The Gist: 10/01/2009

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Saturday Back Talk

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

Oklahoma City, OK (XM)
I just want you to know i have just recently started to listen to the show and I love it. You bring to light the issues that are affecting our nation.

Mount Pleasant, MI (Sirius)
Sometimes you are so out there and think that everything is either black or white (all or nothing) that you forget that most of the world is grey and not everything has an easy answer or a simple solution. I do appreciate your efforts and staunch opinions and we as a Gay population need people like you but please remember that not all of us see the world as you do with such strong convictions. I think that there is room for everybody and our different opinions make the USA great.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sirius)
I really enjoy the show and the analysis of the news. I'm a high school debate coach, and I enjoy your logical approach to analyzing the issues.

Indianapolis, IN (Sirius)
I wish Michelangelo would stop letting Barney Frank slide in his interviews. I'm sorry, but he's not hard enough on Barney. Make Barney answer the questions like he does the Right Wing-nut guests. Also Can we have more of the caller debates put on the youtube channel? I love being able to hear Michelangelo put some of these callers in their place when they call in with BS they got from fox news.

Fairfax, VA (Sirius)
While I appreciate the fact that listeners are given the opportunity to call into the show, sometimes I feel like the conversation tends to repeat itself when the call in portion of the show goes on for more than a few minutes. In a perfect world, I’d like the length of interviews with guests to be extended so that the conversation can get into a more detailed discussion of the issue at hand. Then the callers would actually have more material to respond to and it would potentially take away from some of the repetition that can sometimes be frustrating.

Nashville, TN (XM)
I love OutQ. and I love your show. Michelangelo. Although I live in a metropolitan area I've often felt disconnected from the gay community and OutQ has really bridged a gap for me I feel. I listen every day that I'm at work and really have no major complaints. I feel that you bring a great variety of topics to the show every day and are a very engaging host. If I had to nitpick I wish that you would read more from comments on facebook or twitter as some of us cannot call while the show is on but could leave comments via facebook.

Farmington Valley, CT (XM)
Unfortunately, after trying to talk live yesterday I was rudely rejected. I'm becoming convinced that the show is a love fest for those of the same opinion rather than sparking an intellectual debate/understanding the other side. Doubt me? Then have someone from the hospitals dial in and talk about Medicare reimbursements BELOW cost, have physicians CALL IN and talk about how they will abandon Medicare if the 21% rate cuts go into effect. Bottom line, Mr Reid's "heroic" move is nothing short of a government take over of healthcare masked as a pseudo public option.To continue the bashing of the insurance industry without more facts is media sensationalism. I expect more from Mr. Signorile who clearly is smart and articulate. Open up the phone lines for DISSENTING opinions!!

Greenwood Lake, NY (XM)
Hello from a straight ally. Although I disagree with your 99% of your left wing politics. I am with you 90% of the time on gay issues. Keep up the good work.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Clips of the Week: "The Public Option is a Moderate Idea”

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 Public Option is a Moderate Idea”

Today's Show: America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman

4:30pm EST: In a survey conducted by the Washingtonian magazine, Barney Frank was rated the smartest, funiest and most eloquent member of Congress. Stuart Weisberg captures this in his new book, Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman and joins us in studio to talk about this influential congressman.

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free three-day pass or, if you have an iPhone, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Heroin Problem In The Ranks

3:30pm EST: Occupy the world's largest heroin producer in Afghanistan and it's no wonder the methadone clinics are overpacked -- but the military is mum on the subject. In 2007, Shaun McCanna wrote an article for Salon.com about the heroin problem of soldiers in Afghanistan and a recent report from the United Nation’s Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has sparked an interest in this story. He joins us this afternoon to talk about it.

And Then Some Good News

President Obama will announce today the end of the HIV travel ban, something he's been pressured on for nine months and which George W. Bush's HHS Dept. sat on even though Congress voted last year to allow the ban to fall. This is good news.

More Obama Double Standards

In yet another example of how the Obama administration bends and changes the laws to find justice for one group, while claiming -- when it comes to gays -- that it must follow the law as it is until the law is changed: The administration had decided that an abused Guatamalan woman can get asylum but after lots of pressure, including from John Kerry, a Brazilian gay man forced to separate from his legal husband can not. Sure, physical abuse isn't equivalent to forced separation, but the point here is that the Obama administration changes law, redefines law, decides not to use the law (federal drug policy on medical marijuana is another example) every day -- except with it comes to immigration for gay people, military policy for gay people (DADT) and marriage law (DOMA) for gay people.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Today's Show: iWant

3:30pm EST: Openly lesbian Headline News talk show host Jane Valez-Mitchell, joins us this afternoon to talk about her new book, iWant: My Journey From Addiction and Overconsumption To A Simpler, Honest Life.

Obama's Remarks At Reception

President Obama's remarks at the reception for the hate crimes bill. Yesterday we went live to the signing of the bill, with his brief remarks. This is from the reception later in the day.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Today's Show: How To Be A Movie Star

4:30pm EST: While the name Elizabeth Taylor often conjurs up images of astounding beauty and unparalleled scandal, the Hollywood icon is much more than a beautiful face and two-time Oscar winner. In How To Be A Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor In Hollywood, media historian William Mann show us how she successfully built her career and managed to keep herself in the headlines for more than fifty years and joins us in studio to talk about it.

Today's Show: Maine and Marriage Equality

3:30pm EST: Joe Sudbay, of AMERICAblog, joins the show this afternoon from Maine to give us a look at the political fight happening for marriage equality in Maine and the efforts that are still needed to say 'No On Question 1,' now that we are less than a week from voting.

Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill Today

President Obama will sign the Defense Authorization Bill today, which has the hate crimes bill attached to it. He will have a signing ceremony with military leaders earlier in the afternoon. Then, later, he will hold a ceremony to mark the enactment of the first federal law ever to protect a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Will will cover what we can on the show, though I believe we may be off the air before the ceremony gets underway.

Push to Legalize Pot Gains Momentum

We discussed this on the show yesterday, lots of calls. The Obama administration's decision not to use federal drug laws in states where medical marijuana is legal -- a reversal from Bush policy -- is helping to pave the way for the legalization of pot. And even conservative commentator George Will seems to agree, and doesn't seem to think it's such a bad idea.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Today's Show: Opt-Out or Cop Out?

2:30pm EST: Igor Volsky, Health Care Researcher at the Center for American Progress, joins the show this afternoon to explain how the public option opt-out provision for states in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's health care legislation could work and should work.

Today's Show: Morehouse Dress Code

4:30pm EST: Reverend Irene Monroe, blogger, theologian and columnist at Boston's InNewsweekly, joins us this afternoon to talk about the new dress code policy at historically-black Morehouse College in Atlanta, which received a lot of attention recently when the all-male school banned students from cross-dressing wearing women's clothing.

Today's Show: Myth of the Rational Market

3:30pm EST: Journalist Justin Fox joins us this afternoon to speak about his new book, The Myth Of The Rational Market: A History Of Risk, Reward and Delusion On Wall Street, which chronicles the rise and fall of the efficient market theory and century long making of the modern financial industry.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Today's Show: FOX News vs. The White House

4:30pm EST: Brian Frederick, Deputy Editor from Media Matters for America, joins us this afternoon to offer analysis to the criticism and support from the media for FOX News regarding the debate on whether FOX News is news.

They Get Letters!

At the Netroots Nation convention back in August I discussed on the show (and wrote here) about how activist Lane Hudson, seated at my table, stood up and challenged Bill Clinton regarding DOMA and "don't ask, don't tell" during his speech. As the video, below, shows, Clinton got pretty angry and defensive.

Well, now Lane tells me the former president, who has since come out fully for marriage equality, sent Lane a letter, expressing his support of LGBT issues and apologizing for his anger at the event.

Today's Show: Silent Partners

3:30pm EST: We will speak with Rick Perez, executive producer and director of Silent Partners, a look at the hidden effects of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law through the eyes of 3 partners of deployed service members. The film can be viewed online.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Saturday Back Talk

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

Providence, RI (Sirius)
Michelangelo Signorile has a fantastic show with keen analysis and important insights. But your call screeners are JERKS and RUDE. I’ll never bother calling your show again. Whenever I try calling your call screeners are rude and obnoxious. Call this sour grapes but it isn’t. I am very educated and have been involved in the LGBT movement. No longer will I bother to try giving out new information or insight by calling your good show in its present form with the rude people you have working with ya. Your staff obviously missed finishing school. No, I do not like your call screener who has no social manners whatsoever.

Allentown, PA (XM)
You have a very good show, Michelangelo. You cause people to think and it is refreshing to hear. Keep up the good work.

Shelton, CT (XM)
I feel that your show has helped me to become more involved in the issues by informing me of many of the talking points to discuss with friends and families to get involved with issues important to my rights and discrimination to everyone's rights. It was you that got my ass to Washington to march.

South Bend, IN (Sirius)
I highly respect Michelangelo Signorile. I listen to his show daily, read his blog and his books. But lately I've been feeling disappointed in his behavior, specifically on CNN and in his comments about HRC. Michelangelo has been coming across as an angry radical, similar in ways to Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck, just at the other end of the spectrum. He often comes across with an attitude that unless you completely agree with him then you are wrong.

Rochester, NY (Sirius)
Intersexed people always have a gender and usually a predominant sex. I'm intersexed but mostly male and am a man. I've got an adopted gay son who is 22 and started a GSA at his Catholic college! My 22 yr. old daughter by a previous partnership is very worried about what will happen to my partner and I if we can't get married. My 22 yr. old gay niece is hungry for GLBT history. We must all start to think about them as part of our communities' picture and talk about them, with them and listen too.

Jersey City, NJ (Sirius)
Now that we have had the national equality march, i would love a regular or semi regular feature about things we could or should be doing after the march, once we returned to our home states. highlight various organizations, and the work they are doing and how we can get involved.

Atlanta, GA (Sirius)
First of all, I had never seen you until I watched "Outrage." I had a vision of you as an older fat man, but I was so wrong, you're hot! Thank you for making my ride home every day! You are the reason I have satellite radio!

Newberry, MI (Sirius)
I am a new listener. I am 39 and newly divorced. It has only been about 2 months since I began my coming out process. I look forward to 39 more yrs. out and finally happy!

Hot Springs, AR (XM)
I dislike the soundbites set to music. In fact, I will tune the radio to 1st Wave (my other favorite station) when I hear them beginning. It is obvious that your producer puts a lot of effort into the segment, and I appreciate his effort, but I HATE IT. Annoying as hell.

New Paltz, NY (Sirius)
LOVE LOVE LOVE THE CLIPS OF THE WEEK! I love the political discussions, and the interviews with the right wing nutjobs like Rev. Anderson. I particularly like that Michael is patient with these people, giving them enough time to present their views and countering them with compassion and logic.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Clips of the Week: "Take One of These & Call Us in a Decade"

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, with the title taken from the question asked by Lady Gaga at the National Equality March, "Take One of These & Call Us in a Decade"

Today's Show: Grey Gardens and Beyond

4:30pm EST: Grey Gardens-mania continues. The story of Edie Beale and her mother Edith Bouvier Beale - the aunt to Jackie Kennedy Onassis - living in a cat-infested, filthy, crumbling estate called Grey Gardens in East Hampton on Long Island became the iconic award-wining, documentary, Grey Gardens, a Broadway play and of course recently a feature film on HBO starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore.

Walter Newkirk, who interview Edie Beale in 1976, shortly after the release of their documentary, joins us this afternoon to talk about his book, Letters From Edie Beale, which is a collection of letters written to him by Edie as well as art inspired b y her life.

Today's Show: Flat Broke In The Free Market

3:30pm EST: We rescheduled our interview with Jon Jeter, who joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Flat Broke In The Free Market: How Globalization Fleeced Working People and how nations around he world, in an effort led by the US, stopped making things and started buying them, "imbibing a toxic cocktail of deindustrialization, privatization and anti-inflationary monetary policy."

Ready to March Again?

The National Equality March got us results, was organized quickly and cheaply, and got the grass roots passed the Human Rights Campaign, which needs a new strategy if it doesn’t want to be completely irrelevant. We need to be prepared to march again and should begin planning it. I lay out the case -- and a lot about the rift between the Human Rights Campaign and the grass roots and what needs to be done -- in my newest column in the Advocate:

The National Equality March, which Time magazine estimated brought roughly 200,000 people to the National Mall earlier this month, was such a huge success even before it happened that we must plan another one — even if it never happens. That’s because we’ve learned a few things in this first year of Barack Obama’s presidency.

First off, this administration responds to pressure, and unlike the previous Democratic administration, these White House officials cannot contain our discontent by going to groups like the Human Rights Campaign or politicians like Barney Frank (more on that and the reasons why farther down).

They want to keep LGBTs at arm’s length, but we continue to make that difficult, and we force them to move — ever so reticently — each time we have applied pressure.

Read the full column and let me know your thoughts.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Today's Show: How Social Networks Shape Your Life

4:30pm EST: Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, is a professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Departments of Health Care Policy, Sociology, and Medicine, and in 2009 was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. He also co-authored Connected: The Suprising Power of Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, and will talk to us about new evidence that our real-life social networks shape virtually every aspect of our lives.

Today's Show: Kalamazoo's Ballot Fight

3:30pm EST: In Kalamazoo, Mich., voters will decide this November on an ordinance that prohibits discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals. The city's ordinance, which outlaws employment, housing and public-accommodation discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identification, took effect July 9 but was suspended once opponents turned in enough signed petitions to force a public vote. Jon Hoadly, Campaign Manager of One Kalamazoo, joins us to talk about it this afternoon.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today's Show: Battling Hate in Washington State

3:30pm EST: Anne Levinson, chair of the Approve 71 Campaign in Washington, joins us this afternoon to talk about the groups efforts to keep the domestic partnership law that provides legal protections for lesbian and gay couples and seniors who are in committed relationships.

Today's Show: Are You Distracted?

4:30pm EST: Maggie Jackson believes that despite our wondrous technologies and scientific advances, we are nurturing a culture of diffusion, fragmentation, and detachment. Our attention is scattered among the beeps and pings of a push-button world, she says, and we are less and less able to pause, reflect and deeply connect. In Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age, Maggie Jackson wonders about our increasingly cyber-centric world and joins us to talk about it this afternoon.

Back Live Today

Took a day off yesterday from the show, but we're back live today.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Vatican Opens Doors to More Phobes

After centuries of schism, hatred of homosexuality is bringing the Catholics and the Anglicans back together! The Vatican just announced it is creating a space for homophobes from the Anglican Church who want out because of the increasingly acceptance of homosexuality.It's amazing what fear and loathing will do:

The Vatican has made it easier for Anglicans to join the Catholic Church, responding to the disillusionment of some Anglicans over the election of openly gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions. Pope Benedict XVI approved a new church provision that will allow Anglicans to convert while maintaining many of their distinctive spiritual and liturgical traditions, Cardinal William Levada, the Vatican's chief doctrinal official, told a news conference Tuesday.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Today's Show: The High Cost of Being a Gay Couple

4:30pm EST: Over the course of a lifetime, families take on many costs: health care, housing and other legal costs. But what about gay couples who have none of the federal benefits of marriage? How much more are they paying? Tara Siegel Bernard joins us this afternoon to talk about the findings from her New York Times Article, The High Price of Being a Gay Couple.

Banning Cross-Dressing on Campus

Morehouse College in Georgia is banning cross-dressing on campus. We will get into this one on the show today. Does the school have a right to tell anyone how to dress in their free time, let alone someone who may be transgender? This story is all about anxiety at an all-male school, but it's baffling that the gay group on campus reportedly just went along:

The dress-wearing ban is aimed at a small part of the private college's 2,700-member student body, said Dr. William Bynum, vice president for Student Services.

"We are talking about five students who are living a gay lifestyle that is leading them to dress a way we do not expect in Morehouse men," he said.

Before the school released the policy, Bynum said, he met with Morehouse Safe Space, the campus' gay organization.

"We talked about it and then they took a vote," he said. "Of the 27 people in the room, only three were against it."

Today's Show: Flat Broke In The Free Market

3:30pm EST: Jon Jeter joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Flat Broke In The Free Market: How Globalization Fleeced Working People and how nations around he world, in an effort led by the US, stopped making things and started buying them, "imbibing a toxic cocktail of deindustrialization, privatization and anti-inflationary monetary policy."

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Great to Meet A lot of You

We had a a really fun meet-up at the National Equality March last weekend for listeners to the show. On the show I've thanked those of you who turned out, but hadn't had a chance to write about it here. I was blown away by the number of people who came to the Helix Hotel Lounge last Saturday night, scores and scores of people who just kept coming well after the event was officially over. The hotel was terrific to all of us from Sirius XM OutQ throughout our stay. And that night they let us host the meet-up for Frank Decaro Show listeners and Signorile Show listeners, and let it just keep going, and I want to thank them for it.

I didn't know what to expect, but I got a hint it would be big when: 1) my phone rang at midnight the night before, with the desk telling me there were "some gentleman" here to meet me (I told the desk the meet-up was the next night, and no, I wasn't meeting anyone at midnight!); 2) I met two guys in the lobby who came to the hotel earlier on Saturday, just after I'd come off MSNBC, to scope out for the meet-up that night and; 3) when a woman called me at the hotel shortly after that, frantically wanting to know if if indeed the meet-up was that night and what time it started.

When I came downstairs at shortly after 6 p.m., however, I wasn't prepared for what I saw. The event started at 6, and it was already packed in the lounge with a huge line for drinks. The crowd was spilling into the hotel lobby, where Frank DeCaro was surrounded by people snapping pics. I then joined him and, well, it took about an hour to actually get into the lounge, because I was stopping every foot or so and talking with so many of listeners. It was great to put names to faces of so many of our brilliant and always inspiring callers, like Tori in Washington, Jay in New Haven and Mark in Fort Lauderdale. But really, there are so many more and I'm sorry I can't name them all here.

The listeners who came were of every age group and ran the gamut -- gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender. And people were there from all of the country, from New Hampshire and Maine to Texas and Florida and California. I was really touched by the things so many said about the show, what the show means to them. I really again want to thank you all for making the show what it is. It's great for me only because we have such smart and plugged-in listeners.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Saturday Back Talk

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

Copell TX (Sirius)
I appreciate the fact that you don't hang up on callers and you make every effort to understand the callers and guests point of view!

Oakland, CA (Sirius)
Want less of:
1. repetition of the current topic - M.S. repeats himself way too much
2. the obnoxious introductory music/sound bit crap as well as the end of the hour stuff
More of:
1. Caller input -- M.S. will say that he wants to have callers, but then spends the next 20 minutes repeating himself and asking the same questions over and over and over and over.
2. interviews - really like to hear what those other than M.S. have to say about any given issue
3. less judgemental commentary/attack of interviewees and callers
4. more current events from around the country/world by LGBT groups

Sierra Vista, CA (Sirius)
I AM A STRAIGHT FEMALE LAWYER. I ALSO TEACH PRE-LAW CLASSES AT THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY, INCLUDING A COURSE IN GENDER LAW. MY BROTHER IS GAY, I HAVE HAD MANY GAY FRIENDS IN MY LIFE. YOUR SHOW IS A GREAT ACADEMIC RESOURCE FOR ME. ALL THAT ASIDE, YOU DO A GREAT JOB, YOU ARE DEAD-ON TOPIC, AND YOU HAVE OBVIOUS PASSION FOR WHAT YOU DO. WHAT NOT TO LOVE?

San Diego, CA (Sirius)
Mike is unrealistic in his views that all gays should come out at work. I have lost many jobs due to higher ups who hated me because I am gay so I know it is not a good policy to expose your sexual identity in a work environment. Mike is adorable and would be fun to date if he didn't have a partner.

Elk Grove, CA (Sirius)
Keep up the good work Michelangelo and staff. I am at work while you are on the air, but listen to the show en route to the gym and back during lunch. The show is enlightening and stimulating.

Portsmouth, NH (Sirius)
I truly enjoy the show and listen as often as possible. One recommendation for those guests that may be suspect to negativity or hostility, I would simply let them speak and get it all out on the table - THEN give your rebuttal (as only you can). Sometimes your passion tends to get the best of you and you wind up speaking over the guest. This makes it difficult to hear the entire conversation. Other than that, you're doing a fabulous job and our community is very fortunate to have you as a fierce advocate for equality on all fronts.

Oakland, MD (XM)
I love it all - great interviews, very informative, and a viewpoint I can relate to! It makes my hour-long drive from work to home much more tolerable.

Pensacola, FL (Sirius)
Mike, please let your guests and callers talk. You have an annoying habit of cutting them off and sometimes not letting them complete their sentence or idea. I turn you off when you do that too much.

Sicklerville,NJ (XM)
Michelangelo I really enjoy your show. it is refreshing to have someone as educated and knowledgeable as yourself present the issues, from all sides and really hit them hard. I listen whenever I am on the road

Kingston, TN (Sirius)
I Love the sound bites, especially for Barbara Bush and clips of the Reverend Muthey. Also, "God Says No" is now part of my everyday conversation. Why not have a laugh or two while discussing serious subjects? Your show is very informative and gives me a sense of community every day. Thanks!

Edson, AB Canada (Sirius)
Enjoy your show. Before having Sirius I never really thought about the news on TV. I accepted it blindly because are they not impartial? They are journalists and they are telling us all what is new! I had drank the kool aid! But now I know better and I no longer blindly believe and trust the media to tell the truth. Thank you so much for opening my eyes and my mind to different points of view.

San Jose, CA (Sirius)
Love your show, cant think of anything you don't already do the show is wonderful and very informative you need more of the Steven Anderson getting tazed on it though its the best sound bite you have play it often!!!

Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH
I enjoyed meeting you at Heliox [for the meet-up] in Washington D.C., and appreciate your support of the March on Washington. I find it interesting who was there and who wasn't. People you think should have been there weren't. Was it gay political infighting? Actions speak louder than words, organizations might say they support it, but don't "show" support.

Merrimack, NH (XM)
I came across OUT Q Radio when XM and Sirius merged, with Michelangelo Signorile being the first show I listened to. While I don't agree with everything presented, this show is intelligent and I enjoy the "discomfort" I sometimes experience when listening. I have always considered myself a straight ally of the LGBT community, a social moderate bordering on liberal, and a national security conservative. I'm sure I'm not the only straight, moderate Republican who enjoys having their socially progressive side stimulated by listening to this thought provoking show.

Sun prairie, WI (XM)
After hearing Jeff today, I wished that I had gone to the protest in Washington. I'm 45 and it was only this year that I finally accepted that I'm gay, so I understand something about he feels. I do want to thank you and OutQ for being there, it has helped be to accept that being gay. Also, I think that Rep. Barney Frank is wrong about this protest and is miffed that people aren't taking his view.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Clips of the Week: "Are You Listening?"

Today's Show: Straight Guys Tell

4:30pm EST: In his latest article Straight Guys Tell, Michael Joseph Gross, contributor to the Advocate, talks with straight members of the military about what its like serving with Gay and Lebisans service members. He joins me to talk about it this afternoon.

Today's Show: New Leader Takes Helm

3:30pm EST: The National Black Justice Coalition is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering African-American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and ending racism and homophobia. The group has made a lot of progress in changing attitudes within the African-American community on marriage equality. Sharon Lettman, formerly Executive Vice President of Leadership Programs and External Affairs at People For the American Way (PFAW) and People For the American Way Foundation (PFAWF) in Washington, DC, joins us to talk about her new role as Executive Director Of The National Black Justice Coalition.

Today's Show: How to Integrate HRC

2:30pm EST: Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend and friend of the show, gives reaction to my interview with Human Rights Campaign President, Joe Solmonese, under criticism regarding HRC's diversity, and offers her suggestiions on how HRC can make its board, its member and it's gala black-tie dinners more diverse.

Kevin Jennings Witch Hunt Continues

Now 50 Republicans have called for Kevin Jennings to be fired as Obama's safe schools czar based on smears and right-wing lies. We all know the real reason is because Jennings is openly gay. The Plum Line has the story:

OP Rep Steve King, who’s been leading the charge against top Obama education adviser Kevin Jennings, today called for Jennings to be fired for allegedly “ignoring the sex abuse of a child” when he was a young schoolteacher.

But guess what: King’s office was informed at least a week ago that even Fox News, a lead tormentor of Jennings, corrected these allegations and acknowledged that the “child” was actually of legal consent age. I know, because I informed his office of this, in the course of seeking comment on an earlier story I was doing about the whole mess.

Barney Frank Defends Criticism of March

Meant to post this yesterday: Barney Frank went on the Joy Behar Show and defended the criticism of the National Equality March that he made on my show last week.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Today's Show: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age

4:30pm EST: Digital technology empowers us as never before, yet it has unforseen consequences as well. In his new book Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger traces the important role that forgetting has played throughout human history.

Today's Show: Washington Blade Turns 40

3:30pm EST: After being with the Washington Blade for 33 years, Lou Chibbaro Jr. joins us to look back at the history making stories the Washington Blade, a groundbreaking gay newspaper, has covered over its 40 years in publication. Editor Kevin Naff joins us as well.

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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Monday, October 26, 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Friday, October 23, 2009

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Friday, October 16, 2009

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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