What? You thought I wasn't going to count down and recap the year that was 2018?
Fat chance.
Here's my take on the best that the year had to offer in terms of LGBTQ music, movies, television and pop culture moments, as well as the stories that resonated most with my readers.
Please kick back, pour a cocktail, and take a little journey on the way back machine as I review 2018 in terms of the LGBTQ community.
And, as always, I would muchly appreciate it if you would share The Randy Report podcast with your friends.
So, here we go. Let me know in the comments what you thought I might have missed.
See you all in 2019! Thanks to all of you for visiting The Randy Report. It totally wouldn't be any fun without you here.
The new music video for UK recording artist Calum Scott’s latest single, “No Matter What,” is certain to resonate with viewers on a deeply authentic level.
The powerfully emotional video chronicles Scott’s own personal journey of acceptance both of himself and of his family.
When I was a young boy I was scared of growing up
I didn’t understand it but I was terrified of love
Felt like I had to choose but it was outta my control
I needed to be saved, I was going crazy on my own
It took me years to tell my mother, I expected the worst
I gathered all the courage in the world
She said, “I love you no matter what
I just want you to be happy and always be who you are”
She wrapped her arms around me
Said, “Don’t try to be what you’re not
Cause I love you no matter what”
She loves me no matter what
The song and video also address how Scott’s friends changed how they treated him as he began to wrestle with his personal demons.
Calum Scott
“‘No Matter What’ is without question, the most personal song I have ever written and the one I am most proud of,” says Scott. “It's a song born from loneliness and the heartbreaking but liberating tale of my coming-out experience.”
“What I love about this song is that it isn’t just limited to a story of sexual identity, but about the relationship between parent and child and acceptance as a whole,” he added.
Scott explains the song wasn’t included on the initial release of his debut album, Only Human, because, “I simply wasn’t ready at that time to give it to the world."
"It felt too personal to share," he continued. "But as with all of my songwriting, I’ve written this from the heart to try and inspire confidence and compassion in people and put some love back in to the world, which we could always use more of.”
It’s been a whirlwind since Scott became a worldwide sensation after making the finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.
His cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” went viral with over 1.5 billion streams worldwide and was nominated for a Brit Award for Best Single.
Only Human, released in March 2018, hit #1 on iTunes in over 20 countries, sold more than 1.5 million in adjusted album sales, and is fast approaching 2 billion combined streams.
The critics have gushed.
“Scott’s stunningly pure voice is affecting enough in itself, but his lyrics on every one of the [album’s] tracks are vulnerable and raw.” - Billboard
“Calum Scott makes an impressive splash with his compelling debut album.” - The Huffington Post
• The above graphic is dedicated to any and everyone considering National Coming Out Day... #comeoutcomeoutwhereveryouare
• Activists are warning people with HIV and other chronic illnesses to check small print when getting a new health insurance policy. Some insurers are refusing to allow co-payment assistance coupons from drug manufacturers from counting towards annual deductibles.
• Observing the 20 anniversary since Matthew Shepard was kidnapped and beaten then left to die on a cold Wyoming night tied to a fence, his parents have announced his remains will be interred at the Washington National Cathedral later this month.
• The 750,000 citizens of North Dakota, where Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp is struggling in the polls, could very well decide for the country who controls the Senate after midterm elections.
• UK recording artist (and Randy Report favorite) Calum Scott offers his own coming out story for National Coming Out Day.
Scott recounts a painful part of his young adult life - processing the complex emotions of being a gay teen and letting the world around him aware of his sexual orientation. Friends abandoned him early on, and it hurt. But in the poignant profile, he says he found the courage to be honest about himself through music.
Calum Scott drops the new video for “What I Miss Most” today. Happy Dance!
Way strong track. Great hook, expansive vocals, a bit of Coldplay layering going on... If you like mainstream pop (like I do) you'll definitely like this.
The video takes us on a bit of a time-flip from childhood to wild child teens to adulthood.
“This song is all about nostalgia and missing ‘home,’ for me that’s Hull!” says Calum.
Calum was recently honored at the British LGBT Awards. In a note to his fans, he wrote:
This award signifies to me how far I’ve come with my sexuality which is beyond what I thought I was capable of, but not only that, I feel like the album I’ve created through my own experiences is for people to use as a source of inspiration or motivation for their own battles. It gives me the greatest sense of pride, honour and responsibility and for that I want to say, thank you
DVR alert: Don't miss Calum's upcoming appearance on Good Morning America June 6 performing “You Are The Reason” with Leona Lewis.
Check out the new video for "What I Miss Most" below. Me like.
• Republican senators have reintroduced the First Amendment Defense Act which would give the federal government’s blessing to discriminate against LGBT people and others in the name of religious beliefs.
• Fox News invited a comedian cowboy on air to proclaim "The worst thing you can be today in America is a white, heterosexual, Christian Male." #OhReally
• Whitney, Kevin Macdonald’s documentary about the life and career of Whitney Houston, will be released July 6 in the United States.
• Hat-tip to Towleroad for pointing up InstaHunk Ammar Alkatib (above). How about that face??? About all I know is he lives/spends time in Madrid and is uber-handsome. Imma gonna just sit here and stare at that gorgeous face, m'k? #WOOF
• Hawaii's state Senate voted to protect LGBTQ youth from harmful "conversion therapy." The legislation now moves to the state House of Representatives.
• During the after show of Watch What Happens Live last night, out Olympian Adam Rippon was asked if there was anything to the rumors that figure skater-turned-announcer Johnny Weir might have been jealous of the attention Adam received at the PyeongChang Olympics. Check out Adam's answer below as he makes it clear he's not looking for Weir's job.
• Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to RuPaul's Drag Race and praised the queens: "You’re an inspiration, I hope you know. Because you really know your power. It’s about taking pride, and you take pride in yourself when you know your power.”
• New Hampshire’s House of Representatives passed HB 1319 which would prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation. The bill, HB 1319, now heads over to the state Senate.
• Out singer/songwriter Calum Scott recently teamed up with 3-time Grammy nominee Leona Lewis for a duet version of his hit single, “You Are The Reason.” Check out the newly-released music video below. Scott's debut album, Only Human, drops on Friday.
U.K. singer and songwriter Calum Scott releases his new track, “What I Miss Most” today.
The track is from the breakout British artist's debut album, Only Human, due out March 9.
According to press materials, the song unfolds as a triumphant homage to Calum’s hometown of Kingston upon Hull, located in Northern England.
Lyrically, the song dismisses the trappings of "steel and stones," and the earthbound vessels of "skin and bone." Instead, Scott's memories are planted in adventures "under the sun, up on the waves, under three climbs" that took him away.
Sonically, the track takes full advantage of Scott's obvious gifts trading off bare, sparse moments of exposed emotion to surging like an incoming tide as if to wash the scene clean.
The lead single for the album, "You Are The Reason," has already surpassed 100 million streams worldwide while views of the official video topped 20 million in the first two weeks and are fast approaching 60 million.
Recorded with a dream team of producers whose resumes include projects with Adele, Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, Only Human showcases Calum’s soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics.
Many of the tracks showcase Scott's delicate approach to unrequited longing like the aching piano ballad, "Hotel Room."
Or the deeply personal "Only You" celebrates a friend who helped the him during times when he was bullied and isolated from other kids during childhood.
“To me, Only Human means being okay with how you feel,” says Scott. “My hope is that these songs encourage people to embrace who they are, so that there’s a little less fear in the world and a lot more love.”
Watch Calum perform "What I Miss Most" below and check out more from the upcoming album Only Human by clicking here.
• Kenneth-in-the-212 points up that Great Britain's bobsled team (above) has a lot to offer both on and off the track ;)
• Newly-installed Army Secretary Mike Esper says the issue of transgender soldiers serving in the military "hasn't come up" when he talks to American soldiers.
• South Carolina lawmakers have filed legislation that would define marriage as only between men and women, and deem same-sex unions as "parody marriages." One of the authors of the bill calls same-sex marriage "an impersonation of actual marriage."
• The Department of Defense's new policy on service by transgender troops is due tomorrow. Does Defense Secretary James Mattis have a plan?
• Out UK singer Calum Scott covers Gay Times Magazine. In his interview, Scott explains how his songwriting changed after coming out: “When I was honest about myself and my feelings and especially my sexuality, it started flowing out of me like a river."
• "Tree Man" Danny Jones (above) - who has over 850K followers on Instagram thanks to his incredible body, handsome face and inspiring thoughts - has his own insecurities in life. Check out his post on overcoming perceived "weaknesses" on his Instagram here.
• Woofy openly gay Marine Neil Rafferty has announced he plans on running for the Alabama State House.
• Jeffrey Tambor, the Emmy-winning star of Transparent where he plays trans woman "Maura Pfefferman, will not be returning for the show's upcoming fifth season after multiple claims of sexual misconduct have been raised against him.
• Out Hollywood wonder boy Ryan Murphy (American Crime Story, GLEE, American Horror Story, Feud) has inked a five-year, $300 million deal to create and produce for Netflix.
• Out Canadian figure skater Eric Radford, who became the first openly gay man to win a gold medal at a Winter Olympics on this past Sunday, has announced he and partner Meagan Duhamel will retire immediately after these Winter Olympic Games. Radford and Duhamel won another medal, this time bronze, last night in the pairs competition.
• Bristol Palin, daughter of former half-term Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, has publicly criticized US Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon for refusing to meet with virulently anti-LGBT Vice President Mike Pence. You know, the paid spokesperson for teen celibacy who gave birth to two children out of wedlock? Yeah, her.
• Out singer Calum Scott has recorded a duet version of his single, "You Are The Reason," with 3-time Grammy nominee Leona Lewis. The solo version of the track has garnered over 50 million streams online and the music video has over 40 million views.
You can check out the talented Mr. Scott with Ms. Lewis below. The track comes from Scott's debut album Only Human due out March 9th.
• 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.
• 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.
Out singer Calum Scott, of Britain's Got Talent fame, just shared the official music video for his single "You Are The Reason" and it's definitely reason to swoon.
The romantic ballad begins quiet and intimate, but artfully builds to a soaring anthem of love.
The video highlights sensitive expressions of love of all kinds - straight, gay, romantic, parental...
It's a worthy follow-up to Scott's gorgeous cover of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."
"You Are The Reason" will be included on Scott's upcoming debut album, Only Human.
Former Britain's Got Talent contestant Calum Scott shares this new video for his cover of the Robyn hit, "Dancing On My Own."
The out singer shot this "1 Mic 1 Take" clip at the legendary Capitol Records studios. I don't know why, but black and white video seems to make the subject matter more honest or revealing.
And speaking of honest, the woofy Mr. Scott is honestly handsome :)
“Dancing On My Own” has entered the charts at both Top 40 Pop and AC Radio and continues to climb. The song was the best-selling U.K. single of 2016 by a British solo artist and has been nominated for a Brit Award for Best Single. Calum also recently wrapped up his first North American headline tour, selling out shows across the country.
Calum Scott’s poignant version of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" quickly charted in over 34 countries on Spotify, peaking at No. 1 on the Viral chart in six countries, including the U.S. The song has charted at No. 1 on iTunes in 11 countries and is certified Platinum in four countries.
In the U.K., it hit #2 on the Official Singles Sales chart and was the most-downloaded song of the summer.
As I don't follow Britain's Got Talent on a regular basis, I was knocked out when my friend Alex posted this today on his Facebook.
Calum Scott, a bit unnerved having seen his sister Jade not win the support of the judges, takes to the stage to sing his cover of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."
