79-Year-Old GOP Lt. Governor 'Hearts' 20-Year-Old Out Musician
Even as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs anti-drag and transphobic bills into law, his 79-year-old Lieutenant Governor is leaving flame emojis and adoring posts on an out 20-year-old musician's Insta.
"Since 2020, Lt. Governor Randy McNally's verified account has regularly commented on the page of a user who goes by the moniker Franklyn Superstar on Instagram," UK newspaper the Daily Mail reported.
"In one video showing Franklyn walking down a ramp in his underwear, McNally wrote: 'I love it' accompanied by heart and flame emojis," the article said.
A couple of weeks before that, Franklyn captioned one of the plethora of nude selfies he has posted on the platform with, "I Love being naked.. the Garden of Eden, is My Vibe. I Understand God. 💚🌲💙🌃💛🌅🧡"
A comment from Lt. Gov. McNally's account raved, "Great picture, Finn! Best wishes for continued health and happiness"
Another revealing selfie showed Franklyn posed with his midsection barely covered. "Super look Finn," a message from McNally's account applauded.
Perhaps more directly than intended, the official on another occasion left the gay young performer a message that told him, "Franklyn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine."
Contacted by the outlet, Franklyn told the Daily Mail "he had no idea who McNally was when he began commenting on his social media," the report recounted.
"I don't keep up with politics like that," the account quoted the performer as saying.
McNally's office did not deny that the messages had been left by Lt. Gov. McNally. Instead, McNally's communications director, Adam Kleinheider, dismissed suggestions that the posts were smacked of hypocrisy given the governor's signing of bills targeting trans youth and drag performers, calling any such interpretation the work of a "left-wing operative," the newspaper relayed.
"As anyone in Tennessee politics knows, Lt. Governor McNally is a prolific social media commenter," Kleinheider stated. "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," Kleinheider said. "But he enjoys interacting with constituents and Tennesseans of all religions, backgrounds and orientations on social media. He has no intention of stopping."
In other words, Randy's just being Randy, perhaps in a more or less similar way that Gov. Bill Lee was just being Bill when he was photographed in drag while in high school - an image that resurfaced after Lee promised to sign the bill that criminalizes drag shows if they take place on public property or have children in the audience.