Remains of the Day (06/25)

Too Fab: "Real World" gay icon Danny Roberts, now 40, reveals PTSD after MTV and offers advice for LGBTQ+ youth

Arizona Republic: Here's an idea: If you don't want to fill prescriptions, don't become a pharmacist

Towleroad: Toxicology report reveals cocktail of drugs that killed "Storm Chasers" star Joel Taylor on gay Atlantis cruise

The Washington Post: Liberal hostility toward Trump aides could galvanize the GOP base, writes James Hohmann (NOTE: I don't really agree with this reasoning, but I do fully expect Trump to be re-elected in 2020)

BBC Comedy: This video will explain how we will lose the 2020 presidential election

Boy Culture: Adam Rippon in the raw for ESPN

Capturing Rainbows: The changing face of Pride

Broadway World: How a Broadway music video captured the "morning glow" of marriage equality

Extra: Cynthia Nixon announces that her oldest child, Seph, is trans

Heavy: Did you know John Ritter's youngest child (with whom he had with Amy Yasbeck of "Wings") is also trans?

The Daily News: The U.S. border security agency temporarily stopped handing over migrant families for prosecution, effectively limiting the “zero tolerance” policy (for now)

NBC: The Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of Brendan Dassey, whose conviction was documented in the 2015 Netflix documentary series "Making a Murderer"

The New York Times: Queer love in color

Dlisted: Heather Locklear got arrested again -- how much do you want to bet if she were black and behaved this way she would be dead?

The Gay Almanac: Happy 83rd birthday to LGBTQ activist Larry Kramer

AmericaBlog: Trump staffers complain of D.C. dating blacklist

OMG Blog: Musician Jack Gilinsky of "Jack and Jack" shows off his, um, drum stick

Washington Blade: Supreme Court sends back "religious freedom" case from anti-gay florist

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Hot Cat of the Day: Could you please chew with your mouth closed? 

This is the True Story... of 12 Strangers ... Picked to Live in a Palace ...

Read HERE.

Can't wait for "The Real World: Vatican City."

Keeping It 'Real'

Cutie Davis Mallory is feeling VERY ROMANTIC.

On the Rag, Vol. 344

A weekly look at what's making news in the free gay mags:

Grab: Meet Barleque winner Brian -- voted "Chicago's sexiest" -- HERE.

Get Out: Briah Bettencourt joins season 30 of "The Real World" as his brother Bruno’s (a main cast member) skeleton / Read HERE.

(Editor's note: Do you remember the last season you watched?)

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Next: Look out, "Rupaul's Drag Race": Here come NYC girls Miss Fame and Pearl.

Metro Weekly (D.C.): Local artist Scott G. Brooks unveils his first solo show in years / Read HERE.

Echo (Phoenix): Frank Marino’s Las Vegas-based troupe returns to the Valley of the Sun / Read HERE.

Rage (L.A./San Diego): The Art Issue is online HERE.

P.S. Sorry for the delay, I was away this weekend.

'The Real World: New York' Cast Reuniting 22 Years Later

Oprah Winfrey's television network finally has something good -- now bring on the 2015 Eric Nies calendar! Read HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Beautiful Girls (Diem's Song)' by Davis Mallory

Beautiful Girls (Diem's Song) [Radio Edit] - Single - Davis Mallory

Davis writes of the tribute song he wrote for "Challenge" cast member Diem Brown, who recently lost her tough battle with cancer:

Diem and I met right after I completed "The Real World Denver" in 2006. My mother's childhood friend has a daughter in Diem's sorority at FSU who introduced us over email prior to my filming the "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno 3," Diem had just finished "Fresh Meat" and coached me over email through the show. She and I grew up just a few miles away from each other in bordering towns in Georgia, so we hit it off pretty fast. Her passing hit me hard. I live in Nashville now and have been sharpening my songwriting/singing skills over the past several years, writing with BMI Songwriter of the Decade & Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer Roger Murrah as well as many up-and-coming songwriter/artists here in Nashville.

 Proceeds from this track will go to Diem Brown's charity -- details HERE.

Beautiful Girls (Diem's Song) [Radio Edit] - Single - Davis Mallory

 

RIP: Sean Sasser, AIDS Activist and Early MTV 'Real World' Star, Is Dead at 44

Things got all too real in San Francisco

Sad to read about the passing of Sean Sasser, best remembered as the boyfriend of Pedro Zamora on the third season of "The Real World." 

With partner Michael Kaplan

Fellow "Real World" alum Dan Renzi reports on Queerty:

According to his life partner, Michael Kaplan, Sasser died of mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lungs. [Typically associated with asbestos inhalation.] No other information was released immediately about his medical condition, but mesothelioma has been linked to a weakened immune system in some people with AIDS.   

The news is especially shocking as just three months ago the Washington Blade wrote a review of the restaurant in D.C. where Sasser had recently moved and started working as a pastry chef, that quickly turned into a love letter to everyone's favorite early '90s boyfriend. (Kaplan led the relocation to the East Coast to become president and CEO of AIDS United.) As you can see, Sean was just beaming and full of life in the photo. Prior to moving to Washington, he and Kaplan were living in Oregon, where they were foster parents to a little girl named Alice. What was supposed to be a two-week stint -- she was 4 when she arrived -- lasted a year and a half before she was eventually adopted by her aunt. 

Although their relationship was under terrifying circumstances, watching Sean be strong and stand by Pedro was a character-building lesson for me as a young gay man. My condolences to everyone who loved him. His legacy will most certainly live on.

In the kitchen at the West End eatery RIS

Living in 'The Real World'

  Vulture took on the ambitious task of ranking all 27(!) seasons of "The Real World." I figured the year I stopped watching would mark when I officially became old, but flipping through them I realize I faded in and out for years -- skipping early-on Boston and Seattle -- but rebounding in time for hot-ass Danny in New Orleans. (Who didn't watch that one?) Although I haven't had a chance to thoroughly read this, I can already tell you for a fact that it is dead wrong about putting London at NUMBER 7! They acknowledge that it was panned at the time, but insist that in retrospect it is a "breath of fresh air." Um, no. Read HERE.

Reality Check?

I remember right after "The Real World" Chicago ended I started seeing Chris Beckman all around town. I think I'd heard he'd moved here to pursue his art career, which you can read more about here. Unlike most people you see on television, Chris was even bigger, taller and more handsome in person. I was smitten. Although I never got the chance to talk to him, later I wondered if maybe it was better that I'd always lusted him from afar because I couldn't help but think that the Real World Guy character in Tom Dolby's "The Trouble Boy" was based -- at least in part -- on Mr. Beckman. In interviews I've seen that Tom says no, but still I wonder ... nobody could be that cute and not having something wrong with him :-)