The Daily Sting, Thursday: Facebook Unveils ‘Coming Out’ Feature, Todrick Hall Puts Ex on Blast
It’s Thursday, Oct. 11 (Happy National Coming Out Day, everyone!) and these are the top headlines of the day, starting with a new Facebook feature that lets LGBTQ users indicate when they came out, timed with today’s big day of queer visibility.
Other top stories include the fallout surrounding a video of a gay Trump supporter abusing his Lyft driver and the announcement of Project Runway’s replacement for Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn.
Plus, you’ll never believe what Todrick Hall did when he found out his ex was cheating.
From a new Facebook feature for gays to who’s coming to Project Runway, here are the day’s top headlines:
1. New Facebook Feature Lets People Indicate When They ‘Came Out’ (Web)
The social media giant unveiled a new Facebook feature today, timed with National Coming Out Day, that lets a user indicate on their profile when they ‘came out.’ It’s now a “life event” notification, and when users indicate the date and accompanying story of their coming out, a rainbow flag appears with it on profiles. While many users are sure to take time today to fill out their coming out, others will no doubt take the new Facebook feature as an opportunity to come out today. Back in 2017, Facebook unveiled a “Pride react” in time with June, Pride Month.
2. Video of Gay Trump Supporter Abusing Lyft Driver Has Gone Viral (News)
The video has been making the rounds for days now. In it, gay Trump supporter Robert Ortiz and two of his friends are sitting in the backseat of a Lyft. Ortiz has called the app’s customer support, saying he wants the cops to come to the scene. Apparently Ortiz wanted to play his own music, and his driver refused. Ortiz drops the n-word, says he feels racially profiled (“because I’m not Black”) and accuses his driver of being “racist against gay people.” Most ridiculous of all, despite the Lyft driver maintaining a cool, calm and collected attitude throughout the ordeal, we watch Ortiz tell the phone operator that he’s afraid his life is in danger. Since the video, it’s been reported that Ortiz lost his job, and the Lyft driver, Shaun Pepas Lettman, started a GoFundMe as Lyft canceled his account pending investigation.
3. In an Epic Instagram Rant, Todrick Hall Accuses His Ex of Cheating (Celebrities)
Boyfriends “must not come on tour with me, meet other guys, start sleeping with them and give them comp tickets to my show, particularly on days when I’m burying my relative,” says Drag Race judge and choreographer Todrick Hall before unleashing the most epic Insta rant of all time. Hall also accuses his now-ex of using him for travel opportunities in addition to the cheating. “I haven’t been this pissed off in over a decade,” he says. “I blocked you already but I’m sure you’ll find some way to see this so I just want to let you know that YOU are shady boots.” Find the full rant here.
4. Project Runway Announces Its Heidi and Tim Replacements (TV)
Hornet reported in early September that while Project Runway would be returning to Bravo (after years at Lifetime), the reality competition series would unfortunately no longer include its longtime host, Heidi Klum, and designer mentor Tim Gunn. #SadFace. Now the duo’s replacements have been announced: Karlie Kloss, model and Taylor Swift squad member, will be hosting the new series, and designer and Project Runway Season 4 winner Christian Siriano will mentor the new class. The panel of judges going forward will include Nina Garcia (who’s had her seat since 2004), designer Brandon Maxwell and journalist Elaine Welteroth.
Find the full story at Homorazzi here.
5. The Billboard From ‘A Star Is Born’ Has Become the Latest Gay Meme (Web)
My dad is watching Alyssa Edwards’ Netflix show he is a true pic.twitter.com/K6u1TOfJgQ
— dr junkenstein (@huntersuxx) October 7, 2018
There’s a scene in A Star Is Born in which the character played by Lady Gaga, named Ally, checks out a Sunset Strip billboard that bares her name and likeness. Now, playing on the double-entendre of the name (as in “an LGBT ally”), the gays have gone meme-crazy. Find some of our favorites here and here.
