Stillettos and Sneakers

“I feel like ‘embattled’ or ‘disgraced’ will always follow my name. It’s like that black football player who recently came out. He said, ‘I just want to be known as a football player. I don’t want to be known as a gay football player.’ I know exactly what he’s saying. I’m fighting to get my name back." - Paula Deen, speaking to People Magazine."



(Just for Ms. Deen's future publicity stunts, "that gay football player" has a name. His name is Michael Sam.)

Much more entertaining than you might think.

The funniest thing you'll see in a while.




WARNING: (NSFW, Language)

"Heterosexuality has no political agenda and there is no agenda attached to it. Heterosexuality does not have activists, but they're under assault. Heterosexuality may be 95, 98 percent of the population -- they're under assault by the 2-5 percent that are homosexual. Why is there a political agenda attached to and driven by homosexuality and there is no corresponding heterosexual agenda? Forget minority versus majority. That's not what I have in mind here, and it's not because a minority must do what it has to do to overcome a majority because that's not the answer. Why is it OK now for a gay man to play football? I thought it was dangerous and leads to concussions, that it was barbaric. I thought that it was too dangerous and leads to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and early death, suicide, but yet, but yet, here comes the first announced gay guy and 'hey cool, man, go for it!'

Daniela Iraschko-Stolz Quote:

When asked ahead of her competition in the mountains above Sochi whether she was worried about the Homosexual law, Iraschko-Stolz (who is an out lesbian) replied:

"No, on the contrary, I think everything is being blown up bigger than it is. I had a very good welcome like every other athlete. There were absolutely no problems. Naturally you have to look at it from a different point of view and always be critical, but especially in my situation, I don't want to talk too much about it. I only want to focus on sports and I think if you're tolerant towards everyone else they treat you the same way and it gives you a lot of joy. I think you can make a statement by jumping well. Living in the Olympic village is much better than I'd ever imagined. At the moment I'm living like a fairy tale because as a child I always wanted to take part in the Olympics Games," she said.

"That it's happening now at the age of 30 is unbelievable... every day when I wake up I'm still here and that must mean it's true."

We are all part of each other's history and triumphs. We all share our victories as well as our losses. We are already connected. That was done for us by something much greater, much more powerful and much bigger than we ever dreamed possible. So for anyone to deny what anyone else is going through, only means they are pretending it simply isn't happening.

This is less about denial, and more about a Lie of the Spirit.

Stolz is present in the event she chooses. That doesn't change what's happening right outside her front door. Just because Stolz doesn't acknowledge the witches in her fairy Tale, doesn't mean they don't exist.

As the Olympics begin and as the athletes take over the national stage, I'll be posting everything except the games on my blog. I'll be posting what's going on in Russia just outside the doors of the competition, and around the corner of every Russian's house. I'll be posting the people who are not only aware of what's happening in their own country, but fine with it. I'll be posting the truth and the facts of the insidious events hovering like a plague over the heads of every athlete and every spectator.

As the Olympics move forward, my tribe is being systematically murdered, and that needs to be noted in the history of the human experience.

I have been thrown in jail. I have been covered in eggs from loud boys in passing cars as I walked down the street. I have been called names, shoved, tripped and punched in the face. I was pummeled by a boy outside of my school as two teachers stood by the entrance watching. I was thrown down stairs and and doused with purple paint. Educators, parents and adults in charge were uninterested in my bullying, nor were they able to prevent it, mainly because when I was growing up, bullying was what everyone told me was "part of being a kid".

I needed to learn how to take care of myself.

So I ran to drugs, I ran to booze, I ran to sex, and I ran away. I wish I'd had someone on my side. I wish I'd had someone to speak for me, to speak to me, to speak when everything else went silent. I was alone and I had nowhere else to go.

There is a newness in the air, now that we are growing up as a race of people. We are able to see into each other and past what we believe is right and wrong. We are able to dream in total. We include everyone when we hope and we pray everyone inlcudes us. And this needs to be carried across the Universe until it becomes the law.

Not just here where we live. Everywhere we travel.

Everywhere.

No one need suffer alone, when are so many of us to help.

Absolutely extraordinary. Keep watching. This generation and their use of Architecture is mind-boggling. Gorgeous and imaginative and completely unrestricted, this is what the interweb people are capable of.

Pure, unadulterated joy.

"At the end of the day, the International Olympic Committee is very clear that what's great about the Olympic experience is that it brings people with different points of view together. They're there to compete. They're not there to talk about their politics or their religion or anything else. So for us, we really just want the attention focused on our athletes and their great competitions. We're hoping that our athletes feel very comfortable speaking their minds before they go to the Games. But when they get to the Games, that's really the time to focus on sport." - Scott Blackmun, CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, speaking to ESPN.



*In other words: "Go ahead and be gay when you're at home, but once we get to Russia... stop it."

The Golden Globe Awards happened last night, and here are my thoughts...





-Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's opening monologue was wonderful. Snarky with a touch of awe and just the right amount of Gay. And whoever's sewing in Fey's hair these days is doing one hell of a great job, I must say.


-Jaqueline Bisset, looking amazing in her vintage-looking purple beaded versace, was truly taken by surprise. When her name was announced, she sat for a long moment, and took some huge, well-deserved breaths. It was all happening to her and it showed. The ability to be brave during a moment of true authentic shock, is gorgeous to watch. Gratefulness is always gorgeous. Her speech began the same way, She stood in front of us all, breathing it all in. Taking a long moment to stand before us, naked and amazed, And I want to add, and I mean this in the most beautiful and glorious way, she looked wonderful. What I mean is, she looked her age. She looked like a woman who's lived and who's been in the world. Whether or not she's had anything removed, plumped or pulled, I don't know that I care. Her eyes, her smile and her soul was apparent and recognizable. Absolutely glorious.


-I understand the need to thank people. Winning something takes teams of people. Talisman's usually come to us through hard work and unity. Your agent and your manager are sufficient. I don't need to hear about your publicist, your over-seas team, and the guy who helps you on with your left shoe. Get off.


-Matt Damon is Old Movie Star Handsome. Debonair, suave and a great sense of humor. All this is apparent in every performance he gives.


-As we went to commercial, Robert Redford and Bruce Dern were having a conversation and giggling. I rewound six times and I still couldn't read their lips, although it looked to me like Dern said: "Porpoise-like, I think."


-The president of The Hollywood Foreign Press looks exactly like Jeff Perry. I wonder if Jeff Perry saw that.


-Paula Patton was wearing a gigantic doily from a gigantic 18th century coffee table.


-Robert Downey Jr is gorgeous and full of bravado. Everything about him is delicious.


-Dear Starlets,

Please stop posing with your ankles crossed. It doesn't make you look sexy. It makes you look like you have to go to the bathroom.






-When Robin Wright's name was called, some guy in a baseball cap crawled along the floor behind her in a Tempo I haven't seen since the 70's. He was either escaping, or trying to find his cocaine spoon.


-Jarod Leto won for his performance as a Transgender woman and began his acceptance speech with the obligatory: "I had to shave everything", and "the ass you saw was mine" garbage. As expected, he then went on to talk about how much other stuff he was doing before he made this movie and then shuffled off thanking the "Rayon's of the world". I have much to say about this and him, but I think I'll save it for my Huffington Post blog.


-Having Laura Dern introduce her father's nominated picture was brilliant. Dern's Shape was beautiful. In every turn, in every dip of her shoulder you could see the pride, the admiration and the struggle to stay impartial. It was a loving and gorgeous tribute without a word of it actually spoken.


-Julie Bowen couldn't decide which dress to wear, so she wore both.


-The win of the night went to Amy Poehler. After 95 nominations, she finally grabbed the statue. Beautiful and out of breath, the irony wasn't lost on her. She thanked everyone om her "team" and then slyly quipped:

"It's so cliche, but you really do get nervous."


-Someone put glorious Emma Stone in a hairy Hefty bag and told her to go to the Golden Globes.


-It was delicious seeing Mike Tyson on the red carpet. His one man show was extraordinary.


-Diane Keaton came out and delivered a heart felt and wide-open tribute to Woody Allen, who was accepting the Cecile B DeMille Award, and then...she broke into a song that ripped the place apart. A great tribute to a great (albeit, complicated) director, by one of the great artists working.


-Joaquin Phoenix pretended not to care all night.





-Actors: Take Off Your Damn Sunglasses. Your actors, not rappers.


-Matthew McConaughey did his impeccable impersonation of every South Park episode that has ever lampooned him.


-Can anyone look more radiant and be more true and personable than Drew Barrymore? I don't think so.


-Best Introduction of the Night:

"And now, like a Super Model's vagina, let's all give a warm welcome to Leonardo DiCaprio."
-Tina Fey


-Best Acceptance Speech of the night:

"Thank you Michael Barker and Tom Bernard for plying me with vodka the way the Judy Garland was probably plied with barbiturates..."
-Kate Blanchett



-Seeing Michael J Fox on the red carpet and then again inside and a nominee is the epitome of courage and determination. If there's anything to be said for Hollywood not taking care of their own, this would break that cliche. Fox is a wonderful actor and certainly deserves all the accolades he receives. He did nothing but accept graciously and beautifully, the entire night and everyone in it.







I ran home from me meeting in time to fire up the DVR. I have to admit, and this is truly brand new for me, that my wife an I finished watching Ghadi before I began my awards show. We had started it before I left and we really needed to see it through. It was a bit strange coming from all that serenity and peaceful protest straight into one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. But...I jumped.

And it was everything I needed it to be. Fey and Poehler were excellent. Funny, bright, gorgeous to look at, and having a great time. As is true for me every year, I loved every, sequined, shmaltzy, sincerely shocked minute of it.

..and now....the count down begins....