What Did Noah Galvin’s Publicist Say To Get Him To Backpedal Colton Haynes, Bryan Singer Shade?

Noah Galvin is doing some major backpedaling after the inflammatory remarks he made in his recent interview with Vulture.

For no apparent reason, the 22-year-old The Real O’Neals star went on a rampage against fellow actors Eric Stonestreet and Colton Haynes, as well as director Bryan Singer and Hollywood producers, in general.

Related: ‘Real O’Neals’ Star Noah Galvin: Colton Haynes’ Coming Out Was “P*ssy Bullsh*t”

In case you missed it, here a few highlights:

On Bryan Singer: 

Bryan Singer likes to invite little boys over to his pool and diddle them in the fucking dark of night.

On people in Los Angeles:

People in L.A., producers and casting directors, are not the most creative. … So when they see me play this character, they’re like, Oh, he’s really good at playing the funny gay kid. That’s what he does. Let’s have him do more of that!

On Colton Haynes (a.k.a. “The worst”):

That’s not coming out. That’s fucking pussy bullshit. That’s like, enough people assume that I sleep with men, so I’m just going to slightly confirm the fact that I’ve sucked a dick or two. That’s not doing anything for the little gays but giving them more masturbation material.

On Eric Stonestreet:

He’s playing a caricature of a caricature of a stereotype of stereotype on Modern Family. And he’s a straight man in real life. And as hilarious as that character is, there’s a lack of authenticity.

Not surprisingly, a lot of people took serious issue with Galvin’s comments. Most notably was Colton Haynes himself, who posted a lengthy response on his Instagram page, calling Galvin’s remarks “absolutely uncalled for” and “embarrassing on his part.”

Related: Colton Haynes Publicly Responds To Being Called “The Worst” By Noah Galvin

Well, it appears as if Galvin’s publicist had a long chat with the rising TV starlet because he just posted a long apology on Twitter.

“The entire interview I gave to Vulture has hurt the LGBTQ community and the industry I feel truly fortunate to be a part of,” Galvin tweeted. “My only intention was to try and empower and promote honesty, but I fully understand that comments I made were brazen and hurtful.”

Here are the apology tour highlights:

To Bryan Singer: 

I sincerely apologize to Bryan Singer for the horrible statement I made about him. It was irresponsible and stupid of me to make those allegations against Bryan, and I deeply regret doing so. I have never been to Bryan’s house, and I admit there is no basis for any of the things I said or implied about Bryan in that interview.

On Colton Haynes:

I have no right to dictate how or when anybody comes out of the closet; I know how difficult and scary the process of coming out can be, and the last thing I would ever want to do is make it scarier.

On Eric Stonestreet:

I think Eric Stonestreet is a wonderful actor.

Gee whiz. That’s some serious brown nosing.

So… apology accepted?

Read Galvin’s full statement below…

pic.twitter.com/BCqgVRY02V

— Noah Galvin (@Noahegalvin) June 9, 2016

pic.twitter.com/6qrTjiW7YD

— Noah Galvin (@Noahegalvin) June 9, 2016

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Manhunt.com Rewards Gay Cyclist Tackled by NYPD in Front of Obama’s Motorcade

The gay cyclist who was tackled in front of President Obama’s motorcade after mistakenly entering a barricaded zone in New York whilst on his way to a hook-up is getting a bit of good news thanks to gay dating site Manhunt.

The site is offering him a free a year of their upgraded service ‘Manhunt plus’ as well as 52 free roundtrip Ubers. “That’s safe, motorized transportation for one hook-up per week!” Manhunt told Towleroad.

As we reported earlier, the man, 59-year-old Daniel Provencio, was blasting Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” while riding his bike on 50th Street when he failed to notice the police cordon for President Obama’s motorcade. He was tackled to the ground by NYPD only moments before the motorcade passed through.

Provencio said he ended up missing his hook-up on account of being detained by police. He called his beau after being released but to no avail. “Manhattan men are huge on punctuality,” he said. In response, Manhunt said, “[We want Provencio] to know that his Ubers are good within NYC’s five boroughs so he’ll be able to extend his hunt outside of Manhattan where punctuality may not be as large of a concern.”

ICYMI, watch video of the man being taken to the ground by police only moments before President Obama’s motorcade passed by, below.

The post Manhunt.com Rewards Gay Cyclist Tackled by NYPD in Front of Obama’s Motorcade appeared first on Towleroad.

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Life is Terrible for LGBT People in Pakistan but Facebook, Scruff, and Grindr are Helping: WATCH

In the latest video from its Blackout Series, VICE News examines how technology is helping LGBT people in Pakistan express gender and sexual identities.

The video starts with a member of the Islamic Control Unit explaining how he killed two men whom he caught having sex: He got them naked, pushed them off a cliff, and told them to “go rot in hell.” He was praised by his men: “Honorable leader, today we did a very good job.”

The scene sets the tone. You can see how hard it is for LGBT Pakistanis.

The country is one of worst places in the world for LGBT rights. Being gay is illegal and carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. VICE News spoke with an Islamic Clerk who believes that men who have sex with men “should be thrown off the top of a tall building so that all the people get a lesson,” as stated by Sharia Law.

However, recent technology has given the LGBT Pakistani community more opportunities to get together and socialize. The 16-minute video examines the ways Facebook and apps like Grindr, Tinder and Scruff help the community to feel more empowered. But not without its risks: recently a 28-year-old paramedic was arrested for the death of three gay men, whom he lured into meeting. The man had profiles in different gay network websites; he’d send messages to other guys, have sex with them, and then strangle them. He claims he was trying to “stop the spread of evil.”

The video is an eye-opening look at underground LGBT life in Pakistan: two young male sex workers who explain how they find their clients and how much they charge; two transgender women talk about safety (last month, a 23-year-old transgender activist who had been shot eight times died after a hospital refused to give her proper treatment); and how the LGBT community tries to get mobilized.

Watch the video below:

The post Life is Terrible for LGBT People in Pakistan but Facebook, Scruff, and Grindr are Helping: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Kylie Minogue Records Theme Song ‘This Wheel’s On Fire’ for Ab Fab Movie: LISTEN

This Aussie is on fire, sweetie darling.

The one and only Kylie Minogue has recorded the theme song for one of the cinematic events of the summer: Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. The Sun reported that the song was recorded in a “secret studio session,” and Ab Fab creator Jennifer Saunders wanted to “keep her involvement under wraps.”

Kylie recorded a cover of “This Wheel’s on Fire” from the ’90s BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. It was originally written in 1967 by Bob Dylan and Bob Danko.

“As a huge fan of the Ab Fab series and both Jennifer and Joanna, I’m over the moon to be singing the theme song,” Kylie told The Sun.

The song is not yet available in the U.S. iTunes store, but you can listen to it here, courtesy of East West Records:

It’s true! Kylie is on the bloody soundtrack!

Besides Kylie, the movie also has a hot fashion party in London, champagne in a convertible in the South of France, Stella McCartney, Jon Hamm and even Kate Moss being pushed into the River Thames. Gay enough for you? Check out the official trailer below:

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie opens in the U.K. on July 1 and in the U.S. on July 22.

The post Kylie Minogue Records Theme Song ‘This Wheel’s On Fire’ for Ab Fab Movie: LISTEN appeared first on Towleroad.

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HRC Hosts Summit on LGBTQ People and ISIL

While LGBTQ people have long faced violence and persecution in the Middle East, conditions have worsened in recent years, particularly for those living in and around territories controlled by the Islamic State (ISIL). To help address this crisis, HRC hosted a summit on Thursday titled “Helping LGBTQ Refugees in the Age of ISIL.”

Men accused of same-sex activity have been blindfolded and thrown off of buildings, stoned and subjected to unimaginable torture at the hands of ISIL. Countless others, including lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, remain closeted or underground for fear of retribution. HRC has committed to identifying solutions that will ease the path for LGBTQ people who flee ISIL-held areas and the violence that has seized the region more generally.

The half-day gathering heard remarks from U.S. government officials, refugee and asylum experts, advocates and an LGBTQ asylee from the Middle East. Participants were welcomed by HRC Global Director Ty Cobb, who introduced Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard. Richard, who heads the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, thanked HRC for “expanding its work beyond the shores of the United States” to address the needs of LGBTQ people abroad, including refugees and asylum seekers, “who need protection from bigotry and hate.”

Richard noted that stigma and fear of reprisals often prevent LGBTQ refugees from coming forward to seek help but that when they can be identified, the United States expedites processing of their cases and is working to make the process more nimble.

Next, HRC Global Deputy Director Jean Freedberg interviewed Kevin Schumacher, a Middle East expert at OutRight Action International, who identified criminalization laws and atrocious violence against LGBTQ people as the two key challenges in the region.

Schumacher added, “ISIL’s use of graphic images and videos of the murder of gay men seeks to raise the outfit’s credibility by showing they are capable of greater violence than competing groups.”

Schumacher also noted that LGBTQ issues are more often than not perceived through a Quranic and Biblical lens of sodomy, thus adding stigma to any discussion of sexual diversity and gender issues.

The event then proceeded with two panels – one focused on the challenges of making it easier for LGBTQ people to get out of the most dangerous areas, and the second focused on how to help them to settle in the United States. Participants then held conversations over lunch about what they and their organizations could do to help move this issue forward.

The event closed with “R,” an Iraqi asylum seeker whose identity was withheld to protect his safety, talking about the violence and bigotry he faced in his homeland, which caused him to flee to the United States.

“Being gay in Iraq was extremely tough and after a year of meticulous planning, I managed to flee. I was lucky because of my connections and relative affluence. Many of my friends were not so lucky and tens of them were exposed, caught and killed by militias. Those who are still in Iraq and want to leave are having a hard time unless they have access to resources, as it can be a costly process.”

Learn more about HRC’s work to strengthen the global LGBTQ equality movement through public education, advocacy, fellowships, partnerships and research by visiting www.hrc.org/Global.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-hosts-summit-on-lgbtq-people-and-isil?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Department of Interior Celebrates Pride Month With Video Saluting LGBTQ Americans

This week in celebration of Pride Month, the U.S. Department of Interior released a video saluting LGBTQ Americans, and encouraged all to explore the wonders of our national parks and historic places.

The 411 national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails which comprise the park system are varied as the nation’s population. These sites and their stories, woven together tell the story of our nation’s heritage. To ensure that all Americans had the opportunity to learn about our community’s contribution to that story, the National Park Service (NPS) launched the LGBTQ Heritage Initiative in 2014. In fact, two important sites are right here in Washington, DC, the residence of Dr. Franklin Kameny and the Furies Collective. 

Pride month is the perfect time to visit these places or one of the many other sites to learn more about our history and the pioneers for equality. In conjunction with its centennial celebration, the NPS has launched the ‘Find a Park’ Campaign to reacquaint Americans with the national parks. We encourage you to find one near you, and go explore.

www.hrc.org/blog/department-of-interior-celebrates-pride-month-with-video-saluting-lgbtq-ame?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Emails Reveal HB2 Author Compared LGBTQ Advocates to Taliban

New email documents obtained by the Charlotte Business Journal (CBJ), reveal that Rep. Dan Bishop, the lead author of North Carolina’s deeply discriminatory HB2 law, compared LGBTQ people and supporters of equality to the “Taliban” and made numerous other disparaging comments. The documents brought to light a slew of hateful exchanges which reveal the extent to which the lead author of HB2 was motivated by an express desire to discriminate against LGBTQ people at any cost — contrary to what Governor Pat McCrory and other lawmakers have said about the intent of the bill. Furthermore, the new documents were only partial accounts voluntarily released by Rep. Bishop himself, leaving it to speculation what in his other correspondence could be so much worse that he decided against releasing them.

Thus far, Gov. Pat McCrory, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, and House Speaker Tim Moore have refused to release any of their communications about HB2 or their correspondence with anti-LGBT activists in the lead up to their sneak attack special session on March 23, during which they rammed through the disastrous HB 2 into law and signed it in less than 12 hours.

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality NC called Bishop’s email correspondence “the tip of the iceberg” and renewed their call on McCrory, Berger, and Moore to comply with the law and release their records immediately.

“Rep. Bishop’s deep-seated hatred towards LGBTQ North Carolinians has blinded him to reality, so much so that he is is comparing people who support basic fairness and equality for LGBTQ people to the Taliban,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “These documents are just the tip of the iceberg, and clearly demonstrate that the core goal of this legislation was to discriminate and attack the LGBTQ community. It’s unacceptable that McCrory, Berger, and Moore continue to evade their obligation to transparency, and it seems obvious that they are doing so to avoid the public seeing the despicable nature and motivation of this legislation.”

“As someone who grew up in Rep. Bishop’s district, it’s deeply disturbing to see such blatant animosity from someone who is supposed to represent all constituents in his district, including LGBTQ people,” said Matt Hirschy, Director of Advancement at Equality NC. “Based on these outrageous exchanges, it seems clear that pulling back the curtain on legislators’ true intent will reveal the despicable nature and motivation of this legislation. North Carolinians deserve to know what really motivated Gov. McCrory, Senator Berger, and Speaker Moore to ram through this disastrous legislation. They should immediately release their communications with anti-LGBTQ activists in their plot to pass HB2 into law.”

According to the documents, a supporter of Rep. Bishop emailed him telling him not to “cave in to the Politically Correct Taliban! Y’all should have all of the sane states to coordinate and pass these bills on the same day so one state does not have to stand up to these pompous asses alone.” Rep. Bishop replied, “I LOVE that idea. Taliban. Love that too. Not giving up. Ever.” The CBJ also revealed that “a separate exchange with another supporter included a declaration by the lawmaker that ‘the LGBT movement jeopardizes freedom.’”

Nearly two months have passed since HRC and Equality NC filed their own open records request seeking information from the office of Gov. McCrory, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, and House Speaker Tim Moore regarding their communications with anti-LGBT activists to pass the disastrous HB 2 into law. Those requests have still gone unanswered, in violation of lawmakers’ obligation to respond in a timely fashion. HRC and Equality NC invoked the North Carolina Public Records Law to gain access to any communications the Governor, the Executive Branch, or the General Assembly had among each other or with the kind of extreme anti-LGBT special interest groups who often craft and push this language. Specifically, the organizations are demanding that the government release any communications legislators or the Governor or his staff have had with the so-called North Carolina Values Coalition or the Alliance Defending Freedom.

HB2 prevents transgender students in public schools from using restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity. It also compels the same type of discrimination against transgender people to take place in publicly-owned buildings, including in public universities, major airports, and convention centers.  HB2 also eliminates existing municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people and prevents such protections from being passed by cities in the future.  Further, it revoked the ability to sue under state employment non-discrimination law on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, religion, national origin, and sex.

www.hrc.org/blog/emails-reveal-hb2-author-compared-lgbtq-advocates-to-taliban?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Because Of COURSE Kylie Minogue Sings The ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Theme In The Film. Listen Here.

Sweeties, darlings, Bernie bros and bisexuals — are you getting antsy for Patsy and Edina?! Because we are.

But before we can fully revel in our favorite alcoholics’ invasion of the big screen starting July 22 (July 1 in the UK), the people behind Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie are keeping our interest piqued in all the right ways.

Let’s be honest — they had us at the trailer, and even more so when we got a peek at all the cameos to expect. (Hello Joan Collins!)

Now it’s been announced that none other than Kylie Minogue has covered the show’s theme song for the film. Who else could it have been, really?

Just take our money already!

You can listen to the track “This Wheel’s On Fire,” originally written by some unknown named Bob Dylan, below:

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Cyclist Rushing To Hookup Forcefully Arrested After Barrelling Into Obama’s Motorcade

Daniel Provencio was in a race to get to his hookup in New York yesterday and nothing was going to stop him. Not even President Obama’s motorcade.

OK, well, maybe President Obama’s motorcade.

Related: How Do You Know When A Hookup Is ‘The One’?

The 59-year-old bicyclist says he was blasting “Call Me Maybe” through his headphones when a group of NOPD officers suddenly tackled him to the ground. Unbeknownst to Provencio, he had just ridden into a secured area where the President was expected to pass through at any moment.

The Daily News reports:

A cop grabbed Provencio and knocked him off the bike onto the ground, then fell to the ground himself. A helmeted cop roughly grabbed Provencio’s arm and twisted it behind his back. Cops rolled Provencio over until he was face down, stuck a knee in his back and cuffed him as a Secret Service agent walked over to observe. Obama’s motorcade rolled past during the arrest. Provencio did not appear to be resisting during the encounter. He was issued a summons for disorderly conduct, police said.

Related: Late Night M4M Craigslist Hookup Ends With Dramatic Car Chase And An Arrest

To add insult to injury, the guy Provencio was supposed to hookup with lost interest because he was several hours late after being arrested and interrogated by the cops.

“Manhattan men are huge on punctuality,” he says.

See video of the dramatic arrest below…

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