Today on the Signorile Show

Yesterday, we spoke briefly about the Department of Justice vigorously defending the constitutionality of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy -- using Colin Powell's 20-year-old defense even though he's changed his mind --and then lying about why they have to defend it. The Human Rights Campaign released a statement yesterday afternoon urging President Obama to repeal DADT now. But is this enough from the HRC? We'll go through the statement released by HRC president Joe Solmonese and discuss this afternoon.

Drill, Obama, Drill? Today, this becomes a reality. President Obama will announce that he plans on opening shorelines in the Atlantic, East of the Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling, which is something he had addressed doing in his State of the Union Address earlier this year. Many Obama supporters, state residents affected by the drilling and environmental activists are angry at the decision. We'll discuss the details.

IRS agents are now being threatened online in the wake of the passage of the health care. Is it any wonder with people like Glenn Beck's guest calling the IRS the "Gestapo"?

Guest / 3:30pm EST - How vital is a city's water and sewer system? Jeffrey K. Griffiths, professor at Tufts University and a member of the EPA's National Drinking Water Advisory Council, joins us this afternoon to talk about this and how, according to the New York Times, "significant water lines burst on average every two minutes somewhere in the country."

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Earlier in the post, I mentioned President Obama's announcement of offshore oil drilling and a number of environmental groups anger over this decision. Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club, said in a statement released about the news , "We're very disappointed to see important areas like the Arctic coast and the Mid and South Atlantic stay open to oil drilling," joins us this afternoon.

Former Bush speechwriter David Frum and former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan are shredding the teabagger movement, saying it's bad stuff for the GOP. We'll discuss.

A few weeks ago, we had a great discussion about filling out your Census form and whether or not you'd be doing it. As the day to hand in the forms draws near, government officials are wondering whether their Census campaign has worked in getting many who have protested filling out the form to complete it. We'll get in to this too.

All this and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!


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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

Yesterday, we told you about the news that the RNC, according to its February financial report filed with the Federal Election Committee, spent nearly $2,000 at a sex-themed voyeur club, among other expenses. RNC Chairman Michael Steele is denying that he knew of the expenses and news has come out that a staffer involved with expensing the night out has been fired and a donor has agreed to pay back the funds the RNC reimbursed him for. Now, the GOP is launching yet another probe.

Nine teenage students at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts will be facing felony charges including "statutory rape, violation of civil rights with bodily injury, harassment, stalking and disturbing a school assembly," after freshman Phoebe Prince had committed suicide from the bullying and cyber-bullying she endured at school and on Facebook. Are the students responsible for this girl's suicide? We'll discuss today.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Henrietta Lacks was a poor tobacco farmer who had worked the same land as her slave ancestors. In 1951, she developed an aggressive form of cancer and the doctors helping her at the time took a tissue sample without her knowledge. These cells that were collected from her were the first to grow and survive indefinitely in culture and led to the development of things like the polio vaccine, in-vitro fertilization and understand a variety of other viruses and medical break-through's. Rebecca Skloot joins us this afternoon to talk about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - We've been talking a lot about the recent cover-up at the Vatican, which has been denying the knowledge the Pope had in a number of sexual abuse cases around the world. Now, attorney Jeff Anderson a pioneer in sexual abuse litigation -- who supplied the documents to the New York Times on priest who may have abused 200 deaf boys -- and as a champion of the underdog, is setting his sites on the Pope. He joins us this afternoon to talk about "his career-long legal crusade against misconduct in the Roman Catholic Church."

President Obama claims he wants to repeal don't ask, don't tell, but it doesn't see so when you see the Department of Justice vigorously defending the constitutionality of the policy. We'll get into this as well.

All this and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!


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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

Last week, many Democrats were gaga in celebration over the passing of he yearlong debated health care bill. Now, insurance companies are fighting against providing for children with pre-existing conditions -- asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis-- an element of the bill the president boasted would be enacted this year. According to the New York Times, "To insurance companies, the language of the law is not so clear."

How could we NOT talk about the Christian militia group that was raided by the FBI for conspiring to "wage war" on the government - with weapons of mass destruction -- and is preparing for the coming of the antichrist?

The Vatican is clearly still denying any wrong doing by Pope Benedict XVI, who this weekend at Palm Sunday masses said not to be "intimidated by the rumors" about his involvement with covering up the number of sexual abuse cases around the world, especially in our own backyard, where a priest had been accused of molesting up to 200 deaf boys. But these victims claim they had been speaking out for years and their claims, for lack of a better phrase, fell on deaf ears. Steven Geier, one of Father Lawrence Murphy’s victims, was told to keep it a secretm and says, "Father Murphy constantly thought about sex with children, and he got away with it.”

Guest / 3:30pm EST Race and its inevitable companion, racism, have long defined what constitutes a true American, excluding early on, not only non-Europeans, but also immigrants from Ireland and southern Europe who did not fit the Anglo-Saxon mold. How did this "new world" get that way? Nell Irving Painter, author of The History Of White People, joins us this afternoon to explore race, racism and really how it all began.

Guest / 4:30pm EST Virginia Delegate Adam Ebbin joins us this afternoon to give us an update on fight against Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinilli's recent anti-gay legislative requests to Virginia universities to remove sexual orientation from its discrimination practices.

"Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives" is a film that is premiering at Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival this year, even though some LGBT groups, among them the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, have expressed outrage over the film's inclusion. Festival executives released a statement saying it is, "proud of its ongoing commitment to bring diverse voices and stories to its audiences." Are the filmmakers presenting a queer critique of queer culture, having fun in a camp way? Or is GLAAD right to take on depictions and terms pushed in the mainstream that are discriminatory and stereotyping? Is this an issue of transgender discrimination or first amendment rights? We'll discuss and get your thoughts.


And Sarah Palin was back on the campaign trail with John McCain. How do you say deja-vu? Even though she helped destroy his candidacy for the presidency, she's now trying to help him save his Senate seat from the teabagger-backed challenge by right-wing Congressman J.D. Hayworth -- even though she is the teabagger darling. Is this what John McCain has come to, needing Sarah Palin to save him? Is this what the Republican Party has come to? Lots to get into!

This and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

The Path Forward: An LGBT Leadership Town Hall

It's a month away but wanted to let you all know a bit about an event I'm excited about. On Thursday April 22, from 2 PM ET until 4 PM ET, I'll be hosting a special live show from the auditorium at the XM studios in Washington, DC, a panel discussion I'll moderate: "The Path Forward: An LGBT Leadership Town Hall." Obviously, with all of the issues being debated and protested, from "don't ask, don't tell" to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and marriage equality, there will be a lot to discuss.

The panel will include: National Gay & Lesbian Task Force executive director Rea Carey; National Center for Transgender Equality executive director Mara Keisling; Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese; Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis; former Clinton White House advisor on gay rights Richard Socarides and blogger and activist Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend.

The event will include a studio audience, from which I'll also take questions for the panel. It will be streamed live online (no 7-day trial of Sirius XM will be necessary to listen online and the event will be open to all) and I'll be taking questions on the phones from people across the country as well.

I'll have more details on this as we get closer and a press release will go out at some time in the near future.

Today on Signorile Show

I'm off today but the one and only Lizz Winstead is in the driver's seat, so listen in! Back on Monday.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

The FBI is investigating threats against Democratic legislators who voted for the health care reform bill, like threatening voice mails left for the Democratic Representative from Michigan, Bart Stupack, and others whose local offices have been vandalized. Several right-wing websites have called for violence against Democrats, while Republicans try to downplay it all.


Very early this morning, the Senate Republicans were able to get new amendments to the reconciliation attempt, which now has to go back to the House for a vote. We'll discuss this afternoon.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Joining me this afternoon is open lesbian Congresswoman from Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin, who will explain what happened to LGBT provisions in the health care bill -- which were removed. She also will tell us where we stand on legislation for ENDA and repealing DADT in the House, where she says the votes are available on both.

A bombshell story in the New York Times implicate Pope Benedict directly in the cover-up of a priest who molested over 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - We'll be speaking with author of Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy, Melissa Milgrom, who will speak with us about the research she did to understand this world of trophy fish and white tailed dear being stuffed for hunters show and tell.

We've focused a lot on Constance McMillen and her fight to be able to attend her prom, but there good story out of Georgia where Derrick Martin was told he could take a male date to his prom. The problem? His parents have now reportedly kicked him out of his house. We'll get into that as well.

All this and much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

The Pentagon is set to announce changes to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law to make it less harsh, pending what we all hope is the repeal. Meanwhile, the year-long study that was supposed look at how to implement repeal doesn't seem to be going well, at least according to Lawrence Korb, former Reagan defense official, who expressed concern about the Pentagon study, claiming it could potentially go in the wrong direction and that they're "dragging their feet" at the Pentagon.


We spoke yesterday about Texas Republican Rep. Randy "Baby Killer" Neugerbauer confession of shouting "Baby Killer," or what he claims he said, "It's a baby killer," toward Michigan Democratic Representative Bart Stupack. Now according to Politico, he claims his outburst has helped in raising funds toward a future campaign. We'll discuss today. We'll also get into all the wacky rhetoric coming from right-wing loons, from Glenn Beck to our favorite, Janet Folger-Porter!

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Yesterday, we spoke about what's in the new health care law and when we can expect to see changes take place. Today, we'll be joined by Igor Volsky, health care researcher with the Center for American Progress, who will answer your questions on when elements of this bill will actually affect you.

Shouldn't these idiotic sex offender laws be changed so that teens who are sexting won't be considered pedophiles for the rest of their lives? Some people think not. We'll get into it.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - I told you about a lesbian Air Force sergeant out of South Dakota last week who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," because the local police had reported seeing an Iowa marriage certificate through her window. Today, Sgt. Jene Newsome joins us to speak about what happened and what she is doing to fight her discharge.

Victory, sort of: A judge has ruled that eighteen year-old Constance McMillen did have her rights violated when her Mississippi high school said she couldn't bring her girlfriend to the prom and then canceled the prom entirely -- but the judge refused to order the school to go ahead with the prom.

And we've talked about whats in the new health care bill and what it means for you. There is some more aspects of the bill that could be beneficial to many American's who walk into a chain restaurant, and that is they will now be required to post the calorie content in their meals. Do you think this will help Americans combat obesity? We'll talk today!

All this and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

The Democrats won and the president will be signing the health care bill today. So what does this mean for the Republicans in a post 3/21 political cycle? Here they were thinking they were going to trounce the Democrats in the fall, but it may play out the other way around if they continue down this path. Are the Republicans on a suicide mission by trying to now run on repealing the health care law? Will the party of "NO" have to reconsider their strategy and become a party of "YES" if they plan on making waves in November? We'll discuss today.

Lt. Dan Choi, who was on the show yesterday, is criticizing the Human Rights Campaign and comedienne Kathy Griffin, saying they "betrayed" him when they didn't go to the White House with him where he engaged in civil disobedience. It's raised quite a debate about HRC and more so, Kathy Griffin. Is she good for the cause? Or is she working for herself, using the cause? We'll discuss it and take your calls.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We speak a lot on the show about the Tea Party movement and the Teabaggers, but today, we'll explore a group on the left that is taking off, The Coffee Party Movement. Annabel Park, founder of the Coffee Party USA joins us this afternoon to talk about the buzz her party has given to politics.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - A lot of news happened while we were on our break. Today, we'll continue to talk about these stories, speaking today with GetEQUAL activists Kip Williams, Michelle Wright and David McElhatton about last weeks sit-ins at Speaker Pelosi's Washington and San Francisco offices "to demand that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act be brought to the House floor for a vote by the end of March."

And there has still not been a date set regarding the closing arguments in the marriage equality case in California, but that isn't stopping supporters of Prop8 from wanting to challenge this case and "calling the legitimacy of the proceedings into question."

All this and much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on Signorile Show

Of course the big news as the House passes the health reform bill: We'll go through all the events of the weekend, and listen in to the key speeches by Nancy Pelosi, President Obama and angry Republicans. What does it mean politically? Did the Dems save themselves? Has the president learned a lesson about actually getting involved and being forceful? Let's hope so!

What does Bark Stupak's deal mean, with the president signing an executive order banning federal funding of abortion? And how his being called a "baby killer"?

What happened to the provisions for LGBT Americans in the health care bill?

Guest: 3:30 ET Lt. Dan Choi hijacked HRC's Kathy Griffin DADT rally, led everyone to the White House and then chained himself to the White House fence last week where he and and GetEqual's Robin McGehee were arrested in a day of direct action that included a sit-in at Nancy Pelosi's offices in DC and San Francisco. They'll both join me to talk about what happened and what it means for the future.

The teabaggers gather at the Capitol, hurling the n-word and the f-word, proving that the the t-party movement are band of racist and homophobic thugs.

Guest 4:30 ET: psychologist Michael Bader argues that we should have sympathy -- yes, sympathy -- for the nasty paranoid tea party people. He'll join me to explain why.

And the Vatican fights back as the sex-abuse scandal explodes globally with the Pope issuing a statement that doesn't take any responsibility for covering-up the sex abuse.

All this and more on the Michelangelo Signorile Show

Back on Live Show Today

Back from a few days off, rested up and ready to deal with all the huge things that happened while we were off. Will be posting the usual run-down of the days issues in a bit, but I'm sure you can imagine what we'll be getting into.

Will post listener survey comments I read on the show last week today too. Usually we post them on Saturday, but, well, was doing that vacation thing. See you on the show today!

Blog Swarm: Demand Action on ENDA from Pelosi

As I discussed on the show earlier this week, there is a blog swarm today urging people to call House Speak Nancy Pelosi's office to demand on vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). We'd be participating today on the show, urging listeners to call and then call us back -- as we did a few weeks about re: DADT and the Human Rights Campaign giving President Obama a pass -- but we are not on the air today, on vacation for the rest of the week.

Nonetheless, please be part of of this effort, a blog swarm I'm participating in today with Towleroad, Joe My God, David Mixner,Open Left, Bilerico Project, Daily Kos, Pam's House Blend, Good as You, Daily Gotham, Culture Kitchen,PageOneQ, Dan Savage, Taylor Marsh, and other bloggers.

We have been promised a vote on the ENDA for almost year. It was first coming in the summer of 2009, then put off until the fall, then put off until January 2010, then February, then March. And here we are, with no vote in sight.

The Democrats may lose the House this fall. If that is the case we will not see workplace protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people perhaps for years to come. The votes are there in the House and they can be there in the Senate if Democrats and the White House take leadership.

In the House it begins with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Call Pelosi at 202-225-4965. Ask that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, HR 3017, be brought to a vote. Send this information to all of your friends and send them links to the above blogs as well. Let's get as many calls as possible to her office this week.

Constance McMillen Interview

Constance McMillen, the 18-year-old student in Fulton, Mississippi whose high school canceled her prom rather than allow her to take her girlfriend, came on the program yesterday. Her story has exploded online and in the national media, and she's become a hero to many.

Off the bat Constance told me that her mother is a lesbian, something I'd not seen elsewhere, and it became clear why she felt she had the support to courageously push back against the school. In this way she reminds me of Will Phillips, the 11-year-old Arkansas boy who would not recite the pledge of allegiance because it doesn't including "liberty and justice" for LGBT people. He, too, has parents who supported and encouraged him and who had many gay friends, and his mother came on the show with Will back in December.

It was a gay male couple, friends of Constance's mother, who encouraged her to speak with the ACLU, after Constance came home one day upset about what had happened. Constance told me what it's like to live in Fulton as a gay teen and how she'd been out in school, with a girlfriend, for a while. She also explained in detail how she just kept pushing, going from one office to another, to get permission to bring her girlfriend to the prom, because she thought it was the right thing.

She is heartened by the support she's gotten, even in the face of opposition. She figures maybe 70% of the kids at school are taking it out on her that the prom was canceled. Listen in and let me know your thoughts.

No Live Show Today

Taking a few days off from the show, but we'll be replaying some interviews and caller discussions from the recent past. Back live on Monday.

Today on The Signorile Show

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) has now suggested that the House plans on passing health care legislation without having members vote on it. "Self-executing rule" or a "deem and pass" process is the method in which she plans on moving forward. The GOP is furious with this decision, "deeming" it as unconstitutional. We'll discuss it this afternoon.

Barney Frank criticizes White House, backtracks...reverses?....on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal push.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - In her new book, The Guilt Project: Rape, Morality, and Law, Vanessa Place explores larger ethical questions and looks at how the justice system defines, prosecutes and punishes sex offenders. She joins us this afternoon to talk about it.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Last week, we told you about Constance McMillen, the lesbian high school student from Mississippi, whose school officials canceled her prom to prevent her from bringing her girlfriend as her date. She joins us today to talk about her story. You can also follow her fight on Facebook here.

And just when you thought it was all over, the John Edwards scandal continues, now with Rielle Hunter, his mistress and mother to their 2-year-old daughter Quinn, speaking with GQ magazine, saying "We love each other very much. And that hasn't changed, and I believe that will be till death do us part."

We'll also read some listener survey comments today.

All this and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on The Signorile Show

After a yearlong legislative battle over health care reform, this is the week we could see progress on whether this reform is voted on and starts it final process of becoming a bill. But with an election year for many incumbents and those against the bill spending millions to target those Democrats who support health care reform, will it pass? We'll discuss this afternoon.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Scientist and journalist Anders Halverson, joins us this afternoon to speak about his new book, An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran The World, in which he explains the discovery of the rainbow trout and how being bred for sport fishing has altered their own original DNA and has also had some devastating effects on many ecosystems.

The Vatican pushes back hard against charges that the Pope was implicated in the sex abuse cover-up in Germany, claiming Benedict is being set-up. Meanwhile, the Vatican's own exorcist says the Devil is in the Vatican!


We're supposed to be thisclose to getting rid of DADT right? A lesbian is ejected from the military because she had a marriage license, found during a police raid.

Clarence Thomas' wife is now organizing tea party protests.

The LAPD is cracking down on sex between men in public parks. Is this antigay, targeting gay men? Do the police have nothing better to do? Or should LGBT people support the police in cracking down on those -- including married, straight-identified men -- who break the law. We'll have a debate on the show today and take calls.

And we'll also talk about the very troubling news regarding President Obama's recent interview with John Walsh on America's Most Wanted. In the interview, President Obama says he would agree to keeping a database to store the DNA of people who have been arrested, but no necessarily convicted of a crime. Watch the interview here.

This and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

More of the Same on DADT

Here's my newest Advocate column, which looks back on what happened in 1991 and 1993 to see that we are playing out exactly the same scenario now on gays in the military. And if it goes the same the policy will not be repealed for years to come.

Clips of the Week: The Absence of Shock

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 Absence of Schock”

Today on The Signorile Show

We'll be discussing and taking calls on Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old lesbian high school student, who was planning to take her girlfriend to her senior prom. The problem: Itawamba County School District officials have canceled the prom to prevent her from going. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ms. McMillen. Follow her fight on Facebook.

What does the downfall of the White House social secretary tell us about the Obama administration, who Barack Obama surrounded himself with and why the White House and Democrats are in trouble? Plenty, and we'll get into it.

Guest 3:30 ET: Earlier this week, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed into law a controversial bill which would charge pregnant women with murder for having "intentional or knowing" miscarriages. Melissa Bird, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Action Council in Utah joins us this afternoon to discuss the harm this bill could cause to the women of Utah.

Guest 4:30 Et: Last week, we told you about California State Senator Roy Ashburn's arrest for a DUI after leaving Faces, a popular Sacramento gay bar. Earlier this week, he came out of on the air to a conservative radio show. Openly gay mayor of West Sacramento, Christopher Cabaldon, joins us to talk about how he'd already known of Ashburn's homosexuality and how he's been speaking up about it for months.

Sponsors of the Stars on Ice Tour, are prohibiting Johnny Weir, 3 time US National Champion and 2 time Olympian, from joining the tour because they feel he isn't "family friendly." Is this an attack on his sexual orientation, a subject he has never really been clear about? We'll discuss.

And it's Friday, so that means Clips Of The Week!

All this and more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Voodoo Histories

4:30pm EST - With every history making event that happens, there is also a conspiracy theory spawned from that event, whether it be the infamous second gunman to the governments involvement with 9/11. David Aaronovitch joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History, which looks at several major conspiracy theories and why people are quick to believe these as well as debunking these distortions.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Her Name Was Steven

3:30pm EST - This weekend, CNN will be premiering their documentary, "Her Name Was Steven," a film which follows the life of former city manager of Largo, Fl, Steven Stanton and his journey to transition into Susan. Bud Bultman, executive producer of "Her Name Was Steven," joins us this afternoon to talk about documenting the very public and private struggles of Susan's transition.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: The Poisoners Handbook

4:30pm EST - In the early 20th century, murder-by-poison seemed to be the popular path to the perfect crime in Jazz Age New York... until Dr. Charles Norris was appointed to chief medical examiner in 1918. Together with toxicologist Alexander Gettler, they changed the justice systems way of detecting murders by using scientific theory and establishing the foundation for forensic science. Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoners Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York, joins us this afternoon to examine the beginnings of forensic science and how Norris and Gettler were able to change detective work forever.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Country Driving

3:30pm EST - Change can be a great thing, but when it happens rapidly, how does it effect society? Peter Hessler, Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory. In it, he discusses the process in getting his Chinese drivers license and his journey, traveling the Chinese countryside, tracking how the change in infrastructure was transforming China and how the Chinese people are adapting to such widespread change.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Going Rove

4:30pm EST - Karl Rove, Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush, latest memoir, Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight, is Rove's account of the time he spent with former President Bush's administration. But many are saying this book is filled with nothing but lies and falsehoods, from defending President Bush's claims that there were WMD's in Iraq, to the Valerie Plame leak, to what really happened with Hurricane Katrina. Eric Boehlert, senior fellow with Media Matters For America, joins us this afternoon to talk about the book and to uncover the distortions.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: New York's Police State

3:30pm EST - Over the period of 2004-2009, the New York City Police Department stopped 2,789,461 people and 2,467,150 of those stopped had done nothing wrong, but were still stopped and frisked as if they had, with police making them line up on walls and cars, searching them in front of many onlookers. And guilty or innocent, they were issued a summons and their names entered into a database, a majority of them African-American and Hispanic. Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, joins us this afternoon to talk about this racist and humiliating policy practiced by the NYPD and why it needs to be stopped.


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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: Virginia's Alarming Gay Purge

4:30pm EST - In a letter sent out to Virginia colleges and universities Thursday, Virginia's Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is taking an aggressive conservative stance, urging state universities and colleges to reverse anti-discrimination policies they have in place, saying they have no legal authority to do so in Virginia since the state has no policies in place. This comes on the heals of new Republican Gov. McConnell's reversal of anti-discrimination policies in state employment protect gays. Joining us to talk about this horrifically anti-gay push is Claire Gastanaga, legislative council with Equality Virginia.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Saturday Back Talk

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


Myrtle Beach, SC (Sirius)
I've lived in several major metro areas (Miami, Houston, Atlanta) and now am stuck in South Carolina where activism doesn't exist!! You are my best source of lgbt issues and news here, and I thank you. I think your show is well-orchestrated and I wouldn't change a thing!! Keep up the excellent work!

Atlanta, GA (Sirius)
I like the show a lot, but it tends to get dry usually in the 4:00 hour. A little humor once a week would be good. The book stuff is really boring.

Scottsdale, AZ (Sirius)
I called in today to talk about the SVU episode, cool topic. The discussion was great & Michaelangelo you were so nice to your callers. I love that you talk about things that really matter to ALL of us. I am a straight ally and I rely on your show for the news that matters to me & my LGBT friends and the rest of our human family. I also love that you are willing to let listeners play devil's advocate with you & sometimes get you to see a new viewpoint. It is so rare to hear a radio or TV personality who will REALLY listen to all sides of an argument with an open mind. You rock !!!!!!!!!!!

Washington, IA (Sirius)
I know when the topic is a popular one you are overwhelmed with calls, but there is one thing that occasionally gets on my nerves. When you are talking about something and you take a caller who is clearly knowlegable in that area, sometimes you seem to not give them the amount of time they deserve. I am reminded of one particular caller who spoke to you when you talked about the repeal of DADT. He called and identified himself as an army training officer-- I was excited to hear his personal opinion on the subject, as I think those that serve have a very true take on this issue.( My significant other is in the army guard; he already serves with those he knows are gay, and it does not make a difference to him). But I felt when this particular caller began to talk, you quickly cut him off and went to the next caller. Again, I realize this may just be because of time restraints, and I do not fault you for hurrying through callers when there are many others waiting, but I did want to point this out to you. Other than that I have no complaints and keep up the good work.

Palm Springs, CA (XM)
I enjoy the show as is but there are times when my time in the car is limited and some interviews go on too long.

Hermann, MO (Sirius)
It seems as if the show has a lighter more relaxed feel to it on Thursday and Friday. I enjoy this because although it is important to discuss serious issues, it's also nice to loosen up a bit when going into the weekend. I especially like to hear Mr. Signorile and Mr. Guggenheim joke and laugh with the callers towards the end of the week. With all the serious discussion, it's nice to end on a lighter note. I can't believe how much I've grown to love the show and I miss it when I cannot listen. You all do a great job and are much appreciated.

Tallahassee, FL (Sirius)
Give your producer a mic. It's terribly annoying to hear snippets in the background as if he were some sycophantic toady in the peanut gallery. Man up and share!

Gillette, WY (XM)
Keep it up. Enlightening and factual show.

Malvern, PA (Sirius)
Michael, love your show and wish I could listen to it more.

San Diego, CA (XM)
There are conservative gays also, more balance please?

Clips of the Week: "If I Were You'd I'd Stay Outside"

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 associate producer Sean Bertollo. This week: “Trying to Rewrite History”

Today's Show: Glenn Beck, Commercial Free

3:30pm EST - Glenn Beck may have a huge following and a lot of supporters, but one thing he's been lacking more and more as his show stays on the air are advertisers. Since the fall he has lost over 100 advertisers from his show in the US and over seas, the UK airings of the show have no sponsors what-so-ever. Joining me to talk about it is Angelo Carusone, the creator of the website StopBeck, which has been following the Glenn Beck shows exploits and documenting the advertisers who have dropped off of his show.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today's Show: the Trail of Dreams

4:30 ET: As another march is set to kick off in Washington demanding immigration reform this weekend, we speak with two gay men, Juan Rodriguez and Felipe Matos, a couple who underscore how love is not illegal and who are among the undocumented students who are traveling across the country with Dream Activists in the Trail of Dreams, raising awareness.

Today's Show: An Army Of God

4:30pm EST - Repent Amarillo, "a new, militant evangelical group that advertises itself as 'the Special Forces of spiritual warfare' and whose parent group is Repent America which urges economic sanctions against Houston because the mayor is gay, has had a year long battle with the Route 66 swingers club in Amarillo and has stopped at nothing to get it and its members exposed, costing some their jobs, all in the name of saving them from damnation. Forrest Wilder of the Texas Observer joins us this afternoon to talk about this group, its leader David Grisham, and the efforts the group has been taking to keep Amarillo as the conservative town its always been.

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 seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.