Socialite Paris Hilton has been banned from Las Vegas' Wynn and Encore resorts, and her boyfriend, Cy Waits, has been canned from his nightclub-manager position, according to the L.A. Times. Hilton was arrested on a charge of cocaine possession in Las Vegas, Aug. 27, according to Fox News. Police stopped Waits' vehicle—in which she was riding—after officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from it. Hilton was arrested this summer after the Brazil-Netherlands World Cup match in South Africa, on suspicion of marijuana possession; the case was later dropped.
Out gay singer George Michael has revealed that he checked himself into rehab in July for drug addiction, according to MTV's UK website. Michael decided to go the day after crashing his car into a store in north London. In an open letter, Michael wrote, "Personal problems which I had tried to deal with myself had clearly got the better of me, and I am sorry that my pride has prevented me from seeking help before now." Recently, Michael pled guilty to marijuana possession and driving under the influence of drugs.
Taylor Lautner—known around the world as the sexy Twilight werewolf Jacob—has filed a lawsuit against a McMahon's RV, alleging emotional distress and fraud, according to Examiner.com . Lautner ordered a $300,000 custom-built RV while he filmed the movie Abduction; however, the actor claimed the vehicle wasn't delivered in a timely fashion and was not customized to his satisfaction.
Guns 'n Roses lead singer Axl Rose reportedly partied at the gay club night for Bungalow 8, a London nightspot, according to an Advocate.com item. More than 20 years ago, Rose dealt with charges of homophobia and racism for his song, "One In a Million." However, since then, he has performed with musicians such as Sir Elton John.
The bell tower at Iowa State University ( ISU ) recently mixed its usual classical selections with a very modern song: Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." According to Time.com, ISU carillonneur and associate music/theater professor Tin-Shi Tam played the song Aug. 27 while students walked to class. Apparently, journalism student Brad Riley started a Facebook page involving song requests for Tam.
Archie Comics has now come out with the issue that introduces gay teen Kevin Keller, according to the Daily Beast. In artist Dan Parent's story, "Isn't It Bromantic?," Kevin arrives in Riverside—and Veronica is interested in him. However, Kevin tells Jughead "It's nothing against her. I'm gay," when he warns Kevin that she likes him. About Kevin, Parent said, "He can be metrosexual, but I didn't want to play up to the stereotype. But he is fashionable, as many young guys are."
Openly gay Bravo exec Andy Cohen has said that the cable network is bi and not gay, according to On Top Magazine. Of Bravo—which counts Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Kathy Griffin's My Life On The D List among its past and present shows—Cohen said, "I'm always saying we're bi, but I think it's kind of how I view myself being gay; it's just one of the things that I am. ... The people that are gay on Bravo—like Brad on Rachel Zoe or Jeff on Flipping Out—they're gay, but they're also great at what they do and that's why they're on Bravo and that's important."
Gay fave Margaret Cho has been paired with out dancer Louis Van Amstel on the next season of Dancing with the Stars, which starts Sept. 20, according to the New York Daily News. Also, Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey ( who's 50! ) will dance with Derek Hough; singer Brandy will team with Maksim Chmerkovskiy; ab-tastic Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino will be with Karina Smirnoff; Florence Henderson will waltz with Corky Ballas; and David Hasselhoff will tango with Kym Johnson. There are 12 pairs of celebrities and pros dancing.
Speaking of "Dancing," last season's champ, Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, is insisting that dancer Derek Hough is not gay, according to the UK Metro. When Internet gossip columnist Perez Hilton suggested that Hough likes guys, Scherzinger typed, "No, no—he loves the ladies. He went out with Shannon Elizabeth." Of Elizabeth, E! Online reported that Hough recently said, "She's my girl, man, and I still love her to death and we remain friends."
Is clothing designer Calvin Klein, 68, going the gay-porn route? Advocate.com has reported that, according to sundry media outlets, Klein is seeing 20-year-old male model Nick Gruber—who is also known as gay-porn actor Aaron Skyline. Gruber, who has been pictured with Klein at various events this summer, has been in movies such as Next Door Buddies. Two years ago, Klein—who divorced Kelly Rector in 2006—told Vanity Fair magazine that he has had affairs with men and women.
Get ready to see a lot more skin on the TV series Supernatural, which stars hunks Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, according to Zap2It.com . Things have changed on the set of the hit show, with Ackles actually directing the first episode, which will run Sept. 24 on The CW. However, there's another difference as Padalecki was quick to add, "I'm naked a lot more."
On NPR, out singer Adam Lambert recently sang the praises of the late Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, Zap2It.com reported. The American Idol alum, who covered several Queen songs during his time on the show, said about Mercury: "It was about the music, but he also really captivated the audience because he was so electric. That's why he's an icon: Because you remembered what he did on stage, he had a presence." Mercury, who died in 1991 of AIDS-related bronchopneumonia, would have turned 64 on Sept. 5.
Speaking of Idol, Jennifer Lopez's deal to be a new judge on the show is all but done, despite months of rumors about her status, according to Zap2It.com . Lopez would work with original judge Randy Jackson and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler. There is still no comment on Kara DioGuardi's future with the talent show.
Superstar singer Lady Gaga would like to become an ordained minister in California so she can officiate same-sex marriages, according to On Top Magazine. The "Alejandro" singer, who is a very vocal gay-rights supporter, has reportedly taken an online course. She said that the recent California ruling overturning Prop 8 spurred her to go the ministerial route.
The new Miss Universe, Mexico's Jimena Navarettte, is in favor of same-sex marriage, according to an On Top Magazine item. Navarette, who defeated 82 other women to take the crown, recently said on a radio show, "I think we have to learn to respect because they are people just like us, there is no difference and I think it is unfair to discriminate against someone because of the sex he or she prefers."
The book Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, a companion to the first major museum exhibition in U.S. history to focus on gay and lesbian art and culture from the late 19th century to the present, will be released Nov. 2. Beginning with Thomas Eakins and Walt Whitman and proceeding to the reconsolidation of the gay and lesbian community after the worst years of the AIDS crisis, Hide/Seek details the impact of gay and lesbian artists on U.S. art and portraiture.
In Italy, the film Black Swan—featuring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as competing ballerinas—stirred controversy at the Venice Film Festival because of a love scene between the two stars, according to the Herald Sun. The diminutive Portman has said, "I'm trying to find roles that demand more adulthood from me, because you can get stuck in a very awful 'cute' cycle as a woman in film, especially being such a small person." The movie, directed by Darren Aronofsky ( Requiem of a Dream ) , also has scenes of self-harming and drug-taking.
Rapper Nicki Minaj told Paper magazine that although she did not intend to be a gay-friendly presence in the hip-hop world, she is glad it happened that way, according to Advocate.com . Minaj—who has said she is bisexual—said, "I just like to put a spotlight on the people who support me, and it just so happens, you know, that the gay community has supported me—more than I ever could have imagined." She added that the diversity she encountererd at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts opened her eyes.
In his new book, Project Runway's Tim Gunn talks about his anti-gay father and his own celibate life, according to Advocate.com . In Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work ( Gallery Books ) , Gunn speculates about FBI director J. Edgar Hoover wonders about the sexual orientation of his own dad, who was Hoover's ghostwriter. Gunn also writes that he has not been in a relationship in more than 20 years because his last romantic involvement resulted in a horrific betrayal. There's also industry gossip about people such as Vogue editor Anna Wintour and designer Isaac Mizrahi.
Speaking of books, the mother of actress Anne Heche ( who once dated Ellen DeGeneres ) has released The Complete Christian Guide to Understanding Homosexuality—an anti-gay work, according to Advocate.com . Four years ago, Nancy Heche published The Truth Comes Out, an anti-gay book about her life with a husband who was in the closet and about daughter Anne. When Anne and DeGeneres went public in the '90s, Nancy said, "It's like a betrayal of an unspoken vow: We will never have anything to do with homosexuals."
Openly gay Tony Award-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones, gay Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist Jerry Herman and talk-show titan Oprah Winfrey are among the latest Kennedy Center honorees, according to the New York Times. Winfrey said that her initial reaction could be summarized in two words: "Wowie gazowie." The honorees—who also include musician Paul McCartner and country singer Merle Haggard—will be feted at the Kennedy Center Dec. 5.
