News: Emmy Nominations, Bane, Tech Gene, Fred Willard
Chuck Dixon, one of the creators of Batman villain Bane, insists the phonetic resemblance to Mitt Romney's former employer, Bain Capital, is purely coincidental. "Bane was created by me and Graham Nolan, and we are lifelong conservatives and as far from leftwing mouthpieces as you are likely to find in comics," he said. Dixon does say, however, that Bane is a bit like the Occupy Wall Street protesters and that "if there ever was a Bruce Wayne running for the White House it would have to be Romney."
The Dark Knight Rises star Morgan Freeman gave a pro-Obama super PAC $1 million last month.
Pro-equality group Mainers United for Marriage say "350 members of the clergy representing 20 different denominations in 158 Maine towns are supporting the referendum to allow same-sex weddings in Maine."
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the LGBT group Minnesota United for All Families has raised a total of about $5.4 million to fight an amendment banning marriage equality there. Their opponents at the right wing Minnesota for Marriage have taken in only about $1.5 million.
The New York Times admits a lapse in an article on a building up for historic landmark status. "A post last week about 186 Spring Street — a 19th-century row house near Thompson Street that seems destined to be demolished or (far less likely) made a landmark — all but stated flat out that nothing of consequence had occurred there until it was bought by a Beastie Boy in 2000. In fact, 186 Spring Street had a brief turn as a center of gay political activism in the decade following the Stonewall uprising..."
Mad Men and American Horror Story tied for the most Emmy nominations - 17 each - during today's announcement of the award show's finalists. Modern Family received 14 nods, including "best supporting actor" for all of its adult men. Downton Abbey received nine nominations, including "best supporting actress" for Maggie Smith, who really should win for just "Best."
Congratulations to Dan Savage on his Emmy nomination for the It Gets Better campaign! The category? "Outstanding Children's Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program."
Ann Romney to ABC News' Robin Roberts: "We've given all you people need to know and understand about our financial situation and about how we live our life."
There's a gene for that: "...Researchers took DNA samples from the participants and analysed a gene, DBH, that regulates how much of the neurotransmitter dopamine is made in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that controls decision making. Participants with a form of the gene that made more dopamine were faster at making decisions without the computer's aid, and were more likely to cross-check what it said with their own information."
The owners of a bed and breakfast that turned away a gay couple must pay them $4,500 for discrimination, said the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope found a new exoplanet two-thirds to size of Earth. It is called UCF-1.01 and is 33 light years away.
Washington State is the first place where citizens can use Facebook to register to vote, and a whole lot more: "Besides registering to vote on Facebook, Washington residents will be able to update personal information, access customized voter guides with candidate info and ballot measures, as well as access replacement ballot
Why not speculate about whether or not Kate Middleton is pregnant? What else are you going to do all afternoon?
Get it, gurl: Modern Family star Sofia Vergara earned an estimated $19 million last year, mostly thanks to her Pepsi and Covergirl endorsement deals.
Frequent Christopher Guest collaborator and legendary improv actor Fred Willard was arrested for lewd behavior at an adult movie theater. What else does one do at such a place?
When Newt and Callista Gingrich chilled with Snooki.
Washington State Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna disagrees with the Boy Scouts' decision to uphold a ban on gay members and troop leaders.
The Wire, Lego style.
Tonight on ABC's Nightline: "I am gay, I am Mormon, I am married to a woman. I am happy every single day. My life is filled with joy. I have wonderful sex life. All of these things are true whether your mind allows you to believe them or not."




Agree w/Andrew B, Dame Maggie Smith is simply the best.
Posted by: Matt26 | Jul 19, 2012 4:36:16 PM
I *KNEW* we'd be hearing more from that Josh Weed prick! I'm a married-to-a-woman gay Mormon and I love it! Schmuck. It's nothing but Mormon ex-gay BS in new packaging.
Posted by: Caliban | Jul 19, 2012 4:39:14 PM
This is why I've never understood the appeal of Batman. He's a rich guy (inherited, no less) who becomes a vigilante to protect the wealthy of Gotham City. Yuck.
Posted by: Joseph | Jul 19, 2012 4:47:00 PM
I would like to apologize in advance for any comment I may make in this thread containing attacks and bigotry against women, effeminate gay men, black people, left wingers, poor people and/or comments containing victim-blaming.
The list above is not meant to exclude any other group I might find something hateful to write about.
Posted by: Rick | Jul 19, 2012 4:51:05 PM
LOL. Newt and Caligula must be on their 'American Exceptionalism' tour.
Posted by: hugo | Jul 19, 2012 4:52:42 PM
Ann Romney is going to need some heavy makeup to cover the black eye she got for making her husband look bad.
It's cheating for American Horror Story to call itself a miniseries. But I still love it.
Posted by: Paul R | Jul 19, 2012 4:53:17 PM
Why is it that the media is quick to interview and profile people like Josh Weed and the anti-gay Christianist crowd and they never profile gay and lesbian families? I know several same-gender couples who've been together for decades in successful relationships and yet, the media doesn't want to hear about that. I still think Josh is going to meet a man who will be the love of his life and bye-bye wifey! The same goes for her. Someday she's going to wake up and realize she devoted her whole life to a man who will never truly love her. I can name dozens of people who did the exact same thing as Mr. and Mrs. Weed and every one of them lived to regret it. They do damage to each other and to their children living in a fantasy world, all in the name of a fairytale that is religion. This is all orchestrated by the Mormon church no doubt to that.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 19, 2012 4:54:01 PM
Does the word "bisexual" show up anywhere in that Nightline story? And if not, why not?
Posted by: RJ | Jul 19, 2012 4:54:54 PM
What do you mean that all the "adult" men were nominated for Downton?
Posted by: Matt | Jul 19, 2012 4:55:02 PM
Nightline is a shadow of the program that Ted Koppel built up. No serious stories and certainly no serious questioning of guests. Seems to be just another "entertainment" show and not really news oriented. And the producers have been having a strange obsession with Christian/ist stories for a while now.
Posted by: Albert | Jul 19, 2012 5:17:25 PM
@Matt: reread the post. He didn't say that.
Posted by: Paul R | Jul 19, 2012 5:26:15 PM
The sad thing is that they won't, Brad. Their Mormon faith is shoved far too deep for them to ever have that epiphany.
Posted by: Syrax | Jul 19, 2012 5:36:11 PM
Add me to that list Andrew and Matt... Dame Maggie Smith is simply the best!
Posted by: VDUFFORD | Jul 19, 2012 5:43:13 PM
I suppose with "you people" Ann Romney meant blacks and not the media? Got it.
Posted by: MarkUs | Jul 19, 2012 6:23:45 PM
Downton actually received 16 nominations.
Posted by: Roger | Jul 19, 2012 7:22:01 PM
Just to throw this out there- Sherlock got 13 Emmy nominations. Maggie Smith is not involved but openly gay Mark Gatiss is actually DIRECTLY nominated. So.
Posted by: Chris | Jul 19, 2012 8:50:24 PM
ok now that exodus has fallen...now we Josh Weed the Mormon Wunderkind praying the gay away...when will they just give it a break...he's not happy just brain washed
Posted by: epic | Jul 19, 2012 9:22:43 PM
Josh Weed is the expert on himself. If he says he's happy there's the end of it. Go figure? Sure. But don't conclude for him, or against him. His story seems to make a lot of gay men feel insecure. Quite unnecessarily. Most of us are just fine the way we are though many don't seem to know it.
Posted by: UFFDA | Jul 20, 2012 2:18:13 AM
@Uffda - Josh's story doesn't make me feel insecure in the slightest. I just know BS when I hear it.
Posted by: Jack M | Jul 20, 2012 8:08:43 AM