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callmebrycelee · 1 year

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9-1-1: LONE STAR REACTION

This reaction is for season 4, fourteenth episode "Tongues Out" which originally aired on April 25, 2023. The episode was written by Bob Goodman and directed by Keith Tripler. Spoilers ahead!

This episode was wild from beginning to end. The stuff with Owen and Paul going all Scooby Doo Mysteries was pretty fun but it's actually Tommy's plot that takes the cake for me. I'm all about saving the best for last so let's talk about Owen first.

We pick up where we left off with the whole Owen dating a married woman who may or may not have killed her husband. Owen meets with his soon to be in-law, Gabriel Reyes (Benito Martinez) and is shown Brett Collier's autopsy report. Apparently prior to him freezing to death he was administered a paralyzing neurotoxin. Owen learns that Brett wasn't Kendra's first husband. Her first husband was a man named Logan Daniels. Their marriage was short-lived due to Logan falling over the balcony outside their hotel suite. Kendra insisted she had nothing to do with his death but Logan's parents suspected she killed him. With two husbands dead, it appears that Kendra Harrington (Michaela McManus) may be a black widow. Gabriel tells Owen to watch his back but the latter insists he has ended things with Ms. Harrington.

Owen returns to the firehouse and is accosted by Kendra who tells him she is the primary suspect in Brett's death. Owen lets on he knows about her first husband and Kendra says everything he's been told is a lie. She insists what happened to Logan Daniels was a terrible accident which she had nothing to do with. Owen points out that it looks super suspicious that both her husbands are dead under mysterious circumstances. Kendra counters that she had nothing to gain by killing her husband. Owen finally tells her he believes her and encourages her to turn off her phone since the Texas Rangers are trying to get in touch with her.

We then get a funny scene that only exists to remind us viewers that Paul is the most perceptive character on the show. When his pudding cup goes missing, Paul believes either Marjan, Mateo, Nancy, TK or Carlos is to blame. Paul accuses Carlos and our resident police officer admits to eating the pudding cup. Paul ends up getting recruited by Captain Strand to investigate the potential murder of Brett Collier in hopes of clearing Kendra's name. What's particularly funny about this is that once again, Carlos - the actual cop on this show - is sidelined in favor of another character with zero law enforcement background. We've seen this happen so many times and it makes me wonder, is Carlos Reyes a shitty cop? We very rarely, if ever, get to see him do police stuff and when we do finally get to see him do some police stuff he usually gets overshadowed by another character, namely Owen. Remember the missing little girl last season? Carlos solved that mystery yet Owen is the one who saves the day. Oh, and then there was the whole swatting situation involving the online gamer which he teamed up with Grace to solve and the result of that is Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) making the arrest. I still believe one of the biggest missteps of the show is making Owen Strand a firefighter instead of a cop. Imagine if Owen Strand was chief of police and Carlos was one of his subordinates. TK could still be a firefighter and maybe Judd could be captain of the 126. We could still have our Tarlos romance with the added tension of Owen being Carlos' boss.

Anywho, I digress. Paul puts his detective skills to good use and we learn that Brett actually administered the neurotoxin himself. It was Brett trying to kill Kendra and not the other way around. His first attempt was disabling the brakes on her vehicle. When that backfired, he tried lacing a bottle of wine with insecticide. Unfortunately since he was working with one arm, he spilled some of the insecticide on his hand which was then absorbed through his skin. He then got in the cryotherapy chamber and froze to death because he was unable to get out of the machine due to being paralyzed. Kendra's name is cleared but she is poisoned when she drinks from the wine bottle Brett gave her for her birthday. Owen performs CPR on her and ends up getting poisoned as well. When he comes to, he is in a hospital room. Kendra, TK, Carlos, and Paul are present at his bedside. Gabriel Reyes drops by to apologize to Owen for being justifiably angry at him. I'm sorry but I don't think Gabriel was wrong about what he said to Owen. Some would argue that Gabriel should've never shared police information with Owen in the first place but I think he was coming from a place of this man is the father of the man my son is marrying and we're going to be family. Owen really nutted up by compromising an ongoing investigation which could have resulted in Gabriel losing his job so I don't think he should've gone easy on Owen.

Now let's talk about Tommy's storyline. Tommy Vega is still seeing Pastor Trevor Parks (DB Woodside) and regularly attends a bible study he leads along with her daughters and Grace Ryder. When Grace overhears a few gossipy church ladies insinuating Tommy and Trevor are doing something inappropriate, she tells her friend. Tommy is pretty chill about it and when Grace asks if she and Trevor have been intimate, she doesn't exactly give an answer. Now this is the part I found a wee bit unbelievable. Tommy and Grace are besties. Tommy is Grace's girl and vice-versa. These two have weathered a lot of storms together. Grace and Judd's accident. Tommy losing Charles and then hooking up with his brother, Julius. I would like to think that if there's anyone on the planet Tommy can be candid with regardly her romantic and sex life, it's Grace Ryder. I get the point the episode is trying to make. Regardless of what Tommy and Trevor are doing behind closed doors, it's no one's business. Yes, he may be a minister, a man of God, but he's still a man and therefore subject to the same follies as any other man. However, it's odd that Grace doesn't know more details about Tommy and Trevor's romance.

Unfortunately, Trevor isn't as chill about the idle gossip as Tommy is and he worries about his reputation. Trevor reveals the reason he left his last church and relocated to Austin, TX with his daughter. His ex-wife cheated on him with the choir director. The elders at the church removed him from his pastoral position because they believed him unfit to preside over their congregation since he couldn't even control his own marriage, How humiliating! And disgusting! Church people, I swear! As someone who grew up in the church, the Baptist church, something like this happening totally tracks with things I've seen. The worst part is that I totally get where Trevor is coming from. I just hate that Tommy's the collateral damage. Gina Torres does an amazing job in the scene where Trevor breaks up with Tommy. You could really feel how utterly heartbroken she was. This is the second heartbreak Tommy has endured since we met her in season two.

The best moment of the episode is when Tommy arrives at church looking like the Dark Phoenix in a stunning red pantsuit. Tommy walks down the center aisle drawing the attention of the entire congregation and commandeers the pulpit. She reads a scripture about gossipers and delivers a scathing speech to those who have judged her.

Tommy: "Keep thou tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy. The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. Which is what I think is God's way of saying, 'If you can't say anything nice, keep your damn mouth shut'."

Cue me clutching my imaginary pearls! Tommy went off on those two old ladies and the best part of all is she called them by name. That's what I'm talking about, Tommy Vega! Tommy talks about how there is so much tragedy and meanness in the world and everyday she is fighting it. She says those things should be left outside the moment they all walk through the church doors. She then says that she shouldn't have to deal with negativity at church but if negativity comes her way, she will deal with it. She will not be shamed and she will not be driven from church. It should be noted that Grace, Judd and Trevor's daughter, Melody, are all in support of what Tommy is saying as well as most of the other churchgoers. When she finishes, she tells Trevor he can have the pulpit back and he kisses her. This is his way of letting her and the rest of the congregation know that he loves her. The congregation breaks out in applause and we have the end of our episode.

I really liked this episode. I thought both plots were great. It was nice getting to see Paul shine a bit more. I also love any occasion where we get to see the Tommy and Grace friendship. I found Owen endearing in this episode. Sometimes I have mixed feelings when Owen goes into detective mode but the writers made a great decision when they put Paul in the mix. I still think that moments like this render Carlos useless. We're four seasons into this show and at this point Carlos is there to be TK's fiance and someone who plays Settlers of Catan with the rest of the JV squad. I sort of got the impression that we'd see Carlos exploring becoming a detective this season after the amazing detective work he did last season but we've gotten nothing on that front. I like Carlos as a character. He provides some much-needed Latinx and gay representation to this show. However, what's the point of having him as a police officer when we rarely get to see him save the day. What makes things even worse is that his 9-1-1 counterpart, Athena Grant, is always saving the day. Anywho, enough about that. The episode was pretty great and it's definitely one worth rewatching. We only have a few episodes left this season so I'm pretty excited to see how things end. Until next time ...

#911 lone star reaction #tv reaction #tv reaction 2023 #911 lone star reaction 2023 #911 lone star #fox 911 lone star #911 ls 4x14 #911 ls s4 #rob lowe #gina torres #db woodside #brian michael smith #sierra mcclain #benito martinez #ronen rubinstein #rafael l silva #michaela mcmanus #blw reactions #blw reactions 2023

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zchug · 2 months

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Part 187: Monday, 18th April 1966, 5.10pm

The old, old story; the holiday being frittered away. Have come up into the kids’ bedroom to write this, they’re watching TV below. They are, touch wood, well and full of élan vital, but it’s impossible to get any quiet at all with them in the house – except when they are watching the TV. Went to a meeting of the Group [a social gathering for synagogue members] yesterday. A discussion on women…

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#Anita Bernstein #Edith Witriol #Jeffrey Lesser #Joseph Witriol #League of Jewish Women #Michael Morris #The Group Woodside Park Synagogue

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queer-book-character-tournament · 2 months

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Quality Control Time

okay everyone: realistically despite having read some since last tournament I can't have read all of these books as I am one person running a blog for funnies

so I'm posting a list after I've gone through the submissions and I'm counting on you guys to tell me if any of these submissions don't count (or if someone typoed something in the submission I didn't catch)

that said here are your (tentative) competitors:

Rune Saint-John- The Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards

Quinn Saint Nicholas- The Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards

Layne Dawncreek- The Hourglass Throne by KD Edwards

Silas Bell- The Spirit Bares it's Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Daphne Luckenbill- The Spirit Bares it's Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Benjamin/Benji Woodside- Hell Followed with us by Andrew Joseph White

Sideways Pike- The Spacegracers by HA Clarke

Tayend of Tremmelin- Magician’s Guild series (The Novice, The High Lord) by Trudi Canavan

Gideon Nav- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Ianthe Tridenarius, Ianthe the First- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Harrowhark Nonagesimus- The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

Dekka- Gone series by Michael Grant

Therem Harth rem ir Estraven- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Seregil í Korit Solun Meringil Bôkthersa- Luck in the shadows/the nightrunner series by Lynn Fleweling

Victor Vale- Vicious by VE Schwab

Alucard Emery- Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab

Rhy Maresh- Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab

Elliot Schafer- In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

Sebastian Black- The Sacred Sins of Father Black by St John Starling

Father Victor Ardelian- What Manner of Man by St John Starling

Wenren È- Devil Venerable Also Wants To Know by Cyan Wings

Zhu Chongba- She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Ouyang- She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Giovanni- Giovanni's room by James Baldwin

David- Giovanni's room by James Baldwin

Danny Tozer- Dreadnought by April Daniels

Magnus Bane- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Alec Lightwood- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Thomas Lightwood- The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

Alastair Carstairs- The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

Alex Fierro-Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan

Magnus Chase- Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan

Nico di Angelo- The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan

Frances Janvier- Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Nick Nelson- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Charlie Spring- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Tori Spring- Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Gwen (Princess Gwendoline)- Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Jack Alston/Lord Hawthorn- The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske

Maud Blyth- The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske

Robin Blyth- A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

Silariathas “Silas”- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Nathaniel Thorn- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Ballister Blackheart- Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Ambrosius Goldenloin- Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Neil Josten- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Andrew Minyard- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Nicky Hemick- All for the game by Nora Sakavic

Xie Lian- Heaven Official's Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

San Lang/ Hua Cheng- Heaven Official's Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Luo Binghe- The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Shen Qingqiu- The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Lan Wangji/ Lan Zhan/ Han Guang Jun- Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Wei WuXian/ Wei Ying/ Yiling Patriarch- Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu / mxtx

Kelly Bennett- Heartsong by TJ Klune

Linus Baker- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Arthur Parnassus- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Laurent- Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Damianos (Damen)- Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Will Kempen- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

Sarcean- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

James St. Clair- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

Ronan Lynch- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Adam Parrish- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Loki- Loki- Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Theo Bell- Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Daniela- We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Carmen- We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Seonid Traighan Sedai- Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Siuan Sanche Sedai- Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

Shallan Davar- The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson

Jasnah Kholin- The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson

Jesper Fahey- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Wylan van Eck- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Nina Zenik- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Evelyn Hugo- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Moiraine Damodred Sedai- The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan

Yan Wushi- 千秋 /Thousand Autumns/Qian Qu by Meng Xi Shi

Shen Qiao- 千秋/Qian Qiu/Thousand Autumn by Meng Xi Shi

Alex Claremont-Diaz- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Biyu "Jane" Su- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

August Landry- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Jolene Whitaker- Stars Still Fall by Jules Kelley

Jude St. Francis- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Francis Abernathy- The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Ishita Dey- Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Carmilla Karnstein- Carmilla by J Sheridan le Fanu

Murderbot- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Shuos Jedao- Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

Achilles- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Patroclus- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Yin Hanjiang- Devil Venerable Also Wants To Know by Cyan Wings

Daja Kisubo- The Circle of Magic series, The Circle Opens series, The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce

Simon Torquill- October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

Kade Bronson- Wayward Children Series by Seanan McGuire

Jack Wolcott- Wayward Children Series by Seanan McGuire

Sundew- Wings of Fire by Tui T Sutherland

Zanja Na'Tarwein- The Elemental Logic Series by Laurie J. Marks

Karis G'deon- The Elemental Logic series by Laurie J. Marks

Thaniel Steepleton- The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley

Raff Barden- One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Penn de Foucart- One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Alec Campion- Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Richard St Vier- Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Nico Ferrer De Varona- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Parisa Kamali- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Sam Black Crow- American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Salim- American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Hunter- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Islington- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Tsukiko- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Ezra Rawlins- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Dorian- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Katrina- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Katherine- The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner

Geraldine- Christabel by Samuel Coleridge

Priya- The Jasmine Throne/The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

Malini- The Jasmine Throne/The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

Henry Gaunt- In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Sidney Ellwood - In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Benji Ovich- Beartown by Frederik Backman

Renly Baratheon- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Loras Tyrell- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Oberyn Martell- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Ellaria Sand- A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R.R. Martin

Ead Duryan- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Thara Celehar- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Iäna Pel-Thenhior- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Vanyel Ashkevron- The Last Herald-Mage Series (Magic's Pawn, Magic's Price, Magic's Promise) by Mercedes Lackey

Galen- Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

Doctor Piper- Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

Eliot Waugh- The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Simon Spier- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Bram Greenfield- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Leah Burke- Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Abby Suso- Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Jay Gatsby- Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie Mclemore

Harold Hutchins- Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Eric "Bitty" Bittle- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Jack Zimmermann- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Ollie O'Meara- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Pacer Wicks- Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu

Maurice Hall- Maurice by E.M. Forster

Alec Scudder- Maurice by E.M. Forster

Clive Durham- Maurice by E.M. Forster

Cal Stephanides- Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Therese Belivet- Carol or The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

Carol Aird- Carol or The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

Baz Pitch- Carry On Series by Rainbow Rowell

Tennalhin (Tennal) Halkana- Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

Evander (Andy) Mills- Lavendar House by Lev Ac Rosen

Kaiiestron (Kai) l, Prince of the Fourth House of the Underearth- Witch King by Martha Wells

Max Owen- Magical Boy by The Kao

Remy Pendergast- Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

Ben De Backer- I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Nathan Allan- I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Genevieve Lefoux- The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger

Maddie Morrow- Havenfall by Sara Holland

Catherine St. Day- The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Lucy Muchelney- The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

Fetter- The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

Leonie Jackman- Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Red- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Blue- This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Rose- Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Li Shimin- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Cliopher Mdang- The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard

Lily Hu- Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Patrick O’Hara- The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Ambrose Cusk- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

Kodiak Celius- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

#op speaks #ALMOST POLL TIME

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ausetkmt · 9 months

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At President Trump's rally in Tampa last week, a familiar face made it back in the national news. Maurice Symonette, also known as Michael the Black Man, was front and center in a crowd hurling invective at CNN reporter Jim Acosta, waving a "Blacks for Trump" sign.

Symonette has been a regular at Trump rallies all over Florida and as far away as Arizona. Just last month, he popped up at the U.S. border to appear in a video with disgraced sheriff-turned-pardoned-Senate-candidate Joe Arpaio.

All that national exposure raises an obvious question: Who is paying the bills for Symonette, a former member of Miami's murderous Yahweh ben Yahweh cult, to represent "Blacks for Trump" at Trump rallies?

Since Blacks for Trump isn't a registered political organization with the Florida Division of Elections or the Federal Election Commission, there are no public records of any donations funding the group's operations.

It seems unlikely Symonette is fronting the cash for his travel himself because he filed for bankruptcy this past May. In federal court records, he reports that he's unemployed, generates no income, and has $0 in the bank. He also says four banks have staked claims on $2.9 million worth of property around Dade County.

So how is he getting to Arizona and Tampa to stand behind Trump on national TV? Reached on his cell phone, Symonette declined to discuss his group's financing. "You guys are horrible racists," he said. "You are lawbreakers and you're mean... God is going to punish you horribly."

Throughout the '80s, Symonette — then known as Maurice Woodside — was a devoted follower of Yahweh ben Yahweh, a charismatic preacher who wore white robes and called himself the Messiah.

Federal prosecutors later accused Yahweh, whose real name was Hulon Mitchell Jr., of ordering his followers to murder at least 14 people, including random white vagrants who were massacred as an initiation rite.

Symonette was charged in federal court along with Mitchell and 15 other followers in 1990; while the cult's leader was later convicted of 14 charges of murder conspiracy and served nearly two decades in prison, Symonette and six other cult members were acquitted.

In the decades since, Symonette has been charged with crimes including grand theft auto, carrying a weapon onto an airplane, and threatening a police officer, but has never been convicted. (He does have a pending case on a municipal ordinance charge in Hollywood after police showed up to a really loud party he threw.)

Since Trump's election, Symonette has carved out an unlikely new niche as one of President Trump's most visible African-American supporters. He has a knack for getting prime placement directly behind Trump and has handed out hundreds of his "Blacks for Trump" signs.

They advertise his website, which is full of conspiracy theories about Cherokees running the U.S. banking system. (Really.)

Symonette was even featured at a Miami Trump rally that prosecutors later alleged had been funded by Russian nationals looking to disrupt the election.

Symonette filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 16, listing Washington Mutual, Homecomings Financial, HSBC Bank, and Indymac Bank as his creditors; each institution laid claim to one of four houses. Three are in North Miami-Dade County, and one is near Kendall.

In court docs, his only listed assets are clothing, watches, various household items, and a pool table. He does say that his live-in girlfriend, whom he doesn't identify by name, provides him with $2,000 per month.

Could that money from his significant other cover Blacks for Trump's various trips around the country to support the president on TV? Symonette wouldn't discuss that with a New Times reporter.

Instead, he spoke at length about his belief that the banking system is corrupt. He added that "Trump being the president is the greatest blessing we have ever had."

In his bankruptcy case, he's repeated those allegations about the banking system being crooked to Judge Laurel M. Isicoff. He's also repeatedly sought to change hearings that overlapped with Trump events. Symonette suggested the scheduling conflicts are a sinister plot to keep him away from the spotlight at Trump rallies.

"Creditors know that I have a rally in Arizona on July 25 and deliberately set the hearing on that date to cause me and my musical band to miss the performance and the rally with the bus we rented," he wrote in a motion filed the same morning as the Phoenix rally. "The creditors overheard that at the house we are disputing... and set that hearing on the same date just to harm me."

That motion was denied, as was another he filed on July 30, just before Trump's Tampa rally. "As founder of Blacks for Trump, (I) have rented vans to go to Trump's rally. We need to make the country aware how the banks (FOREIGNERS FROM THE EAST) are illegally taking WHITE AND BLACK PEOPLE'S houses away."

Maurice Symonette's story is baffling, to put it mildly. Symonette, who also goes by the name Michael the Black Man, somehow went from being part of the murderous Yahweh ben Yahweh cult to getting acquitted of murder charges himself to being a staple at Donald Trump's presidential rallies all over the country. Even among the rogue's gallery of rodeo clowns and Bond villains who make up Trump's core cadre of supporters, Symonette might legitimately be the weirdest person hovering around Trumpworld

After Michael the Black Man turned up at a Tampa-area Trump rally last week and led anti-press chants, it's worth taking note of all the bizarre places he's materialized since becoming a prominent Trump supporter:

1. At the original October 2016 Trump rally where he first popped up on TV:

Conservative Twitter is abuzz this afternoon with a trending hashtag: #BlacksForTrump. The spark is clear: Thousands have retweeted photos from Trump's rally in Lakeland, Florida, this afternoon showing a small group standing directly behind the Donald while enthusiastically waving "Blacks for Trump" signs. "Blacks are for Trump and the left can't stand it," writes @LawlessPirate, with another pic of the sign-waving man wearing a shirt reading "Trump & Republicans Are Not Racist." So who is this new face of Trump's elusive black support? He's none other than Michael the Black Man, also known as Maurice Woodside or Michael Symonette, who has made waves in Miami in recent years with protests against the Democratic Party and rallies for the GOP. He's also a former member of the murderous Yahweh ben Yahweh cult, which was led by the charismatic preacher Hulon Mitchell Jr., who was charged by the feds in 1990 with conspiracy in killings that included a gruesome beheading in the Everglades. Michael, along with 15 other Yahweh followers, was charged for allegedly conspiring in two murders; his brother, who was also in the cult, told jurors that Michael had helped beat one man who was later killed and stuck a sharpened stick into another man's eyeball. But jurors found Michael (and six other Yahweh followers) innocent. They sent Mitchell away for 20 years in the federal pen. In the years that followed, Michael changed his last name to Symonette, made a career as a musician, started a radio station in Miami, and then reinvented himself as Michael the Black Man, an anti-gay, anti-liberal preacher with a golden instinct for getting on TV at GOP events. He's planned events with Rick Santorum and gotten cable news play for bashing Obama. Since 1997, he's been charged with grand theft auto, carrying a weapon onto an airplane and threatening a police officer, but never convicted in any of those cases.

2. At a Trump rally in Bayfront Park in Miami just before the election: 3. At a rally allegedly organized with the help of Russian agents:

A federal grand jury filed charges against 13 Russian nationals [in February 2018] for allegedly stealing identities, wiring money overseas, and staging a small series of flash mobs to help tip the 2016 election in Donald Trump's favor. It's unclear whether the social media campaign had any actual impact on voting, but the FBI alleges Russian money indeed affected one small group of Miamians who unknowingly used Russian cash to pay for supplies for an unnamed rally the September before the presidential election. There still seem to be online traces of that Moscow-funded rally. Only one publicized, pro-Trump rally appears to have taken place in the Miami area — #LatinosConTrump in Doral at 1 p.m. September 11, 2016. The event was pitched as an "anti-media" protest outside the town's Univision offices. The national group Latinos With Trump created flyers for the rally and noted that virtually all of Miami's most prominent pro-Trump groups — Cubans 4 Trump, Hispanas for Trump, Latinas for Trump, and the official Miami Trump Volunteers — would attend.

4. At a 2017 Trump rally in Phoenix, per the Washington Post:

And so it was Tuesday night before a crowd of Trump supporters in Phoenix who had come to watch another show. There was the president, whipping up the wildly cheering crowd, and then there was Michael the Black Man, chanting just beyond Trump’s right shoulder in that trademark T-shirt. The presence of Michael — variously known as Michael Symonette, Maurice Woodside and Mikael Israel — has inspired not only trending Twitter hashtags but a great deal of curiosity and Google searches. Internet sleuths find the man’s bizarre URL, an easily accessible gateway to his strange and checkered past. The radical fringe activist from Miami once belonged to a violent black supremacist religious cult, and he runs a handful of amateur, unintelligible conspiracy websites. He has called Barack Obama “The Beast” and Hillary Clinton a Ku Klux Klan member. Oprah Winfrey, he says, is the devil. Most curiously, in the 1990s, he was charged, then acquitted, with conspiracy to commit two murders.

5. With noted racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the U.S.-Mexico border just last week:

Via our sister paper Phoenix New Times:

Former sheriff Joe Arpaio filmed a video at the U.S.-Mexico border with a former Florida cult member who goes by the name Michael the Black Man. In the video posted on Thursday, Michael has his arm around Arpaio as the ousted former sheriff promotes his improbable race for Arizona's open Senate seat during a visit to the border fence in Naco, Arizona. Michael was a follower of the Yahweh ben Yahweh cult, a black-supremacist religious sect in Florida. In 1990, the feds charged Michael and over a dozen fellow cult members with conspiracy related to brutal murders in Florida. Alongside Arpaio and Michael in the video is an independent Senate candidate in Massachusetts, Shiva Ayyadurai, who shared the live video on Twitter. Born in India, Ayyadurai is a scientist and MIT graduate who claims that he invented email. He began his Senate campaign as a Republican before switching to run as an independent. Ayyadurai’s campaign uses the slogan, “Defeat #FakeIndian Elizabeth Warren,” as a derogatory jab at his Democratic opponent. “First of all, I’m from Massachusetts, so of course I’m supporting this great guy,” Arpaio says of Ayyadurai in the video. “He’s gonna win.” Michael says, “We’re at the border right here, between Arizona and Mexico.” He turns to Arpaio to ask if he has anything to say to the camera. The aging former sheriff brings up his law enforcement background. “It’s great to see the border again; I haven’t seen it in a while,” Arpaio says.

If you've got any info on who's paying Symonette's travel bills to Trump rallies, email [email protected] or [email protected]

For a second, Donald Trump seemed to be backing off his vitriolic attacks on the free press. After five journalists were massacred at the Annapolis Capital Gazette, Trump briefly toned down his slurs. He even invited New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzburger to the White House to clear the air. But it didn't last.

Trump quickly returned to his Stalinist, enemies-of-the-people label for journalists and then lied about his meeting with Sulzburger to insist that truthful reporting is "fake news." Those insults have a real effect, and that fact was never frighteningly clearer than at Trump's rally last night in Tampa, where an unhinged-looking mob screamed insults and waved middle fingers at journalists, particularly CNN's chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.

The scene left many political watchers deeply shaken, including Acosta:

Just a sample of the sad scene we faced at the Trump rally in Tampa. I’m very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt. We should not treat our fellow Americans this way. The press is not the enemy. pic.twitter.com/IhSRw5Ui3R— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 1, 2018

But most national press watchers didn't notice who was right at the center of that mob hurling invective at Acosta and his colleagues: Yep, it was Michael the Black Man, AKA Maurice Symonette, a former member of Miami's murderous Yahweh ben Yawheh cult who once faced charges of conspiring in the group's murders.

That's him with his instantly recognizable "Blacks for Trump" sign:

.@Acosta is trying to do a stand-up at #trumptampa and the crowd is booing and chanting “CNN sucks” behind him. pic.twitter.com/XiULajB1Li— Emily L. Mahoney (@mahoneysthename) July 31, 2018

Symonette has been a mainstay at Florida Trump rallies and over the past year has popped up at other Trump-linked events around the nation. Just last week, he flew to Arizona to film a video at the border with disgraced former sheriff Joe Arpaio. Trump's staff regularly gives Symonette front-and-center seats where he waves his black-and-white sign on national television.

Here's some background on Symonette from New Times' earlier reporting on him:

He's also a former member of the murderous Yahweh ben Yahweh cult, which was led by the charismatic preacher Hulon Mitchell Jr., who was charged by the feds in 1990 with conspiracy in killings that included a gruesome beheading in the Everglades. Michael, along with 15 other Yahweh followers, was charged for allegedly conspiring in two murders; his brother, who was also in the cult, told jurors that Michael had helped beat one man who was later killed and stuck a sharpened stick into another man's eyeball. But jurors found Michael (and six other Yahweh followers) innocent. They sent Mitchell away for 20 years in the federal pen. In the years that followed, he changed his last name to Symonette, made a career as a musician, started a radio station in Miami and then re-invented himself as Michael the Black Man, an anti-gay, anti-liberal preacher with a golden instinct for getting on TV at GOP events. He's planned events with Rick Santorum and gotten cable news play for bashing Obama. Since 1997, he's been charged with grand theft auto, carrying a weapon onto an airplane and threatening a police officer, but never convicted in any of those cases.

In other words, he's exactly the kind of guy you might not want to drive into a blind rage at journalists who are just trying to do their jobs. Yet there he was in Tampa, right in the middle of the crowd screaming at Acosta — who, incidentally, took time to talk to the crowds who were so angry with him:

After each live shot, @Acosta would walk down and politely talk to the people who just heckled him. He talked to one group for at least 15 minutes. pic.twitter.com/J26nlxfD6k— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) August 1, 2018

There are two safe bets on this topic going forward: Trump won't stop throwing insults at the media, and wherever the president is whipping up that anger, Michael the Black Man will probably be there with his signs, happily taking the bait.

#Ex-Cult Member Behind “Blacks for Trump” Is Bankrupt #So Who's Paying for His Trump Rally Trips?#blacks for trump cult #blacks for trump #lies #Black Lies Matter too #Black Lives Matter

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the-woild-is-ya-erster · 1 year

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UM WEST END NEWSIES????

so I saw the Wembley Park Theatre production last night and if u don't wanna be spoiled dni

But if you have no chance of seeing it here are some of the little details <3

First of all the casting was perfect???

Michael Alomka dove into a more sensitive part of Jack - and it was super interesting

Katherine was so much more headstrong and it was suchhhh a new flavour of her - Katherine has never been one of my favourite characters but god she was so strong and wild and unduly it was brilliant.

Ryan Kopel as Davey has to be my standout tho - he seemed much younger in the role than BF did, and much more uncertain and afraid - I loved it - and his development oh my god he became boisterous and ahhhhhhhhh

Docket as Crutchie was brilliant he was much less happy-go-lucky than AKB was and oh it worked - he was frustrated and angry and real.

AND Crutchie played a much larger role in the leadership of the strike here!! Just through little interactions and stuff but it was coooollll and he even seemed to form a friendship with both Kath and Davey

Even the kid playing Les was brilliant and I usually don't like Les all that much - but the kid I saw was brilliant

KATHERINE WORE A CROWN MADE OF SPOONS IN KONY

The Newsies would swing out on lamps and ropes over the audience and oh my godddddddd

THE BROOKLYN NEWSIES WERE GIRLS (and it added balance since earlier they'd been the bowery beauties so it changed them up and showed the power of women plus finally included girls in the strike, sometbing 1992 and bway missed) AND THEY WERE SO GOOD

Jack and Katherine had Beatrice and Benedick vibes from Much Ado - that's the only comparable thing, they were so brilliant and the chemistry was so goooodddd

Ngl it probably didn't have enough Javid content for you addicts.

Butttt there was a hug when Jack tells Davey they won the strike that is so good. Davey can't retain himself, he jumps and hugs Jack and then picks up and whirls around Les

'we are inevitable' was delivered PERFECTLY I can't even explain

There are so many stunts and jumps and tricks and we all knew the dancing was gonna be perfect but dear god it still got me

And finally, my favourite thing, THE SET

I was sitting stage right in Woodside (I think) and if u can get tickets like that it is so worth it. The actors are running up behjind and beside you

There's even a little slide for the escape from snyder

And they utilise the scaffding part of the set super well

There are lamps that lifted up for ariel tricks

And so much more

Even a fuckin zip line!!!!!!!

okay you've nearly made it to the end

There were a fewwww lyric changes buttt the orchestrations were changed quite a lot to make room for more dance and honestly? I think I prefer broadway music wise

THEY ALL STAND UP AND SAY THEIR NAMES IN SEIZE THE DAY <3

The Pulitzer's set was built in newspapers to show class and how the Newsies have built their entire empire etc

And all the set was moved on and off by the Newsies, too, again to show class and how the Newsies (and working kids) run the world, really

Finally

Yes, Race was perfect.

#it was a good day to be bi too #if ur going i recommend getting a programme b4 the show bc I went at the interval and they'd run out #It was so good #I really can't explain it enough #okay anyone who's seen/is seeing it message meeeeeeee with thoughts #newsies #musical theatre #west endsies #newsies london #davey jacobs #jack kelly #musicals #katherine plumber #race higgins #west end #broadway

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dear-indies · 3 months

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hiya! 🧡 could i please get some help in finding some fc's of color who have resources playing a vampire? (who aren't from interview with the vampire, bc its gonna be an iwtc-centered oc) if not, just fc's you think would be great vampires! a woc is who i'm leaning towards, but im down for anyone of any age! thank you so much 🫶🏼

Angela Bassett (Vampire in Brooklyn) African-American.

Jacob Batalon (Reginald the Vampire) Filipino.

Kim Ji Woong (The Blood) Korean.

Michael Malarkey (The Vampire Diaries) part Palestinian.

Sisi Stringer (Vampire Academy) African Australian.

Rutina Wesley (True Blood) African-American.

Ami Tomite (Tokyo Vampire Hotel) Japanese.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Day Shift) Chinese / White.

and then:

Shohreh Aghdashloo (1952) Iranian.

D. B. Woodside (1969) African-American.

Gina Torres (1969) Afro-Cuban.

Hu Bing (1971) Korean.

Mahershala Ali (1974) African-American.

Daniel Wu (1974) Hongkonger.

Florence Kasumba (1976) Ugandan.

Omar Sy (1978) Mauritanian / Fula Senegalese.

Nonso Anozie (1979) Nigeiran - isn't a vampire in this but has the vibe in Dracula.

Maggie Q (1979) Vietnamese / White.

T'Nia Miller (1980) Afro Jamaican - is a lesbian.

Angelica Ross (1980) African-American - is trans.

Rami Malek (1981) Egyptian 12.5% Greek.

Fawad Khan (1981) Pashtun and Punjabi Pakistani.

Miyavi (1981) Japanese / Korean.

Riz Ahmed (1982) Pakistani.

Mahesh Jadu (1982) Bihari, Gorakhpuri and Kashmiri Indo-Mauritian.

Dichen Lachman (1982) Tibetan / German.

Kim Jae Wook (1983) Korean.

Cara Gee (1983) Ojibwe.

Florence Faivre (1983) Thai / French.

Nathalie Kelley (1985) Argentinian, Peruvian [Quechua, possibly other].

Amar Chadha-Patel (1986) Punjabi and Gujarati Indian.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph (1986) African-American.

Jodie Turner-Smith (1986) Afro Jamaican.

Michaela Coel (1987) Ghanaian - is aromantic.

Lewis Tan (1987) Singaporean Chinese / White.

Desmond Chiam (1987) Chinese Singaporean.

Jim Sarbh (1987) Parsi Indian.

Anna Diop (1988) Senegalese.

Aiysha Hart (1988) Saudi Arabian / White.

Gregg Chillin (1988) Armenian and White.

Christina Chong (1989) Hongkonger / White.

Katy M. O'Brian (1989) African-American and White - is a lesbian.

Hannah John-Kamen (1989) Nigerian / Norwegian.

Steve Noh (1990) Korean.

Kim Yong Ji (1991) Korean.

Jennifer Cheon Garcia (1992) Korean / Mexican.

Jenny Zeng (1993) Chinese.

Song Kang (1994) Korean.

Jaz Sinclair (1994) African-American / White.

Ryan Destiny (1995) African-American.

Yumi Nu (1996) Japanese / White.

Wang Zi Yi (1996) Chinese.

Havana Rose Liu (1997) Chinese / White - is pansexual.

Lauren Tsai (1998) Taiwanese / White.

Here you go! Please let me know if you want something more specific.

#fc help #rph #rpc #vampire fc

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911lsbts · 1 year

Photo

actuallyrafa: extremely grateful to be part of this family. extremely grateful to be here. extremely grateful to be able to do this again. happy season 5! thank you God for these blessings.

#911 lone star #rafael silva #brian michael smith #jim parrack #gina torres #ronen rubinstein #julian works #brianna baker #sierra mcclain #db woodside #911 lone star cast #s4 #s5

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actuallysara · 1 year

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911LoneStar: The 126 isn't going anywhere! 🙌 #911LoneStar is returning for season 5!

#911 lone star #911 lone star cast #911 lone star spoilers #ls bts #sposts #rafael silva #ronen rubinstein #brian michael smith #gina torres #rob lowe #natacha karam #brianna baker #julian works #sierra mcclain #jim parrack #db woodside

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rafaelsilvasource · 1 year

Video

BRIAN MICHAEL SMITH, RAFAEL SILVA, GINA TORRES, BRIANNA BAKER, DB WOODSIDE, JULIAN WORKS, JIM PARRACK, SIERRA MCCLAIN and JOHN CLARENCE STEWART on the set of 911: LONE STAR S4 E18

#rafael silva #videos #911 lone star #ls season 4 #ls 4 bts #ls 4x18 #ls 4x18 bts #brian michael smith #gina torres #brianna baker #db woodside #julian works #jim parrack #sierra mcclain #john clarence stewart

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tkstrandreyes · 1 year

Video

The 911: Lone Star Cast on location of 4x18.

#911 Lone Star #Rafael Silva #Brian Michael Smith #Brianna Baker #Gina Torres #DB Woodside #Jim Parrack #Julian Works #Sierra McClain #John Clarence Stewart #911 ls cast #ls spoilers #ls bts #video

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callmebrycelee · 1 year

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9-1-1: LONE STAR REACTION

This reaction is for the season 4, seventh episode "Tommy Dearest" which originally aired March 7, 2023. This episode was written by Bob Goodman and Jamie Kessler and directed by Scott White. Spoilers ahead!

***LAST TIME ON 9-1-1: LONE STAR***Captain Owen Strand and the 118 prevent all of Austin from being blown to kingdom calm.

Now that we're all caught up, let's talk about episode seven - TOMMY DEAREST.

We begin the episode at the firehouse. Owen catches Paul chatting with "an old friend from Chicago". Owen talks to Paul about helping TK and Carlos with their wedding. Meanwhile, Paul's phone is blowing up with text after text. Paul slips up and mentions that the "old friend from Chicago" is a *she* which gets Owen's attention. Owen asks if this *she* is more than a friend but Paul tells him that's not like that. Owen encourages Paul to go after her, whoever she is. I love seeing Owen and Paul hanging out. We rarely get to see these two interact and I love how fatherly Owen can be in these moments.

Their late-night chat is interrupted when a man named Jerry (Marcus Terrell Smith) wheels his wife Hannah (Abigail Bhimani) into the firehouse on a refrigerator dolly. Jerry tells Owen and Paul that his wife is having a medical emergency and if she is turned right-side up, she will die ... again. The rest of the 126 arrive and we learn that Hannah and Jerry were doing the horizontal mambo when she "died" the first time. Tommy says she needs to lie Hannah back to check her vitals but this causes Hannah to flatline. When they move her upside down again, her heartbeat returns to normal. Jerry mentions that Hannah has a pacemaker which is probably something he should have mentioned up front and Tommy theorizes that the pacemaker wire has become dislodged from Hannah's ventricle. Hannah needs to be taken to the hospital ASAP but since transporting her flat is not an option, they place her on the back of the rig upside down.

Title card!

We then head over to Casa de Vega and see Tommy and Trevor (DB Woodside) making lasagna together ... and that's not a euphemism. I want to point out how amazing Tommy looks in this scene. Trevor is super nervous about telling the girls he and Tommy are an item and Tommy does some breathing exercises with him to help him relax. They hear the girls - Isabella, Evie, and Melody (Bella Blanding) playing together in the next room. During dinner, Tommy and Trevor let the girls know they are dating and the girls seem okay with this news. When Trevor, Isabella, and Evie go into the kitchen to get ice cream, Melody tells Tommy she needs to break up with Trevor. DEMON CHILD!!!!

We then head over to the Ryders' house where we see Tommy tell Grace and Judd about Melody. Judd calls her a "bad seed". Tommy tries to sympathize with Melody because she remembers what it was like when her own parents divorced. Tommy tels them she is going to cancel her date with Trevor and Grace tells her not to do that. Grace tells Tommy she should tell Trevor about Melody.

Back at the firehouse, Asha Fulton (Amanda Payton) returns to close out the case concerning Marjan. Apparently the couple who were trying to extort her have dropped their case against Marjan. Imagine that. Nancy, Mateo and TK think this is great news and can't wait to let Marjan know. Paul lets them know he's already told her. The others pick up on Paul's awkward behavior in front of Asha and figure out that he's interested in her. TK says he felt sparks between the two. Paul lets them know that he and Asha went to school together in Chicago and they have been reconnecting via text. Nancy, Mateo, and TK think Paul should ask her out.

In our next scene, we see a pizza delivery man named Lance (Greg Hess) arriving at the home of a shut-in. He rings the doorbell multiple times and when the owner doesn't come to the door, he looks through the window and sees her on the floor having what appears to be a seizure. Lance calls 9-1-1 and of course he gets Grace on the line. Grace figures out that the owner of the house has a medic alert bracelet due to being diabetic. She tells Lance to break into her house. Lance manages to mule kick the door in and tends to the owner whose name is Valerie (Cheryl Lynn Bowers). He finds her insulin pen and injects her. When she comes to, she freaks out and tases Lance twice which stops his heart. Valerie calls 9-1-1 and gets Grace's coworker Bree (Nina Concepcion). Both Grace and Bree realize their callers are at the same scene. Thankfully Tommy, Nancy, and TK arrive on the scene and they are able to revive him. As Lance is being loaded into the ambulance, Valerie takes a step out of her house for the first time and asks him on a date. What a cute little meet-cute. Hope it works out between these two!

Later that day, Tommy arrives at Trevor's house and is shocked to see Grace there. Grace tells her she will be babysitting Melody while Tommy and Trevor are on their date. Trevor and Melody come out to the main room and Melody gushes over how beautiful Tommy looks. Tommy looked sexy as hell in this scene! Gina Torres is a knockout! Grace and Trevor leave the room which gives Melody a chance to tell Tommy that her dress is inappropriate. Tommy tells her she is not breaking up with Trevor. When Grace and Trevor come back into the room, Melody hugs her father and shoots Tommy a death stare. Methinks this little girl is a total psychopath. We then see Paul and Asha on a date and it looks like the two of them are really hitting it off. Things take an awkward turn when Asha takes out their middle school yearbook. Asha seems to revel in the memories but Paul looks visibly uncomfortable. I imagine it must not be easy for him to see photos of himself pre-transition.

Speaking of dates, Tommy and Trevor have dinner at a pretty snazzy restaurant. Tommy goes to broach the topic of Melody with Trevor but Trevor gets a call from Grace. The two of them head back to Trevor's place and see Melody "sick" on the sofa. Grace apologizes to Tommy for calling during their date. Tommy offers to take a look at Melody and makes up for an illness which I thought was hilarious. Something about juvenile gastro-something. She tells Trevor that the cure for this juvenile gastro-something is milk with pickle juice, horseradish (seriously who has horseradish at home), minced garlic, a raw egg, soy sauce, and tobasco sauce. Grace and Trevor leave the room to make Tommy's abuela's remedy and Tommy tells Melody to cut the act. When they return with the drink, Melody calls Tommy's bluff and drinks the nasty drink. Tommy is horrified by this and honestly so am I!

Over at the firehouse, TK, Nancy and Mateo see Paul working out in the gym. They ask him about how his date with Asha went. Paul tells them he doesn't think things will work between him and Asha. Paul then lashes out at the three of them and Owen overhears him. Owen asks to speak with Paul in his office. Owen asks Paul what's going on and Paul tells him about Asha. Paul says the problem with Asha is that she already knows everything about him, including him being trans and during their date Asha wanted to revisit old memories. Paul tells Owen he used to play basketball before he transitioned. He then says he gave up a lot of things so he could become the person he is today. He calls it a survival mechanism. I really like this scene because it's just a reminder of what trans people have to go through in order to live authentically. The fact that a trans actor is saying this through a trans character made this scene even more powerful for me and I'm so glad that Owen just listened which is what most marginalized folks need from their allies.

Meanwhile, Judd teases Tommy about the nasty drink she gave to Melody. Tommy says she was only following Judd's advice. Judd calls her Tommy Dearest which I thought was hilarious. Melody shows up at the firehouse, without her dad, and tells Tommy she needs to speak with her. Melody says she Googled the illness Tommy said she had the night before and it does not exist. Tommy tries to make a truce with the 12-year-old but Melody says they are just getting to the fun part. Melody mentions Tommy's brother-in-law, Julius, and records Tommy talking about her intimate relationship with Julius. Melody threatens to blackmail Tommy if she doesn't break up with Trevor. Seriously, this kid is a sociopath! She should be checked out by a professional.

Tommy heads over to the dispatch center to have some girl talk with Grace. Grace learns about Tommy's fling with Julius but isn't judgmental about it. She even asks Tommy how it was. Grace!!! I'm clutching my pearls over here. Tommy tells Grace she overheard Evie and Isabella talking about Melody having a secret Tik-Tok and suggests blackmailing her back. Grace thinks this is ridiculous and tells Tommy again she should just talk to Trevor.

Tommy heads over to Trevor's and finds him in the middle of writing his sermon. He asks Tommy what's wrong and she says she thinks they jumped the gun by telling the girls about their relationship. Tommy tells Trevor she slept with her deceased husband's brother and Trevor, like Grace, is not judgmental. Trevor suspects that Melody has said something to Tommy but she lies and says no. She then tells him it's best they break up now before someone gets hurt. Trevor tells her it's too late for that. Melody comes out of her room and says she's hurting. Tommy thinks she's crying wolf but this time Melody is being serious. Tommy checks her out and figures out immediately what's going on. The two of them go to Melody's room.

Turns out Melody got her period and Tommy is there to help her through this pivotal moment in her young ife. Melody starts to cry and says she wishes her mom were there. Tommy tells Melody she can talk to her. Melody finally apologizes to Tommy for all the messed up stuff she's been doing. She says that Tommy's the first person her dad has dated since divorcing her mom. Tommy is so amazing in this moment as she comforts Melody. Melody asks if Tommy can un-dump her father and Tommy says she won't do it alone.

Back at the firehouse, Owen tosses a basketball at Paul. He then shows Paul the basketball goal he's set up. The two of them start playing a game of one-on-one. Paul looked so happy in this moment. Nancy, Judd, Mateo, and TK show up and Owen suggests they play three-on-three. Paul is really good at basketball and a part of me wonders if Brian Michael Smith is good at basketball in real life.

We then see Tommy and Trevor having ice cream with the girls. Tommy and Melody seem to be getting along quite well. The five of them look really good together and it would be so nice if Tommy and Trevor do end up together and they have a blended family.

So, that's it for "Tommy Dearest"! This episode was a nice palate cleanser after last week's resolution to the big terrorist plot. We got a few emergencies, none of which were super serious. Both emergencies were also hilarious in hindsight, even though poor Hannah died twice. I love that we got to focus on Tommy this episode. We got introduced to Trevor back in episode one and we haven't really gotten a chance to spend time with him and Tommy until this episode. I love how supportive Grace and Judd are with Tommy. I love their friendship. I really like Trevor as a love interest for Tommy because the whole dalliance with her dead husband's brother was not a good look.

I also like that we also got to spend some time with Paul. We haven't really seen Paul date since season one and it's so refreshing to see that Asha is fine with Paul just the way he is. I was worried his being trans was going to be an obstacle for them and I'm so glad the writers decided not to go in that direction. I hope we get to see more of Asha and I hope we get to see her date Paul. Paul deserves to have a partner much like TK and Carlos and Judd and Grace and Tommy and Trevor.

Lastly, to all the Owen haters out there, you got your wish. Owen was in the background much of this episode and when he was in a scene, he didn't dominate. I like that we stepped back a bit from Owen, TK, and Carlos. I find it funny that people talk about how much Owen dominates the show but turn a blind eye to all the screen time TK and Carlos get. Hopefully this is a sign we will be focusing on the other characters. I need a Nancy-centric episode ASAP. Hopefully the writers give me what I need! Until next time ...

#911 lone star reaction #tv reaction #tv reaction 2023 #911 lone star reaction 2023 #911 lone star #fox 911 lone star #blw reactions #blw reactions 2023 #911 ls 4x07 #911 ls s4 #rob lowe #gina torres #sierra mcclain #jim parrack #brian michael smith #db woodside

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