What Went Wrong With RuPaul in Sydney? } See for Your Selves

Matt Akersten 
 samesame.com.au 


 The amazing Kylie Minogue and Aussie electro-popsters Sneaky Sound System wowed the crowds at Saturday night’s Mardigrasland, but RuPaul’s show left several party punters in the RHI scratching their heads and some in the front rows even loudly booing the visiting drag superstar.

“She fucked it up – she needed to sashay away,” laughed several partygoers on Facebook today.

Alone on the giant stage at midnight in the Royal Hall of Industries, RuPaul badly mimed her song Supermodel, then departed, leaving her back-up dancers to perform the theme of Drag Race by themselves.

“She looked bored and mimed her own song badly, not caring if she stopped ‘singing’ while the main vocals on the song kept going,” said a party punter who witnessed the carnage. Afterwards, she told the crowd “Happy Pride!” and even mocked our Aussie accents a little.

Take a look…

The Mardi Gras crew won’t comment officially, but those involved with Ru’s show were yesterday muttering about how hard she was to work with, with creative tussles ending in her refusal to be on stage with any of the back-up dancers.

Respected local drag diva Shelley Legs Diamond says she was a genuine fan of RuPaul but she’s lost her respect after seeing the disastrous act.

“I was camped out in the RHI to see a drag superstar, not Kylie like most other partygoers,” she tells Same Same today. “That’s why I was so disappointed by what I saw. Everyone was like WTF!?”

However, those who saw her later in the Forum report that she was on top form for her solo songs, with the crowd lapping up her performance and admiring her stunning look.

Here’s some YouTube from the Forum… decide for yourself:

“If You Can Play, You Can Play” No Matter Your Sexual Orientation

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage/Getty ImagesPatrick Burke, a scout for the Phildelphia Flyers, is trying to make the sport welcoming to everyone.

"If you can play, you can play."

That's the simple but powerful message Patrick Burke is bringing to the game of hockey. Burke, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers and the son of no-nonsense Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke, launched the You Can Play project on Sunday with a public service announcement that ran during the Boston Bruins-New York Rangers game.

In the ad, Burke, his father and 12 of the NHL's biggest names speak out against homophobia on the ice and in the locker room. The message is straightforward and presented without political or religious leanings: Hockey players should be judged on ability, not sexual orientation. No player should feel uncomfortable or unwelcome because of what Burke calls "casual homophobia."

"What we've got in sports now is a culture that we describe as casual homophobia, which is athletes using gay slurs and homophobic slurs far too frequently, but they don't intend them to be homophobic," Patrick Burke said. "So it's an athlete saying, 'Oh, don't be gay.' He or she usually doesn't mean that in a homophobic sense; he or she means 'That's uncool, don't be uncool.' What we need to do is educate athletes that for a person who is a member of the LGBT community, there is no other way for them take that word. And we need to let the athlete know the force that those words have for an LGBT athlete."

The Burke FamilyBrendan Burke, who died in a car crash in 2010 at age 21, quit his high school hockey team because he feared how his teammates would react if they found out he was gay.

Burke is continuing the message of his openly gay brother, Brendan, who died in a car accident in 2010 at the age of 21. Brendan quit his high school hockey team because he was worried about the reaction his teammates might have if they found out about his sexuality. He couldn't stay away from the game he loved and became the student manager for the top-ranked Miami (Ohio) hockey team in college. When Brendan came out publicly in 2009, the acceptance of the RedHawks and his family inspired him to become an advocate for tolerance in sports.

After his brother's death, Patrick Burke eulogized Brendan on the website Outsports, coming up with the phrase, "If you can play, you can play." That simple statement turned into the You Can Play project.

"I thought it was a good way to sum up the message," Burke told NHL.com. "This is what the issue is. This defines sports. If you're good enough, you get to be in there, you get to help us win. For the LGBT (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) community, that's all they want -- a fair chance."

The You Can Play project mirrors the popular It Gets Better video campaign started by syndicated author and columnist Dan Savage. Burke has already filmed the contributions of 30 NHL players and hopes athletes and fans will be inspired to create and post their own You Can Play videos.

"The messages are very simple, yet meaningful," Burke told The Canadian Press. "It's variations of the idea that all they care about is winning, all they care about is having the best teammates, and it doesn't matter if the best teammate happens to be gay or straight."

Words Are Powerful

The NHL isn't the only league working to promote tolerance. Last season, the NBA teamed up with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network and the Ad Council on a Think B4 You Speak campaign. PSAs featuring Grant Hill and Jared Dudley urged people to stop using "gay" to mean stupid. Several MLB teams have contributed videos to the It Gets Better project, and the MLB and NFL collective bargaining agreements were updated with language protecting athletes from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

These initiatives may seem like common sense to many of us, but a message of tolerance and inclusion is not always well-received by sports fans. Immediately following the release of the NBA's Think B4 You Speak PSA, Hill's Twitter feed was flooded with antigay sentiments. About a month earlier, when the NBA fined Kobe Bryant for calling an official an antigay slur, many said the penalty reflected a society that is too sensitive or PC, and argued that athletes shouldn't be subject to punishment or reprimand for their words. But freedom of speech isn't without limitations, and it certainly shouldn't be used to protect hate speech.

If Joe Schmo says something in the privacy of his home, that's one thing. But athletes represent the teams they play for, the leagues they play in and, more important, they are role models for young adults. By putting an end to homophobic comments on the court and in the locker room, they can show younger generations of athletes how to embrace every player, no matter his or her orientation. It's not a matter of appeasing an oversensitive minority or taking the toughness out of the game, it's an acknowledgment that hate speech and bigotry don't have a place in sports.

All too often, a story emerges of a young gay teen who has committed suicide because of bullying. Those who argue that words are not powerful are burying their heads in the sand.

Growing up is hard. Kids will tease their peers for anything. Being too skinny, being too fat, having dark skin, having light skin, being too tall, being too short. It's tough enough to face bullying for something as inconsequential as having too many freckles; imagine being tormented because of something about you that some parents and teachers are unwilling to defend. Imagine hearing family members, friends' parents, politicians, religious figures, celebrities and athletes call you "unnatural" or "wrong" because of your sexuality.

Homophobia permeates all aspects of society, but it's most obvious in testosterone-filled locker rooms. And as Burke explained, people can be traumatized and hurt even by jokes and comments that aren't rooted in antigay sentiment. It's easy to understand why most gay athletes feel compelled to hide the truth from their teammates or even quit altogether because they feel unwelcome.

Patrick Burke doesn't want anyone to experience what his brother did, to miss out on playing the game they love. He hopes the You Can Play project will help fans, players and coaches understand that it's as simple as saying, "If you can play, you can play.”

| By Sarah Spain      This article posted on  ESPN.Go

Tracey Gold {Growing Pains} Vs Homophobe Kirk Cameron

Tracey Gold has spoken out in the wake of the firestorm created by former Growing Pains costar Kirk Cameron’s comments condemning gay marriage and homosexuality last week, taking to Twitter to make it clear exactly which side of the fence she falls on when it comes to equal rights for all.

“I am a strong supporter of the #LGBT Community, and I believe in equal rights for all,” she tweeted yesterday. “#NOH8 #LOVE.”

To further drive home her point, she even changed her Twitter icon to her NOH8 campaign image, showing her support of the legalization of gay marriage, a message that’s proven quite the opposite of her equal rights-opposing TV brother.

Full Story from E! Online

Click here for gay wedding resources.

Australian Actor Dan Ewing Says Gay Friendly Not Gay

Australian actor Dan Ewing, who plays the bad boy character Heath Braxton in the hit soap Home & Away, has revealed that he is not gay. People began to question Dan’s sexuality after he appeared in a number of gay clubs and many people have been asking ‘Is Dan Ewing gay?’ but he has spoken out to reveal that he is completely straight.

Ewing explained, "I'm not gay - not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm just a really gay-friendly person and always have been. I don't have a problem with going to gay clubs and hanging out on Oxford Street [in Sydney]." Dan was recently approached at the Sydney Mardi Gras last weekend, where two male admires approached him and questioned him about his sexuality.

 

Signalling to his fiancé Marni Little, he replied, "Sorry guys. I'm straight and I'm here with my fiancée." Dan Ewing was charged with allegedly assaulting his fiancé back in December of last year but he has since claimed that the two of them are still very much in love, are happier than they have ever been and intend to get married. So, there you have it, Dan Ewing is not gay.

http://www.fansshare.com/

GLAAD Responds To Nancy Alvarez } "Ricky Martin Not Born Gay"

 From: GLAAD 


Nancy Alvarez seems like a nice enough lady, she calls herself an ally to the LGBT community. But she continues to express completely inaccurate opinions about gay people that are truly damaging.

Alvarez, a self-described sexologist who uses the term “Dr.” and is the former host of Quién Tiene la Razon (on Univision and Telefutura), was interviewed for AOL Latino and expressed, among other things, the idea that people are made gay by “mistakes made by their parents.”

GLAAD responded with a column today on AOLLatino.com

Alvarez’s comments were in response to a tweet Ricky Martin made asserting that people are born gay and not made gay and added ““are heterosexuals born or made straight?”. Ricky tweeted after the question was posed on an unfortunately biased segment about so-called conversion therapies that promise to change a person’s orientation on Univision nighttime newsmagazine program “Aquí y Ahora,” a show that usually produces fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of LGBT people.

In the AOL Latino interview, Alvarez told Ricky, a gay man, that he was wrong, that people are not born gay but made gay by their parents. As proof she cited a study sent to her by a viewer. The leading credible medical and scientific organizations, not to mention millions of gay men and lesbians around the world, will tell you that orientation is not determined by the parenting style of your parents.

Last year, GLAAD called on Univision to reprimand Alvarez and apologize for comments she made about gay parents. Alvarez said then (and again recently) she was “not sure” about gay parents and the effect they may have on their kids.  In fact, actual researchers and scientists are sure. Numerous studies show that having two moms or two dads does not have a negative influence on kids.

Our message to Nancy: if you want to share your personal and outdated theories, absolutely go for it—with your friends and family, in private. Not in the media.

Unfortunately, Nancy Alvarez’s comments are only a symptom of a larger problem. Though true that in recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of positive representations of LGBT people and issues in Spanish-language media, (meaning that millions of Latinos are getting to know LGBT people as their neighbors, friends, co-workers and family members), as with English-language media, there’s plenty of room for improvement.

One persistent challenge in Spanish-language media is the continued discussion and problematic framing of “se nace o se hace” (in English, “nature vs. nurture.”). This discussion and framing are problematic for a few reasons:

1. Whenever a discussion about this topic takes place, it presumes that no gay, lesbian and bisexual people are in the room, when there in fact are, and plenty can tell you that they were born with their orientation.
2. The way in which the question is posed and is discussed implicitly expresses the idea that as soon as the question is answered, then gay, lesbian and bisexual people can be accepted, supported and respected.

We look forward to continuing to work closely with Spanish-language media professionals to help them do a better job covering LGBT issues and people. And we thank GLAAD’s many members, Facebook friends and Twitter followers for alerting GLAAD when you see both good and problematic coverage in both English and Spanish-language media.

Apple IPAD 3 Wednesday Announcement

Apple is expected to announce a new iPad Wednesday, and that has generated gigabytes of giddy speculation about what CEO Tim Cook may reveal. Even more notable, it's inspired tens of thousands of current iPad owners to shake the online trade-in and sales sites to see what they can get for their about-to-be antique tablets.

First of all, there aren't likely to be any tectonic technology shifts introduced by a new iPad 3 (or iPad HD or iPad 2S). What is likely to appear is a model with a sharper, high-definition display and probably 4G wireless speeds (LTE, for the acronym aware). The new iPad could also benefit from better cameras, which would be simple enough to add. Personally, I'd like to see Apple lower the weight of its tablet and save my wrist from iPad strain. (I'd also like to see the debut of Apple's HDTV, which the firm has been touting to cable companies, but that's unlikely.)

Assuming that Apple introduces a new iPad with enough snazzy features to engender tablet envy, what should you do with your old iPad? While even the first-generation iPads are still wonderfully useful (they're only two years old, after all), some may want to sell their existing devices to justify the price of a shiny new model. There are several options.

EBay, which has been watching the iPad re-selling trend, noted that since iPad HD rumors began near the end of last month, new listings of iPad 2's for sale have surged nearly 70 percent. And a lot of other people are at least thinking about upgrading. More than 125,000 people have clicked through eBay's Instant Sale option to see what their aging tablets are worth. Nearly 98 percent of those thinking of upgrading were existing iPad owners.

Fox News‎  
 

These Are The Advertisers That Wont Leave The Big Bad Man Limbaugh

 

 

• theatlanticwire.com  ELSPETH REEVE

 Rush Limbaugh said he wasn't motivated to apologize to Sandra Fluke by the number of companies pulling ads from his show. He insists he's turned away "millions" in ads and he can always "replace" the ones who've left! But it made us wonder exactly who does advertise on Limbaugh's show. We paid close attention to Limbaugh's ad breaks on Monday's broadcast on D.C.'s WMAL. Limbaugh's sponsor base  reveals a lot about how those angry white men of the 1990s are aging -- they care a lot more about weight loss, teeth, and gold. So far seven advertisers have pledged to pull their ads: AOL, ProFlowers, Quicken Loans, Sleep Number beds, Sleep Train, Citrix Systems, LegalZoom. Here are all 31 advertisers we heard on Monday's show Update: Several of these advertisers have pulled ads from Limbaugh's show since this post was published -- if so, the company's statement is noted next to its logo. Update II: See our updated post on the companies that pulled their ads, many of them noted here.

Amberen's ad promises their supplement will cut your belly fat. Update Tuesday 1:36p.m.: On Facebook, Amberen explains the nitty-gritty of buying ads on the radio and says it can't pull its ads: "We understand that some of our customers are concerned that Amberen ads are still airing on the Rush Limbaugh show. Lunada Biomedical assures you that we take these concerns to heart! Most of our employees, including the CEO, are female. And like millions of other Americans we were outraged by Rush Limbaugh’s incendiary and offensive comments. However, we are a small company that buys remnant (leftover) media time and, as such, we cannot, by definition, be considered the 'sponsors' of Mr. Limbaugh’s show or, for that matter, any other show. Because we purchase this leftover airtime in bulk, we have no control over when and where our ads are going to be aired. Nor do we have the ability to 'pull' ads from any specific show. The only way for us to do that would be to put our entire advertising campaign on hold. Again, because we are a 'remnant' and not a 'premium' advertiser, this action will exert no influence on Mr. Limbaugh’s show."

Lear Capital's ad doesn't name the "simple investment" that has grown every year for eight years. The website gives you the answer: gold. "If the people who control the money are investing it, shouldn't you consider it too?" Update Tuesday 1:42p.m.: Lear says it's evaluatingthe situation on Facebook: "At this time we are evaluating our advertising relationship with the Rush Limbaugh Show as well as having open and honest dialogue with Mr. Limbaugh and program executives. We are awaiting further information and response to this matter."

Carbonite is a data backup business. On Saturday, CEO David Friend announced that his company "decided to withdraw our advertising from his show." We're giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming the order didn't make it to ad office in time for Monday's broadcast.

The ad asks for donations. Update Tuesday 9:20a.m.:Goodwill posted this message on its Facebook page: "Goodwill is a non-partisan nonprofit organization. Public service announcements are not paid advertisements and should not be considered endorsements of a particular political or ideological point of view. The Goodwill public service announcement that aired on WMAL or other stations affiliated with the Rush Limbaugh show aired without Goodwill’s knowledge or consent. No further Goodwill public service announcements will be aired without our permission."Update Tuesday 1:13p.m.: Goodwill clarifies the mistake in an email: "The PSA that aired was intended for a DC-area music station but a sister station that airs Rush Limbaugh ran the PSA without our knowledge or consent. "

Polycom Federal is a product that makes teleconferences easier. Update: Polycom emailed Tuesday morning to say: "Polycom does some syndicated radio advertising, including spots on WMAL, however we had no intention to run ads on the Rush Limbaugh Show.  The recent comments by Mr. Limbaugh go against our core values, and we have taken action to discontinue advertising on this program."

Snell Heating & Air Conditioning could be a D.C.-local ad.

Winning Our Future is the Newt Gingrich-backing superPAC.

IncomeAtHome.com is apparently a way to make money from your couch.

You can print stamps. From home! Update Tuesday 1:45p.m.: Stamps.com said it had suspended its ads Tuesday.

The insurer still advertises with Rush. Update: Commenter Richard Careaga says after emailing Geico, he got this response: "In 2004 when Rush Limbaugh’s  program also carried remarks that were inappropriate, we ceased all advertising on his show. We don’t advertise there to this day. On occasion, a local station may mistakenly run a GEICO ad in the wrong time slot. We are directing our ad buyers to make sure that doesn’t happen."

Exergen advertises its thermometer on Limbaugh's show.

Capital One. Update Tuesday 1:19p.m.: Capitol One's Pam Girado emails to say, "Just wanted to let you know that Capital One does not advertise on the Rush Limbaugh Show (and hasn't for some time).  If a Capital One ad ran during the program, it was without our permission. We are investigating to see if an error was made by one of our media partners." Geico and Netflix appear to be in similar situations.

An online drugstore. Update Tuesday 8:37a.m.: Vitacosttweets: "We've removed our ads from his show. His comments don't reflect our brand values."

The tractor maker. Update Tuesday 1:45p.m.: The company told Bloomberg that the manufacturer doesn't buy ads on Limbaugh's radio show, but the dealers sometimes do through a network. The company is "reviewing" the ads.

FixItFast.ServiceMagic.com advertises on Rush's show. It's a collection of home remodeling professionals.Update Tuesday 10:57a.m.: ServiceMagic emails this statement: "It has come to our attention that some of our advertisements have inadvertently been airing in conjunction with the Rush Limbaugh show. While we at ServiceMagic respect the individual political beliefs held by our customers, recent comments on the show do not align with the values we hold at the core of our company and as such, have requested to remove our support as an advertiser."

The Nova Armament ad notes that it also caters to ladies who have historically felt neglected by the gun-selling community.

Sensa is some kind of weight-loss supplement. Update Tuesday 8:37a.m.: Sensa tweets: "We have made the decision to pull our ad from the Rush Limbaugh Show. It will be removed within the next couple of days."

 It's sort of unclear who this advertiser is -- it mostly urges callers to call a number that lists all the foreclosed properties in America -- but it briefly mentions it's called "hot props." This might be the website.

Network Capital advertises for home mortgages. Update Tuesday 1:36p.m.: Network Capital's Alex Ramirez emails to say the company buys ads on WMAL, the D.C. radio station, not Limbaugh's show. He writes, "Our ad campaign is directly affiliated with WMAL as a broadcast station; their programming director dictates the placement of our ads daily. Network Capital does not agree nor condone Mr. Limbaugh’s opinions or statements."

Insperity advertises "high performance HR solutions."

The Department of Veterans Affairs advertises aid to veterans having trouble adjusting back home.

A dental center in Virginia -- probably not a national ad.Update Tuesday 1:45p.m.: The dental center has pulled its ads.

Netflix is sticking with Rush. Update Tuesday 9:07a.m.: Netflix emails to say it doesn't advertise on Rush. We're waiting to hear back whether the company just bought ads on the local radio station or what.

Yet another weight-loss plan. Update Tuesday 1:50p.m.:"RightSize does not buy advertising on this program. We are looking into this matter further. Thank you for your business," the company tweeted Tuesday.

Another local ad for a DC-area dentist. Update Tuesday 1:45p.m.: The dental center has pulled its ads.

United Health Care advertises on Rush.

Ackerman sells monitoring devices.

Alan Thicke autoplays on this company's site, RealGoldCoins.com.

Merit Financial -- "the gold people."

Robert Steinberg -- a lawyer seeking mesothelioma patients.

Hillsdale College -- Rush reads a radio ad for a free class on the Constitution.