The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) announced that award-winning broadcast journalist Robin Roberts of ABC News' Good Morning America will be honored with the HRC Visibility Award at the 2017 HRC Louisiana Gala Dinner on Saturday, June 17, in New Orleans, according to a press release. A two-time cancer survivor, Roberts came out publicly in 2013. Also, in a recent episode of Good Morning America previewing a special ABC News report on gay "conversion" camps, Roberts talked about her Christian parents and how thankful she was for their support.
Beauty and the Beast—Disney's live-action remake of the 1991 original—has earned enough to become the highest grossing PG-rated movie of all time in the United States, Variety noted. With $487.7 million at the domestic box office, the film passed Finding Dory ( $486.3 million ) to earn the title. "Beauty" does not, however, hold the crown when taking into account earnings overseas; that award goes to Frozen, which is made $1.28 billion globally in 2013, compared to the 2017 movie's current total, $1.19 billion.
The Flash co-star Keiynan Lonsdale ( who plays Wally West aka Kid Flash ) opened up about his sexuality in an Instagram post, according to a Perez Hilton item. Lonsdale, 25, stated, "I like to change my hair, I like to take risks with how I dress, I like girls, & I like guys ( yes ), I like growing, I like learning, I like who I am and I really like who I'm becoming." Lonsdale, who grew up in Australia, received an outpouring of love on Twitter—and responded, "Nothing better than happy tears. The love is beyond measurable, thank you. Don't forget to give that same love back to yourselves x."
After Page Six exclusively reported that The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons married Todd Spiewak at the Rainbow Room in New York, Parsons revealed more details from the swanky affair on Instagram, according to the website. He revealed a pic of the pair headed to the dancefloor for a first dance in Tom Ford tuxes—plus another of the pair walking down the aisle in different outfits, matching black tuxedos. Parsons added that their wedding planner, and pal, Melissa McNeely is also their "best friend."
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the producers of a Janis Joplin biopic, Page Six noted. The film, entitled Get It While You Can, has a long development history that goes back to 2010, when Amy Adams signed on for the movie. The suit alleged that a loan to screenwriter Ron Terry contained unconscionable terms, and also accused Terry of shopping the project to other producers in violation of their exclusivity agreement.
Andy Cohen mocked Steve Harvey's memo controversy with a new addition to his dressing room, US Weekly reported. The Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host put up a doorbell featuring Harvey's face alongside a copy of the viral memo. Cohen took to Instagram Stories on May 14 to share a close-up of his dressing room door, which showed a photo of Steve Harvey's face with a red button that says "Push" on his nose and the words "Ring to Enter" on his forehead.
Filmmaker John Waters has revealed why he's never made another movie with Kathleen Turner after Serial Mom, NewNowNext.com noted. When asked about that, he said, "Well, because I only made a couple movies afterwards. And with star names, the studios want you to get a new one each time. ... I would work with Kathleen again in a minute; I think she's a wonderful actress. I go to see all of her theater; I've seen everything she's done. I'm a big fan and we're still friends."
Director Dee Rees ( Pariah; TV's When We Rise ) said she had an idea for her own low-budget horror picture—one location, tiny cast—set in a small town not unlike the one where she has lived for the last year, Shadow and Act noted. She and Jason Blum ( of Blumhouse Productions, which was behind the horror movie Get Out ) are developing a horror movie centered on the domestic lives of black lesbians in rural America.
Singer Frank Ocean asked a court to toss his father's $14.5-million lawsuit, Page Six reported. In February, Ocean's father, New Mexico resident Calvin Cooksey, sued the Channel Orange musician, claiming that a blog on Ocean's Tumblr page last year was libelous enough to warrant him millions of dollars in damages. In part, Ocean posted, "I was six years old when I heard my dad call our transgender waitress a f—-t as he dragged me out a neighborhood diner saying we wouldn't be served because she was dirty."
The Village Voice announced today that Grammy-nominated duo Tegan and Sara will perform at The Village Voice Pride Awards, honoring local and global heroes in the LGBTQ movement working for progress for the community, a press release noted. Hosted by Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming, The Village Voice Pride Awards take place at a star-studded gala event on June 21 at Capitale in New York City.
Jennifer Hudson has signed on to be a coach for NBC's The Voice, Rolling Stone noted. The Oscar winner and former American Idol contestant will join Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus, who will return for her second season as a coach. Hudson also served as a coach on The Voice UK earlier this year and her act, Mo Adeniran, became the season's winner. Kelly Clarkson has also been hired to be on The Voice for season 14 ( the season after Hudson's appearance )—a development NBC execs insisted was a deal a long time in the making, Variety reported.
In related news, former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry is joining the show's ABC revival as a judge, US Weekly noted. ABC announced earlier this month that the singing competition will be returning to TV after airing its final episode on Fox in April 2016. Also, news reports have surfaced that Katy Perry will be another judge on Idol.
ABC has cancelled the Dan Savage-created show The Real O'Neals after two seasons, TVLine noted. Noah Galvin starred as gay teen Kenny, whose decision to come out sent shockwaves through his tight-knit Catholic family; Martha Plimpton ( Raising Hope ) and Jay R. Ferguson ( Mad Men ) co-starred as Kenny's parents Eileen and Pat.
Taylor Swift's ex Calvin Harris recorded new music with Katy Perry for his upcoming album—and Swift's fans have taken to social media to call shade on their collaboration, according to US Magazine. Harris, 33, announced his fifth studio album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, and its star-studded list of guest artists, via social media on May 9; the roster includes music heavyweights such as Perry, Nicki Minaj, John Legend and Pharrell Williams. Among the things Swift's fans posted were "THE POWER OF TAYLOR SWIFT Calvin and Katy collab is happening. I hope your two petty asses credit Taylor Swift for it!"
Speaking of Perry, she has announced the June 9 release of her new album, Witness ( Capitol Records ), and an extensive arena tour, a press release noted. ( Each ticket purchase for WITNESS: The Tour also includes a copy of her album, Witness. ) The North American leg of WITNESS: The Tour, produced by AEG Presents, will kick off Sept. 7 at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. There will be stops in such cities as Boston ( Sept. 29 ), Chicago ( Oct. 24 ), Denver ( Nov. 26 ), Miami ( Dec. 20 ) and New Orleans ( Jan. 5 ), ending in Vancouver ( Feb. 5 ).
Multiple sources confirmed to TVLine exclusively that Scandal's upcoming seventh seventh will be its last. The news came with three episodes remaining in Scandal's current sixth season. Rhimes has previously said that, unlike the long-running Grey's Anatomy, Scandal's heavily serialized, high-stakes narrative necessitates a short-ish shelf life.
Sandra Lee refused to let House Speaker Paul Ryan join her cooking segment on Fox News and told him, "I need you to go away," Page Six noted. The celebrity chef and longtime girlfriend of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, was not happy after learning her segment on Fox & Friends would directly follow an interview with Ryan, and banished the Republican leader from her TV kitchen. Cuomo has had his share of clashes with Ryan.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation inspired by former Jersey Shore star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi that limits how much state universities can pay speakers, ABC News noted. The new law puts a $10,000 cap on the amount of state money that can be spent on speakers, but the Republican governor said it is essentially symbolic since institutions largely use student activity fees to pay speakers. Republican Assemblyman John DiMaio said he was inspired to write the legislation after Snooki was paid $32,000 collected from student fees to speak at a student-organized event at Rutgers University in 2011—$2,000 more than Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison received to speak at commencement.
TV show Law & Order: SVU is closing in on mothership Law & Order and Gunsmoke's record-setting runs, according to Deadline. NBC has renewed the veteran crime drama series for a 19th season—one shy of the record for longest-running drama series, held jointly by Law & Order and Gunsmoke. SVU ( which had to wait for star Mariska Hargitay to close her new deal ) joins Dick Wolf's Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med, which also have been renewed for next season, with the fate of newest Windy City installment, rookie Chicago Justice, going down to the wire.
The Hamptons International Film Festival will honor actress Julie Andrews with the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of its 25th-anniversary festival, running Columbus Day weekend Oct. 5-9, Page Six noted. The awards presentation will take place Oct. 7 after a screening of Oscar-winning film Victor/Victoria, which stars Andrews, presented by HIFF and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Robert Miles, the trance producer behind the 1996 hit "Children," died of an unspecified illness in Ibiza at the age of 47, Rolling Stone reported. DJ Mag Italia first posted the news regarding Miles, born Roberto Concina, with longtime friend and collaborator Joe T. Vannelli confirming Miles' death in a Facebook statement. Miles continued to have moderate success in Europe with singles like "Fable" and "One and One." NME.com reported that Miles died of stage 4 metastatic cancer.
The Ryan Murphy-created Fox show Scream Queens has been cancelled after two seasons, Variety reported. The cancellation was expected for the horror-comedy anthology series, which struggled to find an audience. Signs pointed to a cancellation throughout this year as stars moved onto other projects; Keke Palmer signed onto season two of Berlin Station at Epix as a series regular, while Lea Michele booked the co-lead in an ABC comedy pilot, which insiders say is high up in contention. The series also starred Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd, Glen Powell and Niecy Nash.
Grammy-, Emmy- and Tony-winning singer-songwriter, arranger, producer and musician Barry Manilow received the honor of BMI Icon at the 65th Annual BMI Pop Awards, held May 9 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, a press release noted. Previous recipients include Mann & Weil, Nile Rodgers, Stevie Nicks, Paul Simon, Carole King, David Foster, Sting, Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Bee Gees, among others. Some of the nights winners included "Stitches" ( Song of the Year ), Ross Golan and Justin Tranter ( Songwriters of the Year ) and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation ( Publisher of the Year ).
Dancer/choreographer Benjamin Millepied ( Black Swan ) is set to make his directorial debut with Carmen, a contemporary musical drama inspired by French composer Georges Bizet's opera, Variety reported. Millepied choreographed Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, in which he also performed along with Natalie Portman, whom he later married. Millepied was also recently the subject of Reset, a feature documentary which followed the creative process of his first ballet for the Paris Opera.
In addition to season two of Atlanta and playing Lando Calrissian in the Han Solo Star Wars movie, Donald Glover will be executive-producing a Marvel's Deadpool animated series for FXX, TV Guide noted. The adult animated series joins Legion in FX Networks' suite of Marvel shows. Deadpool, of course, is a cultishly adored comics character who blew up last year, thanks to the hit movie starring Ryan Reynolds.
Almost a year and a half since she was first indicted on 20 counts of fraud, former Dance Moms host Abby Lee Miller has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison by a federal judge in Pittsburgh, Deadline noted. After serving her time in a facility close to LA, Miller will have an additional two years of supervised release, Chief Judge Joy Flowers Conti told a crying Miller and a packed courtroom. She will also have to pay a fine of $40,000 and $120,000 for the currency reporting violation charge.
Patti LuPone, on the show Watch What Happens Live, did not hold back when it came to sharing her opinions about Madonna, People noted. The American Theater Hall of Fame inductee made it known that she is not a fan of Madge's portrayal in 1996's Evita—the same role LuPone played in the original 1979 Broadway production. "I thought it was a piece of s—. Madonna is a movie killer," the two-time Grammy winner and two-time Tony Award winner told host Andy Cohen and the night's guest, Christopher Meloni. "She's dead behind the eyes. She couldn't act her way out of a paper bag." LuPone also said that former Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller "should go to jail for life [for her fraud case]. I found her obnoxious; I just hated her."
Former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo and millionaire businessman boyfriend David Cantin were the victims of a weekend home invasion that left the pair bound and beaten, a lawyer for the couple confirmed to The New York Post. Cops said the invaders "rushed towards [sic]" the couple when they opened the front door to their three-bedroom townhouse. Cantin was struck several times with a baseball bat by one of the goons, while Manzo was repeatedly punched by the other, authorities said. Both Manzo and Cantin, who suffered facial injuries, were treated and released at an area hospital.
Dynasty is the first "new" series picked up by the CW for the 2017-18 season, Deadline noted. The CW is looking to return to the primetime soap arena in a big way with Dynasty, a reboot of the iconic 1980s soap from Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, CBS TV Studios and Fake Empire.The new Dynasty stars Grant Show, Alan Dale, Nathalie Kelley and Rafael de la Fuente, among others.
Former Friends star Matthew Perry may have beat up Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when the two were elementary school students at Rockcliffe Park Public School in Ottawa, but he is not looking for a rematch, People.com noted. "I was 7, I think," Perry recalled on Live with Kelly and Ryan. "He was younger than I was. I think he had just excelled in a sport—he had beat me in a sport. And I kicked him in the shin or something like that. And then he later became the prime minister of Canada!"
Heir Conrad Hilton ( brother of Paris and Nicky ) appeared to mouth obscenities throughout recent court proceedings, including "so f—king gay," Page Six noted, citing TMZ. Hilton, 23, wore a self-harm prevention smock in the Los Angeles courtroom and at various points chuckled and winked at the camera. Hilton was arrested for allegedly stealing ex-girlfriend Hunter Daily Salomon's father's Bentley and driving it to her house, where he launched into a homophobic and racist rant against arresting officers. Hilton was released on $90,000 bail and ordered to go directly to Menninger Clinic, a psychiatric hospital in Houston.
Former Real Housewives of Miami star Joanna Krupa has been separated from Romain Zago, her husband of less than four years, since December, according to a Page Six item that cites E! News. Krupa, 38, wed Zago, 44, in June 2013 after several years of dating.
