Tennessee is known for passing more anti-LGBTQ+ legislation than any other state, with 26 such bills currently making their way through the state legislature. As state speaker, Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally presided over the passage of a recent bill banning gender-affirming care for minors, and another bill making drag performances a felony.
McNally may not be a fan of gay or trans people in general, but he’s a HUGE fan of one gay man in particular, a 20-year-old twink with a habit of posting extremely racy photos of himself barely wearing underwear on Instagram. For the past several years, apparently starting when Franklyn McClur was 17 or 18. McNally has been leaving enthusiastic, emoji-laden comments on McClur’s pictures. On one close-up pic of McClur’s ass, the 73-year-old politician posted the comment, “Finn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine!”
When asked about the comments, McNally’s office released a weirdly defiant statement apologizing only for the occasional use of possibly improper emojis.
Trying to imply something sinister or inappropriate about a great-grandfather’s use of social media says more about the mind of the left-wing operative making the implication than it does about Randy McNally. As anyone in Tennessee politics knows, Lt. Governor McNally is a prolific social media commenter. He takes great pains to view every post he can and frequently posts encouraging things to many of his followers. Does he always use the proper emoji at the proper time? Maybe not. But he enjoys interacting with constituents and Tennesseans of all religions, backgrounds and orientations on social media. He has no intention of stopping.
McNally then went on TV to offer his explanation, and a little bit of a real apology, for his behavior. The video is AMAZING and well worth the investment of five minutes of your time. Here’s a brief teaser, followed by the whole thing.
McClur told the Tennessee Holler, which broke the story, that
he and McNally became friends on Facebook through mutual friends a few years back, and that McNally got Franklyn’s Instagram from there and has been commenting for a while now. …
About the way McNally posted on his page, Franklyn told us he has never taken what appears to be flirting seriously. “I just thought he was older and out of touch. I’ve always taken it as a compliment. I don’t dislike him or think he’s a bad person, he’s one of the only people who has consistently uplifted me and made me feel good.”
But when we told him about the drag show felony bill, and the anti-trans youth health care bill, and so many of the other bills snaking their way through the Republican supermajority-led legislature, Franklyn agreed that was wrong, saying “It’s wrong to ban drag, wrong to ban anything that isn’t hurting anyone. I don’t support hate of any kind.”
I’m not sure McNally can quite square his Instagram likes with his hate.
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An Evil Captain Kangaroo whose name could be in a porn movie about cartographers.
I think you’re being unfair to Captain Kangaroo, who even in an evil version wouldn’t be this bloated, sweaty lump of self-loathing.
Man that first clip had “why don’t you have a seat.” vibes. Right down to his weird psuedo justification for his sleazy behaviour.
@Nequam
And to cartographers. Leave them out of this!
Stunningly unsurprising.
Hmm. That might explain a thing or two. (Warning: potential paywall, easily circumvented by using a fresh incognito window.)
https://medium.com/@TheAutisticBurnout/pathological-demand-avoidance-in-autism-an-insider-perspective-6bfb7ed04b3b
McNally may be a great-grandfather, but unless he is the great-grandfather of the kid in question, that only makes it more creepy, not less.
Gosh, another (formerly) closeted self-hating Republican. What are the odds? And throw in lusting after an at the time underage twink, which also makes him kind of a pedophile oh sorry ephebophile.
My bingo card is full.
Twink boy had his number about the guy being older and clueless. And “mutual friends”?
@Nequam: Agreed. The Captain was never sweaty and rambling like this. And his clothes fit better. This guy is more of a beached manatee, and I want to apologize to those noble animals for the comparison. Better that the extreme right-wingers become extinct (as a political force) rather than all the sea mammals.
@GIJoel: It did. Would have loved to see ol’ Chris in there.