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Published by BANG Showbiz English Britney Spears’s legal team wants her father to be held in contempt of court. The ‘Toxic’ hitmaker’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, has filed a motion for sanctions against Jamie Spears and his lawyers after accusing them of intentionally seeking to disclose his client’s private medical records in order to embarrass and intimidate her. In the motion, Mathew accused Jamie and his team of “abusing” the discovery process and using “bad faith litigation tactics”, after Judge Brenda Penny – who is overseeing the ongoing dispute – admonishing them at a hearing last month for submitting the records. The judge said: “As these documents have already been sealed by previous court orders, it is highly inappropriate and contrary to the court orders for Mr. Spears to offer these documents in support [of his motion]. “Mr. Spears and his counsel fail to provide any explanation as to their decision to file previous sealed documents or to oppose the present motion in light of the parties stipulated protective order.” Britney’s lawyer argued in his new filing that Jamie and his team attempted to violate the ‘Gimme More’ singer’s constitutional and common law rights to privacy by disclosing her private medical records after failing in a bid to have the court order the 40-year-old pop star to be deposed. Mathew argued Jamie has engaged in a “scorched earth litigation campaign against Britney Spears” since he was suspended as conservator of her affairs in September 2021, and has set out to embarrass and intimidate his daughter, as well as generate wasteful legal expenses to seek payment from her estate. The patriarch had submitted various attachments, including Britney’s medical records, in his unsuccessful motion to have his daughter be ordered to sit for a deposition, despite the ‘Womanizer’ hitmaker’s demand they be sealed. He wrote: “The motivation for Mr. Spears’s backdoor effort to ‘unseal’ his daughter’s sensitive, confidential information, including medical information, was to embarrass and intimidate her, and to generate more needless expense, while futilely trying to ‘vindicate’ himself.” The lawyer believes Jamie and his team should be sanctioned $20,000 and potentially found in contempt of court. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Paul Mescal will play a “sexy” spy in an upcoming film. The ‘Normal People’ actor is to star as anti-hero Alec Milius in the movie ‘A Spy By Nature’ – which is based on the best-selling spy novels by British author Charles Cumming. The “morally ambivalent” character is a liar and in the film he ends up in the dirty and ruthless world of modern espionage as he sells secrets about oil in a former Soviet Republic. ‘A Spy By Nature’ sees the loner graduate Milius recruited by MI6. He then decides that he doesn’t want to be a government intelligence agent but ends up in mortal danger. Director Kevin Macdonald praised Mescal’s “beguiling mixture of intelligence, skill and youth”. He is quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper as saying: “This is a modern spy story – sexy, dangerous, morally ambivalent – and only an actor of Paul’s talent could pull it off.” It is hoped that the film will mark the launch of a franchise if it proves to be a hit and the character has been compared to James Bond. The script has been written by John Hodge – with a rewrite by Joseph Charlton – and is expected to head into production next year. Paul stars in the movie ‘Aftersun’ and revealed that he used a Scottish accent for the duration of filming to perfect the brogue of his character Calum in the movie from director Charlotte Wells. The 26-year-old star said: “I stayed in accent for this throughout filming. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and Charlotte gave me her blessing. “But going to the Edinburgh Film Festival for the British premiere of ‘Aftersun’ made me nervous. It’s like taking my accent into the lion’s den.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Robbie Williams’s plans for a skincare line have faced opposition from Yves Saint Laurent. The ‘Angels’ singer made a trademark application over the summer for a beauty brand called Hopeium – which would include cleansers, serums, moisturisers, and perfumes – but the fashion house have formally raised an objection with the Intellectual Property Office, arguing the 48-year-old pop star’s proposed moniker is too similar to their own fragrance, Black Opium Eau de Parfum. A source told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “This has put a spanner in the works for Robbie. “Nothing can proceed until a decision has been reached. “It could be costly if he has to go back to the drawing board when it comes to the name because that could impact the whole brand and how it is marketed. “YSL feels it has a case if Robbie is selling similar products. “It’s intervention has caused headaches all around.” It was recently explained the former Take That star was very excited about his new project and felt the brand name was very fitting. A source previously said: “Robbie is open to everything and anything — and Hopeium is his brainchild. “It means having an irrational sense of optimism, which is very Robbie. “He has trademarked the name in the UK and US and it covers a range of skincare products, including cleansers, serums and moisturisers. There are scents included as well. “Robbie has always had a ‘reach for the sky’ mentality and he is willing to give everything and anything a go. “He likes being busy and this new project is something he can really get his teeth into.” Meanwhile, Robbie recently admitted he is trying to find a balance between his career and being a present father for his and wife Ayda Field’s four children. He said: “I am trying to figure out how to go on tour and be a dad. “I was watching an interview with an actor and he said he didn’t see his kids grow up. “Coming out of COVID — where I spent two and a half years with them and now I am going to do my job again — it’s like a Rubik’s Cube that brings up new things you have to figure out.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jason Momoa “doesn’t like wearing clothes anymore”. The ‘Slumberland’ actor explained he has taken to wearing a traditional malo – a thong-like garment – while preparing for his upcoming role in Apple TV+ series ‘Chief of War’, which is set in 18th century Hawaii, and he finds the skimpy item comfortable, he now dons them all the time. Asked by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel about a recent Instagram post in which he wore the item during a fishing trip, he said: “That’s a traditional malo, it’s what the Hawaiians wear. “I’m a creator, writer, director, producer and actor on this Apple series called ‘Chief of War’. “It’s all 1780s, 1790s Hawaii. That’s what I wear every day, and I was just getting ready for the role. I like to get into character, so I was tanning my white a**. “It was a second — you go past and he just happened to take a little photo.” Asked if it is comfortable, Jason replied: “Oh my God, yes. I actually don’t even like wearing clothes anymore. I’m in it every day. I wear it all the time.” The ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ host then asked his guest if he was wearing a malo under his clothes during their interview, prompting the 43-year-old star to get out of his seat and take off his jacket and silk pyjamas until he was bearing his butt in the garment. As his 6ft 4in guest showed off his toned physique, Jimmy quipped: “Let me tell you, I’ve never felt more like Danny DeVito than I do right now.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Former President Donald Trump slammed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis this week after the gubernatorial candidate won his midterm election while many of Trump’s own candidates lost theirs, RadarOnline.com has learned. In a surprising development to come just two days after the midterm elections, Trump not only targeted DeSantis but also attempted to take credit for the Florida governor’s Tuesday night win. Mega Even more surprising were Trump’s attacks towards a number of high-profile news outlets: including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Trump reportedly said the outlets are “all in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious” who he called “an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations.” That is the revelation made by Daily Mail on Thursday, who cited Trump’s attacks toward DeSantis and the news outlets while also citing the 76-year-old businessman-turned-politician own comments on the matter. Mega “Ron came to me in desperate shape in 2017 – he was politically dead, losing in a landslide to a very good Agriculture Commissioner, Adam Putnam, who was loaded up with cash and great poll numbers,” Trump said following DeSantis’ gubernatorial reelection on Tuesday night. “Ron had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would endorse him, he could win,” the former president added. “When I endorsed him, it was as though, to use a bad term, a nuclear weapon went off,” Trump alleged further before focusing on DeSantis’ rival at the time, Putnam. “He said, ‘I went from having it made, with no competition, to immediately getting absolutely clobbered after your endorsement.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, a number of Republican Party members are turning their backs on Trump after Tuesday’s disastrous election results in favor of DeSantis. “GOP source tells me ‘If it wasn’t clear before it should be now. We have a Trump problem,” tweeted Jacqui Heinrich, the White House correspondent for Fox News, hours after the majority of midterm elections were called. Mega “Between being Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis tonight, you want to be Ron DeSantis,” Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former chief of staff, echoed. “DeSantis wins tonight and Trump is not doing very well.” These startling series of events also come just one week before ex-President Trump is expected to announce his run for president in 2024 – although his advisors and a number of GOP lawmakers are reportedly urging the former president to delay the announcement. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Fran Drescher believes fashion’s future is “sustainable”. The ex ‘The Nanny’ star – who teamed up with ThreadUp for their eco collection – believes throwaway culture when it comes to style has to “stay back” in the past like generating 20 per cent of global wastewater and accounting for 10 per cent of all carbon emissions. The 65-year-old actress told the US edition of Vogue: “I’m outspoken about being an environmentalist. I think that moving towards sustainable fashion is definitely the 21st century, and leaving behind all the waste and disposable mentality of the 20th century has to stay back there in that century. It is interesting being on the cusp of two centuries where there are people that still have that mindset that garbage goes somewhere where we don’t know or care, but it’s out of our view and so it’s not our problem.” The collection’s creator Daniel Silverstein – who helms Zero Waste Daniel, his own eco clothing line – has always known the fashion industry hasn’t had “enough discussion” about its impact on the world. The designer told the same outlet: “I knew that there wasn’t enough discussion going on about the consumption of materials.” Daniel – a lifelong fan of Fran’s notable dress sense since the 90s – called it “the ultimate design challenge”. He said: “I know all of these things from having watched the show, having been a fan, having followed her career even since The Nanny, and all of the things that work about that iconic style. It was the ultimate design challenge.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jay Pharoah joked women are attracted to Pete Davidson’s “endowment”. The former ‘Saturday Night Live’ star claimed he and his pal are “twins” because they both have large penisis and credited an impressive appendage as to why the ‘King of Staten Island’ actor has previously dated the likes of Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale, Kaia Gerber and Phoebe Dynevor. Speaking on ‘The Jess Cagle Show’, Jay said: “I praise Pete. I praise Pete. “Hey man, it’s Pete. There’s something in the sauce. He got something, okay. He got something inside. “It’s his endowment. That’s what he told me it is. “He was like, ‘Yeah bro, it’s like nine inches.’ I was like, ‘What? Word. Oh, snap we twins. That’s crazy.’ “ But Jay also admitted he thinks women are attracted to his friend’s “sweet” side. He said: “I think Pete is just a sweet dude. He’s sweet. He’s vulnerable. “Unfortunately, he does have a lot of other problems physically he’s got to deal with. So, you know, that’s like a baby. You know what I mean? Like women might see that little, ‘Oh, he’s so cute. I’m gonna kiss him and then I’m gonna pull his pants off.’ You know, that’s, that’s what they do.” After Pete’s relationship with Kim ended over the summer, Jay joked he’s looking forward to seeing his pal date some of the world’s most powerful women. He said: “Hey, I’m proud of him. Whatever you doing, I look forward to hearing the report that he smashed Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates’ ex-wife, because she’s still a billionaire. “And whoever else is a billionaire out here is on Pete Davidson’s hit list. “You know, he gonna be, he gonna be sleeping with the queen. If the queen was still alive, he would’ve slept with her.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jacqueline Thomsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett received standing ovations from members of the conservative Federalist Society on Thursday at its first annual convention since the court overturned a nationwide right to abortion. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch also received applause at the event of the legal group, which is one of the most influential in the country and whose members have long criticized the 1973 Roe v Wade decision that the court overturned in June. Alito, Barrett, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch have helped create a new conservative supermajority on the court. The loudest applause at the event in Washington, D.C. may have been not for the justices but for Alito’s opinion in the June ruling. Other conservative members of the court backed the ruling. Alito did not mention the ruling or other aspects of the court’s work during his brief remarks. But Stephen Markman, a former justice on the Michigan Supreme Court, said that if the ruling were forever associated with Alito, “I do not know of any decision on any court by any judge of which that judge could be more proud.” The comments were met by a standing ovation, with attendees turning to face toward Alito. Barrett also briefly spoke at the event, largely honoring the late Judge Laurence Silberman, who served on D.C.’s federal appeals court and died last month. As she took the stage, Barrett said: “It’s really nice to have a lot of noise made not by protesters outside of my house.” The conservative justices have been the subject of protests over their rulings, particularly after the abortion decision earlier this year. Thursday’s dinner celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Federalist Society, which particularly has influence in Republican circles. Leonard Leo, a long-time conservative legal activist, while serving as a Federalist Society executive helped compile a list of potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees that former President Donald Trump drew from during his tenure. Leo also spoke at the event, recalling that the first time he attended the convention’s dinner, the group struggled to fill a hotel ballroom. “Our movement has grown by leaps and bounds, and so has our impact,” he said. (Reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington; Editing by Bradley Perrett) View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be the first world leader to be featured as a guest star in the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise. The 50-year-old leader of Canada’s Liberal Party is joining the upcoming season of “Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World,” which is set to premiere Nov. 18. The show, a spinoff of RuPaul’s multi-Emmy-winning reality television series, will welcome back nine former contestants from “Drag Race” installments in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and “Down Under,” which featured contestants from Australia and New Zealand. In the first official trailer for the show… Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News DETROIT — Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel will retain her seat for four more years after election returns show the Plymouth Democrat with a strong lead over her Republican opponent Matt DePerno in the race to be Michigan’s chief law enforcement officer. DePerno conceded the race just after 9 a.m. Wednesday in a statement posted to social media. The Associated Press declared Nessel the victor just after 10 a.m. “Although I may be conceding to Dana Nessel today, I refuse to concede that Michigan is a blue state,” DePerno said. “I will continue to fight like hell to restore Michigan to al… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Talk about a monster hit. Ryan Murphy’s “Monster” will become an anthology series now that it’s been renewed for two seasons at Netflix, the streaming service announced. The show, whose controversial debut season centered on serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, will center on “stories of other monstrous figures who have impacted society,” according to Netflix. The real life inspirations for those future seasons have not yet been revealed to the public. All 10 episodes of “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” starring Evan Peters as the titular murderer, dropped on Netflix in late September. T… Read More View the full article

Published by The Sacramento Bee Pink champagne lined a wall of the Citizen Hotel’s ballroom in downtown Sacramento, Shania Twain blasted over the speakers, Proposition 1 supporters wore matching hot pink suits and the room was lit with pink spotlights. Californians had overwhelmingly voted to pass Prop. 1 and to enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in the state constitution — and it was ladies’ night. After the emotional fluidity of the last five months since Roe vs. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June, it was nice to take a night to celebrate the victory of Californians choosing to support repr… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Republican Kevin McCarthy of California is likely to be the next speaker of the US House of Representatives, with projections showing his party with a smaller-than-expected lead Washington (AFP) – As US election officials continue to count ballots across the country, partial results showed that Democrats avoided their worst fears, while Republicans hold out hope that they will retake both chambers of Congress. With multiple critical races still yet to be called, here are some key midterm takeaways: No Republican ‘red wave’ The president’s party usually loses seats in midterm elections, and with Joe Biden’s ratings stuck in the low 40s while inflation and crime are up, pundits had predicted a drubbing for his Democrats. In the House of Representatives, early results suggested Republicans were on track for a majority — but only by a handful of seats, a far cry from their predictions. Senator Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally, conceded to NBC that the election is “definitely not a Republican wave, that’s for darn sure.” At 2000 GMT Wednesday, NBC News projected that Republicans will possibly win 222 seats, giving them only a thin 4-seat majority. Senate undecided Control of the 100-seat Senate — currently evenly divided — hinged on three key races still on a knife-edge. Democrats need two more wins to successfully hold the chamber, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote, while Republicans need all three to flip it. In Arizona and Nevada, counting the remaining votes could take days. Georgia will go to a runoff scheduled for December 6. Democrats had hoped to pick up seats in North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, but were only successful in the latter, with hoodie-wearing John Fetterman, who had a stroke during the campaign, defeating Trump-endorsed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz. Glitches fuel disinformation Biden has warned that Republicans pose a dire threat to democracy, calling out their growing embrace of voter conspiracy theories boosted by Donald Trump. In swing-state Arizona, Trump and his chosen candidate for governor, Kari Lake, alleged irregularities after problems with voting machines in Maricopa county, the state’s most populous. Bill Gates, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, said Wednesday that around seven percent of in-person votes were affected, but that every one of them would count. “With regard to comments like ‘criminal’ or ‘rigged,’ there’s absolutely no basis for that statement,” he said. Candidates eyeing 2024 One of the Tuesday’s most decisive wins was for rising Republican star Ron DeSantis, who won the gubernatorial race overwhelmingly in Florida, cementing his status as a top potential White House candidate in 2024. An editorial published in conservative-leaning Fox News called 44-year-old DeSantis “the new Republican Party leader,” while the front page of the New York Post dubbed him “DeFuture.” Trump meanwhile has teased an “exciting” announcement on November 15, though some Republicans are pointing the finger at him for the party’s underwhelming performance. The 76-year-old brushed off the criticism, saying on Truth Social “from my personal standpoint,” the election “was a very big victory.” On the Democratic side, Governor Gretchen Whitmer won her reelection bid in Michigan, a key presidential swing state. Multiple candidates who ran in the 2020 Democratic primary, including now-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar, made campaign appearances in key races — fueling speculation they are eyeing another run if Biden decides to sit out. Growing diversity Maura Healey will make history as the first openly lesbian governor in the United States, with the Democrat easily winning her race in the New England state of Massachusetts. In neighboring New Hampshire, James Roesener became the first openly transgender man elected to a state legislature, joining multiple trans women already in office. The mid-Atlantic state of Maryland elected its first Black governor, Wes Moore, whose rising profile has some in the US political class commenting on a potential national run. And 25-year-old Maxwell Frost was elected in Florida, becoming the first member of the US House from the so-called “Generation Z.” View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Congratulations are in order to Brothers Osborne: They just won the trophy for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2022 CMA Awards, in a ceremony in downtown Nashville on Wednesday night (Nov. 9). The competition was tight in this category, and they beat out Brooks & Dunn, Dan + Shay, LoCash and Maddie & Tae to collect their award. Wynonna Judd presented the award. She thanked the audience for their love and support in the last six months since losing her mother and the other half of The Judds, Naomi Judd. She also mentioned how special it was to win the same trophy with her mother seven times over t… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely tipped to be a Republican presidential candidate in 2024 New York (AFP) – He talks tough on immigration, attacks abortion rights and pulls no punches in America’s endless culture wars: Florida’s combative governor Ron DeSantis has used the Sunshine State as a petri dish for right-wing policies that could propel him to the presidency in 2024. The 44-year-old rising star has spent his four years in office railing against hot-button issues that fire up US conservatives, like pandemic restrictions and the teaching of gender identity, sexual orientation and critical race theory in schools. But the some-time Donald Trump acolyte also cuts a more balanced figure than his likely rival for the White House job, showing a political pragmatism and respect for protocol unfamiliar to the ex-president. “Ron DeSantis is Donald Trump with brains and without the drama,” summed up the Financial Times last month. DeSantis’s thumping reelection victory over Democrat Charlie Crist in America’s midterms propels him to the front of the race for the 2024 Republication presidential nomination. “DeFuture” screamed the front page of the right-wing New York Post tabloid Wednesday, alongside a photo of DeSantis celebrating his win with his ex-TV show host wife and their three children. DeSantis was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 14, 1978 to a middle-class family with Italian roots. He went to Yale University, where he was a standout baseball player, before attending Harvard Law School. DeSantis practiced law in the US Navy, serving as an advisor at Guantanamo Bay and with troops in Iraq, rising to lieutenant. He hinted at his future political direction in 2011 with the publication of a book, “Dreams From Our Founding Fathers,” a play on ex-president Barack Obama’s memoir “Dreams From My Father.” In the book, DeSantis accuses Obama of having betrayed the US constitution with a “progressive” agenda. DeSantis entered politics in 2012, winning a seat in the House of Representatives, to which he was twice reelected. He narrowly won election as governor in 2018 after receiving Trump’s endorsement. In one campaign clip, DeSantis and his daughter built a wall of toy blocks in reference to Trump’s border wall with Mexico. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic shot him to national prominence when he fiercely opposed mandatory vaccination and masks, and allowed Florida businesses and schools to reopen well before many other areas of the country. Uncharismatic Earlier this year DeSantis signed the so-called “Don’t say gay” bill, which prohibits discussing LGBTQ topics in classrooms, and went on to revoke Disney’s special status as a local government in Orlando after the company criticized the bill. And DeSantis recently sparked delight among many Republicans by sending dozens of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in the Democratic-led state of Massachusetts. The Republican is not averse to an insult, once referring to America’s chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci as a “little elf” and calling President Joe Biden “quasi-senile” and “doddering.” But he has also shown that he can be civil when it suits him politically. He recently welcomed Biden to Florida where the president praised the governor’s response efforts to deadly Hurricane Ian. DeSantis thanked Biden for sending federal aid. Trump, appearing uneasy about DeSantis’s ascent, has branded his fellow Republican “Ron DeSanctimonious” — though there is little sign of the nickname catching on. Detractors accuse DeSantis of lacking exuberance and sometimes appearing uncomfortable in public. One way he tries to soften his image is through appearances with his wife Casey — whom he married in 2010 and who recently recovered from breast cancer — and his young kids. “He has no great natural charisma, but that’s not his brand. His brand is more competence and toughness and he’s not bad at projecting those things,” political pundit Lincoln Mitchell told AFP. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Transgender influencer Nikita Dragun asked a judge if she could be relocated from the men’s unit in a Miami jail after being arrested for public nudity, RadarOnline.com has discovered. The famous Instagram beauty guru (real name: Nikita Nguyen) was booked for felony battery on a police officer, misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and misdemeanor battery at Miami-Dade County’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,000 bond. mega “Your Honor, may I ask one more question? Do I have to stay here in the men’s unit still?” Nguyen asked in a newly surfaced video, to which the judge replied, “Yeah, I don’t make the rules up there.” The judge advised Nguyen to contact a bondsman to try to get out, as well as to use the jail phone to call the public defender’s office so they could readdress it. Meanwhile, fans took to social media to share their outrage. “Whether you like her or not, this is NOT okay!” one Twitter user vented after Nguyen expressed her desire to be moved to a women’s unit. “Look I know Nikita Dragun is a very controversial social media influencer but she is a fully transgender woman she should not be forced to stay in a man’s unit,” another tweeted about the potential risk. “This is unsafe & unfair,” a third person wrote, while a fourth chimed in, “Let’s hope they make accommodations for her to keep her safe until she bonds out.” mega As for how she landed in hot water on Monday, Nguyen was allegedly walking around the pool area in the buff at the Goodtime Hotel and being disorderly. She allegedly ignored demands to stop causing a disturbance and at one point, threw water on hotel staffers when they asked her to put her clothes back on. mega Reports stated that officers later went up to Nguyen’s room with security, where they heard loud music being played. Although she answered the door, Nguyen allegedly slammed it in their faces after security informed her she may be asked to leave. A few moments later, cops claimed Nguyen opened the door again and asked security, “Do you want more?” She then allegedly threw water on both, resulting in her arrest. View the full article

Published by The Charlotte Observer Openly transgender people won elections in unexpected areas across the U.S. in what one organization is calling a “rainbow wave.” They “shatter(ed) lavender ceilings” in states such as Alaska, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Montana, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund. The organization describes itself as “the only national organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ people” with the goal of furthering “equality at all levels of government.” A lavender ceiling is “a glass ceiling specifically imposed on LGBTQ people: an unofficial upper limit to their professional advancement,” according… Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com DEAR ABBY: I’m a 30-something bisexual man who is in a relationship with a bisexual woman the same age. We both lived different lives and dated a variety of people before we met, but now I am pretty certain she is The One. The issue arises when it comes to how others, particularly my parents and their friends, perceive us. To us, we are two queer people who have identified as some form of queer or bisexual since we were teenagers. We have repeatedly faced backlash from conservative family members and family friends about those we are attracted to. One of my mother’s best friends is extremely h… Read More View the full article

Published by The Sacramento Bee President Gavin Newsom? Watch California’s newly reelected Democratic governor closely in 2023. He has been making unmistakable moves that signal his interest. He’s taken on the conservative governors of Florida and Texas and won accolades from Democratic Party insiders for his aggressive, unapologetic stands on issues like gun violence and abortion rights. He’s suggested that President Joe Biden, who turns 80 this month, is not suited for the brutal political climate. The nonpartisan book on Newsom, though, is split. “Ballot box poison,” said Tobe Berkovitz, associate professor of advertising… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tan France is “much more emotional” since becoming a father. The ‘Queer Eye’ star – who welcomed 16-month-old son Ismail into the world via surrogate with husband Rob – admitted he’s discovered a new side to himself through parenthood. He told PEOPLE magazine: “I have only cried a couple of times on [‘Queer Eye’]. But ever since I had my baby, it’s made me much more emotional. Much more emotional.” The 39-year-old fashion designer is currently in the UK filming ‘Say Yes To The Dress’, and he admitted being away from his son is “the hardest part, without a doubt, of being a working parent”. He added: “I’m working a lot of hours. And so sometimes I only get to just see him as we’re putting him to bed. “And that makes me really emotional because I really hate not having a lot of time with him. I just really miss him all the time.” Meanwhile, Tan found himself crying more than ever during the new series of ‘Queer Eye’, which he shot in New Orleans alongside co-stars Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown and Bobby Berk. He recently explained that his emotion was triggered by the lingering impact of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the city in 2005. Tan – who was born and raised in the UK – said: “I didn’t live in America when Katrina happened. “Seeing the devastation, seeing what it did to families, seeing how much poverty it created, that’s what got me. “Some of our heroes have just never been able to recover. And so that’s why the transformations were so special, because it’s as if many of them have stood still in time.” Tan also revealed that he and his co-stars have been forced to become more creative over the years. He added: “We were all talking about it – how hard that was the first couple of episodes – and then we realised it’s actually pushing us to work harder and try something new that’s gonna shock ’em, or say something that they wouldn’t expect to say, or share some information about something we’ve never shared before.” View the full article

Published by PsyPost A series of 6 studies in Brazil found that people oriented towards social dominance are more willing to engage in corruption and are more likely to see the world as a competitive jungle, in which people ruthlessly struggle for survival. People with pronounced right-wing authoritarian views were more likely to have negative attitudes towards corrupt people and more prone to perceive the world as dangerous and threatening, but were not more willing to engage in corrupt behavior. The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Corruption, “the misuse of entrusted powe… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Staff writers are boycotting an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live after the program announced Dave Chappelle would be the next host, RadarOnline.com has learned. In a surprising development to come just days before the 49-year-old controversial comedian is set to host SNL alongside musical guest Black Star, several writers for the popular sketch comedy show are refusing to work the episode if Chappelle will be hosting. Mega That is the revelation shared by an inside source who recently told Page Six that while some writers are boycotting, none of the program’s actors have a problem with Chappelle’s upcoming appearance. “They’re not going to do the show,” a well-placed source told the outlet. “But none of the actors are boycotting.” But despite reports SNL staff writers are boycotting this Saturday’s episode, Chappelle’s own reps suggested “there was no evidence of a boycott” when they met with writers and producers at 30 Rock on Tuesday to prepare for the weekend’s show. “The room was full of writers. They all pitched ideas and they seemed very excited about it,” a rep for Chappelle revealed. “Dave is looking to have some fun.” Mega At least one SNL writer, Celeste Yim, took to Instagram following the announcement Chappelle would be hosting and called for transphobia to be condemned. “I’m trans and non-binary,” Yim wrote. “I use they/them pronouns. Transphobia is murder and it should be condemned.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, this is not the first time Chappelle has caused waves in the entertainment industry over his history of making both “transphobic” and “homophobic” jokes during his popular comedy routines. Roughly one year ago, in October 2021, the Half Baked comedian and actor came under fire after Netflix premiered his comedy special The Closer – a performance that angered the Trans community due to a number of “transphobic” jokes made during the routine. Mega One trans Netflix employee, Terra Field, openly condemned Chappelle’s comments in The Closer and was rumored to have been suspended from her role at the streaming giant for speaking out against his remarks. “I work at [Netflix]. Yesterday we launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups,” Field wrote before the alleged suspension. “You’re going to hear a lot of talk about ‘offense.’” Chappelle came under fire once again months later when, during a live show in May of this year, he was attacked by a man armed with a fake gun while the comedian was midperformance. “It was a trans man!” Chappelle quipped after the attack while laughing off the incident. He was quickly condemned on social media for remark. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Residents of five U.S. states voted in Tuesday’s elections on whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. A growing number of states have legalized marijuana in recent years despite the drug remaining illegal under federal law. The proposals passed in Maryland and Missouri, according to vote tallies by the Associated Press. ARKANSAS Voters rejected Ballot Issue 4, which proposed legalizing marijuana use for adults over 21. MARYLAND Voters approved an amendment to the state’s constitution allowing the use of cannabis for adults over 21 beginning in July 2023. MISSOURI Voters approved Constitutional Amendment 3, allowing the use of marijuana by adults over 21. The amendment also allows people convicted of nonviolent marijuana-related offenses to petition to have their records expunged, and it imposes a 6% tax on marijuana sales. NORTH DAKOTA Voters rejected Ballot Measure 2, which proposed legalizing marijuana use for adults over 21. SOUTH DAKOTA Voters rejected Ballot Measure 27, which proposed legalizing marijuana use for adults over 21. (Compiled by Jonathan Allen; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tim Reid and Nathan Layne PHOENIX, Ariz. (Reuters) -Republicans made modest gains in U.S. midterm elections but Democrats did better than expected, leaving control of Congress and the future of President Joe Biden’s agenda unclear on Wednesday morning. Many of the most competitive races were too close to call and Republicans acknowledged that the election was not producing the sweeping “red wave” victory they had sought. The results appeared to show voters punishing Biden for presiding over an economy hit by steep inflation, while also lashing out against Republican moves to ban abortion. And poor performances by some candidates allied to Donald Trump indicated exhaustion with the kind of electoral and governing chaos fomented by the former Republican president. In the House of Representatives, Republicans were favored to win a narrow majority that would allow them to block Biden’s legislative priorities and launch investigations into his administration and family. By early Wednesday, Republicans had flipped a net six Democratic House seats, Edison Research projected, one more than the minimum they need to take over the chamber. But Democrats were doing much better than many had expected. In a critical win for, Democratic candidate John Fetterman flipped a Republican-held U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, beating celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz and bolstering his party’s chances of holding the chamber. The mood at the White House improved as the night wore on, with once-nervous aides celebrating Fetterman’s victory and saying they still hoped to hold the Senate. Biden posted a photo of himself on Twitter happily congratulating some of the Democratic winners by phone. Control of the Senate depended on tight races in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada, where ballots were still being counted. The Georgia race appeared to be headed for a runoff vote on Dec. 6 because both the Democratic and Republican candidates were falling short of the 50 percent needed for victory. If the Republicans do take control of Congress, they will have the power to cripple Biden’s agenda and could also block aid to Ukraine, although analysts say they are more likely to slow or pare back the flow of defense and economic assistance. With a House majority, Republicans would try to use the federal debt ceiling as leverage to demand deep spending cuts. They would also seek to make Trump’s 2017 individual tax cuts permanent and protect corporate tax cuts. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had hoped to celebrate a resounding victory that would propel him into the top job of speaker. Instead, he had to settle for a promise to his supporters: “When you wake up tomorrow, we will be in the majority and (Democratic Speaker) Nancy Pelosi will be in the minority,” he said on Tuesday night. Only 13 of the 53 most competitive races, based on a Reuters analysis of the leading nonpartisan forecasters, had been decided, raising the prospect that the final outcome may not be known for some time. U.S. stock index futures ticked lower on Wednesday as investors kept a close eye on the results in expectation of a divided Congress that would make it harder for the passage of drastic policy changes. “Having a balanced ticket in terms of Republicans, if they get the House and Senate, or just the House, will help slow some of the government spending which many have seen as one of the major contributors to inflation,” said JJ Kinahan CEO, of IG North America in Chicago. NO ‘RED WAVE’ The party that occupies the White House almost always loses seats in elections midway through a president’s first four-year term, and Biden has struggled with low public approval. But Republican hopes for a “red wave” of victories faded as Democrats showed surprising resilience in several key races. Democrats were projected as the winners in 11 of the 13 close contests that had been decided. “Definitely not a Republican wave, that’s for darn sure,” Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham told NBC in an interview. Trump, who took an active role in recruiting Republican candidates for Congress and is strongly hinting at a third run for the presidency in 2024, had mixed results. He notched a victory in Ohio, where author J.D. Vance won a Senate seat to keep it in Republican hands. But television host and heart surgeon Mehmet Oz failed to win his Pennsylvania Senate race, and Doug Mastriano, another Trump ally, was handily defeated in the Pennsylvania governor’s race. Trump allies also were struggling in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada Senate races, where ballots were still being counted. Meanwhile Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who could be a main Republican challenger to Trump in 2024, added to his growing national profile, defeating Democratic challenger Charlie Crist by nearly 20 percentage points, Edison projected. SENATE A TOSS-UP The Senate was still a toss-up, with the pivotal battles in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada still in play. The Georgia Senate race could end up in a runoff, possibly with Senate control at stake. Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break any ties. Thirty-five Senate seats, all 435 House seats and three dozen governors’ races were on the ballot. More than 46 million Americans voted ahead of Election Day, either by mail or in person and state election officials caution that counting those ballots will take time. (Live election results from around the country are here.) COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS In a possibly embarrassing defeat for House Democrats, Representative Sean Maloney narrowly trailed a Republican challenger in his bid for a sixth term. Maloney chairs the Democratic campaign committee charged with electing more Democrats to the House. His was one of a couple of races in New York state where Republicans were performing better than expected. Both parties notched victories in competitive districts. Local officials reported isolated problems across the country, including a paper shortage in a Pennsylvania county. In Maricopa County, Arizona – a key battleground – a judge rejected a Republican request to extend voting hours after some tabulation machines malfunctioned. The problems stoked evidence-free claims among Trump and his supporters that the failures were deliberate. Scores of Republican candidates have echoed Trump’s false claims that his 2020 loss to Biden was due to widespread fraud, raising fears among Democrats that they could interfere with the 2024 presidential race. Democratic governors also fended off strong Republican challenges in Michigan and Wisconsin, two states likely to remain political battlegrounds in the 2024 presidential race. The primary issue weighing on Democrats was stubbornly high annual inflation, which at 8.2% stands at the highest rate in 40 years. Voters in California, Michigan and Vermont approved referendums enshrining abortion rights in their state constitutions. Deeply conservative Kentucky looked poised to reject a constitutional amendment that would have declared there was no right to abortion. (Reporting by Joseph Ax, Jason Lange, Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, Moira Warburton, Gram Slattery, Makini Brice and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington, Gabriella Borter in Birmingham, Michigan, Nathan Layne in Alpharetta, Georgia, Masha Tsvetkova in New York, Tim Reid in Phoenix and Ned Parker in Reno, Nevada, and Lucy Raitano and Amanda Cooper in London; Writing by Joseph Ax, Richard Cowan and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, Howard Goller and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Russian authorities last week transferred U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner from a detention centre outside Moscow and she is now on her way to an undisclosed penal colony, her legal team said on Wednesday. The two-time Olympic gold medallist was arrested on Feb. 17 – a week before Russia invaded Ukraine – at a Moscow airport, where she was found to have vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia, in her luggage. Griner, 32, was sentenced on Aug. 4 to nine years in a penal colony on charges of possessing and smuggling drugs. She had pleaded guilty, but said she had made an “honest mistake” and had not meant to break the law. She was transferred from a detention center near the Russian capital on Nov. 4 in order to be taken to a penal colony, but neither her current location nor her final destination are known, her legal team said in a statement. In line with Russian procedures, they said her attorneys and the U.S. Embassy should be notified upon her arrival, but that it would take up to two weeks for that to happen. Reuters has requested comment from Russia’s federal prison service on where Griner is being taken and where she is now. Transfers to penal colonies can be time-consuming as groups of prisoners are assembled and moved to different locations across the world’s largest country. U.S. President Joe Biden has directed his administration to “prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Griner was being transferred to a “remote penal colony” and said the United States expects Russian authorities to provide its embassy officials with access to Brittney and other Americans detained in Russia. The Biden administration in late July proposed a prisoner swap with Russia to secure Griner’s release, as well as that of former U.S. marine Paul Whelan, but said Moscow had yet to respond positively to the offer. Russia has refused to comment on the state of negotiations, saying such diplomacy should not be conducted in public. The souring of ties between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine has complicated the talks. “Despite a lack of good-faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels,” White House spokeswoman Karinne Jean-Pierre said. Griner’s lawyers have not yet said if they will attempt a further appeal against her conviction after a Russian court rejected an attempted appeal on Oct. 25. HARSH CONDITIONS Inmates in Russian penal colonies face a harsh regime of tedious manual work, poor hygiene and lack of adequate access to medical care. Maria Alyokhina, who served nearly two years for her part in a 2012 punk protest in a Moscow cathedral by feminist group Pussy Riot, told Reuters in an interview last week she had been one of 80 women sleeping in one room with just three toilets and no hot water. She compared conditions to a Gulag labour camp under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. “Our primary concern continues to be BG’s health and well-being,” Griner’s agent, Lindsay Colas, said in a separate statement, referring to the player by her initials. “As we work through this very difficult phase of not knowing exactly where BG is or how she is doing, we ask for the public’s support in continuing to write letters and express their love and care for her,” Colas said. (Additional reporting by Mark Trevelyan and Filipp Lebedev; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Paul Simao) View the full article