The views expressed on The Big Gay After Show may not
necessarily reflect the views of the Nathan B Stubblefield
Foundation or those of the staff or management of WMNF Tampa.
Listener discretion is advised. Unfiltered, unbothered, and
unapologetically queer. Welcome to the Big Gay After
show. Welcome to the big Gay After
show. I forgot what we're doing today.
Welcome to the big Gay After Show.
My name is Chris Gorman. I'm a show twink here, joined by
the electric trans queen of radio, Miss Esme Russell.
Merry Christmas. And we're also joined by
extremely special guests. We are joined by Raquel Blue,
otherwise known as Robert Rigsby, creator of Closet Ball
Tampa Bay and also Roca Productions.
Welcome into the studio. Is this thing on?
It is on yes. It's just the worst.
What a way to start the show. Me saying Merry Christmas and
you and you asking hello, hello, hello, hello.
Is this thing on? Just making sure.
That is just the fucking worst. I'm sorry, but it is.
It's that kind of day. It's just that terrible.
I'm like, are you serious? Is this thing on?
Well, so for those who do not know, we'll, we'll, we'll start
with Roka production. So what is Roka?
What is? What is Roka?
It is actually pronounced Roka. Is it Roka?
Yes, everyone says Roka, which is really funny, but it it was
my first, the first 2 letters of my name and my old business
partner Casey. We started back in 2015 because
we had gone to pageants and we were seeing all these dancers,
but they weren't trained dancers.
I get that. I get what you mean.
Like you could tell like they were using.
Them they were sloppy and and it was they weren't as as refined,
yes. As technical.
So that's kind of what we saw was a niche for us to make some
extra money and it worked. I'm still here.
Awesome. So for somebody to go ahead and,
you know, come up to you and be like, hey, I want to get
production going. How does that work?
What what do you go ahead and do?
What's your? Problem, you know, The thing is,
is that first it was all about word of mouth and then I got
onto Facebook and create a page and actually the thing was it's
just us showing up to different pageants and different events.
That was how we have survived. People don't really go to our
website, they kind of just say hey, I need dancers or they just
randomly call me I need dancers for this, I need go go dancers,
I need promo models. So it's very much of A word of
mouth thing still. And one of the things I do love
about Rocket Productions is I believe if you don't have work,
you can create it. So that's what I really had to
do was create the work, creating work for myself as a dancer who
moved to Florida at 35 years old.
I wasn't going to work at Busch Gardens because I was 35 years
old. You know, I'd just been dancing
in Las Vegas for 11 years and I'd come work at Busch Gardens.
That was another story for another day.
But it was very much, it's provided me work for a very long
time. And the places that we've, we've
traveled all over the United States performing and that has
been a blessing in itself because I really didn't expect
to come to Florida and just be dancing in Boston or dancing in
Chicago or. Have you ever worked for Busch
Gardens? I have.
Is it just me or is Busch Gardens in decline?
Yes. Well, I don't go to theme parks
because I don't do rides. I just drink.
I will jump on that and say, yes, I love.
I love love, love, love, love, love Busch Gardens.
My actually fun fact about me is that we've had me and my
parents, my family have had passes to Busch Gardens since I
was a toddler. And what's so funny about that
is that they never adjusted the price.
So we have a full on like past nowadays platinum pass for the
same price of a toddler price back in 2003.
So we, we've not increased the pricing.
So I for the people who have to pay full price, I feel as though
it is a little bit of a disservice the fact that they
are in, in the current state that they are currently in.
There's a lot of times where I see people arguing or not
arguing, complaining about the fact that rides are shut down,
multiple rides are shut down and it's a it's a mess.
It's it's a mess and shut it down.
I don't, I don't think Busch Gardens should be shut down
entirely. I think it needs to be revamped
a little bit more. Yeah, it looks kind of seedy.
It's, it's, you know, The thing is it when I first moved here, I
was excited to go to Busch Gardens because I had been to
some of the other parks when I was on tour.
And it was really exciting to see Bush because I'd like to go
see the shows. That's all I want to see.
I've never looked at a Bush and wanted to look at it.
Oh my God. And you know.
What you said, you said you don't have to look.
At the Bush. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I've never, so I've never in my life wanted to look at nobody's
Bush. Same here, I got to get a
haircut reminds me. But I do like to see shows and
theme parks. That's what I do, that's what I
want to see. So literally I just go from show
to show. I saw the ice skating Christmas
show and I liked it. It was really good.
I I haven't been to Busch Gardens any.
Yeah, it was really good. They were really good.
They're very talented. Yeah, they're great people.
I follow some of them on social media as well because I just
like to, you know, whenever I need.
The dancers do the dancers make good money there?
I think it is a perspective of why the dancers are so young.
I don't think the money is great there.
I think it's great if you're new and you're trying to get in the
career of being a professional dancer.
I think that is great. Because they prefer young
dancers. Yeah, yeah.
They're all young and, you know, moldable.
They don't know what's out there yet.
And it's easier to say you are late and, and you know, get that
excuse. But for me, like, I'm late, I'm
grown. I'm trying to do my best to be
on on time. And, you know, in the world of
entertainment, 15 minutes is early.
Yes, on time is late. Yes, exactly.
We say, we always say. That on this?
Oh, absolutely. We just said it today.
Yes. And we actually we were thinking
about you. Oh yeah, absolutely.
And you know what? I stayed in contact.
Yes, it was not. It was not.
And yeah. Yeah, it wasn't messy.
It wasn't messy. No 'cause if you don't stay in
contact, that is messy. That is definitely.
Well, you don't know if they're coming or not.
Chris kept saying she's gonna be here, She's gonna be here.
Eventually. Eventually.
'Cause I called him when all this thing went down and
everything like that. But you know, sometimes, like,
especially with the prices of gas right now, like Uber
drivers. Oh, sorry, sorry.
Uber drivers are choosing not to take certain rides because of
more gas. It costs more money.
Like the driver that I had, his name is Albert Awesome was
explaining to me like the people that are in your area, if your
ride is further away, they're looking at how much gas it's
going to cost them to get there and to get back because of the
gas prices have changed it and they're not making as much money
as Uber and Lyft drivers as they were.
They were making about 60%. Now they're making about 30%
and. Then also the people that don't
tip, that's got to be very. Was your driver local?
Was he here from Tampa or from Saint Pete?
He was from Clearwater. So yeah, so he took a little
drive. Yeah, he did, definitely.
Because I don't know where Sumner is.
And Sufner, Sufner, Sufner, Yeah, I've never even heard.
We're not in Sufner, dear. I, I I know this.
Yeah, well anyways, going back to to you.
So closet ball. What is closet ball?
Closet Ball is a amateur drag pad that I started 11 years ago
in October for a fundraiser for King of Peace.
It was supposed to be fun and, you know, just kind of can't be
to raise money for the church. And it became something I didn't
expect it to. The idea was based off of the
closet Vault that Nevada Gay Rodeo Association has in Las
Vegas. So I kind of took the idea, but
I do give them credit and I kind of ran with it.
And that first year Georgia Moore was my first winner.
She went on to go to National Comedy Queen.
She won some another title after Closet Ball and then she went on
to national coming National Comedy Queen where she placed
11th for her first time and she had only been doing drag for
three months. So I kind of figured I might be
good at this. And then I did it again the next
year and then it was again for the church and then after that
the church and I went separate directions and then I was
producing it myself. But what it has evolved from is
not just a fundraiser, it is an organization where now we raise
thousands of dollars every year for various organizations.
That is something I took on a couple years ago.
It was meant to when you step down, the reigning person
chooses the organization that the new person will raise money
for, for the following year. So it is, you know, we did Divas
and dialogue and we were able to get a couple of women of color
who were trans into their own apartment where it was paid for
in full. We were able to get them to DC
last year. We worked with assistance of
perpetual indulgence and we were able to raise a lot of money for
them. And I actually got to be a
sister for a day, like a real sister.
I live sister. I need a vaca.
I need a. What I need a vaca?
I need a vaca. What was it?
Fondi was my raining clouds about winter last year when I
did it. So she gave me that name and I
was like, that's cute. So this year we're doing Shelter
Strong and Largo because I've been working with them trying to
get the unhoused housing and that's been a journey in itself.
So it's a great thing 'cause I get to teach these kids who are
new in the community how to promote themselves, how to make
themselves business people. We did have Closetball here a
couple weeks ago, Morgana Morgan.
And it's also giving them experiences that they're not
going to get. Just being out there in a while
doing talent nights, getting a seat at the table was pretty
much what I do. It's taking them and letting
them know these are the things that you can be doing.
These are how you can show your face more.
You know a lot of people are going to tell you when you do
these contests every week, get new costumes, work on your
makeup. You need to make sure you have
your nails on. No ones going to tell you that
at those old competitions. Not that I'm I'm bashing them in
any way, shape or form. Don't get it corrected, but
there's no one there to help you.
And with Clausible, I get to be their biggest fan for 365 days
and give them the opportunities to do exactly what they need,
what they want, and introduce them to people who are in the
business, who have been around the business for a very long
time and know their stuff. Absolutely.
And if I remember correctly from the Morgana interview, the one
of the requirements is that you have to have only been doing
drag for less than three years, right?
That's a very, very interesting requirement because you know,
you see a lot of pageants that don't necessarily even have like
any sort of that other than like the newcomer pageants.
So it's, that's a very unique thing.
And I honestly, I think that it's really noble because it's
really hard to compete against somebody who's been doing drag
for 10/15/20 years. Like if Esme were to go into
Saint Pete Pride or something like that, she'd swipe the floor
like. We're not gonna do that.
But. But yeah, it's it's a guideline.
But even when you're good girl, sometimes they rig those
pageants. I'm sorry, but they do.
Period. Or or or what they do is they
they pack the judges table with judges that lean towards a
certain group or a certain person.
Or style. Yeah, or so and and making
making the judge judges table, not not rigging the pageant, but
making it ineffective to pick the right one, correct.
You see what I'm saying, right? So.
Because a lot of times you don't see the the behind the scenes
and the work that goes into things with pageants.
But this one it, it's, it's plain as day.
You have one hour to go get into drag makeup with a makeup artist
to help her. It's not a lot of long time.
No, it's not. It's very.
Hard to people.
People must get really nervous. It's.
So much fun. It's, it's a lot of fun because
you know, the one thing I tell people is, yes, have fun because
this is not going to be something that you're going to
get to do most of the time in your career more than once.
You've got to practice before you get there.
Absolutely it's in. It's in their information packet
to practice with your makeup artist so you don't go out there
for the first. Time and they can't do their own
makeup. They cannot, which is a prereq.
One of the first things that I tell drag children is learn to
do your own makeup. Right, right.
Because nobody like can be depended on all the time, you
know what I'm saying? So.
Well, I I do remember a drag queen in Las Vegas that never
painted her own face. She literally had a makeup
artist. Paul doesn't.
No, I know. No, she doesn't.
That's my sister that does her makeup.
But yeah, it was one of those things where I wanted people to,
well, before it was just to be fun.
But now it's more of a serious system now where people aren't
my my girls are, and my guys are going to national pageants now
and getting them there, choreographing talents for them,
especially with rocket productions and getting them
outside. Now you have a You have the male
Mr. Closet Ball and the female. No, Closet ball is a general
title. It does not have a gender or a
sexuality or all of the above. It is for anyone in any kind of
draft. So when the contestants compete,
they compete against each other and anybody could win, then a
man could beat out a queen. So I don't like that you could
never get me as a contestant in that kind of foolish, you know,
I'm telling that's just pure foolishness. yo-yo, I'll, I'll
tell you the truth. I'll.
But you know, I'm not gonna lie to you.
Well, I think that it's, it's everybody's personal
perspective. Cause honestly from an
individual's perspective, I would love to see an Esme
Russell versus Apollo Infinity drag off.
Not doing it 'cause let God forbid we get a bunch of his
friends on the judges table, then they then he ends up
winning and I sit and I sit there in the corner going.
I know this man did not beat me well.
You know, the thing that I do about I'm very specific.
I do have a formula for my judges and it's it stays the
same way. Every year.
I pick one of my judges is the winner from last year.
So this year Fondy will be on the judges panel.
I pick a local celebrity who has no idea anything about drag
whatsoever. And then I pick usually a male
entertainer and a female entertainer.
That's the other one. See, I'm because I for
pageantry. You got to realize though, I've
done a lot of pageantry. One of the things that used to
shock me all the time is when they start reading off the
judges panel and they go. And by the way, from A&B florist
shop right here, just as an example, or, or Sunshine Florist
shop right here in Ybor City. Hold on a second, a florist
judging my drag. What does a florist know about
makeup, hair, wigs? You know what I'm saying?
It would just send me into a tizzy.
I would just panic because let's just face it, drag is very hard.
It's very hard. It's very.
And it's very expensive. Right.
It's not good drag because anybody can do drag, but good
drug, it's expensive. Well, one of the things about
closet Ball, it is a very serious pageant.
But ideally what I want people to do is one of the rules I tell
all of my judges every year. You can take away the makeup,
you can take away the drag clothes.
Do you have a person that is talented?
Can I book this person to work next week?
That's what I'm looking for. Because all of the aesthetics of
drag can be fixed, can be helped and the drive for people.
You can't buy that. You can't teach that.
It's something that has to be there.
And that's why I always have a judge that doesn't have anything
to do with the drag community because I want to see from their
perspective. Are you entertained by this
person? And then the other, you know, I
have, you know, the former there because they have gone through
it. So they know exactly what I'm
looking for because they've just done it.
And then I have, you know, a male and female representing
judges on the panel every year. So that if I do have a male
contestant, there is the male perspective as well as the
female perspective. So that fifth spot is always
kind of a who's available or usually I keep it for like the
one stepping down, like is there a person you would like to see
perform at closet ball? So I usually leave that spot.
What did you have in? I know, I know.
You did it at Hamburger Mary's for years.
Yeah, it was at Hamburger Mary's last year.
It was at Shelter Strong, which is no longer there.
So you have to move it again now.
I have to move it again this year.
What? What are you thinking of?
I'm, I'm looking at, just looking at a couple of venues.
I know that Morgana Morgan, who's our reigning, she performs
a lot at Disco Pony. So we're looking at that because
it it would actually be a great venue.
But I am also looking at now that I have to find another
venue, the expenses of what it's going to cost me to produce it
this year. So that is always a huge
difference on where it goes, but it has to be somewhere local.
Yeah, of course, because you're doing it right here.
It's a lot. Of how many years have you done
it now? In October it will be 11 eleven
11th anniversary. I know it's exciting like all of
these people that I you know, Adam Cole, he was my first male
winner is my best friend. He's like my little brother, but
he does better than me. But you know, taking him and
learning all the things that I had to learn too.
For a male entertainer, how he needs to look at all times, how
he needs to represent the kind of music that he needs to start
performing. And I learned a lot from him.
And every, every year I learned Morgana is blue.
So learning and learning. We we interviewed her here.
Yeah, she came very normal looking, but you know.
She's amazing. I mean, like she loves the idea
of Comic Con. She loves the idea of, you know,
characters and anime and things like that.
So what I've been doing is investing time and learning
about Comic Con. I am a, I'm a stickler about,
I'm a stickler about so many things, you know, but even the
name of a person, you know, the name of a person has a lot to do
with how they're going to navigate in the, especially in
our industry, you know what I mean?
I always tell Queens avoid names that are offensive, that offend,
you know what I mean? Yeah, I think that's important
because I think when you're younger you're trying to have
something that's fun or effective.
But when I even when I was choosing my drag name, it was
something that related to what I do, which is rock Hell, which is
2 words ROCKHELL. As a dancer, that's what I want
people to know, that I'm going to rock it out on the stage.
So it's and this. Is my favorite color.
And then if God were to come, you'd go to hell.
Well, I'm just saying when he saw you up there at high heels
in a makeup, he was said you straight.
So I get it. You're rocking it out while
you're going to hell seeing. Curtains.
I got to put curtains in there 'cause it's going to be hot.
We're all going here. We'll be there alone.
We're all going to be sitting down there with many little mini
air conditioners trying to cool off.
It's going to be warm, but we won't be alone.
Well, you know, one of the things I forgot is with 'cause
about how fun it actually is during the year for me is
learning different aspects of drag, 'cause even as a promoter
and the owner, I'm learning so many different aspects of drag,
which helps my drag as well. So learning from these, these
younger entertainers, like you know, Fondy was on the radio
show too. I think all of them have been on
here in the past four years. Yeah, at least if I remember
correctly. I think most of them have been
on here, yeah. You came to our nighttime show.
Yeah. Yeah.
So that's a rough one, wasn't it, that.
Was more it was rough. Could you imagine if I had been
late doing that this morning? We.
Did it we would have been fine. We, we did it for years.
I mean, we did it, you know, we talk about it all the time.
How many years we did it And, and it was it was hard.
It was that 12 to 3 three. I mean literally, you have to
stay up past your bedtime to get to work well.
What I always did was I always went to sleep early so I could
wake up and I didn't bring anything to drink at all.
Yeah, well, you can't drink in here.
No, I know. But like I usually really
thirsty late at night, so I always had like something
because I know that you have to have it by the wall, but.
Yeah. Well, even in here it has to be
in a closed container. Yeah.
But I think we got in trouble because of our, our Co, our Co
anchor or host Brian, I think he had a drink or something.
They saw him on camera. No, he was eating.
Ohh he was eating, he was eating.
I'm gonna tell you, Candy by the board.
By before he got caught I had been doing it for not eating,
but I had been drinking in my for a long time.
Hmm. You know, just I don't even, I
don't know how it happened. But I remember the last time I
was eating nuts and cranberries from the gas station that was
next door. Yeah.
But it's fine.
But yeah. Yeah, but eating when you're
talking on the mic is just not great.
I'm not into AMSR. I'm not into it.
I can't stand. It what is what is MASR?
It's like the the when like you're listen to something and
it gives you like that tingly feeling and stuff like that.
It's like where you like see people on TikTok and everything
like that and they're intentionally making the noise.
So it's autonomous sensory Meridian response, a deeply
relaxing static like tingling sensation that typically starts
at the scalp and moves down the neck and spine.
Can I tell you what sets me off? And, and we were talking about
it yesterday and I you're wearing flip flops today, but
those those flip flops had the two straps that like they called
the lesbian flip flops. Oh my God, do you know which
ones I'm talking about? OK, let me say something.
What's the company that makes them I?
Have no idea. OK, they're not cheap, by the
way. They're very expensive.
They're like the Dark Martins for lesbians.
OK. Yeah, they're like $100.
They're not cheap, These flip flops, I can't stand seeing them
on men. OK, well, I can't stand seeing
them on women. First of all, I don't know what
it is about those flip flops. And last night I was with my son
Shane and my my daughter Veronica.
We were at the movie, watching the movie and this guy, I
arrived early with Shane cause Veronica was with Autumn V.
They had gone to dinner somewhere.
So I'm sitting there in the theater getting ready to walk in
to go see our movie. And Shane says to me, look at
those flip flops. I've got a pair at home.
And I look at the guy's feet and I go, don't you ever wear those
flip flops around me because those flip flops are nasty, He
said. You don't like, I'm gonna say I
have a phobia about those flip flops.
So do you have a phobia with the sound, the crunchings and the
paper? Oh yeah, It's like, like one of
my biggest pet peeve is to hear people eat.
And a lot of times like they will make you know.
Noises. Sounds like crunching and.
It does sound gross, right? It sounds very primal.
Like that one of the OK Speaking of movies and Veronica.
PS I'm referring back. Veronica was our host for Closet
Ball last year and I think I've already asked her to host it
again this year. But anyway, point of story, I
don't go to movies because I hate the sound of popcorn.
OK. Yeah, like hearing popcorn
crunching during a movie. So I don't even notice it.
So what's going to happen now, bitch?
It's now the next time I'm in a fucking movie theater, I'm going
to become hyper aware of the fucking sounds around me because
that's what you just did right now, you fucking bitch.
You just planted, you planted a seed in my mind and now I'm
going to be like, man, this fucking theater is noisy as
hell. You know what I mean?
Because that's what happens. You somebody says something,
can't unhear it. So I hope that the next time you
see those flip flops, you think of me.
I will think. Of I just stare at them.
There was a really good looking guy last night with a pair on,
mind you, very handsome guy. He had nice feet.
Even with those nice feet I couldn't look at them.
Fucking ugly ass. I wanted to walk up and say
don't wear those shoes again, man, you're so fucking cute.
You look like a lesbitarian in those those shoes.
I'm going to go to Gulfport Pride and I'm going to take all
the pictures of. Those shoes, people wear them
there. Gulfport pride.
Come on now girl, think about it.
I just don't even. I can't even about it.
I can't. I can't even imagine.
No, seriously, I don't know what it is about about those shoes,
but it really freaking affects me.
And I try to like hold it like like I, I, I look at them and I
start doing these weird contorted things with my face.
Like it's like almost like I'm having a moment or something, I
don't know. Well, I, I definitely have a
tail like when it comes down to people eating, which is why like
videos, like I'll watch a video, but I'll put it on silent when
they start eating it, but like. Chris, any phobias like that?
No, not really. You guys are really fucking
weird to be honest. I don't know, we're weird.
It's. Just not weird, it's just I
can't. Some people can't do it, yeah.
Well, I I know growing up my dad always had that smacking sound
when he was eating and it just drove me insane for years.
Yeah, I would give anything to hear it again, but.
That's something. So you know what, what my it's
not really a phobia, but it's the literally the most annoying
thing that somebody else can do around me is overstay the
conversation. When I'm having a conversation
with somebody and another person comes in and then I go back to
talking to the person that I was originally talking to and the
guy just kind of stands there and just watches.
Yeah, I'm like, I'm not a fucking entertaining.
He also he also. Now come to think of it, he also
hates breathing in the microphone.
No, I think that was worse than the long conversation.
Girl, this motherfuckers got an ear like a fucking deer in the
forest. He will come back the next week
about I don't know who was breathing in the fucking mic
last week, but I could. I could hear it's like Darth
Vader. It sounds like Darth Vader.
But I get it though, because you're trying to be
professional. You want the image of the show
to look good, and that's just not a good look.
It's a good time, Jesus. Jesus.
You know the the other thing? When I was working in Ohio at
Cedar Point, I used to watch this little video called Tiny
Kitchen. I don't know if you've seen it,
but it I was obsessed with it. Just sitting there at work every
day watching this little tiny chef cook.
Tiny. Tiny little food, tiny kitchen.
But wait a minute and he cooks on a tiny little frying pan and
tiny little pot. And when he makes the the little
rice rice pot was this tiny like this little.
That's that's my thing, but. Who the hell it's?
Relaxing to me. So I was like, hold on, 'cause I
like rice a lot. The rice pot really freaked me
out because as a, you know, of a Cuban ancestry, when I eat rice,
I have to have a lot of rice. OK, more than the actual food.
I'd eat a lot of heavy rice. So I'm looking at the pot.
There might have been in the little pot maybe 14 grains.
I'd like it so cool. Like the little filet mignons
are like I don't know how they make it.
I don't I don't understand. Yeah, the little piece of steak
is so tiny. Not it all looks real too,
right? And I just don't understand.
So cute. And like, you know, like this,
the stove is done with like a little tea candle and then the
little refrigerators and the little knives.
I just don't know. But that's.
But does that show still exist? Yes, yes, I watch it all the
time. What?
Channel. Is it on?
It's on YouTube. Oh, I've got to.
What is it called? Tiny kitchen.
I've got to go look this up.
It's. So much fun.
Oh, I'm going to watch it because you know that just I.
I zoned out. I.
Speaking of zoning out, I was zoned out the entirety of that.
It doesn't matter. We, we were having our, we were
having a very fun conversation. We're having a moment.
Y'all's own moment. It's cute.
Anyways, Miss Esme, what are we going to talk about on the after
show or on the after? I have no idea.
I have no topics. God damn.
Today, today I really didn't do any topics and really today was
one of those days when I should have done as many as possible.
But but you told me, you kind of relaxed me when you said I got a
lot of them. I always got a lot of topics.
I got 18 pages worth of notes. There's definitely topics and
topics and topics, but we've got an annoying Jingle permanently
banned from Airways in California after their deceptive
practices. We're going to go ahead and talk
about that. After that, we're also going to
go ahead and talk about that teacher in an uncensored
fashion, the one that hung the black baby doll.
We're going to definitely talk about that.
Completely uncensored. Shakira acquitted in a Spanish
tax fraud case. We'll talk about that and then I
don't know what else we'll talk about.
We'll talk about maybe Esmay's boobs a little bit, but first
let's go ahead and throw it over to Claire Leeson from Project No
Labels for our big gay News. Then over to Joanna Grasso for
Joe on the Go, our community calendar.
We'll be right back. I'm Claire Leeson from Project
No Labels and this is your LGBTQ news from around the country and
right here in Tampa Bay in Florida from watermark out news.
Equality Florida Action Pack announced May 8th that Joe
Saunders will serve as its first executive director.
Saunders most recently served as Equality Florida Senior
Political Director and is 1 of Floridas first openly LGBTQ plus
state legislators. The Pack says his appointment
comes as it prepares an aggressive 2026 strategy to
elect pro equality candidates across the state.
It's priorities include breaking up Republican super majorities
in the Florida House and Senate, growing the number of LGBTQ plus
lawmakers in Tallahassee. Also from Equality Florida,
whole survivor and national LGBTQ plus advocate Brandon Wolf
has rejoined the organization as senior director of communication
Strategy. Wolf has become one of the
country's most visible voices for LGBTQ plus equality and gun
violence prevention since surviving the post tragedy.
He Co founded the Drew Project, testified before Congress and
later served as national press secretary for the Human Rights
Campaign. His return comes just weeks
before Orlando marks 10 years since the Pulse attack, and
Equality Florida says he will help shape the organization's
messaging during a critical time for LGBTQ plus Floridians in
Orlando. From West to city.
Officials have unveiled updated plans for the permanent memorial
at the former Pulse nightclub site.
The design includes the Angel Ellipse, A colonnade displaying
the names of the 49 victims, along with a reflecting pool
where the dance floor once stood.
Plans include an obelisk marking the date of the attack, rainbow
glass panels and a visitor pavilion.
Construction is expected to begin in September and be
completed by September 2027. In Sports News from ESPN, Jason
Collins, the Nbas first openly gay player, has died of brain
cancer at 47. Collins came out in a 2013
Sports Illustrated cover story, becoming the first publicly gay
athlete to play in one of North America's four major men's
professional sports leagues. He retired in 2014 after a 13
year NBA career and later served as a global ambassador for the
sport. And finally, in international
news from the Washington Blade, King Charles the Third said a
transgender inclusive ban on so-called conversion therapy is
among the British government's legislative priorities.
The proposal would apply to England and Wales and follows
years of debate over whether gender identity would be
included. Please remember to stay safe and
treat yourself and others with kindness.
This has been your LGBTQ plus news for the Big Gay radio show.
I'm Claire Leeson on 88.5 WMNF Tampa.
Hey, hey Tampa Bay, it's Joanna Grosso with Joe on the Go Tampa
Bay, your weekly guide to what's happening around the city.
Here's what's coming up this week.
Starting on Thursday, May 21st, St.
Pete Pride in the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber are hosting Pride
Connect at Florida Rama from 6:00 to 8:00 PM is a networking
and community event inside one of Saint Pete's most immersive
art spaces, bringing together local professionals, creatives
and community members for an evening of connection and
interactive exhibits. Then over Memorial Day weekend
on Monday, May 25th, a community gathering honoring fallen
service members from Mcdill Air Force Base will take place at
1920 Ybor in Tampa. The event is expecting to bring
together veterans, local leaders, and community members
for an evening of remembrance and support.
And looking ahead to the end of the month, Saint Pete Pride Kick
Off Weekend takes place May 29th through the 31st with this
year's theme Here Comes the Sun. The weekend includes a street
festival in the Grand Central District, community events,
entertainment and celebration leading into Pride season.
For more info, behind the scenes and weekly updates, follow along
on Instagram at Joe on the Go Tampa Bay.
Have a great week, Tampa Bay, and I'll see you out and about.
You're listening to the only LGBTQ radio show in Tampa Bay,
The Big Gay Radio Show on 88.5 WMNF.
Welcome back to the Big Gay Radio Show.
My name is Chris Gorman. I'm your show twink here, joined
by the electric trans queen of radio, Miss Azmi Russell.
Keep them flip flops off your feet.
And Robert Rigsby, welcome into the studio.
No chewing with Robert. No chewing.
No. No smacking, no.
No, no smacking and no no heavy breathing on the microphones
with. Chris, So I had AI had a
guidance counselor back in 6th grade who anytime that I saw
her, I don't know if she was just caught, like I just caught
her at the wrong times every time.
But every time that she was there or that I would go and
talk to her, she would be eating a salad literally every single
time. And then and she would also go,
yeah, yeah. And I'm like, bro, shut the fuck
up. Like I don't want to hear your
fucking smacking. Let's go move the fuck on.
Anyways, moving on. Speaking of.
Very aggressive. It's my trauma.
A California judge has ruled
that the Cars for Kids ads misled donors by not saying that
the the donations fund Orthodox Jewish programs connected to
Aura, not broad children's charities in California.
The ruling bars Cars for Kids from airing its famous
commercials in California's unless the ads include clear
spoken disclosures about the group's religious affiliation,
where the money goes and who benefits.
Testimony shows that about 25% of Cars for Kids revenue comes
from California, but the organization has little direct
programming there beyond what the the court described as
branding exercises. Allegedly, the court testimony
or it's not even alleged anymore.
The court testimony revealed that $16.5 million was spent on
on a building purchase in Israel, with another 437,000
spent on Middle East outreach. Cars for kids has faced scrutiny
before, including fines in Pinellas, OR, excuse me,
Pennsylvania and Oregon. And a Minnesota investigation
found that less than 1% of donations in that state actually
benefited local children. What is it called?
Cards, cars for kids. It's when you would go ahead and
donate your car and they would take the money and, and very
clearly go ahead and give it to Israel basically.
Yeah. And then, of course, Hills
Israel. Now that's a very, you know,
controversial subject because, you know, they're dealing in, in
the attack of the Palestinian people.
Correct. So it's just that whole thing is
just, you know, it's complicated, right?
Because I'm not anti Jewish, but I am not anti Palestinian
either, you know? So I think that an issue that
is, you know, being presented and it's honestly from, you
know, a lot of these Israeli nationals who are very, very
wanting the Zionist state. They essentially believe that
anybody who goes ahead and doesn't believe in Israel as a
state is anti-Semitic and that's not the case.
You can be pro Jewish individuals and also be against
the Israeli state. Honestly I if if if you want to
go ahead and buy up a bunch of fucking land and make your own
Jewish state that's perfectly fine.
But you shouldn't attack a the Palestinian people just because
they won't go ahead and give you their land.
And so I you can go ahead and be critical of the decisions that
Israel is doing and not be anti-Semitic.
The other thing is, is that it's very similar to the people who
say that you can't be critical over America without being anti
American. No, you can go ahead and call
out the American government and still be pro America.
I'm very pro America. I believe fully in the
Constitution. Otherwise I wouldn't be fucking
studying it. So it's a very, very unfortunate
situation and it's all goes back down to branding and how things
are marketed to us. Like we talked about this during
the No Kings protest about how certain groups have very good
programming in terms of how they market themselves and how they
essentially make the other side look bad.
And you know, honestly, the Israelis do a really good job of
trying to go ahead and pair criticisms over the Israeli
government with anti-Semitism. Azmi, what's your saying?
No, I was thinking that, you know, with the No Kings March, I
always thought that the name No Kings is was not a good name.
I didn't like it. I always thought it was more of
an anti fascism March rather than you know what I mean.
Which I think that that would be, you know, because.
Trump really doesn't want to be a king.
He really doesn't. No, he wants to be a fascist.
He wants control. He wants full control.
Yeah, 'cause Prince Charles kind of let him have it.
You know when he spoke to, you know when he spoke to the
Congress, when he said even a king has to answer to his
people, Girl, I mean, you can't get a dig better than that one.
Well, even a king, he's even a king has to answer to his
people. Well, the the the picture that
came out yesterday of him in China or his hair all over the
place. Oh yeah, I posted it.
I'd laugh so hard 'cause he looked like one of those
lollipops that stuck in your couch.
Yeah, yeah. For like months.
Yeah, yeah. Find it.
And you're like, what is this? That's what he looked like.
It was, yeah, he's, I, you know, the thing that's happening is
it's really hard for us to get ahead what's happening overseas
when we can't get ahead of what's happening at home.
And it's very, very frustrating because we see the problem and
how the world is reacting to what is happening in the Middle
East. But we are also part of the
problem too, where we're looking at other countries literally
making fun of our government laughing.
President Xi did it right in front of her when he spoke to
the Chinese and Trump was in the audience.
He said you are you. The American people, and I'm
quoting him now, are living in a country in decline.
Just full of clowns. Just.
In decline. We're going down.
We're not going up. And Trump interpreted as that he
was talking about when Biden was in office.
No, no, that's not what he said. He said you are currently living
in a country in decline. Who's the current president?
It's a Biden. It's you.
Yeah, well, he was probably asleep during that part, girl.
He does a lot. He sleeps everywhere girl,
except except at at at at 1:00 in the morning.
If you go on true social, he's posted 140 times.
He's awake now because he's slept all day.
It's it's very. It's just crazy to me.
What was it A. Country in decline?
That's a powerful statement. He did what, 20 something
offenses just at that state dinner to the Chinese culture
just by being himself. Did you see him when?
When put Camilla and Charles were here?
Did you see him push in front of Camilla?
Yeah. He shoved her.
Yeah, he shoved her. A woman.
OK. I mean, it's just unbelievable
to me. What is it?
Yeah. What is it?
Somebody walk up to walk up to him and say, excuse me, what is
wrong with you? I what?
Is wrong with you you. Know Melania is never anywhere
so she hates us not. And when she, oh, by the way,
when she is next to him, he does this.
Have you seen him do this? And Melania couldn't come here
today. Hold on.
She's standing right there. But my favorite is like when he
reaches out for. Her and she smacks.
She smacks it. Don't touch me SO.
What do you got, Chris? Well, I want to go back to the
black baby doll story for those who missed it.
A parent says a teacher at Barrington Middle School in
Hillsborough County hung a black baby doll by the neck with a
charger cord in an art classroom.
The parent says students recorded the video and took
photos after several children in the class questioned why the
doll was hanging over the classroom television.
According to the Post, the teacher allegedly told the
students that she did it to get their attention.
I would like to know what your perspective is on this, Robert.
Because we, we went ahead and we went off on this person.
We went the fuck off. Well, I, I, I know coming from
Mississippi, a lot of people don't know that, but I'm
originally from Mississippi. So I, I have dealt with the
prejudices of all sorts and all kinds my entire life.
Waking up black is something I don't do on purpose.
It's just the hands that I was given.
But again, I still 100% believe that hate is always taught
because we don't come out hating people.
We don't learn to speak hate because the words that we learn
come exactly from the source. So when it comes down to this,
again, like looking at something like that, even if it's an art
class, you have to understand kids are impressionable and kids
have, you know, unlike when I was growing up, we didn't have
the Internet. You know, everything that we saw
was actually happening in real time.
So when it comes down to this situation #1 if that's how she
needs to get their attention, then the school board needs to
get her attention by having her completely released from her.
Job Well, she's been suspended. Yeah, but completely.
And, and they're reviewing the case, which, listen, anybody
that sees that video, like I said in the earlier show, anyone
that sees that video did nothing to review.
OK, the video is self-explanatory.
She's standing at the front of the class.
She's standing at the front of the class with the black baby
doll hung by a cord on the TV. So all the children are
literally facing it, looking at it.
And you could, you could. It's just it's, you don't hear
any sound, but you don't have to hear any sound.
The visual is very very strong. You didn't need to hear the
sound. Yes, and that's not a class
where she's teaching, even if she was teaching the lynchings
and all that, which in the state of Florida, but they're happy
they're not allowed to in the state of Florida because it
didn't exist. So yeah, it didn't happen.
It was all made-up. Apparently so.
But since that can't be it, so it was done as a scare tactic
for the children. But keep in mind the African
American children or the black children, OK, that are in that
classroom, they had to witness that.
And it was bad enough for the white children, but the black
children with a black doll, the representation is there, OK.
And one of the children, the one that videotaped it, that the
video is gone. You know, I'm, I'm sure that I
am sure that by tonight's it, it'll be viral.
It'll be all over the world. It'll be all over the world.
I guarantee you that video will travel all over the world.
Because I look got it and I couldn't believe what I saw.
I thought it was AI. I thought Chris had sent me some
AI thing. No, I don't.
I was like this is crazy and 26 it's it's crazy.
Well. It's currently up to 633,000
views. Oh, no, it's going to go much
higher than that. It's, it's going to go.
I, I guarantee you. It's, it's, it's a must watch.
It's a must watch because yeah, yeah, it's.
Also from Florida. But are we surprised?
We're not surprised. I mean, you know, I think it,
you know, if it had been Mississippi, it probably would
have been swept under the rug because of the the level of
ignorance and Mississippi, But coming from Florida, like
everything is being red flagged because people are just
outlandishly crazy right now and we can't do.
Anything. Did you know that the Democrats
are leading in the polls here in Florida?
I do. We are leading in the polls not
only for governor but for senators as well, so we're doing
very well here in. Florida and Florida is there.
Florida can turn blue and the gerrymandering that they're
doing, they're doing. But I told Chris, and I'm going
to stand by what I said with the gerrymandering, it's going to
backfire on them. It sure is.
Because you know Republicans will turn on you if they're not
if the if the if the bottom line on them hurts.
And the bottom line for Republicans is not pedophilia.
The bottom line for them? No.
I'm telling. The bottom line is not racism.
The bottom line for them is not. The bottom line for them is
money, MONEY, money. That gasoline and food prices is
out of control. The cost of living in Florida,
out of control. It's bad.
DeSantis has not helped the state.
Well, the, the, the way we're heading, we're, you know, I keep
telling people that we do need to make sure that everyone is
registered to vote and to also check where your voting poll is
because they can sneak up on you that it can change and you go to
the poll and that's not the right one.
So as you said earlier in the other show, please make sure
you're checking where your voting poll is.
Make sure it is the same location.
Make sure you're registered to vote.
Registered to vote is number. 1 I went to go get my driver's
license to renew it between November of last year and when I
went to get my license in April I had been removed from the from
voting so I had to re register again.
They took me off and I didn't take my and I didn't take myself
off. So you need you need to check
you need to check your voter registration.
Make sure get get it confirmed. Well, I got another topic for
US. Senators unanimously approved a
resolution to withhold their own pay during government shutdowns,
aiming to make federal closures personally costly for lawmakers.
The measure passed with bipartisan support, which is
very rare after a stretch of unusually long and repeated
shutdown fights in Congress. Supporters say Congress should
face consequences when it fails to fund the government, calling
it one of lawmakers most basic responsibilities.
Completely freaking agree. The proposal reflects growing
frustration inside the Senate over shutdown standoffs becoming
more common and more disruptive. I am on board.
I think that if you can't do your job, you shouldn't get
paid. Absolutely.
It makes no sense. It it will literally never.
The fact that it's still like that wasn't a thing before.
That's mind numbing to me. How do you get paid to not do
your job? Yeah.
I agree. Like Esme, Can you imagine if
you showed up to a booking and you just kind of stood there and
did nothing? Those are the Drag Race girls.
Girl, watch me cancel. Not cancel.
Not cancel for telling the truth.
You'll be cancelled. I'm gonna say for telling the
truth. Not all of them, but most of
them. There's.
A lot of them there's. Just a lot of good ones that do
there's a lot of good ones that do perform and they are great
acts, right, But there's a lot of them girl, that when they
show up, you're like it isn't just a performance, it's what
they're wearing I'll. Be honest.
Though that's all the money they made they don't have no money
for. This it this it.
One of the the people that I will always go ahead and and
shout out as a performer is Discord Adams as a RuPaul girl.
She actually actually fucking performs.
I mean, she's, she was, she's doing music with Adriana
Sparkle. I, I fuck with her, I fuck with
her. She's.
Great. Yeah, definitely.
Well, I as made to you. Are you sure you don't have any
other any other? No, I don't.
Well, I still got a ton more so don't worry.
Don't worry. Minnesota prosecutor has charged
ICE officer Christian Castro with four counts of second
degree assault after authorities say that he shot a Venezuelan
man through a front door during a January immigration operation
in Minneapolis. Prosecutors say the man who who
was shot, Julio Caesar, Sosa Silas, Silas Whatever, was hit
in the thigh after Castro fired into the duplex while chasing
another man during a confrontation tied to the Trump
administration's immigration crackdown in the state.
I am glad that we are that 'cause I made this point earlier
that, you know, out a couple shows ago while while by a while
back was that, you know, these individuals who are doing bad
deeds within ICE, they will be held to the prosecution.
If they are not following the procedures outlined by ICE, they
will have local prosecution. It might not be a federal
prosecution, but Minnesota absolutely will go ahead and
enforce their own laws against these ICE immigration officers.
Whether or not that goes through.
I, I don't know. I, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm confident
in the court system, in the judicial system that it, it has
held up this so far and it'll continue to.
But that said. So Nazi Germany, when the
soldiers in the, in the, you know, the Nazi regime after the
after the war, many of them were charged, many of them went to
prisons because of the crimes that they committed.
Because The thing is, is that the, the excuse that they made
was that they were following orders.
And that is simply not an excuse that just in just so, so all
these ICE agents that are violating the law when they show
up in court with their lawyers talked about, well, we were
following orders. Well, you should have not, you
should have left, OK, because that's not, you know, following
orders. That's not an excuse.
While you're breaking the law is not an excuse.
But that's also come up again with the whole situation with
the the military going over to the Middle East.
A lot of them are like, this isn't our war.
This has nothing to do with us. But yet they're having to still
follow the orders of this clown that's in office that is not
doing anything. And Cuba is going through things
too, right now. And it's very sad because now
they've gotten to the place where now you have Cuba, who's
just stuck and they don't have anything because gas prices are
so high and, you know, the people don't want.
To I don't think the Cuban people are going to surrender.
No, I think what they're going to and I think start coming
here. And well, they will.
They can't come here. I'm just going to tell you that
right now. They're there.
The, the, that border is like Fort Knox.
They come here. I'm going to tell you, the Trump
administration, I wouldn't be surprised if he even shot at
them as they're crossing the border.
I mean, I nothing with that, I mean, surprises me.
Nothing surprises me. I would not advise anyone right
now during this administration to attempt to cross that border
illegally. So stay put wherever you're at.
I'm not surprised. No matter how bad it is, you're
better off there 'cause you're, you might not make it over that
border 'cause I'm telling they've got it locked up right
and they're not playing. We didn't have ice during Biden,
no. So I'm well, we did.
Have ICE, but it wasn't enforced the way that it is now.
Wasn't what it is now. Yeah, it's evolved into
something else. It's.
Crazy. Yeah, and it's dumb.
Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's definitely ICE has gotten a
different, has taken a different tone under this administration.
Yeah. Honestly, I disagree and the
reason why I disagree, other than the fact of, of personal
policy, you know, I think that there was still a, a, a major
issue when it comes to immigration.
Yeah, but they weren't going into cities terrorizing people.
Yeah, but they were still putting kids in cages.
That that is correct. Jalen did that during the
halftime. Correct.
But yeah, but there was, it was a totally different energy.
You know what I mean? This is this is I'm not saying
that Biden or or Obama did it because Obama, Obama was doing
it as well, but this is all of their policies on steroids.
They've they've taken it up. That I can agree with.
They've taken it up to another level.
You know this level is just. But these, these vague, these
vague policies that they have gone ahead and pushed have
emboldened the people that were already a part of ICE and
immigration and Border Patrol and all that.
They have emboldened them and wanting.
These people are racist. A lot of them, a lot of them are
racist. Are in the KKK.
Being emboldened to go ahead ahead and take drastic action is
going to lead to what we have seen, which is multiple people
getting shot, multiple people being killed.
And honestly, I'm glad that there's prosecutors out there
that are still going ahead and enforcing the law because it
should be enforced and it shouldn't be a situation where
these people go ahead and just get off Scott free for shooting
people anyways. Trump Mobile has started
shipping it's T1 smartphones about nine months later than
originally promised. NBC News tested one of the first
review sets sent to mobile, Excuse Me, sent to media outlets
after customers who pre-ordered also began receiving shipment
notices. The phone arrives heavily
branded in with Trump imagery and messaging, including Trump
branding in four places right out-of-the-box.
The device comes preloaded with Truth Social.
This an NBC note. NBC News noted that the phone
has an American flag design on the back, but with 11 stripes
instead of the traditional 13. The article also says that the
Made in the USA language that appeared when the phone was
first announced is no longer a part of the company's marketing.
So the Trump phones that were promised to be made in the
United States are no longer in the United States?
Who would a fucking thought? It's almost like we didn't have
the infrastructure to do something like make manufacture
phones. Sense to me, you know well, I
mean I what I was reading is that like the phones are going
to prevent you from seeing any LGTBQIA plus information any
anti republican information just random stuff but like y'all come
on like I just I mean it was just on there that trump has his
own prescription stuff now and I'm like why are you people
investing in? Trump RX, which I I've had
opinions over Trump RX because Good RX, which is in my opinion
a substantially better platform that people should go ahead and
use it. It's literally takes the deals
just from Good RX and just puts them with Trump's name on it.
It fucking pisses me off. Yeah, the the phone thingy is
very much like y'all, because you look at the people that
bought these phones, look at the people that bought these phones,
okay? Most of them got 2 teeth in
their mouth and they are fighting and it is very much
like okay, let's get a gold Trump phone, okay?
So if you can't afford gold, why would you buy a phone that is
made out of gold, which is now apparently being made in China,
correct? I don't know if it's made in
China, but not in the US. Yeah, it's probably China.
But I do believe it's being made in China because it's just dumb.
Just dumb. And now he wants to put his name
on money, too. And I'm like, I think that would
be the only time I would ever burn money is if I got a dollar
bill with that man's face on it. Esme, what's your perspective on
the Trump phones? So, you know, there's the the
phone got a lot of bad news this week, earlier in the week.
Well, last week, actually, when when they said they weren't, the
phones probably weren't going to get delivered at all.
Last week it was. Very.
Yeah. So they pulled these phones out
of their ass. OK, I don't know where these
phones have been, but somebody called them and said we got to
find some phones. We got to put Trump's name on
those phones. Don't be, you know, and they're
probably crappy phones too. Yeah, I guarantee you they're
crappy phones 'cause everything that he does is a grift, you
know, it's just, absolutely. It's just just a big grift like.
Money he's made, period. I don't, I don't.
I don't want kids. Yeah, I know they're yeah, they
are making so yeah. So I don't want any phone from
Republican or Democrat. I don't want any phone that
blocks any information from coming in, good or bad.
I want to determine, I want to be allowed to determine what I
want to look at at any given moment.
OK, And that includes. Foot fetishes.
Yeah, and that and that includes GOP stuff.
I because I want to see what the GOP has to say.
So let's say that someone came up with a phone that blocked all
of Trump's words, for example. I don't want that.
I want to know what Trump is doing.
I want to know what everybody's doing.
I want a phone that is not, you know, I don't want to block out
LGBT so. Keep your enemies close.
So they're going to lose a lot of money on those phones
ultimately when people find out that they can't access their
homosexual websites because let's face it, the GOP is stock
full full of them of queers, Queens, fags and all kinds of
other things. Just look at whatever the fuck
Lindsey Graham is. Well.
Yeah, all those people that like OK, diapers and things like
they're, they're Republican. OK, so they're chock full of
them, so you know what I'm saying?
Real butthurt. So they're not going to be happy
when they go to when they go on their favorite website and go
girl, I can't see men eating ass.
My favorite videos of men eating ass.
Well, you, you better get you a, you better get you a new phone,
sis. Or just go to Home Depot.
Homeo Depot, Homeo Depot, Homeo Depot.
I did learn that if you show your jock strap, that means that
you are willing to do things in the bathroom.
That's exciting. Interesting, interesting you're.
Well, anyways, a Spanish court has cleared Shakira in a tax
fraud case tied to the 2011 tax year, ruling that prosecutors
failed to prove that she was a legal resident of Spain.
That year, the court ordered Spain's government to return
more than €55,000,000 in with Shakira's lawyer in fines, with
Shakira's lawyer saying the total repayment with entrance
with interest will be about €60 million.
So about $65 million. Yeah, so under Spanish law,
someone must spend more than 183 days in account she.
Spent 16163. 163 Uh huh. They only, but they proved that
Shakira was only in Spain for 163 days.
Prosecutors argued that Shakur's relationship with former soccer
star Gerard Pique Piquet tied her financially and personally
to Spain. The court rejected that
argument, saying the relationship could not be
legally treated like a marriage and that officials failed to
show Spain was in the center of her economic activity at the
time. So a lot of people in her camp
suspected after the breakup he went to the government.
And said hey. Go get her.
Do you see what I'm saying? As revenge?
But I'm gonna tell you this, this relationship broke up years
ago. Shit I mean though that's close
though. 163 days compared to 183.
I know cutting it close, she was.
Trying to get close, but I'm gonna tell you this.
I believe that they they were just looking for it.
They wanted, you know what I mean?
Because let's face it, she didn't try to scam that
government, you know what I mean?
That was the leasing on her mind, I mean.
But they pay. They're gonna pay her money
back. They will?
Yeah. They're gonna give her money
back. Yeah.
Keith Hernandez had an awkward on air slip during Sunday's
Subway Series broadcast when he accidentally mixed up Jazz
Chisholm Junior's name with jizz Chism or jazz jism.
Sorry, jazz jism. So.
He's made that mistake before. This is not the first time he's
done it. About 3 years ago he said it and
people laughed. People thought it was funny.
They think it's funny now. He's not in trouble, but it is
calling somebody jizz. Jazz Jism.
It goes back to picking your names.
I'm telling you, but I'm going to tell you though, the man is
72 years old and you know, I'm not saying that that's an
excuse, but you know, sometimes when you're talking really,
really fast, you can mispronounce 'cause he did it
before, about 3 years ago. So, and he's highly respected
and he's never known to be racist or anything like that.
But don't. Work.
But jizz girl, the jizz part just kills me.
So he's he's Mr. He calls him Mr. Sperm I.
Guess, Mr. Sperm, I like that this.
Is not on the radar, but it's. Just, it's just silliness.
It is silliness. He he was embarrassed, but
people are not making fun of him about it.
You know he had a senior moment, you know what I'm saying?
We all have those. Yeah, trust me. 2 Navy fighter
jets collided mid air during an air show at Mountain Home Air
Force Base in Idaho. All four aviators safely
ejected. The crash happened Sunday
afternoon during the Gunfighters Skies Air Show about two miles
northwest of the base. Officials said the aviators were
in stable condition and were being evaluated by medical
personnel. Video shared online show The
Jets colliding in the air before spiraling down in flames, with
four parachutes deploying near the crash site.
That's a very scary thing. I saw that video and it was, it
was insane. I, I, I think that and I and I
went to an air show before I, when I was working with the
bone, they sent me to Macdill Air Force Base for their air
show before they, they stopped doing them for, for renovations.
And I, I loved it. It was great and all.
It was cool. It was really cool to see all
those jets, but I couldn't help but shake the I couldn't help.
I couldn't shake the thought that, my God, this is a fucking
waste of money. Yeah, this is one of the biggest
waste of taxpayer dollars that I can think of right now.
Like, apart from going ahead and giving money to Trump, like
literally we're just burning jet fuel.
I think they do it to promote the military and to and to give
Americans a sense of pride of the military and what they're
capable of doing. So it's kind of like it's like
to soften the blow because no other part of our government
absorbs more money than our military.
The largest amount of money doesn't go to food or or to
Social Security or to even healthcare.
It goes to the military budget. So I think it's a way to say to
the people, see what we do, this is where your money is going.
These are what these crafts can do.
It's, it's just, it's a way of showing off 'cause you know, you
have the Air Force show choir. I got to see them a couple times
when I was in Vegas. You now like just found out that
the Army also has a cheerleading squad that just started, which
is pretty awesome. But it's all those things like,
excuse me, because I grew up at Keesler Air Force Base in
Biloxi, Ms. So I grew up on the the military base.
So these are all things that we all need as patriots of America
to see that there is something else that the the government can
offer through the military, something that's uplifting,
something that gives you, you know, like when we're in a time
of crisis, like where you see the military band come out and
parade around and stuff like that.
It's just to give you like a little boast of patriotism.
There's nothing wrong with that. I mean, like, I don't believe in
air shows are fun for me because it just looks like a disaster
waiting to happen. Yes.
Well, they play too much. Yeah, I'm like, that's great
that you can do that. Let's you know.
What happens when you play too much?
You know exactly. What the fuck just happened
literally. Playing too much the.
Planes blow up and now we don't have two planes to bomb is or
bomb Iran and. They're lucky.
Oh, no, yeah, they're lucky. We didn't lose to any of the the
pilots. Pilots.
Yeah, That's that's. Jermaine Jackson's in the news
and not for the Michael movie. Jermaine Jackson has been
ordered to pay more than $6.5 million to a woman who accused
him of raping her in 1988 after he reportedly never responded to
the lawsuit. The judgement was entered by
default, meaning the court ruled that the accuser in the
accuser's favor because Jackson allegedly did not appear or file
a response in the case. The lawsuit was filed December
2023 under California's Sexual Abuse and Cover Up
Accountability Act. The accuser, Rita Butler
Barrett, claimed Jackson came to her Encino home in the spring of
1988 and violently raped her, court documents say.
The payout includes damages, court costs, medical expenses
tied to the allegations. Wow.
Yeah. What's your perspective, Esme?
This family's always embroiled in something.
It's just, you know, I mean, that doesn't surprise me at all.
The fact that he didn't show up to court tells me everything I
need to know, right? OK, 'cause even if I don't go, I
would have sent a representative.
I said let's hash out this situation, 'cause I'm innocent,
I didn't do anything wrong. TMZ, OK, I'm not going to pay
you no money, 'cause I didn't do anything wrong.
The fact that he had to, the fact that he didn't show up and
paid out means that everything that I need to know.
TMZ reported that Jackson was never personally served because
his lawyers allegedly struggled to track him down.
Yeah. No.
No, no. Not even.
And the judges said you got to pay.
No, no, you, you, you know, you were being served somebody.
He probably got many messages from the court saying show up
here, Let's let's get this resolved, 'cause if you don't
show up, we're going to handle this without.
You show up to your job like especially back in the 80s when
it was important that they did hand deliver everything.
Yeah, no, he's, he's definitely, he screwed up.
Well, the fact that he paid because, I mean, innocent people
don't pay, no. Well, he hasn't paid yet.
It it, it just says that he is ordered to pay the rape accuser
he has been ordered to Well. Let's see what he does.
We'll see. Researchers say the Andes strain
of the hantavirus may remain in human sperm for nearly six years
after recovery, raising concerns that it could potentially be
spread through sex. The study comes from a peer
review or the findings come from a peer reviewed study in the
journal Viruses that tracked a 55 year old man infected with
the Andes strain. Scientists found no trace of the
virus in the man's blood, urinary or respiratory system
years later, but it was still detectable in his semen up to 71
months after infection. Researchers say the test can act
as a safe harbor for certain viruses or the testes, excuse
me, not the test. Testes can act as a safe harbor
for certain viruses because the immune system avoids attacking
sperm producing tissue. So we might have another STDSTD
to worry about. Oh my Lord, I don't have.
Sex rat sperm. Rat sperm.
We're good. I love it.
We're good, Oh my God, but. Chris, I think we're trying to
wrap it up. Well, yeah, I think, I think
that I think that it might be that time.
I think we need to end it on the rat sperm.
The rat sperm, the. Rat sperm.
That's so. I mean, I'm just telling you
that's what it is. That's what it is.
Girl, my poor ears are done. I don't know why.
The hell that went that well, that was crazy.
She got me together. Good morning, everybody.
Good morning. She got me right together.
Well, for some reason it wasn't playing.
It wasn't playing. I was trying to have the
background music. It wasn't.
Wasn't doing it. Sorry about that, thank God I'm
not hard of hearing but. Thank God you don't need to pee
anyways, no. Oh my God, that's crazy.
Well, Raquel, thank you so much for joining us.
It's been a pleasure. Thank they say better late than
never. Better late than never.
Exactly. Do do believe in, you know,
showing up, even if it's late, I'd still show.
Up. It's good.
Time they'll show up as a lady. I don't like this particular
illusion very much. Well, for people who want to
find more information about you and and all the things that you
do, where can people find that? I'm I do not have Facebook
anymore because I get tired of dealing with that, but you can
find me on Instagram, Mr. Dance 40.
You can also find me on Snapchat, Mr. Dance 30.
All of the things, all the events.
I'm new to the love the Golden Rule board.
I'm very excited to that. I'm a new member of Florida Gay
Roadie Association, so I have a lot of things coming up and I'm
super excited for Pride Month and super excited for the next
adventures. Please check it out.
PSI cook a lot. So you're going to see a lot of
that soon. Yeah, I don't.
Know I won't be going to your house for dinner because of the
rat sperm. The rat sperm.
The rat sperm just not in my face.
Yeah, well, but thank you guys so much for having me.
Of course. And Speaking of Facebook, I'm
glad to report that I'm finally back.
I've been banned for three weeks and now I am back.
Finally, yeah, I I don't know why I was banned for so long,
but it is what it is. They according to my friend over
at Meta, that department had a backlog of cases and I'm like,
well maybe you should fix the fucking backlog anyways as made.
Do you have any last minute thoughts or last minute advice?
Well, no, I was just going to say the same thing I said in the
first show in our daytime, right In our daytime show, the 11 AM
show on Tuesdays. I always remind everybody,
please check your voting status. November is literally right
around the corner. Make sure you're I, I just went
to the DMV to get my license renewed and I, I, I wasn't
registered to vote. They had taken after last year,
they took me off. So everybody make sure you
check, don't wait until the last minute, get a confirmation.
It was because you're trans. They took your voting because
you're. Probably.
Boo. Anyways, if you haven't heard it
already, you are loved, you are appreciated and we thank you so
much for your support of The Big Gay Radio Show and the Big Gay
After Show and WMF Community Radio.
Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and we'll see you
next time. Bye.