Times Square Gossip

   Francesco Francesco’s Foundation has been created to help prevent teenage suicide through providing financial support for education in schools, where the focus will be on prevention of all types of bullying including and in particular that of the LGBTQIA+ community, education about the risks of teenagers engaging in dangerous activities on-line, education about the risks of leaving fire-arms unsecured with teenagers in the house - all of which contribute to heightening risks of teenage suicide.  Seventeen-year-old Francesco took his life with an unsecured shotgun at 2.00 am on October 21st, 2021 on a warm October evening on a moonlit beach in the Hamptons. He was discovered by the police after a call from a school friend. He had to be identified by his dentist - so devastating is the destruction from a shotgun suicide. No parent should ever have to live with that image.  The aftermath of his death has devastated his two mothers, who lived apart, family and friends...

Joe Biden Say's He Is Best To Beat Trump Despite rocky primary start, Biden tells The View he's still the best candidate to 'beat Trump' "I’m heading south now where I feel good,” the former vice president told the co-hosts. “Ninety-nine percent of the African-American vote hasn’t voted yet and 99% of the Hispanic vote hasn’t voted yet,” he adds. "I believe I'm going to beat Trump."  Biden reacts to Rush Limbaugh questioning Pete Buttigieg’s electability because of his sexuality: “Pete and I are competitors, but this guy has honor, he has courage, he’s smart as hell.”  He reacts to recently resurfaced audio of Mike Bloomberg: “Every single thing I’ve said for the last 40 years has come up... we’re just now getting into looking at people’s records.” Joe Biden On Attorney General Barr Biden tells the co-hosts Pres. Trump "has weaponized" the Attorney General's office. When asked if Trump "learned a lesson...

Neil Patrick Harris Visits The View Neil Patrick Harris on his twins' Halloween costumes, National Coming Out Day. Harris and his husband David Burtka are Halloween PROS! We look back at their fabulous costumes over the past few years with their twins. "It allows your light to shine a little brighter.” Ahead of National Coming Out Day, Harris opens up about coming out: "I was pleased that when I came out, the ceiling didn’t crash in, I was able to stand taller, and be more … transparent about who I was." Photo Courtesy Of: ABC / Disney  

Tom Of Finland TOM OF FINLAND  will have its US PREMIERE at the forthcoming 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski brings to screen the life and work of one of the most influential and celebrated figures of twentieth century LGBTQ culture. Touko Laaksonen, a decorated officer, returns home after a harrowing and heroic experience serving his country in World War II. But life in Finland during peacetime proves equally distressing. He finds post-war Helsinki rampant with homophobic persecution, and gay men around him are being pressured to marry women and have children. Touko finds refuge in his liberating art: homoerotic drawings of muscular men, free of inhibitions. But it is only when an American publisher sees them and invites Tuoko over to the West Coast that his life really takes a turn. Finally being able to walk free and proud in Los Angeles, Tuoko dives head first into the sexual revolution, becoming an icon and a...

John Cryer "Two and a Half Men" star Jon Cryer sounded off on speculation over his sexuality in an interview with HuffPost Live the other day. Cryer: "All of the stereotypical stuff that everybody thinks the gay community holds close, I have been a part of, except for the gay sex. But by the way, they don’t ask. That’s been the issue. They don’t come onto me. So I’ve never been propositioned. Fellas, you’re dropping the ball! Cryer: I was a theatre dork, and so everybody just assumed that I was gay and one of the things that I loved about Duckie [ from ‘Pretty in Pink’], he was that. You know, he was what I was, which was an 'Effeminate Heterosexual Dork'  Photo By: Walter McBride/WM Photography/Retna

Laverne Cox With Katie Couric Katie Couric will sit down for a live interview with actress and LGBT advocate Laverne Cox for her nationally syndicated daytime talk show, “Katie.” In this all new episode, Couric will talk to Laverne Cox about her Time Magazine cover story and the new season of the Netflix original hit “Orange Is The New Black.” Cox first appeared on the show in January 2014, an interview which inspired important discussions about gender transition and surgery. Their conversation will broadcast on “Katie” on TUESDAY, JUNE 10th. Photo Courtesy Of: Disney/ABC

**** MGM'S LAS VEGAS HOMOPHOBIA Story By: Gerald McCullouch - Star Of CSI Las Vegas **** Gerald  McCullouch     The following was written by CSI star Gerald McCullouch. Gerald wi ll be guest starring with Cyndi Lauper on Bones  for their 150th episode on Monday. Be sure to tune in! I’ve never been one to hold a grudge. Ain’t my style. It gives the person or thing you have a grudge against too much power. And you willingly give your happiness away, freely, to the person or thing which least deserves it. It’s been a lifelong goal of mine to be happy and it’s something I work diligently towards, so I do all I can to not give it away to Road-Ragers or outsourced customer care representatives. Or, more appropriately, casino security guards whose homophobia is enshrined in Nevada State Law. For 10 seasons I played “Bobby Dawson” on CSI. As CSI is set in Las Vegas, I’ve spent some incredible times in that city. My recent trip began...

The Chop Team Latrila, LATRICE ROYALE and MANILA LUZON, just got The Chop on RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race in what is being called the biggest upset of the season. The mismatched pair quickly proved they were the team to beat this season winning the first ever challenge in All Stars her story. Although they have been sent packing much too early, these two are not letting that discourage them as they release their inspirational new duet, "The Chop". "As far as winning, my prize was the blossoming friendship with Manila." says Latrice Royale. Drawing from their own personal struggles to "make it", Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon want to remind all their fans that even when we face hard times, we have the power to keep on the path to our own destinies.

**** TIMES SQUARE GOSSIP FILM PICKS **** Gerald McCullouch And Joe Conti "BearCity 2: The Proposal", the follow up to 2010's break out indie hit "BearCity" brings to the screen one of the most endearing romantic comedies in recent years. I was won over by the first film as well as it's star, the handsome Gerald McCullouch, and I've been following the process of making the film on the CSI actor's column at The Advocate.  His most recent column is a must read for all film lovers.  A hirsute 'Sex and the City", the San Francisco Examiner stated: “BearCity 2 is the sequel that Sex and the City 2 wished it was.” The movie follows the familiar characters from the first film through hilarious, romantic and occasionally surprisingly dramatic adventures as they head to Provincetown, MA for Bear Week and a gay wedding. Film Forum marks the film as "Fresh, moving and dear to the heart" and Next Magazine states ...

**** ANDERSON COOPER COMES OUT OF CLOSET Bitching By: James Edstrom **** Anderson Cooper I just read Anderson Cooper has come out as gay. Is it safe enough Anderson? I like Anderson, I have met and spoke to him many times at events around New York City. But it really kills me that all these famous people stayed in their safe closet for all these years, while the rest of us were fighting for gay rights. Now that we got them, all these celebrities are running out of the closet like they were always there for us. And the sick thing is, the gay community welcomes them with open arms, like they were always helping the cause. Cooper made the announcement in an email to writer Andrew Sullivan. "The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud," he wrote. Proud of what Anderson? Proud that by you staying in the closet, you were safe? Proud that so many gay kids over ...

Lance Bass This past Saturday, CB2 played host to their annual PRIDE Kick-off party with The Trevor Project hosted by Lance Bass at their West Hollywood store. Lance, a huge fan of CB2, attended with boyfriend Michael Turchin and both were very excited to be a part of the event and heighten awareness for The Trevor Project – who played Grand Marshall in the Parade on Sunday. Lance went home with 2 of the “Accept and Be” posters (retail $19.95 each) which were exclusively created for CB2 by designer Mathew Lew - all proceeds directly benefit The Trevor Project (available at CB2 stores nationwide as well as cb2.com. Photo Courtesy Of: Emmett Loverde

  The New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) and Souleo Enterprises LLC, an event/media production company, are ready to wave the rainbow flag high and proud with LGBT summer adult programming throughout the month of June. Celebrating the creative energy of the LGBT community, the Gay Pride Month programming includes cosmetic makeovers by NYC’s top drag queens such as Hedda Lettuce; interactive workshops featuring the iconic drag entertainer John Epperson (Lypsinka’s Maid) and a fashion reinvention design workshop with Beau McCall. In addition to honoring the glory of the LGBT community, programming also aims to examine significant current themes, including a panel on LGBT hip-hop celebrity impersonators and cultural critics analyzing the phenomenon known as diva worship and expert insight on the hot-button topic of marriage. “The New York Public Library is excited to host such a diverse programming that celebrates LGBT Pride in the month of June,” s...

**** U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gives historic speech **** U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivered a historic speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, asking countries around the world to decriminalize same sex relationships, and end discrimination of LGBT people. The speech itself attracted some coverage, but what dominated the news that day was the response by the audience. Several members of the council, in an obviously pre-arranged move, staged a coordinated walk-out before the speech even began, a major breach of diplomatic protocol. The message came through loud and clear: In 2012 there are still many governments around the world who take the firm stance that human rights are for some, but not for all. The walkout was a stark reminder that in many places around the world LGBT people are still demonized, criminalized, attacked and even killed for who they are. Seventy-six countries still criminalize being gay, and...

**** Russian Governor Signs Anti-LGBT, Anti-Expression Bill Into Law After Months of Massive Worldwide Protests, AllOut.org & ComingOut-St. Petersburg Respond **** Closet Queer St. Petersburg Governor Georgiy Poltavchenko Despite months of sustained international protests led by global gay rights organization AllOut.org and their partners in Russia - ComingOut, SidebySide and the Russian LGBT Federation - St. Petersburg Governor Georgiy Poltavchenko signed a law yesterday that would criminalize reading, writing, speaking or reporting on anything related to gay, lesbian bi or trans (LGBT) people. Andre Banks, co-founder and executive director for AllOut.org responded: “By validating a new regime of censorship and intolerance, Governor Poltavchenko has diminished the reputation of his city with the stroke of a pen. 100,000 people have promised not to visit the "new" St. Petersburg after this law goes into effect. Travel companies are considering revising their scheduled t...

**** TIMES SQUARE GOSSIP TRAVEL **** Tel Aiv Is Best Gay City Tel Aviv was named the World's Best Gay City of 2011 in a recent survey on GayCities.com, sponsored by American Airlines, it was announced this month. The Israeli art, culture and nightlife metropolis received nearly half of the votes, with New York City, Toronto and Sao Paulo finishing behind. In the survey, Tel Aviv was described as the gay capital of the Middle East and as "an exotic and welcoming destination with a Mediterranean c'est la vie attitude." "We are proud to see Tel Aviv gain international recognition as the world's best tourism destination for LGBT travelers," said Haim Gutin, Israel Commissioner for Tourism, North and South America. "We hope this award attracts travelers of all tastes and interests to visit Israel in 2012." Tel Aviv will host its annual LGBT Pride Festival, featuring a wide selection of events, festivals and a parade, June 8, 2012. For more informati...

**** We received the following story from Congressman Jerrold Nadler. We agree with his thoughts on these issues. **** Jerrold Nadler Impeding the NRC’s ability to regulate nuclear plants will not save one job but could threaten countless lives. Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, for example, lies less than 40 miles from New York City, with 20 million people living within 50 miles of the plant – the same distance recommended as an evacuation zone after the recent nuclear disaster in Japan. Indian Point also sits near two fault lines and, according to the NRC, is the most likely nuclear power plant in the country to experience core damage due to an earthquake. Now is not the time to undermine nuclear safety and the common-sense regulations that keep us safe and protect our way of life. Furthermore, despite the tea party belief that regulation hurts the economy and costs jobs, there is no evidence to support this position. In reality, according to the Economic Policy Institute, "econ...

Josh Berman April Bowlby With Ben Feldman Clay Aikens Jamie-Lynn Sigler Jamie Babbit April Bowlby Ben Feldman Ben Feldman along with Jamie Babbit, Clay Aikens, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, April Bowlby and others attended The The 29th Annual Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Screening and Panel Q&A of "Drop Dead Diva" held at the Directors Guild in West Hollywood, California. Photos By: RD / Orchon / Retna Digital

Mike Manning Trent Garrett Dominic Zampronga Julie Bowen Chrishell Stause Lexi Ainsworth Bob Guiney Bobbue Eakes Jamie Luner Bradford Anderson Christina Bennett Lind Brandon Barash Natalie Hall Natalie Hall along with Jamie Luner, Trent Garrett, Dominic Zampronga , Chrishell Stause, Lexi Ainsworth, Bobbue Eakes and many more stars attended the ABC Daytime and The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Presents Kander & Ebb's 'The World Goes Round' at The Renberg Theatre at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Los Angeles, California. Photos By: RD / Orchon / Retna Digital

**** A GAY OLD TIME **** AnnaLynne McCord Pink Carey Hart With Pink Sarah Silverman Kat Von D Devon Aoki Renee Zelwegger Gina Gershon Clementine Ford Brent Bolthouse Linda Perry Linda Perry along with Brent Bolthouse, Sarah Silverman, Pink, Kat Von D , Clementine Ford, Devon Aoki , Renee Zelwegger , and Gina Gershon attended the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's "An Evening with Women: Celebrating Art, Music & Equality" at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calfornia. Photos By: RD/Kirkland/Retna Digital