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Brad Pitt on Religion: Stop Telling Gays How to Live Their Lives

Brad Pitt was the featured guest on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday. The actor has joked about running for mayor of New Orleans on an anti-religion, pro-marijuana and gay marriage platform. An excerpt of his remarks on marriage equality via Towleroad:

"You know, I grew up in a religious family, in a religious community and it just doesn't make sense to me. It just doesn't work for me in the long run. I never wanted to step on anyone else's religion and their beliefs -- that's what's great about our country—until I started seeing it defining policy. Like gay marriage, you have a group of people telling other people how to live their lives, and you can't do that....I just say you have to, you really have to check what country you're living in because the freedom that allows you to practice religion is the same freedom you're stepping on. That's not right. And I want to add that if there was a nation of gay married couples who were telling you you couldn't practice your religion, I'd be speaking up for you too. So, let's stop the nonsense."

The actor has donated $100,000 to the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the newly-formed groups which is funding the Ted Olson and David Boies-led federal challenge to Proposition 8. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP.

Anthony Woods on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"

Now this was hot. If you were watching HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher last night, you probably were pleasantly surprised to see congressional candidate Anthony Woods make a surprise appearance.

Woods is running in the special election in California’s 10th Congressional District to replace the outgoing Rep. Ellen Tauscher. The West Point graduate earned the Bronze Star serving two tours in Iraq and was  later discharged under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after publicly coming out as gay. 

AFTER THE JUMP, watch Anthony Woods on Real Time. Woods appeared in Maher's "Overtime" and "New Rules". IMHO they weren't the most exciting segments, but, it was great to see Tony on a national platform and a very popular television show. Oh and there is also this love lettter to Woods and a poll at Daily Kos. If you can, please donate to Anthony Woods' campaign or his ACTBlue page. Join Anthony Woods on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @Woods4Congress.

General Says Bush/Republican Congress "Absolutely the Worst Thing" to Happen to the Military

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, one of the military's most respected officers and formerly in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004, appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. Eaton smashes popular right-wing talking points that conservatives and the Republican Party “are good for the military.”

“That is rarely the case," the general said. "And we have got to get a message through to every soldier, every family member, every friend of soldier,” that the Bush administration and its allies in Congress have “absolutely been the worst thing that’s happened to the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps.”

Gen. Eaton also said, “Thank God” for the Democratic takeover of Congress, so there is a check on the Bush Administration's abuse of its constitutional powers.

Meanwhile, Salon reports a unit of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division Fort Benning, GA are "deploying troops with serious injuries and other medical problems" as part of the Administration's troop escalation to Iraq, including GIs "who doctors have said are medically unfit for battle. Some are too injured to wear their body armor, according to medical records.”

So much for the Bush Administration's flag-waving of "supporting our troops."

General: Conservatives Are ‘Absolutely The Worst Thing That’s Happened’ To The U.S. Military [Think Progress]

The Army is Ordering Injured Troops to Iraq [Salon]

Did You Read ... ?

Escalating the Escalation: Part 2 [R20] Escalating the Escalation [R20] News: Iraq Cost Tops Vietnam [R20] Senate GOP Rejects Escalation Debate [R20] News: Denial, "No" to Escalation [R20] No. Exit. Strategy. [R20] McCain Wants Escalation [R20] "I've Decided More Troops Are Going..." [R20] News: Pentagon Needs $100B [R20] News: Dems Against Escalation [R20]

Bill Maher Outs RNC Chair Ken Mehlman on Larry King Live, CNN Edits Transcript and Video

Last night, Bill Maher appeared on Larry King Live and became the latest person to out Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. Via Blog Active is this video clip which has just been pulled by CNN and the RNC. Normally, the LKL transcripts are available overnight but, for some reason, this one was only posted in the last hour. Listen to the clip and read along with our transcript. Then read CNN's edited transcript below.

UPDATE: CNN has pulled the You Tube but for now it is available here. (Thanks BClinton!)

This what Bill Maher and Larry King said:

MAHER: Well, there's a couple of big people who everyone in Washington knows ... who run the Republican party

KING: You will name them?

MAHER: I wouldn't be the first. I'd get sued if I was the first but...you know. Ken Mehlman, okay there's one. I think people have talked about. I don't think he's denied it when people have suggested it. He doesn't say he isn't gay. [Ed: Actually, he has both denied and refused to answer the accusation.]

KING: Ken Mehlman? I've never heard that. But the question is...

MAHER: Maybe you don't go to the same bathhouse I do, Larry.

KING: Why would someone who is gay take public anti-gay positions? Why would you .. why would you ... do that?

MAHER: Because Larry, hating yourself is the greatest love of all.

KING: That's a great way to close out this segment, it's very poignant.

This is what CNN says Bill Maher and Larry King said:

MAHER: Well, I wouldn't be the first. I'd get sued if I was the first. (A PORTION OF THIS TRANSCRIPT HAS BEEN REMOVED)

KING: Great way to close out this segment. It's poignant.

When CNN re-broadacst the interview last night, they edited Larry King and Bill Maher's discussion of Mehlman's sexuality. So much for the myth of the liberal media.

Bill Maher Outs GOP Chair Ken Mehlman as Gay (You Tube)

(Edited) Larry King Live Transcript (CNN)

Censored by CNN: Maher Suggests Mehlman is Gay (Huff Po)

More Gays and Republicans:

Repub Party Accepts Money from Gay Porn (Rod 2.0) Mr. Mehlman, You've Given So Many Confusing Answers About Your Sexuality" (Rod 2.0) Parody of the Racist Bimbo Ad (Rod 2.0) Repub Party Accepts Money from Gay Porn (Rod 2.0) Daddy, What is Crystal Meth? (Rod 2.0) White House: Haggard Who? (Rod 2.0) Hustler Outs Evangelical Leader (Rod 2.0) Ted Haggard's Greatest Hits (Rod 2.0) What a Difference a Day Makes (Rod 2.0) How Low Will They Go? (Rod 2.0) Repubs Obsessed with Gays and Sex (Rod 2.0) "I Like Football and I Like Girls" (Rod 2.0) How Low Will They Go? (Rod 2.0) Harold Ford vs Bob Corker (Rod 2.0) UCC Slams Fundies (Rod 2.0) Did Geoge and Jeb Bush Know About Foley? (Rod 2.0) Blame Gays, Clinton and the Victims (Rod 2.0) GOP "Attack Dog" Outed (Rod 2.0) Foley Latest: Blame it on the Gays (Rod 2.0) Vast "Liberal Conspiracy" (Rod 2.0) Repubs Wanted to Avoid "Gay Bashing" (Rod 2.0) GOP Leaders in Foley Cover-Up (Rod 2.0) Congressman Resigns (Rod 2.0) GOP Rep. Emails 16 YO Boy (Rod 2.0)

John Legend and Cornel West Against Homophobia

Cornel West and John Legend are must-see-tv as they discuss gays, the black community and homophobia on Real Time with Bill Maher. Both offer support and critiques of our community after some choice pot-shots by national security expert Richard A. Clarke. West agrees that many blacks may be homophobic but "it's not a big issue across the board. Black people are not more homophobic than other folk. But black people are homophobic. ... We need more Americans to speak up against homophobia. We've got to defend the gay brothers and the lesbian sisters."

Bravo. The love-fest continues with super-fabulous John Legend, who schools Richard Clarke on a few things. Clarke attempted to blame John Kerry's 2004 loss solely on the homophobic black vote in Ohio. John Legend, an Ohio native, debated Clarke toe-to-toe on the politics of his homestate: "[Homophobia] is coming back ... It's a big issue but in the black community but we don't vote on that issue, we tend to vote on other issues." Legend also repeated instances of intimidation and voter fraud in his homestate. Clarke discounted the GOP's nationwide gay-marriage wedge platform and apparently forgot or never heard about the voting fiasco in Florida. Not to mention the fact that Kerry's campaign was just plain ole' sloppy from start to finish. Rod 2.0 ♥ John Legend.

Jasmyne Cannick has the video and spot-on-commentary.

Cornel West On Gays (Jasmyne Cannick)

Real Time with Bill Maher: Episode 78 (HBO)

Previously:

What Becomes a Legend? (Rod 2.0) "Black Gays Went to the Back of the Bus" (Rod 2.0)