The Beastie Boys, Donovan, Guns N' Roses, the late Laura Nyro, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Small Faces/The Faces are the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2012 inductees, USA Today reported. Late guitarist Freddie King will be honored, and the late producer/manager Don Kirshner will receive the Ahmet Ertegun ( non-performer ) award. The 27th induction ceremony will take place April 14 in Cleveland and premiere on HBO in early May.
The finale of America's Next Top Model: All-Stars was mired in controversy after one of the three finalists, Angelea Preston, was disqualified, according to People.com . Preston, Lisa D'Amato and Allison Harvard were battling for the title but during an unusual panel discussion, it was revealed that Preston was disqualified—without revealing why. There is speculation that Preston revealed she had won the competition, and that the show had to reshoot scenes naming D'Amato the winner.
Lucius Foster—the 89-year-old father of actress/director Jodie Foster—was convicted Dec. 7 of swindling $130,000 from elderly and poor people in a home-building scheme, People.com reported. Lucius, a Sherman Oaks, Calif., building contractor, was found guilty of 21 counts of grand theft and nine counts of contracting without a license—all misdemeanors. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
Rapper Nicki Minaj revealed that Madonna kissed her on the set of their new music video, according to Digital Spy. Minaj, 29, said she almost "passed out" when the "Vogue" singer kissed her during the shoot for their new single, "Give Me All Your Love." Minaj tweeted, "OH MY f'ingggg Gahhhh!!!!! MADONNA jus kissed me!!!!! On the lips!!!!!!! It felt sooooo good. Soooo soft!!!! *passes out* aaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!"
Kris Jenner has said that actor Daniel Craig should apologize for comments he made about the Kardashians, Digital Spy reported. Craig called the Kardashians "fucking idiots" following Kim Kardashian's split from husband Kris Humphries after 72 days of marriage. Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian family, said, "It's not made him look like the world's nicest guy. The right thing for a real man to do now would be to issue a public apology. The easy thing would be to criticize his career now, but our family won't stoop to that level."
Actress Olivia Thirlby, who's costarred in Juno and HBO's Bored to Death, talked about being bisexual and participating in photographer iO Tillett Wright's "Self Evident Truths" project in Brooklyn Magazine, according to AfterEllen.com . Thirlby has never been in the closet but the Brooklyn Magazine interview marks the first time she's publicly discussed her sexuality. According to its website, "The concept behind Self Evident Truths is simple; it's impossible to deny the humanity in a face. We are all human, we all have hearts and emotions and eyes that speak to them, whether we're gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, Black, white, Latino, Asian.... You get the picture."
American Horror Story's Dylan McDermott said that he's happy with his gay fan base, according to On Top Magazine. McDermott, 50, praised out creator Ryan Murphy in an interview with The Advocate, calling him "a genius." When the conversation switched to him getting hit on by gay men at clubs in the 1970s, McDermott replied that he's "cool with everyone. I'd say, 'I'm not gay, but it's all good.' It's kind of like going to Paris when you don't known the language; some Americans get into trouble over there, but I'm just like, 'Sorry, I don't speak French.'"
Openly gay actor Alan Sues—best known for his work on the classic TV show Laugh-In—has died at age 85, according to the Dallas Voice. Among Sues' campy characters on the '60s show was Big Al, a gay sportscaster. His outrageous characters even carried over to commercials; in the early '70s, he was a very flamboyant Peter Pan in an ad for Peter Pan Peanut Butter.
Armie Hammer—who has played the Winkelvoss twins in The Social Network and the title character's colleague and alleged lover in J. Edgar—will star alongside Eric Bana in the gritty drama By Virtue Fall, according to Deadline.com . Hammer, 25, will play an ATF agent who is set up for a crime and ends up in a federal prison, only to devote himself to getting revenge on Bana, who framed him. Hammer also plays Prince Andrew Alcott in the upcoming Julia Roberts movie Mirror Mirror, about Snow White.
Tameka Raymond, the ex-wife of R&B musician Usher, recently tweeted that gay men should identify themselves with "bright wristbands" instead of caps, vests or Timberlands, according to the Huffington Post. However, after receiving angry responses ( presumably from Usher fans ) , Raymond said she was not talking about gay men but those who resort to "trickery." However, she defended her right to speak her mind.
Glee will donate 100 percent of the net proceeds from the sales of its version of Band Aid's 1984 hit "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to The Band Aid Trust ( www.bandaid.org .uk ) , according to a press release. The Band Aid Trust, a registered British charity since 1985, has raised more than $190 million to support projects in Ethiopia, Somalia and surrounding countries in East Africa. Glee's version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" appears on Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, Volume 2 and was on a special Dec. 13 Christmas episode of the show.
VH1's franchise, "VH1 Divas," will have additional performers to join this year's tribute to soul music, including Anita Baker, Mavis Staples, Wanda Jackson and Ledisi, according to a press release. In addition, Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Nas, Common and La La Anthony will participate as presenters. Headlining "divas" include Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Kelly Clarkson and Jill Scott, among others. "VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul" premieres Dec. 19.
In the wake of playing the Fishbone song "Lyin' Ass Bitch" when GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon recently, the band the Roots has to run its song choices by NBC, the New York Daily News reported. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of the Roots said, "It's still a comedy show, so they promise not to step on my toes or that type of thing, but they definitely want to know the title of the song, the subject matter of the song, [ to see if it ] can it be seen as an insult."
Someone stole Lindsay Lohan's purse in Hawaii—making off with $10,000, according to Fox News. Moments after Lohan noticed her bag was missing, she said on the phone that "I will f**king kill someone if I even have to get questioned [ inaudible ] jail for a year." ( She was concerned that the loss of her ID would result in her missing her court date. ) However, her $5,000 purse was returned to her, along with her passport and court documents; however, $10,000 in cash remained missing.
The Nate Berkus Show—which features Oprah Winfrey's favorite interior designer—has been cancelled, according to Reuters. The show starring the out gay designer will air the remainder of the season, but will exit in May. In a joint statement, Sony Pictures Television and Harpo Studios said, "After careful consideration, we have decided that 'The Nate Berkus Show' will not return for a third season in the fall. We are grateful for the hard work and heart that Nate, Corin Nelson and their entire team have poured into the show, and we're very proud of what they've delivered."
Christopher Plummer won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association award for Best Supporting Actor for playing a terminally ill senior citizen who comes out of the closet in the movie Beginners, according to EW.com . The movie co-stars Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent. Other award winners included The Descendants ( Best Picture ) , Michael Fassbender ( Best Actor, for several movies ) , Yun Jung-hee ( Best Actress, for Poetry ) and Jessica Chastain ( Best Supporting Actress, for several films ) .
However, proving that the Oscar race is wide open, the San Franscisco Film Critics Circle bestowed its awards on different individuals and films, according to Deadline.com . The Tree of Life won Best Picture, while Tree's Terrence Malick won Best Director. Gary Oldman won Best Actor for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and gay fave Tilda Swinton won Best Actress for We Need to Talk About Kevin. The San Francisco-based National Film Preservation Society received the Marlon Riggs Award, named after the late gay filmmaker.
The American Film Institute ( AFI ) has included the U.S. version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as well as Moneyball, J. Edgar, Bridesmaids, The Descendants and The Help in its list of the year's top 10 movies, according to CBS News. Among AFI's TV programs of the year are Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, The Good Wife, Homeland and Breaking Bad. The French silent film The Artist and the Harry Potter series received special awards.
Retired wrestler Hulk Hogan may sue his ex-wife, Linda, over claims that she makes in her book that he physically abused her and cheated on her with another man, according to NBC Philadelphia. Linda was recently asked if she thought Hulk and fellow wrestler Brutus Beefcake had sex; she answered, "A little bird told me, 'Yes they think they did.'" Hulk has responded, "She told everybody that I was a homosexual. It's so ridiculous."
Reality-TV star Richard Hatch is out of prison after serving nine months for failing to pay back taxes, Google News reported. Hatch, a gay man who won the first season of Survivor, served six weeks at a minimum-security facility after being in a federal prison for most of the sentence. He had spent more than three years in prison for not paying taxes on his $1 million winnings, but still maintains his innocence.
Barry Manilow is recovering after undergoing hip surgery Dec. 12, CBS News reported. The "Copacabana" singer, 68, had surgery to repair torn muscles in his hips and remove fluid. He decided not to have the operation until after he performed his 1,000th concert in Las Vegas. On his website, he wrote, "I seem to have ripped the abductor muscles on both hips and messed up my bursas. ( Sounds like a good title for a song! ) "
Out actor George Takei wants a truce in the battle between Star Wars and Star Trek, CBS News noted. Inspired by banter between William Shatner ( Captain Kirk in Star Trek ) and Carrie Fisher ( Princess Leia in Star Wars ) , the 74-year-old Takei released a tongue-in-cheek video urging fans to make up and unite against Twilight and the "mutural threat" of vampires.
Glee co-star Naya Rivera ( who plays lesbian cheerleader Santana ) is denying rumors that executive producer Ryan Murphy is causing tension on the show's set, according to Digital Spy. A recent Us Weekly article claimed that Murphy was clashing with several cast members. In response, Rivera posted, "I think that the malicious things being written about Ryan Murphy are so sad and false. I'm proud to work for such a talented man!" Co-star Lea Michele, through her spokesperson, added that she and Murphy are not having problems.
Music executive John Atterberry, 40, was killed during a shooting Dec. 8 in Los Angeles, according to Digital Spy. Atterberry—who worked with Michael Jackson, Jessica Simpson, Christina Aguilera and the Spice Girls, among others—was shot three times during a rampage by Tyler Brehm, who was reportedly devastated by a break-up with his girlfriend. Brehm fired nearly 20 bullets; authorities shot and killed him.
NCIS co-star Pauley Perrette will not marry fiance Thomas Arklie until Prop 8 is overturned, according to On Top Magazine. Perrette, 41, tweeted, "Me & #MyMarine are totally engaged now but will NOT GET MARRIED UNTIL #Prop 8 is OVER." Earlier this year, she attended the People's Choice Awards wearing a strapless dress that featured the NOH8 campaign's logo; she also participated in this year's AIDS Walk Los Angeles.
