Image via Monkees.com
The former lead singer of the made-for-TV band The Monkees, Davy Jones, passed away today after having a heart attack, his publicist confirmed. The 66-year-old died in Fort Pierce, Florida en route to Martin Memorial Hospital South. The English singer had girls (and boys) swooning when he sang on the NBC comedy series “The Monkees.” This early boy band that featured the likes of Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork had many hits including “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m a Believer.” [Reuters]
Videos of Davy Jones and The Monkees after the jump…
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Image via Facebook.
Last week’s mid-winter finale of Glee took on the heavy issue of LGBT-teen suicides. While many were shocked by the events that took place, it appears that the show’s story line inspired viewers throughout the country to logon to The Trevor Project. The organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBT youth saw their web traffic spike and their phone calls triple after the episode aired.
“What was great about the show is that they worked in conjunction with us so we knew in advance that there was going to in all likelihood be an increase in volume,” Trevor Project co-founder Peggy Rajski tells EW. “What happened was the volume went up about 300 percent, but we were ready.” [HuffPo]
Check out what happened on Glee after the jump….
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Screen Cap via ABC
A lesbian couple is making headlines because they were asked to leave a Phoenix restaurant after the two kissed. The restaurant, Sheraton’s District, which is located in the downtown hotel, allegedly told the same-sex couple to leave after they kissed while celebrating their one-year anniversary this past Sunday. After Kenyata White and Aeimee Diaz locked lips, a manager came over and told the couple to get a room. When he saw how upset the two were, he apologized and offered them free drinks if they came back at another time.
“By no means at all were we doing any inappropriate activity. It was a light kiss a kiss that you could give your friends on the lips. It wasn’t any make out at all and so we were very puzzled as to why we need to get a room,” White said.
As of now, the Sheraton has no comment. [ABC]
ABC 15 has a video interview here.
We’ll be sure to update you when we hear what Sheraton has to say.
UPDATE:
A spokesperson responded by releasing this statement: “We embrace diversity and are proud supporters of the LGBT community, we are taking thsi incident very seriously our restaurant is open for all to enjoy we sincerely regret that this incident took place.”
Image via Archie Comics.
While the One Million Mom’s campaign that went after Ellen DeGeneres was largely unsuccessful, the group hasn’t waited long to launch their next campaign—this time it’s aimed at Archie Comics and Toys ‘R’ Us. The group of conservative moms is asking the famous toy company to stop stocking their shelves with the same-sex marriage Life with Archie comic that features the openly gay Kevin Keller character getting married to his boyfriend. [MediaBistro]
Check out the formal letter that the group has written after the jump…
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Screen Cap of Fox's Same-Sex Marriage Page.
While the governor of Maryland hasn’t even signed the state’s recently passed marriage-equality legislation into law yet, Baltimore’s Fox News affiliate WBFF-45 has endorsed a referendum to repeal it by posting a link to a petition on their website. In order for a referendum vote to take place opponents must collect 18,000 signatures by the end of May, then they have until June 30 to collect 55,000 valid signatures.
You can help get rid of this petition by emailing news@foxbaltimore.com or by calling 410-467-4545. [WashingtonBlade]
Anika Larsen in "Myths & Hymns". Photo by Richard Termine.
February’s Most Valuable (Theatrical) Player works hard for the money. Actually, given the Off-Broadway venues she performed in this month, I’m guessing she worked hard for not a lot of money. But, oh, the rewards for the audience!
So let’s give a wildly enthusiastic standing ovation to Anika Larsen for her double duty work in Myths and Hymns (for the Prospect Theater Company) and Disaster! (recently extended at the Triad.)
Keep reading over at The Broadway Blog…
Image via Change.org
While airlines like Air France are being called out for their transport of monkeys for scientific research, Hong Kong Airlines is at the helm of the latest debate on the ethics of transporting animals. The China Daily News reported last week that Hong Kong Airlines has made a HK$85,000 deal to transport dolphins from Japan to Vietnam where the dolphins will most likely be used in a theme-park show. According to a Change.org petition, the airline brought five Taiji dolphins as cargo in “flying coffins” for the seven-hour flight in mid-January.
A petition has been launched with over 6,000 signatures calling on Hong Kong Airlines to stop profiting from animal cruelty.
Image via Passport.
We may have missed yesterday’s celebration of International Polar Bear Day, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t do your part to help reduce climate change and ensure that our neighbors to the north have a habitat to live and thrive in for many years to come. If we continue our current trend of fossil fuel consumption and deforestation—Polar Bears International says two-thirds of the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the wild could disappear by the middle of this century if carbon dioxide emissions are not cut.
So here’s a challenge. The Bundle Up for Polar Bears challenge asks everyone to lower their thermostat by just two degrees. According to Care2, “This slight decrease in energy consumption has a big impact on your carbon footprint and helps reduce the amount of climate change-causing emissions in the atmosphere. If you feel a little chilly because of this change, simply bundle up in your favorite warm clothing—and, afterwards, share your “Bundle Up” photos on the Polar Bears International Facebook page.”
If you’re living somewhere where you can’t control your thermostat, there are many other ways to help. Just click here.
