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'Out of the Shadows, Into the Streets' LGBTQ+ Representation in the Media' panel Nov. 4
--From a press release
In recent years LGBTQ+ people have increasingly seen representations of themselves, celebrations of their lives and stories, and coverage of LGBTQ+ issues across media channels. This has led to a worldwide rise in understanding, cultural acceptance, ...
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Celebrities support trans employees in Netflix walkout with video
As the Netflix walkout in response to the company's continued support of Dave Chappelle's special The Closer was underway at the streamer's Los Angeles headquarters Oct. 20, a video that includes activists and Netflix talent alike ...
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Billy Masters
"But we can curl your hair and put lotion on your face at the same time."—William Shatner's response to Prince William's criticism of space tourism. Are there any people less likely to be discussing hair than ...
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SHOWBIZ Superman, TheWrap, Oscar Wilde, Billy Porter, Cher, 'Dragula'
The ongoing comic Superman: Son of Kal-El, by writer Tom Taylor and artist John Timms, launched in July and saw Jon Kent officially take up the mantle of the Man of Steel now that his father, ...
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Jury selection in Smollett trial starts Nov. 29
The Jussie Smollett saga continues. Almost three years since out actor Jussie Smollett (TV's Empire; the film Alien: Covenant) was allegedly attacked in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood, Cook County Judge James ...
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PBS to air queer documentary 'Things We Dare Not Do' Oct. 25
American Documentary | POV announced the national broadcast premiere of Things We Dare Not Do (Cosas que no hacemos), the second feature film from Mexican director and cinematographer Bruno Santamaría, as part of POV's 34th season. ...
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Netflix suspends trans employee who tweeted about Chapelle special
Netflix suspended a transgender employee who criticized the new Dave Chappelle stand-up special The Closer, writing on Twitter that Chappelle's jokes were harmful to transgender people and the LGBTQ community, NBC News noted. The company denied ...
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Billy Masters
"I kept hearing about Fat Bear Week and thought it was a celebration of body positivity within a gay subculture. It turns out it is about actual bears! Either way, I am here for it."—Lynda Carter ...
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LGBTQ+ groups call out Dave Chappelle over latest special
Dave Chappelle's new Netflix comedy special, The Closer, is already making headlines due to material several groups have called anti-LGBTQ, Variety reported. In a statement, GLAAD called out the pattern of derogatory jokes, saying that "Chappelle' ...
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Billy Masters talks Dolly, Katie Couric and more
"I was so excited when someone told me that Lil Nas X had done my song #Jolene. I had to find it and listen to it immediately … and it's really good. Of course, I love him anyway. I was surprised ...
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Billy Masters
"Honey, turn that clock off; I ain't paying no attention to it. Turn it off—turn it off!"—Debbie Allen during her acceptance speech for the Governors Award at the Primetime Emmys. Four co-hosts go in, two come ...
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Few LGBTQ nods from the Emmys even as RuPaul makes TV history
Netflix's The Crown and Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso were among the big winners as the Television Academy presented its 2021 Emmy Awards on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles. While the Academy had drawn praise for the ...
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Billy Masters on RuPaul and more
"The reason I said no wasn't because I wasn't proud of who I was, or I didn't want to represent the LGBTQ+ community in any way. It was because Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter. And Raven Baxter is ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Genera+ion' axed, sports items, Wilson Cruz, k.d. lang, Lil Nas X
HBO Max did now renew Genera+ion, its OC-high-school-set dramedy, out.com noted. "We will not be moving forward with a second season of Genera+ion," a spokesperson for HBO Max said in a statement. "We are very proud ...
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Stephen Amell, 'Outlander' star to be at Wizard World Chicago
Stephen Amell, known to millions as the crime-fighting vigilante lead in the hit TV series Arrow, will return to Wizard World Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 16. Amell—who also starred in DC Universe vehicles such as DC's ...
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TELEVISION 'Drag Race,' 'Queer Eye,' 'Pose' among Creative Emmy winners
Three 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies took place Sept. 11-12—and Netflix's The Queen's Gambit led the way with nine wins going into next weekend's Primetime Emmys, Deadline reported. LGBTQ+ individuals and shows also scored se ...
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Billy Masters
"If you want the most dramatic season ever, do an LGBT version. I think maybe it's the time for The Bachelor to do a gay Bachelor."—Lance Bass pitches his idea to ABC. You may recall that ...
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MUSIC Lil Nas X wins top award at MTV VMAs
The MTV VMA Awards took place Sept. 12—and an LGBTQ+ artist took home one of the night's top awards. Lil Nas X won Video of the Year for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," besting Cardi ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Boy Meets Boy,' Jennifer Hudson, 'SVU,' tennis honor, ABBA
Ariztical Entertainment is releasing the German movie Boy Meets Boy on DVD and VOD on Oct. 26. According to a press release, the plot of the 70-minute movie is as follows: "Harry has been partying for ...
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TV Rory O'Malley lands his second gay cartoon role with 'Chicago Party Aunt'
Inspired by a popular Twitter account, Netflix's latest adult cartoon, Chicago Party Aunt, takes the Windy City to a whole new level. Superstore star and Second City alumna Lauren Ash plays the titular character, Diane Dunbrowski. ...
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Constand breaks silence about Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby accuser Andrea Constand is breaking her silence to NBC News about the comic/actor's release from prison two months ago, Deadline noted. In a brief clip, Constand tells Kate Snow she "was really shocked — ...
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Billy Masters
"I'm so happy to know I have a fan in Maine!"—Joan Rivers in a letter to yours truly sometime in the mid-80s. Massachusetts had just begun using the MA abbreviation instead of Mass! She may have ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Idol' alums, Zendaya, Gaga, 'Queer As Folk,' women rappers
American Idol alum David Archuleta said that God urged him to come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, NBC News noted. The Nashville resident told Today.com he wasn't sure if the community would embrace ...
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Hacks, I May Destroy You, Pose rule LGBTQ Critics' Dorian TV Awards
--From a press release
AUGUST 29, 2021—HOLLYWOOD, CA—Venerable actress Jean Smart; Saturday Night Live wit Bowen Yang; rising satirist Ziwe; Pose co-creator Steven Canals; teen heartthrob Michael Cimino, of Hulu's Love, Victor; and revered ...
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Billy Masters
"I wasn't looking forward to this conversation. But you and your questions and your reintroduction to some of my past enlightened me [and] inspirited me, and I eagerly took the bait."—Ed Asner on Billy Masters LIVE. ...
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SHOWBIZ Billy Porter, 'Death Drop,' Brandi Carlile, vintage films, Gaga
Billy Porter will direct a queer teen comedy feature titled To Be Real for Amazon Studios, which is being helmed by Gabrielle Union's I'll Have Another Productions, NME.com noted. Porter, who is currently working on his ...
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EVENTS Celebrity attendees named for Wizard World Chicago
William Shatner (Star Trek; TV's Boston Legal), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy, TV's The Walking Dead), Matthew Lewis (All Creatures Great and Small), James Marsters (TV series Buffy the ...
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TV Netflix animated series 'Chicago Party Aunt' debuts Sept. 17
The LGBTQ-inclusive series Chicago Party Aunt will debut on Netflix on Friday, Sept. 17. Inspired by the popular Twitter account Chicago Party Aunt, this eight-episode adult animated comedy follows Diane Dunbrowski and nephew Daniel as they ...
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TV 'Dancing with the Stars' to feature first same-sex partnership
ABC's Dancing With the Stars will be breaking new ground in the upcoming 30th season—with its first same-sex partnership. According to Deadline, on Aug. 26, host Tyra Banks and executive producer Andrew Llinares revealed that the ...
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SPORTS Red Stars teaming with Univision for Sept. 25 game
The Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and Univision Chicago—part of Univision Communications Inc., the leading Spanish-language media and content company in the country—announced a first-time ...
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Billy Masters
"When I heard it was going to be done again, it was supposed to be Will Smith and Beyonce, I thought, that's interesting. … I thought that was a great idea. So, I was surprised when I saw how alike it ...
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SHOWBIZ RuPaul, GALECA toast, Elliot Page, 'Chippendales,' bi model
RuPaul revealed a new wax figure at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, a press release noted. The all-new Rainbow Runway experience invites guests to "meet" and take cues from the most commercially successful drag queen of all ...
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Billy Masters
"It's wonderful so many have supported Britney! I've just heard the news! Wonderful things can happen when we stand together … but not too close because I have just learned that some of you do not ...
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SHOWBIZ Ben Platt, Billie Jean King, Megan Thee Stallion, 'Horror Stories' series
Queer Grammy, Tony and Emmy-winning artist Ben Platt has dropped his new album, Reverie, via Atlantic Records, per a press release. Platt will mark the arrival of Reverie with his biggest North American headline tour to ...
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Billy Masters
"Did you see my Apple interview (with Zane Lowe)? I think I look damn good. I could still play Mama Rose."—Barbra Streisand in an interview to promote her new CD, Release Me 2. It sounds like ...
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Chenoweth and Menzel to co-host 'Wicked in Concert' PBS special
PBS's Wicked in Concert special on Aug. 29 will be co-hosted by the musical's original Broadway stars, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Deadline reported. The event is slated to feature performances by Mario Cantone, Gavin Creel, ...
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Billy Masters
"If you are fortunate enough to be in a relationship with a supportive family, in a country or place where living openly is pretty safe, I really would recommend it because it will only benefit you ...
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'The Chi' picked up for fifth season
Showtime has picked up The Chi for a fifth season. Created and executive produced by out Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Twenties; Boomerang) and executive-produced by Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Common (Selma), The Chi is ...
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Billy Masters
"I'd still be full of jokes and fun, but no more naked pranks. I can see now my actions were pretty juvenile but this was a different time and it's something I would not do today."—John Barrowman told The Daily Mail ...
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TELEVISION Joe Exotic to be resentenced
The U.S. 10th District Court of Appeals ordered Tiger King star Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, be resentenced following his conviction in the murder-for-hire plot of Big Cat Rescue's Carole Baskin, KFOR.com reported. According to court ...
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'Pose' makes history with Emmy nominations
On July 13, the Emmy-winning father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (#FreeRayshawn) unveiled the nominations for the 73rd Emmy Awards—and the FX show Pose made history. Not only is Pose ...
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Billy Masters: Judy Gold, Provincetown and more
"I don't know. I just … I think I'd be good at it."—The fabulous Jennifer Coolidge explained why she would like to come back as a gay man. If reincarnation exists, I'd like to come back ...
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Billy Masters
"like the song is literally about gay sex what y'all want me to do play the piano while baking a cake?"—Lil Nas X tweets a response to criticism of kissing one of his male dancers on the BET Awards. Call me ...
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'Tig Notaro: Drawn' airing July 24 on HBO
Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, writer, actor and director Tig Notaro will return to HBO for a one-of-a-kind, genre-spanning experience in this first-ever fully animated stand-up special, Tig Notaro: Drawn, debuting ...
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Billy Masters
"Ballet dancers and hairdressers and drag queens made it safe for football players to come out and not the other way around."—Dan Savage puts Carl Nassib's coming out into the context of those who came before ...
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SHOWBIZ Wanda Sykes on TV, trans jazz musician, book award, 'Red Table Talk'
Wanda Sykes has been tapped for a recurring role in the upcoming fifth season of Robert and Michelle King's legal drama The Good Fight, on Paramount+, Deadline noted. She will play Allegra Durado—a brilliant, strategic attorney ...
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'Queer As Folk' reunion on 'Stars in the House' June 22
Hosts Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced, on June 22, two very special episodes of "Stars in the House" that will celebrate and honor Pride Month and the LGBTQ community. On June 22, the cast of ...
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Emmys allow actors/actresses to be recognized as 'performers'
The Television Academy's Board of Governors approved a pair of rules changes for the Emmy Awards—including one that neutralizes gender, Deadline reported. One change will allow anyone nominated in the actor or actress category the option ...
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Billy Masters
"I like dick. 'Are you gay?' Where've you been? I'm REALLY gay. I love it. I love being gay. Happy Pride everybody." —Adam Lambert's response when someone on social media asked if he's gay. Asked and ...
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SHOWBIZ Pride anthems, celebrities come out, PBS, Diana Ross, Mark Wahlberg
Billboard listed 20 Pride anthems by LGBTQ artists in a feature. Among some of the songs are Sylvester's "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," Tegan and Sara's "Closer," George Michael's "Freedom! '90," Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani's ...
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Filicia reunites with the 'Fab Five'
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy debuted on television in 2003 on Bravo. It starred the "Fab Five," each with a different specialty. Ted Allen was the expert on food, Kyan Douglas was in charge of ...
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Billy Masters
"Now, therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America … do hereby proclaim June 2021 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month. I call upon the people of the ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Our America,' Randy Rainbow, Melissa Etheridge, 'Drag Race,' VINCINT
ABC Owned Television Stations announced that the first two-episodes of the Our America: Who I'm Meant to Be docuseries are now available on its 32 connected TV apps across streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, ...
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TELEVISION 'Love, Victor' activation coming to Chicago
Marking the second season premiere of its show Love, Victor as well as Pride month, Hulu is "honoring and amplifying the many different shades of love and self-expression that the LGBTQ+ community embodies," according to a ...
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Billy Masters
"This is to announce my retirement from touring and from working in the record business. I've gotten older and I'm tired. So it's time for me to hang up my nipple tassels, having truly given my ...
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SHOWBIZ Todrick Hall, LGBTQIA+ podcast, Pride TV programs, '80s music
Todrick Hall is celebrating Pride with the release of his new album, Femuline, on June 8, a press release noted. The album's lead single, "Boys In The Ocean," is described as "an irresistible funk jam." Femuline ...
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NBC Out releases annual #Pride30 list
--From a press release
NBC Out, part of NBCNews.com, has released its annual #Pride30 list, recognizing members of the LGBTQ community around the world who are making a difference. This year's list honors 30 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer ...
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WTTW celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month with special content
--From a press release
WTTW recently released its schedule of special programming in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month. Highlights include: Stonewall Uprising: American Experience Sunday, June 13 from 10:00 pm-12:00 am In an era when homosexuality was illegal, ...
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New queer comedy series revisits the women's bathroom
Gal Pal Presents recently premiered a new comedy web series, titled Stalled, which aims to capture the gay nightclub women's restroom scene that you may have experienced, but may have flushed out of memory. The five-episode ...
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Becoming Johanna to air on WTTW
--From a press release
Chicago, IL: Becoming Johanna, a compelling story that follows the struggles transgender teens face every day, airs Friday, June 25th at 8:30pm on WTTW (11.1 channel). The film follows Johanna, a 16-year-old transgender Latina, as she ...
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Billy Masters
"I will never trust pants again!"—Lil Nas X on his wardrobe malfunction on Saturday Night Live. To see the incident—and Lil's commentary—check out BillyMasters.com. We have a Memorial Day tradition ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Red Hot' album, 'Drag Race,' 'L Word,' Qveen Herby, Lee Daniels
The Red Hot organization, which raises funds to fight HIV/AIDS, announced Red Hot + Free—a mixtape of dance beats, electro grooves and global anthems, a press release noted. Out July 2 and helmed by producer-provocateur Bill ...
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Billy Masters
"I really thought I'd arrived when I did Leprechaun."—Jennifer Aniston to Howard Stern, in an oldie but goodie interview. If she'd be up for a remake, perhaps they could enlist the aid of Peter Dinklage. Billy ...
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'Real Housewives' expert Brian Moylan keeps it real in new tell-all book
Bravo's Real Housewives franchise, which has been stirring the pot for more than 15 years, has launched 31 books and a cocktail line; featured two jail sentences and a couple of supermodel daughters; made Andy Cohen ...
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MOVIES/TV Billy Porter reveals he's been HIV-positive for 14 years
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, award-winning actor/singer Billy Porter (TV's Pose) revealed he's been living with HIV for almost 15 years, NBC News noted. "This is what HIV-positive looks like now. I'm going to ...
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Billy Masters on Lil Nas X, masks and more
"At first I felt a sense of responsibility. But now I kind of just don't care. It's not my job. Of course I want to spread good ideals, but I'm not nobody's parents. At the end of the day, I'm just ...
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Don Lemon announces end of 'CNN Tonight' [UPDATE]
CNN host Don Lemon insisted he is not leaving the network after claiming on his show on May 14 that "changes are coming," according to Newsweek. In part, he said, "It's been really, really great. This ...
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'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' to end after 19 seasons
After a rocky season, following a toxic workplace environment controversy and amid declining ratings, Ellen DeGeneres is ending her daytime talk show, Deadline reported. DeGeneres' current contract takes The Ellen ...
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TELEVISION Jasmine Davis returns to 'The Chi'
Actress Jasmine Davis has a past history with Chicago, Illinois that continues into the future. Growing up in the Windy City has certainly paid off for the transgender performer throughout her career. After attending Kenwood High ...
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Chicago Sky announce TV broadcast schedule for 2021
--From a press release
CHICAGO (May 10, 2021) - The Chicago Sky announced the team's broadcast schedule for the 2021 WNBA season today. Sky fans will be able to watch regular season games on The U, WMEU 48.1/WCIU 26.2 and ...
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Billy Masters
"My friends are leaving California. My hangar, the guy right across, he was packing up his hangar and I said, 'Where are you going?' And he says, 'I'm moving to Sedona, Arizona. I can't take it ...
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SHOWBIZ Tig Notaro, films, E. Lynn Harris, Nick Jonas
Emmy- and Grammy-nominated stand-up comedian Tig Notaro (HBO's Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted), will return to HBO this summer with the first-ever fully animated stand-up special, HBO announced. The special ...
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Mackenzie Lansing lands juicy role on 'Mare of Easttown'
Mackenzie Lansing is an out and proud performer who is currently on the rise. She's part of the cast a brand-new HBO televisions series called Mare of Easttown. Lansing grew up between Villebon-sur-Yvette, a small town ...
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'Drag Race' finalists GottMik, Rose to perform
in Chicago on May 28-30
Voss Events announced that RuPaul's Drag Race finalists GottMik and Rose are joining the cast of the springtime edition of outdoor-concert series Drive 'N Drag Saves 2021. The tour stops by Chicago's Soldier Field on May ...
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Billy Masters
"Then I heard about a thing called summer stock. I had done some plays, and I auditioned for this company in Coeur d'Alene, and I got in. And the first production was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And I think I ...
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