in New York City, how music took his talents around the world, plus we chat on our connections to a certain famous Australian, and an Emmy nominated actor from the cast of POSE.

You can find Corey's music on Spotify here.

And make sure you check out his articles for Instinct Magazine here.



Posted by Randy Slovacek at 6:25 PM 0 comments
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InstaHunk Round-Up: Weekend Edition

Ignacio Pérez Rey

Checking in with the Hunks of InstaLand.

First up - a rare photo of hunky Ignacio Pérez Rey NOT on a beach (above).

Next, Matthew Camp shows off his buffed up biceps:




Fitness trainer Austin Martin flexed for the camera while zip-lining through the trees in St. Lucia:




America's Got Talent alum Brian Justin Crum showed pride in his cactus:



A post shared by BrianJustinCrum (@brianjustincrum) on



'Beef'-y Joel Buck was on the menu at Fire Island:



A post shared by Joel Buck (@joel_buck) on



Handsome sax man Dave Koz is jazzed about headlining tonight's Smooth Summer Jazz concert at the iconic Hollywood Bowl tonight:




Fitness guru Ramses Principe (looking snack AF) is waxing wise today: "Character cannot be develop in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthen, ambition inspired, and success achieved."




And a 'cute but muddy' Max Emerson took a break from biking in Inyo National Forest:



A post shared by Max Emerson (@maxisms) on

Posted by Randy Slovacek at 2:15 PM 0 comments
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