Today on the Signorile Show

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We've been seeing a lot of news coming out of the sports world, whether its players like Kobe Bryant using anti-gay slurs toward officials to the coming out of Rick Welts, president of the Phoenix Suns. Jared Max, sports reporter with ESPN-NY 1050 AM, has also come out in recent weeks, influenced by Welts and others, and joins us this afternoon to talk about his own story and to discuss how the sports world can overcome homophobia.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of the disease we've come to know as AIDS. One of the nations first openly gay reporters, Hank Plante, has been covering the disease since before it had a name and has come out of retirement to report on a series for CBS-5 San Francisco leading up to June 5, the day the CDC first released reports on the disease. He joins us this afternoon to talk about the history of the AIDS epidemic and the advances we've made.

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Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ 108 and on the Sirius XM iPhone, Blackberry and Android apps. 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.

Your Stories: Standing Up to Bullies

Ok, folks, I'm looking for your stories of self-defense. Those of you who stood up to antigay bullies and bashers -- fought back, took them on, didn't let them get away with it -- and vanquished them when you were teenagers. And am interested in hearing from those of you who are young people who right now might be experiencing bullying or know a young person who is experiencing bully and is thinking about learning self-defense to fight back. I need your stories for a project I'm working on. Please email me here at Mike@signorile.com or on Facebook. Tell me your story and give me your contact info. I'll bring this up on the show too and ask people to call in and write. Thanks for the help!

Today on the Signorile Show

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Jason Ryan joins us this afternoon on the show to talk about his new book, Jackpot: High Times, High Seas and the Sting That Launched The War On Drugs, which follows the rise of the "gentlemen smugglers," a group of fun loving Southerners forsook college educations to sail drug-laden luxury sailboats across the Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean and how they were eventually caught in Operation Jackpot.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Over the weekend, Republican Rep. John Kriesel of the State House, gave a very moving speech during a debate over the marriage ban that has since passed in both the Minnesota Senate and House. Rep. Kriesel, a freshman Republican and Iraq War vet who lost uses of his legs in combat, joins us this afternoon to talk about speaking out for marriage equality in his state.

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 108 and on the Sirius XM iPhone, Blackberry and Android apps. 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're back LIVE today...

Guest / 2:30pm EST - AmericaBlog's John Aravosis returns to the program this afternoon to speak with us about a story he's been covering for the past few days regarding a religious right-backed bill in Tennessee which would ban pro-gay anti-discrimination laws (including protections already law in Nashville), which has been been actively lobbied by Tennessee's Chamber of Commerce, chaired by Nissan and includes other companies like AT&T, Comcast and FedEx.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Dr. Ogi Ogas, co-author of A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What The Worlds Largest Experiment Reveals About Human Desire, joins us this afternoon to discuss observations he and co-author Dr. Sai Gaddam made when tracking the online habits of a hundred million men and women around the world and how these online behaviors combined with neuroscience lead to some startling sexual truths about men and women.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Last week, New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, brother to Rosie O'Donnell, introduced a marriage equality bill in his chamber. He joins us today to discuss why he's introduced this bill and whether he thinks Governor Cuomo can get a marriage equality bill passed by June like he's said previously.

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 108 and on the Sirius XM iPhone, Blackberry and Android apps. 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.

Chaz Bono Interview

Was great to have Chaz Bono on the show this week (I missed him when he was in town because I was off last week). We talked about his OWN documentary, "Becoming Chaz," and his new book Transition, How I Became a Man, all about his journey as a transgender man. Listen.

Today on the Signorile Show

Guest / 2:30pm EST - Newt Gingrich is having a rough first week as a potential candidate for president -- disagreement within his own party over comments he made about Medicare, his $500,000 bill at Tiffany's and the viral video of him getting glittered at a book signing. Nick Espinosa, the Minnesota activist who dumped the glitter on Gingrich and his wife, joins us today to talk about it!

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Earlier last week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) held a final vote which would allow gays and lesbians to be ordained within the church. Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) joins us this afternoon to explain what this means for the church going forward.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Eli Pariser, former executive director of MoveOn.org, joins us today to speak about his new book, The Filter Bubble: What The Internet Is Hiding From You, which looks at how the internet, which was supposed to be the free flow of ideas is closing in on itself because of the pressure from commerce.

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 108 and on the Sirius XM iPhone, Blackberry and Android apps. 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.

NoProud

My new advocate column, which looks at two themes that emerge from the right-wing gay group GOProud: the lack of any gay pride in the group and the power of the Christian right in the GOP.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Chaz Bono joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Transition: The Story Of How I Became A Man, in which he documents the physical and emotional process that allowed him to live the life he always wanted.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Sean Chapin joins us to talk about his efforts to get the San Francisco Giants baseball team to be the first pro-sports team to make an "It Gets Better" video and the influence he hopes it has over the sports world.

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 108 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.

Don Lemon: "I wish everyone could feel what I feel"

Don Lemon came into the studio today with his boyfriend Ben, and chatted on the show for about an hour about his new book Transparent, in which he comes out as gay but also does so much more in discussing race issues, homophobia, growing up in the South, sexual abuse and pursuing a career in television journalism.

That all may sound heavy, but it was an often ecstatic hour of many laughs, and lots of emotion. Don is so completely enthralled at being out, and you can hear it in his voice. We talked about the issues in the book, but also a lot about the closet in the media, in television journalism, and how his coming out might affect other, closeted TV anchors; what the impact will be in the black community and what it means for young people of color; and how it feels to now be out, on a show with his boyfriend and a gay radio host. Don got a little bit weepy on that last topic. Really just a fantastic discussion, but listen in for yourself below in the three parts.

Today on the Signorile Show

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We talked a lot on the show yesterday about the coming out of CNN anchor Don Lemon and a lot of you called in suggesting questions for me to ask him. Don will join us in studio to talk about his coming out, which he has written about in his new book, Transparent. And he'll be joined by his boyfriend, CNN producer Ben Tinker.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend returns to the program this afternoon to speak with us about my interview with Don Lemon and what his coming out means for the LGBT African-American community.

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

So much to get into today: It's supposed to be the gays destroying marriage, but the head of IMF -- a heterosexual philanderer and alleged rapist -- is doing a pretty good job of it, not to mention destroying the European economy and the French elections. CNN's Don Lemon comes out: We'll take your calls on what I should ask him about his coming on the show tomorrow. And the other big coming out: The owner of the Phoenix Suns, Rick Welts. Huckabee says he's not running, and Gingrich has trashed the GOP Medicare plan. The crazy rally against marriage in New York, where a preacher called for gays to die --we'll get into it. And why is Jodie Foster directing and starring in a Mel Gibson movie!???

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Michael Schiavi, author of Celluloid Activist: The Life and Times of Vito Russo, joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, which documents the life of film historian and activist Vito Russo, from his time speaking about The Celluloid Closet to his founding of GLAAD and ACT UP and his fight for gay rights in a time when AIDS was defining a generation.

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.

Tomorrow: CNN's Don Lemon on Coming Out

Many of you know I've been interviewed on CNN by Don Lemon many times. Well, tomorrow we turn the tables when Don comes into the studio for an in-depth interview about his just published book, "Transparent" in which Don reveals that he is gay and talks about his struggles with homophobia, racism and colorism within the black community growing up in Louisiana. We'll be talking about it on today's show and I'll take your calls about what questions you'd like to see him asked.

The Malcolm X Biography: Interview

This is my interview with Wendy Wolf, editor at Viking of acclaimed historian Manning Marable's "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention." Marable died at the age of 60 just before publication of the book, which has caused much controversy in part because he focuses on a sexual encounter that Malcolm X had with another man. Wendy Wolf says it's clear that Malcolm X was going in the direction of supporting LGBT rights. Listen in.

Ben Cohen Interview

My interview with Rugby star Ben Cohen, on an Acceptance Tour in the US to raise money for LGBT causes.

Larry Kramer Interview

Finally Blogger is back up, and I can post some interviews from the show. Let's start with Wednesday's interview with playwright and AIDS activist Larry Kramer, whose searing, classic play The Normal Heart is now on Broadway with five Tony nominations.

Today on the Signorile Show

I'm back and there is so much to cover!

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Last month, the release of two books highlighting two prominent civil rights leaders stirred up some controversy and skepticism when claims were made that Mahatma Gandhi & Malcolm X had gay relationships in their youth. We're joined today by Wendy Wolf, an editor with Viking Press, the publishing company releasing the late Manning Marable's biography on Malcolm X, Malcolm X: A Life Of Reinvention.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - We're excited to be speaking with activist and playwright Larry Kramer about the release of his groundbreaking and moving play, The Normal Heart, on Broadway, which is currently nominated for 5 Tony Awards!

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.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Last week, we spoke about Google and the benefits of their operation in organizing information and making it accessible by virtually anyone. But should we be cautious about embracing Google's mission and be cautious that Google may not have our best interests in mind? Siva Vaidhyanathan, author of The Googlization Of Everything (And Why We Should Worry) joins us to explain why if you can control the knowledge, you can control the people.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Last month, the popular Queerty blog went offline. Today, it is back online and is currently up and running. Chris Bull, the sites editor, joins us today to talk about the relaunching of Queerty.

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

Hey all! Mike's off today, but we're very excited that Joe Sudbay of AMERICAblog and Kerry Eleveld of Equality Matters will be sitting in and guest hosting the show today. They have a great show planned for today, including interviews with Rep. Jerry Nadler, Nate Silver of the NY Times FiveThirtyEight blog and Igor Volsky with The Center For American Progress. Join Joe & Kerry this afternoon at 2pm EST / 11am PST!

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.