NEW FORMAT COMING TO GIMME YOUR HAND ENTERTAINMENT

  The past few years has brought on several changes to the world, to say the least. A raging pandemic, civil unrest overflowing into the streets, hate and intolerance that has not only infected those around us, but became a social norm. That is not okay with me. It should not be okay or acceptable to anyone.

When I created Gimme Your Hand Entertainment in the early 1990s, it was all about my friends, family and myself having fun and trying to make the world a better place though laughter and goofiness. In 2009, I launched GimmeYourHand.com, and tried to make it a "grown-up" place for rebels who didn't want to be censored elsewhere on the internet. Of course, my bad boy act was just that; an act that was meant to entertain people. At the time, being a bad boy with an attitude was a fun novelty. Unfortunately, the current state of the world has become overrun with toxic attitudes that are not meant for entertainment, but for tearing one another down. I won't be a party to that, not even in jest.

2022 brings hope, and hopefully change for the better. A focus on the wellbeing of children needs to be a priority. The world could really use the kindness and inspiration of Jim Henson and Mister Rogers right now. We need to embrace our differences rather than using them as an excuse to separate us. Our beauty is found in our uniqueness. With kindness, laughter and inclusion as my goal, 2022 will mark a rebranding of Gimme Your Hand Entertainment.

This company will get back to what it was meant to be, a goofy group of people making each other laugh without being cruel, and a place where everyone is WELCOME. Children, adults, followers of any faith or lack thereof, every race, ethnicity, every gender or gender identity, any sexual orientation, any political affiliation - everyone will be welcome here.

This rebranding will take some time, but I have already started behind the scenes. I am excited for this change, and I hope you will enjoy what is in store. 

-Donnie

Read More

Random Ramblings: Presidential Buffoons, Stinky Flowers, And Sesame Street

With all of the nonsense in the world slapping you in the face like a pair of double-d sized knockers on a long-distance runner, it's easy for your mind to slip into auto pilot. Your thoughts take on a life of their own, and dance through your head for your own amusement. These strange thoughts can hold you hostage at the most inappropriate times. You forget that you're standing in line at a bank (sperm or otherwise), and allow these thoughts to put a creepy smile on your puss, make you giggle, or the worst of all, let out a little snort while you try NOT to make a scene. Donnie has these thoughts, too. Here are a few of his "Random Ramblings"...

If Hollywood loves anything, it's a crappy remake of a classic movie. And now, all the rage seems to be making crappy remakes with an all-chick cast. So Donnie has a pitch for you, Hollywood. After watching this broad allow herself to publicly climax over a balloon, this baby wrote itself.

Donald Trump looks like an ear of corn raped a sweet potato.

That yogurt that makes you crap must be some good stuff. Jamie Lee Curtis looks great.

Recently, folks all over the world flew off their collective nuts over a plant. That's right. A mother-fluffin' PLANT. People were glued to their mobile devices to watch a live stream of an Amorphophallus titanum (Corpse Flower) bloom for the first time in over a decade, and release an awful stench. Hey, if y'all idiots are interested in something that refuses to do anything for 10 years at a time and smells like a dead elephant sh!tting itself, Donnie has an ex you could stand around and gawk at.

So Sesame Workshop apparently gave the axe to three long-time cast members. Bob, Luis, and Gordon are reportedly history after over forty years of talking to fleece-wrapped fingers. Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado and Roscoe Orman deserve better than to be victims of this "retooling". Who does Donnie blame for this new half-hour, bastardized version of the beloved children's program? HBO. Since this HBO deal, Sesame Street just isn't the same. What's next, HBO? Do you plan to screw Donnie's childhood up even more by rebooting your tired old franchises with "fresh meat"?! Screw you, HBO. Workshop, do the right thing and bring the boys back.

Read More

Culture Club Is Back And The Freakz Rejoice

When Donnie was just a wee lad, his mom and dad got him a portable cassette player for his birthday. (Google it, kids.) And with that player, Donnie received his very first cassette tape - Culture Club's Colour By Numbers. Donnie took that tape player EVERYWHERE, playing that album on full blast, burning through batteries like the Golden Girls burned through cheesecakes. (Google it.) That album was the soundtrack to little Donnie's existence (and everyone else's within earshot).

We're going to McDonald's? "I'll grab Boy George." We're going to church? "I'll grab Boy George." George and the boys were even serenading young Donnie while he used shampoo to make his hair look like Alfalfa's in the bathtub. Donnie knew every song by heart and never seemed to tire of them. Surprisingly enough, his parents never complained about the sound of Culture Club echoing off the walls, both day and night. In fact, mom used to say "George has beautiful eyes!" Even dad said the band was "far out".

As Donnie grew, Culture Club was still a part of his life. Whenever their music was on the radio, Donnie cranked it up without shame or apology. He got with the times and bought their MP3s to listen on the go. Sadly, given the rocky history of the band members and the much-publicized drama, Donnie knew he would never fulfill his dream of seeing the world's greatest band in concert. (YEAH! DONNIE SAID IT! World's. Greatest. Band.) Or would he? If our story ended here, it would be quite tragic. Donnie never turns down a "happy ending". Luckily, he's got one for ya...

Fellow Gimme Your Hand Freak, Jay decided to surprise Donnie with an early birthday present, and handed him two tickets to... The Culture Club 2016 concert. THE Culture Club. In 2016. Not a crummy tribute band, not two original members with a couple of stand-ins, NO! Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, Jon Moss and Boy effin' George were all going to be there on stage and in the flesh. There's no way this could possibly live up to Donnie's life-long expectations, right? Wrong. It was incredible, guys.

About the only exposure Jay had to Culture Club's music was that scene from "The Wedding Singer" where Alexis Arquette kept singing, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me". So, it was nice of Jay to make this little sacrifice and agree to be in attendance for this early birthday extravaganza. A new fan may have emerged in Jay, however, because the band was incredible performing the classics as well as a couple of covers, and even NEW music. Without giving away his age, Donnie has to say this concert was worth the decades-long wait. The band still sounds amazing, and in some instances, even better than you'd remember. Boy George was funny and sassy in between songs, and the group as a whole had great chemistry. If Culture Club's 2016 tour swings by your area, DO NOT miss it. Bring the kids, too. The music is safe for young ears. (Dress them up as little "80's Boy Georges" and get lots of videos to blackmail them with when they're old enough to start dating.)

Here's one of Culture Club's new songs to hold you over until you can see them in person. "More Than Silence" was performed during this concert. You'll love it live, too.

Just a couple of side notes: Donnie still has Colour By Numbers, the very first cassette tape he ever owned.
And Donnie's actual birthday is August 19th, so you still have time to get him something nice.

Read More