Is this what finally gets Trump indicted?
What the Georgia grand jury says it found, and didn't find. Plus: Tesla recalls 362K cars that may drive their owners to their deaths. And: Transphobe at NYT defends transphobe J.K. Rowling. SHOCKER!
Hello there! It’s midafternoon EST on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 and I am very, very s l o w l y recovering from COVID. How’s your day going? As my friend Robin Roberts likes to say, “It’s Friday Eve!”
🖖🏻 ICYMI!
The stars and showrunners of Star Trek Picard chatted with my BFF Melody Maia Monet and me last week to share behind the scenes secrets (and just a few minor spoilers) timed to today’s premiere of Season 3! Check it out here:
ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN FRAKES: Trek Movie’s Anthony Pascale followed Maia’s incisive questions with a few of his own.
READ ANTHONY PASCALE’S EXCELLENT REVIEW OF PART ONE: TrekMovie
WHOOPI GOLDBERG RETURNS AS GUINAN… ON “THE VIEW:” Entertainment Weekly
WATCH PART ONE OF THE NEW SEASON! Click here for Paramount+
Here Now the News
GEORGIA GRAND JURY BOMBSHELLS: “A majority of the grand jury believes that perjury may have been committed by one or more witnesses testifying before it,” says the report, which did not specify former President Donald Trump by name, but added this: “The grand jury recommends that the district attorney seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling.” AND: “We find by a unanimous vote that no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election.” — Washington Post
BIDEN: NO “SUDDEN INCREASE OF OBJECTS IN THE SKY” In a statement this afternoon, President Biden said the three aerial objects shot down by U.S. military were most likely tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions. The president defended the shootdowns, particularly the Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina. Biden also addressed future relations with China. — NPR
WATCH THE STATEMENT HERE: CBS News
SEC. BLINKEN HOPES TO RESTART CHINA TALKS: Axios
JOE BIDEN IS TOO OLD, KAMALA HARRIS WILL LOSE TO TRUMP: That’s what Politico says “high-level Democrats” are whispering these days.
OHIO TRAINWRECK EMERGENCY RESPONSE MADE IT WORSE: Op-ed in MSNBC.com
SYRIA IS BLOCKING INTERNATIONAL AID TO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS: NBC News
TESLA RECALLS 362,758 VEHICLES THAT MAY SELF-DRIVE INTO A CRASH: CNBC
ELON MUSK WILL APPOINT NEW CEO OF TWITTER, BUT NOT YET: CNBC
MUSK CHANGED TWITTER ALGORITHM TO GET MORE VIEWS: SFgate
SARAH SILVERMAN CALLS MUSK “PATHETIC” AND “INCEL:” The Daily Beast
Politicukoos
REP. GAETZ WON’T FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR TRAFFICKING: NYT
MTG CALLS NIKKI HALEY “BUSH IN HEELS:” I really did not need that image planted in my mind, Marjorie, you transphobe. — The Hill
GEORGE SANTOS RAISED MONEY FOR A RECOUNT THAT NEVER HAPPENED: The Daily Beast
FLORIDA GOV. RON DeSANTIS THREATENS TO DUMP ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS STATEWIDE: Washington Post
GOV. GREG ABBOTT SUPPORTS TEXAS BAN ON ALL TRANS ATHLETES: KXAN-TV
VIRGINIA’S GOP GOVERNOR PUT THE KIBOSH ON BILL THAT WOULD BAR SEARCH WARRANTS ON MENSTRUAL HISTORY APP DATA: This is a complex story, but in a nutshell: Gov. Glenn Youngkin helped kill a piece of legislation, passed with bipartisan support, to protect the privacy of anyone who menstruates, because the Republican governor thinks that data could be used someday to prosecute women who violate state law limiting reproductive rights. What’s next, mandatory red “Handmaid” cloaks? — Washington Post
OMG News
ALEX JONES IS HOLDING FIREARMS FOR INSURRECTIONISTS?!? That stunner and other revealing facts are among those found in the InfoWars host’s bankruptcy filing. — Washington Post
CHRIS CUOMO “WAS GOING TO KILL EVERYBODY AND MYSELF:” NY Post
DID NOT WATCHING RIHANNA HELP CHIEFS WIN SUPER BOWL? — NME
BARNEY IS COMING BACK, AND CONSERVATIVES FEAR HE’LL BE WOKE:
PinkNews reports on the announcement that the purple dinosaur, who haunted every parent’s nightmares 20-years ago, is returning as an animated cartoon next year. Right-wing trolls are already worried he’ll do more than remind kids to never let the faucet run.
LGBTQ+ Review
OKLAHOMA JUDGE STRIPS LESBIAN MOM OF PARENTAL RIGHTS IN FAVOR OF SPERM DONOR: NBC News
FLORIDA COLLEGE CANCELS BRITISH SINGING GROUP BECAUSE OF “LIFESTYLE” CONCERNS: CNN
Now Testifying in Defense of J.K. Rowling: A Transphobe
ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE TRANSPHOBIC OPINION WRITERS AT THE NEW YORK TIMES: Pamela Paul wrote ”Nothing Rowling has said qualifies as transphobic.” And of course, she’s an authority on transphobia, since she is herself one. Consider a white person saying to Black folks, “That’s not racist!” Or a Nazi, telling Jews, “That’s not anti-Semitic!” Gimme a break, Pam.
NYT FAILS TO REPORT ON ITSELF: Paul’s op-ed hit one day after GLAAD, several LGBTQ+ organizations and more than 100 journalists, several of whom write for The Times, delivered demands that the newspaper end its pattern of anti-trans bias. Coincidence? Hmm. Here’s my report for the Los Angeles Blade on the protest.
NBC News reported on it, too, as did The Advocate, The Toronto Star, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, even their rivals at The Daily News and Fox News. I just wonder why The Times missed this one? Hmmm, again.
Trans World
BOY AND GIRL CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TRANS TEEN IN U.K.: CNN
MISGENDERED AND DEADNAMED: British media and authorities misrepresented the 16-year-old murder victim even after her death. — Los Angeles Blade
SUPPORTERS OF BRIANNA GHEY HAVE RAISED 99-THOUSAND POUNDS FOR HER FAMILY: GoFundMe
Rest in Peace
RAQUEL WELCH, ACTRESS, MODEL, 70’S SEX SYMBOL, WAS 82: CBS News
TIM McCARVER, WORLD CHAMPION CATCHER AND BROADCASTER, WAS 81: MLB
HOWARD BRAGMAN, PUBLICIST TO THE STARS AND OUT, PROUD GAY MAN, WAS 66: Los Angeles Blade and Outsports
JESSICA ZELLERMAYER, JOURNALIST, BLOGGER, THEATER LOVER, WAS 47:
She was a bright light in all our lives. Fuck Cancer. — MitzvahFunerals.com
That’s all for today. I hope to be back Sunday night with another Bedtime Stories edition of this newsletter! That is, provided I keep pace in my COVID recovery. I’m taking this day by day. Until we meet again, may your news be good news… and DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN! Get vaxxed, get boosted, wear a mask!
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