The film George Michael: A Different Story should soon be making its way to the United States, Gay.com reported. Naturally, it stars the iconic singer, who is a tour guide to his own career. Already seen on British television, the movie—which features testimonials from Boy George, Mariah Carey and Simon Cowell, among others—recently hit the big screen at the Berlin Film Festival.
Pop superstar Elton John said that, if he could, he would ban organized religion because it fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, according to BGay.com . 'I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people,' John said to a British newspaper. 'From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. ... It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate.'
The Broadway production of Chicago—the longest-running revival on The Great White Way—celebrated a decade there recently. A special gala performance featured, among others, composer John Kander, who wrote the show with Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, and Chita Rivera, who sang All That Jazz 30 years after originally belting it out.
Cable channel Lifetime has ordered 18 episodes of a dating game show called Gay, Straight or Taken?, according to Reuters. The half-hour series—in which a woman has to determine which of three men is straight and single—will premiere on Jan. 8 with two back-to-back episodes.
A war of words has erupted between talk-show co-hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Kelly Ripa. According to MSNBC.com, Ripa went off on guest co-host Clay Aiken on Live with Regis and Kelly after he put his hands over her mouth during an interview; 'I don't know where that hand has been,' Kelly snapped. Then, on The View, O'Donnell accused Ripa of uttering a homophobic remark. Ripa then called into The View and told O' Donnell, 'It's cold and flu season. That's what I meant, and to imply that it's homophobic is outrageous, Rosie—and you know better.'
It's all downhill from here: The Chicago Gay Skiers, the only gay ski and snowboard club in the Midwest, will sponsor a Midwest ski weekend trip at Granite Peak in Wausau, Wis., on Fri.-Sun., Jan. 19-21. See www.gaychicagoskiers.org or e-mail information@chicagogayskiers.org for more information.
Casting a spell: The Chicago Chamber Musicians, together with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, will present 'Witches, Wizards, Spells and Elves: The Magic of Shakespeare' on Fri.-Sat., Jan. 20-21, at 800 E. Grand. Call 312-595-5600 or go to www.chicagoshakes.com .
Body to body: Advance tickets have already gone on sale for Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies, which will open at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, on Wed., Jan. 17. See www.msichicago.org or call 773-684-1414.
Protective attire: 'Dress Up Against AIDS: An Exhibition of Condom Dresses' will be shown at Columbia College Chicago's Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash, Thurs.-Fri., through Jan. 5. See www.colum.edu/criticalencounters.