Today on the Signorile Show

President Obama told the MTV audience that "don't ask, don't tell" will end "on my watch." But the truth is, it already did: A judge issued an injunction and the discharges stopped. Now the president is actually bringing it back by appealing. We'll get into the politics around it and the refusal of this president to take any bold steps in standing up for civil rights.

Sharon Angle and Harry Reid faced off as the polls are still neck and neck. She wasn't as nutty as she often appears, and he was as droll as he often appears. That meant a win for her, or at least not anything that will change the polls for Reid. We'll go through the debate.

Fort Worth, Texas openly gay City Councilman Joel Burns gave an emotional speech to the city council on bullying of LGBT teens, telling his own personal story. We'll play the speech that is getting a lot of online and TV attention.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We've rescheduled Will Bunch, author of The Backlash: Right-Wing Radicals, High-Def Hucksters, and Paranoid Politics In The Age Of Obama, joins us this afternoon to reveal the secrets behind these movements and paranoid politics in a new generation.

Vince Vaughn has now spoken out on gay joke in The Dilemma and he's defending it as lots of others are condemning it in this current atmosphere of hate and bullying.

And it's Friday, who will get the "Angel, Turkey, Gassie and Climax of the Week" Award!?

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

What will President Obama do on "Don't Ask, don't Tell?" The New York Times weighs in, dismayed at even the thought that the president would appeal Judge Phillips ruling and injunction against further discharges. Meanwhile, he is breaking the law by not enforcing her ruling while still having not asked for a stay. And there is precedent for a president not appealing a ruling because of a belief a law is unconstitutional. We'll get into it all.


The Christine O'Donnell/Chris Coons debate was a wacky as we thought it would be -- thanks for the tea party-backed candidate -- and we'll entertain you with some clips.

The saga continues: Carl Paladino has now lost support of the Orthodox Jewish leader who he pander too with his homophobic rant.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - You've seen American Gothic, the portrait of the couple on their farm, with the husband holding the pitchfork. But are you familiar with who painted it? R. Tripp Evan's joins us this afternoon to talk about his new book, Grant Wood: A Life, which looks intothe artists closeted life and how it influenced his work.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - California is scheduled to vote on a referendum to legalize marijuana, but there is a lot of fear mongering and misinformation floating around in trying to get people to vote against the measure. Glenn Greenwald joins us this afternoon to talk about combating this misinformation and what Portugal can teach us about decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana.

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

New York Republican candidate for governor Carl Paladino let out some pretty virulent and noxious gas over the weekend, dubbing homosexuality "not a successful option" and something that shouldn't be exposed to children. This coming after a series of gay-bashing in New York City and suicides by gay youths around the country. What exactly is up with Paladino and how is this playing out? We'll go through it today.

White House adviser Valerie Jarrett spoke to the Human Rights Campaign at the groups annual dinner in Washington. We'll go through the speech and lots of the criticism of it and also, the controversy that erupted when HRC's Fred Sainz strongly attacked the leader of a gay veterans group, Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United, for his criticism of the appearance and his asking Jarrett to meet with gay vets.

The direct action group Get Equal has responded to the DNC official who compared them to Karl Rove for criticizing Obama and telling people not to contribute to the DNC.

Another suicide has occurred by a gay teen: Zack Harrington, 19, in Normon Oklahoma, took his life after a town council meeting in which homophobia was spewed by various speakers. We'll go through it.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We've now been in Afghanistan for 9 years fighting a war that has many wondering when will we get out. Matthew Hoh, Director with the Afghanistan Study Group, joins us this afternoon to talk about A New Way Forward, a report recently released by the group on rethinking strategy in the war torn country.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - High Pitch Mike of Howard 100 news joins us this afternoon to talk about Closet Cases, his new special airing tonight on Howard 101 at 7pm EST, which he will talks about life in the closet with Rosie O'Donnell, NJ Governor Jim McGreevy and George Takei.

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

A fascinating story on not only the dangers in trying to rescue the trapped miners in Chile, but how their relatives have been selling their stories -- and cell phone videos -- in what has become an international reality show. Lots to talk about.

Utah LGBT activists -- 4,500 by their count -- surrounded the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City following the ugly antigay remarks of the Mormon Apostle Boyd K. Packer.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, joins us today to discuss what needs to happen on college campuses to prevent another tragic story like the death of Tyler Clementi from happening again.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - Fifty years ago, Chester Burge, a wealthy slumlord and bootlegger was acquitted of murdering his wife, but was found guilty of sodomy when his chauffeur came forward and testified of their relationship and Burges secret gay life. Richard Hutto, author of A Peculiar Tribe of People: Murder and Madness in the Heart of Georgia, joins us this afternoon to talk about this tale of murder, sex and scandal.

The deadline is approaching for the Obama administration to appeal the court decision ruling the main part of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. What will the President do? We'll get into it.

It's Friday, that means we'll be giving out our "Angel, Turkey, Gassie and Climax of the Week" Awards!

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Today on the Signorile Show

IN the wake of a North Carolina politician's rant against "queers" and "fruit loops", an activist group will send a box of Fruit Loops cereal to the guy for every donation of more than five bucks it receives. And if he doesn't take it, the cereal goes to a shelter. We'll tell you how you can send a message and feed a homeless person at the same time!

The state of New York, led by New York City Mayor Bloomberg, is asking the federal government to allow the state to ban sugary soft drinks from being bought with federal food stamps, arguing that it is an important way to take on obesity. Should the state be dictating what people eat, even if it is to their own good? And what about Fruit Loops? We'll take your calls.

Looks like the Democrats are getting a clue that the tea party is really the religious right dressed up in a different outfit, and they're finally taking this to the voters. We'll get into it.

The Westboro Baptist Church had its day before the Supreme Court, arguing that its antigay offenses outside funerals is free speech, and Shirley Phelps-Roper has given her thoughts on the court -- loved the women, but not the men. We'll go through it.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - Will Bunch, author of The Backlash: Right-Wing Radicals, High-Def Hucksters, and Paranoid Politics In The Age Of Obama, joins us this afternoon to reveal the secrets behind these movements and paranoid politics in a new generation.

Guest / 4:30pm EST - We're less than a month away from the mid-term elections and there are reports that the Republicans could potentially take more seats in the House and Senate than expected. We're joined by Florida's Democratic Senate Candidate Kendrick Meek to talk about his campaign and how the Democrats can keep control on Capitol Hill.

Another "family values" right-wing hypocrite is exposed: This time it's an appointee of Republican Indiana governor and moral crusader Mitche Daniels. The guy told an undercover cop in a public restroom to..."touch it." Not kidding.

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

Stopping Bullying and Teen Suicides

Many listeners have asked how they can help out amid these stories of LGBT suicides, including offering financial support for groups battling this issue. There are many great, hard-working groups, some of them high-profile, to which you can send contributions, but I want to tell about an important effort that needs support.

The Queering Education Research Institute and its Reduction of Stigma in Schools Program does important work at getting to underlying causes of bullying and how to create positive, nurturing environments in school for LGBTQ students. QuERI is out of the the School of Eduction at Syracuse University, where I attended journalism school (the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications). I will be holding an event for QuERI for SU alums in New York in November to bring attention to the research QuERI is conducting on bullying of LGBT teens in schools. Dr. Elizabethe Payne and her colleagues are doing work that is not being done elsewhere. They're bringing together the qualitative data -- why bullying happens, and how the structure and culture of schools contribute. They're also training teachers and have already trained hundreds on how to change that culture in schools and take on bullying.

You can read about QuERI here and contribute a tax-deductible donation here with a credit card, but be sure to write "For QuERI" in the "other, please specify" space. You can also send QuERI a check to the address below. Write the check to the SU School of Education and put "for QuERI" in the comments:

QuERI @ SU
Syracuse University School of Education
Attn: Victoria Kohl
230 Huntington Hall
Syracuse, New York 13244

Today on the Signorile Show

Both the Republican Party and Tea Party in Nevada are in chaos after the leaking of a tape in which Sharon Angle trashes the GOP and tries to talk the tea party candidate into dropping out. Now the Tea Party of Nevada chairman has resigned. We'll get into it.

A North Carolina Republican legislator sent out an email referring to gays as "queers" and "fruit loops." And apparently that's just fine with the local party.

Mitt Romney, presidential aspirant and Big Mormon, is tongue-tied on the issue of homosexuality and whether or not one is born gay, asked to respond to Mormon leader Boyd K. Packer's recent antigay tirade. It's kind of odd and interesting, as Towleroad points out, because Romney has always been outspoken on the issue, towing the religious right line. Romney is also having to answer to "Romneycare." My how the tea party has changed the debate.

President Obama continues to try to get the base of the Democratic Party out to vote. Are activists ready to put aside anger and disappointment until after Nov. 3. We'll get into it.

Guest / 3:30pm EST - We have spent a lot of time over the past few weeks talking about some heartbreaking, tragic news stories. We've decided that we need to brighten up the news cycle. Political satirist Lizz Winstead joins us this afternoon to laugh at some of the crazier stories in the news this week. Are the Democrats going to lose as many seats as some pundits have projected? Does she think Delaware Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell is a witch? We'll discuss these stories with her today.

Have LGBT activist, the media and celebrities "exploited" the suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi in a detrimental way, as charged by the Rutgers Daily Targum? Shouldn't activists use such events to drive the message about antigay hate home? We'll take your calls.

These stories and so much more, today on The Michelangelo Signorile Show!

And, don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Listen to The Michelangelo Signorile Show weekdays live from 2-6 pm ET on Sirius XM's OutQ: Sirius 109, XM 98 and on the Sirius XM iPhone app. Not a subscriber? Not a problem! Listen online any time with a free seven-day pass or, if you have an iPhone or Blackberry, go to the app store and download Sirius XM for free, for a 7-day trial, and listen on your phone.

At "One Nation Working Together"

Over the weekend, we were LIVE from Washington DC to bring you coverage of the One Nation Working Together march, an event focused on "Job's, Justice, Education and Peace." We were really lucky to have a nice day as we broadcasted from the Lincoln Memorial!



Here are photo's I took of Mike speaking with some of the guest speakers at the event:

















Mike and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

















Mike and Benjamin Jealous, President of the NAACP.

















Mike and Darlene Nippers, Deputy Executive Director of NGLTF.






















Mike and Dennis Van Roekle, President of the NEA.

A "Christian" Calls in on LGBT Suicides

In discussing the tragedy of the recent suicides by gay teens who were brutally bullied in school and online, I played a clip of Mormon leader Boyd Packer railing against homosexuality in recent days. The hate coming from the pulpits of most faiths cannot be denied as a factor in these suicides, and in gay-bashings. But many Christians don't want to believe that, even as they condemn homosexuality. One of them, James from Louisiana, called in yesterday. I was definitely not in the mood to put up with any crap!