Bangladesh, J.K. Simmons, Loretta Lynch, Tweaking Trump, U.S.S. Ronald Reagan: NEWS

BANGLDESH. ISIS claims responsibility for attack on restaurant in the nation’s capital of Dhaka. Armed insurgents reportedly stormed the restaurant and took hostages. The stand-off is in its 7th hour as of this posting: “The U.S State Department and local media say the cafe is in an upscale neighborhood called Gulshan that is home to many foreign embassies. The Islamic State group said its was responsible for the attack in a statement released by its Aamaq news agency, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant websites.”

SWOLL. J.K. Simmons says he didn’t get jacked for The Justice League movie but rather because he never wants to be overweight again: “This is all coincidental.”

SCOTUS. Donald Trump isn’t so good at math. 

MOVIES. James Franco is shirtless and tatted up in trailer for Why Him?

INSTATHIRST. Some celebrities steaming up your feed. 

READ. Draft version of the Democratic Party’s 2016 platform that Bernie Sanders has been fighting hard for–yet doesn’t seem to actually matter that much. 

Cursory read of the Dem platform: it’s not a “Sanders platform” or a “Clinton platform”; it’s more of an “Obama platform”

— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) July 1, 2016

ATTN: JOHN HUGHES FANS. The 16 Candles house is now for sale.

I’M SO EXCITED. Gawker wonders, is Donald Trump tweaking on diet pills? “Donald Trump is allegedly still taking speed-like diet pills. Rumors of Trump’s predilection for stimulants first started really popping up in 1992, when Spy magazine wrote, ‘Have you ever wondered why Donald Trump has acted so erratically at times, full of manic energy, paranoid, garrulous? Well, he was a patient of Dr. [Joseph] Greenberg’s from 1982 to 1985.’ At the time, Dr. Greenberg was notorious for allegedly doling out prescription stimulants to anyone who could pay.”

THOSE DAMN EMAILS. Hillary Clinton will meet with the FBI tomorrow: “The interview is likely to be the final step in the probe into whether Clinton mishandled any potential classified information. The server was located in her Chappaqua, N.Y., home. The FBI has already interviewed several Clinton aides, including her deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin.”

LORETTA LYNCH. US AG discusses why she met with Bill Clinton on that tarmac with Washington Post‘s Jonathan Capeheart: “Capehart, a liberal, praised Lynch for ‘having the highest integrity, utmost solid judgment. So when people heard what went down in Phoenix, a lot of people– I mean friends, supporters, backers are saying, what on earth was she thinking talking to Bill Clinton?’ ‘So… what on earth were you thinking?’ he asked to laughter. ‘What happened?’”

ISN’T IT IRONIC. As Pride month comes to a close, reflect on this picture (left) taken aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan: “Yeoman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Elexis Rogers, from Jacksonville, Florida, sings the National Anthem during a Pride month observance ceremony organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Supporting Sailors (G.L.A.S.S.) association on the aft mess decks aboard the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). The G.L.A.S.S. association organizes events for the ship including fundraisers, community relations projects and morale building events.”

FASHION. Christian Siriano offers to design dress for Leslie Jones to where to the premiere of Ghostbusters after she tweets that no one would.

IMAX. Trailer for Terrence Malick’s latest, Voyage of Time.

FLIRTY FRIDAY. Dr. Bruce Bruce will see you now.

The post Bangladesh, J.K. Simmons, Loretta Lynch, Tweaking Trump, U.S.S. Ronald Reagan: NEWS appeared first on Towleroad.

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Bill Cosby's Lawyers Argue Lesbian's Complaint Shouldn't Go Forward (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/7/01/bill-cosbys-lawyers-argue-lesbians-complaint-shouldnt-go-forward-video

Gays Against Guns: Here, Queer, and Taking Action

The direct action group Gays Against Guns, formed post-Orlando, has already attracted hundreds of supporters in the fight for stronger gun control.

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/01/gays-against-guns-here-queer-and-taking-action

California Governor Signs New Gun Control Measures (Video)

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/01/california-governor-signs-new-gun-control-measures-video

Former Pope Benedict: I Broke Up Gay Lobby

The emeritus pope, known for much anti-LGBT rhetoric, makes this assertion in his soon-to-be-published memoir.

www.advocate.com/religion/2016/7/01/former-pope-benedict-i-broke-gay-lobby

Mississippi AG: GOP Lawmakers ‘Duped’ the Public Into Supporting Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill 

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says Republican lawmakers in his state “duped” the public into supporting HB 1523, an anti-LGBT ‘religious freedom’ law.

Hood’s statement comes on the heels of a decision from a district judge which struck down HB 1523 on Friday before it could take effect. Hood says he might not appeal that judge’s ruling as an Attorney General ordinarily might.

MS News Now reports:

Hood is the only Democrat in statewide office, and his staff had defended the law that was passed by the Republican-majority Legislature and signed by a Republican governor.

But, after U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves wrote a sharply worded order blocking the law, Hood said Friday that “the churchgoing public was duped” into thinking the law would protect religious freedoms.

Hood says an appeal could cost tens of thousands of dollars, and that might not be a good use of tax dollars when the state budget is tight and services such as mental health care are being cut.

Hood also said in his statement,

Our state leaders attempted to mislead pastors into believing that if this bill were not passed, they would have to preside over gay wedding ceremonies.  No court case has ever said a pastor did not have discretion to refuse to marry any couple for any reason.

I can’t pick my clients, but I can speak for myself as a named defendant in this lawsuit. The fact is that the… t.co/aoiqmQUkLE

— Jim Hood (@AGJimHood) July 1, 2016

RELATED – Mississippi Out: Atty General Won’t Allow State to Join Anti-Transgender Lawsuit

You can read Hood’s full statement on HB 1523, below:

I can’t pick my clients, but I can speak for myself as a named defendant in this lawsuit. The fact is that the churchgoing public was duped into believing that HB1523 protected religious freedoms. Our state leaders attempted to mislead pastors into believing that if this bill were not passed, they would have to preside over gay wedding ceremonies. No court case has ever said a pastor did not have discretion to refuse to marry any couple for any reason. I hate to see politicians continue to prey on people who pray, go to church, follow the law and help their fellow man.

The federal court’s ruling was straightforward and clear. On page 9, the court quotes statements made by legislators, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The court found that those statements, along with the inclusion of the term “sincerely held religious beliefs” and the definition thereof in HB 1523, were strong evidence that the law was unconstitutional.

In 2014, the state enacted the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, which created a right of citizens to sue the state in state court if they felt that their religious freedoms were being overburdened. The federal court observed that this act was already in law when those officials went for a second victory lap to reinvigorate the support of churchgoing people by passing HB 1523 in an overtly political fashion.

Our attorneys will evaluate this decision to determine whether or not to appeal all or parts of Thursday’s ruling. We do intend to appeal the Court’s decision earlier in the week to extend the injunction to cover circuit clerks, who were never parties to the case.

I believe in the free exercise of religion and there will be a case in the future in which the U.S. Supreme Court will better define our religious rights. This case, however, is not that vehicle.

In consideration of the individual rights of all our citizens, the state’s current budget crisis and the cost of appeal, I will have to think long and hard about spending taxpayer money to appeal the case against me. An appeal could cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, North Carolina has set aside $500,000 for defense of its bathroom law. Even if we won and the injunction were set aside on appeal, the case would be remanded and proceed to trial over about two years. Because of the huge tax breaks handed out to big corporations by these same leaders, the state is throwing mentally ill patients out on the street. This is hardly protecting the least among us as Jesus directed.

The post Mississippi AG: GOP Lawmakers ‘Duped’ the Public Into Supporting Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill  appeared first on Towleroad.

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‘Tarzan’ Gets a Gay Adult Film Parody – WATCH

The men behind Men.com have been busy creating a series of gay adult film parodies of popular movies such as Captain America, X-Men, and Star Wars. Their latest effort? A very gay and very adult take on Tarzan.

The parody was released Friday to coordinate with the nationwide release of the Alexander Skarsgard king of the jungle pic, The Legend of Tarzan.

#MENteaser Cumming tomorrow #MENTarzan #gaypornparody ft. @RB_DiegoSans @GreyColton #Tobias @LukeAdamsXXX pic.twitter.com/n1VPkwhjLy

— Men.com (@Men) June 30, 2016

The only question left at this point is what Skarsgard’s reaction would be to news of this parody. If his recent comments on gay sex scenes and his LGBT fan base are any barometer, we’re guessing he’d be a fan.

#MENteaser Human. Nature. FUCKING. The legend is cumming July 1st. #MENTarzan XXX #gaypornparody ft. @RB_DiegoSans pic.twitter.com/l8qR8PHdfK

— Men.com (@Men) June 29, 2016

PREVIOUSLY: Alexander Skarsgard’s Abs Rule the Jungle in ‘The Legend of Tarzan’ Trailer – WATCH

Watch a trailer for the film which is mostly work-friendly, with the exception of a few expletives, below.

The post ‘Tarzan’ Gets a Gay Adult Film Parody – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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‘Drag Race’ Contestant Goes Viral After Justin Bieber Shares ‘Fix Ur Breath’ Video

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 contestant Jasmine Masters has been propelled into the spotlight by Justin Bieber who shared a video called “fix ur breath” to his Instagram account.

RELATED: Justin Bieber Pays Tribute to Pulse Nightclub Victims at Orlando Concert: WATCH

The clip, in which Masters talks about people with bad breath, is captioned “This is my favorite video rn”. The post already has 3.4 million views, a number not difficult to achieve when you’ve got 73 million followers.

Watch:

Here’s the full video:

(h/t nnn)

The post ‘Drag Race’ Contestant Goes Viral After Justin Bieber Shares ‘Fix Ur Breath’ Video appeared first on Towleroad.

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