Today's Show: A Jamaica Boycott

At 4:30 ET: Bloggers and activists Wayne Besen and Jim Burroway will join me to talk about their joint effort with Michael Petrelis, calling for a boycott of Jamaica for the island nation's grotesque state-sanctioned homophobia that has allowed gay bashers to pursue violence and has kept gays and lesbians from attaining justice.


Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ. Sirius 109, XM 98. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free three-day pass.

Today's Show: Threats and Ultimatums

At 3:30 ET: Beth Robinson, board chair of Vermont Freedom to Marry, on Governor Jim Douglas' threat to veto the marriage equality bill and what activists plan to do.

At 4:40 ET: John Voelcker, journalist covering automotive technology and energy issues on President Obama's ultimatum to the Detroit automakers.

My CNN Appearance Saturday Night

It was, for TV, a pretty long segment. So much so that it takes two YouTube clips. Don Lemon played several clips of his interview with national RNC chair Michael Steele then had Florida RNC chair Jim Greer and me debate his comments, the Republican Party's outreach to minorities and the future of the party. I love the part when Don brings up "Palin-Steele 2012. " Now that would be entertainment!

Talking Back

These are some of the listener survey comments I read on the show last week. If you're a listener to the show, and haven't taken the listener survey, please do so by scrolling down and clicking through on the right. Thanks!


Antioch, CA (XM)
the liberal garbage makes me hate this show but makes me want to listen for short periods of time just to get my blood pressure up.

Denver, CO (XM)
I find Michelanglo to be a very intelligent and well informed person. He has brought my informational level of the gay world to new heights and I appreciate that.

Tampa, FL (XM)
When I originally decided to purchase satalite radio I chose Sirius because they offered Out Q. I drive truck and listen to Out Q almost exclusively. I love all three of the daily show. I think Micheal Angelo does a wonderful job and wouldn't change a single aspect of his show. I realize that isn't too insightful, but I really think he does a fantastic job!!!

Ottawa, ON, Canada (Sirius)
Mike... You are great. I will say: try incredibly hard to ensure you hear all aspects of an issue. I will say: some other callers have expressed concern about when you dismiss them (hang up) on them, you do sometimes hear a point, comment on it by counteracting what they are saying, and then hang up on them before they can clarify further. This is frustrating. But all in all, Mike you are very thoughtful and highly intelligent, and make some incredible points that we all need to think about.

Fresno, CA (Sirius)
I swear Michelangelo is my long lost twin! Nearly every comment he makes is a comment I would make. Its like we're sharing the same brain waves. Thank you very much for providing such an insightful intellectual talk show regarding gay issues. We need more people speaking out, like Michealangelo does, in order to teach people the truth about our community and reduce ignorance within our country. Thank you for everything you do. You are truly an inspiration.

St. Petersburg, FL (Sirius)
Hi Michael, I have always loved your show ad have called in several times. The most surprising thing I found today when I signed onto your website for the first time is that you look nothing like what I pictured you to look like through hearing you on the radio. Wow...you are hot! :-) Thanks for the great show.

Austin, TX (XM)
Mike - I'm a longtime enthusiast of your show. I wish I could enjoy it during my drive time. I think the world of the other hosts, but I appreciate most of all your contributions to our community and the sheer entertainment I receive when you effortlessly discredit the very morale fiber of the guests that have constipated our society for far too long.

Standardsville, VA (XM)
I am a writer. Mr. Signorile's show is like a devine wind. I very much enjoy the intelligent, no craziness, mature, approach. As a writer, I'd like to hear more about the work gay writers are doing on the internet in an effort to expand what's written, known, and accepted about gay men, the LGBT community. I work very hard to offer mature and intelligent prose concerning male to male love. . We all can not be ditsy queens, joking about our lives, when so many of our lives turn tragic, because no one knows who we really are. My best wishes for more of a good thing.

El Paso, TX (XM)
report news not so pro obama he really does not like us. Stop drinking the Obama koolaid and start commenting on rality not on how we would like it to be. I enjoy your programming and your humor. I agreed with you back in the day when you were outing people who needed to be outed.

Detroit, MI (Sirius)
Michaelangelo is a good host and provides excellent commentary. His opinions are well thought out and his delivery is both articulate and thought provoking. Unfortunately, his style when working with issues not related to the GLBT Community is not well honed. Michaelangelo discusses topics in a manner that frames them as either completely correct or completely incorrect. Topics like governmental oversight, discharge of employees for cause, and the like are good topics for discussion, but Mr. Signorile is in danger of alienating some of his audience and losing credibility with tactics that do not appear to be at least open to listening to other points of view. Further, I have heard Mr. Signorile engage in some almost Republican-like fear mongering in the past. You can't criticize one side for doing this and then turn around and use the same tactic and expect to maintain credibility. Make sure you avoid any appearance of this type of behavior.

Oneonta, NY (Sirius)
I love the show and have been listening for the past few months. I live in a small town and there are very queer people here. I work for a construction company. The guys that i work with are very homophobic and racist. Your show gives me a great outlet to be true to me. The only thing that i can say negitive about the show is how gay and lesbian based it is. Im a trans guy and i know that you cant make everyone happy. I would like to hear about more trans stuff. Or just try to be more trans incusive. Thanks i do love the show.T

Phoenix, AZ (Sirius)
I love your show!!! My husband and I had to buy a house radio so we could hear your show! You are smart, funny, and charming. But I think the funniest thing is when you say anything referring to the male part or even say a cuss word. You can tell how you how saying such words. I would love see you have Ann Coulter, Bill O'Riley, Shawn Hannity, Lou Dobbs,and Keith Oberman to thank him for being a great friend to us!. I think all of these would be great interviews!!!!

Batavia, IL (XM)
i especially love your smart, witty discussions. today, i particularly enjoyed the legislator who wants to not teach "GAY" you were extremely polite and gracious to this person. i also enjoyed the discussion with the author of the book regarding levittown. i ran out and bought the book and i am fascinated with it! i want you to know, that i thoroughly enjoy your show and derek and romaine and also the frank decaro show. sometimes they really put me in a great place with laughter--once, frank made me blow dr. pepper out of my nose, as i drove on the interstate 294. oh, did i just say blow dr. pepper...oops! well, i am sure that you know what i meant...anyway--i love xm98 so much that i have 4 presets set to xm98.

On CNN Tonight

I'll be on CNN tonight with Don Lemon, about 7:30 ET, discussing his interview with Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele. I'll be debating the chair of the Florida RNC, Jim Greer. Below is one clip from Don Lemon's wide-ranging interview that got a lot of buzz earlier in the week.

Clips of Week: "The Lives of Americans"

Our Friday feature on the show, Clips of the Week: the dumb, sometimes smart -- mostly not -- things they said all week, all put to music by our producer, David Guggenheim. This week: “The Lives of Americans”

Today's Show: The Man Behind "33 Variations"

At 3:30 ET: Michael Schaffer, author One Nation Under Dog: Adventures in the New World of Prozac-Popping Puppies, Dog Park Politics, and Organic Pet Food


At 4:30 ET: Moises Kaufman, writer and director, of Broadway's "33 Variations," in which Jane Fonda is getting stellar reviews. Kaufman is the writer of "The Laramie Project," all about the murder of Mathew Shepard, and "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde."

Today's Show: Who's the Highest Paid Gay Leader?

At 3:30 ET: Kevin Naff, editor of The Washington Blade, will join me to talk about a survey of the compensation paid to the heads of 30 LGBT and AIDS organizations that his newspaper conducted and which will be published on the Blade's website just as he reveals, on the show, the names of highest paid executive directors. Who is the highest paid leader of a gay or AIDS organization? I have not been told and will be learning for the first time during the interview as well, and I'm told it may surprise us. Take a few guesses, let me know in the comments and listen in.

At: 4:30 ET: The Movement for "fetal personhood." Bills in several states would grant rights to the "pre-born," and as you can see in the previous post, some legislators are very outspoken about it, as the movement seems to be gaining speed among religious conservatives. These bills not only are designed to attack a woman's right to choose by deeming abortion as murder; the laws would have the effect of hurting all pregnant women. I'll be joined by Lynn M. Paltrow, founder and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, to talk about it.

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ. Sirius 109, XM 98. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free three-day pass.


UPDATE: Here's a link to the Washington Blade story which reveals the names and salaries of the highest paid executive directors of LGBT and AIDS groups. Number one is Craig Shniderman of Food and Friends at $380,000, while number 2 is Joe Solmonese at $338,000. Your thoughts?

The Man Who Wants to Ban "Gay"

Last week I interviewed Stacey Campfield, the Tennessee Republican state legislator who, among many other things, wants to give death certificates to aborted fetuses (though, as you will hear in the clips, he doesn't yet know what to do about embryos) and ban everything gay from schools.

He hasn't been very successful at anything --including trying to join the Tennessee House's Black Caucus -- but does get an overwhelming share of media attention. And yes, I couldn't resist talking to him. We had camera malfunctions, however, so I didn't get the video up from my interview with him on the show. But here are some choice audio clips.

Campfield on the "Don't Say Gay Bill," which he says is a misnomer:




Campfield on why we shouldn't teach about "chosen behavior" even though he admits being a Catholic is exactly that:




Campfield on why he attempted to join the Black Caucus, and then compared it to the KKK:




Campfield on why aborted fetuses should get death certificates but embryos, well, he's not figured that out:

Today's Show: Calling Someone "Gay"

At 3:30 ET Thomas W. Ude, Jr., senior staff ttorney at Lambda Legal, which has filed a brief in the Howard K. Stern defamation suit against former Fox and MSNBC reporter Rita Cosby. In her Anna Nicole Smith tell-all, Cosby claims that form Smith boyfriends Stern and Larry Birkhead were in a relationship themselves. Lamda argues that calling someone gay 2009 should not be considered defamation, whether it's true or not.

Today's Show: Those Crazy Christofacists

At: 3:30 ET: Bart Ehrman, author of Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them)

At 4:30 ET: Fred Karger, Founder, Californians Against Hate on the latest he's uncovered about the Mormon Church's role in Prop 8.

Good for Her

Meghan McCain told Larry King she supports marriage equality. Throughout her father's campaign and even in the first couple of months after the election she didn't give her position on social issues at all. But I think Laura Ingraham's nasty attacks have emboldened the younger McCain to go public. She's seemed a bit muddled in her political philosophy, but anyone bucking the conventional wisdom in the Republican Party is a good thing.

One of Those Days

Sorry for not posting today -- including the show highlights -- but it was one of those days. Make that one of those weekends. New computer, bad wireless, lots of customer support madness, finally fixed. But then had to run around this a.m. to a bunch of other horrible places, including motor vehicle. Anyway, back to posting tomorrow!

Talking Back

These are some of the listener survey comments I read on the show this week. As usual, posting on Saturday. If you haven't taken the survey, and are a regular listener to the show, please scroll down and click through on the right. Thanks!


East Hartford, CT (Sirius)
Mr. Signorile seems to be a very good guy who gives his best on the radio day in and day out. He is very witty and intelligent regarding the issues. I have seen him more than hold his own on cable shows with the worst of the worst right wingers too. One criticism is in order. Like most talk show hosts, callers are just there to validate the host's position. As soon as the point is made, callers are quickly shooed off the radio. I do not know why people call back to these shows after they are so quickly discarded by the host. Although Mr. Signorile is guilty of being short with his callers he is not the only host offender on this issue. On balance, however, Mr. Signorile is nicer to his callers than many other hosts are on Out Q. If people take valuable time to call these shows and are put on hold for up to one to hours on some shows, the hosts need to show greater respect and care for their listeners/fans. I love it when you interview right wingers and they call the show and you totally bring then down to small size. It is funny. On some callers, I can see why you want to end their calls--those very pesky right wing Bots who call the show to deliberately start trouble. But, really now, a great show! It is such a great show and that I take so much from it. I hope others do too, and by the way, "Don't drink the Kool-Aid!"

Denver, CO (Sirius)
You said that United Methodist Church is the most gay friendly in the nation. Where do you put Metropolitan Community Church on the spectrum, you pompous ass. [Response from MS: I said United Church of Christ, not the UMC, and I was talking about mainline churches, of which MCC is not one. Maybe you should listen before you hurl names.]

Morristown, NJ (XM)
Michelangolo is great. Smart, cool, collected.

Verona, NY (Sirius)
At first I never really "got" the big deal about satellite radio. Then a friend gave me a radio for my Jeep that was Sirius-ready so I got it and now I can't imagine not having it. I would have to say that the Signorile show is by far my favorite show on OutQ. It's informative yet entertaining at the same time. Keep up the great work! S

Branson, MO (XM)
As a straight ally, I really like staying informed about the issues that effect the LGBT community, and you address them so well. The lighter side of OUTQ is fine for a bit...but your show is very informative and you are obviously well researched. Injustice is simply unacceptable in my book, and I'm fighting here in Missouri!! Keep up your calm, cool, collected approach Michelangelo...it's refreshing!

Glendale, CA (XM)
I am glad that you are now on XM. The show is outstanding and very thought provoking. It is a great balance to the Limbaugh's, Hanity's, and Coulter's of the world that somehow thing that the way to get a point across is to talk loudly say only hateful things. Yours is a real discussion and you are to be congratulated for having the discussion. Keep it up.

Boynton Beach, FL (Sirius)
Please go after the crazy right talk shows. Laura Ingram is an idiot. She's saying Obama is lying to us and he is stealing money from the bailouts. Can't anyone stop them f rom lying. Don't get me started on Rush. I live near him and HATE HIM.

Atlanta, GA (Sirius)
My partner and I fight over your show all the time. I absolutely love listening to your thought-provoking commentary, and my partner can't stand you! He says you are a whining, negative queen who just rants on about one subject over and over -- and of course I couldn't disagree more. I've tried to get him to listen to at least one full hour with me and he gets mad and changes the channel to BPM. However, I noticed if I send him quick little video links he seems to watch them. Perhaps I'll convert him yet! Keep up the good work and thanks for being such a strong voice for us. By the way, your last appearance on CNN was great.

White Plains, NY (Sirius)
Hello Michelangelo, Just wanted to say that your show has been a wonderful inspiration for me in that it has caused me to "stand up more" (I am disabled in a wheelchair) and fight for the issues that are important to the LGBT Community. I enjoy your no nonsense attitude in approaching the issues and standing firm in what you believe! You are a remarkable voice in our community and hope I can gain more "strength/insight as I listen more to you. Keep up the great work!

Silver City, NV (Sirius)
Love the show. I listen as often as I can and I always try to turn on your program when there is something BIG hitting the news, especially right wing controversy and hypocrisy. You are honest, thoughtful, and you don't try to spin the topics unlike much of the main stream media. I like that I can listen to your program when something in the news smells fishy and some group is covering the odor with propaganda and BS. You're good at clearing the air and exposing the stink!

Tolovana Park, OR (Sirius)
Michael, I love your show.I live in a small town on the Oregon coast and am culturally deprived. I am originally from NJ and am of Italian decent so I am starved for good food and gossip.I found the station by accident. I was stuck in traffic and was pushing buttons and came across Derrick and Romaine and Derrick was going off about blow jobs so I was immediately hooked. And then I was looking for their show again and heard you and it was right in the thick of the election and I was hooked again. I even have gotten my husband to listen to Out Q now.

Clips of the Week: "Off with their Heads"

Our Friday feature on the show, Clips of the Week: the dumb, sometimes smart -- mostly not -- things they said all week, all put to music by our producer, David Guggenheim. This week: “Off with their Heads”

"Family-friendly" Pride?

This story created an enormous amount of discussion on the show over the past couple of days, and on my facebook page as well, with people posting furiously on one side or the other.

Should LGBT Pride be "family-friendly"? And who decides what that is?

Today's Show: Marriage Advance

At 3:30 ET Heather Gerkin, author of The Democracy Index; Why our Election System is Failing and How to Fix It.

At 4:30 ET a marriage equality bill advanced in the Vermont Legislature, voted out of committee and going to the full senate for a vote. Beth Robinson, board chair, Vermont Freedom to Marry, will join me to talk about how Vermont may just be the next same to make marriage legal for gays and lesbians.


Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ. Sirius 109, XM 98. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free three-day pass.

Today''s Show: Banning "Gay" in School

At 3:30 ET: Michael Adams, author of Slang: The People's Poetry , joins me to talk about his new book, all about the power of words and groups' ability to define that -- and that will certainly play into our next guest as well.

At 4:30 ET A very persistent antigay legislator in Tennessee, Rep. Stacey Campfield, will come on the show to talk about why he has re-introduced a bill to ban the word "gay" from schools in his state.

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ. Sirius 109, XM 98. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free three-day pass.

France and Germany Slam Pope

This guy really knows how to get people's backs up. Pope Benedict has once again incurred condemnation from governments around the world. France and Germany, as well as the EU and global health experts worldwide, have taken on his claim while in Africa that condoms actually cause HIV transmission to increase:

"France voices extremely strong concern over the consequences of Benedict XVI's comments," said a French foreign ministry spokesman. "While it is not up to us to pass judgment on Church doctrine, we consider that such comments are a threat to public health policies and the duty to protect human life."

The danger of remarks like the Pope's can't be underestimated.. This news is really astounding: It's estimated that 3% of people in Washington DC have HIV or AIDS. At a time when science and education are crucial this madman is actually giving people information that will kill them, couching it not as his moral belief but as actual public health strategy. He should be condemned from here to kingdom come.

R.I.P. Natasha Richardson

So sad. Natasha Richardson did a lot of good for gay people and people with AIDS, having raised millions of dollars for AIDS groups in the U.S. and around the world for the past 15 years. I met her and her husband Liam Neeson back in '95 at the home of American Foundation for AIDS Research founder Mathilde Krim. Both spoke passionately about fighting the epidemic. Her father, director Tony Richardson, was bisexual (though closeted about it most of his life) and died from complications from AIDS in 1991, which obviously raised her awareness to the issue. Her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, has always been very committed to social causes as well.

Natasha Richardson's greatest acclaim came from her Tony-winning role as Sally Bowles on Broadway in "Cabaret" (while most people probably will remember her as Lindsay Lohan's mom in "The Parent Trap.") But my favorite Richardson performance was in the 1990 film "The Handmaid's Tale." I was just talking about the film --based on the frightening dystopian Margaret Atwood novel -- on the show a couple of weeks ago. It's all about a U.S. taken over in the future by a Christian theocracy where women are subjugated and blacks and gays are sent "to the colonies" or worse. It wasn't a great film -- though Faye Dunaway, as a scary Phyllis Schlafly-type, was in high camp, almost a la "Mommie Dearest" -- but it carried an important message and a warning. Natasha Richardson chose her roles carefully and tried to use her work to advance human rights when she could. She'll be missed.

U.S. to Sign U.N. Pro-Gay Declaration

Finally, the U.S. will break away from the Vatican and the Islamic states at the U.N. on the issue of LGBT rights: The Obama administration will sign on to the U.N. document calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality:

U.S. officials said Tuesday they had notified the declaration's French sponsors that the administration wants to be added as a supporter. The Bush administration was criticized in December when it was the only western government that refused to sign on.

We may just come out of the Dark Ages yet.

"Signorile Saturdays" Debuts This Week

I'm happy to report that my Friday show on OutQ (Sirius 109, XM 98), which often incorporates a "week in review " format and "clips of the week," will be replayed on Sirius Left (Sirius 146) and on XM's America Left (XM 167) on Saturday nights. "Signorile Saturdays" will air on both channels every Saturday night from 8 ET to Midnight ET (5 PT to 9 PT).

The weekend rebroadcasts on OutQ of shows from earlier in the week will continue. And of course, the live show on OutQ continues, weekdays 2-6 ET.

Today's Show: Obama's Gay Vow

At 3:30 ET: After successfully working to preserve marriage in Massachusetts,
Marc Solomon, heads to Equality California to lead the marriage effort in that state after the group came under whithering criticism from activists in the aftermath of the Prop 8 loss. He'll join me to talk about his new role and the future of marriage in California.

At 4:30 ET: former Clinton adviser Richard Socarides, will talk with me about the "tough spot" President Obama finds himself in regarding gay couple benefits. Will he break his vow to offer benefits or will he enforce DOMA, leaving repeal to another day? Is there a third way to handle this?

Ellen Interviews Her Wife

Cool.

Obama Invites Fundies into White House

Pam Spaulding's got the story on how Obama has invited antigay groups into the White House, including Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America. Pam notes:

Well, folks -- the gloves are off. Right Wing Watch reports that Joshua DuBois, head of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will welcome representatives from the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America, two organizations being monitored by the Southern Poverty Law Center for their anti-gay, womb-controlling activities, into the Obama White House to discuss policy.

No Live Show Today

Taking the day off, some rest and relaxation. Back on the show tomorrow live. A "best of" will air today.

Always Good for a Laugh

Alan Keyes is a kook, but I think he says openly what a lot on the right are churning about. And he's always good for some hilarious wingnuttery. Here he tells us that the "alleged" president of the U.S. is secretly a communist murderer who is destroying America and must be stopped.

Talking Back

These are some of the listener survey responses I read on the show this week. If you're a listener to the show please take the survey by scrolling down and clicking through on the right. Thanks!


Dayton, OH (Sirius)
I love the show! In my opinion, it is the best political/news/issues talk program available anywhere. Michelangelo has a way of illuminating the hypocrisy inherent in many of the positions of the right (and also of the left, when appropriate) in a way that often has left me slapping my head and muttering something along the lines of, "Of course! Why did I not make that connection!". I love segments with guests and particularly so when the guest is on the opposite side of the fence politically or on a particular issue. I have been listening for about 3 years now and early on, I felt that Michelangelo interrupted his guests and callers too often, but I have come to realize and appreciate the fact that this appears to be only because of his unbridled passion in his beliefs and those issues he finds most important.

Denver, CO (Sirius)
I really enjoy listening the show. I find that there are days that I completely disagree and days where I am right behind your thoughts. The only reason that I really ever turn off the show is when the topic within the context of my day just gets too dark or emotional.

Houston, TX (Sirius)
It's just nice to have a station of "our own" - - - I feel at home when I'm listening.

Staten Island, NY (Sirius)
Love you and the show, just try to keep your cool with the idiots, you're better than them.

Winnipeg, MB, Canada (XM)
I'm a huge fan - I used to listen on Sirius but am thrilled to find you on XM now.

Boston, MA (Sirius)
I Like the show, although sometime you get too opinionated. You don't accept other thoughts if they differ from yours. Being older then some of your listeners I would like a bit more coverage on things effecting the older gay community. Yoour all going to be here some day god willing.

Tinton Falls, NJ (XM)
I am a new listener. I discovered you after America Left took Randi Rhodes off the air. Although, I'm gay I really am not a one issue voter and I love to hear diverse talk about liberal politics. Your show absolutely delivers. I must say that I loved your chat with Lizz Winstead this week and I would if you could have her back on a regular basis. Keep up the great work.

Las Cruces, NM (XM)
I am so glad we now have OutQ on XM. I have been looking forward to it since the merger was announced.

Saratoga Springs, NY (Sirius)
I love your show, DNR, and Frank. sirius put together one awesome team, you each should be very proud. I just want to thank you, so much for being out there leading the way for our community.

Boulder,CO (Sirius)
I could never bring myself to listen to any talk radio before but I am glad I found your show....it's comforting to know that I'm not alone in the way i think and feel.

Val De Oro, TX (Sirius)
I think the show is wonderful, informative, scintilating. however one complaint, the people who complain about certain aspects of show are very petty and trite. To them i say, take what u need and leave the rest!!

Leeper, PA (Sirius)
I love listening to your show. I don't always agree with you on every subject, but I do feel better informed on the issues after listening to your show. If everybody agreed on every issue, then there would be no need for a discussion. I just want to thank you for giving OutQ listerners a forum to discuss the political issues that affect us.

Cedar Rapids, IA (XM)
I'm so glad I can hear you now on XM. I would listen more often if XM offered OutQ online, but in response to my request they merely said there were no such plans to do so. :( [Note from MS: You were misinformed; XM will soon be streaming OutQ.Stay tuned.]

St. Petersburg, FL (XM)
XM listener. We can now get you at work. We listen to OUT Q all day long. Morning Jolt, Frank and Doria and you all have great shows and we enjoy listening to you - Yes, even the straight folks! Our Department is 50% MO! Keep up the great work!

Clips of the Week: “Will Capitalism Be Different”

Our Friday feature on the show, Clips of the Week: the dumb, sometimes smart -- mostly not -- things they said all week, all put to music by our producer, David Guggenheim. This week: “Will Capitalism Be Different”

Today's Show: Waiting for the Apocalype

2:30 ET: Alan Spector, co- chair of Family Equality Coalition of Hawaii will join me to talk about the battle for civil unions in the state, which has been marked by protest from antigay forces. The legislature make soon pass a civil unions bill for gays and lesbians.

3:30 ET: Our friend Mark Thompson, whose show Make It Plain, airs on SIRIUS LEFT 146 and XM America Left 167, will stop by and talk with me.

4:40 ET: Veronica Chater, author Waiting for the Apocalypse: A Memoir of Faith and Family. The book is her memoir about her father, who was angered by the Vatican II reforms and took the family to Fatima from California to lead radical extremist Catholic lives.

Today's Show: Battle for the Court

At 3:30 ET: Florida is the only state to outlaw gays and lesbians from adopting. Two state courts have ruled it unconstiutional. As it heads to the Miami appeals court, State Senator Nan Rich is introducing legislation to help influence the decision, seeking to legalize adoption by gays in Florida. She will join me to talk about it.

At 4:30 ET: David McKean, co-author with Cliff Sloan, of The Great Decision: Jefferson, Adams, Marshall and The Battle for the Supreme Court.

Today's Show: Losing Religion

At 3:30 ET: Barry Kosmin, co-author of the just-published American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), which found that 15% of Americans now identify as not having any religion.

At 4:30 ET: David Kushner, author of Levittown: Two Families, One Tycoon, and the Fight for Civil Rights in America’s Legendary Suburb.

Abolishing Marriage

Via Towleroad) Overall this probably distracts from attempts to get Prop 8 repealed, as people are not going to vote to end marriage for all. Still, it's an idea I think we can all agree with: Getting the state out of the marriage business:

Meanwhile, two heterosexual Southern California college students – Ali Shams and Kaelan Housewright – want to take the state out of the marriage business.

Their proposed measure calls for the term "marriage" to be removed from state laws and replaced with "domestic partnerships."

Shams maintains the measure would provide equality to all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, while preserving marriage as a religious and social ceremony.

"This is a compromise," Shams said. "It says 'Get rid of marriage as a state institution. Make it a religious institution, keep politics out of it and stop the fighting.'"

A Tale of Two Sex Scandals

My new Advocate column is about what I view as the correlations and differences between the most recent Ted Haggard sex scandal and the Sam Adams (Portland mayor) sex scandal. The reaction to one, I suggest, is really a product of the reaction to the other.

Anyway, I'm getting hammered a bit in the comments over on Advocate.com, so maybe some of you might want to give it a read and comment there -- and here -- if you disagree with them. Of course, you may agree with my detractors, and that's fine too. I'm always up for a good discussion. The basic crux of my argument, summed up toward the end of the column, is this:

Haggard, though a victim of a homophobic culture himself, is what we want to tell the world we aren’t -- and certainly what we want to tell the world our openly gay politicians aren’t. But not being like Ted Haggard doesn’t mean openly gay people, including our politicians, must be -- or can be -- perfect. We fall into a trap when we hold ourselves to heterosexual ideals, ideals even heterosexuals can’t uphold, particularly when it comes to sex and our sex lives—the very things that make us different.

Some of our greatest gay political heroes -- from Barney Frank, whose boyfriend ran a prostitution ring out of the congressman’s house, to the late representative Gerry Studds, who was involved in an underage page scandal -- have been at the center of sex scandals much more serious than Sam Adams’s. I hate to think where we’d be if, at the time, Frank or Studds had resigned and slunk away. We certainly would have made much less progress. And, when it comes down to it, we’d definitely have far fewer truly human role models.

But go read the whole thing (and the Advocate.com commenters) and let me know your thoughts.

Off the Show Today

I'm taking the day off from the live show, but there will be a "best of" airing today. Back on the air tomorrow.

CNBC's Blather

I've been saying for weeks on the show that all ofthe squawking against the White House from Rick Santelli and Jim Cramer is about CNBC trying to find some relevancy -- after being an arm of the very bubbled-up financial industry that got us into this mess -- by now going after Obama. This article pretty much confirms that. Their ratings are usually down in an economic decline, but they've found someone to rail against:

But CNBC’s executives and hosts seem well aware that their ratings have traditionally stagnated in down times for the Dow. “People do not want to come to a show each night and hear how poor they are,” Mr. Cramer said.

But in a change from previous downturns, CNBC is now a place for politics, to borrow a phrase from its sister channel MSNBC. The network’s journalists have been encouraged to speak their minds, making the line between reporter and commentator almost indistinguishable at times.

Like much of the financial sector, they're also trying deflect attention from a spiral that their own recklessness (and bad predictions) created.

More No on 8 Madness

This really is hard to fathom, though relative to the rest of the missed opportunities of the No on 8 Campaign it shouldn't come as a shock. Apparently Barack Obama did make a very emphatic statement against Prop 8 and, more powerfully, congratulated all of the gay and lesbian couples who got married in California -- except, the No on 8 Campaign decided not to let everyone know! The letter read as follows:

As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. ...

And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states. ...

Finally, I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks.

Activist Michael Petrelis dug up the letter and points us to a Bay Area Reporter article in which one of the outsourced heterosexual political strategists for the No on 8 Campaign explains that since the letter was sent to a Bay Area group most people across California wouldn't be familiar with the group, thus he decided not to use it. Jeez, it doesn't matter who the letter was sent to -- it was coming from Barack Obama! The impact would be enormous in many constituencies across the state if you put it in ads.

These people actually got paid our dollars, sent to the No on 8 Campaign, for this:

[L]ittle use was made of Obama's opposition in a letter last June to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, and right before Election Day the Yes on 8 campaign sent out a mailer featuring Obama's image and quotes that he is opposed to same-sex marriage.

"That was a close call," Smith said. "Maybe we should have."

Smith said that people outside the Bay Area wouldn't know what the Alice Club was, but club Co-Chair Susan Christian spoke up and said that in fact, Obama's letter to the club been widely reported, including in the New York Times.

Insane.

Talking Back

As usual on the weekends, here are some of the listener survey comments I read on the show this week, edited for space. Please take the listener survey if you are regular listener to the show by scrolling down and clicking through on the right. Thanks!


Titusville, FL (Sirius)
As a fairly independent thinker, and a middle age straight and happily married (to a catholic younger man) jewish mom, I absolutely enjoy listening to this diverse and progressive show run by very capable and interesting people. Thus ends a very long and confusing sentence (but thanks for the great entertainment!).

Augusta, GA (XM)
I think you could prepare better for in-person interviews/debates. You tend to let the other person run roughshod over you without really having any answers to their arguments.

Pilot Mountain, NC (XM)
I love the show, you give us the news that the local news channels don't give us.

Hagerstown, MD (Sirius)
Agree with alot of Michel's thoughts but am not in favor of the way the stimules planis being handled with putting the money in the hands of the CEOs that got us in to this mess to start with.

Arlington, TX (Sirius)
As someone who is trying very hard to have a family as a lesbian couple, your comparing the process of IVF to Frankenstein is not only insensitive, but callous and smacks of misogyny. You've lost a fan, a female fan. [Response from MS: I did not in any way condemn IVF; this is a misunderstanding. Gay and lesbian couples have, in my opinion, been more responsible than straights re: reproduction, including IVF; my point was about OctoMom and her doctor's abuse of the technology.]

Ontario, Canada (XM)
I enjoy Michelangelo's thoughtful consideration of the current issues that affect our community. However, as a Canadian, where is the Canadian content? Canadian stories? Thank-you/merci for listening to my rant! Go get those neo-conservatives!

San Jose, CA (XM)
Thanks for a news-oriented show on OutQ. It's nice to have a block of thoughtful talk in the midst of light-hearted camp.

Houston, TX (Sirius)
I love M's respectful attitude towards people he disagrees with. I don't always agree with him, but enjoy the dialog and the respectful exchange. And yeah, for some reason, his picture is hotter than my mental image was based on his voice.

Fort Drum, FL (Sirius)
I love the show, don't change and I mean that! Fuck these dumb braindead repukelitards KKKons (sorry to be redundant) who hate everything they secretly wish they could admit they are!!! But don't worry, evolution is gonna weed them about soon enough!!!

Alexandria, MN (Sirius)
There should be more respect for people that have not and do not cling to promoted gay themes. I think promoting outing is cheap, flimsy and total Slander. That's not cool for any dudes and its not cool to out gay gangs either. Respect is where its at and always will be. To smear people that are not choosing the same way in anything is very Nazi and that is pushing the "out" group in a corner and they will have done it to themselves. Nobody likes the corner thing. People do not get it up in the same way and that should be respected. Its not hot to be in a corner. Be alright and let others be alright.

Staten Island, NY (Sirius)
I absolutely love your show. You make me laugh and actually make the news entertaining. Keep it up. P.S I love the exorcist music the producer plays in the background.

Rehoboth Beach, DE, (XM)
You ask to many fucking questions.

Fresno, CA (XM)
You're a doll! I first found OutQ two weeks ago when scanning the XM dial and I haven't left. I find your program to be the most informative, and you to be a terrific host. Though today's news seems to be centering around the cratering of the Republican Party via Governor Jindal's sorry TV performance, I am yearning for a stronger critique of the President's inexplicable non-mention of civil rights for anybody, much less gays and lesbians.

Belevedere, CA (Sirius)
I enjoy the show when ever I can catch it. I was very pleased to find the show when we got our last car that included sat-radio. I always used to listen to Air America, et al, but I find your show to cover all the things the other Air America shows did but with much more content that applies to me and my family. I am happily married now to my partner of 23 years and are raising a fantastic child whom we adopted 5 years ago! Keep up the good and interesting work that you do.

Clips of the Week: "I Hope Prop 8 Fails"

Our Friday feature on the show, Clips of the Week: the dumb, sometimes smart -- mostly not -- things they said all week, all put to music by our producer, David Guggenheim. This week: "I Hope Prop 8 Fails"

Today's Show: Unfriendly Fire

At 3:30 Nathaniel Frank, senior fellow at the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, comes on the show often. Today he'll join me to talk about his new expose of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, as well as a fascinating history of gays in the military: Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America.

At 4:30 ET: Some Friday fun with Lizz Winstead, co-creator of the Daily Show and political satirist extraordinaire, will drop by and we'll no doubt have a lot of laughs. Don't forget to check out her show downtown when you're in New York, Shoot the Messenger.

My CNN Debate Last Night

This is a clip of my debate last night on AC360 on CNN with Tony Perkins of Family Research Council. It includes a short set-up first of the Prop 8 hearing story, and then the discussion.

The California Supreme Court Hearing

We'll be going through it all some more on the show today, and looking at what a lot of analysts thought of the questions from the Supreme Court justices yesterday. Andy Towle has a lot on the various points of view. Clearly an uphill battle, but I have said from the start of this that we're going to be back at the ballot box and people need to start organizing right away. We have got to be out in the streets too, across the country, and not waiting for the court. Your thoughts?

On CNN Tonight

I will be appearing on CNN on AC360 tonight, debating Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council on Prop 8 and the court hearing today. Should be any time between 10 ET and 11 ET. Check my Facebook page or twitter for an exact time, as I'll post there just before going on.

Today's Show: Day of Justice

We'll be covering the California Supreme Court Prop 8 hearing all throughout the show, as the presentation of oral arguments are under way right now.

At 3:30 ET: Karl Rove will finally testify before Congress and looks like Dick Cheney may have to testify in the case Stephen Howard, a Colorado man who was arrested after he told Cheney he disagreed with him regarding the war in Iraq and then, ten minutes later, after he walked away, was followed by secret service agents and then arrested by police for assault. He filed a false arrest lawsuit, secret service agents gave conflicting accounts -- pointing fingers at one another -- and Cheney tried to get out this. But now Cheney's is likely going to be deposed. I'll speak with Steven Howard about the case and his experience.

At 4:30 ET: Steven Waldman, author of Founding Faith: How Our Founding Fathers Forged a Radical New Approach to Religious Liberty.

Prop 8 Hearings Today

Oral arguments to overturn Prop 8 are being heard today by California Supreme Court, along with the arguments of those opposed, including Ken Starr representing the Prop 8 supporters. The hearing begins at 9 PT. We'll bring you all the latest throughout the show, and you can also watch the hearing live online at The California Channel. Last night there were vigils all across California, which had great turnouts. We'll be covering some of the speeches on the show as well.

Today's Show: Killing Made Easy

At 3:30 ET: I'll speak with Lee Swislow, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders in Boston, the legal advocacy group which successfully argued for marriage equality in Massachusetts. Yesterday the group filed suit seeking federal benefits for gay and lesbian married couples in that state, challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.


At 4:30 ET: A few weeks ago I spoke with P.W. Singer, author of Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century. It's about the current and future war technology that increasingly disconnects human beings from doing the killing, mechanizing mass death through the use of robots, high-tech drones, computers and other means. Shoot an Iraqi: Art, Life and Resistance Under the Gun is a perspective on this reality by an Iraqi artist Wafaa Bilal. He created an unsettling interactive performance piece: for one month, he lived alone in a prison-sized room in the line of fire of a remote-controlled paintball gun and a camera that connected him to Internet users around the world. Visitors to the gallery, thousands of them, shot at him 24 hours a day. The project received worldwide attention and Bilal was named Artist of the Year by the Chicago Tribune. I'll speak with Wafaa Bilal about Shoot an Iraqi, his chronicle of the piece and perspective on it.

The Meltdown Continues

The Republicans appear to be on the same trajectory as the economy. Michael Steele called Rush Limbaugh an entertainer, and really, Limbaugh hasn't failed to entertain all of us watching the Republican Party meltdown from the sidelines, as they just continue to marginalize themselves. We've certainly talked a lot about it on the show and had fun with some of the dittoheads who called in to defend their man and his hopes that Obama -- and thus the country -- will fail.

The White House has played it well, pointing to Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party, and Steele basically admitted as much after his pathetic and groveling apology. But the members of the self-described moderate David Brooks/Kathleen Parker wing of the party, shrinking as it is, are horrified and adamantly denying that Limbaugh is the leader of the party, and they don't seem to like the inept Steele either. So who is the Republican Party leader? Palin and Jindal just seem to self-immolate on cue each time they jump into the center ring. Parker now says it's none other than Williard "Mitt" Romney. Even though the fundies wouldn't go near him last time around I guess she's counting on desperation to force them into backing a Joseph Smith follower next time. Do they have enough big love for that?

Today's Show: Civil Rights, Civil Liberties

I was bad today and didn't get to update the blog, including with today's guests on the show. Nonetheless, I wanted to post here now because often people later want links to the guests' web sites and books.

At 2:30 ET: I spoke with Molly McKay whose group, Marriage Equality USA, is organizing vigils around California and around the country for the night before the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments on why Proposition 8 should be repealed. Go and get get involved.

At 3:30 ET, H. Alexander Robinson, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, came on the program to speak with me about Michael Steele, the new leader of the Republican National Committee, who has been sparring with Rush Limbaugh and flip-flopping on LGBT rights.

At 4:30 ET, Human Right's Watch's Jennifer Daskal joins me to discuss the secret Bush administration memos made public by the Obama Justice Dept. that show the far-reaching authority that Bush attorneys were claiming in fighting terror, threatening American civil liberties on a massive scale.

Today's Show: Landmark Decisions

AT: 3:30 ET Fred Strebeigh, author of Equal: Women Reshape American Law.

At: 4:30 ET Frank Kameny, the father of gay activism, will talk with me about his house has now been made a national landmark, all because of the gay activism that took place there.

Readings from Bobby Jindal's Exorcism

Last week we literally had people pulling off the road as I did several readings on the show from Gov. Bobby Jindal's 1994 paper, “Beating a Demon: Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare," to the theme music from the film "The Exorcist." I thought I'd share a little bit of one of those readings from the rising, falling star of the Republican Party here, in the short clip below.

The paper is a first person account of how Jindal, a new Catholic convert at the time, helped get the devil out of his poor, possessed friend Susan. Much of the paper is published in this piece by Christian evangelical pundit David Brody.