News Round-Up: April 28, 2019

Bremen Menelli

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Bremen Menelli, currently in Palm Springs, is all smiles. I know a whole lotta gays are in the PS, so lots to smile about.

• Judith Light, Emmy and Tony Award winner, will be honored with the 2019 Isabelle Stevenson Award, presented to theater community members in recognition of their humanitarian contributions.

Light has worked tirelessly for decades as an advocate for LGBTQ rights; she's been there for the fight against HIV/AIDS; and she continues to work with the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Truly a more-than-worthy recipient.

• Fourteen states currently have pending legislation that would require all presidential and vice presidential candidates to release their individual tax returns in order to appear on the ballot during the presidential or general election. The fourteen states are Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Donald Trump - they're looking at you.

• One day after former Vice President Joe Biden announced he is running for president in 2020, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, has issued a statement saying he will no longer accept campaign donations from federal lobbyists. Additionally, he will be returning the $30,250 he had received from those who had donated.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg announced in an email on Friday that the campaign will no longer accept contributions from federal lobbyists, and plans to return $30,250 to those who have already donated.

• With over 3 million LGBTQ Americans living in rural areas, gay-friendly towns in red states (like Fayetteville, Arkansas) are in the hunt for LGBTQ travel dollars saying they welcome the gays.

• Woofy Pennsylvania state lawmaker Brian Sims started a conversation on his Instagram posting a photo of a Truvada pill, with the caption:

"PrEP/PEP: Starting this day off smart, proactive, and in control! Think this is an invite to talk about my sex life? It’s not. Think it’s an invite to shame me or anyone else? Grow up. “Stigma” is the thing our enemies want us to be stunted by. It literally kills us. It’s stupid and we control our own fate. No shame in this game. Just Pride. #PrEPsavesLIVES"

View this post on Instagram

PrEP/PEP: Starting this day off smart, proactive, and in control! Think this is an invite to talk about my sex life? It’s not. Think it’s an invite to shame me or anyone else? Grow up. “Stigma” is the thing our enemies want us to be stunted by. It literally kills us. It’s stupid and we control our own fate. No shame in this game. Just Pride. #PrEPsavesLIVES

A post shared by Brian Sims (@briansimspa) on Apr 23, 2019 at 6:47am PDT

News Round-Up: March 25, 2019

Gus Kenworthy

Some news items you might have missed:

• Out Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy recently debuted his new hair style he jokingly dubs "petty in pink." #PinkIsSassy

• Only 55 percent of Americans believe that gay and lesbian people face a lot of discrimination in the U.S., down from 68 percent in 2013.

• Lawyer Michael Avenatti has been arrested on charges related to an alleged $20 million extortion of the athletic apparel company Nike. His famous client, porn star Stormy Daniels, says said Monday that she is “saddened but not shocked” at the charges.

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has blocked a move by Senate Democrats to call on Attorney General William Barr to release special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report on the Russia investigation. It's 'too soon' says McConnell.

• Police are looking for a man who opened fire at the gay bar, Toucan's Tiki Lounge, in Palm Springs, California, this weekend. Two gun shot victims were taken to the hospital where they were reported to be in stable condition.

• Randy Report favorite Marina dropped her new music video last week, "Orange Trees."

While we've only just passed the spring solstice, clearly Marina has her head in the summertime as she takes us to the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with the upbeat electro-pop track and video.

Her upcoming album, LOVE + FEAR, is available April 26.

The Obamas Head To Palm Springs

President Obama with former Ambassador James Costos

Just another example that shows why the Obamas are my kind of people.

Following the inauguration, the Obamas will hop on a helicopter from DC heading for Andrews Air Force Base, where they’ll take a flight at 2:45PM to Palm Springs, CA.

The former First Couple will relax in Palm Springs with longtime friends, former U.S. ambassador to Spain James Costos and his husband Michael Smith, the interior designer for the White House since 2008.

The Costos/Smiths live in an enormous abode in the Thunderbird Heights gated community in Rancho Mirage.

According to reports, this will be the fifth stay for the Obamas at the California home.

My husband, Michael, and I love Palm Springs. Gorgeous weather and uber-gay community :)

Palm Springs: Victor/Victoria Nominated For 11 "Desert Stars Awards"

Wow. How cool is this?

As regular readers may remember, this past spring I directed and choreographed (theatre is the other half of my career) a production of the musical Victor/Victoria in Palm Springs at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Springs for the College of the Desert. Great experience, wonderful cast and creative team.

Today I got word that the production was nominated for 11 "Desert Stars Awards" by the Desert Theatre League, including two for me for my direction and choreography.

I have to say the best part of the news is seeing so many of my collaborators having their work acknowledged.

Congrats to everyone!

Here's a list of:

• Outstanding Production Musical/Opera/Pageant - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Director of a Musical/Opera/Pageant - Professional - Randy Slovacek - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Musical Director of a Musical/Opera/Pageant - Professional - Darlene Romano - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• The Michele Gaines Award for Outstanding Choreographer of a Musical/Opera/Pageant - Professional - Randy Slovacek - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical/Opera/Pageant - Chris Sands - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical/Opera/Pageant - Professional - Eliott Goretsky - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical/Opera/Pageant - 2 - Chelsey Clime, Kara Masek - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• The Ron Hamm Award for Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design - Professional - Lynda Shaeps - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Lighting Design - Professional - Keith I. Smith - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

• Outstanding Props and Special Effects - Professional - J.W. Layne - Victor/Victoria - College of the Desert

Weather Forecast: Gorgeous

I'm in Palm Springs for a couple of weeks on business, and had to take a pic of the gorgeous day here.

Wow.

If you've never done the Palm Springs thing, you've got to come here. This is pretty much how it looks all year round.

And yes, I got out of the middle of street once I got the pic :)

Documentary: "Desert Migration"

The new documentary Desert Migration screens this Summer at Frameline Festival in San Francisco and Outfest in Los Angeles.

Clip Description:

When HIV treatments improved and people stopped dying by the thousands, many gay men took stock and said, "So...now what?" Their peer group was decimated and they themselves had only escaped death by a narrow margin.

Retiring to California's Palm Springs seemed like a viable decision. Health services were great, housing was affordable, there was a large gay population and it was always sunny. The roads they took to get there were varied, but all promised a veritable Lost Horizon, where age, illness and sin were a thing of the past.

However, being left to your own devices in a town where the sun always shines has a way of exposing who a person really is. With no friends, no job, and traumatized by recent memories, the burden is entirely on the individual to make something meaningful grow in the dry, harsh desert.

Desert Migration examines the lives of these men; their history, their present, and their possible futures as they struggle to come to terms with the second chance they have been given. Faced with their own mortality and the inevitable wear and tear on their bodies from both the virus and the medications designed to save them, how do they strive to create a life of value? Their stories illuminate how people across the US and the world are struggling as they age with the virus and the damage it has caused.

Palm Springs: Anti-bullying fund raising via shirtless car wash studs

So if you're going to get your car washed ANYWAY... Why not have hunky guys in swim suits do it? And for charity?

Win-win in my opinion.

From the Huffington Post:

A group of Speedo-clad men came together last week in Palm Springs, Calif. to take part in the "Studs and Suds" carwash, a charity campaign that sought to raise money for a local anti-bullying foundation, "Boo 2 Bullying."

The organization sought to work towards "ending the pain of bullying while embracing our differences" through initiatives such as the carwash.

President and founder of the "Boo 2 Bullying" campaign Dimitri Halkidis said that bullying isn't an issue that only affects LGBT youth. "I don't think it matters what sexuality you are," stated Halkidis. "Bullying is bullying weather you're white, yellow, green, black, straight, LGBT-- it just does not matter."

Palm Springs - Marilyn and me

Talk about bigger than life...

Olivia Newton-John concert in Palm Springs

Great times all around last night at Olivia Newton-John's concert in Palm Springs (technically Indio, but folks may not know Indio, so I'm going by Palm Springs...) at the Fantasy Springs Casino Events Center.

First of all, ONJ is in amazing voice. The entire concert was extremely well sung. I'm so used to the idea that as some singers get older, the voice often loses some flexibility and range. Completely the opposite with Olivia - her voice continues to get better and better. Some of the highlights were Olivia's high, high soprano finish to "Jolene," and her full belt ending to "Weightless."

But my personal favorites were the last two songs of the evening, "Grace and Gratitude" and "I Honestly Love You." After two hours, she was not only in fine singing form but her interpretations were art. Connected, personal, and heartfelt. Just fab.

I also loved seeing other fans of Olivia's that I've gotten to know over the years - David, Mykel, Todd, Virginia...  I can't remember every name so if I forget one it's just me being formerly blond.  But it was great seeing everyone.  Only thing I don't like about these situations is we had to get backstage after the concert so we didn't have a huge amount of time to catch up.  But glad we had time to chat with folks even if it was short :(

Backstage we caught up with not only Leeza Gibbons (who's a friend of Olivia's for many years going back to the Great Walk fundraiser in China for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre) but Lindsay Wagner, the original Bionic Woman! I'm not usually star struck but I've been a fan of Lindsay's my whole life it seems. She spent a few minutes catching up with Olivia, and I have to admit this was one photo op I wasn't missing.

I won't go on too much, but I will say: if Olivia is performing near you (this is a 30+ city tour), GO! Great music and great times. You can find her tour cities by clicking here.

Me backstage with Olivia, Michael and Lindsay Wagner

Olivia Newton-John and Lindsay Wagner backstage after Olivia's concert in Palm Springs

Me with Leeza Gibbons, her husband Steven and Michael

The casino had the new Grease slot machine located prominently :)

Another shot of the Grease slot machine

Mid-day View: Palm Springs

Currently in Palm Springs for Olivia Newton-John's concert here tomorrow night. I heard last night's concert in San Francisco was sold out. Looking forward to the show.

Working from the pool here in PS. Hideous weather as you can see.

Haven't been here in ages it seems. Love how calm and quiet it can be.

More wine...

N2N Bodywear at Palm Springs Pride

N2N Bodywear designer Andrew Makay and Michael at Palm Springs Pride 2011

Michael is hanging with N2N Bodywear designer Andrew Makay at Palm Springs Pride today.

For those of you in the Palm Springs area, drop by - say hi - check out Andrew's sexy designs.

If you can't make it to Palm Springs this weekend, check out the N2N Bodywear website.  Sexy clothes and sexy boys.