LGBT Comics Say Goodbye to Gene Wilder

The great comic actor, playing often zany but always recognizably human characters, was an inspiration to his fans.

www.advocate.com/people/2016/8/29/lgbt-comics-say-goodbye-gene-wilder

Gene Wilder, Incomparable Comic Icon & ‘Willy Wonka’ Star, Dead At 83

Gene Wilder, star of movies “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory,” “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein,” has died at the age of 83.

Wilder’s nephew told the AP on Monday that he passed away late Sunday night in Stamford, Connecticut due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

The two-time Oscar nominee was born Jerry Silberman in Milwaukee and started studying acting at 13. His career began on the stage, where he met Mel Brooks while costarring in a Broadway production with his wife, Anne Bancroft. Their partnership was productive and legendary.

He began directing and writing in the mid-to-late 1980s, although he would always be more successful as an actor. His acting career was mostly finished by the early 1990s.

He moved to painting and writing books later in life. He is survived by his fourth wife, Karen Boyer.

He was always able to make us smile, and that is no small feat. Rest with the stars, Gene Wilder. pic.twitter.com/kxis66bIGd

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 29, 2016

?What an iconic comedic actor. He inspired me so. From Dr. Franken-schteen to Willy Wonka, his work will live on. t.co/eg03MWhA9I

— Pandora Boxx (@ThePandoraBoxx) August 29, 2016

“On stage or in the movies I could do whatever I wanted to. I was free.” — Gene Wilder #RIP pic.twitter.com/Vmql2CQj2t

— Tribeca (@Tribeca) August 29, 2016

R.I.P Gene Wilder. As funny as they come.

— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) August 29, 2016

Gene Wilder-One of the truly great talents of our time. He blessed every film we did with his magic & he blessed me with his friendship.

— Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) August 29, 2016

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SETI, Frank Ocean, iPhone 7, Michael Phelps, Reindeer, Ariana Grande, Deathstroke, Spain: HOT LINKS

NOT A DRILL. SETI investigating signal from deep space: “The signal’s strength indicates that if it in fact came from a isotropic beacon, the power source would have to be built by a Kardashev Type II civilization. (The Kardashev scale is used to determine the progress of a civilization’s technological development by measuring how much energy was used to transmit an interstellar message.) An ‘Isotropic’ beacon means a communication source emitting a signal with equal power in all directions while promoting signal strength throughout travel.”

SPAIN. Group takes action against gay conversion therapy.

CHARTS. Frank Ocean’s Blonde enters Billboard album chart at #1. “Ocean’s latest moved 276,000 equivalent album units out of the gate, and 232,000 of those were traditional album sales, compared to the 131,000 Channel Orange opened with in 2012.”

IT’S BRITNEY BITCH. VMAs comeback upstaged by “Lemonade”. “How could Brit follow that up? That’s like following up the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks spectacular with a little kid playing with a defective sparkler in the backyard.”

COME THRU QUEEN. Welcome back to the #VMA stage, @britneyspears! t.co/6mbHjEc4aL

— MTV (@MTV) August 29, 2016

COREY LEWANDOWSKI. Media Matters says it’s time to do something: “CNN hired Corey Lewandowski in late June after Donald Trump relieved him of duties as campaign manager. What looked at first like an indefensible hire has mushroomed into perhaps the worst conflict-of-interest problem in the history of cable news. It’s time to send a message to Jeff Zucker and CNN: Cut ties with Corey Lewandowski at once.”

CHRIS HEMSWORTH. What Thor has been up to.

VMAS. Kanye West hijacks show with six-minute speech.

CHEEKY. Justin Bieber shows off his crackside (work-unfriendly).

ENDORSEMENTS. National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce endorses Hillary Clinton: “The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has never endorsed a candidate in its nearly fifteen year history, but the stakes have never been so high for the future of the LGBT business community. Hillary Clinton is the progressive champion our businesses and our families need to thrive,” said NGLCC Co-Founder and CEO Chance Mitchell. “The LGBT community has come too far to lose its seat at the table, and we are certain that Secretary Clinton will be the President fighting for the collective economic and social longevity of America’s 1.4 million LGBT business owners.”

MALE MODEL MONDAY. Drew Hanley – more here.

IPHONE 7. Apple announces big event on September 7.

#PHELPSFACE. Michael Phelps says he was listening to Future’s “Stick Talk” when PhelpsFace was born. “I might have a lot of gold but this guy’s got all the platinum.”

NUCLEAR? Mushroom crowd terrifies locals in Siberia.

FREAKNATURE. Lightning strike kills 323 reindeer in Norway: “The Norwegian Nature Inspectorate wrote in a press release that officials discovered a field of carcasses on Friday while they were supervising hunters in the area. The agency estimates about 2,000 reindeer live on the plateau each year. Now, about one-sixth of them are dead, including at least 70 calves.”

TRANSPORTATION. Amtrak’s Acela Express to get big upgrade: “The new trains will be capable of hitting a maximum speed of 186mph — close to Japan’s Shinkansen trains that travel at a maximum speed of about 200mph. In addition to higher speeds, the new trains will carry one-third more passengers, feature more power outlets and USB ports, have superior Wi-Fi connectivity and will be more efficient.”

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj “Side to Side”.

DEATHSTROKE. Ben Affleck unveils Justice League character. “Slade Wilson has always been a great opponent for the team and looks great in the few silent moments Affleck has made available. One imagines he’ll square off against the Bat of Gotham, which should be a great fight.”

t.co/0NsNzCtGip

— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) August 29, 2016

MONDAY MUSCLE. Uriah Harris.

The post SETI, Frank Ocean, iPhone 7, Michael Phelps, Reindeer, Ariana Grande, Deathstroke, Spain: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad.

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Brock Turner's Jail Time for Sexual Assault to Be Cut by Half

Turner, a former Stanford University student who received the light sentence of six months for the assault, now will be released after three months.

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/8/29/brock-turners-jail-time-sexual-assault-be-cut-half

The Colleges New to Campus Pride 'Best of the Best' List

Here’s which institutions of higher education got the “most improved” award.

www.advocate.com/youth/2016/8/29/colleges-new-campus-pride-best-best-list

Letting the Dogs Out (Photos)

www.advocate.com/photography/2016/8/29/letting-dogs-out-photos

‘Housewives’ Reunite, ‘All Stars’ Get Snatched and More TV This Week

Check out our weekly guide to TV this week, and make sure you’re catching the big premieres, crucial episodes and the stuff you won’t admit you watch when no one’s looking.

The Fosters say farewell for now with a midseason finale tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern on Freeform. Callie (Maia Mitchell) finds herself in hot water trying to reopen the investigation into the murder of her former foster brother.

If you miss ogling ripped Olympic athletes, feast your eyes on the national finalists on American Ninja Warrior tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC. With obstacles like the Giant Log Grip and Snake Run, we’ll be watching with smelling salts in hand.

The B is back. No, not Britney, who had her chance to shine at last night’s VMAs. We’re talking about Barbra, darling. Streisand’s new album features the legendary singer duetting with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Join Babs in the studio along with famous friends Melissa McCarthy, Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman and more Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on Logo for ENCORE: Behind the Scenes With Barbra Streisand.

The ladies of The Real Housewives of New York City will surely ignore Countess Luann’s pleas to not talk about Tom at the explosive reunion special Wednesday at 9 p.m. Eastern on Bravo. Bethenny Frankel breaks down some of her fiery fights from this season in the video above.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2 continues to slay with a brand new edition of the Snatch Game featuring the remaining queens. Alyssa Edwards, Phi Phi and Detox have something to prove after lackluster performances in the Snatch during their seasons, but the return of Snatch Game pros like Alaska, Tatianna, Adore and Ginger means this is guaranteed to be a must-see. Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern on Logo.

What are you watching this week on TV?

The post ‘Housewives’ Reunite, ‘All Stars’ Get Snatched and More TV This Week appeared first on Towleroad.

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Teen Tells School Board She’ll Fail High School if She Has to Change Clothes with a Transgender Person

A ninth grade student in Pennsylvania has told her school board that she may not be able to graduate high school because of the guidelines introduced by the Obama administration relating to transgender students’ use of bathrooms and locker rooms.

Last week, Sigourney Coyle (above left with her mother Aryn, and right) told an East Penn School Board she did not want to undress in the same changing room as transgender students for religious reasons.

“Gym requires us to participate to pass high school and if I don’t change I am not allowed to participate,” she said. “So my options are to let myself be discriminated against or fail gym for not participating and not pass through high school, which would jeopardize my future.”

The teenager added that she knows “some [transgender people] and I don’t have anything wrong with them. I would just not like their rights to overrule my own. We are equals. They are not better and I am not better.”

RELATED: Anti-Trans School Board Candidate Arrested for Refusing to Leave LGBT Meeting: VIDEO

Following the Obama guidelines, Coyle began sitting out of middle school gym class because she did not feel comfortable using a changing room that transgender students could also use.

Ms Sigourney Coyle of Pennsylvania is a Heroine! She has GREAT COURAGE! And I support her!

— P Edward Murray (@Patrickm55P) August 26, 2016

In May, Sigourney’s mother Aryn wrote on Facebook:

“I have always been an advocate of any special arrangement that prevents any group of people from being mistreated based on who they are. But I will NOT stand by while the law dictates that male bodies are allowed to walk into my daughter’s locker room, undress next to her, and shower alongside of her. Whether or not the male bodies are covered in pants or skirts is irrelevant. They have no place in her locker room.”

She later wrote that an application for religious exemption had been denied because it “only applies to health class due to sexuality content and not gym.” She added that she “will be proud” of her daughter’s possible “failing grade in gym.”

Sigourney also confirmed to the school board that an Emmaus High School official had given her permission to take gym class in the summer. Aryn Coyle said her daughter was “thrilled” with the development but claimed that it was a “band-aid” solution.

sigourney coyle is a white cisgender & str8 girl who claims that having to change in a room with a transgender will be discriminatory to her

— cass (@niallucinations) August 24, 2016

Aryn added that she had no problem with her daughter using the same restroom as transgender girls. However, she said her family’s Christian faith teaches that the first male before whom her daughter should appear nude should be her husband.

She also suggested transgender students be allowed to use the changing rooms early, to avoid being in rooms at the same time as cisgender students.

A spokesperson for the East Penn School District issued Buzzfeed News with the following statement:

“East Penn School District will continue to abide by all Title IX regulations regarding non-discrimination of students. The district administration is currently reviewing recent communication relative to transgender students received from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education, and will consult with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, and the East Penn Board Solicitor. At the present time, the District feels it is in full compliance with the law.”

Watch an interview with Sigourney and Aryn Coyle below.

(Image via Facebook)

The post Teen Tells School Board She’ll Fail High School if She Has to Change Clothes with a Transgender Person appeared first on Towleroad.

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