Past Shows
A Frank discussion about Drag!
05.08.19 | Comedian, journalist, pop culture expert, and author Frank DeCaro joins The Focus Group. His latest book, Drag—Combing Through the Big Wigs of Show Business is a must have for your coffee table and a great hostess gift! The photos and smart writing is everything you want it to be and more. Get it!
TFG Unbuttoned: The more things change, the more they stay the same…
05.07.19 | When covering the stories for TFG Unbuttoned, that quote was never more accurate. The Department of Health and Human Services continues to push forward with allowing “religious freedom” to dictate whether a health care provider can treat LGBTQ Americans, blue states tend to be more LGBTQ business friendly, and major corporations dance around support for Brazil’s homophobic leader. Bottom line: It’s still OK in this country to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
The Father of Modern Advertising celebrates a Business Birthday
05.01.19 | The Supreme Court takes up three cases that will decide whether federal law protects LGBT employees from being fired for who they are. Albert Davis Lasker, known as ‘The father of Modern Advertising,’ has a Business Birthday. But first, the Brits have a unique way of drawing attention to pot holes, and Tim Gunn throws some shade at Marie Kondo—make it work!
TFG Unbuttoned: LGBT households watch the same TV shows as everyone else
04.30.19 | Gay-friendly towns in red states draw LGBTQ tourists, and Northwest Arkansas is one of many regions trying to build an oasis for LGBTQ visitors from rural America. Nielsen says the TV shows watched by queer people aren’t all that different from straight folks, and Pete Buttigieg was declared ‘Most Likely to Be President’ in High School.
Would you pay $900 for dirty sneakers?
04.24.19 | Gucci is selling a new sneaker that looks dirty and used for as much as $1,500. Many on Twitter feel you could get the same shoe at the Goodwill for four bucks! A Kansas couple has eaten the same meal, at the same restaurant, 6 days a week, for the last 15 years. But first, Tim and John have a beef with taxes, there are no mirrors in bathrooms at Disney World, and a bachelorette party gets out of hand. Chairman of Microsoft, John W. Thompson is the Business Birthday.
TFG Unbuttoned: Mom, Dad? Where’s my 12 boxes of movies?
04.23.19 | The Royal Canadian Mint will be issuing a new $1 coin to commemorate 50 years since the partial decriminalization of homosexuality. The new Loonie, to be released on April 23rd, is causing backlash from both LGBT activists and social conservatives. Gallup tells us that fewer people than ever consider themselves part of organized religion and rarely attend formal services at a church, synagogue, or mosque. Finally, a 40-year-old man is suing his parents for $87,000 after they tossed his 12 boxes of porn movies, smutty mags, and sex toys.
Shopping while drinking cost American consumers $40 billion. What did people buy?
04.17.19 | Millennials were supposed to be the “car-free” generation, but their ownership of autos looks a lot like that of older Americans. Some tips for stopping modern distractions from stealing your attention, and shopping while having some drinks can really add up. Music exec Don Kirshner is our Business Birthday, and overheard conversations in Los Angeles caught John’s eye.
TFG Unbuttoned: Have a Happy Politically Incorrect Easter!
04.16.19 | The American Library Association noted that more than half of the books banned in 2019 were LGBT titles, especially those with transgender characters. Chocolate Easter Bunnies were pulled from the shelf over a name, and a New Jersey house sets up a racy Easter display.
Older is getting younger every day
04.10.19 | Authors Erin McHugh and Emily Luchetti join The Focus Group to celebrate the launch of their book: So Who’s Counting? Both having reached milestone birthdays got tired of people asking them if they would retire. Heck no, they are looking forward to what’s next! Their new book full of quotes and snippets that celebrate getting older and wiser is sure to put a smile on your face. But first, Pride Media/Out Magazine is in hot water with some of its writers and freelancers.
TFG Unbuttoned: Yabba Dabba Doo!
04.09.19 | An online petition is set-up to save “The Flintstone House” in California. Seems the addition of toad stools to the yard did not have proper permits. We call BS. But first, young republicans are less in favor of LGBT Rights than any other group in America according to a new study. The big takeaway is that education has a direct correlation to acceptance of all people. Watch those invoices: A big league grifter bilks Facebook and Google out of $123 million by submitting fake invoices—that they paid.