Arts & Entertainment
Ricky Martin calls for Puerto Rico governor’s resignation over profane messages
Bad Bunny, Lin-Manuel Miranda also denounce Ricardo Rosselló
Ricky Martin announced he will be joining a protest on Wednesday calling for the resignation of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló.
889 pages of a group chat from the app Telegram between Rosselló and members of his administration were leaked on Saturday. The messages were filled with profane, homophobic and sexist comments and made references to other political leaders and Puerto Rican celebrities Ricky Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Bad Bunny.
Puerto Rico Chief Financial Office Christian Sobrino said of Martin, “Nothing says patriarchal oppression like Ricky Martin. He is such a male chauvinist that he fu*ks men because women don’t measure up. Pure patriarchy.”
Sobrino has since apologized and resigned.
In another message, Rosselló refers to former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito as the Spanish word for “whore.” Rosselló apologized for the messages and stated he would be asking members who were involved in the messages to step down.
“Aware that the current environment cannot be maintained, I have communicated to all the other public officials involved in the chat that I will have to dispense with their services and/or their advice,” he said in the statement,” Rosselló said in a statement via the Washington Post. “This is a very painful situation for me, as Governor, as a human being and as a Puerto Rican,” Rosselló said. “But I recognize there is no other way out and there is no worthwhile forgiveness on my part that does not include corrections and clear signs of intent to change.”
Despite the backlash, Rosselló says he will not be resigning.
“I’m the governor of Puerto Rico, but I’m a human being who has his faults,” Rosselló said at a press conference. “I ask for forgiveness.”
Martin implored Rosselló to resign on Twitter.
“Do an act of true generosity, worth and love for Puerto Rico and give your position to another person with the wisdom and leadership to direct your destiny as a people,” Martin tweeted in Spanish. “Precisely because your comments were made in the privacy is shown of what you are made off. It is in the privacy where you live with the truth and integrity that defines us and yours is far from being a vertical and admirable.”
Las expresiones compartidas en un chat por parte del Gobernador de Puerto Rico @ricardorosello y coreadas por otros funcionarios públicos en lo que a todas luces era una discusión de sus ejecutorias en el Gobierno y no de asuntos privados como se intenta dejar ver,
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 13, 2019
es completamente repudiable y denotan el carácter y personalidad intolerante, arrogante, prepotente, homofóbica, machista y violenta de cada uno.
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 13, 2019
NO podemos permitir que nuestro Puerto Rico esté en manos de tales “líderes”
Precisamente porque sus comentarios fueron hechos en la intimidad queda demostrado de que esta hecho. Es en la intimidad donde se vive con la verdad e integridad que nos define y la suya esta lejos de ser una vertical y admirable.
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 13, 2019
On Tuesday, Martin announced he would be joining the protest on Wednesday writing “See you tomorrow at the march at 5pm in front of the Capitol.”
#PuertoRico nos vemos mañana en el la marcha a ls 5pm frente al Capitolio pic.twitter.com/4cZM1KF3Kn
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 17, 2019
Singer Bad Bunny, who is currently on tour, will pause his shows to join the protests.
MERA PUERTO RICO!! ?? voy a bajar pa’ la isla y me gustaría verlos conmigo y con los que ya salieron pa’ la calle!! Esta gente piensa que tenemos miedo y vamos a demostrarle que estan bien equivocados!! VAMOS PA’ ENCIMA PUÑETA!!!
— ? (@sanbenito) July 15, 2019
Miranda also called for the governor’s resignation.
#RenunciaRossello https://t.co/MJEyrcYpe5
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 16, 2019
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Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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