Friday, March 24, 2017

Obamacare Repeal Bill a Big FAIL for Trump; Paul Ryan Gives Press Conference

From: Towleroad
The U.S. House of Representatives was preparing to vote at 3:30 pm on the repeal and replacement of Obamacare but it did not have close to the number of votes needed to pass. House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the bill at the very last minute, sending the House into recess.

Make no mistake: this terrible bill was an unmitigated disaster for Republicans and Donald Trump, the self-described great dealmaker.

Paul Ryan held a news conference. Listen to it below.

The NY Times reports:

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan conceded, “We’re going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future.”
Mr. Ryan had rushed to the White House shortly after noon to tell Mr. Trump he did not have the votes for a repeal bill that had been promised for seven years — since the day President Barack Obama signed his landmark health care act into law.
Mr. Trump, in a telephone interview moments after the bill was pulled, blamed Democrats and predicted that they would seek a deal within a year, he asserted, after “Obamacare explodes” because of high premiums.


365 Groovy Books Worth Reading

From: Deep Dish
15
A Hell of a Life 
by 
Maureen Stapleton 
and 
Jane Scovell
1995

This autobiography tells the life story of actress Maureen Stapleton (1925-2006), who won a Tony, an Emmy and an Oscar (for 1981's Reds). Her other film credits include Bye Bye Birdie, Airport and Interiors, and she also starred in the TV movies, Queen of the Stardust Ballroom and The Gathering

Cosmo Centrefold Hall of Fame

From: Cosmo UK
Keith Lemon
Host of ITV's Celebrity Juice

Keith Ian Lemon is a fictional character portrayed by English comedian Leigh Francis.

40 Musical Reasons Why Dolly Parton Is A Groundbreaking Genius, In Chronological Order

From: OMG
24
Two Doors Down
1977

A popular single and has been a staple at her concerts since it was released.

Furry Friday

March 23, 2012
From: BosGuy
Just a little eye candy for my gay readers to get you through the day.

History's 125 Hottest Gay-Porn Stars:

From:  Boy Culture
For Blake & Colton Ford,
making movies was a real boyfriend experience
113 
Blake Harper 
(Peter Tiefenbach)
1968—

This hot-as-hell staple of turn-of-the-millennium flicks was once the partner of Colton Ford, who he brought into the biz. He retired in 2006 and went back to nursing in his native Canada. That same year, he said of his movie career:
"The most positive thing resulting from my porn career is recognizing and understanding what ego is and how to keep that in a healthy perspective...The best part about being in porn was the ability to fulfill a fantasy. The worst part was having to be 'on' sexually, even when I didn't want to be."

He also suggests that people who want to get into the field should just make their own at home, which is a great way to bring the studios, rather than the performers, to their knees.

MEET MR FIRE ISLAND BEAR

From: Bear World
 The third annual Fire Island Bear Weekend is coming on June 15th – 18th 2017. Part of the weekend is the Mr Fire Island Bear competition. We caught up with last year’s winner, Patrick Donohue, to talk about the competition. 


 BWM: Hi Patrick, let’s start with what made you enter the competition

I was at the prior years contest, and we had such an amazing time. I told my partner that I was going to talk to Shane, and see about entering for 2016. Once I spoke to him about the competition, I knew I would love to be in it.

BWM: Tell us a little bit more about yourself

I live on Long Island, born and raised, and I work as a facilities maintenance engineer. I also do mechanical consulting for new businesses in the planning stages, such as placement of infrastructure mechanical systems, etc.

BWM: What do you love about Fire island?

I love the peaceful tranquil environment, no cars and you get to enjoy the water and the nature. The people on the island are extremely friendly, the atmosphere brings out the inner niceness of most anyone who experiences it.

BWM: Do you visit Fire Island a lot?

In the Summer we try to get out as much as we can. Our schedules are usually chaotic, so when we can grab the time it’s our go to place for relaxation. 

BWM: So you won Mr Fire Island Bear 2016, how has the title changed your life?

I don’t know if it’s necessarily changed my life. It has brought out an inner confidence, that I don’t get to express that often. Everyone has been so nice, and always telling me how I am the textbook friendly teddy bear. 


BWM: Will you go on to enter other competitions? Mr North American Bear for instance?

It is something to think about. Although I’m a bit of an extrovert socially, I still have a shyness I battle once in a while. But I think I may look into doing more competitions, as it’s been so much fun. I finally found a place I belong, the bear community is one of the most accepting non judgemental places to be.

BWM: What’s the best party of Fire Island Bear Weekend?

It’s difficult to put a label on which party is the best one, they are all a lot of fun. A party is what you make of it. I also believe a party is about the person promoting it, and the group attending it. Any party of Shane’s is generally a blast, and when you get a fun loving group of bears together you really can’t go wrong.

BWM: Finally, whats your advice for anyone entering this year?

Just be yourself. I believe in my heart that sincerity and kindness, are the best ingredients you can bring to the table. Have fun, and soak up the amazing time to be had.

If you’re interested in entering the competition this year, check out the Mr Fire Island Bear page here for all the info.

Seth Meyers Wrings Some Laughs out of the Dark ‘Gray Cloud’ Trump Has Brought to America

From: Towleroad
Seth Meyers tried to pull together the insane number of events over the past couple of days in his latest A Closer Look, noting that Trump is looking for any shred of good news these days.

Trump apparently just found out that Abraham Lincoln was Republican because he wants a Super PAC to take out an ad to let people know that Lincoln was a Republican.

Trump has had his wiretapping lie hanging over his head and members of his own party have been begging for the president to say ‘I’m sorry’ so they can move on to more important things like the SCOTUS nomination.

“I don’t even think his mouth can make those wordsl ‘I’m so- I’m so- I’m so right” joked Meyers.

And Trump surrogate Jeffrey Lorde is making excuses for Trump, saying people don’t understand him because they don’t speak ‘Americanese’

Quipped Meyers. “That’s right. Americanese. It’s a combination of American, and ‘bitch, please.'”

Meyers moved on to the improper behavior of Devin Nunes, who ran to the White House to tell Trump, the subject of the House Intel Committee’s investigation, about new intel he had received.

But Trump can’t get rid of the “gray cloud” that hangs over him, thanks to Paul Manafort and Roger Stone, shady characters who look to be the current focus of the Trump-Russia investigations.

Watch:

Price tag to protect “unusually complicated” Trumps just got even more insane

From: Queerty
It’s well-known that Trump and his family are racking up quite the federally-funded tab a mere three months into his administration, but now it’s been reported that the U.S. Secret Service is requesting an extra $60 million for next year to account for “the unusually complicated lifestyle of the Trump family.” 

So what does an extra $60 mill get you in this day and age? Well roughly half of the additional money — $26.8 million — will go towards securing Melania and Barron in their glass tower in Midtown Manhattan.

More specifically, the Melania/Barron fund will go towards “residence security operations at the president’s private residence in Trump Tower,” with $12.5 set aside to pay for “personnel related costs in New York.”

That’s to say nothing of the additional millions spent by the city of New York at the cost of taxpayers.

Another $33 million will be used for extra travel costs for “the president, vice president and other visiting heads of state.”

Since taking office, Trump has spent most of his weekends at Mar-a-Lago ($$$), and his sons have been traveling the world promoting Trump properties with full Secret Service details ($$$).

“There’s no time for vacation. We’re not going to be big on vacations,” then-candidate Trump said at a campaign rally last year, criticizing President Obama’s travel schedule. “The White House is this incredible place. It represents so much, and you’re there for a limited period of time. If you’re at the White House and you have so much work to do, why do you fly? Why do you leave so much?”

A source who has knowledge of internal Secret Service budget planning told the Washington Post that the request for funds was actually rejected by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

So what does that mean for all of us? Well, the Secret Service will instead likely chip money away from other programs to accommodate the bloated costs. That means taking money from investigating things like cybercrime, missing and exploited children, and counterfeit-money — all operations under the purview of the Secret Service.

Meanwhile, President Trump has proposed a massive federal budget cut that even conservatives are calling “draconian.”

And here’s the real kicker — a portion of that extra $60 million will go directly into the pockets of none other than Donald Trump himself.

Take Trump Tower in Manhattan, home to Melania and Barron: To provide adequate protection to the first family, Secret Service must rent out significant space in the building.

Their landlord, of course, is the president.

Malaysia to Show ‘Beauty and the Beast’ With Gay Scene, Exhibitors Say

From: New York Times
A poster for the film “Beauty and the Beast” 
at a shopping center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday. 
Credit Mohd Rasfan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The film “Beauty and the Beast” will open next week in Malaysia despite earlier objections from the country’s Film Censorship Board over a brief scene described as an “exclusively gay moment,” two major cinema companies said Tuesday.

Walt Disney Studios had refused to cut the scene to appease Malaysian censors. The cinema companies announced they would begin showing the movie on March 30.

Officials from the censorship board could be not reached late Tuesday to explain their apparent reversal.

The board’s decision had drawn condemnation internationally and in Malaysia. Among those objecting to it was Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz, who last week called the decision “ridiculous.”

“You don’t ban a film because of a gay character,” he said, according to The Malay Mail. “All these years even without the gay character in the ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ there are also gays in the world. I don’t think it is going to influence anyone.”

The censorship board had ruled that a shot involving two male characters dancing in a ballroom must be cut from the movie, on the ground that it promoted homosexuality. The sequence is said to be 3 seconds long.

Celeste Koay, head of marketing for TGV Cinemas, one of two major companies that will show the film in Malaysia, said the company was notified by Disney that it had permission to release the film.

“I can understand why they wanted it to remain intact, as cutting it compromises the experience,” she said.

The film, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens and costing $300 million to make and market, is a live-action remake of Disney’s 1991 animated blockbuster of the same name.

Ms. Koay said the controversy had now spread to the new “Power Rangers” movie, a Lionsgate film that was set to open Thursday in Malaysia.

The film had been approved by the censors. But after news reports suggested that the yellow ranger character might have a lesbian moment, the board delayed the opening so it could review the film once more.

“There was concern that was she was a lesbian,” Ms. Koay said. “Now they are watching it again.”

She said the cinema company hoped to learn in the next 24 hours whether it could show the film as scheduled.

Get A Sneak Peek At The Lip Sync Talents Of The “Drag Race” Season 9 Queens

Before they were stars!
From: NewNowNext
We’re waiting for  the return of RuPaul’s Drag Race tonight. Get to know the Season 9 queens before they entered the work room with sickening live performances that put their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent on full view.

1
Aja

Season 9’s youngest queen turns it out in this energetic lip sync to “Look At Me Now.” Shot last summer at Brooklyn’s This N’That (RIP), this performance proves that Aja’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.



2
Alexis Michelle

This New York native is serving theatrical realness in this lip sync from Feinstein’s/54 Below. The mix features songs from Pippin, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Footloose, proving that Alexis Michelle is certain to bring some cheeky Broadway flair to the main stage.



3
Eureka O’Hara

O’Hara is a bonafide dancing queen in this electrifying performance from her hometown bar, New Beginners in Johnson City, Tennessee. This video checks all the boxes: big drag hair, a sickening reveal, fierce choreography and a perfectly executed lip sync.



4
Farrah Moan

Tapping into her showgirl roots, Farrah stuns with this fun lip sync of Kylie’s “Get Outta My Way.” The Las Vegas performer had the audience at Micky’s gagging over her ritzy eleganza, which has us excited to see her looks on the runway.



5
Jaymes Mansfield

Mansfield is a kooky explosion of joy in this lip sync of “I’m Coming Out.” The Wisconsin native is clearly no stranger to thinking outside the box, which will serve her well in the weekly challenges.



6
Kimora Blac

Kimora wows in this steamy rendition of “Sex Shooter” at Micky’s. The Las Vegas queen oozes sex appeal, which is guaranteed to make for some iconic lip syncs on the main stage.



7
Nina Bo’nina Brown

Nina works it out with an impressive take on “Feel Me” At Boscoe’s in Columbus. Not only does she lip sync, but she’s got some serious moves, which we’re hoping she’ll get to show off in a dancing challenge.



8
Peppermint

The New York performer doesn’t lip sync as much as she sings—like she’s doing in this clip, a performance of Madonna’s “Hanky Panky” at Industry.



9
Sasha Velour

Subverting expectations, Sasha gave a surprising performance of “Hopelessly Devoted To You” at Bushwig in 2015. Expect some surprises this season from the artistic queen.



10
Shea CouleƩ

Shea is pure fire in this lip sync to Nicki Minaj’s “I’m Legit.” Her timing is impeccable, the lips are tight and her dancing could make her a standout this season.



11
Trinity Taylor

Trinity is serving full energy in a sexy performance of Rihanna’s “S&M” at Louisville’s Play dance bar. While she’s known for giving body, she’s got the moves and the mouth to match.



12
Valentina

Decked out in a wedding gown, this L.A. queen is a romantic vision with her performance of “Asi Fue” by Isabel Pantoja. She shows control, grace and a joyful energy that will endear her to judges and fans alike.



RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 premieres tonight March 24 at 8/7c on VH1.

Columbus Gay Hockey & Cincinnati Pride to Host First Pride Night with Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL

From: OutSports
The Columbus Ohio Gay Lesbian Ally Hockey Assocation (COGLAHA) and Cincinnati Pride have partnered up with the Cincinnati Cyclones to host a Pride Night on Saturday, April 1 as the team takes on the Toledo Walleye at US Bank Arena. It's a great in-state match-up and is a first for the Cyclones and the first Pride Night event in the ECHL.

Pride Night with the Cyclones will consist of a COGLAHA scrimmage at 2 pm to kick-off the day. Joining the COGLAHA players on the ice are members of the The Brotherhood - The Miami University Hockey team. Additionally, the Cyclones will be joining the You Can Play Project as they unveil their video in-game during the Cyclones/Walleye game starting at 7:30 pm.

"As the COGLAHA organization continues to grow, it is important for us to host Pride Night events that embrace our athletes, players & supporters and the LGBTQA community. It's amazing when you see the community coming to a hockey Pride Night event, some who have never been to a hockey game before....and they have fun in a supportive sporting environment. Getting more people involved and spreading the message of inclusion is a win-win for everyone. This one with the Cyclones, having the Miami Hockey team involved with You Can Play, just brings everything full-circle with the mission that we are trying to accomplish." said Doug Massey, President of COGLAHA. "Hockey is a sport that brings everyone together. Just last week we had a marriage on the ice between two COGLAHA members".



The Columbus based LGBTQA hockey organization is no stranger to hosting Pride Nights and has hosted several with the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets, the AHL Cleveland Monsters and the NCAA Ohio State Buckeyes Men's Hockey team. Last month COGLAHA was recognized at a Columbus Blue Jackets game during their Red Line Recognition ceremony that was held in conjunction with the NHL's #HockeyIsForEveryone month.



With the involvement and encouragement of COGLAHA, the Columbus Blue Jackets, The Ohio State Buckeyes, Ohio University, Bowling Green State University, the Columbus Clippers and the Columbus Crew mascots have all been recently been involved in the annual Columbus Pride Parade that is now one of the largest in the Midwest. "It says a lot about our communities and how everyone can come together. We're proud of all of the support and in return, we support those same organizations in many ways" Massey said.


Massey said "Partnering with Cincinnati Pride for this first ever event was a no-brainer. Using the resources and contacts of each organization for promotion ensures a great event for our community...the Cyclones have been great to work with and we look forward to this relationship with both organizations". This Pride Night will mark Ohio becoming the first State in the Country to host Pride Nights with its NHL, AHL, NCAA and now ECHL team(s).

If you can't make it to Pride Night or if you can, start the party early with COGLAHA and Cincinnati Pride at Goodfella's OTR, located at 1211 Main Street from 3:30-6 pm, in the third floor mezzanine. Come have a drink with a pie with our organizations - Cincinnati Pride will be selling their Pride Dog Tags. It'll be a great time for everyone!

Cyclones Pride Night tickets are $14 and should be purchased here. Additional information about the event is available on the COGLAHA web site. If you are close to Columbus, COGLAHA is taking a chartered bus to Cincinnati and has a ticket & transportation package available. #CincyPride2017

Augusten Burroughs Brings 'Lust & Wonder' to Barnes & Noble on March 27

From: kenneth in the (212)

Here's your chance to meet Augusten Burroughs, who will be on the Upper East Side to promote his latest memoir, which chronicles three romantic relationships that changes his life.

Barnes & Noble / 86th and Lex
Monday March 27 at 7 p.m.
150 E. 86th St.t
New York, NY 10028
212-369-2180


From the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an intimate look at the driving forces in one man's life. With his unique and singular observations and his own unabashed way of detailing both the horrific and the humorous, Augusten Burroughs' "Lust & Wonder" is a hilariously frank memoir that will resonate with anyone who has loved and lost and loved again. 

Info HERE.

Obamacare repeal in jeopardy as Trump offers 11th-hour concessions

'Everybody's frustrated,' says one lawmaker.
From: Politico
The Republican plan to replace Obamacare — backed vehemently by President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan — continued to bleed support from moderate House members Thursday morning just hours before an expected vote.

An effort to woo conservatives, hatched late Wednesday, appeared to backfire with other factions in the House Republican Conference, and the growing rebellion threatens to derail Trump's guarantee that he will repeal and replace the seven-year-old health care law.

“After careful deliberation, I cannot support the bill and will oppose it,” Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) announced after he joined moderates for a two-hour meeting with Ryan and House leaders late Wednesday. “I believe this bill, in its current form, will lead to the loss of coverage and make insurance unaffordable for too many Americans, particularly for low-to-moderate income and older individuals.”

Defections continued Thursday, as Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) declared her own opposition to the bill, the American Health Care Act.

The fate of the bill appeared to hinge on a White House meeting Thursday between Trump and members of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus, a bloc of about three dozen Republicans who have long threatened to tank the bill because of what they say are inadequate measures to repeal Obamacare and reduce health care premiums for constituents.

"If this goes down, we're all screwed," said one Republican lawmaker who requested anonymity.

The meeting appeared to be a last-ditch bid to win the support of conservatives, who failed to commit support for the bill despite winning a crucial concession a day earlier. Bowing to pressure from the Freedom Caucus, the White House pressed House leaders to gut minimum health insurance requirements imposed by Obamacare, a key demand of the GOP's right flank. But Freedom Caucus members demanded additional changes. They want to cut even more Obamacare regulations, including its popular provision requiring insurers to offer coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

One senior House Republican lamented that House leaders had essentially ceded final negotiations on the health care bill to the White House.

"Every single part of this is being negotiated at the White House," said Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas. He added, "the White House — they’re the ones that know the art of the deal. I don’t yet. So I’m counting on them to put it together.”

Even if Trump can persuade most Freedom Caucus members to reverse course and back the bill, it's still in danger of failing. More than a dozen Republican House members outside the Freedom Caucus have taken positions against the bill. Because they expect no Democrats to back their measure, House leaders can afford to lose only 22 of their 237 members and still pass the bill.

Moderates were infuriated that the Freedom Caucus would not guarantee its support for the bill despite winning concessions, causing them to reconsider their own position.

“Obviously the Freedom Caucus has presented what it will take for them to get some yeses, and I think there are now members who will have to now evaluate things a little bit further,” said Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) after exiting the meeting in Ryan's office.

A Thursday morning meeting of the full 237-member House Republican Conference was canceled at the last minute as members awaiting the outcome of a final meeting between the Freedom Caucus and Trump. The fate of the whole effort could hinge on Trump's ability to clinch an agreement with these hard-line members.

In the marathon meeting with moderates Wednesday, Ryan laid out the changes to the bill that the White House negotiated with the Freedom Caucus. A source in the room said many attendees found the concessions to the right-wing caucus hard to swallow, especially because leadership told them Freedom Caucus members hadn’t yet promised to support the measure — even if they won the changes.

Moderates said they need to learn more about what the White House proposal would mean for their constituents and providers they represent. Many expressed worry that the leadership would force swing-district members to take a risky vote when the Senate would likely strip out the provision anyway because it might run afoul of the Senate's arcane rules.

And some moderates were especially aghast that leadership couldn’t tell them how many votes this proposal would win them from the Freedom Caucus.

“Everybody’s frustrated,” said one lawmaker in the meeting. “Some moved; some stayed the same.”

When asked whether by “moved” he meant away from the bill, the source added: "Nobody goes closer to the bill on that one.”

Among the attendees: Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Chief Deputy Majority Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).

Centrist and Tuesday Group attendees included Will Hurd (R-Texas), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Susan Brooks (R-Ind.), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), Ryan Costello (R-Pa.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine), David Joyce (R-Ohio), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) and Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio).

Trump and Ryan allies spent all day Wednesday attempting to build a fragile coalition in support of their proposal, and they appeared, at times, to be making inroads. House leaders, who still say they will bring the bill up for a vote Thursday, expressed optimism that they can still cobble together support to pass the bill. They’re hoping for another boost from Trump, who is expected to meet one-on-one with a slew of GOP holdouts throughout the day. He met with the Freedom Caucus on Thursday morning.

After a day of ferrying between the Capitol and the White House, conservatives secured a commitment from House leaders to consider a proposal that would eliminate Obamacare’s “essential health benefits” — a set of regulations that requires insurers to cover a broad array of benefits. Conservatives have argued that these requirements drove up the cost of health insurance and restricted consumer choice.

Yet after House leaders signaled they were open to that measure, Freedom Caucus members pushed for even more: a repeal of all the Obamacare regulations, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions — a nonstarter with most Republican lawmakers.

Even before the blow-up over the concession to conservatives, moderate GOP members began peeling off.

Reps. Frank LoBiondo and Chris Smith of New Jersey both announced their opposition to the bill. So did Reps. Dan Donovan of New York and David Young of Iowa.

Sessions, who chairs the Rules Committee — the panel charged with making the final negotiated changes to the health care bill before it comes to the floor — said he's not sure whether Republicans are committing the same sins they accused Democrats of in 2010: making last-minute changes to get their health care plan through.

“My sin-level at this point is probably not something I’ve thought about. Getting this done to where we deliver a good product is where I am," Sessions said.

But he added: "The sins of how you get there, how fast you are, do matter. It does matter that the public knows what we’re doing. The public needs to see and have confidence what we’re doing. I have to assure myself that that’s the right thing also. I’m not going to fall victim to just doing something to do it. You need to do it openly and fairly and honestly. But we need to do it when we’ve got a deal, not when we don’t have a deal.”

He’s Naked: French Actor Bruno Slagmulder

From: OMG
 Bruno Slagmulder is a well-known French actor who has shown his dingle dangles on camera. It’s a FACT! Check them out below!