LGBT

Pete Buttigieg says while his odds to the win the White House might be similar to Donald Trump's a year out from election day ... he's going about getting there with a full 180.

The South Bend Mayor spoke to us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" after news broke that he's the leading Democratic candidate in Iowa, according to a new poll ... not to mention that his chances at going the distance are eerily similar to DT's from this time 4 years ago.

He weighs in on both, telling us the new poll reflects what he's been feeling on the ground ... a connection to voters and a groundswell that just can't be stopped.

As for the Trump comparison, he says the only thing he wants to share with 45 is the final destination. That said, he does admit there are similarities in how folks perceived their campaigns early on -- namely, they were seen as odd men out despite later success.

Then, we got into what could become a problem ... how PB plans to deal with religious voters -- especially in the South -- who may view the fact he's gay as a dealbreaker.

Walter Mercado -- a Spanish TV icon who served as an eccentric astrologist with his own syndicated segments -- has died.

Mercado passed away late Saturday at a hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico due to kidney failure, according to the facility's spokesperson, Sofia Luquis, who told AP. It's unclear how long he'd been hospitalized there and what exact ailment he'd been battling.

Nonetheless, a major loss in the Spanish community -- as Mercado was a staple in many Latino homes through the '80s, '90s and onward. He got his start on TV in his native land of Puerto Rico, establishing himself with daily horoscopes, advice and predictions.

Eventually, he got his own show on Univision, where he had a home for years before parting ways in 2010 and moving on to other Spanish networks. He was known for his lavish outfits, which often included robes, capes, jewelry, makeup and other extravagant accessories.

While he never came out and announced his sexual preferences, Mercado was a bit of a hero in the LGBTQ community ... with many viewing him as a trend-setter on Spanish TV, which had often leaned more conservative. He had no children,  and no known partners.

In 2012, Mercado was rushed to a Cleveland area hospital for cardiac problems -- after which, he claimed he'd seen death ...  wanting to devote himself to philanthropic causes.

Mercado had a known catchphrase he'd always end his horoscope segments with. It went like ... "Que reciban de mi siempre pas, mucha pas. Pero sobre todo, mucho, mucho, mucho amor." It translates to, "May you always receive peace from me, but above all else ... lots and lots of love."

Miley Cyrus is taking some thinly-veiled shots at Liam Hemsworth, suggesting he was such a bad husband ... she thought all men were trash, and had no choice but to be gay.

Miley and her new man, Cody Simpson, did an Instagram Live video together Sunday to reminisce about their less-than-a-month-long relationship. The chat included her discussing her "hardcore feminist vibes" and dating struggles after splitting from Liam, which led to her whirlwind relationship with Kaitlynn Carter.

Miley said, "There are good men out there, guys. Don't give up. You don't have to be gay. There are good people with dicks out there. You just gotta find them. You gotta find a dick that's not a dick, you know what I mean?"

After Cody laughed about her advice, she continued ... "I always thought I had to be gay because I just thought, like, all guys were evil, but it's not true. There are good people out there that just happen to have dicks. I've only ever met one."

She then insinuated that one good guy with a penis is, in fact, Cody ... which put a smile on his face.

As we've reported ... the 2 have been getting closer and closer since video surfaced of them kissing, and Cody's even been spotted hanging with Miley and her mom.

Miley's remarks probably won't sit well with the LGBTQ community, and could potentially make her divorce from Liam more contentious.

A well-known contestant from "RuPaul's Drag Race" got busted this weekend for allegedly acting a fool -- and then posed for this epic mug shot afterward.

Joey Santolini -- AKA Tatianna of season 2 -- was arrested Sunday in Atlanta for disorderly conduct. Allow us to explain.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Tatianna was taken in by cops after she allegedly followed a nightclub employee back into the building through a door she wasn't supposed to use. According to cops, the employee had just snapped a photo with her, and after that ... he went in through an employees-only entrance.

Tatianna allegedly wanted to come in that way too, despite the employee telling her to go around the front. We're told Tatianna ignored him, and came in through the back anyway. That's when cops were called ... and things allegedly got a little outta hand.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg was briefly upstaged during CNN's LGBTQ town hall by transgender protesters, but there are no hard feelings -- in fact, he's taking a stand for them.

We got the Democratic Presidential candidate in L.A. Thursday night as he left the theater where the event was held, and he had an interesting perspective about the trans women who were forcibly removed as they shouted, "Black trans women are dying, our lives matter!"

Buttigieg says he understands he wouldn't even be running for Prez without the proud history of protesters in the LGBTQ community.

As for the fact that they chose to rush the stage as he -- the first openly gay candidate for Prez -- was speaking? Pete's not taking it personally. He told us he understands their goal -- shining the brightest spotlight possible on the "epidemic violence against black trans women."

Chris Cuomo became the target of some serious heat after jokingly assuming female pronouns during an LGBTQ town hall event ... and then offering up a quick apology.

Cuomo was one of several CNN personalities to take the stage Thursday with Democratic candidates to discuss issues facing the LGBTQ community. Kamala Harris joined Cuomo on the stage and announced, "My pronouns are she/her/hers."

Cuomo mockingly replied, "Mine too." Harris responded with, "Alright."

The backlash on social media was immediate ... and Cuomo apologized, tweeting, "PLEASE READ: When Sen. Harris said her pronouns were she her and her's, I said mine too. I should not have. I apologize. I am an ally of the LGBTQ community, and I am sorry because I am committed to helping us achieve equality. Thank you for watching our townhall."

Gia Gunn's calling BS on Trisha Paytas -- not just for announcing she's transgender ... but for her ensuing apology she believes was just an attempt to save face.

The "RuPaul's Drag Race" star tells TMZ she doesn't believe for a second that Paytas is transgender, and says Trisha telling us she's not transitioning is obvious ... because she's not legit.

Gia says it's clear Trisha's behavior is that of a YouTuber using clickbait to gain followers, NOT a transgender person. She concedes Paytas may have some conflicted feelings -- including penis envy -- but doesn't buy her identifying as a man.

FOX News anchor Harris Faulkner and contributor Angela McGlowan are getting sued by a makeup artist at the channel for allegedly discriminating against him because he's gay.

According to docs, Juan Legramandi claims McGlowan entered a green room in February 2018 and walked past him and another openly gay stylist -- and said, "Ugh! It's like Sodom and Gomorrah in here!"

Juan also claims in September 2017 he was doing Faulkner's hair when a news story involving Hispanic women crossing the southern U.S. border came on a nearby TV. In the suit, obtained by TMZ, he says Faulkner launched into a xenophobic, anti-Latino tirade ... which allegedly included the statement, "Hispanic women are so ignorant."

He says he was shocked and told Faulkner, his mother is Hispanic and he'd been born in Colombia. He claims Faulkner responded, "Your family is from a third world country."

Juan says he filed a complaint with Human Resources at FOX News but claims nothing was done.

After he filed that report, he claims, Jill Van Why -- Senior VP of programming operations -- told him, in June 2018, everyone is replaceable ... which he took as a threat.

Juan says he was later fired -- the lawsuit doesn't mention the date -- by Van Why and Marsheila Hayes, a VP of diversity and inclusion at FOX News.

YouTube personality Trisha Paytas says his controversial coming out video is actually leading to something good ... scoring dates with hot guys!!!

We got the internet personality shopping on Melrose Monday and Trisha told us the backlash he's getting for saying he's "1,000 percent" transgender ain't stopping horny dudes from sliding into his DMs ... and he's already got a sex romp on his schedule!!!

In case you missed it ... Trisha started a firestorm this week when he came out as a transgender male in a YouTube video, with some folks taking issue with some of his wording and reasoning.

Trisha, who has already apologized for offending anyone in a lengthy and tear-filled video, took a ton of heat from fans who felt his coming out video was disrespectful to the transgender community. Many felt he didn't truly understand what it meant to be transgender.

If you're unfamiliar with Trisha's story ... he was born with female genitalia and has lived with female genitalia, but has always personally identified as a male.

As for Trisha ... he seems totally ready to take on the dating world as his true self.

Boy George says he doesn't care if the actor who plays him in a forthcoming biopic is of the same sexual orientation as him or not -- just so long as they nail the part.

The Culture Club frontman was at Rock & Reilly's Irish Pub Tuesday night in WeHo, where he tackled the issue of PC casting head-on while talking to paps. He told one photog that casting a gay man was NOT at the forefront of his mind as the movie ramps up.

BG notes they haven't cast the starring role yet, and while it's undecided if they'll look for an actor who is gay ... he says it's no biggie in his eyes.

Lil Nas X coming out is going to spark change in the hip-hop community ... so says Ty Herndon, who thinks Lil Nas' bravery will make it easier for others in the industry to be themselves.

We got Ty before his Thursday night set at Rockwell Table and Stage, and our guy asked if the country music veteran thinks Lil Nas X will help other gay hip-hop artists feel comfortable and accepted enough to come out.

Ty's the first male country musician to reveal he's gay, which is why he says he knows times are a changin'. He flat-out believes ... in Nashville, your sexuality doesn't matter anymore -- and he thinks Lil Nas can bring that same change in hip-hop.

TMZ broke the story ... the "Old Town Road" rapper became inspired to share his truth with the world at the end of Pride Month after performing with Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus in front of a MASSIVE crowd in England.

Daniel Franzese says it's time to usher in a new season of celebrating bigger gay dudes -- on the heels of Hot Girl Summer -- because it's long overdue, especially in showbiz!!!

The "Mean Girls" actor was leaving LAX Tuesday, where we asked about a recent social media clip of him diving into a pool shirtless. Daniel's captioned it, "Reclaiming my childhood spent wearing a shirt in the pool growing up in Florida. Not giving a F**K what people think feels so good."

Daniel broke down the post for us, and said it was about more than body positivity -- it was about getting heavier-set gay men off the sidelines.

He says gay men in the media are often portrayed as trim, fit and with a certain look, but he says he's living proof gay comes in all sizes ... and all deserve some visibility.

Or, as Daniel put it on IG, "It's #bigboysummer and soaking up every last minute until #bigandtallfall. #BellyOutchallenge."

He tells us if bigger people were featured more often on TV and the big screen, he'd probably be working a lot more, and the way folks view fat people would change for the better.

To all the people ticked off at Kevin Hart on behalf of Lil Nas X for seemingly interrupting his story about coming out -- LNX says feel anyway ya want, just don't count him among the outraged.

The "Old Town Road" rapper says he's not fuming about the perceived slight. While recording an interview Tuesday with DJ Scream and Moran Tha Man -- for their Atlanta-based show, Hoodrich Radio! -- he said, "I'm not mad at Kevin Hart."

Lil Nas really wanted that to sink in for the outrage police on the Internet ... who were still going after Kevin, even after he suffered serious injuries in that car accident.

Last week on HBO's "The Shop" Nas X was asked about coming out as gay earlier this year. Before he could even get into why he came out when he did ... Kevin blurted out, "He said he was gay, so what?!?" Many people found it tone-deaf.

Kevin later interjected with more clarifying questions that some took as disrespect, especially in light of his past issues with the LGBTQ community.

Well, Lil Nas doesn't see it that way -- or if he does, he's not talking about it. He insists there's no beef between Kevin and him. However, he admits IF he did have beef, he wouldn't air it publicly ... and he explained his MO when it comes to celeb feuds.

Jeff Ross makes his living roasting others, and he says there's one person who stands above the rest when it comes to handling harsh jokes directed their way ... Caitlyn Jenner.

The RoastMaster General himself joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to share some behind-the-scenes info from the Comedy Central 'Roast of Alec Baldwin' ... and Jeff says Caitlyn did a helluva job taking digs from Blake Griffin and others. BTW, she also dished out some jabs.

As you know ... Blake got huge laughs with jokes about Caitlyn's gender reassignment and thanking her -- on behalf of NBA players and rappers -- for giving Kendall and Kylie daddy issues. Don't forget, Blake and Kendall actually dated.

Jeff commends Caitlyn for being a great sport and shares an interesting little nugget about her history with celebrity roasts ... which might explain why she was totally down for this one.

More importantly, Jeff says Caitlyn being the first transgender person to appear on one of his celebrity roasts will have a social impact far beyond the laughs they had that night.

"On behalf of the entire NBA and half of the rappers on the Billboard charts, I want to thank you for giving your daughters their daddy issues!"

That's NBA superstar Blake Griffin giving it to Caitlyn Jenner at the Comedy Central "Roast of Alec Baldwin" -- proving absolutely nothing is off limits ... and it's all hilarious!

Blake and Caitlyn were on the dais for the show (which airs Sept. 15) -- and it's customary for roasters to go after each other in addition to burning the guest of honor.

What's interesting about this situation ... Blake famously dated Caitlyn's daughter, Kendall Jenner, beginning back in 2017 -- so it's not like the NBA star was going after a stranger.

Comedy Central only released a snippet of Blake's set -- but so far, so good.

Here's another joke ...

"Caitlyn completed her gender reassignment in 2017 ... finally confirming that no one in that family wants a white d*ck."

After months of debate, controversy, and a threatened Brad Pitt lawsuit ... the so-called Straight Pride Parade is underway in Boston.

The parade organizers -- a group called Super Happy Fun America -- claim straight people are an "oppressed majority" and believe "the day will come when straights will finally be included as equals among all other orientations."

Those kinds of statements made many think the whole parade was just a troll, and not something that would really happen, but there are several hundred people lining the same route of the Boston's Pride Parade back in June.

The Grand Marshal is, ironically, the openly gay, but extremely conservative, Milo Yiannopoulos.

Protesters are on hand as well, but don't appear to be confrontational. Hell, they brought musical instruments.

Still Boston police are out in force ... just in case tensions rise and anything goes down.

You'll recall, earlier this year the parade organizers used Brad Pitt's face on promotional material ... calling him straight America's mascot -- but as TMZ first reported, Brad wasn't down. He threatened to sue if Super Happy Fun America didn't cease and desist. They did.