Rita Moreno to Receive 2013 SAG Life Achievement Award

it's due. she is what is called an 'egot' winner meaning emmy, grammy. oscar and tony sit on her mantle. no small fete..

here's some highlights:

 *****

Sandra Talks 'Gravity'

trailer

Carrie Preston Finally Gets Her EMMY Nod for 'The Good Wife'

'Vampire Diaries' Comic-Con Trailer 2013: Building to the Season 5 100th Episode

Another Reason I Voted for Barack

he speaks. he opens us up for thought. only the stupid won't hear!

Just for Fun

Just for Fun With John Barrowman

i love john barrowman. he's talented. he has an amazing voice. he's gay. he's out.

john going gaga

john going beyonce

Cory Montieth: Straight but Not Narrow

cory made this 'straight but not narrow'. he was a damn good guy.

Patti Lupone Goddess

awhile back i gave us patti singing 'the ladies who lunch' from the sondheim birthday concert. well here is the version from the 2011 concert version of company. damn this woman still blows us away. brava!

Aftermath

melisasa harris-perry and thomas roberts 2 news people i deeeply respect have their say after the murderer zimmerman vredict. mr roberts like myself is gay. ms harris-perry is a black woman. so we three are minorities in this country. we share the bigotry thrown our way. we are tired of it. we will not be silenced no matter how hard 'they' try to silence us.

ZIMMERMAN GETS HIS GUN!

so he gets his gun back?!? well i posit this as a non violent white man: perhaps every black parent within 100 miles of george zimmerman's residency buy their teenagers a gun. i am serious. again i am non violent. i don't own nor will i ever own a gun. but if i were black today i'd worry about this zimmerman. if i were black and saw him walking down the street i'd be ready to self defend. yup. i'd see him as a threat. i'd understand their need to stand their ground. hey it's just a thought. but i say this also: if a black teenager shots this zimmerman in self defense that teenager will be found guilty. yup that will be the case. you know it and i know it!
i don't espose vigilantism at all but and it's a BIG BUT the justice system proves once again it is not just. it's a sham.welcome to my america!!!

The Goddess: Part 3*

i expected to post this sooner but other things interrupted this audra concert. let's just say she had a bit of a well deserved intermission.

 next up audra was 'gorgeous'. the song is from the wonderful under appreciated 'the apple tree'. in one of it's 3 segments tony winner barbara harris played a chimney sweep who dreamed of being a 'movie star'. as stars collided and a tv fairy godfather granted her wish the chimney sweep was transformed into a marilyn monroe type movie star. when she saw her new self she saw she was now 'gorgeous' 
for those of us who have followed ms mcdonald from the beginning ('carousel') we have seen her blossom into a sexy, beautiful woman. now to have her sing what was basically a white sex symbol song is a wonder. she is a sexy, beautiful black woman who once again adds the 'color blind'  tag to her many brilliant performances.
'gorgeous'

'go back home' one of kander and ebbs last collaboration's from 'the scottsboro boys'

'i'll be here'. we've all been there. lose is painful but makes for brilliant songs. i really love this one.

'when did i fall in love'. a classic. but no one, i repeat no one, does it as well as audra. she understands it. the voice, the notes, the feeling. exceptional.

'some days'. audra's into was left off this clip. she introduced it by saying she has been singing it for marriage equality as of late. she said it speaks for itself. as a gay man i appreciate all the time she has given to our cause. thank you.

*(i did post this yesterday briefly but took it down in light of the freed florida murderer and then the  death of cory monteith. as well as thinking audra should be overshadowed by madness and a sad premature death, it would have been inappropriate for my sensibilities.)

Holy Crap: Cory Monteith Died, R.I.P.

this was a damn shocker to wake up to on a sunday morning. damn another young death of a talented man. i really enjoyed him on 'glee'.  he was a charming, accessible performer. he will be missed.
 gone to damn soon!

here's some of cory's best

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Unfrackin' Real: I'd Like to Smack the Smile Off This Murderer's Face

just for the record: white guy here. the american judicial system again appears a joke. ya know oj and casey anthony and on and on... what the frack. now anyone can get a concealed legal weapon and kill anyone that appears threatening and hell just kill him. i'd have a few on my list if i were so inclined. but i'm not. the 6 women jurors should be ashamed of themselves. if i were on that jury they'd be there till the messiah comes (for the first time). but remember he was not proved 'innocent! not that that matters at all at this point. shame on the system and those 6 women. shame shame shame.

murderer

Cheyenne Jackson

it's possible mr jackson is on his way to being a gay icon. singer, actor, all around entertainer. he's heading toward neil patrick harris stature. we need more like the two of them. open, gay, thoughtful and just damn nice guys. i'll throw the wonderful john barrowman into this category also.

cheyenne has a new cd 'i'm blue, skies' out now. sure i wanted a broadway album but this release written by and sung by cheyenne is top notch.

here's a taste of it with 'don't wanna know'

 to get a glimpse of the real cheyenne check out this interview. the gay world has another good role model. thank you cheyenne.

James McAvoy in 'Filth'

if a trailer is supposed to grab you and draw you into a theater to see it this one succeeds brilliantly. it opens in scotland 9/27 and across the rest of the u.k. on 10/24. the u.s. release date has yet to be announced.

Spotlight: Steve Grand

it's a pleasure and a joy to share 'all-american boy' written and performed by steve grand. steve is an out gay man. he is country. he has heart, soul and balls. as a gay man i always feel a sense of pride when someone comes out. i am proud that young gay men and women will have another role model. not having role models made my childhood and adolesence pure hell. i can only think those days are almost well behind us.
'all-american boy' is 'that' song about unrequited love. the longing of the gay man for his straight buddy. c'mon most of us went through this at least once in our youth.
i congratulate and honor you steve. i wish you great success. you indeed arre the new all american boy.

******

and here's a brief glimpse at the man behind the music 

ABC Family is Unstoppable This Summer

the unstoppable, thank the gods, 'pretty little liars', the new 'twisted' and 'the fosters' shine along with the well written and acted 'switched at birth' and the funny cute zanny 'baby daddy'  all make summer tv watching a good time. (i don't watch melissa and joey but it's here too.)

check the promo. then give these shows a try.

Pet Shop Boys: 'Electric'

their new cd drops on 7/16.

'electric' tour dates:

September 12 - The Jackie Gleason Theatre - Miami Beach, FL

September 13 - Mahaffey Theatre - Saint Petersburg, FL

September 14 - Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA

September 16 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 17 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 19 - Music Centre at Strathmore - Bethesda, MD

September 21 - House of Blues - Boston, MA

September 22 - Mann Centre for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA 

September 24 - Olympia Theatre - Montreal

September 25 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto

September 27 - The Colosseum, Caesar's Windsor - Ontario 

September 28 - Auditorium Theatre - Chicago, IL

October 2 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA

October 3 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver

October 4 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland, OR

October 5 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA 

October 7 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA

October 8 - Copley Symphony Hall - San Diego, CA

October 11 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, The Joint - Las Vegas, NV

October 12 - Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA 

October 15 - Mexico City Arena - Mexico City

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A Glee Moment: 'Hung Up'

from the soundtrack of my life

jenna ushkowitz

(they really need to give this talented cast member a lot more to do)