Eydie Gormé Dies At Age 84

Superstar of the 60s Eydie Gormé, also well-known for her career-long onstage partnership with her husband Steve Lawrence, has died at the age of 84.

"Legendary singer and performer Eydie Gorme passed away peacefully today at Sunrise Hospital following a brief illness," [spokesman Howard] Bragman said in a statement. "She was surrounded by her husband, son and other loved ones at the time of her death." In his own statement, Steve Lawrence said: "Eydie has been my partner on stage and in life for more than 55 years. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her and even more the first time I heard her sing." He added: "While my personal loss is unimaginable, the world has lost one of the greatest pop vocalists of all time."  A favorite on The Ed Sullivan Show, in showrooms in the Catskills and in Las Vegas – where they married on Dec. 29, 1957, and later took up permanent residence – as well as on stages, including Carnegie Hall, Steve and Eydie, as they were known, sang popular hits of the day, including Broadway standards, and exchanged pointed personal banter – all of which their audiences ate up.

Eydie and Vicki Carr were my dad's favorite singers.  

RELATED: There used to be a great gay-owned record store in Atlanta called E.D.'s Gourmet Records. I stopped in whenever I was in town and the name still makes me smile.

Tweet Of The Day - Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

As Bad Or Much Worse Than In Russia

Via Buzzfeed:

It is illegal to be gay in 76 countries. Punishments range from fines to short and lifelong prison sentences, hard labor, forced psychiatric treatment, banishment, whippings, and death by public stoning. The upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi have put Russia’s “gay propaganda” law and the international community on an unavoidable collision course, but whatever happens in February is only the beginning of a broader (and much more complicated) conversation about the status of LGBT rights around the world.

Many more details.

NEW YORK CITY: Seven Year Sentence In Brutal Bronx Gay Bashing Case

Bronx gang member Nelson Falu, 20, was yesterday sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a 2010 gay bashing and torture incident that horrified New York City.

Falu was among eight members of the "Latin King Goonies" who tortured and beat two teenage boys and a 30-year-old man over the course of several hours in a Bronx home, while using anti-gay slurs. Prosecutors say the gang members sodomized two of the men with a plunger, chained one to a chair, and used a cigarette lighter to inflict burns. Falu, 20, and two other participants, took guilty pleas in June. The cases against the other gang members are still pending.

RELATED: After the 2010 arrests, the New York Times published a lengthy recounting of the crimes.

At London's Protest Of Russia

Thousands of our people are rallying today outside of Russia's consulate in London. I'll add more photos and video as they come in.  (Photos via JMG reader Sam)

Quote Of The Day - Todd Starnes

"Obama said he is looking forward to 'maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there.' It sounds like the president is suggesting a litmus test for membership on the U.S. Olympic team. The president also suggested that Olympic teams without gay or lesbian athletes are somehow weaker than heterosexual athletic teams. 'If Russia doesn’t have any gay or lesbian athletes, then that would probably make their team weaker,' the president said during the nationally televised press conference. Why can’t President Obama support all of our Olympic athletes — regardless of who they choose to love, regardless of their sexual orientation?" - Fox News commentator Todd Starnes.  (Via David Badash)

Atheist Vs Rep. Michael Burgess

Raw Story reports:

The audience at a town hall event held by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on Thursday was none too responsive to a young atheist blogger’s questions for Burgess regarding atheist military chaplains. Video posted by Daniel Moran, who goes by the name The Barking Atheist online, shows that when he pushed Burgess on his vote for a ban on atheists from serving in those positions, members of the audience yelled, “Throw him out!” before Burgess put up his hand and asked them to stop. “I thought that was a dumb idea,” Burgess told Moran, which prompted applause from the crowd. “I’ll do it again.”

CHICAGO: Activists To Protest McDonald's Sponsorship Of Sochi Olympics

Next weekend a group of Chicago activists will rally outside the McDonald's corporate headquarters in protest of their sponsorship of the Sochi Olympics.

Members and supporters of StonewallAgain plan on marching at McDonald's headquarters, 2111 McDonald's Dr. in Oak Brook, on Aug. 17 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The group is calling on McDonald's to cease their support of the Games to take a stand against Russia's harsh new anti-LGBT laws. In a deal that lasts through 2020, McDonald's pays about $100 million to be sole retail food sponsor for each pair of Olympics in a four-year period. The protest will "tell McDonald's Corp. to stop sponsoring the homophobic Sochi Winter Olympics. Russia has implemented laws to arrest and deport anyone who is or they suspect is gay," according to StonewallAgain's Facebook page.

The group's Facebook event page is here.

Tweet Of The Day - Judson Phillips

This is the same guy who went on national television to declare that President Obama looks like a "skinny ghetto crackhead."  He's the founder of Tea Party Nation.

Feds Announce Social Security Benefits For Spouses In Same-Sex Marriages

Via press release from the office of Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.

I am pleased to announce that Social Security is now processing some retirement spouse claims for same-sex couples and paying benefits where they are due. The recent Supreme Court decision on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, made just over a month ago, helps to ensure that all Americans are treated fairly and equally, with the dignity and respect they deserve. We continue to work closely with the Department of Justice. In the coming weeks and months, we will develop and implement additional policy and processing instructions. We appreciate the public’s patience as we work through the legal issues to ensure that our policy is legally sound and clear. I encourage individuals who believe they may be eligible for Social Security benefits to apply now, to protect against the loss of any potential benefits. We will process claims as soon as additional instructions become finalized.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:

The Social Security Administration is limiting payment of claims for same-sex married couples currently to those couples who were married in a state that allows same-sex couples to marry and are “domiciled,” or live, in a state that recognizes same-sex couples’ marriages.

The decision means claims from same-sex couples married where such couples can legally marry but who live in a state that does not recognize such marriages are having their applications put on hold for the time being.

As of Friday, a new section for “Windsor Same-Sex Marriage Claims” — named after the Supreme Court case of United States v. Windsor, which resulted in a part of the Defense of Marriage Act being struck down — was added to the Social Security Administration’s Program Operations Manual System (POMS), which the agency describes as the primary source of information used by Social Security employees to process claims for Social Security benefits.

The claims processing instructions “allow for payment of claims” when the claimant “was married in a state that permits same-sex marriage” and “is domiciled at the time of application, or while the claim is pending a final determination, in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage.”

TRAILER: The Hunger Games II

The Nation Endorses Bill De Blasio

The Nation made an apparently rare local endorsement today, backing the mayoral bid of New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.

No doubt there will be tremendous challenges should de Blasio become mayor. New York is a fractured and fractious city, and he will almost certainly face strong headwinds from a number of quarters, the city’s powerful Wall Street and real estate interests among them. Yet with the help of a newly minted City Council—one that is expected to emerge from this year’s election a more progressive body thanks to the efforts of groups like the Progressive Caucus—a Mayor de Blasio might have a real chance to begin stitching the city’s tattered social contract back together. And for the first time in a long time, New York might become a national model not of flagrant inequality but of forward-thinking efforts to create true opportunity for all its residents. 

CALIFORNIA: Openly Gay Sen. Mark Leno Calls On State Not To Invest In Russia

Openly gay California state Sen. Mark Leno today announced a resolution that calls on California's state pension plans to refrain from investing with Russian companies.

The Senate resolution, which Leno said will be passed in the coming weeks, could be the precursor to actual legislation barring investments in Russia. The resolution notes that homophobic laws have already led to violence against LGBT people in Russia and says the new law allows “police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals.” It calls on the Obama, Congress and the U.S. Department of State to “increase efforts to encourage the decriminalization of homosexuality in every country” and urges the IOC to “seek written agreement from the Russian government that the anti-gay propaganda law will not affect those attending or taking part in the games.” “We hope this resolution will bring greater attention to what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is doing in Russia and encourage other states to follow our lead.This is classic scapegoating, a despotic ruler trying to solidify his power,” Leno said. “We’ve seen this throughout history, and it can potentially lead to genocide.”

Noting a recent deal in which a California state retirement fund invested in a Moscow shopping mall, Leno said that "billions of dollars" are potentially at stake. (Tipped by JMG reader Anthony)

Obama Opposes Olympic Boycott

"I know that one question that's been raised is how do we approach the Olympics. I want to just make very clear right now I do not think it's appropriate to boycott the Olympics. We've got a bunch of Americans out there who are training hard, who are doing everything they can to succeed. Nobody's more offended than me by some of the anti-gay and lesbian legislation that you've been seeing in Russia. But as I said just this week, I've spoken out against that, not just with respect to Russia, but a number of other countries where we continue to do work with them but we have a strong disagreement on this issue. And one of the things I'm really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we're seeing there. If Russia doesn’t have gay or lesbian athletes, it will probably make their team weaker." - President Obama, speaking today at a press conference.

UPDATE: Here's the video.

Quote Of The Day - Joey Prever

"Dear Friends, I’ve never written a letter to Everyone In The World before. I’m writing to tell you that I’m gay. [snip] You probably know this already, but I’m celibate, because I’m Catholic. You will not hear me talking about When Oh When Will The Church Get With The Times, because that kind of talk is boring nonsense. Guys, the whole point of having the Church is having one thing, just one!, that you can depend on to always be the same. Thank God for that.
If you want a church that constantly changes to fit in with whatever’s fashionable this decade, there are a bazillion options, and you’re bound to find one that is custom-tailored to your particular set of prejudices. Happy shopping. It’s actually harder to come out as celibate than to come out as gay. Various people have pitied me, or tried to convince me that my life is vewwy vewwy sad, or tried to talk me out of it, or even surreptitiously tried to set me up with their gay friends. If you do this shit, I will not spin-kick you in the face, but I will very badly want to." - Formerly anonymous Catholic blogger Joey Prever, in a post that NOM's Damian Goddard says is "heroic."

Freep This AFA Poll

The American Family Association is ever so pissed that the Pentagon is considering granting leave to gay soldiers who need to travel to another state in order to marry. No registration is required to take part in their poll.

Bryan Fischer: Russia Is Homorealistic

"Russia is not being homophobic, it’s homorealistic – the Russian government is trying to take the issue into consideration and establish public policy to contribute to public health, as this lifestyle is not be promoted, endorsed or granted special legal protection. Homosexual behavior is just as risky as drug abuse. I think the Russian government is right to be concerned with propaganda on teenagers who are at the age of struggling through sexual identity issue and we should help to channel these urges in productive behavior. Heterosexuality is God’s design." - Hate group spokesman Bryan Fischer, speaking to the Voice Of Russia, which characterized Fischer as an "expert" on the subject.

ABC Reporter Grills White House Press Secretary Jay Carney About Russia

Chris Johnson reports at Washington Blade:

Under questioning from ABC News’ Jon Karl, Carney said Obama has made clear that he opposes anti-gay laws in other countries that persecute LGBT people. “The president absolutely opposes and has made clear in other countries laws that discriminate against individuals, whether for race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation,” Carney said.

Pressed by Karl on whether that specifically includes the anti-gay law in Russia that makes pro-LGBT propaganda a crime, Carney replied, “Yes. Sure, yes.” In response to another question from Karl on whether the president is concerned about the persecution of LGBT athletes during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Carney referred to Obama’s remarks from earlier in the week.

“What I think the president made clear the other night is that it is in Russia’s interest to ensure that the Olympics are a success,” Carney said. “And that’s certainly true of other host countries when they have the privilege of hosting an Olympics. And he would expect them to take the necessary measures to ensure their success.”

When asked by another reporter if the president would support a boycott of the Olympics, Carney said, "That's a conversation we're not having."

IOC Demands "Clarity" From Russia

Today the head of the International Olympic Committee asked Russia for further clarity on whether the ban on "homosexual propaganda" will be enforced during the Sochi Olympics. Last week the IOC said it had received "assurances" from the Russian government that fans and athletes would be exempt from the law during the Games, but that claim was immediately shot down by some Russian legislators. Reuters reports:

Russia must explain how it will implement its controversial anti-gay propaganda law and detail its impact on next year's Sochi Winter Games, Olympic president Jacques Rogge said on Friday. The International Olympic Committee want clarification of how the law will be applied, despite having received assurances from Games organisers, Rogge said. At a news conference in Moscow following a meeting between the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council and the executive board of the IOC, and ahead of the start of the world athletics championships in the Russian capital on Saturday, Rogge said his body needed clarification over the English translation of the law.

"We have received all reassurances emanating from Mr Dmitry Kozak, who is in charge of the organisation of the Games in Sochi. We asked for written confirmation of these reassurances," said Rogge, who was sitting alongside IAAF president Lamine Diack in the conference hall of the Radisson Royal hotel. "We received them yesterday, we have studied it this morning but there are still uncertainties and we have decided to ask for more clarification as of today. So we are waiting for this clarification before having final judgement on these reassurances."

Rogge concluded: "The Games themselves should be open to all, free of discrimination. Our position is very clear but as we don't have all (the) full details of a good comprehension of the law we cannot make any comment on that."

The Russian Vodka Boycott Is Working

Two week ago I told NPR that I didn't believe that the boycott of Russian vodka would actually end up causing much financial pain to any of the targeted companies, but that the media's interest in the boycott would serve to push the plight of Russian LGBT people into headlines around the world.  And that result, I concluded, made the boycott movement worth the effort. Since the day of that interview, which came five days after Dan Savage jump-started the boycott, I've written more than 100 posts about Russia as politicians, newspapers, networks, and major personalities have stepped up to voice support for Russian gays.

Yesterday The Atlantic posted an article titled The Russian Vodka Boycott Is Working, Whether You Like It or Not. The article concludes:

Ultimately, the boycott has informed more people about gay rights in Russia, and it probably hasn't hurt Stoli too badly, so there's a net positive. That makes it harder for politicians, companies, and organizations involved with Russia and the 2014 Olympics to keep quiet on the issue. Hopefully that means an increase in international pressure on Putin and Russian lawmakers to make life better for LGBT people, but it remains to be seen whether that will happen. And yes, Putin and Russian lawmakers, not gay vodka boycotters or slacktivists, have the final say on policy. But the very fact that we're talking about Russian gay rights months before the 2014 Olympics is an achievement.

Activists have been ranting about Russia's "homosexual propaganda" ban for more than a year, but it took a silly little thing like pouring a few bottles of Stoli into the sewer to get the world's attention. Don't underestimate the power of such symbolism.

Gilbert Baker: Don't Wave The Rainbow Flag To Cover Up Russian Atrocities

Via press release from Queer Nation:

Gilbert Baker, the creator of the Rainbow Flag and a member of Queer Nation made the following statement to New York Times columnist Frank Bruni: “Olympic flag waving gave a stamp of approval to Nazi atrocities in 1936. Please don't use the Rainbow Flag to cover up Russian atrocities in 2014. The Rainbow Flag is the international symbol of LGBT freedom — it is not an endorsement of repression.”

In an August 5 opinion piece opposing a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, New York Times columnist, Frank Bruni, imagined U.S. Olympic athletes waving Rainbow Flags “no bigger than a handkerchief” during the event’s opening ceremony in Russia as a gesture in opposition to Russia’s recently enacted anti-gay law that makes any pro-gay statement or demonstration in public and on the Internet a crime.

The Olympic Games were held in Nazi Germany in 1936 and other nations, especially the United States, hotly debated whether they should participate. There were also debates in Great Britain, France, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands. Ultimately, more nations participated in the 1936 Olympics, than in any prior games. The Nazis went on to kill six million Jews in the Holocaust, an estimated 100,000 LGBT people, the Roma people, and political dissidents.

Baker first raised the Rainbow Flag, with its iconic eight colors, at San Francisco Pride in 1978. Its positive visual and visceral message of hope, love, and liberation, was meant to transcend all languages and national boundaries. The flag has since become the internationally recognized symbol of the LGBT community’s struggle for freedom.

Anthony Weiner Vs British Reporter

Washington Post has a recap:

“This is what separates the American media from the British media,” Weiner says as the reporter corners him and begins to pepper him with vague questions. Asked about whether his campaign was about ambition and power, a “hunger for the big job,” Weiner mutters, “It’s hard to take you seriously.” He then repeats in a faux-British accent, “a hunger for the big job.” Asked another repetitive question, Weiner appears to think he might be being put on. “I just have the feeling I’ve like stepped into a Monty Python bit,” Weiner says. “I don’t know. ‘Would anything stop me?’ What, is a rock going to fall and hit (me)?”

Help! He's Being Oppressed!

Raunchy Ducks L'Orange

AdWeek reacts:

The San Diego Culinary Institute has a trio of talking food ads that are funny, albeit in a dumb way, but also a lot more sexually charged than this kind of ad tends to be. But the “Ducks” ad borders on flat-out inappropriate. I mean, I'm okay with it, but I hope the Institute knows what they're getting into. Some of their incoming applications might get pretty strange.

Please, please, please let you-know-who see this.

Headline Of The Day

Details.

RHODE ISLAND: Catholic Priest Vows Revenge On Pro-Marriage Legislators

In response to the beginning of same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, a Catholic priest there has sent an open letter to state senators, warning them that he will rally his parishioners to unseat them if they voted for it. Which would be illegal, of course. From Father Brian Sistare's letter:

Dear RI Senators who voted for “marriage” between members of the same sex, Yesterday was a very sad day for our little state of Rhode Island. I’m still shocked that each of you took it upon yourself to take the place of God and redefine what He has established. Marriage has always been understood as the union between one man and one woman. This is a 5,000 year old fact! I’m wondering what you will do when a mother comes to you and asks to be married to her son, or a cousin wants to marry her first cousin, or when a man wants to marry 2 or 3 women, or a human being wants to marry his animal? What will you do, now that you have decided that Marriage is no longer a sacred union between one man and one woman? [snip] I’m praying for each of you, that you turn back to God. I’m also going to let my Parish know exactly how you voted, so come re-election time, you will not be re-elected. - Fr. Sistare,St. Rocco Church, Johnston, RI

RELATED: Also this week, Father Sistare reportedly told a married gay couple that attends his church that they will not be allowed to receive communion unless they get a divorce.

While many gay Rhode Islanders gained a new right last week, Lew Pryeor and Pierre Leveillee lost one yesterday. The Catholic couple from Woonsocket was told by their priest, Rev. Brian Sistare of Sacred Heart, that he would no longer give them communion at Sunday service. “I have been a Catholic all my life,” Pryeor told me yesterday after he was informed of Sistare’s decision to deny them the sacrament. “I like to go to church and light a candle for my family. Now, I feel like I can’t do that anymore.” Pryeor and Leveillee have been together for 34 years and were married in 2007. The couple moved to Woonsocket two years ago. He said they were always accepted at the other local Catholic churches they have attended in Warwick and West Warwick over the years.

Yucatan Sees First Gay Marriage

The first same-sex wedding in the Mexican state of Yucatan was held yesterday. Translated from El Diario:

The spouses are Javier Alberto Carrillo Esquivel and Ricardo Arturo Góngora, who last month won a federal injunction allowing them to get married. The gay wedding was hosted at the disco Blu Namu and was attended by 400 guests,  The couple, who wore white guayaberas, gave a press conference before the ceremony. In March, the two young men, a couple for four years, brought the legal challenge to the provision of the Civil Registry. 

(Tipped by JMG reader Roger)

Coach Dave: Stop Sodomizing Me

Right Wing Watch has a partial transcript of the latest from anti-gay crackpot Coach Dave:

"The worst part of it is," Daubenmire laments, "the left has sodomized men. I'm not talking about physically sodomizing them; I'm talking about stealing men's manhood. Through what? Through ridicule and through name-calling and through court attacks. Men, godly men, Christian men are afraid to stand up and speak any more because why? They've been sodomized by the left and they've lost their manhood."

New Donna Summer Remix

Verve Records has commissioned the Montreal electrofunk duo Chromeo for a remix of Donna Summer's 1982 top ten hit, Love Is In Control.  I wasn't much of a fan of that Quincy Jones-produced album and I tend to be much less of a fan of remixed disco classics, but this isn't terrible.

Gay Americans Promote Montreal Tourism

Tourisme Montreal has enlisted a number of well-known gay Americans to promote LGBT tourism. From yesterday's Montreal Gazette:

A parade of American celebrities and local vedettes filmed a video series of performances and interviews in Montreal this summer to help promote the city to gay travelers, in Tourisme Montreal’s new Do Your Thing In MTL video series. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, singer-songwriter Jonny “Gay Pimp” McGovern, trans drag performer Carmen Carrera from the TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as local stars, lesbian comedian DeAnne Smith and Montreal drag legend Mado Lamotte, all star in their own video clips. Tourisme Montreal commissioned the video series is to attract young LGBT travelers to Montreal, which is hailed as one of the world’s great gay meccas.

“Montreal is now a ‘mature’ destination, like Canada is,” says Charles Lapointe, the president and CEO of Tourisme Montreal.“We are no longer the taste of the day. We have a very good repeat clientele, but they are also a bit older. So [over the past four years] we switched our strategy, with our international Queer of the Year Contest, to appeal to a younger clientele, and we’re making headway there. We also have a new [Montreal] TV show coming out on Logo TV in 2014. So we’re still trying very hard to be the most original.”

Hit the link for many clips, some of which began appearing on YouTube early this summer.

(Tipped by JMG reader Bugs)

Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin: We Don't Have Anti-Gay Laws

Yesterday activists confronted the Russian ambassador to the United Nations outside of his home in Manhattan.

Ambassador Vitaly Churkin arrived at his residence on New York’s Upper East Side in the late afternoon to find 10 activists from the international gay rights group All Out outside the wrought iron gates holding red placards saying: “340,457 worldwide say stop Russia’s anti-gay crackdown.” Minutes earlier, when they got no answer ringing the bell, they had slipped a CD with the signatures under the gate. Churkin picked up the CD and told the activists they should go through proper channels and deliver the petition to Russia’s U.N. Mission.

But he stopped for about 10 minutes to engage All Out’s co-founder and executive director Andre Banks and insist: “We don’t have anti-gay laws. We have laws banning homosexual propaganda among minors.” Banks countered that the word “propaganda” hasn’t been defined and gay people in Russia have been killed and arrested. “That’s not true,” Churkin retorted. “No gay people have been killed or harmed because they’re gay,” and if that were proven it would violate Russia’s constitution which guarantees equality to everybody “no matter what.”

Editorial Of The Day

From the editorial board of the Washington Post:

Mr. Obama, speaking on the eve of his cancellation of a summit meeting in Moscow, said he felt Mr. Putin would surely understand “that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we wouldn’t tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently.” The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should understand that as well. On Wednesday the committee received a petition with more than 300,000 signatures urging it to boycott Sochi as the host city.

That may be unlikely, but the IOC will have to take some definitive stand in the weeks ahead, especially after Vitaly L. Mutko, Russia’s minister of sports, pronounced that Olympic athletes of all nationalities would be subject to the “propaganda” law. Those words stand in contrast to the IOC’s commitment that “the Games themselves should be open to all, free of discrimination, and that applies to spectators, officials, media and of course athletes.” The Olympic spirit is not compatible with a gag order on expressions of human freedom.

Quinn Continues Lead In Mayoral Polls

From the latest New York Times/Siena poll:

Christine C. Quinn is leading the crowded field in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor, lifted by support among Manhattanites and higher-income voters, the latest New York Times/Siena College poll finds. But just over a month before the Sept. 10 primary, Ms. Quinn is still well below the level needed to avoid a runoff, and many voters remain undecided. Ms. Quinn, the City Council speaker, is backed by 25 percent of Democratic voters, followed by 16 percent for William C. Thompson Jr., a former city comptroller, and 14 percent for Bill de Blasio, the public advocate.

Anthony Weiner is in fourth place with 10%.

NE Christian School Fires Superintendent For Appearing In The Producers

A Christian school in Nebraska has allegedly fired its superintendent for appearing in a local production of The Producers.  Because that show is gay, apparently.

Harold Scott has been an educator for 22 years and superintendent at the school started by Calvary Community Church since 2011. In an email response to questions Wednesday, he said he was told the reason for his termination is that Calvary's pastor, Dr. Carl Godwin, felt his participation would have a negative reflection on Calvary Community Church and Parkview Christian School. Scott played Max, one of the main characters in Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” at The Lofte Community Theatre near Manley. The play is about two men who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. It includes jokes about Nazis, homosexuals and show business, and includes gay characters. Scott said he was fired Saturday.

Brian Brown Vs Fred Karger

"The National Organization for Marriage has violated no campaign finance rules in Iowa, and we decry the decision by the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to open an investigation. This inquiry is a witch hunt spawned by a delusional homosexual activist who fancies himself becoming the president of the United States and who is a serial filer of frivolous allegations against us whenever we stand up for traditional marriage. The complaint is another attempt to shut down criticism of activist judges and politicians who wish to redefine marriage. We are concerned about the continual use of the legal system by Karger and other homosexual marriage advocates who are intent on denying us and the people of Iowa their civil rights to defend marriage as God created it." - Hate group leader Brian Brown, quivering with rage against Fred Karger. 

RELATED: Read yesterday's story about Karger's action in Iowa.

HomoQuotable - Cyd Zeigler

"Asking the United States and other nations to boycott the Olympics simply punishes 19-year-old athletes, not Vladamir Putin. Buying Ketel One instead of Stolichnaya might take a swipe at a business owner in Moscow or a factory worker in St. Petersburg, but it's just a pesky mosquito to the Russian government. And caviar? Who eats it anyway? To make a real statement, to send a message to the Russians that these laws cannot stand, the IOC has to go a step further. Instead of the rest of the world refusing to go to Sochi, there's one step that the IOC can take that will land a wake-up slap on the face of the Kremlin: Ban Russia from competing in their own Winter Olympic Games." - Outsports founder Cyd Zeigler, writing for the Huffington Post.

It's Take Your Gun To Starbucks Day

"Starbucks is allowing us to lawfully carry firearms in their store. Recently, they have been the target of unjust attacks from certain groups that do not support our right to bear arms. We will thank starbucks for standing up for our right to bear arms by going there on Friday, August 9th. We ask that if you choose to carry a firearm during this event that you follow all local, state, and national laws; and if you choose not to carry that you wear pro-gun rights apparel." - From the Facebook page of Starbucks Appreciation Day. (Tipped by JMG reader Aaron)

One Million Moms Vs Rent-A-Center

This just in:

"Dear Joe, Rent-A-Center has joined other companies in tasteless advertising. Its latest commercial begins with a man and woman walking into their store wearing nothing (their fronts and backs are pixelated) but obvious they are both n*ked. The commercial ends with a n*de man lying on a sofa with one leg propped up exposing a pixelated cr*tch. This isn't a first for Rent-A-Center. Rent-A-Center is following a trend in crude commercials. Their last offensive commercial had a male wearing a pair of women's th*ng p*nties peeking out over his daisy dukes while wearing a cropped tank top. This ad is airing as early as 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT when children are likely watching. It is airing on numerous networks including family channels. This ad is vile and disgusting; Rent-A-Center should be ashamed of themselves."

REPORT: MSNBC Hires Alec Baldwin

Citing an anonymous source, Mediaite claims tonight that Alec Baldwin will host a weekly show on MSNBC.

According to our source, the so far untitled show will air Fridays at 10 p.m. ET and will feature a large dose of Baldwin’s outspoken liberal politics. The gig would make sense, considering Baldwin’s long history with the NBC family. He starred on the network’s award-winning sitcom 30 Rock for seven years, has frequently hosted Saturday Night Live, and hosted the network’s American airing of 2007′s Live Earth concert. Most important, Baldwin’s fiercely liberal and often combative political views make sense for a network that has become the place for progressive viewpoints on cable.

A spokesperson for MSNBC has refused to comment.

Actress Karen Black Dies At Age 74

Oscar nominated actress Karen Black, best known for her roles in Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and Nashville, has died after a long battle with cancer. She was 74.

Her husband Steven Eckleberry, who had been chronicling her cancer fight on Black's blog, announced the news on Facebook on Thursday. "Thank you all for all your prayers and love, they meant so much to her as they did to me," the Facebook update stated. Black was diagnosed with ampullary cancer of the stomach in November 2010. In March, a fundraising page was set up to help raise donations for experimental treatment in Europe. Black appeared in more than 100 films and often portrayed women who were quirky and threatened. Her breakthrough role came in 1969's Easy Rider, where she played a New Orleans prostitute who takes LSD with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. The following year she played a waitress alongside Jack Nicholson in 1970's Five Easy Pieces and earned a supporting-actress Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe.

I'll most fondly recall Black for her horror films. And, of course, for the voluptuous glam-punk band that bore her name.

Iowa To Investigate NOM's Finances

NOM will be investigated for cloaking its donors during the successful campaign to unseat three Iowa state Supreme Court justices who backed same-sex marriage.

The Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board voted unanimously to investigate the National Organization for Marriage, saying that if the allegations against it are proven true, the marriage group’s actions would violate state law. The decision to investigate is a triumph for Republican former presidential candidate Fred Karger, who filed the complaint against the National Organization for Marriage on June 13. Karger said the D.C.-based group spent $635,000 in 2010 and about $100,000 in 2012 to try to oust four of the justices who were part of a unanimous 2009 decision that allowed same-sex marriage in Iowa. “We caught them,” Karger told reporters after today’s meeting. “I’m so grateful to the ethics commission.”

Go Fred!

Malaria Vaccine Breakthrough Announced

A breakthrough in the search for a malaria vaccine was announced today.

A malaria vaccine has become the first to provide 100% protection against the disease, confounding critics and far surpassing any other experimental malaria vaccine tested. It will now be tested further in clinical trials in Africa. "The results are important because they demonstrate for the first time the concept that a malaria vaccine can provide a high level of protection," says Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, adding that the findings are cause for "cautious optimism". No effective malaria vaccine is available at present. The World Health Organization has set a target to develop a malaria vaccine with 80% efficacy by 2025, but until now, says Fauci, "we have not even gotten anywhere near that level of efficacy."

An estimated one million people die of malaria every year.

Civil Rights Pioneer Bayard Rustin And Astronaut Sally Ride To Be Posthumously Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom

Civil rights pioneer (and gay man) Bayard Rustin, who organized the 1963 March On Washington, and astronaut Sally Ride, who (at her request) was outed after her death of cancer last year, will be among the recipients of this year's Presidential Medal Of Freedom awards, the highest honor given to any civilian. Via press release from the White House:

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as the first ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients. Since that time, more than 500 exceptional individuals from all corners of society have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  President Obama said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours. This year's honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world. It will be my honor to present them with a token of our nation's gratitude."

The Human Rights Campaign reacts:

Bayard Rustin’s contributions to the American civil rights movement remain paramount to its successes to this day,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “His role in the fight for civil rights of African-Americans is all the more admirable because he made it as a gay man, experiencing prejudice not just because of his race, but because of his sexual orientation as well.” Rustin was active in the struggle for civil rights for sixty years, from organizing early freedom rides in the 1940s, to serving as key advisor to Dr. King, to helping found the A. Philip Randolph Institute.

But his advocacy was far from limited to the rights of African Americans. He worked to end apartheid in South Africa, fought for the freedom of Soviet Jews, worked to protect the property of Japanese Americans interned during World War II, and helped highlight the plight of Vietnamese “boat people.” And in the 1980s, he also spoke up for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, testifying in support of anti-discrimination legislation in New York. “Bayard Rustin dedicated his life to advocating for fairness and equality and overcame prejudice to help move our nation forward,” added Griffin.

 The 50th anniversary of the March On Washington is August 28th.

RELATED: Some of this year's other recipients will surely upset the wingnuts. They are: Ernie Banks, Ben Bradlee, Bill Clinton, Daniel Inouye, Daniel Kahneman, Richard Lugar, Loretta Lynn, Mario Molina, Arturo Sandoval, Dean Smith, Gloria Steinem, C.T. Vivian, Patricia Wald, Oprah Winfrey.

LGBT Groups Seek Designer For Pro-Gay Outfits To Be Worn At Sochi Olympics

Vogue reports:

Athlete Ally and All Out are searching for a high profile, international designer to create an anti-homophobia motif for Olympians to wear during Russia's Winter 2014 Olympics. The move challenges Russia's new laws against "gay propaganda", which were introduced in June and make it illegal to equate gay and heterosexual relationships, or to distribute information about gay rights. Both Lady Gaga and Stephen Fry have spoken out again the country's controversial laws this week, as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympics next year. The design that the Olympians will wear during the forthcoming games should "powerfully reject the anti-gay propaganda law in solidarity with Russian groups demanding equal rights", said All Out co-founder and executive director Andre Banks.

RELATED: Earlier this year it was announced that Ralph Lauren will again design the official uniforms to be worn by American athletes at the Sochi Olympics. The company came under fire last year when it was revealed that the uniforms worn at the Beijing Olympics were manufactured in China.

Basement Jaxx - What A Difference

Basement Jaxx landed seven singles in the top five of Billboard's dance chart from 1999 to 2004, included three number ones. I think they'll be back with this track. Great clip, too.

Greg Louganis: Don't Boycott Sochi

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis has penned a lengthy column in which he objects to any boycott of the Sochi Olympics.  An excerpt:

Boycotting sends the wrong message and will only harm the hard-working athletes set to compete in the 2014 Olympics, not the Russian government itself. I know from personal experience. My first Olympics I won Silver at age 16, and then in 1980, at the height of my diving career, President Jimmy Carter opted to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Moscow as a method of protesting the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. The toll on fellow athletes and me was devastating. We had trained our entire lives for that one moment. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to continue my diving career and return to compete and win two gold medals in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (an Olympics the Eastern Block counties boycotted) and repeat two gold medals in 1988 Olympics in Seoul. But, other athletes were not so lucky. Some of those who missed the 1980 games never had another chance to shine. This boycott hurt the wrong people, taking a toll on prominent athletes more than the country it targeted. I’m concerned the same would be true today. There are far too many athletes for whom the 2014 Sochi Olympics represents their only chance at success. A boycott will only hurt these athletes’ careers.

Louganis closes by noting that he is working with Athlete Ally and All Out to turn the Sochi Olympics into a "teachable moment" about the plight of LGBT people in Russia.

CALIFORNIA: Students Rally For Teacher Fired By Catholic School After Marriage

From the Facebook page of NBC Los Angeles comes the above photo of students rallying in support of former Catholic high school teacher Ken Bencomo, who was fired after seventeen years when his same-sex wedding photo was featured in the local press. A petition that demands Bencomo's reinstatement has gotten more than 49,000 signatures. (Tipped by JMG reader Brandy)

Taiwan's Animators On The Subway Shark

Gothamist notes that according to Taiwanese animators, the dead shark found yesterday on the N train started his day with trip to Times Square before killing some hipsters and then getting the stop-and-frisk treatment by the NYPD.

Tweet Of The Day - Nick Griffin

European Parliament member and far-right extremist Nick Griffin thinks Stephen Fry should "get over" his issues with Russia's crackdown on LGBT people. Griffin, a Holocaust denier, is the head of the British National Party and has been convicted of inciting racial hatred.

RELATED: Last October, Griffin said gay people are "creepy" and that "children will die" because of civil partnerships. That same month he tweeted out the home address of a gay couple and warned them that a "justice team" of his followers would soon be at their door.

LZ Granderson On Russia

"In talking about the 1936 Olympics, I do not equate what is happening in Russia to what happened to Jewish people during World War II. I just want to remind you that the Holocaust did not happen overnight. It was subtle. Surgical. In silence. These new anti-gay laws are disturbingly similar to the anti-Semitic Nuremberg laws Hitler passed before the 1936 Olympics. And with the Pew Institute finding 84% of Russians believe society should reject gay people, perhaps some saying they object to gays for fear of arrest, the world should question how far Russia intends to go. We should question how far Russia, our lukewarm ally, intends to go and what our participation in the 2014 Olympic Games will look like generations from now." - Openly gay sports journalist LZ Granderson, writing for CNN.  Hit the link and read the full essay.

TRAILER: Snake Salvation

The Tennessean reports:

A pair of serpent-handling Pentecostal preachers who were profiled in The Tennessean last year are getting their own reality television show. “Snake Salvation” is set to debut Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. Central time on the National Geographic Channel. The series will feature Andrew Hamblin of Tabernacle Church of God in LaFollette, Tenn., and Jamie Coots of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name church of Middlesboro, Ky. Coots said the series will feature scenes from church services where worshipers handle snakes as well as the day-to-day struggle to live out their faith. “The main thing is for people to see that there is more to us than wanting to handle snakes,” said Coots. Coots said he welcomes the attention that the show will bring. It also gives him a chance to share his faith with a wider audience than his small congregation.

(Via Christian Nightmares)

Today's Money Beg From The FRC

"Dear Joe, This month, tens of millions of American young people will head back to government-run schools. And many will receive mediocre education. Yes, there are many dedicated teachers who want to do the right thing, but the system works against them. And worse, leftist political and spiritual indoctrination is the norm in most school systems. Your donation is especially important in light of unprecedented threats and opportunities: Radical anti-faith, anti-family indoctrination is increasing in schools. The federal government is sponsoring pro-homosexual 'anti-bullying' programs that target any expression of biblical belief by a student on sexuality as 'bullying.' Bullying is unacceptable. But these programs are mostly liberal indoctrination of young people and an attempt to coerce or deceive them into denying their faith's moral teachings. Thank you for helping shape the future of America by rescuing our young people from mis-education. God bless you!" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via email.

Biblical History With Glenn Beck

Beck: All of western civilization is based on Israel and the Statue Of Liberty is based on Moses.

New Ad From Bill De Blasio

The Daily News recaps:

Bill de Blasio — once again putting his diverse family front and center — will release his first TV ad on Thursday, a 30-second spot starring his son Dante. The 15-year-old, whose towering Afro has become a star of the mayor’s race, says his dad is the only candidate “who will end the stop-and-frisk era that . . . targets people of color.” De Blasio’s African-American wife also appears — part of an effort to appeal to black voters. Ad consultant Bob Chartuk said the spot will “resonate with the exact segment he’s targeting, black voters.”

SWITZERLAND: 320,000 Petition Signatures Delivered To IOC Headquarters

Yesterday the activist group All Out delivered 320,000 petition signatures to IOC headquarters in Switzerland. The petition demands that Russia repeal its national anti-gay bill before the start of the Sochi Olympics and calls on the IOC to issue a condemnation of the law.

"Ironically, the global outcry is transforming Sochi into an amazing platform for Russians and athletes to defy the law and speak out on gay rights," said All Out co-founder and executive director Andre Banks. About 50 Swiss members of All Out joined leaders of the organization to present the petition, said All Out spokesman Guillaume Bonnet. The IOC said last week that it had "received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games." But in a meeting Wednesday with All Out representatives, senior IOC staff said they would pursue a stronger, written commitment from the Russian government on the issue, Bonnet told CNN.

An IOC spokesperson said that senior IOC officials met with All Out, accepted the petitions, and engaged in an "open and constructive discussion."

Open Thread Thursday

How much television do you watch in an average week?

George Takei On Moving The Olympics

Pentagon May Provide Leave To Soldiers Who Want To Marry In Other States

According to a report issued yesterday by Associated Press, the Pentagon is considering granting up to ten days leave to gay soldiers who need to travel to other states in order to marry.

According to a U.S. official, the memo is under legal review by the Justice Department, and the Pentagon will not be able to take any action until that review is finished. "Although we have bases and installations in all 50 states, not all state laws are equal when it comes to same-sex marriage," a defense official said. "That is why we are looking at providing extra leave for same-sex couples who want to get married to travel to a state where same-sex marriages are legal." The officials were not authorized to discuss the memo publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity.

The AP also notes that on-base housing and health benefits may be offered to the legal spouses of gay soldiers by the end of this month.

REPORT: Russia Is Already Silencing Journalists & Bloggers Ahead Of Olympics

Human Rights Watch reports:

Local authorities have harassed numerous activists and journalists who criticized or expressed concerns about preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. The six-month countdown to the Sochi Games opening ceremony is this week. Human Rights Watch has documented government efforts to intimidate several organizations and individuals who have investigated or spoken out against abuse of migrant workers, the impact of the construction of Olympics venues and infrastructure on the environment and health of residents, and unfair compensation for people forcibly evicted from their homes. Human Rights Watch also documented how authorities harassed and pursued criminal charges against journalists, apparently in retaliation for their legitimate reporting.

(Tipped by JMG reader Paul)

Quote Of The Day - Gwen Landolt

"Just who does [Canadian Foreign Minister] John Baird think he is, using taxpayers’ money to promote his own personal agenda and endeavouring to set standards of the laws of foreign countries?  He argues that homosexual rights are a ‘Canadian value’, but this applies only to himself and his fellow activists and the left-wing elitists.  These are not conservative values and that of grass roots Canadians, who after all, pay the bulk of the taxes. Mr. Baird’s actions are highly offensive to conservative taxpayers.  He cannot and must not undermine other countries’ sovereignty and dignity, rooted in stable family structures and religious faith, in order to impose his own value system on them. Mr. Baird’s actions are destructive to the conservative base in Canada and causing collateral damage to his party." - REAL Women Of Canada vice president Gwen Landolt, attacking Baird for last week's fiery denouncement of Russia's treatment of LGBT citizens. (Tipped by JMG reader Charlie)

An Interview With PA Rep. Brian Sims

In an interview with popular vlogger Byran Leffew, Sims talks about being Pennsylvania's first-ever openly gay state legislator and his recent dust-up with anti-gay Rep. Daryl Metlcalf.

HomoQuotable - Dustin Lance Black

"Last week, my friend Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, sent a letter to six major studios and the Motion Picture Association of America, urging them to speak out about the ongoing atrocities in Russia. So far, every one of them has avoided comment. The truth is, there is virtually no other industry that can make a greater impact than ours. In 2012, annual box-office returns for the top 50 films in Russia topped $900 million. Nearly every one of those movies is a product of Hollywood. Our business matters to Russia, our voices are heard in Russia, and the combination of these avenues of influence can absolutely help end these dark days there. Because the truth is, the other thing that will soon be noted by Putin and LGBT Russians alike is our industry's silence and apathy. And LGBT Russians living in fear and putting their lives on the line deserve better than our inaction and silence." - Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black, writing for the Hollywood Reporter.

Activist Sean Sasser Dies At Age 44

According to a Facebook post made last night by his partner Michael Kaplan, activist Sean Sasser has died of mesothelioma at the age of 44.  Sasser was perhaps best known for his appearances in the 1994 season of MTV's Real World, during which he began dating late HIV/AIDS activist Pedro Zamora. Theirs was the first real life same-sex relationship seen by millions of young Americans. In 2009 MTV aired Pedro, a dramatization of Zamora's life co-written by Dustin Lance Black, in which Sasser was played by DaJuan Johnson.

Breitbart Headline Of The Day

And Teabagistan goes wild.

TRAILER: CBGB

Pat Robertson: Sinning In Video Games Is The Same As Sinning In Real Life

Quote Of The Day - Sandy Rios

"I would never say that homosexuals cannot love. They can, of course. Capable of great love. And I know there’s been tremendous heartbreak in the homosexual community – and I’ve talked about this before – heartbreak when you lose a loved one, heartbreak when you break up. Because, you know, there aren’t many lasting relationships – maybe among lesbians, but certainly not among gay men, that’s not the norm. So, there’s a lot of heartbreak, a lot of rejection when you get older, so I know that you’re capable and able. You’re humans, you love. The point is, the right kind of love. The right kind of love is life-giving. And the right kind of love is love for God, love for your natural family, love between a man and a woman and a woman and a man in marriage. Not cohabitating. There’s just some standards that God lays down." - American Family Association radio host Sandy Rios, responding to criticism after she compared gay people to kidnapper Ariel Castro, who apparently had the same kind of love for his victims as gay people do for their partners.

F. Virtue - Anita Bryant

"This isn't a gay rap. Do gay chefs make gay food?"

Today's Gay Etiquette Question

From Steven Petrow's Civil Behavior column in the New York Times comes this question:

Q. Dear Civil Behavior: When the Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriages in California to resume in June, my partner and I (together for nearly two decades) celebrated our community’s long overdue equality. But it seems to have given license to everybody to start nudging us toward the altar. I don’t go around challenging straight couples I know about when they will tie the knot, and I’m tired of explaining my own longstanding ambivalence toward state-sanctioned marriage. Committed partnerships can be noble, with or without government imprimatur. So how do I handle these well-meaning but presumptuous questions about marriage (usually from straight people) without sounding like a grump? — Name withheld, San Francisco

Give us your answer then hit the link for Petrow's response.