Sunday, May 20, 2012

Out Spotlight

Today’s Out Spotlight is the first openly gay person and the first Latino to become executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Today’s Out Spotlight is Anthony Romero.

Anthony Romero was born in New York City on July 9, 1965, to Demetrio and Coralie Romero who emigrated from Puerto Rico, settling in the Bronx to raise their family. When he was young, Romero’s father faced discrimination for a job promotion. A lawyer hired through his father’s union won him the promotion, and the extra earnings helped the family purchase a new home and their first car.

Romero was the first member of his family to graduate high school. He graduated from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1987 and from Stanford University Law School, and is a member of the New York Bar. He was a Dinkelspiel Scholar at Stanford University, a Cane Scholar at Princeton, and a National Hispanic Scholar at both institutions. In 2003, he was named Stanford’s first Public Interest Lawyer of the Year.

Romero became executive director in September 2001, four days before the September 11th attacks. He is the first openly gay man and the first Hispanic director of the civil liberties institution. Under his direction, the ACLU has achieved its highest level of membership and tripled its budget. This growth has allowed the organization to expand its efforts to champion causes such as lesbian and gay rights, racial justice and reproductive freedom.

In response to post-9/11 government policies, he helped create the ACLU’s “Keep America Safe and Free” campaign, which aims to protect basic freedoms during times of crises. The campaign was successful in its opposition to the USA PATRIOT Act and litigation regarding the torture and abuse of detainees in U.S. custody. In his capacity as ACLU head, he was involved in opposition to several policies taken under the Bush administration's 'War on Terror'. Referring to the August 17, 2006, federal court declaration that the "Terrorist Surveillance Program" was unconstitutional, Romero called the court's opinion "another nail in the coffin in the Bush administration's legal strategy in the War on Terror".

He was named one of TIME magazine’s 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America in 2005. Additionally, Time has called him "The Champion of Civil Rights". In 2007, he and co-author and NPR correspondent Dina Temple-Raston published “In Defense of Our America: The Fight for Civil Liberties in the Age of Terror,” a book that takes a critical look at civil liberties in this country at a time when constitutional freedoms are in peril.

Romero has also received an honorary doctorate from the City University of New York School of Law.

In 2010, the ACLU completed the largest fundraising campaign on behalf of civil rights and civil liberties in American history. “Leading Freedom Forward: The ACLU Campaign for the Future,” along with the ongoing Strategic Affiliate Initiative, launched an unprecedented effort to build the organization's infrastructure by increasing funding to key state affiliates, enhancing advocacy capabilities nationwide and securing the ACLU's financial future.

“When you’ve seen prejudice, you understand that we aren’t finished, that we’re still perfecting this American experiment.”

66 comments:

Seaweed said...

Just got stuck in the switch to today's Out Spotlight, so here is my comment for yesterday's post...

There is something very pleasing about the two of these guys together and I like your take on things Special...and think you've put your finger on it with Austin being Jake's touchstone, his rock.

Without Austin it's quite possible that Jake might have been a spent commodity by now, after flitting from one thing to another, and loosing himself in the process. Who knows really ! It's just a single opinion or observation on my part.

Seaweed said...

For me, this Out Spotlight is notable not only for shining the light on Anthonly Romero and his work leading the ACLU, but as a Canadian it speaks to many people's concerns about personal liberty in terms of an assault on individual privacy.

In Canada with a Prime Minister who has so flagrantly thumbed his nose at Parliament, and been found in contempt, we Canadians feel powerless in the face of this majority Government who will continue to steamroll regressive measures and changing long-held policies by decree to something so far to the right that we may have difficulty recognizing our own country in another few years.

There is so much that is going on behind the scenes, and there is so much weakness in our opposition parties, that we are now suffering from a "perfect storm" of an omnibus Federal Budget which is changing our society in ways that will not be debated properly or held up to scrutiny.

On top of this we are suffering from a world-wide phenomenon of loss of indiviual privacy in the face of an increasingly invasive and supposedly innocuous internet. For each keystroke, each subject, preference, product, opinion, purchase, like, and choice, we are revealing more of ourselves that is being collected and saved in perpetuity. Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Hotmail, our own laptops and desktops are now the conduit for profiling and data-mining that we can not undo.

I've never been a conspiracy theroist, and have never spoken in this way before, but I'm increasingly afraid that all this effort to make our internet surfing more interactive is very quickly dismantling our personal freedom and holding all of our inquiries, discussion, and thought up to scrutiny.

We are way past the year 1984, and most definately in the realm of "George Orewll's 1984" with the thought police quickly being enabled by our modern technology while we just friggin whistle away to the tune they set out for us.

So, to end my rant, while the U.S. wrestles with a black or white fundamentalism, good or evil, Democrat or Republican, Christian or heathen, set of extremely polarized camps, we are all under and increased amount of scrutiny and somone could be very well tallying the individual scores. It's frightening!

In Canada, I hope that we can stem this neo-conservative tide and become blessed with more insightfull leadership in opposition, that has been hobbled with leadership challenges, and has unfortunately provided Steven Harper with the opportunity to play his hand and thumb his nose to his detractors. We need to maintain a stong three or four party system to avoid the polarization of the U.S., yet we need to get more educated, vocal, and involved in our own governance so we can get clear of backward ideology and regressive public policy and only then can we take a serious look at personal freedoms and privacy for individuals.

Sorry for the rant Special, but I'm hoping my points are fairly clear and most see that it is related to Civil Liberties and the erosion of privacy, in addition to a very toxic political climates in the U.S. (Polarization-Extremeism-Fundamentalism) and Canada (Conservatives lack of respect for Parliament and a hobbled opposition).

Methodical Muser said...

I agree with Special and with PG. Some hate Austin primarily because of what he represents and that relentless denial motivates them to use sarcasm and derogatory statements at every turn. Family Tile is a concept that unnerves many Jake fans. Either they don't want to believe that Jake would lie about being father, or they simply can't stand the idea of him not being footloose and fluttering from flower to flower.

Without the anchor that Austin provided at a fairly early age, who knows where Jake might be right now. Somehow, I suspect, the Hollywood machine may have chewed Jake up and spit him out within 3-5 years. Chasing after love and being distracted by too many shiny objects can be soul crushing.

Methodical Muser said...

For the person who asked for the Berlinale vid from last February, here you go:


Jake and Austin Video - Berlinale

Florida Tom said...

I agree I think Jake tends to be a bit of a goof and that Austin may be a bit more grounded. Im think that is due to each one of them them coming from families that are so different. I do disagree with you on one point M though I don't think Austin has prevented Jake from being swallowed up by the HW machine. I think they both been chewed up pretty bad and have had horrible advice from not only HW but from Jakes family. Also a product of the HW machine. I think they have dug themselves a hole that is going to take a lot of courage to dig themselves out of it. Jake spoke in his early years like he tried to fight it but he couldnt. I am still holding out hope that I will get to see them stand up and say enough. I don't think that will happen anytime soon though.

Methodical Muser said...

I do disagree with you on one point M though I don't think Austin has prevented Jake from being swallowed up by the HW machine. I think they both been chewed up pretty bad and have had horrible advice from not only HW but from Jakes family.

Perhaps it is a difference without a distinction in terms of how they have behaved career-wise. Although I do think think that Austin's main bearding experience was more a result of him stepping up to help Jake in 2009 when Reeke was the laughingstock of anyone with eyes to see. In general, I was speaking more from a personal standpoint. Austin provided a home and family that Jake would probably either still be searching for or he would have been forced into one of those Hollywood "marriages."

Florida Tom said...

Seaweed I think we feel a lot the same about the way our countries are headed. I am worried. What scares me the most is that I don't think our political parties leaders have the power or the strength to change that direction. They used to say that people had the power to change things through the ballot box. I don't see that anymore. Our country has a President who is a good man and says many good things but he doesn't have the power to change things. Our country is taught about the evils of socialism but that is where the power in this country is pushing us except the rich have no desire to pay the price that socialism costs. They don't want to pay the taxes it requires. I have seen a lot of what i have worked for all my life chipped away at these last few years. It actually started with our beloved President Ronald Reagan. He called it trickle down don't tax the weathly and the jobs will trickle down. Hasn't happened though the jobs have went overseas.
Either we elect a very very strong leader with the ability and courage to make things happen or we get more of the same. I don't see that person out there. Of course people could take the power into their own hands but last year we saw a group of kids take to the streets and they were quickly called weirdos and troublemakers and forced to disbain. We didn't back them. Not sure where it is headed like you say Seaweed and I am not sure America can stay the great country it has been. Hopefully somewhere down the line we will elect a leader who will step up and turn things around or the people will take matters into their own hands and force things to change. Can you imagine what would happen if we stop being lazy and comfortable. Austin had it right put the car in the garage and hop on the bike. I guess Austin is a bit of a dreamer :-)

Florida Tom said...

m said

In general, I was speaking more from a personal standpoint. Austin provided a home and family that Jake would probably either still be searching for or he would have been forced into one of those Hollywood "marriages.

I do agree with that M and if that is the case thank God they found each other.

Methodical Muser said...

Jake spoke in his early years like he tried to fight it but he couldnt. I am still holding out hope that I will get to see them stand up and say enough.

That's true. You can see it in those Lakers photos and the HRC video where Jake is sincerely wanting not to follow the crowd/his peers into the closet.

Special K said...

Sad news, Robin Gibb has passed away.

the real m said...

Thanks for posting those SNL links. I missed the show and forgot to tape it. Those clips were great.

The jake is straight crowd has yet to come up with a decent explanation for Jake's seemingly celibate life. And even after 10 years , sightings of Jake and Austin persist. Infrequent as they remain closeted, but persistent. It drives them crazy.

destiny said...

I can't believe we've lost another one. :-(

SNL last night was one of the best episodes they've had in years. Mick Jagger was so good, I had no idea he had it in him to be funny. Really enjoyed the music too, although I will never be a Foo Fighters fan (they did make a good backup band though). I'm sorry to see Kristen Wiigg leave, she is the best thing about the show, and along with the music, probably the main reason I watch SNL right now.

destiny said...

I feel your pain Seaweed. It really saddens me to see Canada turn to the right, I always looked at it as a model for what the United States could be, so it has been shocking to me to see the change. I also agree that there is a lot of room for misbehavior by governments when it comes to the internet.

I just hope we don't see a further turn to the right in the US this fall.

prairiegirl said...

Tom, you keep quoting m but it's M & M that you're talking to! Gotta type those extra two characters !!! lol

I'm saddened to hear of the passing of Robin Gibb. I've been away from Twitter, been away from a lot most of the day.

No more Bee Gees as we knew them. That family has had so much heartache in the way they've lost those boys, first with Andy, then Maurice and now Robin from such terrible intestinal system illnesses.

I remember I checked out their double CD from the library and I was blown away by how many hits they did have. I had to eventually buy the CD for myself. Just hit after it after hit.

Barry's writing of a lot of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was just iconic. Just brilliant stuff. It was culturally evolutionary what it did for dancing, for fashion, for the music industry.

People can laugh at disco all they want and burn records out at Comiskey Park but where would we be without wonderful, rhythmic dance music. That is feel good, sensual music at its best. So expressive. So fun. So good for exercise! LOL.

prairiegirl said...

Although I do think think that Austin's main bearding experience was more a result of him stepping up to help Jake in 2009 when Reeke was the laughingstock of anyone with eyes to see. In general, I was speaking more from a personal standpoint. Austin provided a home and family that Jake would probably either still be searching for or he would have been forced into one of those Hollywood "marriages."


While I agree with this, M&M, I myself think it is Austin who is primarily still keeping them in the closet. Remember, Ted said that it was Goose who convinced Toothy that he could have his family and his career, in other words "have it all".

Which is precisely what they're still trying to do - have it all. Even if it means lying through their teeth.

prairiegirl said...

Hey, this was interesting.

I was watching some kind of Extreme RV show on the Travel Channel earlier today and this company builds luxury trailers and RV's for celebrities. They were renovating this huge RV for Simon Cowell. You should have seen this thing - totally state of the art, luxurious. blah blah blah.

But what I found really interesting was the client, meaning Simon, wanted a 24/7, top notch medical station. So they had this section in the trailer like a mini dressing room. It had a big flat screen where you had a medical doctor available for your call 24/7, should any question, any situation arise where you felt you needed advice or consultation. The cupboard was equipped with a defibrillator, blood pressure thingy, other medical apparatus.

I mean, that was just really interesting. Now we have defibrillators in our plant, stationed at several places and we have employees who are trained to use them. But this is for a travel trailer. I wonder what is going on with Simon Cowell that he wants a doctor on call 24/7??? That's really extreme, isn't it? Not to mention expensive.

I just found that pretty intriguing.

Florida Tom said...

Sounds like Simon thinks he is rich enough to live forever.

Got to say Defibralators are life savers though. It is awesome that you have them where you work PG. The odds of saving someone who heart has stopped is much higher with defibs vs CPR. Actually on Adults CPR rarely works. Defibs do.

Florida Tom said...

I love M and M s :-)

Florida Tom said...

I hope everyone realizes I was being sarcastic about our beloved President Ronald Reagan. Old Ron destroyed the power of the American worker and armed the Taliban.

Florida Tom said...

Well to be exact Jimmy Carter and the CIA began to arm the Taliban but Reagan was the one to give them credibility. He invited their leaders to the White House.

Florida Tom said...

Seaweed you got me going darn it.

PG did Jake come out yet:-)
That is what I txt PG from work a lot. I don't tweet though.

AUS10 said...

A beautiful, eerie white light on a Sunday in Southern Cal. See more from Austin Nichols: say.ly/zMu3mfr fb.me/16d3BxCFo
WhoSay
Facebook
9:52 PM - 20 May 12 via Facebook · Details


A beautiful, eerie white light on a Sunday in Southern Cal. say.ly/okk3mfq
WhoSay
9:52 PM - 20 May 12 via WhoSay · Details

Special K said...

PG- I used to work with someone who was a Sr. Vice President for Fortune 100 firm and he told me how he had a medical service that would have him be able to have access to a physician anywhere in the world within 30 minutes by contact one number. You called and private physicians and hospitals were available to you wherever you were traveling. I am sure that celebrities have access to such a global medical service like that too.

Seaweed said...

Thanks for your take on things Tom and sorry for getting you all bent out of shape on politics and stuff.

I'm not sure where all of my editorial and comment came from, I'm not usually either inclined or patient enough to sit down and spell things out like I did earlier. I think I'm just concerned at what I see and where I guess things are headed.

There is a big difference between communism and social progressive politics. Government can be a means to try and bring more balance to the masses through collective effort. Yes, it costs more in terms of taxation, and should require more from the fortunate and the super-rich. Corporations and those who run them are now the ones with access to power and influence, it's time to get this boat turned around.

We'll not resolve this here, I know. I'm just letting off some much needed steam. Thanks for at least humouring me.

Cheers everyone.

scary said...

Good lord - it's called telemedicine. Look it up. It's been in use for many years.

Also, more people die from inexperienced non-medical personnel using defibrillators on someone who may or may not be suffering cardiac arrest. Who in a factory setting is knowledgeable enough to determine what caused a person to collapse?

Special K said...

Seaweed, it is not only how the information that is being gathered now, and how it will be used now, but how it could be used later that none of us have clue about, years and years later. And who will have access to that information.

Special K said...

Actually, the defibrillators that are in public areas are very well marked, have minimal steps and easy to follow instructions to use.

Special K said...

Looks like Austin was tweeting about the eclipse.

prairiegirl said...

scary said...

Good lord - it's called telemedicine. Look it up. It's been in use for many years.



I don't have to look up anything. You know what you can do with your look it up, too, don't you.

I suppose once again I did not express myself adequately. It's not that I can't comprehend such a service. Hell, I have had access to Ask-A-Nurse for years. Granted that is by telephone, not television, but similar concept, just on a lesser grander scale than having an actual doctor.

My point was why does Simon Cowell feel the need to have a defibrillator on his RV? Does he anticipate his heart stopping at any given moment? He's relatively young still, looks to be in good shape. And he must have someone who travels with him who is qualified & trained to use the apparatus. I just found that part curious is all.

Also, more people die from inexperienced non-medical personnel using defibrillators on someone who may or may not be suffering cardiac arrest. Who in a factory setting is knowledgeable enough to determine what caused a person to collapse?

You're an ass. The specific employees are trained and qualified to use the defibrillators; not just anyone can use them. You know absolute crap about what you are talking about. But please, feel free to go ahead and continue to embarrass yourself.

Daily Fail said...

"Hand him the clippers! Scruffy Jake Gyllenhaal continues to hide behind an overgrown beard"

Daily Mail

prairiegirl said...

The overseas Daily Mail has apparently become the Gyllenhaal's sole communicator and hear ye, hear ye! to profess whatever it is they want the world to understand and know about them.

Fed to us just like pablum out of a Gerber's jar.

LOL, but just like a 1 yr old, I think I'll take the option of flipping my bowl over onto the floor. Whoops, no likey!! What else have you got?

AUS10 said...

Adam Driver plays the most interesting, strange, honest male character I have seen in years. #Girls

11:26 PM - 20 May 12 via Echofon · Embed this Tweet

Special K said...

I wonder if Austin auditioned for Adam part on Girls which is on HBO or at least wanted to.

Adam plays Adam- the guy Hannah sleeps with sometimes -- when he decides to answer her texts. He's an actor-writer-woodworker (triple threat!) with a small subsidy from his grandmother and a love of dirty talk and even dirtier sex. There might be more to him than meets the eye, but it's going to take Hannah some time to figure it out. Meanwhile, she will continue to show up on his doorstep dressed as a sex witch.

Or maybe he is just missing his own dirty woodworker.

Just Jared said...

Jake Gyllenhaal spends the afternoon with his mom, Noami Foner, and a friend on Sunday (May 20) in New York City.

After walking around the Big Apple, the 31-year-old actor hailed a cab on Bleecker Street.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Jake Gyllenhaal

This August, Jake is set to play a heartbroken drifter in the off-Broadway show If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet!

He’ll also be hitting the big screen on September 28 in his new flick, End of Watch. If you missed the trailer, check it out now.

Stupid Jared said...

"Friend" with Jake and Naomi is K-naan.

K'naan's Wiki said...

Born in Somalia,[3] K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu[4] and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most famous singers.[5] K'naan's grandfather, Haji Mohammad, was a poet. He is Muslim,[6] and his name, Keinan, means "traveller" in the Somali language. He spent the early years of his life listening to the hip-hop records sent to him from America by his father, who had left Somalia earlier. When he was 13, K'naan, his mother, and his three siblings, older brother, Liban,and Sagal left their homeland and joined relatives in New York City, where they stayed briefly before moving to Canada, to the Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale,[7] where there was a large Somali community and his family still resides.[8] There, K'naan began learning English, partly by listening to hip hop albums by artists like Nas and Rakim. Despite the fact that he could not yet speak the language, the young K'naan taught himself hip-hop and rap diction, copying the lyrics and style phonetically.[9] He then also began rapping.[10] While growing up in Rexdale, K'naan lost many friends to murder, suicide, prison and deportation.[11]

K'naan married Deqa, a pharmacy technician, with whom he has two sons, born in 2005 and 2007.[5][12] They divorced before he started touring for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Coca-Cola.[13]

destiny said...

I find the Simon Cowell thing with his trainer strange. It's also appalling that in this country so many have to go without medical insurance and medical care, while the 1% can have their own personal medical facility.

I still haven't figured out whether I like the new HBO show Girls. I just find so much of it painful to watch, and I just can't imagine living and behaving the way the characters do. Are there really people out there like that?

Jake's Assistant said...

The jake is straight crowd has yet to come up with a decent explanation for Jake's seemingly celibate life. And even after 10 years , sightings of Jake and Austin persist.

^^ The operative word here is: Seemingly!

You can't have it both ways now. In your eyes When you don't see Jake and Austin together, it means they "ARE" together("?") LOL

You have not seen any children that you and others claim they have. Not ONE child, but still, you say they have children. ("?") LOL

So... What makes you think Jake is celebate dear? You have no idea who he may be getting his groove on with, and that's the truth.
I know you want, wish and hope it's Austin, but as the argument goes with oMgers, you don't see Jake 24/7 and he could have some hot blonde with him at night or some hot man with him. YOU don't know.

What we do know is you want it to be Austin.

And even after 10 years , sightings of Jake and Austin persist

^^^ Yeah, kind of like me meeting up twice a year with childhood friends for lunch / dinner / breakfast / coffee to catch up on "Things and Life" huh?

^^^ that's what it looks like to me... LOL

prairiegirl said...

Hey, that's fine, 11:07. Whatever works for you.

That's awesome.

prairiegirl said...

Hey, Happy Victoria Day, Seaweed!!!
:)

Maggie - USA Today interview said...

Q:"Does your brother [actor Jake Gyllenhaal] feel like he should be [having kids]?"

A:"You have to ask him. He was pretty young [24] when I started. I had Ramona when I was 28, I liked that actually, although there was so much I didn’t know which I guess is true whenever you do it.”

more like a closeted couple said...

Yeah, kind of like me meeting up twice a year with childhood friends for lunch / dinner / breakfast / coffee to catch up on "Things and Life" huh?,

Never heard of secret friends. It's obvious that these guys go out late at night (hamburgers at midnight) and do not want to be seen together. Regular friends do not do that. Austin was hidden in England until Dana Delany saw him at Heathrow and declared it to the Twitterverse. No, Jake and Austin do not behave like "friends". They behave like closeted cases hiding away from the world.

new pic said...

ghazelchalil ‏@_ghazelchalil
OMMFGGG YES JAKE GYLLENHAAL JUST CAME TO MY STORE FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW!! http://pic.twitter.com/jsSbWDgv

you know this is a lie said...

Never heard of secret friends. It's obvious that these guys go out late at night (hamburgers at midnight) and do not want to be seen together. Regular friends do not do that. Austin was hidden in England until Dana Delany saw him at Heathrow and declared it to the Twitterverse.

This is a lie.

Family Matters said...

You have to ask him.

Lol! What happened to Mag's gushing about how great Jake is with children every five seconds? A very odd response in a long line of ridiculous statements from this family. Jake has been stating that he wanted children since he was 24! Now, she says, "You have to ask him."

Maggie probably doesn't want to be specific anymore because Jake's oldest is about to turn 5 in October. The siblings have to be extremely cautious what they say in the press now regarding children. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there was so much secrecy surrounding Maggie's recent pregnancy because of Jake's own childen. The first time she was pregnant, Jake did not have any. Now he has at least one, probably more.

Betcha, that the Gyllenhaal clan finally figured out that it doesn't do much for the mental health of a child to hear an aunt talk about her kids and how her brother is so good with them, when that same uncle won't even acknowledge his own in the press.

more like a closeted couple said...

This is a lie.

No, it is not. If you've followed these two as long as I have, late night outings are the norm. Too bad that disturbs you.

shakes head at troll traffic said...

Wow! That person who just accused "closeted case" with lying has amnesia. What they are stating is exactly right, tolly. Over the years the guys have been known to go out late at night and Delany did tweet about Austin departing from Heathrow. Just like magic Austin suddenly arrives in Berlin and is seen at the festival with Jake like they are a couple. Too bad that bothers you so.

The pic at il covo said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
prairiegirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
prairiegirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
destiny said...

Queen Latifah says she is proud to be "among her people" at the Long Beach Gay Pride festival over the weekend.

Jezebel

prairiegirl said...

Oh my goodness!!! That is awesome, Destiny!!!

I've got to go read!!

don't start said...

It's obvious that these guys go out late at night (hamburgers at midnight) and do not want to be seen together.

and how do you know this? Is this speculation or wishful thinking on your part? Because, YOU don't know this as fact so don't act like you do.

The point of them meeting up ocassionally as many longtime friends do, who don't "get a chance to see each other that often" was the point. Sure you can again speculate that this is the actions of a closeted couple, but, it's most likely the actions of people who are still friends who don't get to see each other often. You know, living on different coast, working schedules, being seen with So many other people hanging out all times of the day and night. GET it?
And, it happens all the time.
I choose to think this is what's happening with the two since I think they are only friends "now". OK

destiny said...

Not sure if that counts as coming out, or beginning the process of inching out. Either way, it is great to see.

Meanwhile National Enquirer is turning up the heat on Travolta with a big story (I've only seen the headlines), that includes a bit on the other actors in HW he wanted--and in some cases managed--to hook up with.

Something Up With These Late Night Get Togethers said...

Jake and Austin have been spotted together now several times this year very late in the evening.

I think this is to lower the chances of being seen.

They were seen very late out for those burgers. And then Austin giving the shoutout about it via his Twitter when he tweeted about Bob's Burgers.

prairiegirl said...

Not sure if that counts as coming out, or beginning the process of inching out. Either way, it is great to see.

I think it looking like a big step for her. It's really exciting, Destiny.

I loved her in Hairspray and also in Last Holiday.

love sushi said...

I choose to think this is what's happening with the two since I think they are only friends "now". OK

That LA Sushi photo last Januarry confirmed to me that Austin has been in the closet and right before the scheduled "breakup" with Sophin reminded everyone that he's been with Jake all along. Remember, Austin was the only one who got into Jake's car when he left(except for that WME minder). Everyone else scattered. But, Jake an Austin left together.

Methodical Muser said...

I remember reading, over a week ago, about some rumors in the hip hop world that Queen Latifah was going to come out at the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival. Not only did she use the term "her people" but she added that she had been "waiting to do this for a long time." Seems awfully close to a rainbow moment to me! Good for her.

Methodical Muser said...

Everyone else scattered. But, Jake an Austin left together.

Very true.

And, yes, over the last several years there have been many dining, sushi and frozen yogurt sightings of Jake and Austin after 11 p.m. The most recent being the In 'n Out "date," on a Friday night. I believe the person saw them around midnight.

Fat burger cashier said...

No, it is not. If you've followed these two as long as I have, late night outings are the norm


^^^ What????

How can that happen when they are on two different coast all the time? Austin was nearly attached to Sophia's hip for at least 2 to 3 years. Then traveled the world with others, with the exception of recent Berlin that made everyone happy. One time, they were seen in another country together.
ONE time since 2005!!

Jake has been seen with everyone else everywhere except with Austin. Now every now and then they are seen together and that means they are married and raising 5+ children. Give me a Break.
Late night burgers when one or the other can travel and meet up for a coupleing of hours or days, is great, but it sure sounds like friends with benefits when "Thier Time" allows it.

That's how I see it.

Methodical Muser said...

How can that happen when they are on two different coast all the time? Austin was nearly attached to Sophia's hip for at least 2 to 3 years.

I can see you haven't done your homework.

prairiegirl said...

Oh, what little you know, 18:18. I'm sorry but you haven't done your homework.

But hey, that's all right. You just stick to your opinion and when the dust finally settles, we'll see where the tumbleweeds fall.

In the meantime, you've stated your opinion several times and people have your drift. It's time to stop bickering about it or else move along.

another sap said...

Jake has been seen with everyone else everywhere except with Austin

PR loves you!

prairiegirl said...

LOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!! M&M!!!! LOLLL!!

Lookit that. 18:48 and 18:49. Jinx, you owe me a another Coke, let's make it Vanilla this time.

Methodical Muser said...

Noooooo. I think it's time for you to buy this time, PG. After all, I wrote my comment first! Dibs on the libation.

prairiegirl said...

grrrrr

Um......milk?