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NPR reports: The Transportation Security Administration is reminding airport travelers that it’s fine to stuff carry-on bags with clothes and toiletries. Just don’t pack any heat. TSA announced that its officers seized 4,432 guns at checkpoints last year — the most in the agency’s 18-year history. It also says that 87% of those guns (some 3,855) were loaded. “The continued …

Newsweek reports: An unidentified Florida man is on the loose after allegedly using Space Shoes—a type of e-mobility self-balancing hover roller skate—to help him make off with more than $500 worth of merchandise from a Winter Haven Walmart. The incident took place on January 8. Among the items reported missing from the store, according to a police report, are a …

Newsweek reports: A Florida man tried to evade arrest by hiding from police underwater in a pond — but was captured when he came up for air. Daniel Christopher Booth, 36, was working at the solar plant on Hogan Road near Wellborn, Florida, on Wednesday, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Facebook. Booth had warrants …

Reuters reports: Yamaha Corporation has warned people not to try and squeeze inside musical instrument cases after reports former Nissan Motor boss Carlos Ghosn fled Japan concealed inside in one. “We won’t mention the reason, but there have been many tweets about climbing inside large musical instrument cases. A warning after any unfortunate accident would be too late, so we …

Orlando’s Fox affiliate reports: A Florida man, who claims to be a professional mixed martial arts fighter, was arrested for DUI despite offering deputies free classes for a month if they let him go. Calen Holcomb, 34, reportedly refused to complete a field sobriety exercise and test of his breath. He was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. …

Playbill reports: A memorial service for Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman will be held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Michael Feinstein is producing the tribute, which will feature performances from a number of notable legit stars, including Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Sutton Foster, Kelli O’Hara, Bernadette Peters and Betty Buckley. Angela Lansbury is preparing …

Billboard Magazine reports: It’s a very good time to be RuPaul. Along with continuing his reign as the host of all the various renditions of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the star just debuted his new scripted series for Netflix, AJ and the Queen, and is currently preparing to begin a Las Vegas residency with RuPaul’s Drag Race Live. Now, Ru has …

From the Hollywood Reporter: Young Frankenstein Live will be ABC’s latest live musical event, following the successful airing of The Little Mermaid Live in November. That hybrid presentation of live performances mixed in with a showing of the 1989 animated movie drew 9 million viewers for its initial airing, growing to almost 11.7 million after a week of delayed viewing. …

Newsweek reports: A Florida man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail after he spat on a man wearing a Make America Great Again Hat (MAGA). Matthias Ajple, 43, gave a no-contest plea in court, and was found guilty of battery against Robert Youngblood, 67, on Thursday. Youngblood told police he was wearing his MAGA hat and sitting at …

West Palm Beach’s ABC News affiliate reports: A Florida man with cream on his face, a towel over his head, and body covered with a shower curtain went on Facebook Live where federal authorities say he threatened to kill President Donald Trump. According to a criminal complaint from the United States Secret Service, 26-year-old Chauncy Lump made the threats on …

Playbill reports: From a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens, to Broadway: Fran Drescher is developing a stage adaptation of The Nanny, with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Emmy winners Rachel Bloom and Adam Schlesinger writing the score. Drescher will pen the book with Peter Marc Jacobson; the two co-created the series while married. Beautiful–The Carole King Musical director Marc Bruni is attached to …

Playbill reports: Broadway theatres dimmed their marquee lights tonight at 6:45 PM for one minute in memory of Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, who died December 26 at the age of 88. Mr. Herman, who, with Hello, Dolly! and Mame, wrote two of the most popular and tuneful Broadway musicals of the 1960s—to say nothing of La Cage …

USA Today reports: “Let me out! Let me out! Ohhh! Ohhh! Ohhh!” When a Florida neighbor heard those chilling cries, the logical next step was to call 911. Four Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies pulled up and confronted a man who had his wife’s car on blocks in his driveway. When the deputies showed up and explained their concerns, the …

Billboard Magazine reports: As had been expected, a California appeals court on Friday (Jan. 3) restored two lawsuits accusing Michael Jackson of child sexual abuse, after the state’s statute of limitations was extended. The lawsuits were filed by Wade Robson in 2013 and James Safechuck in 2014, but were dismissed on the grounds that the statute of limitations had expired …

The Brandenton Herald reports: A toe-sucking burglar broke into a Florida home on Christmas Eve and got into a fight with a resident, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies who responded to a home on 60th Avenue West were told that the victim was sleeping in his bedroom when he was awakened by the suspect sucking on his …

Playbill reports: The GLAAD Media Awards, which honor fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues, will welcome the return of the Outstanding Broadway Production category for the first time since 2014. The decision comes after a “recent surge of powerful LGBTQ-inclusive shows on Broadway that featured diverse LGBTQ characters and illuminated LGBTQ issues,” according to a release …

Playbill reports: Three-time Tony recipient and famed Stephen Sondheim interpreter Bernadette Peters, most recently on Broadway in the Tony-winning revival of Hello, Dolly!, hosted Celebrating Sondheim December 31 at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Tony winner Katrina Lenk (The Band’s Visit, the upcoming revival of Sondheim’s Company) performed in the evening directed by Lonny Price; Alexander Gemignani conducted the New …

Yahoo Sports reports: If you’re going to invite former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski on your television program, expect him to start randomly spiking things. Gronkowski did just that while hosting Fox’s New Year’s Eve show, much to the chagrin of his co-host Steve Harvey. As the celebration got more rowdy, the 30-year-old Gronkowski decided he needed to …

Law.com on what 2020 holds for the LGBTQs: In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue decisions in three cases that will determine whether discrimination based upon gender identity and sexual orientation is covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Title VII is a federal law that bars employment discrimination on the …

Another action-packed year has come and gone for this here website thingy, which in a few months will mark its 16th anniversary. Unreal! I want to sincerely thank all of you, longtime JMG flying monkeys and newbies alike, for coming along on the endless Trump-zaster that 2019 has been. While the last year has seemed like nothing but an infinite …