FOX News Head Roger Ailes Ousted Amid Allegations of Sexual Harassment: REPORTS

Roger Ailes, the embattled president of FOX News, has reportedly been fired by 21st Century Fox, Fox News’ parents company, multiple sources are saying Tuesday.

Rumors began to swirl on Monday that Ailes was being ousted. Multiple sources have since confirmed that Ailes will be terminated as a result of an investigation into his alleged sexual harassment of FOX employees including at least Gretchen Carlson and Megyn Kelly.

Ailes is credited with having turned FOX News into the right-wing media empire it is today.

Variety reports:

Spokespeople for both the network and the parent company were not available for immediate comment. An official announcement was said to be imminent, this person said.

Ailes departs under a cloud. Gretchen Carlson, the former “Fox & Friends” anchor who left the network in June, filed a lawsuit in New Jersey earlier this month alleging Ailes had harassed her and derailed her career. Ailes had in a previous statement denied the charges. More women came forward alleging similar treatment by Ailes during his time as a producer in the decades before he set up shop at Fox News.

The final blow seemed to come on Tuesday: a report in New York magazine alleging that Megyn Kelly, one of the network’s primetime stars, had been the victim of unwanted sexual advances in her earlier days at the network.

Conservative news blog the Drudge Report reported that Ailes will receive at lease a $40 million golden parachute from Fox.

Via The Daily Beast: 

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‘America’s Got Talent’ Star Brian Justin Crum Will Give You Chills With His Radiohead Cover – WATCH

Last month we told you about Brian Justin Crum, a current contestant on America’s Got Talent, who wowed judges with his show-stopping rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” 

Just last week, Crum, who is openly gay, released a new music video in which he mashed up Cher’s iconic hit “Believe” with Adele’s “All I Ask of You.” 

Now, Crum is back performing on America’s Got Talent, and this time he takes on Radiohead’s song “Creep” in a performance that is sure to give you chills.

Crum’s rendition of “Creep” comes across as a lament that vacillates between quiet reticence and thunderous agony. But such a beautiful lament it is.

Fans of the original song will note that the tone remains the same, even if sung in a different register. This is over the top drama compared to Radiohead’s emo anthem for the socially awkward and sullen.

“Creep” has also been famously covered by Scala & Kalacny Brothers and used in trailers for the 2011 movie, The Social Network.

Watch Brain Justin Crum hit it out of the park, below.

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Tuesday: RNC Speakers Include Anti-Equality Ben Carson, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Gov. Scott Walker

The second day of the Republican National Convention features Ben Carson, who made airwaves today with his transphobic comments, and two Republican elected officials who have consistently worked against equality throughout their careers — U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Their appearances come a day after the party embraced the most overtly anti-LGBTQ platform in its history.  

Tomorrow, Mike Pence, who has made anti-LGBTQ animus a cornerstone of his political career, is poised to accept the Republican Party’s vice presidential nomination. The following night, Donald Trump is expected to accept the party’s presidential nomination, finalizing a ticket that would put at risk everything the LGBTQ community has gained over the last eight years.

Ben Carson

Ben Carson, speaking at the Florida delegation breakfast, compared transgender people to someone who “woke up tomorrow morning after seeing a movie about Afghanistan and saying ‘you know what? I’m Afghanistani [sic].” As a doctor, Ben Carson’s absurd comments about transgender people are not only wrong, but recklessly ignorant. Sadly, this is not the first time his anti-LGBTQ thinking has been in line with the presumptive Republican ticket: Carson defended Gov. Mike Pence’s “right to discriminate” law, suggesting that many discrimination claims are just “political correctness.”

Senator Mitch McConnell

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has spent his career fighting against LGBTQ equality, voting to support a constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples and supporting the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. He also opposed  legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity in our nation’s  hate crimes law, voted no on protecting LGBTQ people from workplace discrimination, and voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) because it extends protections to LGBTQ people.

Governor Scott Walker

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has a history of obstructing and rolling back basic rights for LGBTQ Americans. He actively fought against marriage equality in Wisconsin, and appealed the court decision that brought marriage equality to the state. Before he was elected governor, Walker, serving as Milwaukee County Executive, cut funding for HIV and AIDS prevention, saying that he did not like the idea of “using tax dollars to support illegal activity,” and that he did not consider HIV and AIDS prevention “a core function of the county.”

The Trump-Pence Ticket

Pence became a national disgrace in 2015 for his “license to discriminate” bill that could have allowed businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people. He subsequently defended the law even amid an outcry from the business community and a majority of Hoosier voters. In a now notorious interview with ABC last year, Pence refused to answer eight separate times when asked whether businesses should be able to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Pence’s discriminatory bill had enormous consequences for the business and economic health of Indiana after a flood of companies spoke out against his bill. Indianapolis’s nonprofit tourism agency estimated that, Pence’s anti-LGBTQ bill cost the city alone up to 12 conventions and $60 million in lost revenue. Polling conducted by HRC after the 2015 fight found that 75 percent of Hoosiers said the debate was bad for the state’s economy and 70 percent of those surveyed said they opposed to the law.

Trump has reaffirmed his opposition to transgender equality, appeared alongside Tony Perkins — leader of SPLC-designated hate group the Family Research Council — and delusionally bragged about fictional support from the LGBTQ community in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. His false claims about his own support are belied by his own long record of opposing LGBTQ equality.

For more on Trump and Pence’s opposition to LGBTQ equality, click here.

www.hrc.org/blog/tuesday-rnc-speakers-include-anti-equality-ben-carson-sen.-mitch-mcconnell?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Fans Get Fanned by Drag Queens at Sweltering 'Absolutely Fabulous' Premiere (Video)

www.advocate.com/film/2016/7/19/fans-get-fanned-drag-queens-sweltering-absolutely-fabulous-premiere-video

Arrest Made in Bronx Anti-Gay Stabbing, Suspect Not Charged with Hate Crime

Police arrested one of two men suspected of “stabbing” a man in the Bronx last week, while hurling “anti-gay slurs” at him.

On Monday, July 13 the NYPD released a video of two men who allegedly attacked Marquis Devereaux, 49. The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, July 12 as Deveraux went home from work in the Clason Point neigbhoorhood of the South Bronx.

WANTED: For stabbing a M/49 & making anti-gay slurs in the #Bronx. Call #800577TIPS video: t.co/yFxxRAZH18 pic.twitter.com/jCgyPgAu0T

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 13, 2016

Devereaux was stabbed multiple times near his left armpit and had to be taken to Westchester Square Hospital, where he received eight stitches.

The men fled the scene.

This morning the NYPD announced that 25-year-old Kareem Ruddock had been arrested in connection with the incident. He was charged with felony assault and weapons possession, but not with a hate crime. Police “declined to prosecute the arrest,” James Brunner, Public Information Associate at The Bronx D.A.’s Office told Towleroad.

UPDATE: A M/25 has been arrested in regard to this incident t.co/85FdLKvEpk

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 19, 2016

This is not the first time Devereaux is a victim of an anti-gay attack.

In 2011, the superintendent of the building where he used to live in Queens, New York slashed his leg with a knife. “This has happened to me twice and the only thing I’m guilty of is being gay,” Devereaux told the Daily News after the July 10 attack.

That time, however, the attacker was charged with a hate crime and sentenced to three and a half years in jail.

Investigation of the July 10 attack is  is still “ongoing.”

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The RNC Just Used ‘My Little Pony’ to Defend Melania Trump’s Plagiarism – WATCH

The RNC’s chief strategist and communications director Sean Spicer quoted My Little Pony in attempting to prove that Melania Trump did not plagiarize her speech from one given my Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Spicer quoted My Little Pony twice on Tuesday, appearing on both MSNBC and CNN.

On CNN, Spicer said that the controversy stems from “70 words” and “3 passages”, implying that plagiarism isn’t plagiarism unless there’s a minimum number of words plagiarized that presumably exceeds 70.

RELATED: It Was Melania’s to Lose: GOP Convention Morning After, Day 1

Spicer went on to argue that phrases similar to those in both Melania Trump’s speech and Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech have been used by John Legend, Kid Rock, and, of course, Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. 

Said Spicer,

“Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony said ‘This is your dream, anything you can do in your dreams you can do now.’ I mean, if we want to take a bunch of phrases and run ’em through Google and say, hey, who else has said them, I could come up with a list in five minutes. And that’s what this is.”

He added,

“I just quoted Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. She said something similar too, so did Mrs. Obama plagiarize her too?”

Here’s Spicer making the same assertion on MSNBC before an incredulous Craig Melvin.

Video: RNC Comms Dir says Melania speech phrases used countless times, including My Little Pony’s Twilight Sparkle t.co/PFSQjEQFRS

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 19, 2016

The moment quickly caught the attention of the Twitter-verse, and “My Little Pony” began to trend.

pic.twitter.com/a7SmdhshjA

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 19, 2016

And it’s been delicious.

You keep Twilight Sparkle’s name out of your mouth, you monsters. t.co/hWnP8ImWBa

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) July 19, 2016

You guys. I KNOW Twilight Sparkle and I can tell you RIGHT NOW, she wants NO part of this mess. #KeepEquestriaGreat t.co/Bf3vv0kpgz

— mktoon (@mktoon) July 19, 2016

Sparkle Pony 2016. Make America Purple Again. pic.twitter.com/uvKp6jW8Mj

— Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) July 19, 2016

“Sean Spicer.” ironically, is the perfect name for a My Little Pony character who was cool with plagiarism. t.co/J0arrFWf5V

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 19, 2016

Based on this reaction alone, the GOP is losing their base voters by citing My Little Pony. t.co/HiQT1A5BAa

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 19, 2016

The post The RNC Just Used ‘My Little Pony’ to Defend Melania Trump’s Plagiarism – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Gay Porn Murder Movie ‘King Cobra’ Finds Distribution

King Cobra, the movie about the murder of gay adult film producer Bryan Kocis and the rise of a young Brent Corrigan, has been picked up by IFC films.

That means you’ll likely have a chance to get to see the film in theaters.

Written and directed by Justin Kelly (I Am Michael) and produced by James Franco (who also stars in the film), King Cobra premiered at Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and just last weekend played at Outfest.

The film also stars Garrett Clayton, Christian Slater, Keegan Allen, Alicia Silverstone, and Molly Ringwald.

Via Variety: 

Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said, “‘King Cobra’ affirms that Justin Kelly is a major up-and-coming talent with a bright future. In our tradition of supporting emerging filmmakers, IFC Films cannot wait to bring his daring, darkly witty film to US audiences.”

RELATED – FIRST LOOK: Garrett Clayton and Christian Slater in James Franco’s ‘King Cobra’

More background on the project from Deadline: 

King Cobra, based on a true story, centers on Sean Lockhart (Clayton), a 17-year-old who dreams of fame and success even though he’s broke and without direction. When he meets the seemingly conservative Stephen (Slater), founder of Cobra Video, he starts to perform in gay porn under the moniker Brent Corrigan, creating a slew of wildly successful videos. When rival porn producers Joe (Franco) and Harlow (Allen) set their sights on stealing Sean from Stephen, a turf war ensues, resulting in a shocking, gruesome murder.

PREVIOUSLY: James Franco and Keegan Allen Are Sweaty Pigs in New Clip from ‘King Cobra’ – WATCH

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RNC Day One: Transphobic Rhetoric in Prime Time

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn launched a vile attack on transgender people during his speech at the Republican National Convention Monday. In his speech, Flynn said, “War is not about bathrooms. War is not about political correctness or words that are meaningless.”

Watch the clip below:

RNC Day One: Transphobic Rhetoric in Prime Time #RNCinCLE t.co/lwDismozof pic.twitter.com/nRw5ZKJFDR

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) July 19, 2016

Flynn’s attack is sadly consistent with the RNC platform, the most anti-LGBTQ in history, and positions of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence.

Embedded in the RNC platform’s anti-equality provisions are statements supporting discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ bills in North Carolina and Mississippi targeting the transgender community. The platform in two separate sections calls for legislation to prevent transgender people from “using public restrooms that align with their gender identity,” arguing speciously that it is “illegal and dangerous” and “alien to America’s history and traditions.”

The Obama Administration’s historic end of the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving openly in the military was also attacked by the platform committee, which crafted absurd language warning against the “modification or lessening of standards” throughout the military.

Trump is on the record in support of North Carolina’s HB2, saying, “I’m going with the state. The state, they know what’s going on, they see what’s happening and generally speaking I’m with the state on things like this. I’ve spoken with your governor, I’ve spoken with a lot of people and I’m going with the state.” Trump previously told Sean Hannity that when it comes to laws like North Carolina’s HB2, Trump said he would “leave it up to the states.”

Other speakers Monday included three U.S. Senators who have opposed LGBTQ equality throughout their political careers: Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). All voted against the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA), which would prohibit LGBTQ discrimination in public schools.

Trump has reaffirmed his opposition to transgender equality, appeared alongside Tony Perkins — leader of SPLC-designated hate group the Family Research Council — and delusionally bragged about fictional support from the LGBTQ community in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. His false claims about his own support are belied by his own long record of opposing LGBTQ equality.

For more on Trump and Pence’s opposition to LGBTQ equality, click here.

www.hrc.org/blog/rnc-day-one-transphobic-rhetoric-in-prime-time?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed