Take It Out

Seen on the way to work today: I'm surprised they even allow this "Take Me Out" billboard in such a kid-friendly area as Times Square given what star Jesse Williams is batting with.

Calls Mount From New Woke to Cancel RuPaul, 'Hamilton'

You'd be hard-pressed to find a gay man who cares less about "RuPaul's Drag Race" or musical theater than me. (After being duped into seeing the single-entendre-fest "Book of Mormon" with the promise that "this one is different," I have no desire to see "Hamilton" for fear of forfeiting another three hours of my life that I will never get back.) But I have to say, the progressive movement is getting dangerously close to collapsing under the weight of its own wokeness lately in its criticism of these two productions, both of which were universally loved and praised until now. In normal times I’d feel that these people are at worst misguided-but-well-meaning attention whores. But as we approach November, my fear is that Joe Biden is always one (perceived) misstep away from having these people sabotage the 2020 presidential election -- if he were to, say, select Elizabeth Warren as his running mate. Liz is actually polling higher with African-Americans than some of the top black contenders, yet I feel like it's the same white people criticizing RuPaul and "Hamilton" who will lead the charge against Biden if he doesn't do what THEY think is best for black people -- never mind that black people are perfectly capable of deciding what they want -- starting with the old white guy at the top of the ticket. I know your heart is in the right place. And maybe some of your complaints are valid. But please take it down a notch until after the election, where we are well-positioned to win but will need huge turnout to offset whatever new voter-suppression tactics the administration unveils next. We truly cannot afford to have you fuck this up for U.S.

Remains of the Day (06/26)

The Gay Salon: Want to really get to know your friends?

Towleroad: Adult performer Blu Kennedy pleads guilty to child p**n charges

The New York Times: House panel subpoenas Kellyanne Conway on ethics law violations after she fails to show up for hearing

Twitter: You don't have to be Catholic to observe Ass Wednesday (but this might make you want to convert)

Washington Post: A mother reported a teen bully for racially taunting her son. Then he beat her unconscious, attorney says.

Dlisted: Robin Thicke has officially turned into his dad

The Daily News: I never understood why anyone would want to see a fake Cher on Broadway when the real Cher is still touring

Baseline: Serena Williams is on a Wheaties box, the third female tennis player to receive the honor (can you name the other two?)

Mother Jones: How toxic masculinity fuels mass shootings

Back2Stonewall: When Life Magazine covered the “sordid world” of homosexuality in America

The WoW Report: Mass immigration raids postponed just as Pence arrives in Miami to sell “Trump for Latinos” campaign

NBC News: "These gays are big Republicans and used their connections to get this passed in Virginia. While that's a good thing they still support the GOP in every aspect. Which means they still support people who would try to take away their rights to adopt/have children. It's maddening."

Greg in Hollywood: Farrah Fawcett died 10 years ago today

NPR: Not all heroes wear capes

Washington Blade: "Harry Truman" amendment seeks to restore trans military service

New York Post: Hot American doctor killed alongside tour guide during Belize vacation

Associated Press: Yankees honor Stonewall anniversary with commemorative plaque

ET: New Kid on the Block's Jonathan Knight and pop star Tiffany talk dating, coming out and 31-year friendship

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Hot Cat of the Day: Harvey's been known to do this!

Song of the Day: 'It's Over' by Morrissey

Guess who's going to see Morrissey on Broadway?! The sullen singer/songwriter also has a new guest-filled covers album, "California Son," from which this Roy Orbison song is taken.

Meet 10 of the Hottest Chorus Boys on Broadway

This photo of Charlie Williams couldn't wait till Speedo Sunday. See nine more sexy song 'n' dance men HERE.

Take a Hike, 'Rent'

UPDATE: This over-the-top post was written to troll Generation Z activists. But the fact that it wasn't readily recognized as satire by everyone tells you just how far off the rails we've gone.  #heavenhelpus

I don't know about you, but I for one will NOT be watching "Rent Live" tonight. I've never understood why everyone felt the need to worship at the feet of a white cisgender man who was in the exact place at the exact time to have witnessed the AIDS epidemic first-hand -- who by all accounts happened to be a theatrical genius -- when there are so many transwomen of color who were also affected by the disease. This is NOT his story to tell. [Insert inflammatory buzzwords here.] Stop colonizing* people of color and stop mansplaining ... and don't get me started on his work's bierasure. #ReinaGossett #believetranswomenofcolor #mansplaining #whitesplaining #nothisstorytotell #buzzword 

*Incorrect usage but always wins elections 

The (Bobby) Sands of Time

Great to have my brother Terence in the city to celebrate Christmas with us. In addition to a wonderful dinner and present festival at Damian's sister's house in West Orange, the highlight must have been seeing "The Ferryman," which is probably the best play I've seen on Broadway to date. xo

30 Rocked 

Jersey Boys ... and Girls

Remains of the Day (11/28)

Facebook: When Cher showed up at "The Cher Show" on Broadway

The New York Times: Democrats nominate Pelosi to be speaker but with significant defections

Instagram: Dorothy Hamill has nothing on corrupt cutie Aaron Schock

The Washington Post: Serial killer Samuel Little says a 1972 unsolved Maryland case is among 90 he got away with, police say

Witchrot: Best band breakup ... EVER!

Towleroad: Man abducted, beaten, robbed and stripped in homophobic attack after arranging hookup on Instagram

The Daily News: A younger El Chapo has "Saturday 'Stache" potential

Boy Culture: Here's a tush you won't want to miss

The Randy Report: Gus Kenworthy helps hot college student be "fearless" in coming out

Instagram: Fabio Fognini is now an underwear model

New York Post: Passenger says Delta pilot used Grindr to hit on him during flight

Metrosource: Penny Arcade strolls down memory lane in new stage show

Dlisted: The tragic fairy tale of the sad ginger prince "imprisoned" in an opulent palace

Gr8er Days: Oscar-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci dies at 77

Greg in Hollywood: Mario Cantone laments death of "Sex and the City 3," dishes on Aretha and reads from Wendy Williams memoir

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Hot Cat of the Day: Ice tease ...

Song of the Day: 'This Town' (2018) by the Go-Go's

Playbill reports that the Broadway musical "Head Over Heels," which opened July 26 at the Hudson Theatre, will end its run on Jan. 6, having played 188 regular performances and 37 previews. Directed by Michael Mayer and featuring a score by the Go-Go’s, "Head Over Heels" began Broadway previews June 23, following a San Francisco out-of-town tryout earlier this year, but never really caught fire on the Great White Way, frequently finishing last at the box office. Despite a lack of momentum, an ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING did see release, which included a bonus track of the Go-Go's updating their classic song "This Town," which was noticeably missing from the play, other than as incidental background music. The musical seemed ill-conceived from the get-go, but nearly won me over in the end. A for effort.

The Go-Go's Are 'Head Over Heels' for Broadway

WE LOVE YOU!! 😍 #Repost @hohmusical ・・・ Legally speaking, could @OfficialGoGos adopt us?!?

A post shared by Go-Go's (@officialgogos) on Jul 25, 2018 at 5:41pm PDT

Great to see the Fab Five having fun together again! "Head Over Heels" officially opens at the Hudson Theatre tonight!

UPDATE: The reviews are in and a lot of them are raves!

TimeOut New York: Four out of five stars

Towleroad: New Go-Go's musical 'Head Over Heels' is a goddamn queer delight

The New Yorker: "Head Over Heels" is a trans-positive spin on a 16th century romance, with help from the Go-Go's 

The Village Voice: In “Head Over Heels,” Go-Go’s Hits and Elizabethan Drag Go Hand in Hand

The Daily Beast: The Go-Go's score a queer Broadway hit in 'Head Over Heels'

Song of the Day: 'Beautiful' by the Go-Go's

As I mentioned over the weekend, I saw and enjoyed "Head Over Heels" on Broadway. The entire cast is very strong -- Peppermint's singing voice aside -- but Broadway newcomer Bonnie Milligan is certainly a delight as the bodacious full-of-herself beauty Bonnie. 

Bonnie originated the role at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

I was the only hardcore fan in my group that saw "Head Over Heels" that day. So everyone was asking me what I thought of the musical choices and if anything was blatantly "missing." My response was that it was a little heavy on the post-reunion catalogue but that there were no obvious omissions. Knowing that the producers had to tell a story with songs that were already written makes the choices understandable -- "Beautiful" and "Good Girl" are perfect as Pamela and sister Philoclea, respectively -- although it did seem like "This Town" would have been the perfect theme for Arcadia. (The music is used as an interlude, however.) 

And if you're wondering, "Vacation" and "This Old Feeling" were probably used to the greatest effect, but I won't spoil how!

Four out of five Go-Go's were great on "CBS Sunday Morning" ...

It's Everything Including Partytime

From HERE.

Remains of the Day (06/07)

Sports Illustrated: So thrilled for Sloane Stephens -- who'd have guessed this by the end of 2017? -- but bummed Halep won; can't say I wouldn't be thrilled if del Potro were to somehow beat Nadal, but I will be lucky if Thiem doesn't get upset by Cecchinato

Towleroad: CrossFit corporate employee fired for tweets opposing "sinful" LGBTQ people as Indy gym shuts down (why'd he have to be so hot?)

NJ: What kind of an asshole abandons a pit bull in the middle of a neighborhood and drives off?

ACLU: An Arizona Court of Appeals just ruled that a business DOES NOT have a right to deny service to same-sex couples, something our nation's hijacked Supreme Court no longer understands

GMA: Victim shot by back-flipping FBI agent says he initially thought an "idiot set off a firecracker," when in fact some idiot nearly killed him

Boy Culture: Jeff Amyx of Tennessee posted a NO GAYS ALLOWED sign in 2015 in his hardware store, but took it down. This week, emboldened by the Masterpiece Cakeshop SCOTUS decision, he put it back up

GQ: A mini-oral history of "Strangers With Candy," as told by the weirdos who made it: Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert

Dlisted: Brendan Fraser claims the HFPA tried to convince him that his groping complain was a misunderstood "joke"

Greg in Hollywood: A relaxed and open Jodie Foster answers the Web's most-searched questions about herself

Best Classic Bands: Revisiting Blondie's "Parallel Lines" on its 40th anniversary 

Daily Intel: The House GOP still can't figure out what it wants on immigration

Curbed: See 20 iconic "Sex and the City" locations in NYC

Playbill: If this subtle ad on the home page of The New York Times is any indication, this Cher musical is really happening

Brooklyn Vegan: Bob Dylan musical "Girl From the North Country" coming to NYC

Deep Dish: Ron Weaver, whose musical parody of the TV show "Bewitched" -- "Bewildered" -- was produced last fall in Chicago, has died at 52

HuffPost: If I lived in Maryland, you can bet I'd vote for this guy

Metrosource: AT&T partners with the Trevor Project to curb teen suicide

OMG Blog: Stephen Colbert mocks SCOTUS ruling for anti-gay baker with "Straight Cakes" bakery

Hot Cat  Chipmunk of the Day: The hunter gets captured by the game ...

'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical': Would've Loved to Love You, Baby

"Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" premiered tonight on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with three women stepping into the shoes of the late Queen of Disco. Summer is said to have wanted this jukebox story of her life to be made, having apparently worked on an early version it before her sudden death from lung cancer in 2012 at 63. But there's no doubt she's not dancing with Steve Rubell in Heaven 54 tonight after seeing what they came up in her absence. 

Three faces of Donna: LaChanze (diva), Storm Lever (duckling) and Ariana DeBose (disco)

Now my lukewarm feelings about musicals are no secret. But as a lifetime Donna Summer fan, I went into this excited and with an open heart -- yet I have to be honest when I say it was one of the most cringe-inducing theatrical experiences of my life. And that two of the leads -- LaChanze and Ariana DeBose -- were wonderful performers and the music (obviously) is one classic hit after the next yet the show was still so dismal speaks to just how ill-conceived it was. Apparently writers Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff never got to the "show don't tell" chapter in their Writing 101 books, because the entire play is one embarrassingly literal monologue after the next, with these three poor women reciting dialogue along the lines like "Then I moved to Munich and there was a lot of art but I was the only black person so it was weird"(!) and "Once you’re on a roller coaster it’s real hard to get off”(!!). And rather than giving any thoughtful attention to the events of her remarkable life -- such as her circuitous rise to international stardom, interracial marriages, decision to leave her newborn daughter to be raised by her parents, substance abuse, childhood sexual abuse, ambivalence about being a sex goddess when she was brought up as a church choir girl, suicide attempt -- let alone her alienating her fanbase at the height of her fame by becoming a Born Again Christian, each detail is quickly glossed over as if the producers were going down a checklist culled from her Wikipedia entry. Things got even worse when Diva Donna spent all of two minutes addressing/brushing off the career-damaging rumor that she had told a concert audience in the early '80s that AIDS was God's punishment for homosexual "sin." In the musical, the whole thing gets truncated to "I made a bad joke about Adam and Steve, but some of my best friends are gay so there’s no way I’m homophobic." (For the record, she denied making any of the statements about gay people, yet the musical has her taking “credit” for the one.) Diva Donna is then forced to say “God made Adam and Steve and Eve and Louise and everybody else” -- an applause line -- yet rather than putting my hands together I felt myself blushing for the actress having to deliver this shoehorned soliloquy.

 To be fair, though, the writers' one major attempt to "show" rather than "tell" -- in this case about an incident involving a violent ex-boyfriend -- saw the cast flailing around to the pulsating beat of "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" (get it?) in what can only be described as the most (unintentionally) hilarious depiction of domestic abuse to date. (I'd go back a dozen times for the camp value of that scene alone if not for the steep ticket prices!) The 100-minute show has no intermission, and I can't help but think this was by design so the audience wouldn't be able to compare notes about what they were witnessing. (About the audience: Summer's hits are so good that a few people seemed to want to clap or get up to dance. But then the dumbfounding monologues would start again, so no one could ever work up any real excitement/momentum.) So rather than wasting your time with this double-knit nightmare, might I suggest spending two hours at home listening to Donna Summer's "Greatest Hits Volumes I and II," "Endless Summer" or her seminal double "Bad Girls" album. Her music has been here all along. But perhaps the one positive thing that can come out of this debacle is that it will encourage people to remember what a true pioneer she was, something "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" somehow manages to miss completely.

The 'Boys' Get Down to Business

Was just discussing "The Boys in the Band" with friends at dinner the other night and was surprised how ambivalent people remain about it. One friend still cringes at the self-loathing and "stereotypes" portrayed in the play, while a younger person still saw "any recognition" of gays and lesbians in the arts as a net positive. Given how I felt growing up a generation after, it's hard to believe that gay men in this era didn't overwhelmingly feel bad about themselves -- with zero role models and laws telling them they were criminal and sub-human -- so I never understood the harm in depicting a group of men who did. My friends and I all agreed that it might have been fun if writer Mart Crowley had updated the script, with the boys being envious of each others' Instagram followings and ability to hook up with hot men on Grindr. But I suppose that would require a complete retooling to factor in the other societal changes, so this thank-god-we’ve-progressed time capsule will do. "The Boys in the Band" on Broadway begins previews at the Booth Theatre at the end of this month.

Remains of the Day (03/26)

Instagram: I'm buying whatever Chris Mazdzer's selling

Back2Stonewall: ACT UP stages its first major protest in NYC, 17 arrested (1987)

Poseidon's Underworld: This explains how Max Gail packed those slacks so nicely on "Barney Miller"

The Randy Report: A Palm Springs real estate agent was shot in Mexico while holding his husband's hand in public

NYT Editorial: Republican lawmakers in Ohio have introduced a bill that would outlaw abortion. It’s unconstitutional, but that’s the point

ABC News: Conservatives to Afghan war vet: Thank you for your service -- now get out

Towleroad: Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" makes electrifying return to Broadway

Die Alone With Me: Gay man wants to be like Chris Evans's mustachioed cop in "Lobby Hero"

NBC News: Crazy Donald and Western allies expel scores of Russians in sweeping rebuke over U.K. poisoning

Matthew's Island of Misfit Toys: Did you say you like 'em muscular?

Greg in Hollywood: The legendary Diana Ross turns 74 today

Boy Culture: Fans of boys in Speedos and briefs are going to want to see all six of FACTORY Fanzine's new covers

The New York Times: "You remind me of my mistresses"

The Daily News: Miranda slams Cuomo on government ethics -- but won’t touch de Blasio scandals

Daily Intelligencer: Gun nuts are sharing fake photos of Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez tearing up the Constitution -- a tacit admission that gun control is necessary

Dlisted: Did Star Jones just marry another gay guy?

Gr8er Days: John Waters's "Pink Flamingos" is nearly ready to join AARP

OMG Blog: "America's Next Top Model" contestant Don Benjamin has a secret weapon in his pants

HuffPost Queer Voices: I don't have much Ryan Murphy experience but really enjoyed "The Assassination of Gianni Versace," which has been called the best show of his you didn't watch

PinkNews: Mike Pence's hometown to host its first ever LGBT pride parade

The WoW Report: Elon Musk's father just had a baby with his former stepdaughter

The Film Experience: Fans rejoice that "One Day at a Time" has been renewed by for a third season

Homorazzi: Netflix renews "Queer Eye" and four other unscripted series

Savage Love: I let my dog like my crotch -- can I still go to heaven?

Hot Cat of the Day: Kudos to Dawn Ennis for giving it the old college try!

Remains of the Day (03/20)

Time Out NY: Meet the 10 hottest chorus boys on Broadway in 2018

The Hill: Another woman -- a former Playboy model -- sues to break silence on Trump

Towleroad: Former NYC Council speaker Christine Quinn returns the bitchy favor to Cynthia Nixon

Dlisted: William Hurt used to be highly f**kable

The New Yorker: Why Congress must act now to protect Robert Mueller

HuffPost: It matters that a gay man helped Trump backers exploit Facebook data

The Scotsman: In bed with Andy Murray (for a good cause)

The Arizona Republic: Mysterious dollar bill displays tip relating to missing 11-year-old girl from my Arizona hometown, who vanished in 1999

The Washington Post: Trump congratulates Putin on his re-election(!)

My New Plaid Pants: There's no denying Alex Pettyfer's a hot piece of ass

Boy Culture: Church honors Charles Manson, condemns gays

Greg in Hollywood: "Blacklisted" Kathy Griffin -- who just sold out Carnegie Hall -- reveals what she would say if she were face to face with Crazy Donald

The Daily News: Elizabeth Hurley shares gruesome picture of nephew’s stab wound in hopes of finding attackers

Back2Stonewall: When William F. Buckley suggested tattooing "all AIDS carriers"

Baseline: Ana Ivanovic gives birth to baby boy

NBC News: A package bound for Austin explodes in a FedEx center

NewNowNext: Ben Carson defends discriminating against transgender homeless people because some people are "not comfortable"

OMG Blog: Everyone's going gaga over Alfonso Herrera's CrossFit video featuring VPL

PinkNews: Researchers say gay millennials love monogamy

Outsports: Homophobia swirls around the latest Aaron Hernandez story

The Guardian: Man at center of allegations about Facebook data breach is suspended

Chicago Tribune: Crazy Donald signs bill that kills Obama-era rule targeting wage theft, unsafe working conditions

TV Line: "Roseanne" teases David's return

The WoW Report: Lindsay Lohan has a new gig -- she's now the (odd) face of Lawyer.com

From @niadefazio: "Love train 🚂 ❤️" #catsofinstagram

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Hot Cat of the Day: "You do me and I'll do her."

Touched by an 'Angel'

Not usually a huge geometry fan, but thoroughly enjoyed “Angles in America” along with these bosom buddies. #angelsinamerica #broadway #theatre

A post shared by Kenneth M. Walsh (@kenneth_212) on Mar 18, 2018 at 12:36am PDT

Attended a preview of the Broadway revival of Tony Kushner's famed "Angels in America," just in from London's National Theatre. It was my first time seeing it on the stage -- and the same things I didn't love about the HBO version still remain. (Supernatural beings, ghosts and highly metaphorical works of art are not my cup of tea, and it's reaaaaaally long.) But when it's good it's exceptional, which is how a non-theater-goer like me was able to sit through both 3 1/2 hours productions on Saturday -- "Millennium Approaches" at 1 p.m. and "Perestroika" at 7 p.m., with lunch and a champagne toast to my brother Bill in between at Bar Centrale.

Andrew Garfield, whose work I was not familiar with, is wonderful (if not a bit too fit) as Prior Walter, a gay man with AIDS. James McArdle is very believable as his neurotic boyfriend who is unable to cope with Prior's illness. (McArdle reminded me physically of blogger Matthew Rettenmund!) Nathan Lane is effective as evil closet case Roy Cohn, Lee Pace turns in an adequate if a bit wooden -- except when he's buck-naked on a beach -- performance at Joe Pitt, the closeted Mormon whose relationship with Cohn is his undoing. And Nathan Stewart-Jarrett is a scene-stealer as sassy nurse/drag queen Belize. But it's Denise Gough, as Harper Pitt, Joe's gas-lighted wife, who gives the standout performance that definitely deserves a Tony nomination. The rest of the cast is sensational -- as are the sets -- and it feels like the right time to revisit the peak of the AIDS epidemic as Trump seems to be as concerned about the disease as Reagan was nearly 40 years ago.

Remains of the Day (02/27)

Bammer47: Have you checked in with gay historian Mike Balaban lately?

Dlisted: Are the Spice Girls performing at the Royal wedding?

The Washington Post: Kushner's overseas contacts raise concerns as foreign officials seek leverage

Towleroad: "Clueless" Stacey Dash is running for Congress in California

Press Release: Kylie Minogue to headline New York City Pride

NPR: Michelle Obama's "deeply personal" memoir will be published Nov. 13

Broadway World: Friend-of-the-(212) Dennis Hensley's "You Don't Know My Life!" comes to the Los Angels LGBT Center on March 11

Time: Bernie Sanders's son Levi announces run for Congress 

Page Six: Cynthia Nixon snapped with Sarah Jessica Parker amid Kim Cattrall feud

Baseline: Serena's hubby puts up Billboards in Palm Springs

Curbed: Judge rules stockbroker must vacate his ill-gotten affordable Chelsea apartment

The New York Times: I've always said most actors are cast for who they are, not how they act -- and this interview with Lauren Ambrose was like catching up with Claire Fisher

Hunk du Jour: Anthony Gallo really does these Polo slip briefs justice

HuffPost: Gay GOP group leader still believes Crazy Donald is a"pro-LGBT" president(!)

The Wall Street Journal: U.N. report links North Korea to Syrian chemical weapons

The Guardian: Slovakian journalist investigating claims of tax fraud linked to ruling party shot dead

The WoW Report: Barbra Streisand reveals she had her dog cloned -- TWICE

Metrosource: Just how many "unseen" photos of Marilyn Monroe still exist?

Boy Culture: How do we feel about the "Heathers" reboot headed to television?

Vice: Streaking makes a comeback

Daily Intelligencer: GOP Senator Bob Corker decides to retire (this time for real)

Hot Cat of the Day: Let's sure hope this little cutie finds a good home, now that our governor has granted $5 million to fund state animal shelters