August 14, 2025

I hope for small satisfactions from Trump screwing up, but I won't get any from Kennedy Center honorees. As much as I'd like to see KISS tell Trump to say "kiss off" or Sly to say "shove it" this won't happen.

The Kennedy Center Honors award is a medallion that features the rainbow ribbon which is shown above on the left. It is similar to the Pride flag, and almost identical to the original version of the flag which was created by vexillographer Gilbert Baker in 1978 at the request of Harvey Milk (read article). However, it doesn’t have anything to do with gender. It represents the wide spectrum of skills within the performing arts. It was designed to represent the honorees' lifetime contributions to American culture through the arts.

More about the design of the award from Distractify:

As Ivan (the designer) told The Washington Post Sunday in 2008, he didn't intend for it to evoke the style of the rainbow flag, which was first designed by a gay activist named Gilbert Baker and debuted at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade celebration on June 25, 1978.
"That spectrum was what I had in mind in the first place, in that it's a spectrum of many skills within the performing arts," Ivan said. "Singing, dancing, and so on."
Unlike the Academy Award or the Grammy Award, the ribbon has a distinctive, eye-catching design that makes the honorees immediately stand out from the crowd.

Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised if, when Trump realizes how similar it is to the Pride flag, he orders it to be changed. If he does, you can bet it will be gold. It might very well have Trump’s head on it with or without massive muscles:

I was thinking this morning about how folks like us keep grasping at straws that Trump screw-ups up, even in very minor ways. We want to feel a fleeting moment of pleasure over some Trumpian goof.

For example, I thought how it would be a delightful diversion, however fleeting, if one of the Kennedy Center honorees had a profound pang of conscience and decided to go public and refuse the award because the Trump touch had tarnished (or put a stink on) the it.

From what I’ve read so far (here for example), members of KISS are all in with being Trump/Kennedy Center honorees.

I asked the DuckDuckGo AI whether KISS embraced drag show culture and this is the response I received:

KISS, the rock band known for their theatrical performances and elaborate costumes, does not specifically embrace drag show culture, but their use of makeup and flamboyant personas shares similarities with drag aesthetics. While they may not be directly associated with drag, their performances celebrate theatricality and gender expression, which are key elements in drag culture. Wikipedia bowiecreators.com

KISS and Drag Show Culture

Influence of Drag in KISS's Aesthetic

KISS, known for their theatrical performances and elaborate costumes, has elements that resonate with drag culture. Their use of makeup, flamboyant outfits, and exaggerated personas aligns with the principles of drag, which often emphasizes performance and visual spectacle. The band's members adopt larger-than-life characters, similar to drag performers who create distinct identities on stage.

Public Perception and Acceptance

While KISS does not explicitly identify as part of drag culture, their embrace of theatricality has contributed to a broader acceptance of diverse performance styles in rock music. The band's flamboyant image has paved the way for other artists to explore gender expression and performance art, which are central to drag culture.

Cultural Impact

KISS's influence can be seen in how they have helped normalize extravagant performance styles in mainstream music. This has opened doors for various forms of artistic expression, including drag, allowing for a more inclusive environment in entertainment.

In summary, while KISS may not directly embrace drag culture, their theatrical style and performance art share similarities that have contributed to the acceptance of diverse expressions in the entertainment industry.

Even so, they still passed muster with Trump. Hell, no matter that The Village People’s “YMCA” is considered a gay anthem (read article), Trump has it played at his rallies.

Michael Strait, who played the phantom in Phantom of the Opera is, as far as we know, not gay. However look up “is the phantom of the opera (character) gay ? This is some of what you’ll see:

From The Mary Sue

Finding Queer Longing in The Phantom of the Opera - The Mary Sue

There's a deep undercurrent of queer longing in the Phantom's story: an outcast who just wants to be with the person he loves as he is.

Below is from gaysi:

Excerpt: There's something about The Phantom of the Opera that lingers long after the final note fades. Something more than the music, more than the romance, more than the tragedy. It's a story that settles into the bones, a whisper of longing, of isolation, of the unbearable ache of being unseen.

Despite the fact that Sylvester Stallone played Rambo and Rocky, who not only had rippling muscles and oozed bravery, the characters, one presumes, would be so honest they’d donate a $20 bill they found on the street to charity, he has luxuriated in the afterglow of the most crooked cheating president in history. Stallone called Trump the second George Washington (article).

Washington is the president known for the “I cannot tell a lie” cherry tree myth (article). If there’s any doubt that Trump who is as demonstrably lovey dovey with Sly as he can be with anyone of the male persuasion look at the photos below:

While, like with many celebrities who aren’t gay, there have been rumors about another honoree. The tabloid rumors say that country star George Stait is not straight even though there are no indications that he is gay (read article).

Strait isn’t an out and out Trumper like Kid Rock, but there are signs he does support him. For example, in “George Strait’s Politics: Is the King of Country a Trump Supporter or Republican?” we have this:

Then there’s the Trump dance. In December 2024, Strait playfully broke out Trump’s signature fist-pumping move onstage, sending the crowd into a frenzy. It wasn’t an endorsement, but it wasn’t not an endorsement either, especially in a genre where even a raised eyebrow can signal political leanings. Strait’s fanbase, largely rural and conservative, certainly took it as a wink.

Gloria Gaynor, who is known for the song “I Will Survive” has denied that she is a feminist. Like YMCA, this song is seen as a gay anthem. So how does she feel about Trump and about how this song has been interpreted? Here’s the answer:

Here’s an excerpt:

The Christian singer has refused to confirm if she thinks being gay is wrong. She was previously asked about how she feels about being a gay icon, to which she responded: “I feel good about it because I feel it is a platform for my purpose, which is to bring the love of Christ to all of my fans. Because they trust me, I think.”
Asked if she has a religious opposition to homosexuality, she said: “I want to lead them [her fans] to Christ and what he has for them. I want to lead them to him, I want to lead them to truth.”

Could this good Christian realize that Trump is anything but a good Christian? Yeah, like that would happen…

She absoultely denies being characterized as a feminist. If she had embraced anythig about feminism, this would be way too woke for Trump to allow her to receive this honor. Consider:

Consequence:

Gloria Gaynor Explains Why She Doesn't Identify as Feminist

Gloria Gaynor has revealed in a recent interview that she believes there's a "misconception" to labeling her as a feminist.

Music Times:

'I Will Survive' Singer Gloria Gaynor Denies Feminism Ties: 'I Love Men'

May 6, 2025Gloria Gaynor has revealed that she is not a feminist, one thing the public has apparently been wrong about for years.

Soap Central:

Does Gloria Gaynor identify as feminist? I Will Survive singer's ...

Rolling Out:

Gloria Gaynor insists she "loves men" and says embracing feminism is the biggest misconception about her.

Only a select few know who was on the original list for consideration to be honored by the Kennedy Center this year. I have no doubt that they all were carefully vetted and swore a blood oath that they would show their gratitude and happiest of happy faces when the the awards were announced and dutifully grovel when Trump presented the Pride flag…. uh, I mean the actual award.

This is the main page article on Huffpost:

It os titled 'Everyone Is So Scared': Inside The Smithsonian As Trump Attacks Art, History.

Here’s a photo from the article:

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August 13, 2025

Cataclysmic betrayal of Ukraine in the offing. By Hal M. Brown

First, some history thanks to Sabrina Haake’s Substack today:

What the US owes Ukraine and why

Trump is about to get played again by a notorious war criminal, on American soil, without understanding why the US helps Ukraine at all

Now to Trump biographer Michael Wolff’s opinion about what Trump is attempting to do in his meeting with Putin. Wolfe see it as an attempt to distract from the Epstein story. It is described in the RawStory article 'I need a big thing!' Trump said to be considering major betrayal as Epstein distraction.

He saw the first part of what I call his “don’t look here, look here instead” plan as the takeover of Washington , DC. Part two is an even more hideous part. This is the betrayal of Ukraine.

Here’s an excerpt from the RawStory article:

“That is what he got to,” Wolff said. “‘I’m going to have to do Ukraine.’”
Wolff claims the president will pull the U.S. out of any involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which Trump believes will appease the isolationist MAGA base, after he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in Alaska.
“He’s going to sacrifice Ukraine for Epstein,” Wolff said. “Essentially, this is, in his mind, a trade. It is the MAGA people who have pressed this Epstein issue constantly. I mean, they’re the threat.”
White House staffers were caught off guard by Trump resuming his direct involvement in reaching a settlement in the conflict, and they aren't sure what he will do, but Wolff said “nobody in the White House can see this turning out so well for Ukraine."

Could it be that there is something so potentially damaging in the Epstein saga that he fears it could actually become a Nixonian level gate? Wolfe apparently thinks it might. Consider:

But the author ultimately thinks this distraction will fail to silence questions about Epstein, who described himself in an interview with Wolff as Trump's "closest friend."
“The Epstein drumbeat is real,” Wolff said. “It is unceasing and it is threatening, most of all, to Donald Trump.”

How bad could a highly credible revelation be about Trump’s involvement in a sex with minors ring be to unnerve him? This is the serial sex abusuer who survived the Pee Tapes and the E. Jean Carroll case.

If this goes beyond what Trump knew about to what Trump actually did would this merely be dismissed as “fake news” by MAGA? After all, this is a group which accepted Pizzagate as real.

If they accepted this as real there’s no reason that they wouldn’t believe that even with photographic evidence they’d believe Trump either didn’t do it, or if he did, there was nothing wrong with it. In addition, what with the ability to use AI to make deep fake images, they could just say that this is what these were.

In fact, if Putin does have actual pee tapes which he’s been using as blackmail, there’s a ready made way to debunk them.

In MAGA world, nothing is real unless Trump says it’s real. Conversely, if Trump says something is fake, it has to be fake.

Meanwhile let’s see how much blood Trump will have on his hands if, as expected, he sells out Ukraine.

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August 12, 2025

Manic misspelling rage poster Trump gave Paul Krugman a gift so he added “Deranged BUM” to his Substack profile. I wish he'd call me a disparaging name too. By Hal M. Brown

Paul Krugman hardly needs publicity. Check this out:

Below is what the Daily Beast article about this looks like.

If you’re reading this and don’t know who Paul Krugman is, and admire him for his insights, you must be a Trumper who by some twist of fate stumbled on my Substack.

This is the comment I posted on Krugman’s Substack:

Here’s the image I put on BlueSky:

I’ve written so often about Trump’s psychopathology that I am weary of the voice in my head composing new ways to describe the mental aberrations that make him the most dangerously unhinged nation’s leader in history out crazying crazy leaders like Caligula and Idi Amin.

Like other manic malevolent leaders, think Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts, he relishes his power to order “off with their heads.”

The Queen of Hearts had her loyal court. Trump has his. Some of them showed their loyalty yesterday after they spoke following the unhinged manic and malevolent off-the-rails address by Dictator Donald.

In his serious Substack regarding Trump’s lies about violence in D.C. Krugman managed the following bit of levity:

I’m not in competition with Krugman for click. His Substack today, as I write this, got 925 hearts, 240 comments, and 175 restacks.

But, hey I’m human, and considering the time and effort I put into my writing I like knowing people appreciate little old me. I would welcome joining the Trump Esteemed Enemies list and having him call me a nasty name. I could write a Substack about it and put the name in my profile.

Read previous Posts.

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