The 4th of July

i am the least patriotic person i know. much to the chagrin of family and some friends. i just can't get rahrahrah over any nation state. i don't believe in flag waving. well perhaps the gay pride flag but that's personal. i have not always been thrilled with the course this country has taken nationally or internationally. i think i'd feel this wherever i had been accidentally born into. i mean we are all born by accident into a certain geographical area. and although i feel a certain amount of allegiance especially  now with mr obama as president i just can't be fanatical. i mean there are the john mccain's at one end of the spectrum and well me on the other end of it.  don't send hate mail as i'll just ignore it.

that being said i love the song 'america the beautiful' and offer this as a tribute to the holiday.

(feel free to replace 'america' with the country of  your choice)

and just for the heck of it all...

'god bless america'

(israel and italy too)

'The Out List'

hbo's 'the out list' is  much needed and pretty timely. 16 gay, lesbian and transexual americans tell their 'coming out' stories, the problems growing up gay and the secrets they kept. i kept them. it was hard. there were not films like this when i was younger. there were not men and women like this in my day who shared their stories. their lives. how great that would have been. but it is here now. my hope hope hope is that every young person who is gay sees this film. it might, we wish, help them get through what can be an agonizing childhood and puberty and even beyond. it mat prevent the rash of gay teenage suicides. i can only hope.

Josh's Jukebox: 'Come What May'

from the soundtrack of my mind

a 'glee' moment

darren criss and chris colfer

'The Heat'***stars

this sandra bullock-melissa mccarthy buddy flick is a hoot. i seldom fine consistent laughs on film or tv lately. however i found myself laughing out loud a lot and less out loud often. some critics are comparing it to 'bridesmaids' which is absurd. it shares nothing with that film other than it's director and ms mccarthy. the two stars have real chemistry and it follows through  from mutual dislike to mutual respect.

i have to say ms mccarthy has grown as an actress since 'bridesmaids'. she no longer goes just for the laugh. i think she is becoming a good actress. sandra, well sandra, always impresses me even in her less than stellar films. she remains in my book 'america's sweetheart'.

'Before Midnight'

julie delpy and ethan hawke discuss 'before midnight'

'Before Midnight' ****stars

'before sunrise' celine and jesse had a chance meeting with the promise to meet in six months in vienna when they got their lives in order.  nine years later 'before sunset' we learn that jesse showed up but celine did not due to a death in her family. but the connection was still there although jesse had married and had a son. would he stay with celine and leave his wife? we find the answer to that still another nine  years later 'before midnight'

within this trilogy we go from romantic interlude to the ups and downs of a marriage. each film shows the growth of these two characters and their aging as well. ms delby and mr hawke grow in each film not only in character but in their acting. they triumph in this well written and directed film. it's tougher than the first two installments but life does get tougher as we get older, look back at our choices and wonder what the future will bring.

although it stands on it's own i recommend that you rent the first two installments to fully appreciate the third.

i hope being released early that it does not get lost at year's end. as of this moment it is the best film of the year.

Samantha Barks

the wonderful ms barks as eponine in 'les miserables' singing 'on my own'

Happy Pride

Bert and Ernie Cover 'New Yorker' Marriage Equality Issue

a bit odd but whatever.

Stevie Nicks: 'Dreams'

from the soundtrack of my life

Poll Dancing

DOMA Stuck Down by Supreme Court

equality rules
we are now legally equal

just for the record:  i was always equal know matter what they said.

Stepen Schwartz: 'Testimony'

'pippin' lyricist and composer stephen schwartz composed this song about teens coming to terms with their sexuality and thoughts of suicide.
it is performed by the san francisco gay men's chorus

Josh's Jukebox: A 'Glee' Moment 'Baby Got Back'

from the soundtrack of my life

 i've always liked the 'glee' covers even when i found the show uneven from time to time. for me 'glee' is all about the music. it's when they have tried original music it tanked.

this was one of the best from the past last season.

joey richter

'baby got back'

Pollution Alert

the airways are about to be polluted again, further, as this moron resurfaces on tv on the pornographic fox news network.

The Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance Presents Their New 'Our Agenda' Campaign!!

'Same Love'

i never expected to put a rap song here. just not my taste or my generation. but here it is. never say never they say.
wht now? the artist is rapping about growing up gay, the struggles of being gay and about standing up for oneself in the face of hated and homophobia. bravo.

voaal by mary lambert, macklemore and ryan lewis

Aussies Have the Best Real Estate Ads

Lara Fabian

every year or so i like to sing the praises of lara fabian and hopefully introduce her to new readers and ears.

Too Soon?

i like naomi watts. she's a good actress. she's cracked my top 10 best current actresses on film today.

i liked daiana, the princess of wales. but is it too soon for a biopic no matter the caliber of the actress portraying her? diana is still etched in the minds of most living prople still.

here's the first trailer for the film 'diana'

'Glee': 'There are Worse Things I Could Do'

from the soundtrack of my life

continuing 'glee'...i'm not posting every song from the show but those i really enjoyed and that i found had the musical merit that fit my tastes.

naya rivera, kate hudson and unique

HRA Celebrates Father's Day

congrats and happy father's day to all these dad's and all those who accepted their sons as mine did. happy father's day dad.

My Favorite Broadway - The Leading Ladies

o what a night!!! host julie andrews, bebe neuwirth, karen ziemba, linda eder, priscilla lopez, dorothy loudon, liza minnelli, marin mazzie, audra mcdonald, judy kuhn and elaine stritch shine in my galaxy. the rest aren't too shabby either.

Turkish Protesters Sing “Les Miserables” Rebel Song, Quite Beautifully

our hearts go out to all those who were victims in taksim gesi park.

It's Today

'Love Is Hard to Rearrange'

just because i'm in withdrawal and here in the states i have a bit less than 6 months to go before season 4 airs. damn lucky brits get it in septmber.

some 'downton' moments

and who could forget

'every breathe you take'

the end of their story

Raul Esparza: 'Simple Joys'

now that 'pippin' won those tony's here is the fabulous tony winner ('company') raul esparza giving us 'simple joys'

Lost in Motion

I Know I Shouldn't Laugh But...

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