Agence France-Presse reports: Pope Francis today urged Slovenian politicians to stand up for family values, four days before the country votes in a referendum on gay marriage. Without explicitly mentioning the vote, Francis told a group of Slovenian pilgrims that he encouraged “everyone, especially those with public responsibility, to support the family, a structural reference point for the life of …

Hate group leader Tony Perkins appeared on Fox Business this morning to defend Donald Trump, saying that evangelicals are “tired of being choked back by the chains of political correctness.” Perkins went to declare, “Donald Trump is becoming one of us!” In the opening of the clip, Perkins declined to offer his endorsement of Ted Cruz, although that is surely …

This morning the jury in Philadelphia’s trial for accused gay-basher Kathryn Knott once again sent requests to the judge. The Philly Voice reports: The jury requested police statements given by Knott and Elizabeth Foley, a defense witnesses who was among Knott’s group of 15 people on the night of the incident. However, Knott never gave a statement to police. Her …

“At what point in Donald Trump’s inaugural address do you figure the GOP establishment will finally grasp what’s been happening? The establishment — not “elites,” because they’re mostly bland functionaries who went to third-rate schools — have thrown absolutely everything they have at Trump. I’ve never seen so many Republicans featured on MSNBC. “At least no one will be able …

Tell us about your holiday traditions. Do you spend this time of year with your biological family or with, as Armistead Maupin famously call it, your logical family? Do the two intermingle?

People reports: Nearly 20 years after The First Wives Club, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton and Bette Midler are together again! The ladies are reuniting for a new Netflix feature film Divanation, according to Deadline. The comedy will tell the story of “members of a once-popular singing group forced to reconnect after their volatile split and 30 year estrangement.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin appeared to endorse Donald Trump in remarks made yesterday in Moscow. Via Politico: According to an Interfax report of his annual year-end news conference, Putin called the Republican presidential candidate “a very bright and talented man,” as well as an “absolute leader” in the race for the presidency. “He says that he wants to move to …

JMG reader Michael directs us to this lovely holiday vignette from popular British vlogger Calum McSwiggan. Watch below.

The Log Cabin Republicans are weighing an endorsement of Donald Trump, who typically has little to say about LGBT rights. And that makes him a relative standout in this year’s crowded GOP field of fiercely anti-gay candidates. Reuters reports: “He is one of the best, if not the best, pro-gay Republican candidates to ever run for the presidency,” said Gregory …

Whoa. Bloomberg Business reports: A boyish drug company entrepreneur, who rocketed to infamy by jacking up the price of a life-saving pill from $13.50 to $750, was arrested on securities fraud related to a firm he founded. Martin Shkreli, 32, ignited a firestorm over drug prices in September and became a symbol of defiant greed. The federal case against him …

CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Sarah Palin to respond with one or two words when given the names of presidential candidates from both parties. If you listen closely you can hear Palin’s tens of brain cells smashing into each other over and over as she struggles to come up with something.

JMG reader David points us to this Star Wars-inspired French clip, which might be an ad for condoms. Unless it’s for cellphones. Watch below.

Donald Trump today once again turned his guns on Fox News commentators. Via Mediaite: Yes, Donald Trump is still publicly feuding with Fox and publicly trashing all the people who have committed the cardinal sin of not being a Trump fan. As he fired up his Arizona crowd talking about the polls, Trump brought up George Will and said, “You …

Stereogum recaps: Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyongo, Carrie Fisher, various droids, and Chewbacca all joined Fallon and the Roots to Pentatonix the shit out of it. They even got grumpy old Harrison Ford to show up for a couple of seconds. And you know what? It’s great! It’s so fun!

The Baltimore Sun reports: Judge Barry G. Williams on Wednesday declared a mistrial in the trial of Officer William G. Porter on all four counts. Porter, 26, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in the April arrest and death of Freddie Gray. Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby charged Porter and five other …

This afternoon Google issued its annual Year In Search, which recaps the topics researched most often during 2015. Google’s accompanying clip highlights the Obergefell ruling and the increased visibility of transgender Americans. More on the 2015 Year In Search from Wired: Of all the countless things people typed into the Google search box this year, the terror attacks on Charlie …

The Philadelphia jury in the case of alleged gay-basher Kathryn Knott began its deliberations today. According to reporters tweeting from inside the courtroom, this afternoon the jury asked to re-watch surveillance videos that captured Knott and her group on the Center City sidewalk near where the attack took place. The jury also wants to review the victims’ statements to police.  …

Rafael Cruz, the virulently anti-gay father of Ted Cruz, has a new book coming out which calls on Christians to battle against the “deceptive progressive mantra” that there must be a separation between church and state. The book’s release is timed to just precede the Iowa primary. World Net Daily is selling the book (shocker!) and this is their blurb: …

The Hill has the numbers: Hillary Clinton holds a huge national lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), according to a new poll. A Monmouth University survey released Wednesday found Clinton with a 33-point lead, taking 59 percent support nationally over Sanders at 26 percent. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley takes 4 percent support in the poll. Clinton has maintained a …