THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Actress Michelle Rodriguez has had to defend her film, ( Re )Assignment, against critics who've argued that it has an anti-transgender message, The Huffington Post noted. Rodriguez, 38, unintentionally stirred controversy when she posted a photo of herself on Instagram in her full costume for the movie. In the film, previously titled Tomboy: A Revenger's Tale, the openly bisexual actress plays a male assassin forced to undergo gender-reassignment surgery by an evil doctor ( played by Sigourney Weaver ), turning the character into one that presents as female. "It's an action genre film, and we're not psychological or deep about [being trans], so lay off," she said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

In his new autobiography due in bookstores next month, rapper Lil Wayne writes about his 2010 incarceration inside New York City's notorious Rikers Island facility, including the same-sex wedding between two cellmates that he officiated, according to an LGBTQ Nation item that cites People. The memoir, Gone 'Til November, also reveals that the rapper's girlfriend slept with hip-hop rival Drake while he was in jail, and that a plan he had to re-create the infamous scene from the film Basic Instinct was foiled when guards inspecting visitors discovered that same girlfriend was not wearing underpants.

Strong ratings for Emmy-winner RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as well as new competition reality series Finding Prince Charming have led Logo to its highest-rated Thursday in network history, Deadline noted. RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars logged a series high with last Thursday's episode, up 88 percent from the current season average, according to Nielsen and Logo. Finding Prince Charming's third and most recent episode was up 22 percent from its season and up 9 percent above the previous week.

Fifth Harmony singer Ally Brooke Hernandez was knocked over by a crazed fan during a show in Monterrey, Mexico, Page Six noted. Video of the scary incident shows the stage-crasher rushing up to Hernandez for what appears to be a hug. But as he grabbed onto the star, security dragged him away. She fell to the stage. The incident, which lasted just a few seconds, was quickly captured and placed on social media. It's the second time in the last few days that Hernandez, 23, was targeted; she was ambushed by a separate fan at a Mexican airport the day before the concert.

John Varvatos and OUT teamed for a night of music and style to support the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, a press release stated. The chorus sang and trans actress/singer Candis Cayne also entertained. OUT Editor-in-Chief Aaron Hicklin, producer Justin Mikita, publicist Simon Halls, actor/singer Conrad Ricamora, novelist/screenwriter Bruce Wagner and actor Bruce Bozzi served as event co-hosts. Additional notable guests included actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, actor Dan Bucatinsky, choreographer Travis Wall, actor Barrett Foa, George Kostiopoulos, actor Thomas Dekker and actor Ben Baur.

GLSEN will honor Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson with the Inspiration Award at the GLSEN's Respect Awards: Los Angeles, to be held Friday, Oct. 21, at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, according to a press release. Hudson will be honored with the Inspiration Award for her longstanding advocacy work to benefit youth; she is a member of The Hawn Foundation's board of directors and is actively involved in the organization's signature program, MindUP. Previous GLSEN Respect Awards honorees have included Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Zachary Quinto, Julia Roberts and Danny Moder, Derek Hough and former NBA player Jason Collins, among others.

Palm Springs Pride has announced the talent line-up for the event's 30th-annivesary celebration, a press release noted. Just a few of the acts include '80s band The English Beat, Chicago-based rock 'n' roll band Jinx Titanic and the Ladykillers, queer rock band Pansy Division, all-girl Americana-style rock 'n' roll band Ashleigh Flynn and the Riveters, the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus and Young Jibwe, an Ojibwa hip-hop artist from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Nov. 4-6 Pride Celebration will take place in downtown Palm Springs, California.

Madonna is scheduled to perform during Art Basel Miami at Faena Forum on Dec. 2, Page Six noted. The show—a benefit for her Raising Malawi charity—is being billed as "an evening of music, art, mischief and live performance with Madonna," according to an invite. There are only 400 tickets to the event, which is being produced by Josh Wood with Andy Boose. The New York Post previously reported some regular attendees to the star-studded art fair are skipping it this year over Zika concerns.

George Michael's iconic "Freedom! '90" video helped launch the careers of supermodels like Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford. Now, according to Time, a new generation of supermodels teamed for a video to mark the song's 26th anniversary. In the updated video, Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls and Anna Ewers are among those who lip-sync, dance, pose and strut on the streets of New York City to the tones of Michael's anthem.

In Plus magazine ( HIVPlusMag.com ), 26-year-old openly gay Skin Wars competitor Michael Mejia comes out as HIV-positive. Mejia revealed that he told his mother first, describing her as "the coolest mom in the universe...she truly is my greatest friend." Mejia also talks about his Che Guevara mural and his drag persona, Unleashya, among other things.

At New York Comic Con ( Oct. 6-9 ), the company Funko is releasing action figures of four unlikely heroes: Golden Girls' Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sofia, ABC News reported. The pop-culture mecca, at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan, will be the only place to buy the special four-pack, which fans can use to recreate their favorite adventures from the beloved '80s sitcom. Funko will also have other exclusives at the event, including new additions to its popular, bobble-headed Pop! series, featuring characters from properties like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Walking Dead.

Actor and activist George Takei is donating a trove of art and artifacts from his life and career to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, according to LGBTQ Nation. The museum said the collection will be featured in an exhibition next year. "New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei" is set to open March 12, 2017. Takei's collection includes photos, sculptures, scripts and other memorabilia from his "Star Trek" days, as well as his run for Los Angeles City Council in 1973 and the Olympic torch he carried ahead of the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

It's official: Lady Gaga will headline the Super Bowl halftime show next year, ESPN confirmed. The NFL and Pepsi announced that the pop star will take the stage Feb. 5, 2017, for the Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl LI Halftime Show at NRG Stadium in Houston, airing on Fox. Gaga sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl earlier this year in Santa Clara, California, as Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Coldplay headlined the halftime show.

Jennifer Beals, star of iconic dance movie Flashdance, has teamed with choreographer/director/producer Kenny Ortega and Hit the Floor creator James Larosa for The Edge, a dance drama that has been set up at Fox, Deadline noted. The Edge is set in the competitive LA dance world. The L Word alumna Beals will next be seen as the female lead in Taken, NBC's straight-to-series adaptation of the hit movie franchise.

Boxer Orlando Cruz has vowed to make history by becoming the first gay boxing world champion, PinkNews reported. Cruz announced his intentions ahead of his match against Luis Sanchez; if he wins the match against Sanchez, he will move proceed to have a match against the current featherweight champion, Miguel Berchelt. Cruz came out in 2012 and married his long-term boyfriend, Jose Manuel, in 2013.

GLAAD is accepting submissions for the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, a press release noted. ( The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people, and the issues that affect lives. ) Submitted materials must be received in the Los Angeles GLAAD office by Wed., Nov. 16, at 6 p.m. PT. To download the entry form, find definitions and eligibility parameters for each category, a FAQ, and an explanation of how nominees and award recipients are selected, visit: GLAAD.org/mediaawards/submissions.

Legendary skateboarder Brian Anderson has come out as gay, according to NewNowNext.com . He spoke about his sexuality in the latest installment of Vice Sports' Reda for the World with Giovanni Reda. Anderson, 40, said he chose to come out now because "I was really scared, and people would have perceived it a lot differently, I think, had I said this 15 years ago."

In the new documentary Jewel's Catch One, now playing the festival circuit, filmmaker C. Fitz has captured the story of club owner/activist Jewel Thais-Williams, NewNowNext reported. When it opened in 1973, Jewel's Catch One in Los Angeles was one of the country's first Black discos—and it was one of the few places where LGBT people could feel at home. Also, Thais-Williams was more than just a club owner—she became a community activist and healer, helping to launch the Minority AIDS Project and the Imani Unidos Food Pantry, and opening the Village Healthcare Foundation next to the Catch One.

Out Empire co-star Jussie Smollett recently took to social media to counter rapper/actor 50 Cent's comments about the Fox show, The Boombox noted. "What I don't respect is how detrimental you don't even realize ( or perhaps just don't care ) you are," Smollett wrote on his Instagram. "Do you realize how petty it is that you are a crab in a barrel? Do you realize the stereotype of this slave mentality that you are only further perpetuating," he continued. The rapper responded with a picture of Smollett kissing actor Rafael de La Fuente during a steamy scene from Empire. "I can't hear you, tha f*ck you say PUNK!!!," 50 wrote in response.

Pop star Adele's third album, 25, officially made diamond status, earning 10 million certified units in the United States alone, Entertainment Weekly noted. Albums rarely hit diamond anymore, but Adele is two for her last two. Previous CD 21, propelled by the singles "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You," hit the 10-million mark on Nov. 28, 2012, nearly two years after its January 2011 release. The first CD, 19, is certified triple-platinum.

Australian singer Sia stood with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the day after her first debate with Republican opponent Donald Trump by sharing a video scored to "The Greatest," EW.com noted. Also, it strikes back at something Trump claimed of Clinton: Sia shared a video of Trump's accusation that Clinton lacked the stamina to be president, followed by a compilation of photos showing Clinton over the years, on the campaign trail and working around the world.

Agnes Nixon—the "Queen of Modern Soap Opera" best known for creating the critically acclaimed soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live—died Sept. 28 at The Quadrangle, a senior living community in Haverford, Pennsylvania, at age 93, USA Today reported. Nixon also enjoyed writing credits many other shows, including Studio One in Hollywood, Cameo Theatre, Somerset Maugham TV Theatre, Another World, Guiding Light, Search for Tomorrow and Loving, which was later rebooted as The City.

The CW is resurrecting the iconic '80s soap opera Dynasty with a modern twist: A Latina will be the lead ( changing the character's name from Krystle to Cristal ), LGBTQ Nation noted. The original series co-creators are joining forces with Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and Revenge writer-producer Sallie Patrick to reboot the nighttime drama. The original series aired on ABC during 1981-89 and was produced by Aaron Spelling.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady recently spent time cavorting nude on the Italian coast with his supermodel spouse, Gisele Bundchen, The New York Post reported. Interestingly, Brady's team has been able to prosper without him. New England is off to a 3-0 start and is well positioned for Brady to take them to the playoffs when he returns next month.

A visibly pregnant Janet Jackson, 50, recently stepped out in London to visit the baby furniture store Back in Action, ETOnline.com noted. ET was reported in May that the "All For You" singer is pregnant with her first child with husband Wissam Al Mana. Jackson and Al Mana have a home in London—one of several homes they own around the world—but there's no word yet if she'll give birth there.

Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will host the Oct. 8 broadcast of NBC's Saturday Night Live, Playbill noted. Miranda, who will be making his SNL hosting debut, recently finished his Broadway run in Hamilton. He will also star in the forthcoming sequel to Mary Poppins, which is entitled Mary Poppins Returns. Miranda was recently in Chicago, where Hamilton began performances Sept. 27 at the The PrivateBank Theatre.

Derrick Davis, who has played Mufasa and Scar in The Lion King on Broadway and on tour, will take over the title role in the touring production of The Phantom of the Opera beginning Oct. 20 in Fort Worth, Texas, according to Playbill. Laurence Connor, who also directed the returns of Miss Saigon and Les Miserables, staged this new production of Phantom that began its U.S. tour in November 2013 after a 2012 UK premiere. The tour retains the late Maria Bjornson's original, Tony-winning costume design.

Recently, supermodel Naomi Campbell used her longtime experience to help upcoming designers, serving as a mentor for those who earned a spot in VFILES' New York Fashion Week show, Vanity Fair noted. However, while the new talent was a breath of fresh air, she couldn't help but note the state of the fashion industry in 2016. "I think nowadays designers don't have time anymore to get that inspiration that they used to," she told VFILES. "It's so fast. They have to turn around so many collections in such a short space of time, and it starts to get on them."

Johnny Rapid—a gay-porn star who offered Justin Bieber $2 million to have sex with him on camera—is channeling the pop star himself in a gay-porn parody, NewNowNext.com reported. "While Justin Bieber identifies as straight, he has a huge queer following who'd be thrilled to see him having sex with another man," Men.com, the studio behind gay porn parodies of Pokémon Go, Tarzan, and Star Wars wrote in a statement. Pop Star: A Gay XXX Parody also stars Tobias, Wesley Woods, Will Braun and Brendan Philips.

Actor Michael Muhney ( The Young and the Restless; Veronica Mars ) tweeted a selfie showing one side of his face bandaged after undergoing a procedure to remove skin cancer, Soap Opera Digest noted. The actor stated, "Wear your sunscreen kids. #NoSkinCancer Had surgery today. 10 stitches. Yikes."

Former Power Ranger star Ricardo Medina Jr. denied killing his roommate with a sword at his arraignment Sept. 30, according to a Just Jared item that cites People. The 36-year-old actor pled not guilty to one count of murder in the 2015 death of his roommate, Josh Sutter. Medina was arrested after the crime but was let go after claiming self-defense. He was re-arrested in early 2016 after new evidence showed he was lying. If convinced, Medina faces up to 26 years to life in prison.

Actress and shoe designer Sarah Jessica Parker announced via Instagram that she has expanded her line and will now be launching SJP LBD, "a collection of Little Black Dresses designed by me, all made proudly in the USA," Vogue reported. She captioned, in part, "Our first silhouette ( a surprise! ) will launch this October exclusively at @bloomingdales, with more designs to follow soon thereafter."

Jennifer Lopez has added on-screen judge and mentor to her duties as executive producer of NBC's new dance competition series World of Dance, Deadline noted. The previously announced 10-episode series will bring elite dancers from around the globe together to compete in battles of artistry, precision and athleticism. Additional judges have yet to be announced.

Kathy Griffin is putting her house on the market for $5.495 million, The Wall Street Journal noted. She said she's selling the Hollywood Hills house because she recently bought an even bigger property: a $10.5-million Bel-Air home that she said is next door to musician Kanye West and his wife, reality television star Kim Kardashian West. Griffin's Hollywood Hills house is roughly 8,000 square feet and served as the backdrop for her Bravo reality show Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.