Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar has been suspended for two games after calling Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte a ‘fag’ for striking him out this week.
Pillar will not play in tonight’s game against the Baltimore Orioles game and missed yesterday’s game against the Braves.
Pillar will not be paid for either game which amounts to about $6,066 of his $550,000 salary and he will also pay an undisclosed fine.
‘I regret saying it,’ Pillar said after the suspension was announced. ‘I’m going to use myself as an example of how there are words out there you can’t use. It’s not a word I use ever.
‘[I] helped extend the use of a word that has no place in baseball, in sports or anywhere in society today. I’m completely and utterly embarrassed and feel horrible to have put the fans, my teammates and the Blue Jays organization in this position.’
Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins flew to Atlanta to apologize on behalf of the organization and announce the suspension, according to the Associated Press.
‘There is no question that was in the heat of the moment, but that’s no excuse,’ Atkins said.
The Blue Jays had said in a statement on Thursday: ‘In no way is this kind of behavior accepted of tolerated, nor is it a reflection of the type of inclusive organization we strive to be. We would like to extend our own apologies to all fans, Major League Baseball and especially the LGBTQ community.’
I’m just so excited about the new episodes which we will begin seeing on NBC in the fall. We have seen in the two little mine-episodes we’ve seen so far that the Will & Grace cast is still as sharp and funny together as ever. Debra Messing dropped by Late Night With Seth Meyers last night to chat up her Dirty Dancing movie remake but, of course, the topic of the W&G revival was also discussed.
It’s a safe bet the real Ivanka Trump would never be invited onto Chelsea Handler’s Netflix show to promote her critically-panned book Women Who Work.
So instead, Handler welcomed lesbian comic Fortune Feimster onto the show this week – as Ivanka.
Asked Handler: ‘I was curious how you had time to write this book. You’re so busy being your father’s unpaid assistant and you’re always at The White House and trying to act like you’re doing things for women. When do you have time to write?’
Fake Ivanka then delivered this bombshell: ‘Well, full disclosure: I didn’t write it. (younger brother) Barron wrote it. It was his homework assignment and I was like, “That’s good, I’ll take it!”‘
Fake Ivanka then went on to say: ‘I am a feminist! All you women out there buy my shoes, show them you’re a feminist. They’re in retailers everywhere.’
And to the retail chain that famously dropped her line she had this to say: ‘Fuck you Nordsrom!’
A contestant on the new season of ABC’s The Bachelorette appears to have a phobia – transphobia.
A 31-year-old firefighter from Orlando named Bryce was asked what his biggest dating fear is and he replied: ‘The chick is actually a dude.’
The backlash on Twitter quickly followed.
Among those taking Bryce to task was And transgender actor, writer and producer Jen Richards who was a regular on the reality show I Am Cait and has a recurring role on CMT’s Nashville.
‘Dear Bryce, on behalf of trans women I can assure you – none of us want to date your bland preppy 1980’s teen movie villain rhombus ass,’ Richards tweeted.
Another tweeter known as @sluttysunflower wrote: ‘Bryce from the Bachelorette needs to humble thyself. head shaped like a slice of bread. i promise no trans woman wants ur Kia Soul head ass.’
And finally there was this tweet from @Brocklesnitch: ‘Well ‘Bryce’ from The Bachelorette, my biggest fear is that my weird-headed Elven date turns out to be a transphobe.’
While others clearly have less flattering descriptions for Bryce, he describes himself as ‘a tickle monster from New Smyrna Beach.’
The new season of The Bachelorette premieres on Monday (22 May).
This is just so adorable. The year was 1975 and Cher was doing her short-lived but dazzling solo variety show for CBS. This episode is particularly memorable because Cher brought her charming child out for the opening monologue and musical number. We know that child as transgender actor and activist Chaz Bono who was then known as Chastity. It’s sweet and fascinating to watch.
My friend and fellow journalist Johnny Diaz has a new novel out – his sixth – so I thought I’d promote it by making him Morning Man for the second time.
That dazzling smile of Johnny’s would make anyone’s morning!
The new book is titled Six Neckties – the latest in a series of terrific gay-themed novels Johnny has written over the years. The book (available on Amazon.com) looks like an ideal summer beach read.
It tells the story of gay Maine magazine writer Tommy Perez who is finding himself a groomsmen at a lot of weddings now that same-sex marriage is legal. More than one potential love interest appears on the horizon and we’ll have to read to find out if Tommy ends up planning a trip down the aisle himself.
Johnny has been working for major newspapers for many years now getting his start at the Miami Herald before going to work for The Boston Globe for several years. He then returned to his home state of Florida as a features reporter at the South Florida Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale.
His previous novels are Boston Boys Club, Miami Manhunt, Beantown Cubans, Take the Lead and Looking For Providence. Johnny’s website is Beantown Cuban.
Johnny appeared in episodes of The Real World: Miami in the mid-90s because he was dating male cast member (Dan Renzi). That cute young guy from that MTV show has gone on to accomplish so much and I’m very proud to know him!
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar caused an uproar after calling Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte a ‘faggot’ for striking him out.
The incident occurred during a game Wednesday and led to both benches being cleared.
Pillar’s initial explanation after the game drew even more criticism.
‘It was immature. It was stupid. It was uncalled for. It’s part of the game. It’s…I’m a competitive guy. You know, heat of the moment. Obviously I’m going to do whatever I need to do to reach out and apologize. He didn’t do anything wrong. It was on me.’
He made no mention of the LGBT community at that time and said such slurs were ‘part of the game’ when in fact Major League Baseball has a zero tolerance policy.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league is investigating the incident ‘to determine whether and what discipline is appropriate.’
Pillar posted a more complete apology on social media today: ‘Last night, following my at-bat in the 7th inning, I used inappropriate language towards Braves pitcher Jason Motte,’ he wrote. ‘By doing so I had just helped extend the use of a word that has no place in baseball, in sports or anywhere in society today. I’m completely and utterly embarrassed and feel horrible to have put the fans, my teammates and the Blue Jays organization in this position. I have apologized personally to Jason Motte, but also need to apologize to the Braves organization and their fans, and most importantly, to the LGBTQ community for the lack of respect I displayed last night.
‘This is not who I am and will use this as an opportunity to better myself.’
The Blue Jays also issued a statement today saying they are ‘extremely disappointed by the comments made by Kevin Pillar.
‘In no way is this kind of behavior accepted of tolerated, nor is it a reflection of the type of inclusive organization we strive to be. We would like to extend our own apologies to all fans, Major League Baseball and especially the LGBTQ community.
‘We know Kevin to be a respectful, high-character individual who we hope will learn from this situation and continue to positively contribute and live up to our values on and off the field.’
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith paid tribute today to his former boss Roger Ailes who has died at the age of 77 of complications from a head injury.
The controversial Ailes built Fox News into a media empire but was forced to resign in disgrace last year following allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues.
Smith described Ailes in on-air tribute as a ‘media genius, revolutionary in American politics, shaper of American history, uproariously funny man with now well documented flaws … I loved him.’
‘There was an underdog spirit here that was exhilarating,; Smith said of the early days of Fox News as it took on rivals CNN and MSNBC. ‘And our leader was inspiring like none other. We worked not for Fox News but for Roger Ailes and he was with us in the bunker fighting for respect and fighting for viewers. Fighting to win.’
Although his being gay was long and open secret, Smith finally came out publicly last fall when speaking about the Ailes sexual harassment scandal.
There had been past reports that Ailes had stopped Smith from coming out publicly years ago.
‘That’s not true. He was as nice as he could be to me. I loved him like a father,’ Smith told Huffington Post in an article about a post-Ailes Fox News.
‘He was very fatherly and mentorish,’ he also said of Ailes. ‘And now I know that there were other things going on here.’
As details of Ailes’ rampant sexual harassment allegations emerged, he was also accused of using homophobic slurs.
Smith said Ailes never used them when he was around.
‘He treated me with respect, just respect,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t new in the business when I came here ― I’d been doing reporting for 12 years ― but I wasn’t old in it either, and he gave me every opportunity in the world and he never asked anything of me but that we get it right, try to get it right every day. It was a very warm and loving and comfortable place.’
Smith said he trusted Ailes with his career.
‘I trusted him and trusts were betrayed. People outside this company can’t know [how painful that betrayal was]. This place has its enemies, but inside, it was very personal, and very scarring and horrifying.’
Smith, 52, is the former host of Fox Report with Shepard Smith and Studio B weekdays on Fox News Channel. In October 2013, he became the host of Shepard Smith Reporting as well as the managing editor of Fox News Channel’s Breaking News Division.
This is turning into something of a Silver Fox week. Noticed this handsome guy last week because he had a birthday. He’s 47-year-old British swimmer Mark Foster. He represented Great Britain in the Olympics and world championships, and swam for England in the Commonwealth Games. The former world champion and won multiple medals in international competition during his long career competing primarily in butterfly and freestyle at 50 meters. Foster retired from swimming in 2008.
Cynthia Nixon didn’t know Ivanka Trump had quoted her in the new book Women Who Work: Revisiting the Rules For Success.
The Sex and the City alum, currently on Broadway in The Little Foxes, was told about her inclusion while appearing on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live this week.
‘What did I say?’ a curious Nixon asked host Andy Cohen.
Turns out it was a quote about trying new things.
Nixon is quoted as saying: ‘If you are given a number of takes while making a film trust that the thing you were trying to do you kind of did it. Why not try something else? You could take that idea and apply it to life.’
After hearing the quote read aloud Nixon said: ‘Seems fine.’
But the famously liberal actress who is married to a woman could’t resist taking a dig at Ivanka’s dad who is embroiled in more scandals by the day.
‘I’m not sure we should just pick people randomly out of a hat to be president – I wouldn’t go that far in trying new things. But yeah, I think trying new things in general is great.’
Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord’s personal assistant Blake Moran came out to her as bisexual in this week’s episode of Madam Secretary.
It’s a sweet scene during which Moran (Erich Bergen) virtually does all of the talking as he tells McCord (Téa Leoni) about his true self
Moran nervously launches into an explanation about why he’s coming out to her now (inspired by an old boyfriend) and about trusting people with his private business.
‘This is hard for me because I’ve experienced a lot of weird bi-phobia from everyone – gay people, straight people,’ he explains.
‘I’ve gotten used to keeping people at arm’s length.’
But he’s come to realize that ‘if I can’t be honest with people about who I am then how can I ever have an honest experience with them?’
McCord doesn’t say a word during his revelation but her supportive eyes and body language speak volumes.
Then she does what you would hope to get from any boss, co-worker, friend or family member would do in a similar situation.
She gets out of the car, walks over to Moran and gives him a long, heartfelt hug of reassurance and acceptance.
Cameron Scoggins has been made a regular on the CMT series Nashville in the role of Zach Welles.
Welles shared a kiss with gay country music star Will Lexington (Chris Carmack) in the mid-season finale and said to him: “Every single one of us knows that we’re going to die and armed with that information we are supposed to somehow go on living,. That is a reason to try to go through life in pairs, if you go through at all.”
The upgrading of Scoggins seems to indicate that Will and Zach will be a full-fledged couple, according to TV Line. The drama returns next month for the second half of season five.
Scoggins’ joined the show at the start of the season on a recurring basis as the young and personable Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He’s a nerd who made good.
After a very public and sometimes painful coming out it seemed that Lexington had found true love with songwriting partner Kevin Bick (Kyle Dean Massey).
But Will quickly found out a lot of guys are attracted to him – and the feeling was mutual.
Watch out Anderson Cooper, I’ve discovered another Silver Fox! He’s 54-year-old model Anthony Varrecchia. His rugged selfies and modeling photos have earned him more than 150,000 fans on Instagram. Outside his modeling career, the openly gay Varrecchia is a personal trainer and a photographer.
Sara Gilbert will not only reprise her role of Darlene on an ABC revival of Roseanne, she will also be an executive producer.
ABC announced today that will classic sitcom starring Roseanne Barr and John Goodman will return next spring with eight new episodes.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the revival was spearheaded by Gilbert who is currently a co-host and exec producer of the CBS daytime show The Talk.
Earlier this year, Gilbert had Goodman on the talk show as a guest and the two reprised their characters of Dan and Darlene Conner in a comedy bit.
Also returning will be Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Michael Fishman (D.J.) and Lecy Goranson (Becky) are all set to return.
Sarah Chalke played the role of Becky after Goranson left the show. She will also return but in a different role.
‘The Conners’ joys and struggles are as relevant — and hilarious — today as they were then, and there’s really no one better to comment on our modern America than Roseanne,’ ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement.
Roseanne ran on ABC from 1988-97 and had several gay characters including Roseanne’s friend Nancy (Sandra Bernhard) and her former boss Leon (Martin Mull) who married his boyfriend Scott (Fred Willard) in a 1995 episode.
A year earlier, Roseanne had visited a gay bar with Nancy and was kissed on the lips by guest star Mariel Hemingway.
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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar has been suspended for two games after calling Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte a ‘fag’ for striking him out this week.
It’s a safe bet the real Ivanka Trump would never be invited onto Chelsea Handler’s Netflix show to promote her critically-panned book Women Who Work. 
A contestant on the new season of ABC’s The Bachelorette appears to have a phobia – transphobia.
My friend and fellow journalist Johnny Diaz has a new novel out – his sixth – so I thought I’d promote it by making him Morning Man for the second time. 
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar caused an uproar after calling Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte a ‘faggot’ for striking him out.
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith paid tribute today to his former boss Roger Ailes who has died at the age of 77 of complications from a head injury.
This is turning into something of a Silver Fox week. Noticed this handsome guy last week because he had a birthday. He’s 47-year-old British swimmer Mark Foster. He represented Great Britain in the Olympics and world championships, and swam for England in the Commonwealth Games. The former world champion and won multiple medals in international competition during his long career competing primarily in butterfly and freestyle at 50 meters. Foster retired from swimming in 2008. 
Cynthia Nixon didn’t know Ivanka Trump had quoted her in the new book Women Who Work: Revisiting the Rules For Success. 
Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord’s personal assistant Blake Moran came out to her as bisexual in this week’s episode of Madam Secretary. 
Cameron Scoggins has been made a regular on the CMT series Nashville in the role of Zach Welles.
Watch out Anderson Cooper, I’ve discovered another Silver Fox! He’s 54-year-old model Anthony Varrecchia. His rugged selfies and modeling photos have earned him more than 150,000 fans on 
Sara Gilbert will not only reprise her role of Darlene on an ABC revival of Roseanne, she will also be an executive producer.
Fans of The CW’s Riverdale will be seeing a lot more of the show’s gay character Kevin Keller when the show returns for its second season. 
