Social Awareness

 

As much as I agree with my mom that social media has destroyed society, it's nice to remember the upside, too. Yesterday Ricki Lake popped up on an episode of "Kate & Allie" and it was fun to see that Ricki had viewed my Instagram story about it, even if she didn't HEART it. (WTF?!!!)

Meanwhile ...

My friend Mark -- who shares my obsession with the film "Little Darlings" (1980) -- received a comment from Krista Errickson, who stars in a memorable scene he posted on YouTube! 

These are just two small examples -- one of Johnny Cash's kids and a Go-Go befriended me via Twitter -- the list of which goes on and on. 

Tennis Tuesday: Maxence Broville

French tennis player Maxence Broville (currently ranked #708) first came to my attention when doubles specialist Fabien Reboul posted a photo of the two of them kissing in late 2022. Now more than two years later, the 6-foot-4, 181-pound journeyman has resurfaced, this time being named Mister France Auvergne for 2025 -- which you will fully understand when you see him strutting down the runway in nothing but boxer-briefs and a smile BELOW.

Remains of the Day (05/19)

NBC News: "Love Island" contestant Cashel Barnett charged with domestic violence in Utah 

The Randy Report: Las Vegas: Chippendales to open custom-designed theater at Planet Hollywood

MetroWeekly: Florida woman allegedly attacked wife with plate of nachos

New Plaza Cinema: "Rebel With a Clause" opens Thursday in NYC

TMZ: Wrestling gold medalist Kyle Snyder pleads to lesser charge after arrest with his pants down in prostitution sting ... see when the ginger X-offender was my Wrestle Wednesday HERE.

People: Arnold and Maria's portly son is now even hotter than brother Patrick!

Instinct: Full-frontal Alexander Skarsgård powers gay film "Pillion" 

Pride: Five celebrity LGBT couples who've welcomed babies in 2025

Boy Culture: Theo James was born to wear a white Speedo

The Gay Curmudgeon: Postcard from the Cruel World festival

CNN: Regeneron to buy bankrupt DNA testing firm 23andMe for $256 million

The Guardian: Jim Morrison’s long-lost graveside bust turns up during French police search

Out: Billionaire David Geffen, 82, files for divorce from 32-year-old hooker David Armstrong (aka Donovan Michaels ... aka Brandon NSFW Foster)

NBC News: Paris unveils a memorial to LGBT victims of Nazi regime and other persecutions

The Caftan Chronicles: Remembering gay TV pioneer, leather daddy and orgy host Lou Maletta

Attitude: Baltic "White Lotus" star Arnas Fedaravicius details salacious messages he gets from gays: "My DMs are full'"

DNA: Jude Law and Andrew Garfield bring Siegfried and Roy’s romance to screen

The Hill: "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams has shared that he is suffering from prostate cancer like former President Biden and does not have long to live; manages to make several tone-deaf comments in sad announcement

"Triangle Troubles": Who remembers the "Three's Company" episode where Jack Tripper (John Ritter) pretended he lived alone when he fell for a woman (Barrie Youngfellow, who later played Jan on every season of "It's a Living") he believed was old-fashioned, but it turned out she also roomed with two people of the opposite sex, neither of whom was a stick-in-the-mud florist! 

The Advocate: Johnny Mathis, gay trailblazer and global superstar, takes a final bow

MetroWeekly: Your guide to WorldPride D.C. events

The Tennis Circle: German actor Kostja Ullmann -- who is said to have flirted heavily online with Dominic Thiem -- talks all things tennis (ICYMI)

New Republic: Texas judge rules it’s OK to discriminate against LGBT people

Queerty: Two friends try to sleep their way across town "Rent Free" in this butt-buddy comedy

Variety: If you really loved me, you'd be bidding hard at the Mary Tyler Moore auction -- my birthday is June 8!

DNA: Meet Ishaan Khatter, your new royal obsession on Netflix

AFP: Call for EU ban on anti-LGBT "conversion" gets a million signatures

EuroNews: Romania overtakes Poland as worst country in the EU for LGBT people

Baseline: Canada-based apparel company Psycho Bunny signs Arthur Rinderknech to multi-year deal

Interview: Say hello to Tom Francis, the bloodstained beefcake of Broadway's "Sunset Boulevard"

Instinct: Russell Tovey serves canine cuteness, and more

Variety: I have to say I've been deeply moved by Benito Skinner's "Overcompensating." Although I was nothing like his character, even the most effete boys are largely presumed to be straight by default, so everything he's going through -- being asked about girlfriends, etc. -- still touches a painful nerve I had largely suppressed. (Note: I think how timeless the topic is allows me to look past the fact that the timeline/era doesn't always seem to quite add up.)

Tennis: WTA chairman Steve Simon announces retirement after 10 years of service

GQ: How the broccoli perm -- which my nephew has naturally! -- became the definitive zoomer hairstyle ... AND why the toupee is making a comeback with millennial men

THR: The Hollywood Reporter, GLAAD to celebrate Pride ’25 and the 40th anniversary of the LGBT advocacy organization

The Ethicist: Is it ethical to buy used books and music? (I'll save you a click: YES.)

Hot Cat of the Day: "Wait a second."

Song of the Day: Such a thrill to see (on YouTube) 'Til Tuesday reunite at the Cruel World festival for the first time in about 40 years. (They covered “Drive” by the their new-wave heroes!) "Coming Up Close" was always my favorite song of theirs, so now it's your SOTD!

Sending my love to President Biden and his family during this most difficult time. xo 

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Carlos Alcaraz and Jasmine Paolini win big in Rome. Full report plus all the ATP beef that's fit to post BELOW.

The Forecast Is Hot, Hot, Hot

 

Don't cha wish your weatherman was hot like mine? DON'T CHA?

Two Nights at the Opera

 

Damian and I saw "The Barber of Seville" at the Met on Friday, followed by its sequel, "The Marriage of Figaro," on Saturday. As an opera novice I don't have any insight into the productions -- I blown away by them both, just being in the presence of such talent in this illustrious venue feels like a privilege from start to finish. Perhaps the only thing I can say is that by seeing them back to back it was a tad jarring in that we spent the first night rooting for Count Almaviva to win his "one and only true love" (Rosina) with the help of Figaro, only to spend the next night being disgusted by the count's callous behavior toward his now-wife, as he tries to sexually exploit his staff, most notably Susanna, who is set to marry (none other than) Figaro! 

We sat in the front row of the balcony for the first time on Friday.

And then returned to our favored orchestra the next night. The balcony is great for the acoustics and faster access to Champagne during the intermission, while the orchestra can't be beat for visuals. 

That's it for opera season. Damian has already selected three for the fall. Next up I'd like to see a ballet, starting perhaps with Balanchine's "A Midsummer's Night Dream."