"Toni, you need to start using your vagina more."—Toni Braxton shares some advice her doctor gave her. She went on to add that she hasn't used "it" in more than two years—which I assume also includes taking it out for a solo.
Like Tony Geary's summers in Amsterdam, my frequent forays to Europe are shrouded in mystery. What I can reveal is that I must get my gaydar recalibrated upon my return. I was fairly confident two of the gents I've been spending time with are gay. The Brit is extremely fey. And the Aussie—well, let's just say that being around him is like being trapped in a touring company of "Priscilla!" And yet, the Brit is engaged and the Aussie spends most of his time trying to pick up waitresses! Maybe they think I'm straight. OK, they're probably not THAT clueless!
Barbra Streisand has announced plans to write a memoir. While she's not known for being forthcoming, her publisher claims she was inspired after reading some other books about her—books that are "full of myths and inaccuracies. She is finally going to tell her own story." Look for it in early 2017 somewhere in the fiction aisle.
Sexy Tom Hardy has opened up about playing Elton John in his next film, Rocketman. Hardy said, "I'm not a singer. I have no idea, really. I'm really trying because of Rocketman but it's hard to open my mouth in that way." Since Elton hand-picked him, I suspect his mouth opens just fine. It's also been announced that the film ( which is currently in production ) will be adapted for the stage. No timeline or details have been announced.
Speaking of stage musicals, Hedwig and the Angry Inch will soon be making a bit of history. Darren Criss is currently starring in the Broadway production and there's been lots of speculation as to who will take over once he leaves on July 19. And now we know—starting July 22, Taye Diggs will slip into the stilettos, making him the first Hedwig of color. Diggs said, "I have a flaming homosexual inside me"—a sentiment I've uttered on more than one occasion. He also told the paps that as a kid, he "experimented with homosexuality, ass play and worked the streets in male prostitution." Alas, he quickly added, "I'm kidding." Another fantasy dashed. He's slated to stay with the show for 12 weeks, making this NYC summer even hotter than usual.
In some perfect casting, Deborah Cox will helm a pre-Broadway national tour of the musical The Bodyguard. Based on the Whitney Houston film, the stage version debuted in London in 2012, and starred Heather Headley. The casting of Cox is inspired since she was not only touted as a successor to Whitney Houston, she also supplied Nippy's vocals for the Lifetime biopic. The tour will start in the fall of 2016.
We recently told you that CBS has greenlit a Supergirl series. Even though it won't air until next fall, guess who already has a copy of the pilot? Me, that's who. And I'm happy to say it's really lots of fun. Of course, it's hard to go wrong with sexy Jeremy Jordan ( to say nothing of a luminous cameo by Laura Benanti ). You can see the entire episode on BillyMasters.com .
Gay businessman Ian Reisner continues his quest for absolution ever since his dinner with Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. With business faltering at The OutNYC hotel and a boycott planned for his Fire Island properties, he's undertaken some damage control. He's announced his continued commitment for LGBT causes, a gift of $20K to the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association, and plans to donate profits from his Fire Island investments to the LGBT Community Center in NYC, the Jerusalem Open House, and Equality Texas—which specifically fights for LGBT rights in Ted Cruz's backyard. It's a start.
Before we even think about the summer, we've got the 25th anniversary of Gay Days DisneyWorld and, specifically, the One Magical Weekend festivities. While my favorite event is the incredible Riptide party at Typhoon Lagoon on Friday, June 5, the organizers sponsor events all week long. I'm intrigued by their new Saturday night dance party called RED Version 1: Unmasked, which takes place right in Epcot and will feature the music of DJ Paulo. Needless to say, the dress code is red—and I suspect it'll be pretty skimpy ensembles at best. You can get more deets at OneMagicalWeekend.com .
Mariah Carey's weekend was somewhat less than magical. The songstress just began a two-year residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The reviews for her vocal abilities were tepid at best, but critics admitted that she was "entertaining." After her opening, she went to the Rio All-Suite to check out the Chippendales show. And why not? She just did some heavy lifting, so the boys decided to return the favor and try to hoist Mimi above their heads. ( I believe two of the Chips are currently out with hernias. ) Carey posted, "Again, I've no idea how I got here!!" Maybe we can jog her memory with photos from the soiree on our website.
Speaking of sizzling photos, four hunks of days gone by got together for a special photo shoot courtesy of US Weekly. David Chokachi, Joey Lawrence, Ian Ziering and Antonio Sabato Jr. were part of the magazine's "Best Bodies" issue and showed they've still got what it takes to get our attention. In fact, a couple of them look better than ever. You can decide which ones when you see the photos on BillyMasters.com .
This leads perfectly into our "Ask Billy" question. Jim from Somewhere in Cyberspace asks: "Are there any nude pics of Donnie Wahlberg anywhere? Yes, I mean Danny on Blue Bloods."
I've held onto this email for a few weeks while my researchers looked high and low for a way to fulfill your request. Alas, Jim, we have come up empty. But, wait—what's this? Just before we went to press, Wahlberg has partially answered your prayers. For no apparent reason, he posted a risque photo with some of the other "New Kids" with the caption "Not bad for a few old men! Hard work pays!" OK, it's not full-frontal nudity, but it's pretty damn hot. You can see it on www.BillyMasters.com .
When NKOTB should consider changing their name to DILTF, it's definitely time to end yet another column. Since we ran a bit long, we barely have time to remind you to check out www.BillyMasters.com, the site that's multilingual. If you've got a question for me, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before Hedwig gets her groove back! So, until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.
