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Reeling premieres a queer coming of age story told through a Southern Gothic lens
Ganymede, a Southern Gothic horror film that explores a teenager's experiences as he discovers his sexuality, will premieres Sept. 23 as part of the 41st Reeling Film Festival. The film, according to Chicago filmmakers Colby Holt ...
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SHOWBIZ John Waters, Madonna, Miriam Margoyles, Angelica Ross, 'Cassandro'
Openly gay film director John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Serial Mom, Cry-Baby) received his star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, The Hollywood Reporter noted. (Actors Ricki Lake and Mink Stole as well as photographer Greg Gorman were ...
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Billy Masters: The world is full of amicable separations
"The people had to meet a couple of criteria, but it was just kind of my personal interest and love of them. Insofar as the women, just none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level." —Jann Wenner (co-founder ...
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SHOWBIZ Kim Petras, LGBTQ+ movies, TIFF, canceled shows, yachts
Video below
Ahead of her Feed the Beast world tour, Grammy-winning international trans pop singer/songwriter Kim Petras has shared reimagined, symphonic, seven-piece string-ensemble performances of fan favorites from her debut album Feed ...
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Olivia Hill becomes first trans person elected in Tennessee
Olivia Hill is the first openly transgender person ever elected to Nashville's Metro Council, per The Tennessean. And according to LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Hill, 57, is the first transgender woman elected in Tennessee. Hill secured one ...
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THEATER Queer actor Kyle Patrick reflects on leading 'American Psycho: The Musical'
American Psycho—both the Bret Easton Ellis novel and the Mary Harron-directed film led by Christian Bale—would seem ripe for a musical treatment, given the omnipresent campy elements (despite, or maybe because of, the gore). And, in ...
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Chicago Opera Theater starts 50th-anniv. season with 'Soldier Songs'
Chicago Opera Theater (COT) is kicking off its 50th-anniversary season with David T. Little's Grammy-nominated Soldier Songs—described as "a haunting, heavy-metal infused theatrical cantata about the psychological impact of war." ...
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Porchlight Music Theatre's announces 29th season
--From a press release
This past Friday at our special event, Porchlight ICONS: Celebrating Ben Vereen, we shared the exclusive announcement of our 29th Season! The new season launches with The Cole Porter Festival - A Celebration of the Man ...
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THEATER Jim Henson production in Chicago on Nov. 14-Dec. 31
A live theatrical adaptation of Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is making its Chicago debut Nov. 14-Dec. 31, at the Studebaker Theater at the historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Broadway World revealed. ...
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Billy Masters: Russell Tovey and the new Superman both go to the dogs
"I just can't believe I will be 80 at some point, sooner than I wish. And I will still be wearing my jeans. And I will still be wearing long hair. And I will still be doing the same stuff I've ...
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Dykes to Watch Out For Audible series returns listeners to the '80s
By Ro White
From 1983-2008, Alison Bechdel's comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For captured the drama and hilarity of lesbian life. Now it's been adapted into an Audible Original series that draws parallels between the queer past and ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Sex Education' star, Rotten Tomatoes, Jessica Lange, Queer/Art
Video below
Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa officially came out during an interview with Elle UK, according to Out. "I remember being at Manchester Pride, going through the streets with all my boys, shaking my cha-chas, living it ...
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Theater Review: A Taste of Soul brings music and food center stage
By Brian Kirst
We all know the sluggish quagmire of weekday work mornings. Often the only thing that gets us moving and able to face the day is our favorite songs. While all of the Black Ensemble Theater productions ...
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Steppenwolf to present Broadway's Jeremy Jordan on Jan. 13
Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Mark Cortale will present Broadway star Jeremy Jordan in his Chicago debut, performing two shows only on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at 2 and 8 p.m. in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. ...
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'Saltburn,' 'Rustin' to be shown at Chicago International Film Festival
The 59th Chicago International Film Festival announced select highlights of this year's festival, running Oct. 11-22. Films will be presented at venues throughout the city, including the AMC NEWCITY 14, the Music Box Theatre, the Gene ...
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Mitchell J. Fain explores the American Dream in The Lehman Trilogy
Chicago actor Mitchell J. Fain is one of three performers headlining TimeLine Theatre Company's upcoming production of The Lehman Trilogy. Fain brings over 30 years of performing experience in the Chicago area to the table, including ...
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Billy Masters: Billy unlocks the DaVinci Code
"Mmmkay! And I'm 110lbs and a virgin! I'm not a scale or a doctor but I have spent some time beneath 215 lb. men and Tiny was not one of them." —Stormy Daniels' Tweet about the alleged weight of the former president. ...
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Chicago Red Stars shut out Washington Spirit
In D.C., the Chicago Red Stars shut out the Washington Spirit 2-0 on Sept. 3. Yuki Nagasato and Bianca St-Georges scored goals for Chicago. The match also marked ...
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SAVOR REVIEW Hoyt's: Very satisfying fare from a Loop fixture
You might have walked by Hoyt's American Tavern (71 E. Wacker Dr.; https://www.sonesta.com/royal-sonesta/il/chicago/royal-sonesta-chicago-downtown#) a thousand times, and not have been aware of it. But the dependable spot (situated on the ...
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Painting Chi-town P!nk at Wrigley Field
P!nk got the party started on a Saturday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Aug. 12—and it didn't stop for almost two hours. Thanks to leftover outfits from Barbie movie screenings, much of the crowd knew ...
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Halpern's multimedia 'self-portraiture on steroids' opens in West Loop
A pink and purple tapestry was mounted on the wall of a DIY punk practice space in the West Loop on Aug. 26, covered in hand-sewn embroidery floss and rhinestones. The digitally woven piece depicted a ...
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SHOWBIZ Military drama, Janelle Monae, Conan Gray, Dylan Mulvaney, Whoopi
The LGBTQ+ military drama Eismayer (from Dark Star Pictures and Golden Girls Film) will be out in theaters on Oct. 6, and on DVD and Digital on Oct. 10, per a press release. The plot is ...
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Chicago Gay Men's Chorus leader speaks on group's diversity, 'Sporty Forty'
The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (CGMC) is marking its 40th-anniversary season this year, and will start this milestone on Sept. 15-16 with "Sporty Forty," an event that is layered in meanings involving stereotypes and the group's ...
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Chicagoans remember Selena at downtown tribute concert
Despite a two-day heat wave topping 100 degrees, a near SRO crowd attended the second annual Selena tribute concert at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park on Aug. 24. The event, which was sponsored by the ...
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Bisexual ex-'Bachelorette' contestant: Hacker posted false death report
Josh Seiter, a former contestant on ABC's "The Bachelorette," posted a video on Aug. 29 saying reports of his death were due to someone hacking his Instagram account, according to NBC News and TMZ, among others. ...
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Billy Masters: The fine line between sonnets and restraining orders
"It exploded in my mouth. I wasn't expecting that." —Nya on the "And Just Like That..." season finale, after she "ate the black one." Oh, that Michael Patrick King—so clever. People these days are very quick ...
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'An Evening with Audra McDonald' on Oct. 6 at Lyric Opera
Lyric Opera of Chicago will welcome the legendary Audra McDonald for a one-night-only concert experience on Friday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. McDonald will team with the Lyric Opera Orchestra, under the musical direction of conductor ...
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Britney Coleman keeps Company
Company is coming to Chi-town on tour with a fresh take on the classic musical that has already garnered five Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. The original material in 1970 was nominated for 14 Tony ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Bros,' Lady Gaga, Zaya Wade, Idina Menzel, actor dies
According to an annual report by USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, 80% of all transgender characters in the 100 top-grossing movies of 2022 were in one movie—Bros, Out reported. The study revealed that in the top 100 ...
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Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Fest announces 41st edition program
--From a press release
Chicago, Illinois (August 18, 2023) — Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival today announced its full slate of programming for the 41st edition of the second-longest running LGBTQ+ film ...
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Billy Masters: Does Nick Jonas owe Billy a thank you?
"I went to an English boarding school, dear. Trust me—you're in good hands." —The Prince's response to his inexperienced Yank in Red, White & Royal Blue. Picture it—your beloved Billy, lauded, admired, some might even say ...
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World premiere of Lil Nas X documentary announced
Lil Nas X (aka Montero Hill) and TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) have announced the world premiere of the out gay Grammy-winning rapper/singer/songwriter's documentary, Lil Nas X: Long Live ...
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THEATER Goodman to run 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' in 2024
Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Susan Booth announced that Chicago will be first to experience the new musical Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil—based on John Berendt's iconic non-fiction book—next summer. With a book by ...
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Billy Masters: Billy marks his 'orchid' (28th) anniversary
"I am disappointed, but keeping with my mission of supporting the LGBTQ+ family, any potential or future money made from this sale will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations." —Jodie Sweetin's response when she found out her ...
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The Jeff Awards marks 55th anniversary with Equity nominations
--From a press release
(August 14, 2023 - Chicago, IL) — The 2022-2023 Equity Jeff Awards nominees include 214 theater artists across 32 categories of excellence in theater production among shows from 35 companies. During the most recent season, which ...
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Lollapalooza lit up with LGBTQ+ performers in 2023
The iconic annual music festival Lollapalooza has continually evolved since its inaugural year in 1991, and 2023 was no exception. The original term "lollapalooza" means someone or something extraordinary, and the decision to give the festival ...
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Lips Chicago to present 'A Night of Stars' with Michael Dean as Cher
--From a press release
CHICAGO (July 27, 2023) — Lips Chicago, the ultimate in drag dining, is proud to present "A Night of Stars," with special guest Michael Dean as Cher. It's the second annual charitable fundraiser in support of ...
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Matthew Lopez salutes the Red, White, & Royal Blue
The new movie Red, White, & Royal Blue shines with a rainbow of colors thanks to the queer-focused storyline and diverse team involved in bringing non-binary author Casey McQuiston's first New York Times best-selling novel to ...
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MOVIES 'Red, White & Royal Blue' to debut Aug. 11 on Prime Video
The LGBTQ+ movie Red, White & Royal Blue—based on the New York Times best-seller by Casey McQuiston—will premiere globally Friday, Aug. 11, exclusively on Prime Video. The plot is as follows: Alex Claremont-Diaz (played by Taylor ...
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Billy Masters: Ricky Martin takes it slow
"You guys were talking earlier about the news cycle and getting sick of it, and it's so hard to hear about it. I hope that 'Taste the Nation' is an anecdote to that." - Padma Lakshmi probably means to say "antidote" ...
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Cirque du Soleil holiday show to run in NYC and Chicago
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) announced that the family holiday event "'Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil" is returning to both The Theater at Madison Square Garden and The Chicago Theatre this ...
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Sami White rules as king on Worst Cooks
Sami White is taking a whisk by competing on season 26 of Food Network's Worst Cooks in America and hopefully, it all pays off. She goes out of the frying pan and into the fire while navigating the new theme of ...
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SHOWBIZ Tyler Perry, marriages and splits, Beyonce, strikes, Sinead tribute
Videos below
Tyler Perry has offered $100,000 to anyone with information that leads to a conviction in the murder of 24-year-old Black queer musician Josiah "Jonty" Robinson, according to Out. An autopsy concluded that the cause of Robinson's ...
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"The Mattachine Family" to open Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Fest Sept. 21
--From a press release
Chicago, Illinois (August 2, 2023) — Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival today announced the dates and opening night presentation for its 41st edition, running Sept. 21 - Oct. 8, 2023. This year, the second-longest ...
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Dykes to Watch Out For launches as audio series
From 1983 to 2008, Alison Bechdel's comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For offered playful, incisive commentary on lesbian culture. Forty years after the comic's inception, it's been adapted into an audio series produced by author-journalist ...
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Broadway stars Mitchell, Foster to perform at Oct. 20 Paramount Theatre gala
Two of Broadway's biggest stars—Brian Stokes Mitchell and Sutton Foster—will perform in downtown Aurora on Friday, Oct. 20, to perform live on Paramount Theatre's historic stage. Mitchell is a Tony-winning performer with a long list of ...
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Billy Masters: Cher entering her gelato queen period
"Why is LGBTQIA not allowed to be a good, loving, Christian—you know what I mean? You can be gay and you can look up to the Lord. Why not? And so that's where it's like, home girl, just go make your ...
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Red Stars battle Kansas City to a scoreless draw
The Chicago Red Stars walked away with a point after a gritty performance against Kansas City ended in a scoreless draw at SeatGeek Stadium on July 29. Goalkeeper Emily Boyd recorded her first career penalty save ...
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SHOWBIZ Ariana DeBose, Outfest, 'Gay Days,' 'Drag Race,' Keke Palmer
Queer, Oscar-winning performer/actor Ariana DeBose became one of three people who have joined the American Film Institute's board of trustees, The Hollywood Reporter noted. (The other two are Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chair/CEO Pamela Abdy an ...
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MUSIC Kylie Minogue to debut Vegas residency this fall
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas revealed details surrounding its new 1,000-seat nightlife space, Voltaire, with the announcement of its first headliner—pop sensation and LGBTQ+ ally Kylie Minogue, a press release ...
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Pitchfork Music Festival strikes up the band again
Pitchfork Music Festival took place in Union Park July 21-23, with three days of music and entertainment on the Near West Side of Chicago. Since 2006, this independent music extravaganza has successfully ran with the weather ...
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Musical parody 'Murder, Rewrote' to run Aug. 10-Sept. 16
Hell in a Handbag Productions will conclude its 21st season with the world-premiere musical parody Murder, ReWrote, playing Aug. 10-Sept. 16 at The Den Theatre (Upstairs Mainstage), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Murder, ReWrote features book and ...
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Billy Masters checks out who's playing in Provincetown
"I give her all sorts of respect. It's not everybody that can turn an ass into an asset." —Ana Navarro during a discussion on The View about Kim Kardashian's wealth...and how she made it. I'm with ...
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CABARET 'Swell Soiree' taking place Aug. 16
The Sarah Siddons Society will present the Swell Soiree—an evening of cabaret performances celebrating The Great American Songbook—on Wed., Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. at Piano Forte, 1335 S. Michigan Ave. Some of Chicago's most talented ...
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SHOWBIZ Nonbinary icons, country music, gay films, queer rapper
The Advocate unveiled its list of 13 nonbinary icons people should know. They include actor Bella Ramsey, singer/actor Janelle Monae (who shared that they identify as nonbinary during an interview on Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table ...
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Actor Kenneth Okolie talks about new film that tackles cultural, LGBTQ+ issues
Anti-LGBTQ+ laws and cultural clashes are among the themes explored in Breaking Bounds, a film now out On Demand via Vision Films that stars Kenneth Okolie, Dawn Halfkenny, Erica Hubbard and Corey Hendrix (the latter known for ...
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The Sarah Siddons Society to offer ten professional development grants for theater artists
--From a press release
CHICAGO (July 11, 2023) — The Sarah Siddons Society is proud to expand on its mission to further support the professional growth of the next generation of Chicago area theatre artists. This year is the inaugural ...
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Billy Masters: Some guys are getting the six-year itch
"If you're around your parents a lot, you see them in ways that almost no one else does. And I never saw a hint of that. I think I would have picked up on it—not that I would've cared." —Jennifer Grant ...
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Lori 'Ice' Fetrick reflects on the highs and lows of 'American Gladiators'
Before American Ninja Warrior and almost all other reality-competition shows, there was American Gladiators—a television program that ran from 1989-1996 and pitted everyday people in physical contests against extremely athletic ...
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SHOWBIZ Sheryl Lee Ralph, 'The Other Two,' Colton Ford, celebrity splits
Emmy-winning actor, author, singer, philanthropist and community activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, along with The DIVA Foundation, unveiled the new documentary short "Unexpected" at the 2023 Essence Film Festival in New Orleans, a press release noted. The ...
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THEATER The Who's Tommy adeptly reconfigured for the 21st Century
Book: Pete Townshend & Des McAnuff; Score: Pete Townshend with additional music and lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon. At: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.. Tickets: 312-443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org; $40-$160. Runs through Aug. 6 ...
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Lesbian filmmaker raising funds for Chicago-set movie
Lesbian filmmaker Wendy Jo Carlton (who's helmed the movies Good Kisser, Easy Abby, Jamie and Jessie are Not Together and Hannah Free), has shared the Seed & Spark campaign for her next queer feature film, Lucy ...
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SHOWBIZ Rocker comes out, Billie Eilish, Luke Evans, 'Housewives,' 'Masculinity' book
Josh Kiszka, frontman for the Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet, came out as gay in an Instagram post, according to Instinct Magazine. He wrote, in part, "The greatest mortal gift of all is our capacity ...
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'Succession,' 'Abbott Elementary,' 'The Other Two' score big in GALECA Dorian TV Awards
--From a press release
Hollywood—GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics named the winners of its 15th Dorian TV Awards, with high-profile hits and under-the-radar gems evenly represented. HBO's final season of Succession, showrunner ...
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Madonna postpones tour for health reasons
Madonna's upcoming "Celebration" tour has been postponed, an Instagram post from her manager Guy Oseary noted, according to Variety. "On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which led to a several-day stay in ...
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Billy Masters: Billy's Back in the USA
"I'm a twink on PrEP — I can do anything." —Marco on Netflix's Glamorous, the latest Kim Cattrall vehicle. This is an Ugly Betty rip-off—if Betty were her gay nephew Justin, and everyone was inexplicably in ...
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SHOWBIZ Ryan Murphy, Bob The Drag Queen, Deborah Cox, Katy Perry, Wham!
Video below
Ryan Murphy is set to leave Netflix at the end of his five-year overall deal, which was understood to be worth around $300 million, Deadline noted. The outlet also confirmed that Murphy is in talks with ...
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DJ Psycho-Bitch talks Frankie Knuckles, career and house music
The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference will take place June 23-24, with the first day spotlighting the conference at the Chicago Cultural Center and the following day being all about enjoying tunes at the Humboldt ...
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Mama Bears LGBTQ-focused documentary premieres June 23 on PBS' Independent Lens
The "Mama Bears" LGBTQ-focused documentary makes its Chicago broadcast premiere Friday, June 23 at 8 p.m. on PBS' Independent Lens program and will be available afterward on the PBS app. The documentary features the stories of ...
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Billy Masters: Billy tries ChatGPT while top rower tries OnlyFans
"Growing up, I was called the f-word more times than I can remember. And now, I'm a faggot with a Tony!" —Michael Arden while accepting his Best Director of a Musical Tony for "Parade." BTW, the ...
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Bezalel's photography exhibition captures the humanity of Argyle Night Market
Ronit Bezalel's first solo exhibition captures the humanity of Uptown's Argyle Night Market By Jess Savage Ronit Bezalel photographed only faces to capture her subjects' humanity in a single moment. Her first solo show, "Faces of ...
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SHOWBIZ Janelle Monae, 'The Last of Us,' Christine and the Queens, GALECA, Outfest
Queer singer/actress Janelle Monae released her newest album, The Age of Pleasure, via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records, per a press release. Executive-produced by Monae, Nate Wonder, Chuck Lightning and Sean "Diddy" Combs, the album includes such ...
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Viktor Luna moonlights once again on Project Runway
Out and proud fashion designer Viktor Luna returns for more challenges in the upcoming season 20 of Project Runway. The Emmy Award-winning competition series has assembled 14 designers from its past, with Christian Siriano serving as ...
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The Den Theatre to host 'Stand Up for Pride' on June 23
--From a press release
Chicago, Illinois — The Den Theatre today announced Stand-Up for Pride, featuring LGBTQ+ comedians Gwen La Roka (she/her), Krystal Ball (she/he/they), Jayleigh (he/him), Princess Gwen Rose ...
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Andersonville Midsommarfest celebration continues Swedish tradition
The Andersonville neighborhood hosted its annual Midsommarfest celebration June 9-11. Thousands of people came to take part in the Swedish summer tradition, and many great musicians, artists, vendors and different kinds of food were on hand on hand. Among ...
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