Arts & Entertainment
Gay YouTuber becomes mayor of Hell, Michigan, bans straight people from town
the comedian was impeached just a few hours later
Gay YouTube comedian Elijah Daniel embarked on a short political career when he became mayor of Hell, Michigan and then was impeached a few hours later for banning straight people from the town.
Daniel, 23, kicked off his aspirations with a simple tweet musing how far he could make it in politics.
im gonna become a politician just to see how far i could make it like i could probably get as far as governor
— former mayor elijah (@elijahdaniel) August 25, 2017
He told The Huffington Post he discovered that Hell, Michigan would swear someone in as mayor for just $100. Daniel took the opportunity and found himself the mayor of the small town.
As of today, August 30th, 2017 I am the legal mayor of Hell, Michigan. This is real. I am the mayor of Hell. pic.twitter.com/J7fuaLnFKV
— former mayor elijah (@elijahdaniel) August 30, 2017
Daniel’s first order of business was to ban straight people from the town. He told The Huffington Post a certain political figure’s ban was his inspiration.
“My ban is a copy-and-paste of Trump’s Muslim ban, but with heterosexuals instead,” Daniel says.
“Growing up, I was always told that homosexuals would go to Hell,” Daniel’s proclamation reads. “Now the heterosexuals are trying to take that from us too.”
“I am establishing new vetting measures to keep radical heterosexuals out of our town,” Daniel continued. “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our town the very heterosexual threats we are fighting against. The straights coming into our town procreating, having more straight children to take our rightfully gay jobs. We only want to admit those into our town who will support our town and love deeply our people. I currently feel as if it would just be safer to ban all heterosexuality until we can access the situation further and build a strategy to resolve our problem.”
Daniel was willing to allow heterosexuals currently residing in Hell to stay for a price. Straight people would have to pay $84,000 as a “reproductive precautionary deposit, which will be returned after one year of abstinence from any heterosexual activities.”
He also offered a “heterosexual reparative therapy program” for straight people to “denounce their heterosexuality” and “become gay like the rest of the town.”
Any heterosexuals who didn’t participate in the program would be required to meet in the town center at 5:30 a.m. every day to be publicly “straight-shamed” wearing a scarlet “H” and cargo shorts.
Daniel’s mayoral office run was short-lived. Following his mayoral proclamation, Daniel was impeached.
Although I enjoyed my time as mayor, I’ve been informed that I’ve been impeached as mayor of Hell. This will not effect my presidential run.
— former mayor elijah (@elijahdaniel) August 30, 2017
He had no hard feelings about his removal from office and encouraged Trump to try it.
Being impeached was fun @realDonaldTrump, you should try it.
— former mayor elijah (@elijahdaniel) August 30, 2017
Now, Daniel has a travel destination in mind for the president.
“It’s a great place to visit,” Daniel told The Huffington Post. “Donald Trump should go to Hell anytime.”
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

















Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP

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