Today on the Signorile Show

The Pentagon’s long-awaited survey of troops regarding lifting the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy is finally public and, just as anticipated from leaks about it for weeks -- and what we've known for years -- it concludes there is little risk to the military in allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly. Not only do the majority of troops not have a problem with gays serving openly, but a whopping 69% say they have already been serving with known gays and lesbians, and of those, 92% say there was no problem with morale and unit cohesion. Over 80% of Marine combat unites said they no problem having served with gays. All the latest polls show the American people support repeal.

The military was successfully integrated decades ago with much less support from the public and the troops for allowing black and white soldiers to serve together. The only people holding up justice now are hardliners in the Pentagon and troglodyte Republican senators pandering to religious zealots. Yes, we're talking about John McCain. It's going to be all about getting those few supposed moderate Republicans to buck their party. Lady Gaga has pulled through again, making a video and enlisting her fans in the cause. We'll be going through all the details today Time for everyone to call their senators, again! 202 224 3121. (UPDATE: Read the entire Pentagon DADT report)

We'll continue the discussion and take calls on all the reactions to the Wikileaks cablegate controversy, including the next target, big banks.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center joins us this afternoon to talk about the recent addition of the Family Research Council and American Family Association, along with several others, to their list of anti-gay hate groups. Also, SPLC has released a report that shows that "homosexuals are far more likely to be victims of a violent hate crime than any other minority group in the United States." We'll discuss these issues with him today.

We'll play you the latest clips in right-wing crazy world: A Virgina legislator says the TSA patdowns are part of the homosexual agenda to feel up straight men! And the God Squad has now come out against environmentalism, claiming environmentalists want to put the word under their "destructive control" because... well, we're not sure why God wouldn't want people to save the planet, but we'll go through it all!

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Dr. Stephen Boswell, president and CEO of Fenway Health, joins us this afternoon to talk about a new study that, according to the New York Times, show, "Healthy gay men who took an anti-AIDS pill every day were well protected against contracting HIV."

Should we be celebrating the Civil War and the secession -- without the slavery, of course? I think a lot of you will want to jump into the discussion on this one.

And day two of our Holiday Book Bonanza.

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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

This week begins a final push to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" in the lame duck session of the Senate, with hearings scheduled and a vote scheduled.And John McCain is promising it won't happen, along with Senator Lindsay Graham. Meanwhile Arkansas Democratic Senator Mark Pryor is saying he's opposed to repeal because homosexuality is "a sin." is this going to happen or not? We'll go through the details.


Should Wikileaks have revealed diplomatic details and information? Lots of outrage, again, over the latest dump by Wikileaks, which is less focused on war crimes and more so focused on information, even gossip, about world leaders and foreign countries' intentions. The White House called the leak "dangerous" while others are defending the dissemination by the media. How necessary was it for the public to know? How damaging is it really and is the outrage justified? Do you have a right to know? Did the media have responsibility to publish -- or not publish? Lots of questions, and we'll put them to you in a caller discussion.

As Glenn Greenwald notes, the FBI seems to have thwarted a terrorist plot it created in Oregon. What purpose to these kinds of stings serve, and was the public in Portland ever in danger? Shouldn't the FBI be tracking those who are already planning plots against us rather than enticing confused and disaffected teenagers into crazy schemes? We'll go through it.

Guest: 4:30 ET: Syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage will drop by the studio to talk again with us about the phenomenal It Gets Better Project and how it has skyrocketed and what he thinks of the President and many others making videos.

Also today, our Holiday Book Bonanza begins!

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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, Blackberry or Android, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Holiday Book Bonanza

Back on the show live today, kicking off our annual Holiday Book Bonanza, giving away books by authors who've been on the show throughout the year. At any point in the show I'll put out a question about something we've discussed within the hour. The first person to call in with the correct answer gets the book. We'll do a book or so a day -- we have many! -- and then toward the last days of the year we'll give a way Book Bundles on specific topics. We'll kick it off today giving away a copy of Harvard neuroscientist Simon LeVay's Gay, Straight and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation.

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

Finally posting some of the listener survey comments we read on the show in recent weeks. 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. Thanks!


Los Angeles, CA (Sirius)
I think you treat callers you don't agree with just fine...Still waiting on that chocolate tofu pie recipe ...Cheers!

Johnson City, NY (Sirius)
I will not be listening for the immediate future, and it's a shame because I'm a loyal listener of more than 4 years. Last night I heard the rebroadcast of your second "gays voting Republican" show and, sadly, I heard, for the first time, the intolerance, smugness, the intellectual superiority of the activist overwhelm the radio host - and it was really ugly. Basically, any gay who admitted they voted Republican for any office was vilified, called "stupid", called "greedy." I'm going to take a vacation from "The Michelangelo Signorile Show" for a while. To be honest, Michelangelo, last night you know what you sounded just like? The Christian Right - the intolerant bastards we've been fighting all these years. You need to rethink your intolerance and name-calling, Michelangelo, before you turn into the Fred Phelps of the Gay Left. I am so disappointed.

Riverhead, NY (Sirius)
I enjoy listening to your show because it shows me why it is so difficult to get DADT repealed, gay marriage and many other issues. When I listen to some of the callers, it tells me we are our worst supporters. When I hear GLBTQ people identifying as a Republican I see all the inner homophobia our community suffers from. All due to the attitudes of our laws, political leaders, religious and ourselves.

Tallahassee, FL (Sirius)
Heard the show today, 11/10/10. As a straight ally, listening to people who voted republican really makes me wonder about their mental state.

Gleneden Beach, OR (Sirius)
As an older straight woman I enjoy hearing another view of the world I might not ordinarily be exposed to. I have come to realize that the new civil rights movements are for the LGBT community and the Latino community (I can't believe that new immigration law in Arizona was written with the help of the private prison groups. thank you NPR for exposing that). Your listeners who say they voted republican because they are not experiencing discrimination remind me of the decedents of slave holders who bragged that after their slaves were emancipated they stayed on at the plantation because they "loved their masters". When you explained to Todd how he had no civil rights he didn't see it. I am old enough to have lived in the times when my sister's brother in law died of aids in the early 80's he was refused burial in his families cemetery plot in a catholic cemetery, The fear and cries that it was somehow god's punishment were incredible. Why would you elect a party full of people who still think this way. Anyhow, I love your show and usually agree or at least am challenged by your conversations.

Tibury, ON Canada (Sirius)
First of all, I listen as much as I can and have never seen any pictures of Mr. Signorile. I saw him on the Joy Behar show and he looked nothing like I imagined. Just want to say, what a hottie!! I would like to say that it is a mixed bag of emotions listening to the show depending on the topics. It just floors me with the mentality of some people in this world and especially in the States as you still fight for equality. I'm Canadian and feel very lucky, my grandfather was American and I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live under such bullshit. I love listening to this show as Mr. Signorile is a brilliant man and gets to the heart of the issues and allows free thought but shoots down the stupid! Love listening and will call in one day again!

Dallas, TX (Sirius)
I really like to listen to your show. You are very passionate and that passion comes through in a lot of your shows. I have to say thank you, Michael: recently you had a discussion about the use of the word "gay." At first, I did not have a problem with it, until I heard a co-worker keep using it to refer to things that went bad, or things that were broken. I have corrected him several times. He did it again last night and when I corrected him, he apologized for using it. He said that he would make an effort to stop using it and to make his teenage sons stop using it. Thank you again Michael, and keep up the good.

Grand Rapids, MI (Sirius)
Though I'm straight, Michelangelo is a breath of "Fresh Air." I live in an ultra conservative part of the country; my hubby and daughter are both Aspie's and my son is dyslexic so I'm no stranger to adversity. LGBT is another way of life with struggles I understand. I love Michaelangelo's thoughtful monologues, and usually respectful conversations with the audience.

Valley Stream, NY (XM)
I very much enjoy your insight on current events. You keep me challenged, informed and very much aware of current events. I also am very much impressed with the way you handle your callers, and with the man (sorry I didn't get your name!) who screens your call. There's a lot of compassion and passion in the Signorile show. Thank you for sharing it with your audience.

Fort Worth, TX (Sirius)
You get a bit edgy and condescending during listener/guest interactions for my taste. That Said, You provide a unique and valuable service to our community.

Indianapolis, IN (XM)
Michael, I love your show and the terrific job you do on keeping us informed and exposing hypocrisy. I listen to you, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow nearly everyday. I feel you made a mountain out of a molehill with the Glaad/Glee/"Tranny" situation. I can't believe you wasted so much valuable air time on this subject. YOU blew it out of proportion. I really think you simply enjoyed the attention of being in a pissing match with Glaad and being on Joy Behar show. Make a comment, state your opinion, and be done. Let it go! There are much more important issues you could be investing your time with. Again, love your show, love and appreciate most of your hard work.

Sac City, IA (XM)
Thank you for your coverage of the mid-term elections. I especially appreciated your commentary on the Iowa Supreme Court retention vote. Living in a county that had more than 70% of its voters vote to oust the justices, it is refreshing to hear your voice of reason and sanity. In the weeks prior to the elections, the robocalls were rampant; my personal favorite was being blessed by Mr. Huckabee for supporting his cause because I listened to the entire message (of course, when I hung up early, the phone rang again with the same message and would not stop calling until I heard the message in its entirety!) I do hope that those outside the state of Iowa know not all people are as closed minded as the vote would indicate.

Las Vegas, NV (Sirius)
Love the show, listen daily on my drive from Vegas to AZ as a medical courier. Only complaint is the talking to death of certain topics. I understand that many can't hear all the show each day and that is probably why you revisit topics repeatedly. Would like to hear more variety on the topics and maybe less about Obama and what he isn't doing and won't ever do. Keep up the good work Mike!

Hemet, CA (XM)
I really, really appreciate that you are actually talking about some of the things that get ignored or just covered up with stuff throughout the days. It is very important to me to hear both sides and to listen closely to what is being said and done by everyone involved. Thank you for pointing out disturbing facts, kool-aid moments, and (I'm sure at times) the other side of thought to help us down here to make important decisions about voting and communicating with our government officials. It's crazy out there, and in this frantic time, I am grateful for someone who is there to shine the light for the sane of us who don't have time to succumb to the craziness. So, thank you again.

The Biggest Turkey of 2010

After four hours of giving out several dozen Turkey Awards on our annual Turkey of the Year Awards on the show, Christine O'Donnell took the grand prize, Biggest Turkey of the Year. Here is her special audio statuette, one of over 40 audio statuettes we gave out today.

Biggest Turkey of 2010?

After we give out dozens of awards on today's Turkey of the Year Awards show, we'll all vote on who gets the not-so-coveted Biggest Turkey of 2010 award. Who will it be? These three are definitely candidates, but it could be any one of many other losers this year. Here's last years award winner, complete with audio statuette.

Turkey of the Year Awards

Today is our annual Turkey of the Year Awards show, and I'm so excited to be back on the air after my rib-busting accident. I'll fill you all in on what happened. Thanks to Lizz Winstead for guest-hosting. Always a spectacular job!

Today listeners call up throughout the show with nominations while we slice and dice the winners and dole out the audio statuettes. These are all the big losers of 2010 -- as opposed to our Gassy Awards for all the dangerous gasbags, which we give out at the end of the year along with our Angel Awards -- and you can give me your nominations here too. We'll be giving out awards and then voting on the Biggest Turkey of the Year and announcing the winner at the end of the show. Be there, 2-6 ET, Sirius 109, XM 98 or on your smart phones or online, lots of fun!

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.

Turkey of the Year Awards

Tomorrow is an our annual Turkey of the Year Awards show in which listeners call up throughout the show with nominations while we slice and dice the winners and dole out the audio statuettes. These are all the big losers of 2010 -- as opposed to our Gassy Awards for all the dangerous gasbags, which we give out at the end of the year with Angel Awards -- and you can give me your nominations here too. We'll be giving out awards and then voting on the Biggest Turkey of the Year and announcing the winner at the end of the show. Be there, 2-6 ET, Sirius 109, XM 98 or on your smart phones or online, lots of fun!

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.

Lizz Sitting in Again Today

Per the post below, I'm out again but Lizz Winstead is guest-hosting. I'll be back tomorrow for our Turkey of the Year Awards!

Lizz Winstead Guest-Hosting Today

I had a nasty fall over the weekend while trying to drill a hole in the wall: the step ladder collapsed right under me. Landed on the sharp end of a low dresser. And there I was spending my Sunday in the emergency room. I may or may not have broken two ribs -- doctor thought so, radiologist said no -- but it's definitely a bad muscle contusion. Moving is very difficult, sneezing is hell. (And I have a cold too!).

Anyway, I hope to be back for our Turkey of the Year Awards on Wednesday. And the wonderful Lizz Winstead is guest-hosting today, which I know you all love. Enjoy!

Wish Pam A Speedy Recovery!

Pam Spaulding is one of the great treasures among bloggers and netroots activists, and someone I'm honored to call a friend. Many of you who listen to the show know her as a regular contributor, someone who gives us a lot of insight on LGBT politics, race, gender and and all the other "third rails" that the bloviators, politicians and pop stars are often stepping on. Pam and I have spent many hours IMing about the absurdity of it all, often cracking up at the computer screen. It's what I love about her: In addition to offering sharp political analysis she just plain makes me laugh. She does her job well and she has fun doing it.

I'm thinking about Pam today because she's heading into surgery and I'm happy to be part of a blogswarm sending her love and best wishes. My thoughts are with her and her wife Kate, and their doggies, as Pam recuperates. Please send her some good vibes and well wishes, and if you can, make a contribution to PamsHouseBlend as Pam is going to be on unpaid leave for a month. The work Pam does on PamsHouseBlend, in addition to having a day job, provides an incalculable service. As a citizen journalist and blogger she's done an enormous amount to foster truth and advance LGBT rights. We love you Pam! Get well soon!

The Bully Puplit

Is life today worse for LGBT teens than it was 20 years ago despite -- or even because of -- progress on LGBT rights? My new Advocate column explores that idea and offers some answers on how we can truly change the culture to stop bullies from developing, rather than the band-aid approach we use now:

“In the research, ‘slut’ and ‘faggot’ are the two words used most by bullies,” says Elizabethe Payne, who founded the Queering Education Research Institute at Syracuse University’s School of Education. Through QuERI’s Reduction of Stigma in Schools Program, Payne and her colleagues are doing the qualitative research that is much needed to get at the root of bullying. She believes we have a Band-Aid approach that punishes bullies rather than preventing them from developing in the first place.

“Right now we focus on the individual kids’ problems,” she explains. “Conversations are about bullying prevention, and those things are important. But why has the effeminate male been the primary target of bullying for so many years? The problem with the bullying programs is that we reeducate the bully and then there’s another one right behind that one, because we haven’t really questioned the structure of the school itself. The football players [and] the cheerleaders are the most valued. It’s based on gender. We have to question schools about how they’re privileging that, and the school needs to equally send those messages that it’s OK to excel at other things.

Check out the whole column and let me know your thoughts.

Spectacular "Moo-less" Chocolate Pie

Another holiday recipe I discussed on the show yesterday. It's called "Moo-less Chocolate Pie" because there is no milk and it's thus vegan, made from tofu. But honestly, don't tell a soul as no one will know, and we all know how people react when they hear the "v"-word. I've made it several times and have not divulged that it's made from tofu. This pie recipe by Alton Brown creates a rich, thick and chocolatey desert and feels entirely decadent, but it's not. And it's so easy to make. You can use vegan chocolate chips, or any semi-sweet chocolate chips you can find. Also, you don't have use a chocolate wafer crust. I've done it with a graham-cracker crust and a pastry crust too, all good. Buy a pie crust in the store or make your own.


Moo-less Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

* 2 cups chocolate chips,
* 1/3 cup coffee liqueur
* 1 block silken tofu
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 prepared chocolate wafer crust

Directions

Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Melt the chocolate and coffee liqueur in the bowl. Stir in vanilla.

Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture, and honey in the blender jar. Liquefy until smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling is set.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama have committed to getting a vote on don't ask, don't tell in the lame duck session, the best news we've had in a long time. But now the problem is time. The study by the Pentagon won't be released until December 1, but the Senate is planning to recess by the 10th for the holidays. Is there enough time? We'll get into it.

Yesterday we told you about the first openly transgender judged elected in any state, Victoria Kolakowski in California. Now Houston's openly lesbian Mayor Annise Parker has appointed the first openly transgender judge in Texas history. Evangelicals hardliners, predictably, are up in arms. We'll tell you about it.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - The Advocates Kerry Eleveld joins us this afternoon to discuss whether or not the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal will be decided before the Lame Duck Session ends on December 10.

Guests / 4:30pm EST - We've all seen magicians and wondered "How'd they do that?!" But have you ever wondered how your brain perceives these tricks? Neuroscience experts Stephen Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde, authors of Sleights Of Mind: What The Neuroscience of Magic Reveals About Our Everyday Deceptions, join us to explain the effects of magical manipulation have on our minds.

Republicans are attacking President Obama's plan to try terrorism detainees in civilian courts by using the case of Ahmed Ghailani, who was acquitted yesterday of most charges, though will likely spend his life in jail. But, as Glenn Greenwald points out, the reason he was acquitted was because Bush/Cheney torture policies, not because of civilian courts or Obama.

One man takes on the cast of The A-List New York on Logo for doing an It Gets Better video because they "are the bullies." We'll ask your thoughts.

We have some Listener Survey's to go over... Have you taken it yet?

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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.

Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Here is the recipe for Stuffed Pumpkin which I posted last year and talked about on the show yesterday. Perfect Thanksgiving main course for those of you who, like me, are vegetarian. Just don't use the bacon!

Today on Signorile Show

Now comes word from Senator Levin that he is considering removing DADT repeal from the Defense Authorization Bill, though the Human Rights Campaign and others had said last week that speculation about that was "background noise." It looks the the White House intent on keep this from getting a vote, fearful of John McCain, even as they publicly keep saying they want one. We'll go through the details.

Sarah Palin's daughter Willow posting homophobic slurs on Facebook to demean a man critical of her mother's reality show, dropping the F-bomb. Is it a shock to know that the Palin family is contributing to the climate of bullying in this country?

Guest / 4:30pm EST - In what seems to be an epic story ripped from the movies, Steve Hendricks, author of A Kidnapping In Milan: The CIA On Trial, joins us this afternoon to talk about Abu Omar, an extreme Muslim cleric, who was kidnapped by the CIA 2003 and the event that led Italian law officials to put the 26 Americans on trial for a botched covert operation.

We've been talking for days about the new X-ray scanners and John Tyner, the man who told the TSA official not to "touch my junk." We got lots of questions and comments from callers -- from people who were angry about the scanners to people who were completely accepting. Many have concerns about the radiation level, while others just don't think they work, and there's reason to at least ask questions about both. And how constitutional are the new "enhanced pat-downs" compared to those prior. After reading a lot of on it -- including the stories of people groped in ways that seem to have crossed the line -- I have a lot more to say and want to hear more from you.

California has elected the first openly transgender judge. We'll tell you about Victoria Kolakowsi.

You knew this was coming: A "Birther Bill" has been introduced by GOP Rep. Berman because "people don't know whether Obama was born in Kenya."

Hillary Clinton fails to stand up for full equality when she's asked about marriage while on a trip to Australia and, unlike her husband, who has embraced gay marriage, claims it should be left to the states and she supports "hate crimes law" and "civil partnerships." Do you believe her? Or is it just cover for Obama? We'll take your calls.

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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 Supreme Court has rejected a request to vacate the stay on "don't ask, don't tell" pending appeal. Meanwhile Cindy McCain has come out for repeal big time, connecting DADT to teen suicides and clearly going at loggerheads with her increasingly angry and absurb husband. UPDATE: Cindy McCain has now proven to be a complete hypocrite, putting out a statement about how she is standing by her crazed husband, reversing her position on DADT and saying it should not be repealed.

Guest / 2:30pm EST - We'll continue our discussion that we've been having this week about the use of the word "Tranny" and whether the use of the word shouldn't be used in pop culture or amongst the community. Yesterday GLAAD's Cindy Creiger joined us to offer GLAAD's opinion. Transgender activist Autumn Sandeen joins us this afternoon.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - While the Democrats lost the House and there was a small victory for the Tea Party this past Election Day, we can't forget that LGBT candidates had major victories across the country too. Jim Gray, who won the mayoral race in Lexington, Kentucky and is the cities first openly gay mayor, joins us today to talk about his win.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - The debate continues over the interpretations of the Constitution and what the Founding Father intended when they wrote those words "We The People." Pauline Maier, author of Ratification: The People Debate The Constitution 1787-1788, talks with us about her new book that gives us an idea about the early debates this country had over how to govern a new country.

We'll go through listener surveys!

And it's Friday, who or what will get our "Angel, Turkey, Gassie and Climax of the Week" Award?!

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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.

On Joy Behar Show Last Night

A clip from my appearance on Joy Behar, including discussion of Glee, GLAAD and the use of the word "tranny."

Today on the Signorile Show

Are we all being played, once again, on "don't ask, don't tell?" The White House claims that it doesn't want the DADT repeal stripped from the DOD bill, but isn't threatening a veto if that does happen, as it is with other provisions the White House cares about. The Human Rights Campaign is saying that it's just "background noise" to suggest Senator Levin is in fact considering stripping DADT repeal from the bill, but Senator Levin's office still won't deny it's true. Defense Secretary Gates claims he now wants the Senate to vote on repeal in the lame duck session, but he's refusing to release the implementation study early. And General Amos has been "rebuked" for his heinous remarks and clear insubordination, but what does "rebuke" mean if it's really nothing at all and these generals can pretty much say what they want to undermine the president and help John McCain? It's all pretty gross, and looks bad. We'll go through it on today's show.

Will the Senate go to the Republicans because of party switchers?

We'll go through George W. Bush's interview while hawking his book, including his flaunting breaking the law and the sick fetus story.

Demented homophobe Andrew Shirvell is no longer the assistant attorney general in Michigan.

Guests / 3:30pm EST - Would you fast for your civil rights? Alan Bounville and Iana DiBona have in a way to get Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's attention and insist she file the American Equality Bill, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They join us today to talk about their fast.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Is there a rise in funding for progressive politics? According to David Callahan, author of Fortunes of Change: The Rise of the Liberal Rich and the Remaking of America, the flow of America's upper class funding is leaning a little more left. He joins us this afternoon to discuss these trends and what this means for the future of politics.

Two new lawsuits challenging the Defense of Marriage Act are launched. We'll go through the details.

Could you cut down on washing -- yes, your body -- as a way of saving the planet? A new movement is underway, and we'll take your calls.

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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.

Part II: Rosie Calls Re: GOP-Voting Gays

The day after I took calls on the show from those gay people who explained why they cast a ballot for a Republican, I asked listeners to respond to the prior day's calls. Todd from Phoenix, a gay man, called to tell me that he didn't like my criticism of the GOP voters, that he too voted Republican, and that gay issues (marriage in particular) just don't matter to him. Then Rex from South Carolina called to say, "I used to be just like Todd" until I heard Rosie O'Donnell interviewed on the show, telling her story. Rosie happened to be listening at that moment and called in to explain how it was Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry who convinced her why marriage equality is important. A terrific exchange of ideas and an example of how great a format radio is for discussion.

"Why I Voted Republican"

Two days after Election Day 2010, for the last hour of the show, I asked those LGBT people who voted Republican to call in to the show and explain why. The phones lit up with people calling from all across the U.S.

Exit polling shows gay, lesbian, bisexual voters cast a ballot for Republicans in double the numbers from 2008: from 19% to 31%. True, the sample is small, and any such polling should be taken with a grain of salt. But it's undeniable that many LGBT voters were disappointed with the White House and Democrats, and it's plausable that many stayed home or voted for another party.

And yet, the Republican takeover of the House and many statehouses means there will be no votes expanding gay civil rights protections, in Congress and in most of the states that went GOP (and there likely will be antigay votes, such as in Minnesota where Republican pledge to push a marriage amendment), which begs the question of why gay people would vote Republican in this election. The phones were jammed with people who voted GOP who wanted to offer their explanations for casting votes for politicians like David Vitter in Louisiana, for Rand Paul in Kentucky, for Rick Scott in the governor's race in Florida, and for various other, Senate, House and local races.

This clip includes a few of those calls, two from Kentucky and one from Maine, where the caller voted for Paul LePage, the Republican governor-elect who has actually floated that the Maine Human Rights Act -- which gives basic anti-discrimination protection to gays -- should to be revisited, in addition to be against marriage equality, which Maine could have been on the brink of voting in again (after voter rescinded the newly-passed law in a ballot measure) if Republicans didn't take the statehouse and the governorship for the first time since 1964.

I took calls from GOP-voting gays for the full last hour of the show, devoting the time to them (the following day we took calls from those responding) and at the end of the show the lines were still fully lit and many callers could not get through at all.

UPDATE: Rosie O'Donnell called the show responding to the callers in this video. Be sure to check that out too.

Today on the Signorile Show

Where will the cuts come from? Republicans ran on an agenda of cutting $100 billion in a single year from government spending but never said where the cuts would come from, all the while promising to cut taxes for the rich as well. With 40% of the budget going to Medicare and Social Security, something they said they wouldn't touch in addition to defense, the cuts are going to have to come from 15% of the budget affecting national parks, the FBI and other programs. But they still won't say exactly what's on the line, largely because it was all a campaign gimmick and there isn't much to cut that won't outrage even conservatives. Meanwhile, the Tea Party is demanding power, with Michele Bachmann vying for committee post as the Tea Party queen. Can they hold it together for long? We'll get into it.

Antigay zealots now planning to push marriage amendment in Minnesota in wake of Republican statehouse takeover and uncertainty over the governor's race.

A mom who allowed her son to dress as Daphne from "Scoobie Doo" for Halloween -- and who wrote about her decision -- is accused by an child psychologist on CNN of "outing" her son. Did she do something wrong? Or is she the example for moms across the country? We'll take your calls.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - What causes a child to grow up gay or straight? Simon LeVay, author of Gay, Straight, & The Reasons Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation, joins us to discuss this today.

Could you give up washing to save the environment? A new movement advocates not taking a shower every day. We'll ask you what you think.

It's Friday, that means's we'll be giving out our "Angel, Turkey, Gassie & Climax"Awards!

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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

We'll continue our discussion of the aftermath of Republican blowout in the mid-term elections and through what it means, and what it doesn't mean, as more results come in. Yet another cliffhanger, this one in Minnesota, as Tom Emmer an antigay Republican who was backed with big money through a pack that the retail giant Target had contributed to, is hoping a recount will save him in the race for governor.


Are comic books next? The Supreme Court heard arguments regarding California's law banning violent video games. It was interesting to hear the various justices' questions, and where each may fall, which seemed not to break down so neatly across ideological lines. We'll get into it and take your calls and opinions.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Ameriquest and Lehman Brothers were at the center of the subprime lending market that led us into the economic tailspin the global economy finds itself in today. Michael Hudson, author of The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America-- And Spawned a Global Crisis, joins us this afternoon to talk about the practices of these lending companies and how they led us into economic turmoil.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - In the wake of Tuesday's midterm election, progressive activists and leaders are calling on President Obama and the Democrats to act more boldly when dealing with the core issues that progressives are fighting for. John Aravosis of AmericaBlog is one of those voices and joins us this afternoon to talk about it.

Unhappy meals: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has banned the sale of toys with food by restaurants targeting kids -- like McDonald's with its Happy Meals -- unless the food meats specific nutritional requirements. Is this a good idea or government infringement on business? We'll take your calls and thoughts.

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

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

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.

Back Live on the Show Today

A few days off gearing up for the elections, but we're back live today. The show rundown will go up later in the morning. Look forward to speaking with you all!