Tag Archives: Thomas Roberts

“Uncle Thomas” Roberts Ignores Russia’s LGBT Persecution During Miss Universe Pageant.

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Thomas Roberts

As predicted “Uncle Thomas” Roberts, the openly gay MSNBC “journalist” who traveled to Russia to be a “visible and positive representative of gay people”  and host the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant totally ignored the subject of Russia’s draconian persecution of its LGBT citizens and the fact that he was gay at all during last nights show.  Instead Roberts and ex-Spice Girl Melanie Brown dedicated the show to the people suffering from the typhoon in the Philippines.

“We send our very best, our thoughts. We dedicate tonight’s show to you” Roberts said

Roberts who has been condemned by a majority of the LGBT community for his trip to Russia comparing it to playing Sun City during Apartheid, earlier in the week released a statement saying that his decision was “not about the money” and that he’s had “an incredible experience so far“ did not even wear a rainbow pin or ribbon to show solidarity during the broadcast.

GLAAD, formerly as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation did not condemned Roberts decision to travel to Russia and host the show but instead embraced and supported it.

“I trust that Thomas Roberts is going to leverage every moment of his trip to Moscow to give visibility and voice to the LGBT Russians who are living in such oppressive conditions,” said Wilson Cruz, GLAAD’s National Spokesperson. “LGBT Russians sent a message that LGBT Americans should go to Russia to be out and be vocal allies, and Thomas has clearly heard them. As the world looks to Russia during the Miss Universe pageant and before the Olympics, we look forward to his news reports which shed light on how the anti-LGBT laws negatively impact and hurt everyday people in Russia.”

In actuality twenty-three leading gay and trans activists in Russia have endorsed an overall boycott of Russian products, and a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in response to Russia’s recent brutal crackdown on its gay and trans citizens.

But one must begrudgingly give Roberts a little credit because he did take a moment to acknowledge the anti-gay laws on the red carpet while speaking to Russian state-run network RT:

“I know the law is very vague and still hard to interpret for many people. But it is discrimination and that’s definitive. And I don’t think that the LGBT population in Russia or anywhere should be marginalized to that degree. We are not asking for special protection. We’re just asking for equal respect.”

It is unknown if RT aired that segment for the Russian people people to view.

Oh and for those of you who care.

Miss Venezuela, Gabriela Isler.  Won the big crown taking the title from Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo. Isler, who hails from Maracay, works on Venezuela’s Venevision television,

MSNBC’s “Uncle Thomas” Roberts Talks About His Trip To Russia: “Its not about the money”

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Thom Roberts

“It’s been an incredible experience so far. I certainly don’t want to be a commercial for Russia… [but] I haven’t run into any discrimination so far since I’ve been here. Just by showing up, just by being visible, just by the sheer presence of my husband being there with me, and just the interest that this might generate in what my personal back story is, I think that just sends a strong message that you can have a highly successful professional career and a successful personal life and they can be integrated. The LGBT community has the right to be outraged. But it’s not the time to shy away, it’s the time to show up. And it’s the time to make sure that you show up and that you’re visible, and that you’re respected, on an equal footing. There have been great people who have come out in support of this and they get what I mean by this role being too visible to pass up for an LGBT person, because [Miss Universe] is seen in over 190 countries by a billion people. It’s not about the money.” – MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, speaking from Russia this morning.

Perhaps one day Thomas Roberts will realize what he is doing is the equivalent of playing Sun City in South Africa during Apartheid.

Well, even if nobody else agrees with him you know Elton John does.

WTF!? Gay MSNBC Anchor Thomas Roberts To Host Miss Universe In Moscow – UGH

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Thom Roberts

Are you fracking serious?

Openly gay and usually level-headed MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts is going to host the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in November, “because it is a huge, visible opportunity for LGBT people.  Everywhere.”

Writes Roberts, in part:

Over the last several months Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved new homophobic laws for his country. Yes, laws that criminalize and stigmatize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies in Russia.

These actions attracted worldwide news coverage with some critics labeling it: Russia’s dark chapter in the history of gay rights. World leaders have expressed their contempt for these discriminatory laws with President Barack Obama declaring that “nobody’s more offended than me.”

In August, the Miss Universe Organization issued its own statement that Russian laws are “diametrically opposed to the core values” of Miss Universe.

I too am diametrically opposed to these laws and share in the President’s outrage. I am unafraid to say I am proud of my husband and my family—I’m proud of their love for me. I’m proud of the incredible steps forward equality has taken this year.

I’m proud of our nation, which still aspires to live up to the promise of its founding fathers. I am unafraid to tell you how traditional my husband and I are. After thirteen years, we continue to foster and grow our life together, with highs and lows, the folly and the fights. The same things many long term couples experience. Simple things: Trash night, dog walks, the remote control. Tough things: Homophobia, job loss, death.

You can’t get more traditional than that and, above all, we love each other.

So people may wonder: “Thomas, how can you accept this assignment? Shouldn’t you boycott Russia?” I am not going to boycott. Boycotting and vilifying from the outside is too easy. Rather, I choose to offer my support of the LGBT community in Russia by going to Moscow and hosting this event as a journalist, an anchor and a man who happens to be gay. Let people see I am no different than anyone else.

Well Thom, unless you are going to begin with: “Welcome to the Miss Universe pageant, I’m gay!”   How are most Russians to know that you re actually gay considering that there’s pretty much a ban on acknowledging anything positive as gay.

I don’t suppose the fact that you work for MSNBC which is getting  plenty of blow-back for airing and supporting the Sochi Olympic games doesn’t have anything to do with you hosting the Miss Universe Pageant also aired by NBC?

And as for hosting a sexist, misogynist event to promote LGBT equality.  Not the best of moves, or spin.

For shame Thom.  For Shame.

Video – MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts Grills NOM’s Brian (Herpes Simplex) Brown On It’s Anti – Gay Hate Pledge

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 You really have to love the way that Thomas Roberts goes after Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage over NOM’s Marriage Pledge

Brown who keeps spouting things that have no basis in reality. Continues his typical blowhard way of   when something is tossed in his face, he either ignores it or says it has no bearing.   I wonder if he’s ignoring what looks like a case of well deserved outbreak of Herpes Simplex on his face. (Payback from God perhaps?)

As for John Lewis of Marriage Equality USA you simply were not needed and as usual the “rah rah feel good one marriage at at time message” is far too softball to make any lasting impression and go against the bigots.  Thomas Roberts was able to handel this quite fine by himself.  So fine in fact that I think Roberts should be out official spokesman so we never have to see another one of Gay Inc’s lackluster representatives fighting fire with fluff on any news show again.