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Patti LuPone Sounds Off After Turkey Denies Gay Cruise She's Performing On From Docking Due To 'Moral Values'
Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell described the decision as shocking:
“It’s pretty stunning, to be honest. I mean, and the reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group.”
In a statement posted to social media on June 28, Turkish authorities said the cruise had “sparked significant public concern” because it was “planned by groups known for behaviors that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values.” Officials added that there was “absolutely no possibility” the group would be allowed to visit the province.
On Friday, LuPone, who is scheduled to perform aboard the cruise, took to social media to blast the decision:
“I am shocked. The Atlantis cruise I am performing on next week has been banned from entering Turkey...”
LuPone went on to note that the ship, which is reportedly carrying around 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers, had been “denied entry to Turkey simply because of who is on board.”
The three-time Tony winner continued:
“I am furious, but I am sailing, as the ship will make other ports of call. I am ready to perform for all the wonderful men on this Atlantis cruise, who deserve so much better than this.”
The outspoken performer has long been a supporter of LGBTQ+ causes. Over the years, LuPone has participated in events benefiting queer organizations, including the Uprising of Love concert, which raised funds through the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice to support LGBTQ+ communities around the world.
You can view her post here:
LuPone's post quickly drew attention from fans and supporters, many of whom applauded the Broadway star for speaking out against the decision and standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ passengers affected by it.
Readers didn't hold back:
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Campbell told USA Today that Atlantis cruises have docked in Istanbul and Kuşadası 13 times over the past 25 years. He said the company worked with the U.S. Embassy in Turkey to persuade local officials to reverse their decision ahead of the voyage, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Campbell expressed concern about the broader implications of the decision:
“It’s very concerning to me when a country decides they can pick and choose which tourists are allowed in and which are not.”
While homosexuality is legal in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly drawn criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates over his rhetoric and policies concerning the community. Last year, the Turkish government proposed judicial reforms that included provisions targeting behavior deemed “contrary to biological sex and general morality,” though the legislation was later withdrawn.
The cruise controversy comes amid continued tensions surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Last weekend, dozens of demonstrators were reportedly detained during a banned Pride event in Istanbul.
The arrests came a day after Turkish officials ordered the closure of an Istanbul gay bar following a campaign by Islamist groups claiming the venue's owner had organized a stop connected to an LGBTQ+ cruise. According to CNN, authorities cited an “Atlantis brochure” listing a party at the bar, though Campbell said his company had no involvement with the publication.
Campbell pushed back on suggestions that the cruise had any political agenda:
“This is not a political organization. We are not there for anything except to spend money, have a good time, take tours, and be incredibly respectful to every culture we visit.”
For her part, LuPone made it clear that the voyage will continue despite Turkey's decision. While the ship's planned stops in the country have been scrapped, the Broadway star said she still intends to perform for the passengers on board.
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Former GOP House Leader Gets Brutal Fact-Check After Claiming Republicans 'Walked Away' From Their 'Very Bad Candidates'
"Look, we’re celebrating 250 years, the one thing I know about Republicans, when we had a very bad candidate and found out, we didn’t vote for that person."
You can watch McCarthy's comments here:
McCarthy added:
"We walked away. When [Florida Republican Representative] Matt Gaetz came forward, we got rid of him."
But the GOP didn't "walk away" from Gaetz, who was being investigated for sex trafficking a minor that he justified having sex with because of Florida's age of consent, like McCarthy claimed.
Instead, Gaetz resigned before an ethics report about his misconduct could be released, then he was nominated by MAGA Republican President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Justice as Attorney General.
When the scope of the allegations against Gaetz was leaked, he withdrew from consideration, but the GOP never walked away from him.
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Instead, Republicans "walked away" from GOP Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and most recently Thomas Massie of Kentucky for trying to hold insurrectionists, sex offenders, and corrupt government officials accountable.
Texas Republicans rejected incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a GOP primary runoff to choose their candidate for his Senate seat.
Instead, the Texas GOP selected state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was indicted for criminal state securities fraud in 2015 but avoided conviction through a 2024 pretrial diversion deal; faced with federal civil fraud charges in 2016; accused by former staff members of taking bribes; impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives; exposed for adultery by his wife; and accused of abusing his office to help a donor who allegedly gave Paxton’s mistress a job in return.
The GOP walked away from McCarthy, too. The former California Representative, who left office in December of 2023, was forced out as Speaker in October of 2023 by a coalition of eight MAGA Republicans, led by Gaetz, who worked with Democrats to secure a 216-210 vote to vacate the speakership.
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The GOP also never rejected a convicted felon with a history of fraud, who bragged about assaulting women on a hot mic, and with over 25 accusations of sexual assault against him.
Instead of walking away from the convicted felon and adjudicated rapist, the GOP nominated and voted for Trump as President three times: 2016, 2020, and 2024.
People gave McCarthy a reality check over his version of Republican integrity regarding "very bad" candidates.
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While Republican hypocrisy was called out, Platner wasn't being given a free pass.
The Maine oyster farmer was an early frontrunner to be the candidate to face off against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. But as the primary campaign neared the end, Platner's opponents released accusations against him regarding a tattoo he got while serving in the military and old social media postings.
A military veteran, Platner attributed his online behavior to his age at the time and PTSD. The tattoo he attributed to military culture.
Despite the problematic behavior, Platner still won the Democratic primary, defeating Governor Janet Mills, fueled in part by endorsements by prominent progressives.
The latest allegations regarding a 2021 incident with a former girlfriend, published Monday by Politico, were not disclosed until one week before the July 13 deadline for removing and replacing Platner on the ballot.
The current Democratic candidate has denied the latest allegations, but announced he would be pausing his Senate campaign to "reflect on the best path forward." The Maine DNC has asked him to withdraw from the race now, so another Democrat can be put on the November ballot before the filing deadline.
Taylor Swift's Backup Dancer Divides Fans After Posting Photo Of Seemingly White Dress She Wore To Taylor And Travis' Wedding
Enter Tori Evans, who was Taylor Swift's backup dancer opposite Sydney Moss during Swift's Eras Tour.
While preparing for Swift's big day, Evans was getting ready with her husband, TJ Shaw, and filmed a transitional video of them before and after they got dressed.
Wearing a comfy robe and eye patches, Evans stepped in front of the camera, looking confused for a moment, and then she walked backwards toward Shaw, only to "trip" to the floor. As Shaw caught her and pulled her back up, the video transitioned to him looking sharp in a black tux, and Evans wearing a pink champagne gown with a neck scarf and neon yellow or lime heels.
The problem was that, in the lighting, her dress looked ivory or white.
You can watch the transition video here:
Because of the perceived color of her dress, some Swifties balked at one of her backup dancers trying to overshadow her on her wedding day.
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The pushback became so severe that Shaw chimed in, pointing out the actual color of the dress.
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However, Swifties were still not convinced, pointing out that if a dress's color needed to be clarified, it was too close to being bridal.
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This is one of those instances where the dress was probably perfectly lovely, and problems arose only when it was caught on camera. That was concerning to some Swifties, but since Swift herself hasn't voiced any concerns, we can assume that the bride was happy on her special day.
