THEGAYUK

Day: 26 September 2017

  • When is Designated Survivor back on Netflix?

    Designated Survivor is returning to Netflix this month. Here’s what you need to know about the new series starring Kiefer Sutherland.

    When is Designated Survivor back on Netflix?

    The brand new season of Netflix’s Designator Survivor is due to start streaming on Thursday 28th September and like the previous series, it is set to air weekly, in contrast to the majority of Netflix’s output.

    The majority of the cast will be joining Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) from season 1.

    What is Designator Survivor about?

    America’s fate rests in the hands of a low-level official after an attack on Washington decimates the government in this gripping political thriller, leaving an unelected president at the helm of a shaken country.

    So what happens in Season 2?

    Speaking to TVLine, ABC’s president, Channing Dungey said,

    “One of the things we realised is it is a very high-concept show, and we had to get the audience past that concept and get [Kiefer Sutherland’s Tom] Kirkman into the White House and all the rest of it,

    “And as much as we love the twists and turns and the cliffhangers, what we’re really looking forward to exploring in Season 2 is some of the character relationships and some of the interpersonal dynamics in the White House.”

     

    What happened at the end of Season 1 on Designated Survivor?

    Season one’s conclusion saw Kirkman resolving to reveal to the nation, the conspiracy which killed the majority of the US government, leading to his selection as commander-in-chief. Despite Agent Wells apprehending CIA agent-turned-terrorist Nestor Lozano, and the mole (Jay Whitaker) in the White House exposed there is still great unrest in the White House.

    Before his detention, Whitaker distributed classified information to billionaire Patrick Lloyd, who is set to become the focus of attention in the next series.

    Where can I watch Designated Survivor?

    Designated Survivor is available to stream on Netflix in the UK.

  • DILEMMA | How do I get my homophobic family to accept my partner?

    DILEMMA | How do I get my homophobic family to accept my partner?

    What happens when you finally meet, fall in love and marry the love of your life and your family just won’t accept?

    Dr Dannii Cohen reveals how you can make even the most stubborn of a homophobic family turn to acceptance.

    Having the approval of your parents means a lot to (almost) every child.

    So wanting them to approve of the other most important person in your life is natural.
 The story of parents not approving of their children’s partner (whether in straight or LGBT relationships) is as old as time and there truly is no quick fix solution.

    Dr Dannii Cohen suggests that you include your partner in as much as possible, including putting your family into situations where they are forced to interact with your partner… but not too often.

    Do not: feel you have to take sides, force your parents or stir arguments.

    Do: Insist your partner needs to be included and stand up for him/her.

    Find ways to try and get conversations going, take some cues and advice from this article: http://yourzengrowth.com/asking-giving-opinion/
    For the rest, only time can heal this one. Human emotions cannot be forced.

    Have you got a dilemma you’d like us to answer? Click here to visit our dilemmas page.

  • Dynasty star comes out as gay

    The actor Gordon Thomson has come out at the age of 72.

    Best known for his role as Adam Carrington in the camp soap, Dynasty, Gordon Thomas has come out as gay.

    Speaking with the Daily Beast, Thomson spoke openly about his sexuality about while he never “announced” his sexuality – revealing that he assumed people just knew, saying, “I don’t go out of my way because it’s my generation, I think. I’m probably as homophobic as any gay man alive because of my background.”

    He said that his generation’s views of homosexuality helped keep him in the closet, admitting, “When I was growing up it [homosexuality] was a crime, and then classified as a mental illness. It was not until Pierre Trudeau was prime minister of Canada when I was 23, 24 years old, did it cease being a crime, and it was not until I was nearly 30 that it stopped being classified as a mental illness in the U.S. So you’re dealing with that. And the shame, the breathtaking lack of self-esteem, has only just begun to seep out of my soul,”

    The Canadian actor rose to fame during the 80s playing the villainous Adam Carrington in the soap, Dynasty.

  • Egypt concert-goers arrested for raising rainbow flag

    At least six people have been arrested in Egypt after raising the rainbow flag of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at a Cairo concert, security and judicial sources said. They are accused of “public indecency” and “inciting immorality among young people”, the sources said following Monday’s arrests.

     

  • 10 reasons why Atypical is a must view on Netflix

    Atypical is a coming of age story that follows Sam (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum as he searches for love and independence.

    1) Autism is so rarely discussed in the mainstream that Atypical is a necessary step in the right direction to showcase different types of people.

    Although the show has attracted a fair bit of criticism, Robin Steward from inews.co.uk says, “Any show about autism, which isn’t widely understood, carries a tremendous burden: people want it to say everything and get it ‘right’. We’re going to need more shows of varying kinds that feature autism in all different ways before there’s a full expression of autism across the spectrum. There are grounds to criticise Atypical, but I’ve chosen to welcome it as one more step in the right direction”.

    Considering over 700,000 people in the UK are believed to be living with Autism this is long overdue.

    2) It actually makes you stop for a moment to realise that not everybody that you come into contact with on a daily basis has the same mindset as you… and that’s okay.

    3) Keir Gilchrist, who plays Sam in the show is really quite cute! Shallow I know.

    4) In the midst of so much dark teen drama (13 Reasons Why, Riverdale et al) Atypical is a breath of fresh air.

    5) It’s really very sex positive. Although the parents aren’t all too happy at their kids’ shenanigans – the overreaching plot arch is positive.

    6) It’s not perfect but that’s okay, neither is life.

    7) It celebrates someone literally atypical and his time in high school.

    Sam is not popular, he’s not a jock and he doesn’t have a cheerleader girlfriend… As a gay guy, I can totally relate to that.

    8) It covers all the bases of teenage and family life – in one eight-episode series… Adultery, identity, virginity, first dates and crushes.

    9) Oh and Raúl Castillo is basic beefcake.

    10) Short but sweet. Atypical leaves you wanting more – as it only has 8 episodes and they are 30 minuters.

  • Torturer jailed for life for the murder of a man he hooked up with on gay dating site

    A man has been jailed for a minimum of 39 years for the murder of a man he met on a gay dating site.

    Gay dating site torturer jailed for life for the murder of a man he hooked up with

    The death of 58-year-old Peter Fasoli was originally ruled as accidental

    Footage of his torture was uncovered by his nephew

    Jason Marshall tried to hide his crime by setting fire to Mr Fasoli’s home.

    A 29-year-old man has been jailed, to serve a minimum of 39-years for the murder of a 58-year-old man he met via a gay dating website.

    Jason Marshall was found guilty on Wednesday, 9 August at the Old Bailey in London, for the murder of 58-year-old Peter Fasoli. He was also sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for arson, to run concurrently.

    Originally it was believed that Mr Fasoli had died accidentally in his own home, it wasn’t until a seven-hour video of him being tortured was discovered that his death was treated as a murder case.

    Victim Peter Fasoli was 58 when he died. He met his attacker online and invited him to his home for roleplay.

    Torturer

    The jury heard how Marshall set up a rendezvous via a gay dating site with Mr Fasoli at his Ealing home and tortured him for a prolonged period before suffocating him. He then committed arson in a bid to hide the evidence of the brutal murder and stole his victim’s credit card using it to flee by plane to Italy a few days after the murder.

    Mr Fasoli, aged 58, died on Monday, 7 January 2013, after he was brought out of his burning flat in Rubens Road, Northolt.

    His death was originally ruled as accidental.

    Police, London Ambulance Service (LAS) and London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended after being called just before 01:00hrs in the morning. The case was originally treated as non-suspicious, following an investigation led by LFB which concluded the fire was accidental, with the most likely cause a faulty light bulb.

    Images from Mr Fasoli’s home after Marshall set fire to it to hide his tracks.

    A forensic pathologist who examined Mr Fasoli’s body found no evidence of any third party involvement and the inquest held at West London Coroner’s Court on 16 August 2013 returned a verdict of accidental death.

    However, around a year later, in autumn 2014, Mr Fasoli’s nephew decided to collect the hard drive of his uncle’s computer, which was being stored on behalf of the family with other belongings that had survived the fire by a friend in Yorkshire.

    His murder was captured on webcam

    The two men, who met on a gay dating site, take part in a role play that goes terribly wrong. Mr Fasoli is killed by Marshall. Video found on the hard drive of Mr Fasoli’s computer shows the interaction between the two.

    His nephew knew his uncle had been interested in the family tree and hoped to find research preserved on the computer system. Instead, he discovered a number of videos featuring his uncle taking part in sexual activities with other men – including the horrific seven-hour film of the encounter with Marshall. Mr Fasoli had unwittingly captured his own murder on the web camera that he had on his computer in the living room.

    The film, shown to the jury in court, showed Marshall arriving kitted out with generic police accessories he had purchased on the internet, and he and Mr Fasoli chatting and then engaging in what appeared to be consensual role-playing based on an ‘interrogation’ before Marshall initiated what became a prolonged and violent domination of Mr Fasoli culminating in his murder. This included threatening him at knifepoint, and forcibly injecting him on multiple occasions. Classic FM radio station is playing throughout.

    Marshall wears gloves in the footage found on the hard drive of one of the victim’s computers. It was only discovered after his death was ruled accidential.

    The audio captures the sounds at the end of the film of Mr Fasoli shouting out to Marshall after his head has been covered and he has been pulled off the bed and out of view of the camera. Marshall remains impervious as he continues to ignore his victim’s increasing and visible distress. After Peter had stopped making any noise at all, Marshall left him lying on the floor and calmly smoked a cigarette before gathering his belongings.

    Lighting a fire to cover his tracks

    The web camera lead then appears to be pulled out and the sound can be heard of Marshall splashing a liquid around and flicking a lighter. A short time later Marshall is heard leaving the flat and the smoke alarm activates. The next morning he sent a message to Peter via the same dating site apologising for not having turned up the night before in a further attempt to cover his tracks, before using Peter’s bank card to withdraw hundreds of pounds. The day before he fled to Italy he sent further messages accusing Peter of ‘ignoring’ him.

    Later enquiries showed that Marshall had contacted and met Peter on at least one occasion in the weeks before 7 January, and had led Peter to think that on the night of the murder he would be bringing another young man along to join them for the evening.

    Once the hard drive found by Peter’s nephew and given to West Yorkshire Police was passed to the MPS, the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command launched its investigation into Mr Fasoli’s murder on 10 November, 2014.

    The MPS formally informed the Coroner of this development. Following enquiries, officers identified Marshall as the key suspect. Police discovered that Marshall was in prison in Italy in late 2014, having been convicted and jailed for a murder and subsequent attempted murder of two men in Rome just weeks after he fled the UK. These also took place in the context of sexual encounters.

    A European Arrest Warrant was obtained, and on Wednesday 15 February, officers travelled to Heathrow Airport to meet the flight Marshall was returning to the UK on. He was arrested and later that same day charged with the murder of Mr Fasoli.

    Detective Inspector James Stevenson, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said, “We are pleased the sentence handed down to Marshall for the brutal killing of Peter. This was a cold-blooded attack, during which Marshall cynically gained the trust of a vulnerable older man to get entry into his home, then subjected him to a horrific and prolonged ordeal and ruthlessly ignoring Peter’s cries for help knowing he was fighting to stay alive. Marshall then did everything he could to evade being brought to justice.

    “Anyone affected by this case can get in touch with LGBT agencies such Galop www.galop.org.uk and Camden LGBT forum www.camdenlgbtforum.org.uk who can offer confidential counselling and third-party reporting.”

     

     

  • Florida Keys and Key West set to reopen after Hurricane Irma

    After the Florida Keys were impacted by Hurricane Irma on 10 September, local government officials have announced that the island chain will reopen to visitors on Sunday, 1 October.

    Potential visitors are advised that while it is safe to travel to the Keys, recovery efforts are ongoing, especially in the Lower Keys and parts of Marathon which were hardest hit by the Category 4 storm. Not all lodging is operating on a normal basis currently and this includes RV resorts and other tourism facilities throughout the Keys. The districts of Key Largo and Key West were the least impacted, however, visitors planning to travel to the Keys in the coming months are advised to call ahead to ensure their chosen hotels1 and favourite attractions are open.

    Motorists should use extreme caution when navigating Marathon and the Lower Keys regions and stay off side roads to avoid hindering restoration activities. Bridges on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway have passed inspections and any necessary repairs have been made.

    Officials confirmed that the decision to open the Keys to visitors is based on some of the most immediate infrastructure repairs having been completed. Almost all power and water services have now been restored and mobile phone service is working well, however, the full restoration of television and internet connections is taking longer to re-establish. Throughout the Keys there are significant debris piles that are being removed by clean-up contractors.

    Monroe County Mayor George Neugent commented, “We know we have a long way to go before the Keys fully recover, but because tourism is our top economic engine and many of our residents’ livelihoods depend on it, we also know that we need to begin asking visitors to return.”

    UK travellers planning a visit to the Keys can access the island chain from this weekend through the normal gateway airports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. International airports in Marathon and Key West have also reopened to aviation traffic and The Port of Key West is now welcoming cruise ships again.

    While some special events have been postponed or cancelled, key upcoming events include Key Largo’s Humphrey Bogart Film Festival (18-22 October) and Key West’s Fantasy Fest (20-29 October), both of which will take place as originally scheduled.

  • The Winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race – Where Are they Now?

    Hey Squirrel Friends, with 2018 promising to bring us two seasons of Drag Race madness (Season 10 and All-Stars 3), we thought it was time to take a look at what the winning queens are up to now – whether they’ve sashayed their way to mainstream success like a modern-day RuPaul, or been left behind like Roxxxy Andrews at the bus stop…

    The Winners of RuPaul's Drag Race - Where Are they Now?

    Bebe Zahara Benet

    via GIPHY

    Kicking things off, it’s time to shout “CAMEROON!” for Season 1 Winner Bebe Zahara Benet
    In the realms of fandom, Season 1 has taken on a mythical status due to just how hard it is to find – not available on streaming or on-demand services, it’s almost as difficult to watch as Valentina in a lip sync. As a result, the queens of season 1 are not as well-known as the ones from later seasons – despite it being an enjoyable season with some great performers such as Victoria “Porkchop” Parker (Hey Porkchop!), Tammie Brown and Ongina. Bebe Zahara Benet won the competition with fierce outfits, big hair and a lot of international influence – and she’s worked consistently ever since. She’s released several singles, recently stomped down the catwalk for Marco Marco, and is still performing Drag on a regular basis

    Tyra Sanchez

    via GIPHY

    Ah, the other Tyra.

    Beautiful, unpredictable Tyra was one of the youngest contestants ever to appear on the show, beating Raven to the crown and going on to be maybe the most controversial winner that Drag Race has seen. Not one to back down from a fight, she’s become embroiled in spats with various other Drag Race alumni and faced outrage for some of her Twitter comments. She recently (falsely) declared fellow Season 2 competitor as dead – resulting in a spat that involved fellow Queens Raven and Tatianna.

    Away from shady outbursts on Twitter though, she’s proven herself to be a real force to be reckoned with – her looks are stunning and she’s in high demand as a Drag Race performer, recently appearing at Drag Con in New York.

    Raja

    via GIPHY

    Season 3 introduced the world to some brilliant performers – Carmen Carrera, Manila Luzon and Stacey Layne Matthews amongst others. Raja gave a knockout snatch game performance as Tyra Banks, stunned with her fashion-forward outfits, and took part in perhaps the sexiest lipsync of all time – cavorting with Carmen Carrera to Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”. Since winning Season 3, Raja is probably best known for her work with Raven on World of Wonder’s “Fashion Photo Ruview”, which provides fashion critiques on outfits worn by Drag Queens – mainly current contestants and alumni of Drag Race. Outside of drag, Raja (or Sutan) is an in-demand make-up artist, appeared in the music video for Blondie’s “Princess of Mars” earlier this year, and has just completed a summer-long run of her one-woman show, “Gawdess”

    Sharon Needles

    via GIPHY

    Beautiful, spooky and stupid – Sharon Needles won a season often considered one of the show’s best, what with Willam’s shock removal, Phi Phi and Sharon’s fierce rivalry, and literally every moment involving the large and in charge, chunky yet funky, Latrice Royale.

    Sharon’s horror-inspired drag brought something fresh to the Drag Race world – that combined with a quick wit and likeable manner made her a worthy winner, and she’s gone on to be incredibly successful. Since the show Needles has released two albums, hosted evenings of horror films on Logo TV, and even had a day named in her honour in her native Pittsburgh. Recently featuring in a fantastic interview about her love of horror films for the BFI, Sharon continues to be in high demand as a touring artist, and will be returning to the UK in both October and December this year to give us her brand of intelligent, unique and bloody drag.

    Chad Michaels

    via GIPHY

    2012 saw the arrival of All-Stars – a season that invited contestants from the previous four seasons a chance to return and compete for a place in the “All-Stars Hall of Fame”. Forcing contestants to pair up made for hugely entertaining viewing, even if the “She-Mergency” Lip Sync concept fell a little flat. Fourth season Queen and Cher impersonator Chad Michaels fought his way to the top spot, and since securing his spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, is still in high demand both as a drag performer and as an uncannily accurate Cher lookalike. Recent television appearances included 2 Broke Girls and Jane the Virgin, and whilst Chad’s website is currently in progress, social media shows that he’s still performing – recently appearing at RuPaul’s Drag Con in New York.

    Jinkx Monsoon

    via GIPHY

    It was Monsoon season all over the world in Season 5, when the world’s best (and possibly only) narcoleptic Jewish drag queen took the crown. In a series packed with drama – from the rivalry of Alyssa and Coco through to the unholy trinity that was Rolaskatox, Jinkx’s sweet nature and sheer talent saw her rising above the rest – entertaining as Little Edie in Snatch Game and destroying Detox with an accomplished lip-sync to Yma Sumac’s “Malambo No 1”.

    Since appearing in the show Jinkx has had huge success in the theatre – appearing in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hairspray, and in Cabaret musical The Vaudevillians. Jinkx also recently voiced a character in the tv show Steven Universe, which sparked some controversy, with some fans upset that a drag queen was voicing a character whose species had, up until then, been voiced by women. Jinkx was more than happy to set the record straight on social media, letting fans know that the character is supposed to be non-binary, something Jinkx identifies as, preferring the pronouns they/them when not in drag. This autumn sees Jinkx appearing in “Hokem Pokem” – a parody of Hocus Pocus starring Peaches Christ and Holestar, and will also be touring the UK throughout November and December in a new production of The Vaudevillians.

    Bianca Del Rio

    via GIPHY

    Season 6 got off to a sickening start with a varied bunch of Queens – rock chick Adore Delano, fishy Queen Courtney Act, and long tall glass of dairy, Milk, amongst others. Costume designer Roy Haylock stood out from the start as the hilarious Bianca Del Rio and won with a combination of humour, sarcasm, and a surprisingly big heart. Able to whip up a dress in under five minutes and read a Queen to filth in a few choice words, Del Rio has gone on to be one of the most successful winners ever. Since leaving the show she’s had several sell-out stand-up comedy tours, starred in her own film (Hurricane Bianca – worth a watch!), with Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate, due out later this year. Bianca’s about to embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand this November, before returning to the UK on her “Blame it on Bianca Del Rio” tour, with dates starting in Liverpool July 2018.

    Violet Chachki

    via GIPHY

    Season 7 introduced some serious fan favourites to the world of Drag Race, with characters like Katya, Trixie Mattel and Ginger Minj battling it out to take the crown. In the end, Violet Chachki ruled victorious with her incredible sense of style, her burlesque and bondage-inspired looks combining the vintage aesthetic of Bettie Page with the modern designs of Thierry Mugler. Since leaving the show, Violet has been in high demand as both a model and a performer, and can currently be seen touring the US on the Werq the World Tour.

     

    Bob The Drag Queen

    via GIPHY

    Entering the workroom “Purse First” was Bob the Drag Queen – who’d been inspired into doing drag after watching Season 1 and loving the work of Bebe Zahara Benet. Bob was a clear frontrunner throughout the competition – beating off experienced Queens such as the caustic Acid Betty, and Britney impersonator Derrick Barry. Making it to the final three with lovable Kim Chi and long-legged Naomi Smalls, Bob’s comedy skills saw him snatch the crown and reign supreme. Bob’s been a busy winner – his TV Special Suspiciously Large Woman debuted, he starred in the film Cherry Pop, and has even released his own comic book “Kickass Drag Queen”. He’s currently also touring the US in the Werq the World Tour.

     

    Alaska Thunderfuck 5000

    via GIPHY

    Originally appearing in season five of Drag Race, Alaska returned for All-Stars 2 along with fan favourites such as Katya, Detox, Alyssa Edwards and Adore Delano.

    The competition was ridiculously tough, but Alaska came out on top almost every week– and even a last-minute meltdown (poor performance in a task had her offering a bribe to Detox to let her stay) didn’t stop her from claiming that crown. Since winning she’s released a few singles, both independently and with the “AAA Girls” – (a group consisting of Alaska and fellow drag queens Willam and Courtney Act) and walked in a Marco Marco fashion show. She’s set to be touring across the US with the AAA girls over the next month, but is returning to the UK for a few shows in mid-October.

     

    Sasha Velour

    Season 9 marked a big change for Drag Race – with the show moving to main channel VH1, earning it far more viewers than ever before. A strong cast of characters entered the workshop – and whilst some disappointed (courtesy of Charlie Hides performing an entirely stationary lip-sync, and Miss Valentina demanding to keep it on…), others rose to the top, forming a final four packed full of top talent and tight tucks. A new channel meant a new concept for the finale, with the four top queens entering into a “Lip Sync Tournament”. A quick change by Peppermint and a legendary wig reveal by Sasha Velour led to them battling it out in the final lip sync, with Sasha Velour coming out on top. An artistic, intelligent and sensitive Queen, Sasha was already an established figure on the Brooklyn drag scene, publishing a drag magazine called Velour, and hosting a monthly drag show called “Nightgowns”. Work on these projects has continued into Sasha’s reign,  and she’s spending the next few months touring the US. 2018 will see her heading over to Europe and the UK with her Party Monster Ball – guest starring the drinkable Milk and legendary icon Amanda Lepore.

     

    The Future

    Think you done already done had herses? Well, think again – in a reveal almost as good as Roxxy Andrews infamous second wig, 2018 will see not one, but two seasons of Drag Race airing. January will see All-Stars 3 hit screens, with the Queens rumoured to be competing ranging from Season 1 Winner Bebe Zahara Benet through to Season 9’s Aja. That’ll be followed by Season 10, which should be airing in late spring/summer 2018. Again, Queens for that are unconfirmed – with the exception of Eureka O’Hara, returning after her knee-popping exit in Season 9.

    As the show approaches its 10th Anniversary, the fabulous engine that is RuPaul’s Drag Race shows no sign of slowing down. Filling the screens with love, pathos and a cast of sickeningly talented performers, it’s become clear that the world needs RuPaul’s Drag Race now more than ever.

     

    Can I get an Amen?