Remains of the Day (04/01)

DM: Personal trainer fired by David Lloyd gyms after being accused of sexually harassing his colleagues loses wrongful dismissal claim, and is left with $23,000 legal bill

Attitude: Dutch PM Rob Jetten celebrates 25 years of same-sex marriage as Amsterdam hosts landmark weddings

The Caftan Chronicles: The great performance artist John Kelly isn't done making work -- or searching for eyes to look into

NBC News: Everyone on the Supreme Court but Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson agrees Colorado's ban on conversion therapy was written in an unconstitutional way

Wrestle Wednesday: Wrestling match or dream hookup?

The Advocate: Josh Sorbe, a Democratic spokesman from South Dakota who is gay, highlighted why the Noems are getting attention: "The Bryon Noem story perfectly encapsulates these people's hypocrisy and insecurity. They ostracize any queer person in public, but love to queen out and do gay shit behind the scenes. Get well, and I'll even cheer on your bad drag after they're out of power."

Gr8er Days: Five incredible movies that never happened

WPLN: Tennessee library director ousted after refusing to remove LGBTQ books

Instinct: Scotland aims to stop HIV transmission altogether

EW: Why Andrew McCarthy didn't write about the "lovely people" in the Brat Pack in his new book about friendship

The Direction of Motion: Kathy Valentine on the Clem Burke tribute she co-organized, lunch with Debbie Harry and Glen Matlock, and shortcuts to closeness 

Fox: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel responds after running back seemingly defends Jaden Ivey's anti-LGBTQ remarks

Washington Blade: Senegalese president signs bill that further criminalizes homosexuality

Out: Connor Storrie's butt takes center stage in new horror short film by Nia DaCosta

Happy Birthday: Shirley Jones is 92! ... and Warren Beatty is 89!

Hot Cat of the Day: Valerie's my kind of Cat Mom!

'Golden' Oldies: Matt Rettenmund shares photos he's collected of one of TV's most beloved sitcoms

Tennis Tuesday

Fila and Ellesse were brands we could only dream of as tennis-obsessed kids -- and this is a reminder why! More BELOW.

Nonstop Nostalgia

 

I finished Griffin Dunne's juicy memoir over the weekend and it immediately flooded my brain with memories of New York City 1985 -- the year of his best film ("After Hours") and my first trip to the Big Apple. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon my plane ticket from that adventure -- remember paper tickets ... and TWA? And while we never got tickets to see "Oh! Calcutta!" or "Hamelin," you can't beat roundtrip from Phoenix to NYC for $278! 

P.S. I swear I'm not a hoarder! 

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Sunshine double for Sinner and Sabalenka. Full report plus all the ATP beef that's fit to post BELOW.

 

Not-So-Latergram From SoCal

 

I waited nine months or so to post our Monte Carlo Masters 1000 photos "to the grid" on Instagram, so vowed I wouldn't do the same with Indian Wells. Although I've already shared a number of pictures from our memorable trip this month to Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and Los Angeles on my blog, you can see the fruits of my labor -- all eight posts(!) -- BELOW.

Did Blogger 'Large Tony' Really Die in 2023?

Hmm, do I smell catfish on the grill? 

Was initially stunned yesterday to discover that the well-endowed Tennessee mountain man who heated up the internet back in the day -- aptly named Large Tony -- had supposedly died in 2023, just two months shy of his 48th birthday. 

Although I know I'm just one of many people who has a long history with whoever was behind this persona that was simultaneously revealing (those photos!) and anonymous, I'm kind of reeling from this news, however belated. 

Yesterday he popped into my head, so I shot him an email, like we would do from time to time, only for it to bounce back. I then sent him this DM (on the erstwhile Twitter) -- and I pray that I'm onto something.

I wrote:

You just popped into my head so I sent you an email -- only for it to bounce back. From there I checked on here and saw a notice saying you had died in 2023. How I hope this is not true, just a way for you to retire the Large Tony persona. But whatever the case may be, thank you for your kindness over the years. You’ve been a welcome online presence since the early days of blogging, and I hope you are at peace wherever you are today.

But then I started to see the whole "Large Tony" persona through 2026 eyes:

Did no one in the state of Tennessee ever recognize him and reveal his identity -- even now? How did this busy young man manage to find time to have a "special" online relationship with virtually every person I've ever encountered? (I now see that BosGuy wrote about it contemporaneously and that even Andy Cohen was sniffing around at the time too, apparently mentioning the death on his radio show.) And who posted that succinct update about his untimely death for his “fans”? Unless "The Attorney" (as he referred to his supposed long-term partner) somehow had full access to his accounts, which seems unlikely given that I don't think my own husband could get into mine, I'm having a hard time buying it.

Suddenly the whole thing is starting to give me a JT LeRoy vibe. (The slick black-and-white photo with the birth and death dates seems off, too.) I suspect I'm onto something here ... or perhaps thinking this way is just easier than accepting that his death could be true.

UPDATE: Apparently I wasn't the only one who had this hunch. Blobby even hits on a couple things I was thinking but didn't mention and knows about some aborted blogger "meet-ups" involving Tony, which I'm sure involved "cancer" or a "car crash"! Another person said he has a story for me, which I'm still waiting to hear.