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HRC to honor FX show 'Pose' at national virtual event 'Time for Equality Live'
--From a press release
Eight cast members and creators of "Pose," including Steven Canals, Mj Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar, Dyllón Burnside and Sandra Bernhard, will speak at event WASHINGTON ...
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Billy Masters
"I'm so glad to do this for The Actors Fund, because actors are not working. Because restaurants are closed!"—Mel Brooks on Stars in the House celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Producers opening on Broadway. He ...
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GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics hands out Dorian Awards
--From a press release
LOS ANGELES, CA, April 18, 2021 — Nomadland, the spare and fact-based drama of a group of struggling Americans living off the grid; the vivid blueswoman biopic Ma Rainey's Black Bottom; the family-happy fish-out-of-water fable Minari; ...
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Former 'Bachelor' comes out as gay
In a Good Morning America (GMA) interview that aired April 14, former Bachelor Colton Underwood came out as gay, Entertainment Weekly reported. "I've [run] from myself for a long time, I've hated myself for a long ...
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Billy Masters on The Real Magic Mike and more
"As a Republican man, as soon as it was my turn, I took the vaccine. I would encourage all Republican men to do that … take the vaccination."—Mitch McConnell encourages Republicans to get the COVID vaccine. ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans singer, 'Pose,' Kate Winslet, Lil Nas X, Broadway
Trans femme indie-punk artist Evan Greer (she/her) released a dystopian new music video for the song "Surveillance Capitalism," a press release noted. She is using it to launch StopSpotifySurveillance.org with Fight for the Future, where she ...
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Open TV (OTV) to return April 17 with virtual event
The intersectional Late Show #OTVTonight is back, with a virtual event on OTV's app and on Facebook Live that will air Saturday, April 17, at 8-9:30 p.m. CT. Hosted by Open TV (OTV) founders Elijah McKinnon ...
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Lifetime presents Variety's Power of Women The Comedians Special May 10
--From a press release
Los Angeles, CA (April 8, 2021) — Variety and Lifetime announced today the one-hour special Lifetime Presents Variety's Power of Women The Comedians which will premiere on Monday, May 10th at 8PM ET/PT on Lifetime. The ...
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Billy Masters
"I didn't watch the documentary, but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in. … I cried for two weeks and well … I still cry sometimes!!!!"—Britney ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Special,' Bonnaroo, Broadway items, Rita Moreno, Bridgerton
The second season of the Netflix comedy series Special will premiere May 20, a press release noted. The series revolves around Ryan O'Connell, a gay man with mild cerebral palsy, and is based on his memoir ...
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Billy Masters
"A little prick is better than no prick at all."—Billy Masters. Yes, that's my new motto when it comes to getting the vaccine. If the promise of a prick of any size doesn't entice you … ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Batwoman,' Adam Lambert, 'Glee,' Janet Jackson, 'Genera+ion'
The character of Kate Kane is coming back to the CW series Batwoman—but Ruby Rose won't be, according to out.com. British actress Wallis Day is joining the cast as Kane, the same character Rose played, after ...
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Billy Masters
"I always knew Frank would end up in bed with a boy."—Ava Gardner, when told Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow. Is this a rerun? A headline this week: "Grammy Ratings Hit All-Time Lows in Viewership ...
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Billy Masters
"We're raising him gay until he decides he's straight."—Jesse Tyler Ferguson tells Ellen DeGeneres how he and hubby Justin are raising their son. He added, "Justin and I were saying we can just tell he's gonna ...
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'The Great Chicago Quiz Show' to debut March 26
The Great Chicago Quiz Show will premiere Friday, March 26, at 8 p.m. on WTTW and at WTTW.com/quiz, where at-home viewers can play alongside contestants. In each of the four weekly 30-minute episodes, Geoffrey Baer puts ...
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Patrik-Ian Polk on 'Noah's Arc,' representation that resonates
Director, screenwriter and producer Patrik-Ian Polk brought us Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles last year—which felt like a comforting and comfortable Zoom call with old friends during a time when the world was everything but. The ...
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Billy Masters
"First gay man to go to space? I certainly can relate to that dream!"—George Takei applauded the efforts of New York-based astrophotographer Jon Carmichael. He added, "Jon's story is truly inspired. To my LGBTQs and allies, ...
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TELEVISION
'Pose' to end after season three
The FX show Pose—the groundbreaking series focused on New York City's African-American and Latino LGBTQ+ drag ball culture scene in the 1980s and ‘90s—will end after its third season, Deadline reported. ...
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Billy Masters
"Life is about building bridges, not walls."—Elton John, when criticized for performing at Rush Limbaugh's 2010 wedding. Something I say all the time might have also been a good response: "A gig's a gig." Rush Limbaugh ...
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Showbiz: Black gay director, Oscars, soccer couple, Demi Lovato
Paris Barclay, the Emmy-winning TV director and former president of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), will receive the guild's Honorary Life Member Award at the 73rd Annual DGA Awards on April 10, TheWrap reported. Barclay ...
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Billy Masters
"It was the worst 90 seconds of my life, for sure."—Stormy Daniels, while on Michael Cohen's podcast. She also revealed that she first met El Presidente in 2006 at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe where ...
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SHOWBIZ Tian Richards, August Wilson, $88M celebrity home, sports items
Tian Richards has been cast in the title role of the Nancy Drew spinoff, Tom Swift, at The CW, Variety reported. Richards will make his first appearance as the character in an upcoming episode of Nancy ...
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Wizard World Chicago moved from June to August
Wizard Brands, Inc. announced that its scheduled 2021 live event in Chicago has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions and in continued accordance with federal, state and local guidelines. Instead of the original dates of June ...
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SAG nominations announced; Boseman gets four nods
Nominations for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards were announced Feb. 4. On the film side, Deadline noted that the late Chadwick Boseman made SAG Awards nomination history by receiving four nominations: for his lead role ...
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Donald Trump resigns from SAG-AFTRA; group tersely responds
Former U.S. President Donald Trump resigned from SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) after the organization's national board recently voted overwhelmingly to find probable cause of ...
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Golden Globe nods announced; LGBTQ shows, characters and actors included
Nominations for the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards—which honor the best in television and film—were announced Feb. 3. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return as hosts of the event for a fourth time. The Golden ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Tunde Johnson,' John Waters, Jane Lynch, Billie Eilish
Wolfe Releasing has slated the film The Obituary of Tunde Johnson for a theatrical and digital release on Feb. 26, a press release noted. The film—written by Stanley Kalu; directed by Ali LeRoi; and starring Steven ...
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Billy Masters
"I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump."—Joe Exotic. It was the crazy stretch limo sitting outside the prison that made me laugh. Like there's a pardon, and POOF, he could ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Batwoman,' Village People, Neil Patrick Harris, Mariah Carey
SPOILER ALERT: Season two of Batwoman (featuring the lesbian superheroine) began by introducing Ryan Wilder, the new lead character on The CW show played by Javicia Leslie—and explained how first-season ...
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Broadcasting legend Larry King dies at 87
Broadcasting icon Larry King has died at age 87, CNN.com reported. King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Ora Media, the studio and network he co-founded, tweeted. No cause of death was given, but ...
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Billy Masters
"Honey … when you got talent, you don't need all this shit."—Siegfried Fischbacher (of Siegfried & Roy) to Bette Midler, after she commented on the magical duo's high-tech show. (The story was related to me by ...
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Billy Masters
"Harry Styles is looking REALLY good. I'm into the fishnets. And we have very similar tastes. I think sharing a closet, sharing a life together, it just makes sense."—Miley Cyrus. I'd rather see Harry with Miley's ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Tales' star dies, 'Wonder Woman 1984,' holiday songs, 'Drag Race'
Marcus D'Amico—the original Michael "Mouse" Tolliver from the miniseries Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City—died at age 55, Queerty noted. In 1992, he also originated the role of Louis in the National Theatre's London run of ...
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Billy Masters
"Gay man has too much to drink and legally changes name to Celine Dion."—New Year's Day headline from England. Not only is it embarrassing, it's woefully out of date. I mean, Celine Dion—how retro! I know ...
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Billy Masters
"Although self-isolating may at times be hard, many people of all faiths—and of none—are discovering that it presents and opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect in prayer or meditation."—Queen ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Drag Race,' year-end honors, 'Guardians,' Taylor Swift
VH1 unveiled a game-changing twist from the upcoming season of the Emmy-winning RuPaul's Drag Race, premiering Friday, Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, a press release noted. For the first time in Drag Race "herstory," queens ...
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Billy Masters
"You are a weak, scared, stupid, inept, negligent, vindictive, narcissistic, criminal. I hope you live a long life in prison where you become the most popular boyfriend to all the inmates."—Debra Messing's tweet to El Presidente. ...
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'Pose' star headlining virtual talent benefit Dec. 16
Dominique Jackson—an activist and co-star of the FX series Pose—is headlining the #REFUGEE RAINBOW EXTRAVAGANZA Talent Show "Still Here, Still Queer" on Wed., Dec. 16, 5-6 p.m. CT. ORAM (Organization for Refugee, Asylum and Migration) is ...
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Billy Masters
"I don't agree that only gay actors should play gay. … I don't agree with having to laser focus the casting of it all, or else you'll be playing yourself the rest of your life."—Juan Pablo ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans acting challenge, NYE parties, Charlize Theron, Diana Ross
Michael D. Cohen, with support from Nickelodeon, is launching the Trans Youth Acting Challenge, according to a press release. Trans and non-binary kids can submit audition self-tapes online (preferably through their parents), and the top 12 ...
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Local 'Cheer' star faces new charges
Naperville resident Jerry Harris, who starred on the reality show Cheer, was indicted on new charges Dec. 11 that alleged he coerced teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and solicited sex ...
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COVID-19 Ellen DeGeneres tests positive; talk-show production halted
Ellen DeGeneres has tested positive for COVID-19, and has stopped production on her talk show until January, according to media outlets such as Deadline and EW.com. "Hi Everyone, I want to let you all know that ...
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Newest competitors on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' revealed
VH1 revealed the cast for the 13th season of RuPaul's Drag Race, premiering Friday, Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. After winning six Emmy Awards this year and becoming the most awarded reality competition show in ...
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Billy Masters
"You're assuming that I'm completely straight. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. And it's frankly none of your business."—Viggo Mortensen responds to a reporter's question about whether he should be playing a gay character in Falling."Wh ...
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Big Fat Socially Distant Holiday Adventure Show defies depression
--From a press release
CHICAGO, IL (December 1, 2020) — Experimenting with new forms of live, interactive performance, focused on creating space for conversations on loneliness, depression and anxiety, LevityTV presents the day-long stream-a-thon ...
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Billy Masters
"Will you issue pardons before leaving office? Will you be issuing a pardon for yourself?"—A reporter asked El Presidente this question after the traditional pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkeys. And by turkey, we don't mean anyone ...
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Laverne Cox 'in shock' but okay after transphobic attack
Transgender actress/activist Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black) said she was "definitely in shock" and "triggered" but okay after an anti-trans attack while walking with a friend in a Los Angeles park, USA Today reported. ...
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'The Prom' out Dec. 11 on Netflix
The Prom—a musical-comedy film directed by Ryan Murphy and adapted by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin (from their and Matthew Sklar's 2018 Broadway musical of the same name)—will be out on Netflix on Dec. 11. The ...
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Billy Masters
"I think maybe I had something to do with it, because I was always a big fan of doing fancy dress with them when they were smaller, which Gemma hated, but Harry always embraced. Who doesn't love playing dress up?"—Harry Styles' ...
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Billy Masters
"You can't say that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. Until very recently, that's what the vast majority of Americans thought. Now it's considered bigotry."—Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. So much for ...
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TELEVISION Parvesh Cheena connects to NBC
Openly gay actor Parvesh Cheena is coping with the pandemic on NBC with a show called Connecting. This new ensemble comedic tale is told through video chats each week covering current topics such as mask wearing, ...
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SHOWBIZ Rock Hudson, The CW, Jillian Michaels, Isis King
Among Kino Lorber's December DVD and Blu-ray releases is a three-movie set (with the 1953-54 features Seminole, Golden Blade and Bengal Brigade) starring the late actor Rock Hudson, a press release noted. Co-stars in the films ...
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Billy Masters
"My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here, the people rule."—Gerald Ford during his inaugural remarks. Who would have ...
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Billy Masters
"We've got control of this thing. If you look at my Instagram, it's gone to almost nothing."—Donald Jr. tells Laura Ingraham that people don't have to worry about quarantine or the coronavirus, and that the deaths ...
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TELEVISION Karen and Kelsey explore 'Fargo'
Straight actresses Karen Aldridge and Kelsey Asbille are exploring new queer territory together on the fourth season of FX's Fargo. This drama television series has been primarily written by Peabody, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning executive ...
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Billy Masters
"I think it's important to find a way, all of us, to move on and fly away from this subject onto something else."—Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris responding to Rachel Maddow asking if she saw the ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Lovecraft,' Tony nominees, RuPaul, Megan Thee Stallion
The HBO show Lovecraft Country recently introduced a new character, Yahima—a Two-Spirit person who was quickly murdered and never mentioned again. But now, showrunner Misha Green has gone on Twitter to apologize for what she calls ...
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TELEVISION 'Our America: Living While Black' Oct. 19-25
ABC Owned Television Stations (a division of Walt Disney Television) go beyond the statistics in a five-part docuseries, Our America: Living While Black, running Oct. 19-23 while airing a different series each day, culminating into an ...
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SHOWBIZ Diversity report, Zachary Quinto, 'Schitt's Creek,' Mariah Carey
In a new report from the UCLA-based Center for Scholars and Storytellers titled "Beyond Checking A Box: A Lack of Authentically Inclusive Representation Has Costs at the Box Office," researchers found that bringing authentic diversity to ...
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SHOWBIZ Whitney Houston, all-trans 'Brokeback,' Sam Smith, 'Chicago Med'
A hologram of the late Whitney Houston was used in a livestream show—allegedly without permission from her estate, NME.com reported. Hologram USA founder Alki David had originally worked on Houston's likeness in 2016. The hologram appeared ...
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Robin Roberts, George Wendt and more part of Oct. 8 virtual party
Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, comedic legends George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky, and Chicago Bears legend Charles "Peanut" Tillman will be part of a virtual cocktail party supporting the work of the Illinois Medical District ...
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Billy Masters
"It's terrifying. It's scary. We have to get out and vote."—Lil Nas X's response to the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Michael Bloomberg has found a way to help Joe Biden get more votes in Florida: ...
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SHOWBIZ Julia Child movie, Janelle Monae, 'Ammonite,' Harry Styles
David Hyde Pierce will star opposite Sarah Lancashire in Julia, HBO Max's drama pilot about the famous chef, trailblazing cookbook author and TV personality, Deadline reported. He replaces Tom Hollander, who originally had been tapped for ...
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'Schitt's Creek' dominates Emmys
The Canadian LGBTQ-centered comedy series Schitt's Creek cleaned up for its final season when the Television Academy showcased the Emmy Awards the evening of Sept. 20. This was the 72nd Emmy ceremony, and was largely virtual ...
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GALECA announces inaugural Dorian TV award winners
Hugh Jackman, Janelle Monae, Billy Porter, John Oliver and Schitt's Creek creator-star Dan Levy, plus stars and producers of Killing Eve and Watchmen, offered heartfelt thanks as they virtually accepted awards—and were treated to a symbolic ...
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'SNL' adds lesbian cast member
Saturday Night Live, or SNL, will start its 46th season Oct. 3 with at least one major change: The show is adding a member of the LGBTQ+ community to its cast. Punkie Johnson is an out lesbian comedian/writer whose recent credits ...
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'Cheer' star Harris faces child-pornography charges
FBI agents arrested Jerry Harris—a Naperville native who became famous as the breakout star of the Netflix docuseries Cheer—on child-pornography charges, The Chicago Tribune reported. Allegedly, Harris, 21, repeatedly coerced ...
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Billy Masters
"The fact is, I'm a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic."—Donald Trump. No offense to any leaders of cheers out ...
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TELEVISION Actors talk about tackling 'Ratched' roles, working with Ryan Murphy
It takes the winning combination of gay producer Ryan Murphy and lesbian actress Sarah Paulson to bring the fictional story of Ratched to life in unexpected ways. The new drama series on Netflix already has a ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Pose,' Matt Bomer, 'Mr. Soul,' Lil Nas X, Halsey, Dave Koz
SHOWBIZ 'Pose,' Matt Bomer, 'Mr. Soul,' Lil Nas X, Halsey, Dave Koz COMPILED BY ANDREW DAVIS FX's award-winning series Pose is planning to return to production in October, Variety noted. Production on season three was halted ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Star Trek,' Julianne Moore, benefit album, 'To Wong Foo'
The producers of Star Trek: Discovery announced that next season they will be introducing the first nonbinary and trans characters in the history of the Star Trek franchise, Advocate.com noted. Nonbinary character Adira, played by Blu ...
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Billy Masters
"I don't ever picture Dame Barbara Cartland doggie-style!"—Billy Masters explains that writers of fiction need not write solely from experience. This was part of a longer chat with writer Christopher Rice on Billy Masters LIVE! Are ...
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NUNN ON ONE TV Nicco Annan makes it rain on 'P-Valley'
Onetime activist and Olivier Award-winning playwright Katori Hall wrote a play called Pussy Valley that has now evolved into the new Starz series P-Valley. The story is set at Pynk, a popular strip club in Mississippi, ...
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Judge decides against releasing report in Smollett case
On Aug. 28, Judge Michael Toomin refused to release a 60-page grand jury report regarding the handling of the Jussie Smollett case. Smollett—a gay former actor who was on the TV show Empire as well as ...
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SHOWBIZ Disco fundraiser, drag queen dies, Randy Rainbow, Outfest's tribute
Chaka Khan, Gloria Gaynor, Patti LaBelle, Nile Rodgers and Kathy Sledge, and Marti Gould Cummings are slated to perform at a virtual Studio 54-themed event/fundraiser for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research on Tuesday, Sept. 15, ...
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