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Adam Levine's pro-gay words; True Blood's makeup line; Diana King comes out
Entertainment news: Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Andrew Davis, Windy CIty Times..
2012-07-03

This article shared 6082 times since Tue Jul 3, 2012
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Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine told MTV that if he were president of the United States, "First I'd make gay marriage legal, because that's just archaic and ridiculous," the Huffington Post reported. The singer and judge on the NBC series The Voice is a favorite of the gay community and he has family ties—his brother, Michael, is openly gay. "I can single-handedly dispel any ideas that sexuality is acquired," he told Out magazine in 2011. "Trust me, you're born with it. My brother is gay, and we knew when he was 2. We all knew."

There's about to be a makeup line inspired by the popular HBO show True Blood, according to the Huffington Post. Nail-polish artist Deborah Lippman has partnered with HSN to create the collection. Nail polishes have names such as "Bad Blood" and "Strange Love," and there will also be a perfume ("Forsaken"), sparkly body powder and lipstick ("Bite Me"). HSN is set to unveil the line Aug. 9.

Jamaican reggae singer Diana King—known for hits such as "Shy Guy" and her remake of "I Say A Little Prayer"—came out as lesbian on her Facebook page, according to SheWired.com . Part of the post reads, "I AM … WOMAN … MOTHER ... AUNT … JAMAICAN … AMERICAN ... INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ... GODDESS! among other things AND YES!!! ... I AM A LESBIAN." In January, she shared the stage with Celine Dion at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Trelawny.

Actor/martial-arts expert Chuck Norris has lashed out against gays being in the Boy Scouts, according to Hollywood.com . Responding to Ernst & Young CEO James Turley—who said he is in favor of inclusion—Norris published an article on Ammoland.com that strongly implies a negative perspective regarding the LGBT community. However, Jennifer Tyrrell—a lesbian mom who made headlines recently when she was removed as den leader—challenged Norris to recognize the nearly 300,000 people whohave signed her pro-inclusion Change.org petition.

On June 25, the Trevor Project honored Oscar winner Susan Sarandon with the Trevor Hero Award, presented by Stanley Tucci, according to a press release. In addition, MTV President Stephen Friedman accepted the Trevor 2020 Award for MTV at the "Trevor Live" event in New York City. The event also featured the first comedic reunion of Will & Grace's Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, comedy by Judy Gold and a musical performance by fun.

For the movie Bridegroom: An American Love Story, Shane Bitney Crone is working with producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (TV's Designing Women) and Linda Burstyn (Emmy award-winning writer/producer for Nightline with Ted Koppel). Recently, Crone posted a YouTube video entitled "It Could Happen to You," about the accidental death of his life partner, Tom Bridegroom, and what happened in the aftermath because they weren't married. (It's at youtu.be/pR9gyloyOjM.&; Almost 3 million people have seen it.

Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, announced that the Born This Way Foundation (BTWF) is preparing to launch a youth-led initiative that will begin with empowering youth to name their own movement, according to a press release. These localized groups of supporters will be dedicated to bringing about change in their homes, schools and local communities. BTWF is asking supporters to help decide on a name for the groups by voting online for one of the following names or suggesting their own.

Bisexual actress Amber Heard, 26, (of TV's short-lived The Playboy Club and the movie Zombieland) is now dating superstar Johnny Depp, 49, according to US Magazine. The two initially worked together on the movie The Rum Diary in 2009, but didn't become involved until last year, when Depp was estranged from French girlfriend Vanessa Paradis. Heard recently called it quits with girlfriend Tasya van Ree.

NFL player Chris Kluwe has come out in support of marriage equality, according to Advocate.com . Kluwe (who is a punter for the Minnesota Vikings) told Outsports, "It really doesn't matter what you do with who or whom as long as you're not infringing on someone else's rights. Everyone should be free to live their own life however it makes them happy." Kluwe, 30, has a gay brother-in-law who he says lives in California and would love to legally wed his partner.

Transgender activist Chaz Bono will appear on TeenNick's long-running drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, People.com reported. Playing himself, Bono will play a surprise celebrity judge for a Battle of the Bands style contest at the fictional Degrassi Community School. Bono will also have a scene with Adam Torres (played by Jordan Todosey), a transgender character who came out and faced physical bullying on the show. The episode will air in the fall.

NBC is looking to bring a live broadcast of a new production of The Sound of Music to television, according to Deadline.com . Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind this concept. Zadan said, "What we want to do ... is to give audiences a completely fresh experience of this great Tony Award-winning stage musical in the form of a classic television event, combined with the spontaneity of a live performance."

Singer Adele, 24, announced on her website that she and boyfriend Simon Konecki are expecting their first child, the New York Daily News reported. The "Rumour Has It" singer also stated, "I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we're over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time." She made her relationship public in January when she was photographed out with Konecki, 38, in London.

TNT has started its renewals with a fourth season order to its new flagship series, Rizzoli & Isles, and a second season pickup of freshman reboot Dallas, according to Deadline.com . Both have received 15-episode orders to air in 2013. Rizzoli & Isles—which stars Sasha Alexander and Angie Harmon—ranks as summer's number-one returning scripted series on basic cable. Dallas, just like the original nighttime soap, stars Larry Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy.

NBC's Fashion Star (a reality-competition show) will have a different look next season as it loses host Elle Macpherson, the Hollywood Reporter noted. However, the supermodel said in a statement that she "will still be very involved as executive producer, where we will be reviewing the format for the upcoming season." Also not returning is retailer H&M, which joined Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue as buyers/distributors for competitors' weekly designs.

Cher ignited criticism after using an offensive Mormon term on one of her tweets, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The singer-actress wrote, "I Feel if [Obama[ doesn't get all his DUCKS IN A ROW we'll b forced 2 listen 2Uncaring Richy Rich! The whitest man in MAGIC UNDERWEAR in the WH." Mormons sometimes wear items called "celestial underwear" or "temple garments"; however, the term "magic underwear" is considered offensive.

Motown mogul Berry Gordy's life story is coming to Broadway and so are the songs of the music greats he discovered, from The Jackson 5 to Diana Ross and the Supremes, according to the New York Daily News. Gordy, 82, is writing the book and Charles Randolph-Wright will direct the production, which is set for a spring 2013 opening at The Nederlander. Motown: The Musical will track how Gordy, as a young songwriter, founded Tamla Records with an $800 loan from his family in 1959, and went on to become a musical force.

The web series Husbands will be back for another season, premiering Aug. 15, Gay Star News reported. The show, headed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer Jane Espenson and Brad Bell, is described as the world's first marriage-equality comedy. Set in a fictional United States where same-sex marriage is legal everywhere, two male celebrities (an actor and a baseball player) drunkenly decide to marry while in Las Vegas. Episodes are at www.HusbandsTheSeries.com .

Comedian Louis C.K. recently said on The Tonight Show he wishes he were gay, Gay Star News noted. He told Jay Leno, "They're having a good time, those guys. ... I don't want to have gay sex [but] I don't want to be left out of things." He added, "Being a heterosexual is hard. ... Heterosexual men worry that we'll be misidentified as gay. We're the only group that cares that you know what we are."

Actor/producer Tyler Perry (famed for his Madea movies) has worked with lots of celebrities—but he's still longing to work with one particular legend. According to the Huffington Post, Perry said in a recent interview with Essence that he has dreamed of working with Diana Ross. Unfortunately for Perry, though, "she's been ignoring me for years," he said. "She's the only person that I have dreamed of working with that will not return my phone calls." Perry also has said that he'd love to work with Eddie Murphy.

Chicago's Goodman Theatre has stated that the famed production The Iceman Cometh is not going to Broadway—at least not during the upcoming season, according to the Chicago Tribune. Goodman's executive director, Roche Schulfer, said various factors worked against the transfer, including the length of the show (close to five hours); the complexity and cost of its multiple sets; and the lack of a venue that would be large enough for the production. Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy starred in the Chicago production that ran this year.

It seems that most, if not all, of Glee's cast will return for the show's fourth season, according to Deadline.com . Series co-creator Ryan Murphy has extended an open invitation to all 15 regulars to return (and Chord Overstreet is in talks to be a regular as well). The cast members' workload will vary as the show once again will work to accommodate the large cast and make room for some new characters.

The Jersey Shore cast had to sign a contract that contained a "VD clause," the Daily Mail reported. MTV, who make the show, added the clause so the cast cannot sue the company if they contract a sexually transmitted (or venereal) disease. On the show, one-night stands are a frequent occurrence; in the fifth season, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi announced she was pregnant with part-time cast member Jionni LaValle's child.

Actor and occasional Windy City Queercast guest host Colman Domingo has joined the cast of openly gay director Lee Daniels' film The Butler, according to Deadline.com . The Butler—which starts shooting later this month in New Orleans—is based on the life of Eugene Allen, a White House servant who worked for eight First Families over three decades. Forest Whitaker plays Allen, and Oprah Winfrey will portray his wife; others in the film include Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda and Lenny Kravitz.

Less than a month away from the Olympics, U.S. women's soccer standout Megan Rapinoe has officially come out of the closet, USA Today reported. Rapinoe, 27, did so in an interview with Out magazine, saying she knew she was lesbian by her first year of college. She also said, "I think it's pretty cool, the opportunity that I have, especially in sports. There's really not that many out athletes. It's important to be out and to live my life that way."

HBO has renewed The Newsroom for a second season and vampire drama True Blood for a sixth, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Newsroom, a drama, has Sam Waterston, Emily Mortimer, Dev Patel, Alison Pill and Jane Fonda among its cast members. Regarding True Blood, showrunner Alan Ball will step down from his position next season, with Mark Hudis (Nurse Jackie) taking over the position; Ball will remain as executive producer.

U.S. wrestler Stephany Lee has been suspended for a year and will relinquish her spot on the Olympic team after testing positive for marijuana, according to ESPN. Lee (who Advocate.com says is an out lesbian) also tested positive for marijuana in 2009; she has accepted the sanctions and must forfeit any medals, points or prizes dating back to her positive test. In a statement, Lee, 27, said she hopes to represent the United States at the 2016 Olympics.


This article shared 6082 times since Tue Jul 3, 2012
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