News Round-Up: August 16, 2019

Nick Sandell (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: Hunky fitness model Nick Sandell is 'catching some rays' in my native Texas.

• FreeMovement: An immigration judge in the UK has rejected an asylum seeker because the man did not have a gay “demeanor” and did not “look around the room in an effeminate manner.” I kid you not.

• NY Times: The official cause of death for accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was suicide by hanging according to the coroner’s autopsy. The report indicates he tied a bedsheet to the top of a set of bunk beds, then knelt toward the floor with enough force that he broke several bones in his neck.

• Boy Culture: Serious props to Adam Price for this romantic oceanside marriage proposal to his bf, former X Factor contestant Naisa Lasalosi.

Full video ❤️❤️👬👬. How beautiful is love??!! I said yes!!!! 💍💍👬👬 pic.twitter.com/4LSCzYy50S

— Naisa Lasalosi (@OyNAISA) August 12, 2019

• Deseret News: Ed Smart, the father of kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, shared in a Facebook message with family and friends Thursday that he is gay, divorcing his wife and doesn’t see a place for himself in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• OUT: Disney has announced the leads for its upcoming spin-off of the successful coming-out film, Love, Simon, and neither of the two lead actors are openly gay.

• New Music: Randy Report favorite Mika drops his latest, "Tiny Love," from his upcoming album My Name Is Michael Holbrook.

"The most important thing in the world is the love we have for those around us, the love others offer us and the love we have for ourselves," says Mika about the track. "That love can feel so massive and yet at the same time it’s so tiny and imperceivable to others. This song is a conscious decision to provoke that emotion."

Musically, I like the track - fun melody and the production is rich and sophisticated.

But, every now and then, this happens: I like the song, but in this instance, the music video gets in the way for me. I'm just not vibing with the video.

That said, it's a fun track. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Pride Music: Mika "Ice Cream"

Out singer/songwriter Mika drops his perfect-for-summer new single, “Ice Cream,” in advance of his upcoming album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook.

The Lebanese-born artist calls the song “a daydream fantasy” that was borne during a sweltering August in Italy. “It shimmers like a mirage, and makes me feel like anything is possible,” adds the 35-year-old singer.

The song came to him near the end of a two-year writing period. After musically exploring some serious, personal issues in his writing, Mika says he felt “lighter and freer” and escape was on his mind.

“I wanted to run away to the sea, or just about anywhere,” says Mika.

Instead, Mika sat down and dreamed about “summer flings” and “the other person I always wish I was during the summer.” But with no air conditioning, Mika mainly recalls the heat, the sweat, work deadlines and bee stings - all of which gets referenced in the bouncy bop’s lyrics.

Mika (photo: Peter Lindbergh)

With a solid bass beat and a hooky, falsetto-filled chorus, “Ice Cream” sounds like the sonic lovechild of 90s George Michael and Prince tunes.

The lyric video is a groovy melange of bold, playful graphics that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Released at the beginning of Pride Month, the timing couldn’t be more perfect as Mika wants his fans to “dare to be the more proud version of yourself.”

“Dare to be a sensual man, dare to express out loud the desires you always keep inside your head,” says the UK-based artist.

Mika first grabbed the spotlight in 2007 when he released his first album, Life in Cartoon Motion. The first single, “Grace Kelly,” went to number one in the UK and eleven other countries, and earned him a Brit Award and a Grammy nomination.

Since then, he’s been certified Gold and Platinum in 32 countries worldwide.

My Name Is Michael Holbrook, Mika’s fifth studio album, drops on October 4. Mika will follow its release with a world tour beginning in London on November 10.

Check out the new track below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Morning Joe Hosts Allege White House Offered To "Spike" National Enquirer Story For Apology

In the aftermath of President Trump's "bleeding badly from a face lift" tweet about MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, she and fiancé Joe Scarborough both penned an op-ed for the Washington Post and spoke on the air this morning about an alleged offer from the White House.

According to the two MSNBC hosts, if the pair would call and apologize to Donald Trump for their less-than-glowing coverage over the past several months, Trump would call his good buddy who owns the National Enquirer and get a negative story about the hosts "spiked."

NY Magazine reporter Gabriel Sherman says he has the inside scoop:

According to three sources familiar with the private conversations, what happened was this: After the inauguration, Morning Joe’s coverage of Trump turned sharply negative. “This presidency is fake and failed,” Brzezinski said on March 6, for example. Around this time, Scarborough and Brzezinski found out the Enquirer was preparing a story about their affair. While Scarborough and Brzezinski’s relationship had been gossiped about in media circles for some time, it was not yet public, and the tabloid was going to report that they had left their spouses to be together.

In mid-April, Scarborough texted with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner about the pending Enquirer story. Kushner told Scarborough that he would need to personally apologize to Trump in exchange for getting Enquirer owner David Pecker to stop the story.

The editor of the National Enquirer denies any knowledge of conversations between the White House and the Morning Joe hosts.

Here's the two hosts explaining on the air this morning:

This is a chilling story. https://t.co/HYJgBnajOy via @Morning_Joe https://t.co/6UCEHzfOET

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 30, 2017

Of course, Scarborough and Brzezinski knew exactly what they were doing in order to bait the Donald. He quickly dispatched this tweet upon watching the show this morning.

Watched low rated @Morning_Joe for first time in long time. FAKE NEWS. He called me to stop a National Enquirer article. I said no! Bad show

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2017

Yet another lie. I have texts from your top aides and phone records. Also, those records show I haven't spoken with you in many months. https://t.co/TZWiElo6Gs

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) June 30, 2017

Why do you keep lying about things that are so easily disproven? What is wrong with you? https://t.co/aAoUj5HYZS

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) June 30, 2017

Legal expert Laurence Tribe chimed in on the alleged "blackmail:"

If WH told @morningmika & @JoeNBC the Nat'l Enquirer wd smear them unless they laid off T on their show, that wd be a crime per 18 USC 872

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 30, 2017

Donald Trump Doesn't Think Having Supporters Raise Their Hand & Pledge To Him Looks Hitler-esque

Calling in to MSNBC's "Morning Joe" today, Donald Trump said that having his supporters raise their hands and pledge their votes to him was in no way reminiscent of the famous "Heil Hitler" salute. In fact, he said he had "just heard" about such ideas and was surprised anyone could think that.

Trump also dodged questions on his "foreign policy" team telling co-host Mika Brzezinski that although she's asked him three times over the past several weeks, he said he'd would reveal his team when the time was right.

Also on "Morning Joe" today, both Mika and Joe Scarborough seemed very defensive about their frequent interviews with The Donald. I'm guessing the rumors of them being a bit too cozy with the Trumpster have touched a nerve. Mika and Joe both made a big deal defending their Trump segments and saying they would welcome any of the other presidential candidates calling in at any time.

New Music: Mika "Good Guys"

Out recording artist Mika drops his newest music video, "Good Guys," from his fourth studio album No Place In Heaven.

With creative and theatrical staging, Mika expresses his frustrations with the gay community throughout the video - "where have all the gay guys gone?" - while he searches for a "good guy."

Mika quotes Oscar Wilde's for his chorus, 'If we are all in the gutter, it doesn't change who we are/cause some of us in the gutter are looking up at the stars.'

Later he acknowledges many of the gay icons who came before him including W.H. Auden, James Dean, Jean Cocteau, Wilfred Owen and others.

The single is available now; the full album release date is June 16th.

I've previously written about Mika here and here.

New Music: MIKA "Boum Boum Boum"

Video: "Popular Song" - MIKA ft. Ariana Grande

Love the song since I heard it a few weeks ago.

Mika has debuted the new video for “Popular Song” featuring Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande.

The song offers a fresh twist on “Popular” from the Broadway hit “Wicked”, composed by Stephen Schwartz. In an historic move, Schwartz was so moved by this interpretation that he authorized the usage of his music for the first time ever.

Mika has now sold over 8 million records and Gold or Platinum awards in 32 countries worldwide across his previous two albums ‘Life in Cartoon Motion’ and ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’, winning Brit and MTV Awards in the process.

Find more on Mika at mikasounds.com

"Popular Song" is available for download on iTunes

Wicked fans - Mika and Kristin Chenoweth sing "Popular Song"

Guess who popped up and dueted with Mika at his show in NYC on his "Popular Song?"

Oh, yeah, Miss "Wicked" Glinda herself, Kristin Chenoweth.

From Next Magazine:

As part of his intimate North American tour to support his new album The Origin of Love, out singer Mika played Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village last night. He had a little (about five feet) surprise for the audience though, when he brought out Kristin Chenoweth to help him sing his "Popular Song" which samples "Popular" from the musical Wicked.

Chenoweth originated the part of Glinda on Broadway (and sang the song) in the show, which Stephen Schwartz specifically gave Mika permission to sample on his new album.

Listen to the original track by Mika here.