Author: News Desk
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WATCH | Touching tribute for Joan Rivers by Kristin Chenoweth
Tony-Award winner Kristin Chenoweth joined Hosts Rosie O’Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg on THE VIEW on American TV yesterday to pay her own touching tribute to the late great Joan Rivers with this song.
Joan Rivers died on September 4th in New York at the age of 81. The legendary comedian passed away after being on life support in Mount Sinai Hospital. She had suffered a cardiac arrest. Rivers was due to tour the UK in October.
We can’t help wonder if Joan was looking on what she would have said about Kristin’s dress! She did, after all, always had to have the last word.
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London’s New Year celebrations now to be ticketed and costing £10
This year’s NY celebrations in London will make history, by becoming a paid for event and strictly ticketed for the first time.
According to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, around 500,000 people turned up to hear the bongs of Big Ben at the stroke of midnight this year putting tremendous stresses on services including police and transport.
Mayor Johnson announced today that the famous event by Southbank will now be ticketed to limit the numbers to 100,000. The public will be able to book up to four tickets.
For £10 you will be guaranteed a good view of the celebrations and a ‘better visitor experience.’
Tickets will be available from Friday 26th September. According to a statement from the Mayor’s office ‘Ticketing is not for profit – every penny of the £10 administration fee will be used to pay for the ticketing itself, and the extra infrastructure the decision to ticket will bring.’
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long-term. After consulting with our partners, we are introducing ticketing to help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night. For anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on television, meaning you can watch it in glorious HD colour without missing a single second. And don’t forget, there are hundreds of other New Year’s Eve celebrations to enjoy in bars, restaurants and clubs across the capital.’
The Mayor’s decision has the full support of the emergency services, the relevant local authorities and other key stakeholders.To book tickets visit: http://www.london.gov.uk
London isn’t the only city to charge for its celebrations. Ticketing the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations has led to a steady reduction in crowd numbers to more manageable levels. There is a £20 administration charge. In Sydney, Australia ticketing is in place for the prime viewing areas, including Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden & Domain Trust, Taronga Zoo and National Parks & Wildlife Services, however the wide and harbour location event footprint makes the Sydney celebrations a different operation to London, which is much more compact.
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Northern universities top gay friendly uni report
Four of the top 6 Universities in the UK for gay-friendly policies are Northern Universities.
As thousands of new gay, lesbian, bi and trans students prepare for their first term at university, Stonewall has produced a league table of the best Universities in the UK for LGBT policies and practices.
Only one of the top 6 is in the South-east, which was University of Essex.
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Sheffield Hallam University, University of Essex, University of Glasgow and York St John University were all commended for their policies for LGBTs.
In Wales Stonewall scored Cardiff University full marks.
Last year just two universities topped the list, Liverpool Hohn Moores and Cardiff, both of which scored 10/10.
Gay By Degree 2015 measures each university against 10 criteria to show how well they support their gay students. The checklist includes whether the university has a policy to tackle homophobic bullying, whether there are societies and events for LGBT students, and what steps they take to support lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.
Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive said: ‘There are a record number of university places available this year and prospective students who are lesbian, gay or bisexual will want to study where they will be supported and developed. Particular congratulations are due to Cardiff University, the University of Essex, University of Glasgow, Liverpool John Moores University, Sheffield Hallam University and York St John University for being the only universities in Britain to score full marks.
‘It’s particularly concerning that only 35 universities are monitoring student’s sexual orientation leaving them no way of telling if they’re providing a positive experience for gay students. We hope that this year’s guide prompts universities to do more to make campuses a welcoming place for all students.’A further 11 universities met nine out of the ten criteria. Universities were assessed against the availability of information on their main or student websites so that prospective students can make an informed decision.
Prospective students can search Gay By Degree to help inform their university options at www.gaybydegree.org.uk
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Conor Maynard likes the gays!
Ah bless that man…
Conor Maynard, who released his first album Contrast in 2012 tweeted that he liked gay people to his 1.67 million followers, saying, ‘Gay people make the world a more joyful place.’
We couldn’t agree more. I mean take a look at THEGAYUK making each day a little more joyful… But we’ve also found that a whole host of others who also make the world a better place.
People in general…
Conor is currently working on his second album. He’s already had 5 top 10s in the UK with Can’t Say No, Vegas Girl, Turn Around, Animal and R U Crazy.
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Man jailed for Horrific Claw Hammer Attack On Gay Man
A man from Margate, Kent, has been jailed after he attacked his gay flatmate with a hammer as he slept.
Joseph Williams, 21, was sentenced to 14 years in prison at the Old Bailey for attempted murder of his flatmate, Connor Huntley, who was 18 years-old at the time.
Huntley’s injuries are so severe he now suffers from epilepsy and restrictive body movements; prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the court.
During sentencing Judge Jeremy Donne QC said,
“On May 28, 2013 you picked up a hammer, went into the bedroom of your sleeping flatmate and brought it down two times on his head.
“Not only did it fracture his skull but it was embedded in his brain.
“The injuries suffered by Connor Huntley were little short of catastrophic. They were life-changing.
“It is fortunate in the extreme for both him as for you that he did not die.
“That was only down to the skill of the medical personnel treating him but he will never be able to live an ordinary life.
“He will be never be able to enjoy all the things that young people enjoy doing.
“You have taken away a good part of his life.”
The attack happened in May last year. Police who attended the scene described how they found Mr Huntley covered in blood with the claw hammer embedded in his head. He was immediately taken to hospital and was treated for a skull fracture and brain injury.
During the case, the court heard that Williams was raised a Catholic and had been heard to make derogatory remarks about gay men before the attack.
Williams will serve his sentence in a high-security hospital after the court found he had been suffering mental health issues at the time of the attack. He will stay there until he is deemed fit to leave.
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Thugs Abuse 24-Year-Old Wolverhampton Man In Homophobic Attack
Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident of criminal damage that occurred in Bridgnorth on Sunday 7th September.
The incident took place at the Severn Car Park at around 7:15 pm on the 7th September. The victim, a 24-year-old man from Wolverhampton, was walking his dog along with another man when he was approached by an unknown female who became verbally abusive with him.
Both men went to leave the area when they found their vehicle, a Silver Ford Fiesta, had been surrounded by a group of 6-7 men and women of mixed ages. The group proceeded to push and kick the victim’s car, one member of the group picked up a large metal bin and threw it against the car causing damage to the driver’s side panel and glass. Another member also threw what has been described as a house brick through the windscreen of the car, completely destroying it. Throughout the attack, members of the group shouted homophobic slurs at both the victim and the man with him.
The initial female was white and described as around 40-years-old, short in height with ginger hair which was tied back. At the time of the attack, she was wearing a white blouse with a knee length skirt. One of the men in the group was described as around 40-years-old, of average build with short blonde hair. A further male was also described as around 40-years-old, wearing a blue polo shirt with dark jeans. No further descriptions of the rest of the group were given. A Ford Focus Saloon vehicle is also thought to be linked to the suspects, which Police are keen to identify.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward by calling 101, quoting incident 646 of 7th September. Alternatively, information can be given to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org
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New report shows that SHOWBIZ is rife with homophobia
A new report has shown that more than 50% of people polled had heard directors and producers make anti-gay comments about actors on set.
The survey by the Williams Institute for the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, has shown that 53% of respondents believed that directors and producers are biased against LGBT performers in hiring and nearly 20% of gay men and 10% of bisexual men had experienced discrimination in their profession.
Nearly 6000 members of the SAG-AFTRA were surveyed.
The study, which was undertaken in 2012, aimed to expand the research on diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry – and to provide insight into how sexuality and gender identity influence performers’ experiences within the industry.
The survey also found that LGBT respondents were less likely to than straight actors to have an agent, which might put LGBT performers at at disadvantage when looking for work. Despite this gay men and women had the most days worked in the previous 12 months, with 34 days for gay men, vs. 30 for straight and 41 for lesbians vs. 26 for straight women.
Earlier in the year actor Daniel Franzese who starred in Mean Girls said that he hit a ‘gay glass ceiling’ after the role in the film and was repeatedly turned down by Hollywood casting directors who were looking for more masculine actors.
The survey was funded by the Screen Actors Guild.
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Snoop Dogg in Instagram gay slur storm
Snoop Dogg, is under fire after a gay slur was published on his Instagram and Twitter feeds.
A homophobic caption was uploaded to Snoop Dogg’s Instagram account this morning, before being deleted 40 minutes later. It has not been confirmed whether the rapper is responsible for the tweet.
The caption along with a photograph of two men in bed read: “U n ya boyfriend since u like Jumpn on my page disrespectn bitch boy go suck ya man n get off my line f.A. G.”
The picture and slur was shared with his 3.5 million followers on Instagram and 11.6 million fans on Twitter.
Two years ago, Snoop Dogg commended singer Frank Ocean when he came out, saying that Hip Hop was ready for a gay artist. However, in April, he doubted that homosexuality would be acceptable in the rap world saying, “It’s acceptable in the singing world, but in the rap world I don’t know if it will ever be acceptable because rap is so masculine.
“It’s like a football team. You can’t be in a locker room full of motherf**king tough ass dudes, then all of a sudden say, ‘Hey, man, I like you’.
“You know… that’s going to be tough.”
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Sheffield Uni To Run A Series Of X Rated Lectures
BED BUGS AND CYBER-HUGS: X-RATED LECTURE SERIES LAUNCHES IN SHEFFIELD.
Bizzare mating rituals, human/robot intimacy, female promiscuity in animals and sperm discussed at X Lectures
Sex and reproduction explored as part of the University of Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind
A unique series of four “X Lectures” will take place between the 18th and the 24th September, focusing on the theme of sex and reproduction both in the animal kingdom and in humans. The X Lectures form part of the University of Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind. The 11-day long Festival of the Mind (18th- 28th September 2014) will see the University of Sheffield team its leading academics with the UK’s most famous artists and musicians in order to bring academia to the streets.Over the course of four lectures, experts in different areas will share their knowledge with members of the public on subjects including female promiscuity in the animal kingdom, the use of technology in communicating emotion and intimacy, evolutionary explanations for harmful mating rituals, and the secret life of sperm.
The four lectures will be given by Professor Tim Birkhead, Professor Mike Siva Jothy, and Dr Allan Pacey all from the University of Sheffield and Adrian Cheok from City University, London.
In the first lecture on Thursday September 18, Professor Mike Siva Jothy from the University of Sheffield, will explain why many animals engage in painful and sometimes fatal behaviour during mating, and how this extreme behaviour which appears to go against the animals’ self-interest can actually be explained by neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory.
Adrian Cheok, chair Professor of Pervasive Computing at City University London, will use the second lecture of the series on Sunday September 21 to describe how we will soon experience taste, touch and smell through the internet and how “telepresence” technologies will allow us to physically interact with people anywhere in the world.
The third lecture on Monday September 22, from Professor Tim Birkhead from the University of Sheffield, will explain that promiscuous behavior among female animals is just as common as among males, meaning that sexual competition among females is equally as fierce as it is among their male counterparts, resulting in elaborate genital structures in both sexes in some species.
In the final lecture on Wednesday September 24, Dr Allan Pacey from the University of Sheffield will explore the world of sperm, telling the story of Dutchman Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s 1677 discovery of spermatozoa; the elegant processes through which fertilization occurs; the ethics of creating sperm from other cells in the body; and the economics of the international trade in supplies of sperm.
The 11-day long Festival of the Mind (18th- 28th September 2014) will see the University of Sheffield team its leading academics with the UK’s most famous artists and musicians in order to bring academia to the streets.
The X Lectures will all take place at the Festival of the Mind’s Spiegeltent in Barker’s Pool, Sheffield.
Festival of the Mind will showcase ground-breaking collaborations between leading academics from the University of Sheffield and local people in the creative and cultural industries, at venues across the city.
Events take place between 18–28 September 2014. For further information and the full programme, visit: http://festivalofthemind.group.shef.ac.uk
Follow Festival of the Mind on Twitter @FestivalMind #FestivalMind or visit our Facebook page.
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Shortlist For Polari First Book Prize Announced
The shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize was announced last night at the Polari Literary Salon at the Southbank Centre.
This year, for the first time, the five shortlisted books will be displayed at selected WH Smiths travel outlets across the country.
The Polari First Book Prize is for a first book which explores the LGBT experience and is open to any work of poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction published in the UK in English within the twelve months of the deadline for submissions (this year Feb 1, 2014). Self-published works in both print and digital formats are eligible for submission. The winner will be presented with a cheque for £1,000, courtesy of the Société General UK LGBT Network.
The winner will be announced on 8 October 2014 in the Purcell Room at the London Literature Festival.The Polari First Book Prize Shortlist:
I Am Nobody’s Nigger by Dean Atta (Westbourne Press)
Petite Mort by Beatrice Hitchman (Serpent’s Tail)
Fairytales for Lost Children by Diriye Osman (Team Angelica)
God’s Other Children – A London Memoir by Vernal W. Scott (self-published)
The Rubbish Lesbian by Sarah Westwood (Mimwood Press)The judges this year are:
Paul Burston (Chair of Judges) – author, journalist and host of Polari
Bidisha – critic and broadcaster
Matt Cain – author and former Culture Editor for Channel 4 News
Suzi Feay – literary critic and broadcaster
Rachel Holmes – author and former Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank
VG Lee – author and comedian
Paul Burston, Chair of judges, said, ‘The judges were impressed with the quality and diversity of books submitted this year. These five books represent a wide range of voices from a variety of backgrounds, making for a very exciting shortlist.’