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  • TV REVIEW Red Dwarf XII, Episode 3, Timewave

    For some strange reason, this week’s episode of Red Dwarf was a divisive one for the fans when it was pre-released on UKTV Play this week. It’s not really clear to see why, as the episode is simply a lot of fun.

    TV REVIEW Red Dwarf XII, Episode 3, Timewave

    The story starts when Rimmer decides to claim undiscovered planet with valuable substance, dreaming of untold riches once they find their way back to earth. When a timewave sends a 24th-century ship on a crash course towards that very same planet the Boys from the Dwarf decide to board the ship to warn the crew. The ship, though, is rather unusual – as the people at the top decided to make criticism illegal, so no-one can voice their opinions. Naturally, the Dwarfers soon find themselves in deep trouble.

    This episode features a hilarious guest turn from Johnny Vegas as a “ crit-cop” unhappy with his lot and an interesting Eddie Murphy impression from a very fed up Cat (Danny John-Jules). Stealing the show, though, for a second week in a row is Chris Barrie as a deliciously creepy alter-ego of Rimmer.

    After the darker themes of Siliconia this is a fun high camp romp of an episode that leads to interesting questions: how does criticism affect people? Does true positive criticism exist?

    Solid effort by all.

    Red Dwarf XII is tonight (26th October) 21.00 – Dave

  • Today is Intersex Awareness Day

    Every 26th October it’s Intersex Awareness Day.

    Every year, Intersex Awareness Day strives to inform and educate people about intersex people, their human rights issues and the discriminations they face in daily life, including the decision for many to “normalise” their own sex in their own time and if they want to.

    Many find the decision to determine their own sex is taken away from them at birth when parents and doctors make the determination upon the discovery that they are intersex. These surgeries can often lead to infertility, pain and mental suffering.

    What is Intersex?

    According to Intersexday.org, intersex people are “born with sex characteristics that don’t meet medical and social norms for female or male bodies”.

    It is thought that up to 1.7 percent of babies are intersex. Some are born with an obvious intersex traits, whilst in others, it is not apparent until they reach puberty. Some may never exhibit the variations in their chromosomes.

    What’s it like to be Intersex?

    The first Intersex Awareness Day

    The very first Intersex Awareness Day took part in 1996 when a public demo took place in North America. They marched to highlight their right to choose which sex they should be and not doctors. They also wanted to highlight the fact that intersex people do not need to be “fixed” or “normalised”.

    Need resources?

    InterAct
    IntersexDay.Org

  • Nick Grimshaw’s radio rating slip even further

    The Radio 1 presenter’s morning show isn’t doing great.

    Since taking over the morning slot at Radio 1 in 2012, Nick Grimshaw‘s audience has slowly shed hundreds of thousands of listeners – but BBC bosses still maintain that Radio 1 is “the most relevant youth brand in the UK today”.

    Nick’s figures are the lowest for any Radio 1 breakfast show since Rajar, the research body who collects audience data, began. At its peak, the Radio 1 morning show, presented by Chris Moyles managed to reach 7.06 million listeners.

    Between July and September this year, the show had 4.93 million weekly listeners, down from 5.5 million listeners for the same period the year before.

    Controller Ben Cooper said that there was still a 10.5 million weekly listenership for the station, across all its output and that Radio 1 had 9.4 million subscribers on social media and 5 million YouTube subscribers.

    Traditionally listener figures are always lower in the summer months as people tend to be away on holiday or have different routines compared to the rest of the year.

    According to the BBC, a source at Radio 1 said, “Teens are addicted to their phones so you can see why Radio 1 does so well on YouTube and Facebook.”

    Big Earner

    Nick Grimshaw is open of the top earners at the BBC. Earlier this year it was revealed that Nick earns up to £399,999 for his roles at the publicly funded broadcaster.

    Earlier this year it was revealed that Nick Grimshaw was one of a handful of openly gay staff at the BBC to earn more than £150,000. Whilst Graham Norton topped the earner’s list with a salary of up to £899,999, Nick Grimshaw earns up to £399,999 per year for his roles at the BBC.

  • Five must see LGBT theatre you have to see this winter in London

    The nights are drawing in and the temperatures are getting cooler. That’s no excuse to stay in watching yet another reality TV show, though. 2017 has been a bumper year for theatrical smashes in the capital and it’s set to continue for the remainder of the year and into the New Year. Grab your mac, don your scarf and get yourself down there.

    Here’s the Top 5 must-see LGBT London shows for Autumn/Winter 2017/18:

    Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: The glorious posters are everywhere on the tube: Jamie’s upturned faced, painted lips and his artfully made up glittery eyes. Fresh from a highly acclaimed and multi-award-winning run in Sheffield, Jamie is about to enter the capital’s Apollo Theatre with previews from the 6th of November and booking till April 2018. This feel-good musical has a good pedigree. It’s based on a BBC documentary about the trials and tribulations of a wannabe teenage drag queen growing up on a rough estate  There’s new music by The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie-Sells and Tom McRae. We loved it so much we gave it a resounding 5-star endorsement. What more do you need to know? Book now.

    The York Realist: Turns out that Sheffield is at it again. Not only have they sent us some damn fine cutlery and The Human League but now we get another LGBT play. Set in 1960s Yorkshire, this is a touching tale of a farmhand straining against his roots. Directed by Robert Hastie (My Night with Reg), this promises to be a drama worth fighting for tickets for. This runs from February 2018 but don’t wait till the New Year to book. You need to act fast as tickets are almost sold out. 

    Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella: Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to see a Matthew Bourne ballet at Sadler’s Wells. Cinderella is one of his campest and also one of my favourites of all his ballets and it makes a welcome return to the capital. Dashing airmen, a wicked stepmother based on Joan Crawford at her meanest and some Blitz glamour in the bombed out Café de Paris? Hell, there’s even a scene with dancing hookers and rent boys. What are you waiting for? It runs from 9th of December to January 2018.

    Strangers in Between: After two runs at the ultra LGBT + friendly theatre, The King’s Head, ‘Strangers in Between’ returns to the stage and this time in the West End at Trafalgar Studios 2. Tommy Murphy’s play is about something lots of us can identify with, being a small town boy and moving to the terrifying big city. We liked this a lot when it last ran. Don’t just take our word for it. It hits the stage again from the 10th of January to the 3rd Feb 2018

    Above the Stag: You may or may not have been to this gay-themed theatre venue in Vauxhall. OK, so it’s in a railway tunnel (although they’re planning a move) and some of the shows are hit and miss but it’s worth chancing it for one of the hits. They also have a very saucy annual pantomime and you can top off the evening experiencing the joys of the area (and I don’t mean Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens). Visit them now.

  • Labour suspends MP after homophobic comments

    The Labour party has suspended Jared O’Mara, pending an investigation over alleged homophobic and misogynistic comments.

    Labour suspends MP after homophobic comments

    Following on from revelations over MP Jared O’Mara’s forum messages posted over a decade ago, which were misogynistic and homophobic, the Labour party have taken action to suspend the newly elected MP for Sheffield Hallam.

    The MP unseated the former Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg in this year’s general election.

    Mr O’Hara had issued an apology over his misogyny but failed to mention anything about his homophobia which included a message sent from an account which was allegedly his, in which he said he’d thought it would be funny if jazz singer Jamie Cullum was “sodomised” to death with his own piano.

    The minister had been serving on the Women’s and Equality committee but he resigned shortly after the messages surfaced.

    Speaking to BBC News the shadow chancellor John McDonnell said,  “There will be a full investigation by the Labour Party and then, as a result of that, a final decision will be made about his future.

    “New information has come to light, so quite rightly the Labour Party has acted swiftly. He’s been suspended, the whip has been withdrawn.”

    Transphobia

    Following on from the forum messages,  a former partner of the O’Mara, Sophie Evans, 25,  alleged he was abusive and transphobic. They dated seven months ago.

    Ms Evan alleges that O’Mara used sexist language and “transphobic slurs”

    Speaking to Daily Politics she said,

    “There were some transphobic slurs in there . . . he called me an ugly b*tch,”

    “I just thought ‘Wow, he’s not a very nice man’ and just forgot about it.

    “He never apologised to me or my friends that were involved. He has called us liars in the press, he has been on radio and called us liars.

    “I just find it very, very hard to believe that he has changed.”

    Mr O’Mara “categorically denies”the allegations.

  • Ryanair is changing its cabin baggage policy – and it’s going to cost you more

    Ryanair, the-world’s-favourite-squeeze-more-out-of-you airline is set to change its cabin baggage policy.

    In a bid to tackle late departures, Ryanair says that passengers who haven’t booked a priority ticket, will only be able to carry on “one small” cabin bag – you will have to check your larger items.

    Previously all passengers were allowed to take on two pieces of baggage, one small handbag and a larger suitcase like cabin bag, but that’s all set to change from January 15th. Now if you want both bags with you on the plane you will have to have a priority, Flexi Plus or Family Plus ticket. If you’re a standard ticket holder, your larger item will have to go in the hold – although that will be for free. The only catch is you’ll have a longer wait time at the airport at the end of your destination as you’ll have to pick it up from baggage reclaim.

    Want to keep both sets of baggage with you on the plane? You’ll have to cough up €5.00 for a priority boarding pass, at the time of booking or €6 up to one hour before the flight.

    It’s not all bad news though, Ryanair has lowered the price of its checked baggage from €35 to €25 each way and raised the limit from 15kgs to 20 kgs.

    What will I be able to take into the Ryanair cabin with me?

    If you are a standard, non-priority customer, you’ll only be permitted to bring on one small cabin bag. If you bring larger cabin bag, you will have to put it into the hold.

    Your handbag must be no bigger than 35cm x 20cm x 20cm your cabin bag or suitcase must be no bigger than  55cm x 40cm x 20cm and 10kg in weight.

    Time for change

    Speaking about the policy change, Kenny Jacobs said,

    “We will delay the introduction of our new cabin bag rules until 15th January 2018, to allow our customers more time to familiarise themselves with the policy changes. From Jan, we will be restricting non-priority customers to one small carry-on bag (their wheelie bag will be placed in the hold, free of charge at the boarding gate) which will speed up the boarding of flights and eliminate flight delays.

    “We have already introduced the first phase of the new bag policy which offers our customers lower bag fees for a 33% increase in their check-in bag allowance. This will lead to fewer customers with 2 carry-on bags at the boarding gates, which is causing flight delays.

    “The new cabin bag policy will be implemented for all travel after 15th January 2018, and we hope our customers will enjoy the savings of our new simplified bag policy.”

  • COMMENT | The NHS is wrong to ask patient’s their sexuality

    Doctors have been ordered to ask patients if they are gay. This is one of the most ludicrous decisions I feel the NHS has ever decided to make.

    What is the point of GP’s having to record every patient’s sexuality? I really fail to see the point of this new rule and to me, I fear it’s building up to the UK becoming a nanny state.

    It’s being called intrusive and Orwellian by many people. I agree. I’m very lucky, I’m an open gay man who is widely accepted by family, colleagues and friends. But what about those in denial about their sexuality? Or those who simply don’t feel comfortable in coming out yet? I’m scared it may actually do more harm than good.

    I have deep fears about the security of the data, as any leak could potentially ‘out’ thousands of patients.

    Many visits to the GP are for everyday ailments, like tonsillitis, chest infections, aches and pains etc. So how is a doctor questioning their patient’s sexuality going to aid them in making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment? Quite frankly, none whatsoever. I’m no medical expert, but I’m sure antibiotics are the same for a straight person, a gay man or a bisexual woman.

    Unless it’s related to your health, I believe that your sexuality is not the NHS’s business. The precious eight minutes you get with a GP is short enough, without taking up the time to ask unnecessary questions. You want medical advice from a doctor. Not your sexual preference being interrogated.

    So, from 2019, every patient over the age of 16 will be asked to state their sexuality. Is it really relevant to ask an 80-year-old grandfather if they’ve ever had a relationship with a man?

    I think this ludicrous, intrusive and damn right ridiculous question should be scrapped before it even begins. Doctors and the NHS are stretched enough as it is, without adding sexuality checks to their workload. Let them stick to what they do best. Medically treating and diagnosing patients. And this is something they do exceptionally well, without knowing a patient’s sexual orientation.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★★ | On New Year’s Eve in 1938, American writer Clifford Bradshaw arrives in Berlin, and finds his way to the Kit Kat Club, a burlesque club hosted by the enigmatic Emcee, where the fluidity of sexuality, gender and sexual expression flow as freely as the gin. There he meets Sally Bowles, an excitable, if naïve, English woman, who performs at the club; and the two of them embark on an affair. But as the Nazi party rises to power, their friends both at the club and within the community find that their lifestyle places them all at risk as the nation starts to divide.

    THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret - Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    Starring Will Young and Louise Redknapp, this classic musical written by Kander and Ebb, needs very little introduction. Including the songs “Money Makes The World Go Around”, “Maybe This Time”, “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” and “Cabaret”, the show contrasts the bright lights of the carefree club with a story which has a surprisingly dark streak to it.

    The first act is awash with exuberant musical numbers, performed in a classic burlesque style; with the stage glowing in gold and orange lighting, and with an abundance of scantily clad and ridiculously attractive dancers, showing off a plethora of muscular pecs, torsos and biceps. The indulgence and pleasure of the Kit Kat Club then yields in the second act to a darker and more emotional story as the rise of fascism takes hold, impacting on the free-living community of the club.

    Will Young excels in his portrayal of Emcee; making his performance seem effortless and natural and injecting the role with just the right balance of humour, ambiguity and campness to be charismatic and alluring. His performance of the shows musical numbers is excellent, especially in opening the show with “Wilkomen” and in a haunting rendition of “I Don’t Care Much”. Louise Redknapp has her moments as Sally Bowles, and to her credit can belt out the show’s tunes, but her acting ability does not shine through and any stage presence that she may have gets lost amongst the charismatic cast; whereas Charles Hagerty provides solid and tuneful support in the role of Clifford Bradshaw

    The show is well staged, with a beautiful cast, thoughtful and interesting choreography and an impressive lighting design. The set is relatively stripped back giving the whole production a feel which is not too dissimilar to Kander and Ebb’s other musical, Chicago. It is beautiful to look at and Rufus Norris’ direction keeps the show moving along nicely.

    The revival of this production is timely, to say the least. With the recent resurgence in far-right political parties, the treatment of the gay community in Chechnya and with homophobic hate crimes reported to be on the rise, the show maintains a strong message about the impact of passivity and naivety to these issues on the gay community; a message which continues to resonate with audiences many years after the show was first performed.

    Cabaret is currently playing at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday 28th October 2017, before continuing on its national tour, calling at Milton Keynes, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bromely, Dublin and Brighton. Visit the tour’s website for details and tickets.

  • Hopkins’ blast police force for taking part in pride parades

    Katie Hopkins takes issue with police forces taking part in annual pride parades.

    Policing with Pride – Police in Liverpool march in Liverpool Pride 2017

    Katie Hopkins has taken a swipe at police forces in the UK for taking part in pride parades – and described them “as part of the problem”. The former LBC presenter was making a statement after it came to light that some police chiefs in the UK might have to pull their support from Remembrance Sunday parades due to lack of funding.

    Speaking to her 823,000 followers on Twitter taking aim at police chiefs she wrote, “You can’t afford our Remembrance Parades (for fear of offending) but you can afford this vanity exercise?” before republishing a video of a police force taking part in a pride parade. 

    The tweet generated a huge backlash, with at least one person asking if the officers in the video were “real” and added that they were “an embarrassment”. Hopkins responded by writing “They describe themselves as ‘real officers’. We describe them as ‘part of the problem’.

    This isn’t the first time Hopkins has commented on police inclusion in pride events, earlier in 2017, she remarked on Sussex Police spending £750 on pride decals for two of their cars.

  • Kit Harington says he was “wrong” to say that men can experience sexism

    The Game Of Thrones actor, Kit Harington has backtracked on comments which suggested that men could experience sexism in the entertainment industry.

    CREDIT: Gage Skidmore – Cropped from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/14588046768/

    Kit Harington has stepped back from remarks he made about men experiencing sexism in the entertainment industry. Last year, the GoT actor suggested that he felt subjected to sexism. Most notably when he stripped off for photo shoots.

    Speaking to The Times, last year, Harington said, “There’s definitely a sexism in our industry that happens towards women, and there is towards men as well…

    “At some points during photo shoots when I’m asked to strip down, I felt that.”

    He continued, “I like to think of myself as more than a head of hair or a set of looks. It’s demeaning.

    “Yes, in some ways you could argue I’ve been employed for a look I have. But there’s a sexism that happens towards men.”

    Now stepping back from calling it sexism, Kit told the Guardian, that he was “wrong” adding, “sexism against men is not something I should have really said“. He made the clarification that he should have said, “being objectified”.

    “I think what I meant was, being objectified. At that time, I did feel objectified, and now I’ve learned how to control that.

    Explaining about the objectification of men, he continued, “Look, I do think men can get objectified. I do feel I have been objectified in the past, sexually as well, in pieces that have been written about me. Has that made me feel uncomfortable in the past? Yes. Do I think my position is the same as a woman’s in society? No. They’re very different things, and I should have separated them. I was wrong.”

  • MP Jared O’Mara quits equality role amidst homophobic and misogynist row

    Disgraced Labour MP, Jared O’Mara has resigned his post on the women’s and equality committee following the revelations of anti-gay and misogynist comments made on forums back in the early 2000s.

    The MP, who unseated Nick Clegg in the last General Election, is said to have used numerous anti-gay slurs on the Morrissey Solo website forum and Drowned In Sound. Terms such as “fudge packers” and driving “up the Marmite motorway” to describe gay people were used and a message was written that said gay people were “bitter and resentful about being homosexual”.

    Some of the messages date back to 2002.

    A message, which apparently used his email address was published which expressed a wish for jazz singer Jamie Cullum to be “sodomised” to death, the message read, “It would be no great loss to the music world if he was sodomised with his own piano and subsequently died of a sore arse. In fact, it would be quite funny.”

    Taking to Twitter, O’Mara issued an apology, saying he was “ashamed” of the comments that he made online and said that he was wrong to make them. He also apologised for the unacceptable language. However, he only apologised for the comments made about women and not the homophobic comments.

    His statement in full:

    “I am deeply ashamed of the comments I made online, which have emerged today. I was wrong to make them; I understand why they are offensive and sincerely apologise for my use of such unacceptable language. I made the comments as a young man, at a particularly difficult time in my life, but that is no excuse. Misogyny is a deep problem in our society. Since making those comments 15 years ago, I have learned about inequalities of power and how violent language perpetuates them. I continue to strive to be a better man and work where I can to confront misogyny, which is why I’m so proud to sit on the Women and Equalities Select Committee. I will continue to engage with, and crucially learn from, feminist and other equalities groups so as an MP I can do whatever I can to tackle misogyny.”

     


    THEGAYUK.com reached out to O’Mara for clarification on his homophobic messages.

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