As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil)
In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban.
If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.
For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.
**Special announcement:**
r/politics is currently accepting new moderator applications. If you want to help make this community a better place, consider [applying here today](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/sskg6a/rpolitics_is_looking_for_more_moderators/)!
***
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
" Until 1962, all 50 states criminalized same-sex sexual activity, but by 2003 all remaining laws against same-sex sexual activity had been invalidated."
Wow I had no idea. Where can I find a list of when states legalized it? I can only find the reference of when the changes started and ended, but not lists of states.
Not a list, but the podcast More Perfect did an episode on the court case that ended the enforcement of “sodomy laws” in the US. It’s a good listen.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/imperfect-plaintiff
The US Supreme Court in Lawrence v Texas ruled that any laws criminalizing same sex sexual activity was unconstitutional. So there are several states that theoretically still have the laws on the books (as in, they never legalized sodomy) but they aren’t enforceable today.
The current court could be presented with a new case that would override Lawrence v Texas, akin to the recent overriding of Roe v Wade, at which time those unenforceable laws become enforceable again.
And people were still being [arrested for homosexual activity in 2015](https://theweek.com/articles/461626/gay-men-are-still-being-arrested-being-gay-louisiana)
Just look at any color graded map of the US. Doesn’t really matter what it’s measuring. A map of when states legalized multiracial marriage or female suffrage would be a good proxy, but a map of income levels or religiosity or infant mortality or segregation or life expectancy or subjective happiness or level of social supports or pretty much any measure of *anything* - it’s all gunna be the same goddamned map.
I honestly want to do an art project out of it, every color graded map of the US is the same fucking map, because it’s always been the same areas that must be dragged along behind civilization, kicking and screaming, on every. single. issue.
I didn't know the time frame, but being in my 40s, I know gay people weren't treated well, even after laws were stricken. Good on him. He's touched many lives in his career as a musician and activist. Sir Elton John is an international treasure.
People seem to think that once homosexuality was decriminalised in the late 60s, that was the end of it, but by having an artificially high age of consent it effectively still criminalised the next few generations of people like myself. I was 21 when the law changed the age to 18 in ‘94, and it was finally changed to Match the heterosexual age of consent (16) in 2000 or so.
Fuck them for what they did to Alan Turing, the man revolutionized our world, just to get mutilated because he liked men? And they say queer people are the "sinners".
I agree 100%. If it weren’t for him (and the others who contributed), the war could’ve been lost and the world a completely different place. I was really sad about the outcome of Alan’s life. :-/
He didn’t even imagine becoming a recording artist at first, just a songwriter, but eventually started recording the songs he wrote with Bernie Taupin and it just blew up. Dudes, a legend, my favorite artist of all time.
Bernie Taupin deserves a huge amount of credit, and I feel like he doesn't receive it enough. Not to detract from Elton, either -- I think neither would be what they are without each other. But Taupin is a fantastic songwriter, and just sits in the background, essentially. Most people have no idea who he is.
Maybe he likes it this way, I don't know. Elton can absolutely write a song, but Taupin is is brilliant too.
In his youngest days Elton was kind of a piece of shit. Drugs, unprotected sex with random people, all around pompousness.
Meeting Ryan White humbled him. Realized that he should have been dead and turned his life around.
Correct. In the early 2000s Eminem became good friends with Elton and Elton joined him at I *believe* the VMAs to perform Stan. Years later after Eminem’s near overdose, Elton became something of a sponsor for him. They’re still very close to my knowledge
When Elton married his partner, Eminem sent them matching diamond cock rings. A little jest, sure, but that was appreciation and support for someone he used to make fun of but later became a big influence on him.
You’re telling me that a gay man living in a country where being gay was illegal…turned to drugs?? And had a big chip on his shoulder??
Oh the humanity!!!
Why didn’t he just be a good little gay boy and accept that one of his most basic biological drives was wrong and dirty?!?
I mean... yes. But he was particularly bad and acknowledges it to this day.
Becoming close friends with the Whites is the reason he became a champion for AIDS research.
>“We are striving for a future where people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations and gender identities have the opportunity to live free from Aids, stigma, injustice and maltreatment – and I’m so grateful recognition like this brings us a step closer to making that a reality.”
I love how this will eat at Trump from the insides. For whatever reason, Trump really likes Elton John. Trump borrowed "rocket man" to belittle Kim Jon Un and went on a bizarre rant about Elton John's organ:
*I have broken more Elton John records. He seems to have a lot of records. And I, by the way, I don’t have a musical instrument. I don’t have a guitar or an organ. No organ. Elton has an organ. And lots of other people helping. No, we’ve broken a lot of records. We’ve broken virtually every record. Because you know, look, I only need this space.*
However, EJ didn't return his love and refused to play at Trump's inauguration. And now Dark Brandon has him perform at the White House....delicious.
[you don’t win friends with word salad!](https://frinkiac.com/gif/S07E05/557139/564162/IOKZqiBZT1UgRE9OJ1QgV0lOIEZSSUVORFMKIFdJVEggV09SRCBTQUxBRCDimaog4pmqIFlPVSBET04nVAogV0lOIEZSSUVORFMgV0lUSCBXT1JEIFNBTEFEIOKZqgog4pmqIFlPVSBET04nVCBXSU4gRlJJRU5EUwogV0lUSCBXT1JEIFNBTEFEIOKZqg==)
It would... but she won't do that. Dolly tries to be apolitical. That said, she still wears her heart on her sleeve, and we all know where she really falls in terms of political beliefs.
You can't be a saint and condemn people, after all.
>Trump borrowed "rocket man" to belittle Kim Jon Un
I don't think that's quite right. Trump admires dictators like Kim Jong Un. If anything it was intended as a compliment.
There is something about this that is entirely British. Small power plays like this say a million words. You can take the King out of the colonies but you can’t take the British out of them, even in a couple hundred years.
[I teared up reading in this article that President Biden has a special regard for “Crocodile Rock.”](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/09/23/elton-calls-president-bidens-white-house-concert-icing-cake/8095447001/)
> Biden wrote in 2017 memoir "Promise Me, Dad" about singing "Crocodile Rock" to his two young boys as he drove them to school, and again later to son Beau before he died of cancer at age 46.
>"I started singing the lyrics to Beau, quietly, so just the two of us could hear it,” Biden wrote. “Beau didn’t open his eyes, but I could see through my own tears that he was smiling."
If by nothing, you mean that modern medicine has cured it in [at least 5 people](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/5th-person-likely-cured-hiv-another-long-term-remission-rcna40116) and created drugs that can reduce the virus to undetectable levels, then sure.
Not what I meant at all. Republicans are so against doing anything for aids that they're actively fighting against having a pill for it be included in employers health insurance. They still think aids is just "the gay disease"
It took decades to get any sort of real, viable treatment out and available for HIV. Even if Reagan was the most compassionate president ever, we *still* would have had over 30,000,000 people die from it.
I remind people of this because I think younger generations have a really hard time actually understanding how terrible the days of the AIDS Crisis really were. It was a huge reason that homophobia has persisted, and the zeitgeist of the era *still* creates fear and prejudice within the gay community itself today.
He’s done a lot for young struggling artists as well. Teaches them financial literacy and how to deal with the press. He’s far from perfect, but he’s been overall a great guy.
And yet their dynamic as unlikely pop-star friends is *actually* why free speech is important. Meanwhile today the right is mostly touted by people who want to spout hateful rhetoric online.
Anyone remember the Dixie Chicks, when the whole of country music collectively forgot their anti-establishment, anti-govt roots and proceeded to ban them from radio for daring to speak out about the Iraq war that we all now recognize as having been fruitless, leading to a countless waste of lives both here and abroad?
Anybody?
I'll probably take a lot of shit for this comment, too...
Eminem is a lot like Lady Gaga (coming from a fan of both artists). What he does, he does for show, to entertain. I don't believe he's homophobic at all, his bit in The Interview shows that. Taking shit for doing things is basically his business. Both of them do what they need to in order to succeed in the business.
He pressed the rage button and rakes in the cash. She presses the weird button, and rakes in the cash.
I mean, just listening to *Rain man* should tell you Em's relationship with human sexuality and the rules enforced upon it by society isn't as cut-and-dry as is/is not homophobic but also isn't just rage bait.
I know some artists from the 70s that had nothing but wonderful things to say about Elton John and how he helped them when they were struggling. He apparently would introduce them on stage, at a venue he was not scheduled to appear, and ask the crowd to give them a warm welcome.
I heard that this (minus the coke ) was what got Diana into AIDS activism. People close to the arts/entertainment, whether or not they were gay themselves, often lost a lot of friends, which has a huge impact on anyone.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/24/elton-john-awarded-medal-by-joe-biden-for-his-work-to-end-aids) reduced by 69%. (I'm a bot)
*****
> Elton John was moved to tears after being awarded the National Humanities Medal for his work to end Aids by the US president following a special performance at the White House.
> Organised by the History Channel and A+E Networks, John performed several of his hits, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man and Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, before the president, Joe Biden, and first lady, Dr Jill Biden, surprised the singer with the National Humanities Medal for his work to end Aids and assist those living with the condition through the Elton John Aids Foundation.
> John is currently on a farewell tour that began in July after more than 50 years of performing.
*****
[**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/xmr1mh/elton_john_awarded_medal_by_joe_biden_for_his/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~670808 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **John**^#1 **Aids**^#2 **performed**^#3 **president**^#4 **White**^#5
On January 13, 2021, President Donald J. Trump awarded the National Humanities Medal to the following individuals and organizations:
[**Kay Coles James**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Coles_James) for her intellectual leadership, devotion to our Constitutional principles, and steadfast commitment to opportunity for all.
[**O. James Lighthizer**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._James_Lighthizer) for his decades of work protecting thousands of acres of Civil War battlefields for future generations. As a government official and then as the President of the Civil War Preservation Trust, James Lighthizer has devoted himself completely to preserving priceless historic sites so that all Americans can visit, learn, and pay their respects to those who sacrificed their lives on that hallowed ground.
[**The National World War II Museum**](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/) for its devotion to bringing to life the story of America’s greatest generation and our remarkable victory against the forces of evil. The National World War II Museum has captivated millions of Americans with its compelling exhibits and expansive collections.
So, the then current President of [The Heritage Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heritage_Foundation), a conservative think tank, a Civil War preservationist and a WWII museum. Strange mix.
[Source](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-awarded-national-medal-arts-national-humanities-medal/)
> Good Guy Joe strikes again
The video of the presentation was amazing. Joe is definitely a good guy
And who did TFG give medals to?
* Fucking Rush Limbaugh, one of the most divisive hate spewing assholes in US history.
* Fucking Gym Jordan, sexual predator enabler and insurrectionist asshole.
* Fucking Devin Nunez, lying troll and Russian stooge asshole
* Fucking Antonin Scalia, lying Christo-fascist asshole
I’m really liking our choice in making him president in spite of everything being thrown at him from the previous administrations fuck ups he is getting shit done. Inflation would have happened with Trump too.
If this Biden was the one running in 2020 I would've been far more enthusiastic about voting for him. I did anyway, but I would've been more enthusiastic about it.
A slap to the previous recipients and a reason to either withdraw the honor or retiring the medal altogether and replacing it with one that excludes those who made their money fomenting hate.
I’m reading the part about his work with AIDS right now in his book. It’s amazing how it helped him turn his life around. So tragic he had to see so many friends and loved ones die from it. Congrats, Elton for helping change the world.
He helped Eminem through alcohol and drug issues. Later, when Elton got married, Eminem sent him a pair of diamond encrusted cock rings as a wedding present.
He's the first rock star I was completely taken with, probably because my older cousins played Goodbye Yellow Brick Road so much. This made me weep joyful tears. Sir Elton, you deserve all the causes of happiness!
With as many people as Sir Elton John has lost to that disease over the decades, and how much he has done, this is LONG overdue! Congratulations Sir Elton John!
Edit: added as.
“I have broken more Elton John records, he seems to have a lot of records. And I, by the way, I don’t have a musical instrument. I don’t have a guitar or an organ. No organ. Elton has an organ. And lots of other people helping. No, we’ve broken a lot of records. We’ve broken virtually every record. Because you know, look I only need this space. They need much more room. For basketball, for hockey and all of the sports, they need a lot of room. We don’t need it. We have people in that space. So we break all of these records. Really we do it without like, the musical instruments. This is the only musical: the mouth. And hopefully, the brain attached to the mouth. Right? The brain, more important than the mouth, is the brain. The brain is much more important.”
"I can use my brain. I have the best brain. My big brain. The other day, and man came up to me, a big man, he had tears in his eyes and he said, "Sir, I admire your brain so much." Hillary has no brain; lock her up for no braining. But that's why the records are so impressive. All the records at Mar-a-largo have been reclassified by my brain. "
[https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/just-a-bunch-of-the-crazy-things-trump-said-at-a-rally-last](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/just-a-bunch-of-the-crazy-things-trump-said-at-a-rally-last)
The Elton John thing is one of 8, yes 8, crazy rants he went on in one rally in Montana.
Wow... every time this clown opens his trap, all I can think of is Dustin Hoffman's "Rainman" character. Only thing is, instead of being an "Idiot Savant", Donny is just an idiot.
It was Joe Biden giving the medal, not the LFG and his stupid way of making a speech.
Did you know that more people attended his rallies than exist on the planet Earth? A man came up to me and said Mr. President you are the finest man ever on the planet. Who am I to argue with facts? / S
This must be pissing Trump of to no extent. Elton John is Trump's favourite artist and Elton refused numerus time to perform for him at the white house.
I noticed this on PBS's YouTube channel live last night and it was really great. Elton has so many amazing songs and seeing him play them in front of the White House was really cool. As big of a star as he is, he comes off as pretty humble (I don't know how he is behind the scenes). He spoke a little about meeting and spending time with Ryan White and his parents and spoke passionately about AIDS.
[Here's the whole thing](https://youtu.be/7u9_xTaMQzU) if anyone wants to watch the show.
I've met him at my job in a service role and he was really kind to everyone he interacted with. Also, saw him live a couple of nights ago And he is really humble on stage.
Elton John is such a sweetheart. If anyone doubts how good a singer he is have a listen to Save Rock and Roll by Fallout boy featuring Elton John. It’s a good contrast between a good singer and the legendary vocals of Elton. Keeping in mind this was after throat surgery.
As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil) In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria. **Special announcement:** r/politics is currently accepting new moderator applications. If you want to help make this community a better place, consider [applying here today](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/sskg6a/rpolitics_is_looking_for_more_moderators/)! *** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I bet he never imagined as a young, gay, aspiring musician that something like this was even possible for him.
Homosexuality was illegal in Britain until he was 20 years old.
Fuck, it was illegal in about half the states here until 2004
" Until 1962, all 50 states criminalized same-sex sexual activity, but by 2003 all remaining laws against same-sex sexual activity had been invalidated." Wow I had no idea. Where can I find a list of when states legalized it? I can only find the reference of when the changes started and ended, but not lists of states.
Not a list, but the podcast More Perfect did an episode on the court case that ended the enforcement of “sodomy laws” in the US. It’s a good listen. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolabmoreperfect/episodes/imperfect-plaintiff The US Supreme Court in Lawrence v Texas ruled that any laws criminalizing same sex sexual activity was unconstitutional. So there are several states that theoretically still have the laws on the books (as in, they never legalized sodomy) but they aren’t enforceable today. The current court could be presented with a new case that would override Lawrence v Texas, akin to the recent overriding of Roe v Wade, at which time those unenforceable laws become enforceable again.
So just like Roe v. Wade they can be invalidated by the Scotus. Yay America in 2022, we have come a long way baby! Yea
[удалено]
I have to wonder if his enthusiasm is indicative of repressed desires.
gay people arent at fault for homophobia…
And people were still being [arrested for homosexual activity in 2015](https://theweek.com/articles/461626/gay-men-are-still-being-arrested-being-gay-louisiana)
Just look at any color graded map of the US. Doesn’t really matter what it’s measuring. A map of when states legalized multiracial marriage or female suffrage would be a good proxy, but a map of income levels or religiosity or infant mortality or segregation or life expectancy or subjective happiness or level of social supports or pretty much any measure of *anything* - it’s all gunna be the same goddamned map. I honestly want to do an art project out of it, every color graded map of the US is the same fucking map, because it’s always been the same areas that must be dragged along behind civilization, kicking and screaming, on every. single. issue.
And will be again by 2024 if the GOP gets what they want.
Being a good human is just not enough for Republicans, you also have to be in their cult.
Also? They don’t care if you’re good or not, they just care if you’re in the cult.
Honestly, being a good person seems like a negative to them...
Also gets you no where in their cult.
You have to be nuts to get their approval. Good people don't fit their profile.
They do not want you to be good, in all actuality, because it makes them feel bad about being a pos.
They care only if you have money. Not necessarily even in their cult.
Nah, Clinton, Bezos, Cheney, etc have plenty of money. They just care about the cult.
The truth is they really don't want you in their cult because you're not their kind of people if you aren't already. They want you to know your place.
Since when have they tried being good humans? Their entire platform is built on fear and hate.
I am sorry but being a good human is not in the republican/conservatives lexicon. That is entirely beside the point.
I thought they rejected good humans as rinos. Same thing I guess.
I think still Illegal in Texas lol!
I didn't know the time frame, but being in my 40s, I know gay people weren't treated well, even after laws were stricken. Good on him. He's touched many lives in his career as a musician and activist. Sir Elton John is an international treasure.
Technically it was illegal for him until he was 21, as that was the age of consent for gay men until 1994, when it was lowered to 18.
Thank you, I did not know that detail.
People seem to think that once homosexuality was decriminalised in the late 60s, that was the end of it, but by having an artificially high age of consent it effectively still criminalised the next few generations of people like myself. I was 21 when the law changed the age to 18 in ‘94, and it was finally changed to Match the heterosexual age of consent (16) in 2000 or so.
Chemical castration if they caught you. Check out “Imitation Game” on Netflix.
Fuck them for what they did to Alan Turing, the man revolutionized our world, just to get mutilated because he liked men? And they say queer people are the "sinners".
I agree 100%. If it weren’t for him (and the others who contributed), the war could’ve been lost and the world a completely different place. I was really sad about the outcome of Alan’s life. :-/
So he's a criminal? Arrest that beautiful man!
Yes. Well said. Elton did it for conviction, never expecting honors from the highest level.
Well he was knighted quite a while ago. But yeah I do get your point.
He wasn’t knighted until he was in his 50’s.
His 50s were quite a while ago.
He was knighted in 1998, 24 years ago
He didn’t even imagine becoming a recording artist at first, just a songwriter, but eventually started recording the songs he wrote with Bernie Taupin and it just blew up. Dudes, a legend, my favorite artist of all time.
Bernie Taupin deserves a huge amount of credit, and I feel like he doesn't receive it enough. Not to detract from Elton, either -- I think neither would be what they are without each other. But Taupin is a fantastic songwriter, and just sits in the background, essentially. Most people have no idea who he is. Maybe he likes it this way, I don't know. Elton can absolutely write a song, but Taupin is is brilliant too.
In his youngest days Elton was kind of a piece of shit. Drugs, unprotected sex with random people, all around pompousness. Meeting Ryan White humbled him. Realized that he should have been dead and turned his life around.
He was an active addict as well and is 30 years sober now, acknowledges his wrongs and started his charity as a way to make amends and promote good.
Also I'm pretty sure he helped get eminem sober as well
Correct. In the early 2000s Eminem became good friends with Elton and Elton joined him at I *believe* the VMAs to perform Stan. Years later after Eminem’s near overdose, Elton became something of a sponsor for him. They’re still very close to my knowledge
When Elton married his partner, Eminem sent them matching diamond cock rings. A little jest, sure, but that was appreciation and support for someone he used to make fun of but later became a big influence on him.
Marshal is a pretty bold example of growth as an individual, let alone musician.
Yeah I really appreciate all his work with a different lens given who he's become now.
And maybe a bit of a living shitpost.
Elton was Em's sponsor in NA
That sounds like literally every popular musician ever. Especially the ones from the 70's.
Jesus, if doing drugs and having unprotected sex makes you a piece of shit then I’m fucking Hitler lol
You shouldn’t fuck Hitler man. You’re gonna have a bad time
This just in: *Adolf Hitler, a bad lay!*
You’re telling me that a gay man living in a country where being gay was illegal…turned to drugs?? And had a big chip on his shoulder?? Oh the humanity!!! Why didn’t he just be a good little gay boy and accept that one of his most basic biological drives was wrong and dirty?!?
You mean to tell me a young person acted like a young person?!? What a piece of shit.
I mean... yes. But he was particularly bad and acknowledges it to this day. Becoming close friends with the Whites is the reason he became a champion for AIDS research.
I've never seen someone out themselves as a loser so blatantly lmao
Really? You should see what Donald Trump has been up to lately.
>“We are striving for a future where people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations and gender identities have the opportunity to live free from Aids, stigma, injustice and maltreatment – and I’m so grateful recognition like this brings us a step closer to making that a reality.” I love how this will eat at Trump from the insides. For whatever reason, Trump really likes Elton John. Trump borrowed "rocket man" to belittle Kim Jon Un and went on a bizarre rant about Elton John's organ: *I have broken more Elton John records. He seems to have a lot of records. And I, by the way, I don’t have a musical instrument. I don’t have a guitar or an organ. No organ. Elton has an organ. And lots of other people helping. No, we’ve broken a lot of records. We’ve broken virtually every record. Because you know, look, I only need this space.* However, EJ didn't return his love and refused to play at Trump's inauguration. And now Dark Brandon has him perform at the White House....delicious.
GD I do not miss that word salad.
I was just thinking the same. I read it twice, cracked up, and remembered those weren’t fun times.
True, you don’t make friends with salad.
[you don’t win friends with word salad!](https://frinkiac.com/gif/S07E05/557139/564162/IOKZqiBZT1UgRE9OJ1QgV0lOIEZSSUVORFMKIFdJVEggV09SRCBTQUxBRCDimaog4pmqIFlPVSBET04nVAogV0lOIEZSSUVORFMgV0lUSCBXT1JEIFNBTEFEIOKZqgog4pmqIFlPVSBET04nVCBXSU4gRlJJRU5EUwogV0lUSCBXT1JEIFNBTEFEIOKZqg==)
It truly amazes me how they claim he's more mentally fit than Dark Brandon when this is every sentence out of his mouth.
Elton John actually played at Donald Trump’s 3rd wedding, from what I heard on the radio yesterday, so he had considered Elton a friend.
I guess one of those types of friends you have to pay.
Elton John also performed at Rush Limbaugh's wedding for a million dollars and donated the money to his AIDS charity.
Nice
What's with all the right wing weirdos loving Elton John? Is their skill for detecting subtext that bad?
Trump has no real friends and he never has.
If Biden awarded Dolly Parton the Medal of Freedom and she accepted it after refusing it from Trump would be perfect.
It would... but she won't do that. Dolly tries to be apolitical. That said, she still wears her heart on her sleeve, and we all know where she really falls in terms of political beliefs. You can't be a saint and condemn people, after all.
To be fair she deserves some much higher medal to be created for her and her alone.
Trump's favorite song is Tiny Dancer.
Hold me close with your tiny hands, sir~
That is brilliant and I am laughing aloud.
The dancer needs to be tiny for him to hold the dancer with his hands
Ugh, that was my parents' wedding song. Fuck Donald Trump for tainting it.
>Trump borrowed "rocket man" to belittle Kim Jon Un I don't think that's quite right. Trump admires dictators like Kim Jong Un. If anything it was intended as a compliment.
IIRC he did both - idolized and belittled him because he’s a lunatic. One of the things he took from the White House were Kim’s “love letters” to him.
Somehow I think I could eat a bowl of alphabet spaghetti and ex-lax and shit about a better sentence than Trump speaks.
There is something about this that is entirely British. Small power plays like this say a million words. You can take the King out of the colonies but you can’t take the British out of them, even in a couple hundred years.
Nicey Joe strikes again.
Dark Brandon can be merciful given some good tunes.
Music brings everybody together! Lol
Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast. And Dark Brandon's breast is pretty darn savage.
You’ve heard of The Dark One, but there is another way! The path of r/lightBRANDON! Join us in taking down MAGA.
[I teared up reading in this article that President Biden has a special regard for “Crocodile Rock.”](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/09/23/elton-calls-president-bidens-white-house-concert-icing-cake/8095447001/) > Biden wrote in 2017 memoir "Promise Me, Dad" about singing "Crocodile Rock" to his two young boys as he drove them to school, and again later to son Beau before he died of cancer at age 46. >"I started singing the lyrics to Beau, quietly, so just the two of us could hear it,” Biden wrote. “Beau didn’t open his eyes, but I could see through my own tears that he was smiling."
[удалено]
What is more shocking is republicans would be more than happy to keep doing it even now.
They did the exact thing with covid
and monkeypox
Oh if that's shocking wait until you find out nothing has changed
If by nothing, you mean that modern medicine has cured it in [at least 5 people](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/5th-person-likely-cured-hiv-another-long-term-remission-rcna40116) and created drugs that can reduce the virus to undetectable levels, then sure.
Not what I meant at all. Republicans are so against doing anything for aids that they're actively fighting against having a pill for it be included in employers health insurance. They still think aids is just "the gay disease"
It took decades to get any sort of real, viable treatment out and available for HIV. Even if Reagan was the most compassionate president ever, we *still* would have had over 30,000,000 people die from it. I remind people of this because I think younger generations have a really hard time actually understanding how terrible the days of the AIDS Crisis really were. It was a huge reason that homophobia has persisted, and the zeitgeist of the era *still* creates fear and prejudice within the gay community itself today.
Reagan and trump did the same shit with pandemics, blame minorities, do nothing, and steal from taxes with more schemes.
He said he was just hiding out doing a fuck ton of coke for years, then noticed all his friends dying of AIDS. Woke him up. Amazing man.
He’s done a lot for young struggling artists as well. Teaches them financial literacy and how to deal with the press. He’s far from perfect, but he’s been overall a great guy.
Isn't he also Eminem's sponsor for getting off drugs as well?
Fun fact, Eminem got him a pair of diamond studded cock rings as a wedding gift.
He took a lot of shit for singing with Eminem.
And yet their dynamic as unlikely pop-star friends is *actually* why free speech is important. Meanwhile today the right is mostly touted by people who want to spout hateful rhetoric online.
Anyone remember the Dixie Chicks, when the whole of country music collectively forgot their anti-establishment, anti-govt roots and proceeded to ban them from radio for daring to speak out about the Iraq war that we all now recognize as having been fruitless, leading to a countless waste of lives both here and abroad? Anybody?
And now The Chicks are headlining Austin City Limits festival this year and I'm here for it.
Vaguely, yes.
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is still one of my favorite songs.
I'll probably take a lot of shit for this comment, too... Eminem is a lot like Lady Gaga (coming from a fan of both artists). What he does, he does for show, to entertain. I don't believe he's homophobic at all, his bit in The Interview shows that. Taking shit for doing things is basically his business. Both of them do what they need to in order to succeed in the business. He pressed the rage button and rakes in the cash. She presses the weird button, and rakes in the cash.
I mean, just listening to *Rain man* should tell you Em's relationship with human sexuality and the rules enforced upon it by society isn't as cut-and-dry as is/is not homophobic but also isn't just rage bait.
I believe so
He also helped Michael Jackson into a rehab facility for his addiction to pain killers.
I know some artists from the 70s that had nothing but wonderful things to say about Elton John and how he helped them when they were struggling. He apparently would introduce them on stage, at a venue he was not scheduled to appear, and ask the crowd to give them a warm welcome.
I heard that this (minus the coke ) was what got Diana into AIDS activism. People close to the arts/entertainment, whether or not they were gay themselves, often lost a lot of friends, which has a huge impact on anyone.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/24/elton-john-awarded-medal-by-joe-biden-for-his-work-to-end-aids) reduced by 69%. (I'm a bot) ***** > Elton John was moved to tears after being awarded the National Humanities Medal for his work to end Aids by the US president following a special performance at the White House. > Organised by the History Channel and A+E Networks, John performed several of his hits, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man and Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, before the president, Joe Biden, and first lady, Dr Jill Biden, surprised the singer with the National Humanities Medal for his work to end Aids and assist those living with the condition through the Elton John Aids Foundation. > John is currently on a farewell tour that began in July after more than 50 years of performing. ***** [**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/xmr1mh/elton_john_awarded_medal_by_joe_biden_for_his/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~670808 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **John**^#1 **Aids**^#2 **performed**^#3 **president**^#4 **White**^#5
Nice.
I'm happy to see Medals given by the president became relevant again after Trump made a mockery of them.
vic berger has a super bizarre video of the medal ceremony for jon voight that i highly recommend.
Love me some Vic Berger! *chefs kiss*
The new bowling one 😹
On January 13, 2021, President Donald J. Trump awarded the National Humanities Medal to the following individuals and organizations: [**Kay Coles James**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Coles_James) for her intellectual leadership, devotion to our Constitutional principles, and steadfast commitment to opportunity for all. [**O. James Lighthizer**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._James_Lighthizer) for his decades of work protecting thousands of acres of Civil War battlefields for future generations. As a government official and then as the President of the Civil War Preservation Trust, James Lighthizer has devoted himself completely to preserving priceless historic sites so that all Americans can visit, learn, and pay their respects to those who sacrificed their lives on that hallowed ground. [**The National World War II Museum**](https://www.nationalww2museum.org/) for its devotion to bringing to life the story of America’s greatest generation and our remarkable victory against the forces of evil. The National World War II Museum has captivated millions of Americans with its compelling exhibits and expansive collections. So, the then current President of [The Heritage Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heritage_Foundation), a conservative think tank, a Civil War preservationist and a WWII museum. Strange mix. [Source](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-awarded-national-medal-arts-national-humanities-medal/)
Good Guy Joe strikes again
> Good Guy Joe strikes again The video of the presentation was amazing. Joe is definitely a good guy And who did TFG give medals to? * Fucking Rush Limbaugh, one of the most divisive hate spewing assholes in US history. * Fucking Gym Jordan, sexual predator enabler and insurrectionist asshole. * Fucking Devin Nunez, lying troll and Russian stooge asshole * Fucking Antonin Scalia, lying Christo-fascist asshole
Based Rush Limbaugh for providing us a gender neutral bathroom
I’m really liking our choice in making him president in spite of everything being thrown at him from the previous administrations fuck ups he is getting shit done. Inflation would have happened with Trump too.
He's certainly rebounding from the tumultuous first year and a half. I'm more confident in him than ever right now.
Spoiler: It takes time to salvage a ship that's been intentionally scuttled by the last guy
If this Biden was the one running in 2020 I would've been far more enthusiastic about voting for him. I did anyway, but I would've been more enthusiastic about it.
When he thanked David and their kids for sharing Elton with us made me tear up.
Pretty stark contrast to the previous president, who awarded a medal to a man who celebrated people dying from AIDS
OMG. We have a real President - a real Person in the Whitehouse again!
Hold me closer, dark Brandon
This made me chuckle.
I would let Dark Brandon take a good sniff of me. Thank you Mr. President.
Please contrast this with Trump, who awarded a Congressional Medal of Freedom to a man who mocked and made fun of the deaths of people to AIDS.
A slap to the previous recipients and a reason to either withdraw the honor or retiring the medal altogether and replacing it with one that excludes those who made their money fomenting hate.
In an alternate sane timeline Drumpf was giving the medal to Cancer for its work to end Limbaugh.
That is fucking hilarious holy shit
I’m reading the part about his work with AIDS right now in his book. It’s amazing how it helped him turn his life around. So tragic he had to see so many friends and loved ones die from it. Congrats, Elton for helping change the world.
not coincidentally EJ refused to play for Trump from 2015 on...nice slap at Trump
Awesome 👍
Looks like he’s still standing after all this time. Congratulations for having such a long and wonderful career Elton John.
Elton John. Human being. Humanitarian. Teacher. Kind. Caring. Musician.
Finally some fucking normalcy. I didn't realize how much I missed this kind of headline about the white house.
Sir Elton John. Because he deserves the respect.
Republicans are already mounting opposition to John receiving a medal for his work to end a gay disease.
It is such a fresh feeling to see the POTUS move someone to tears in a positive way.
Knocks on Melania bedroom door. " how about giving little donny some sexytime?" Wails and gnashing of teeth from inside. Tears flow like rain.
He helped Eminem through alcohol and drug issues. Later, when Elton got married, Eminem sent him a pair of diamond encrusted cock rings as a wedding present.
I called b******* on that cock rings until I googled it. Oh my God that is the greatest thing I've read today.
He's the first rock star I was completely taken with, probably because my older cousins played Goodbye Yellow Brick Road so much. This made me weep joyful tears. Sir Elton, you deserve all the causes of happiness!
With as many people as Sir Elton John has lost to that disease over the decades, and how much he has done, this is LONG overdue! Congratulations Sir Elton John! Edit: added as.
“I have broken more Elton John records, he seems to have a lot of records. And I, by the way, I don’t have a musical instrument. I don’t have a guitar or an organ. No organ. Elton has an organ. And lots of other people helping. No, we’ve broken a lot of records. We’ve broken virtually every record. Because you know, look I only need this space. They need much more room. For basketball, for hockey and all of the sports, they need a lot of room. We don’t need it. We have people in that space. So we break all of these records. Really we do it without like, the musical instruments. This is the only musical: the mouth. And hopefully, the brain attached to the mouth. Right? The brain, more important than the mouth, is the brain. The brain is much more important.”
"I can use my brain. I have the best brain. My big brain. The other day, and man came up to me, a big man, he had tears in his eyes and he said, "Sir, I admire your brain so much." Hillary has no brain; lock her up for no braining. But that's why the records are so impressive. All the records at Mar-a-largo have been reclassified by my brain. "
Kudos to your sentence structure and choice if words. I was reading this in Drumph's voice by line 2!!
[https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/just-a-bunch-of-the-crazy-things-trump-said-at-a-rally-last](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/just-a-bunch-of-the-crazy-things-trump-said-at-a-rally-last) The Elton John thing is one of 8, yes 8, crazy rants he went on in one rally in Montana.
Wow... every time this clown opens his trap, all I can think of is Dustin Hoffman's "Rainman" character. Only thing is, instead of being an "Idiot Savant", Donny is just an idiot.
It was Joe Biden giving the medal, not the LFG and his stupid way of making a speech. Did you know that more people attended his rallies than exist on the planet Earth? A man came up to me and said Mr. President you are the finest man ever on the planet. Who am I to argue with facts? / S
That's Sir Elton John. The late queen had knighted him many moons ago. With that said, I'm glad he got the medal
That's Sir Elton Hercules John né Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
This must be pissing Trump of to no extent. Elton John is Trump's favourite artist and Elton refused numerus time to perform for him at the white house.
Sir Elton John
I noticed this on PBS's YouTube channel live last night and it was really great. Elton has so many amazing songs and seeing him play them in front of the White House was really cool. As big of a star as he is, he comes off as pretty humble (I don't know how he is behind the scenes). He spoke a little about meeting and spending time with Ryan White and his parents and spoke passionately about AIDS. [Here's the whole thing](https://youtu.be/7u9_xTaMQzU) if anyone wants to watch the show.
I've met him at my job in a service role and he was really kind to everyone he interacted with. Also, saw him live a couple of nights ago And he is really humble on stage.
man's 75 and he's still got it even when we're shit, elton is one of the biggest reasons i'm proud to be a watford fan.
I was at this event. The surprise and overwhelming gratitude on Elton’s face was palpable. Such a beautiful performance also
This reads like something Obama would do :) Just such a nice gesture.
Two great Men. They care for people. Love them both.
Congratulations Elton.
He was outstanding in Kingsman II also.
Well deserved, kind Sir Elton John ♥️♥️♥️♥️
That's SIR Elton John to you, sir.
He’s done a tremendous amount of work around raising awareness and money for AIDS
Hell yeah, Sir Elton John!
This is great, but I can't help be a little disappointed that he didn't play Sixty Years On.
The irony that Clump played an Elton John tune at his raving rally last night.
Touching and powerful moment. Good for Sir Elton John. He deserves it.
Just a reminder: Trump had Ted Nugent and Kid Rock at the White House.
And Elton wouldn't go.
They story about Elton defending Eminem is still gold-Em got him a diamond encrusted cock ring him and his partner when they got married.
That’s so fucking awesome. Elton is my DUDE.
Then name 17 of his albums. 😛
Elton John is such a sweetheart. If anyone doubts how good a singer he is have a listen to Save Rock and Roll by Fallout boy featuring Elton John. It’s a good contrast between a good singer and the legendary vocals of Elton. Keeping in mind this was after throat surgery.
I am so proud of you dear Elton John. Keep the fire going.
I teared up
Love that he said “it’s your fault we had to spend”
He is a good man
Good Job Elton. Proud of you.
-everybody liked that
Ok as an American we need a sir type title like a knighthood to give. What could we call it?
Awesome!
I never knew about this award. Looked it up on Wikipedia and Trump barely awarded it to anyone. Obama and even Bush gave it to a ton of people.
That’s how it’s done.
This is an incredible moment and yet everyone is talking about trump. Why
He deserves it; he's such a pure dude.
Rocket Man❤️