Sunday, April 14, 2013

Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is the first male, as well as the first openly gay individual, to serve as White House Social Secretary. Today's Out Spotlight is Jeremy Bernard.

Jeremy Bernard was born on November 4, 1961 to Herschel and Loretta (Utterback)Bernard. He grew up in San Antonio as the son of a lawyer, who did civil rights work and raised money for the presidential campaigns of Robert F. and Edward M. Kennedy. As a young man Bernard headed east to Hunter College in New York but never graduated and then moved to Los Angeles where he waited tables and met David Mixner, a gay rights leader who soon became his mentor and helped him raise money for Bill Clinton’s first presidential run.

In the 1990s, Mr. Bernard went to work for Marc Nathanson, a billionaire cable-television executive. “Jeremy is very social,” Nathanson told The Daily Beast. “There was never a party he did not like to go to.”

He served as a board member of A.N.G.L.E. (Access Now for Gay & Lesbian Equality) and the National Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. He was also a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's LGBT Advisory Committee, the Los Angeles Police LGBT Advisory Committee and the Los Angeles Mayor's LGBT Advisory Committee.

Bernard was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve on the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

A prominent Democratic fundraiser and gay rights advocate who served for eight years on the Democratic National Committee. By 2007 he and Rufus Gifford, his partner at the time, began bundling what would be tens of millions of dollars for candidate Obama through their consulting firm, B & G Associates. After the election he was rewarded with the job of White House liaison to the National Endowment of the Humanities, where his lack of a college degree would seem to have posed a problem.

“I thought it might, and I was proven totally wrong,” said Jim Leach, the endowment’s chairman. Instead, Bernard “would give these reports, and he would have these somewhat stolid academics in the palm of his hand with cute observations.”

After two years at the NEA he left to go help the American ambassador to France and a friend from Los Angeles, Charles H. Rivkin, dial up the wattage at embassy soirees in Paris. He had barely settled in before he was summoned back to Washington to tackle parties at the White House. Bernard was appointed to the position of White House Social Secretary by President Barack Obama on February 25, 2011. He is the first male, as well as the first openly gay individual, to serve as White House Social Secretary.

By the time he took the position in the White House, he and Gifford, who served as the finance director for the 2012 Obama campaign, had ended their relationship.

18 comments:

destiny said...

I have no problems with Jay-Z, I kind of like him and Beyonce. I don't think Jake is hurt in any way being associated with him. Quite the opposite. In NYC Jay-Z and Beyonce are practically royalty, and Jay-Z has a lot of power and influence, and has his finger in a lot of different pies.

Florida Tom said...

I agree Jay-z and Beyonce both seem to be good people. Nice Spotlight SK.

End of Watch? said...

The Frenemy Online ‏@The_Frenemy
13 Apr

Ate wontons, saw Anna Kendrick and Jake Gylenhaal, did not get to butcher his name to his face, life isn't perfect

prairiegirl said...

That's great, Destiny and Tom.

For me, I have big problems with ZayZ and Beyonce, who are the epitome of extravagance and deception. Number one, I don't think Beyonce carried her own baby.

I saw the picture of her alleged baby "bump" collapsing against her stomach. No baby bump that I have ever seen, does that. Her whole pregnancy was suspect and I believe it was a lie.

That alone makes them bad seed for Jake to be around - that is just my opinion.

The other signs that are enough for me to see trouble is that JayZ is well known for his taste for extravagance, i.e. the 350 bottle - $165,000 tower of champagne that is a daily fixture at his 40/40 club. Plus, $1 million rental spent for a nursery for his one lone baby at the Barclay Center.

These two people just don't sound like the kind of people Jake has been known to be good friends with in the past. I recall all the outcry on OMG when there was a story Jake bought Tay a $10,000 guitar, that Jake had always abstained from such exhibitions of extravagance and decadence in the past. Yet now, it is a desired and admired trait for Jake?

Long gone is the likes of Chris Fischer and I for one, miss that. I guess now it's about being seen with someone who can get him somewhere, who can help him look cool and single. Whatever you have to do, right?

Not only is it about the very suspect baby bump and JayZ's taste for extreme extravagance, but I don't know that JayZ and Beyonce are selling a true story themselves, just like Jake isn't.

I saw several comments on the People.com thread about rumors of JayZ and Larry Johnson sharing a place in Florida. Plus, they have been popular guesses on Blind Gossip as their marriage not being all that, living apart more than they live together and arguing in public.

So, this is why I said what I did. Hey, if it's just me, I stand alone. But I have seen a lot of comments on other blog threads and these 2 don't have the adulation and respect that you guys are giving them. I guess may be alone on OMG but I ain't alone elsewhere.

the real m said...

I would not worry about it too much PG. jake is not one to throw money around so it will be a short lived relationship. .

Interesting spotlight as usual Special.

It's the last day of my get away and I am just finishing chapter 6 ofGatsby. Apart from Jake' s terrific reading of it, I am really enjoying the book. It is wasted on the high school crowd. So much more enjoyable to read as an adult looking back on life. Must confess that Jake's voice lulled me to sleep once or twice, but that is what the rewind button is for.

Special K said...

Happy Birthday PG!!

Florida Tom said...

True m Jake goes through friends like crazy. I dont pay a lot of attn to celebs other than Jake. I do remember seeing the baby bump thing. Who knows. I just meamt that Beyonce amd JayZ have never been in any trouble. They are rich though. So they can afford to spend money. Jake had one big payday and tjat will probably be his last. Movies arent what tjey used to be when it comes to getting paid unless your an action hero. Jake make ne working but his cult popularity is over. He owed that to BBM only.

Seaweed said...

Hayy Birthday PG, hope you enjoy a great day. Save me some cake eh!

Cheers.

Florida Tom said...

Happy Birthday PG. Enjoy.

Florida Tom said...

Maybe Beyonce and JayZ should stay away from Jake. Who is more deceitful than him:-)

destiny said...

Happy Birthday PG!!!!!

Yeah, I've heard the baby rumors, and it is entirely possible that she didn't really have it. Also heard the occasional Jay-Z is gay rumor, but I just don't buy it with him. I guess because I think they're both very talented and they do things like support marriage equality and supported Frank Ocean that they kind of won me over anyway. Plus that whole bling thing is just part of the image with pop and rap stars.

Florida Tom said...

What the heck is happening in Boston?

Special K said...

Two explosions about 10 seconds apart at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. 2 confirmed dead, over 30 sent to hospitals, severed limbs, flying debris, bloody bloody, etc. they say it looks like a war zone.

A third bomb exploded at the JFK Library later this afternoon. (they not sure if they are related, but they are treating it as it is connected)

Two more explosive devices were found and dismantled.

No planes coming in to Logan now. No flyzone over Back Bay Area. Cell phone service has been shut down in Boston, over concern that it could trigger devices.

I am home and safe. I had to work and was in a training NW of Boston. Some trains were running but not all. I got home by car service or I wouldn't have been home for hours.

Florida Tom said...

Glad ur ok SK. Sad about what is going on there.

Methodical Muser said...

Thanks for getting back to us so soon. Stay safe, Special.

Methodical Muser said...

Happy Birthday, PG. Hope you have a wonderful celebration as you so well deserve.

destiny said...

Just heard about what happened. Glad you're okay Special!!

prairiegirl said...

Thankful you are ok Special. My heart goes out to all affected by this tragedy.

Thanks to all for your good wishes. I have been unable to open e cards yet but will when I get home. Unfortunately this bday has sucked the big one and was overwhelmingly stressful at work today. Not fun at all. But Mom's cooking has made everything all better. Waiting for my camping friend to arrive and more good visiting.

Ciao