Remains of the Day (12/07)

Outsports: LGBTQ athletes came out and succeeded in 2017

Towleroad: Will sex bomb Calvin Harris honor his Australian gay marriage promise from 2012?

The Hollywood Reporter: "Dick Van Dyke" star Rose Marie on what happened when she publicly shamed her harasser

Greg in Hollywood: A curious Will surprises a shirtless Paul in his hotel room on "Days of Our Lives"

Gay Star News: Same-sex marriage is official now in Australia, but that couple who vowed to divorce if it became legal is now backing out on their promise

ACLU: What is net neutrality?

The New York Times: Unlike the blue-collar workers he hires, Trump wouldn't dare stiff Sheldon Adelson

The WoW Report: Did Donald Trump's dentures just fall out?

OMG Blog: At least on A-list actress in Hollywood had no idea Harvey Weinstein was a rapist

Hunk du Jour: Oh, boy -- those briefs don't stand a chance

Gr8er Days: Ultimate fan recollection of "The Poseidon Adventure"

The Film Experience: A first trailer for Andrew ("Weekend," "Looking") Haigh's "Lean on Pete"

DListed: Jeffrey Tambor hasn't quit "Transparent" just yet

The Gay Almanc: Is being gay in your DNA? Science seeks an answer

Boy Culture: Madonna gets down with Anderson Cooper and Kelly (Lee) Ripa

Edge Media: Gay Argentina rugby player left with fractured eye in brutal beating

The Randy Report: Judge denies request to move trial of Pulse nightclub shooter's wife

HuffPost Queer Voices: State rep Brian Simms says Pennsylvania's anti-legislator who had a hissy fit must step now

The Associated Press: Another day, another school shooting

Deep Dish: Since when does Santa have a six-pack?

Top 5: 23 animal photos that will convince you to adopt one

Made in Brazil: You know what happens when white fabric gets wet

The Village Voice: The lawsuit that could just maybe(!) derail Trump

Tennis Life: WTA Tour announces 2017 awards

JoeMyGod: FBI director defends agency from Trump's accusation that their reputation is "in tatters"

Hot Cat of the Day: That's what I call a Johnny cat!

On the Rag, Vol. 477

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

Gay Times (U.K.): I have no idea who Harry Judd is. But I can't wait to hear what he really thinks of explicit messages from his gay fans! Read HERE.

GCN (Dublin): Horrifying police attack on LGBT people in Azerbaijan / Read HERE.

A&U: Hair and makeup artist Eric Leonardos uses his reality-show celebrity to give back / Read HERE.

Get Out!: See more of cover man James Giraldo HERE.

The Advocate: Spencer Jones writes what I've been saying all along -- patriotism is often just racism / Read HERE.

QX (London): XXL is celebrating its 17th birthday / Read HERE.

But I'm more interested in this other club's "gray trackies night"!

HotSpots (Miami): The annual spa edition / Read HERE.

Paper: Michael Musto recounts his most horrible encounters with celebrities! Read HERE.

Metro Weekly (D.C.): "Transparent" got off to a meandering start -- do ANY of the Pfeffermans have any redeeming qualities? -- but it's gotten better since they headed to the Promised Land / Read HERE.

Rage Monthly: David Bromstad on finding that perfect fit / Read HERE.

POZ:  Puerto Rico’s economic crisis threatens critical progress on HIV / Read HERE.

The Gay U.K.: Brits tell us which four U.S. cities we totally need to visit (there are four?)! Read HERE.

San Francisco Bay Times: Celebrating Shanti's 43 years of service to the community / Read HERE.

Out: More than 100 photos from this year's Bushwig Festival HERE!

DNA (Australia): You'll want to vote yes for THIS!

Curve: Stockholm Pride makes a stand for the global LGBTQI community / Read HERE.

Get Out!: Artem Shcherbakov is shameless! Read HERE.

Winq (U.K.): Naked rugby players tease 2018 charity calendar HERE.

Lavender (Twin Cities): The pets issue is cute -- until a pit bull kills your 3-year-old / Read HERE.

Edge Media: Julia Louis-Dreyfus says she has breast cancer (wishing her well) / Read HERE.

Adelante: I vote for Mario / Info HERE.

MetroSource: New study to track sexually active men may slow the spread of HIV / Read HERE.

The Unleashed Voice: Meet physician and sexual health activist/researcher David Malebranche HERE.

Out on Hollywood's Trans Formation

Out shines with a transgender-heavy issue. Read how "Transparent" became the most trans-inclusive show in Hollywood history. Read HERE.

A Minor 'Trans'gression

Couldn't resist telling them how I really feel.

A Transitioning 'Transparent'

Finally polished off season two of "Transparent." I'm not one for spoilers, but if you haven't watched it yet, you might want to avoid this post. As you may recall, I went from thinking the first season was the best thing on television to sort of dreading watching more this time around. Fortunately, it ended on a high note. But that high note -- actually giving the trans parent some screen time -- is merely who the show is supposedly based around, so it left me with the same feeling you get when you know you're right about something but you're almost too exhausted from trying to convince everyone to even enjoy it. (She's IN THE TITLE, why aren't you telling the story that's the most compelling?) Although many have praised the flashbacks, the device didn't really work for me. And I could have done without Carrie Brownstein's character and that story-line completely. (We get it, Ali is exploring herself.) But Josh -- whose bro-vado is so off-putting to me that I can barely watch him -- finally became somewhat multi-dimensional thanks to his relationships with his fiance and his son. And I liked that the three siblings finally had some moments toward the end where they weren't just being self-absorbed assholes. (Self-absorbed is realistic, but it was done in such a cartoonish way that I found myself rolling my eyes by mid-season.) But what made it worthwhile was that they FINALLY explored Maura's post-transition relationship with Shelly. That subject is such an important and interesting one, ripe with possibilities, yet the producers often seemed more interested in figuring out another way to show us Gaby Hoffman naked. Kudos. Most of all, though, Maura's mort-ifying trip to the women's retreat and her subsequent time with Vikki was a revelation, and I'm hoping there's plenty more where that came from. 

A Sophomore Slump for 'Transparent'?

  Was unpleasantly surprised by the first three episodes of season 2 of "Transparent," which officially returns to Amazon Prime today. They weren't bad, but the show -- whose debut season was one of the finest things to ever air on television -- is suddenly flirting with the supernatural in a way that I don't think serves it well. It could turn out that what I've seen sets up the greatest thing in the history of television. But as of now, the only thing I like about the new season is the heavy dose of Colton -- (horrible) Josh and former babysitter Rita's teenage son -- played by a young Tom Brady lookalike named Alex MacNicoll who is just begging to be sexually abused at a family reunion. Anyone else tuning in yet?

Transformation

Boy Culture makes a hilariously astute observation about Jeffrey Tambor's Maura Pfefferman, which just won the longtime character actor a well-deserved Golden Globe, as did the brilliant show, "Transparent." Read HERE.

Amazon Primed to Make Me a Believer

Finally bit the bullet and watched "television" on my laptop last night -- in bed, full-screened -- so I could see what all the hype was about surrounding "Transparent." (My DVD player is preloaded to allow me to stream Netflix and Hulu Plus but not Amazon Prime.) Wow -- just wow. Have only watched the first three episodes, but I can't say enough about this family drama. Although it is about the transition of the Pfefferman family patriarch, the show is much more like "Six Feet Under" than anything I've seen since. All three of our heroine's children have huge and discrete story archs -- which because they are all so self-absorbed have little do to with their father's decision to live his truth -- so the show is much more than a show about transgenderism, although that part is beautifully realized too. I doubt many people base their TV-watching on what I say, but I did want to take a second to mention that I am thoroughly impressed and moved by Jill Soloway's show. Might be time to get a Roku.

Also got to see the pilot of "Red Oaks." It's very enjoyable -- set in tennis club in 1985(!) -- and our lead Craig Roberts is utterly adorable. I think the show has a lot of potential, but I doubt it will win enough votes from Amazon Prime viewers to be turned into a full series. With that said, I will try to think of it as an adorable TV special I happened upon.

UPDATE: I was wrong!!!!! (I was so sure I was right I didn't even investigate.)

Amazon Picks Up ‘Red Oaks’ to Series

Directed by Sundance award winner David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express) and executive produced by Academy Award winner Soderbergh (Behind the Candelabra, Traffic), Red Oaks stars Craig Roberts (Submarine) as David Myers, an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey in 1985. David is reeling from his father’s heart attack and conflicted about what college major to declare in the fall; his father Sam Myers is played by Richard Kind (Luck). While there, David meets a colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members including an alluring art student named Skye, played by Alexandra Socha, and her corporate raider father Getty played by Paul Reiser (Mad About You) and Ennis Esmer as Nash. A coming-of-age comedy set in the “go-go” 80s that is equal parts hijinks and heartfelt, Red Oaks is about enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end—and the future begins. Red Oaks also stars Jennifer Grey (It’s Like, You Know) as Judy Myers, Oliver Cooper (Californication) as Wheeler and Gage Golightly as Karen. Red Oaks is written by Gregory Jacobs (The Knick) and Joe Gangemi (Eliza Graves). Soderbergh, Green, Jacobs, and Gangemi are executive producers.