Random Musings

Oh Ben Carson, you will never be president of this country; especially when one considers the Crazy Talk that falls from your lips. Which is what happened when you appeared on CNN this week and called ‘gay’ a choice — which leads to the question, when did you choose 'straight, Ben?

But I digress … see Ben says ‘gay’ is a choice because “a lot of people who go into prison straight, and when they come out they’re gay.” Yeah … he did. Only now he’s backpedaling, blaming his quote, blaming the actual words that came out of his asshatted mouth, on CNN:

“It was a 25 minute interview they chopped, and you see what part they emphasized. I did learn something very important: For certain networks, never do a pre-taped interview. Always do it live.”

But that’s a lie … too; a look back at the interview and you see that there were clearly no jump-cuts and no edits — just a straight back-and-forth about whether homosexuality is a choice.

So, Carson apologized:

“I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues. I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended."

We’re born gay, Ben, you made a choice to be a bigot, and a stupid one at that. Oh, and once more, you will never be president of this country, so sit down.

So the Benham brothers — David and Jason — those anti-gay-boys-who-were-gonna-have-a-show-on-HGTV-until-HGTV-found-out-they-were-bigots have announced that they’ve turned a gay man straight, y’all!

They claim to have saved a man from homosexuality simply by buying him tickets to see the Chicago Cubs play baseball. 

Well, it might work; I once turned a woman into a lesbian after giving her a Home Depot gift card. 

Sit down, boys.

We’re hooked on Empire. We love the show and all its WTFuckery storytelling, but this week I realized I’d seen the show before ….decades ago.

Then I realized: Empire is Dynasty set to hip hop. See, in Empire, there's this giant corporation — a record company — with a homophobic father, his troublemaking ex-wife, his gay son, whom he wishes wasn’t gay, a hard partying child, and one that’s slightly off-center, in this case bipolar and off his meds.

In Dynasty, there was this giant corporation — an oil company — with a homophobic father, his troublemaking ex-wife, his gay son, whom he wishes wasn’t gay, a hard partying child, and one that’s slightly off-center, in this case because he was a bastard child and his father never recognized him.

Now, I’m not saying it’s bad thing, I’m just saying what it is … but I’ll keep watching because, well, Cookie ... and Jamal.

Scary news earlier this week when word leaked that Dame Maggie Smith would be leaving Downton Abbey after its sixth season — set to air here in the colonies next year.

Now it seems to have all been a joke and a spokesperson for Milk Publicity says that Smith had long ago agreed to stay with the show “for as long as the [it] runs.”

I feel like we dodged a Dowager Countess bullet!

In addition to loving Empire, I also love Gotham. It’s not as dark as the Christopher Nolan films, and yet not as cartoony as the series, or some of the earlier versions of the film.

Plus, it also features Cory Michael Smith as Ed Nygma, who will be The Riddler one day.

He’s kinda nerdy on the show, but in that HGN [Hot Gay Nerd] kinda way.

Lindsey Graham, our Republican wingnut Senator from South Carolina, took a cheap shot at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi over her reaction to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech to Congress. Graham said Pelosi's frustration with Netanyahu was apparent throughout the event, making a comment about her appearance during the speech:

“Did you see Nancy Pelosi on the floor? Complete disgust. If you can get through all the surgeries, there’s disgust.”

Misogynist pig … when then non-apologized by saying it was a cheap attempt at humor.

Two things Miss Lindsey:

#1: Humor should be funny, yours wasn’t, and …

#B: For a gay man you have no Snarkability. Perhaps if you cane out of the closet you’d be better at it.

Now, sit down.

Why? 

A New Jersey man who suffered burns to his face and legs from a sizzling-hot steak fajita skillet while praying had his suit against Applebee's thrown out. The man claimed his server did not tell him the skillet was hot and as he bowed his head in prayer over the entrée the skillet splashed him with grease in the left eye and face, and then he knocked the plate onto his lap.

The court ruled that it was "self-evident" that a sizzling plate of food would be hot.

Um … duh?

Random Musings

The house next to Casa Bob y Carlos finally sold this week, and I think the new owners will be moving in soon, so I will be asking Carlos, and myself, to tone down our yelling; well, it’s really mock yelling, but to the neighbor’s it might seem, um, not so much.

I have been fighting a cold this week, and as happens, Carlos, who I must remind you all, is not a doctor, tells me I need to drink Hot Tea all the time.

I tell him, and, again, reminder, I am not a doctor, that I prefer to drink Not Hot Drinks. Carlos gives a dissertation on Hot Beverages and I quickly remind him that any doctor will tell you, cold or flu, to gets lots of sleep and drink lots of liquids … with no mention of a specific temperature of that said liquid.

As Carlos was leaving the house this morning, and as I was returning to my boudoir and the warm comfort of my bed, he began “mock” shouting Hot Tea! Hot Tea!

And I began “mock” shrieking, even with my bad throat, You’re not a doctor! Stop talking!! STOP TALKKING!!!!!

Welcome to the neighborhood, newbies!

Man alive, those Russians really hate The Gays, and anything even Gay Adjacent!

It seems the residents of Saint Petersburg have reportedly torn down a giant interactive iPhone memorial that commemorated the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs because Apple’s current CEO, Tim Cook, came out as gay. And the chairman of the company that installed the memorial said that it might return with a message that instructs Russians not to buy Apple products.

Yup, tell down a memorial to one man, because another man in the company is a ‘mo.

St. Petersburg better be careful, because with that attitude they might be tearing down the entire town one day.

Did y’all see blowhard Chris Christie going off on the man who dared interrupt him as he was speaking? The man, a constituent of Christie’s, and a man who survived Hurricane Sandy, though he’s still waiting for money to come through that he needs to rebuild his home, simply wanted the Governor to answer some questions.

Christie’s response? “Sit down and shut up."

Remember that when the Fat man runs for office because that’s how he’ll react to any question he doesn’t like.

It’s not presidential, it’s thuggish and bullying and condescending. If anyone needs to sit down and shut up it’s Chris Christie.

So Taylor Swift turned her back on Country music to be a Pop Star? Well, I’d say that Pop’s loss and Country’s gain. And she hightailed it right outta Nashville for New York City where she was named NYC’s Global Ambassador after living there all of half an hour.

So, what does Taylor Swift do? Well, she donated the proceeds of her new song “Welcome to New York” to charity and then she set up her world tour to promote her latest album.

She’ll be playing everywhere except New York City.

Seriously, the girl is a moron. I mean, she’s playing in Jersey so I guess she thinks that’s good enough? It isn’t.

After last Tuesday’s election, Senator Wack Nut, er, Rand Paul created a series of Facebook posts showing every losing Democrat endorsed by Hillary Clinton.

And you thought this was all Obama's fault? Nope, cuz he’ll be out of office in two years so Rand decides to go on the attack against Hilary.

Someone’s scared, eh, Rand?

I’ve been watching The Affair on Showtime. It tells the story of a murder — though we don’t know who died, even if they were murdered, or who did it — and a couple of people involved are the ones having The Affair.

It’s kind of morose, though I do enjoy the way they show both adulterers’’ sides to the story, but there is some man candy.

Joshua Jackson — on the right — plays Cole Lockhart, the husband of the woman having the affair, and though we saw his buck nekkid in episode one I was less than impressed. But then we saw him in jeans, riding, then dismounting a horse and, well, a man in Levi’s with a nice ass … I’m hooked.

In addition we have Colin O’Donnell — on the left — playing Cole’s brother Scotty, er, Hotty.

Yeah, I may be able to endure the morose for the occasional hotness. I’m shallow like that, you know.

So, My-Husband-In-My-Head Matt Bomer made his debut on AHS: Freak Show last night, playing a gay hustler, yum, who gets picked up in a bar by the wickedly insane, and insanely adorable, Dandy, played by Finn Wittrock. The two of them, in tighty whites? Oy, thank goodness for DVRs and replay!

I was in heaven until … and I’ll save the spoilers if you haven’t seen; suffice to say, Matt? What happened?

Also, the delicious Frances Conroy. Lots of talk, and all of it well-deserved, about Jessica Lange, but Frances Conroy has always been fabulous in AGS and this year is no different; the voice — "They're special bulbs from Holland! Don't question me!" — the hair, the clothes, the personality of her character. I want her to have her own season of Horror.

And then to have Gabourey Sidibe again? Loving it! Hopefully she’ll play a larger part before this all ends.

So, am I the only one who finds all those pictures of the virulently anti-gay Benham Brothers hoisting virulently anti-gay politicians into the air to be more than just a little gay looking?

And, not that I’m saying he’s gay, but the looks on Huckleberry's, Jindal's and Perry’s faces seem to suggest that they’re more than a little tickled to be carried around by bigots.

Speaking of homophobes, for some reason Peter LaBarbera, president of the anti-gay organization Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, went on the attack against National Treasure, Neil Patrick Harris.

Luckily Dan Savage was there to respond … and God, too.

Things Stupid People Say, Part 1: The Benham Twins: We’re Like ISIS Victims

David and Jason Benham are a couple of mildly attractive contractors, or house flippers, or do-it-yourselfers, who managed to attract the attention of HGTV over the summer. And when the network offered them a TV show, they leapt at the chance to share their expertise with America. Trouble was, they are also experts in the art of homophobia, bigotry, intolerance, and basic rightwing nuttery, and when word got out about all of the anti-gay, anti-women, anti-Muslim things they’ve said over the years, HGTV said, Um, no thanks and quickly canned the show before I ever aired.

Since then the Benham twins have become darlings of the Asshat Set, by basically whining about how they’ve been denied a chance to be HGTV hotties because of their religious beliefs. Not so much, boys; you were denied the chance to be on TV because of your hate speech about The Gays.

Get it queer, dears.

But they haven’t and they won’t and their latest foray into Crazy Talk occurred when they spoke at the Hate Summit, er, the Values Voter Summit, and compared themselves to victims of the terrorist group ISIS.

Oh, but they did.

Jason Benham, who seems to be the bigger, crazier, more asshatted twin, first announced that he and his brother are like Jesus Christ himself, and then David took over with this line, a direct quote out of the mouths of wingnuts:

“There is a radical agenda that has come in our nation. The weapon of choice for the agenda in the Middle East is a sword, but the weapon of choice for the agenda in America is silence. They demand silence.”

Yup, innocent people finding themselves captured by ISIS and then beheaded on live TV are the exact same thing as two delusional rightwingnutted, asshatted loons having their TV show taken away from them.

Out of the mouths of morons ….

via LGBTQ Nation

I Didn't Say It

President Obama, speaking at the opening of the Gay Games 9:

"Ever since 2006, when the Games were last held in the United States, in my hometown of Chicago, we've come a long way in our commitment to the equal rights of LGBT people here and around the world...I know some of you have come from places where it requires courage, even defiance, to come out — sometimes at great personal risk. You should know that the United States stands with you and for your human rights, just as our athletes stand with you in these Games."

I still get chills hearing our President speak about LGBT rights and issues and of the fight that continues until full equality is achieved.

David Benham, who, with his brother Jason, would have had a show on HGTV if they weren’t such homophobes — though they say they love everybody — saying the battle against LGBT rights is a battle against a "parallel kingdom run by Satan." that seeks to "rob, kill, and destroy":

"If my son throws food across the table and I say, 'Bailey, stop throwing food' and he says 'I'm sorry Dad, I'm just a food-thrower.' It's like no you're not, your behavior is not you. It doesn't define you. So it’s very important that we speak to the fact that homosexuality is a sin that can only be redeemed by God when we repent. But the idea of a 'homosexual agenda' that seeks to capture the nation and capture children's curriculum and capture television and entertainment and laws - that is an idea that is evil and wrong and needs to be dealt with." 

Wait! What? This ginormous asshat thinks being gay is like throwing a plate? Well, at least he’s not saying we’re pedophiles or into animal sex, or the spawn of Satan.

I got news for you David, gay is a sexual orientation; people are born gay; your son throws plates because he’s a brat being raised by a wingnut.

That could change if you wanted it, too, but my being gay will always be here whether you like it or not.

Daniel Radcliffe, on expanding LGBT visibility in media:

"The way gay people have been depicted [in entertainment] has changed so much in the last few years and hopefully that is what is normalizing it for everyone...Stories are now beginning to be told that include all different types and kinds of sexuality and characters who aren’t there for the sake of being gay, they just happen to be gay. It's actually the stories around their lives that are what keep us interested. I do think that in the next generation we will see an even bigger difference in how gay people are shown in the media and in film because people are getting over it, finally.”

Gay folks are just like anyone else, except in whom we love, and it’s nice to see gay people, the perfect and the imperfect, depicted on film and TV.

The march goes on …

John Hagee, televangelist, calling Christian pastors, and Christians, who support marriage equality "counterfeit":

“Those of you who got on national television and endorsed homosexual lifestyle because the president did so, you are a counterfeit Christian, you are a moral coward, you are a hireling shepherd. Shame on you.”

Or, maybe they simply believe that God is love and that you, and your kind, are just plain wrong with your bigotry.

Dan Kildee, the Democratic Representative from Michigan, on Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's defense of his state's ban on same-sex marriage:

"At virtually every level of the federal court system, there's been a recognition of full marriage equality. This governor stands in the shoes of governors who have stood in the doorway of a schoolhouse and denied minority children access."

Nicely said, Dan, nicely said.

Mama Grizzly Bore™, speaking on her pay-channel, about the minimum wage ... or something:

"We believe? Wait, I thought fast food joints, hurh [sic]. Don't you guys think that they're like of the Devil or somethin' I was. Liberals, you want to send those evil employees who would dare work at a fast food joint then ya just don't believe in, thought you wanted to, I dunno, send them to Purgatory or somethin' so they all go VEGAN and, uh, wages and picket lines I dunno they're not often discussed in Purgatory, are they? I dunno why are you even worried about fast food wages because dha [sic]. Well, we believe an America where minimum wage jobs they're not lifetime gigs they're stepping stone"

Sounds like someone is nipping at the MooseMess wine before takin’ to her TV channel.

Stupid is as stupid does …

My Two-Cents: HGTV vs The Benham Brothers

Last week HGTV announced a new series for fall called Flip it Forward starring twins David and Jason Benham and quicker than you can say ‘queer idea’ the show was scrapped.

Why? Well, it doesn’t take long for people to do a quick Google search on anyone, and everyone, who suddenly appears in the limelight, and someone over at Right Wing Watch remembered hearing the name David Benham before and the search was on. 

After a nano-second, Google came back with the story of David Benham and his prayer protest outside the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte back in 2012:

“We don’t realize that, okay, if 87 percent of Americans are Christians and yet we have abortion on demand; we have no-fault divorce; we have pornography and perversion; we have a homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation; we have adultery; we have all of the things; we even have allowed demonic ideologies to take our universities and our public school systems while the church sits silent and just builds big churches. We are so complacent, we are so apathetic and we are very hypocritical in the church, that’s why the Bible says judgment begins in the house of God. So when we prayed at 714 we asked God and our city to forgive us for allowing these things in the house of God.”

David Benham is active in the anti-choice — he he regularly leads protests outside of abortion clinics, condemning those who use the facilities to Hell; he is anti-Muslim — he claims that Muslims are “the enemy attacking” America; he's anti-gay — he protests at Pride celebrations and has said that marriage equality will “erode the moral fabric of society” while citing the biblical death penalty for homosexuality; he has even compared fighting against marriage rights for same-sex couples with the fight against Nazi Germany.

Gays. Death. Gays. Nazis. That's David Benham.

Well, once that shi — once that story broke, HGTV announced via its Facebook page that they had “decided not to move forward" with the Benham brothers' show.

Now, it would be safe to say that HGTV has a very large gay audience, and HGTV presents itself as an inclusive corporation with inclusive programming, so, yeah, they are within their rights not to air a show whose content, or hosts, might offend their viewers or their employees, or harm their image.

Naturally, though, the Christian wingnuts are now crying foil, calling the cancellation of the show a “smear campaign’ against any and all who disagree with The Homosexuality or are Pro-life; why its an attack on Christians and faith. But is it, really?

David and Jason Benham appeared on CNN to discuss the cancellation, saying they think HGTV was "bullied" into dumping them:

"We love all people. I love homosexuals. I love Islam, Muslims, and my brother and I would never discriminate. Never have we — never would we. Never have I ever spoken against homosexuals, as individuals, and gone against them. I speak about an agenda. And that's really what the point of this is — is that there is an agenda that is seeking to silence the voices of men and women of faith." — David Benham

David, I’ll speak to you as a gay man, one of The Homosexuals that you don’t speak against, even though you’ve done so repeatedly, and I will tell you my agenda: equality.

I would like to marry my partner and have it recognized anywhere I happen to move in this country.

I would like not to be fired for being gay.

I would like not to be denied housing for being gay.

I would like not to be bullied, bashed, or murdered for being gay.

I would like to watch into a bakery or a photography studio, or any business, and not be denied service for being gay.

I would like being equal.

That’s the agenda.

I don’t want to silence you, I simply want you to see that your faith, and I don’t know of a faith that seems as hell-bent — and that is the perfect word choice — on discriminating against people while calling themselves the injured party.

You talk about being discriminated against because a cable network doesn’t want your show on their LGBT-friendly channel? Well, go to a network that shares your views. Check with Pat Robertson; check with Tony Perkins or NOM and see if they’ll start up a channel for you.

And that might just happen. It seem the Benham brothers are working with Faith Driven Consumer, the advocacy group that played a big role in drumming up support for Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson after his own anti-gay remarks led to a (temporary) suspension from his A&E show, to broker a deal to air their show.

Good for them. This is America and we all have the right to say and do what we want to say and do; we can have our TV shows and preach anti-gay sentiment, and label all Muslims as evil, and condemn women to hell for their choice.

But when you have an inclusive employer — which is what HGTV would have been to the Benhams — then maybe they can choose not to have you and your opinions as part of their network. HGTV is considered to be one of the most progressive networks on cable, and I myself have seen many HGTV shows with same-sex couples looking for homes, families with two dads or two moms doing renovations and the idea of the Benhams and their stance on The Gays being on that network is unappealing to me, many others, and to HGTV.

But don’t fret, people, most folks who identify as Christian are nothing like David Benham; most folks who identify as Christian wouldn’t suggest death to homosexuals, wouldn’t compare a struggle for equality to what happened in Germany under Hitler.

Most Christians wouldn’t use fear as their argument, only those on the fringes.

Those who won’t be on my cable channel this fall.