GLAAD honored Robert De Niro, Mariah Carey and the best in film, television, and journalism at the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Waldorf Astoria New York. Jennifer Lawrence, Aziz Ansari, Connie Britton, Diane Sawyer, Caitlyn Jenner, Tamron Hall, Noah Galvin, Andrew Rannells, Andreja Pejic and Jason Biggs were among the special guests. Recording artists Alex Newell and Bebe Rexha, as well as the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Fun Home performed at the event hosted by Emmy-winning actress Laverne Cox.
The book Gus Van Sant: Icons offers insight into the world of out filmmaker Gus Van Sant, published on the occasion of a major exhibition at the Cinematheque francaise in Paris, a press release stated. The heart of Gus Van Sant: Icons is a previously unpublished interview with Van Sant conducted in Portland in June 2015 by Matthieu Orleans, the exhibition's curator. In a wide-ranging conversation, Van Sant connects himself to a lineage of other artists, citing William Burroughs, William Eggleston, Harmony Korine and Ed Ruscha as influences.
Rapper Azealia Banks has been dropped from London's Rinse Born & Bred festival as well as from Twitter over a series of tweets in which she directed racist and homophobic slurs against former One Direction member Zayn Malik, TheWrap noted. "Imma start calling you punjab you dirty bitch," Banks tweeted at one point to Malik. "You a dick rider for real for real. Ride this dick until the wheels fall off Punjab." Malik opted out of the conversation, but then singer Lily Allen got involved after Banks said she would "bear arms" even if she traveled to the United Kingdom.
In a related development, Bette Midler reacted to Banks' ban from Twitter, LGBTQ Nation noted. Midler posted, "Twitter deactivated Azealia Banks' account for homophobia & racism? So why is Donald Trump still here?" Banks apologized for her latest rant on Instagram, saying, in part, "I want to extend my sincerest apologies to the world. Employing racial/sexual slurs/stereotypes in attempts to make fun of or degrade another person or group is absolutely unacceptable and is not fair or fun for anyone."
John Barrowman teased fans with the possibility that Captain Jack Harkness could return in a Facebook video following a signing session in Cardiff of Conjuror, his new novel co-written with sister Carole, the UK Metro noted. In part, John said, "We're going to go back to London now, and I'm going to be back in Cardiff in about a week and a half. But I'm not telling you what for!" The next series of Doctor Who isn't due on screens until 2017.
Wilson Cruz ( My So Called Life; Noah's Arc; Rent ) has just been added to the cast of After Louie, the upcoming feature-length narrative film by lifelong activist and artist Vincent Gagliostro, according to a press release. The film, starring Alan Cumming, is currently crowdfunding through a Kickstarter through June 2. After Louie explores the contradictions of modern gay life and history through Sam ( Cumming ), a man desperate to understand how he and his community got to where they are today.
The family of the late Joan Rivers has settled with the clinic at the center connected to a medical-malpractice lawsuit following the comedian's death, CNN reported. Rivers died Sept. 4, 2014, at age 81, a week after an appointment at Manhattan's Yorkville Endoscopy clinic. Rivers went to the medical center for a procedure to evaluate her "voice changes" and to determine what was causing her stomach reflux.
ABC has renewed the show The Real O'Neals—based on the life of out columnist Dan Savage—for a second season, TheWrap reported. The network also renewed The Catch and Dr. Ken, but cancelled several shows, including Agent Carter, Nashville. It also picked up Conviction, starring Hayley Atwell of Agent Carter; Time After Time, from executive producer Kevin Williamson; and Notorious, starring Piper Perabo and Daniel Sunjata, among other shows.
Orange Is the New Black co-star Ruby Rose was kicked out of a New Orleans restaurant after throwing a "tantrum" and flinging hot chips at a bartender, NewsCom.au noted. The Australian actress, who played Stella Carlin in season three of "Orange," was booted from Rebellion Bar and Urban Kitchen after she "cursed out" the worker. Restaurant owner Seung Hong said Rose became enraged after waiting more than 40 minutes for her order.
Against Me!'s transgender lead singer, Laura Jane Grace, made a poignant punk-rock protest at a show in North Carolina, PinkNews reported. In Durham, North Carolina, she burned her own "male" birth certificate live on stage in front of the crowd as a protest. The singer said, "The way you affect change is by empowering the grassroots movement, by empowering the people."
Out saxophonist Dave Koz will co-headline a tour with musician David Sanborn this summer, according to a press release. The "Side By Side" run will kick off July 30 in Temecula, California, at Thornton Winery, with shows in Dallas, Texas ( Aug. 7, with singer Chante Moore ); Healdsburg, California ( Aug. 13 at Rodney Strong Winery ); Westbury, New York ( Aug. 25 at the Theatre at Westbury ); and Montclair, New Jersey ( Aug. 26 at the Wellmont Theatre ). The pair will also perform at the Long Beach Jazz Festival, Cancun Jazz Fest 2016 and other events.
Kelly Ripa would like Anderson Cooper to replace Michael Strahan, but her bosses at ABC aren't ready to go there yet, TheWrap noted. Ripa is reportedly pushing for Cooper, the CNN anchor who has guest-hosted on "Live" before and had his own short-lived daytime talk show. She also has several other names on a short list, including Neil Patrick Harris.
Destiny's Child alum LeToya Luckett will star as Dionne Warwick in a planned biopic of the R&B singer, Page Six reported. Warwick was in Cannes to announce the project, which will also co-star Lady Gaga, Danny Glover and Olympia Dukakis. Gaga is to play the late British singer Cilla Black.
Cara Delevingne was detained for more than an hour after a four-letter "meltdown" at Eurostar security staff, Page Six noted. Onlookers say the model acted like a "spoiled brat" as she erupted in fury on her way from Paris to London for her sister Poppy's birthday bash. The incident was sparked as her luggage was pulled aside for a random check.
Sinead O'Connor had been missing for more than 24 hours, police in Wilmette, Illinois, said—but she was found safe and is no longer considered missing or endangered, according to Page Six. TMZ reported that the singer was missing and believed to be suicidal after she failed to return from a bike ride. In November, the singer revealed that she had "taken an overdose" in a message posted to her official Facebook account.
Christina Aguilera is set to duet with a Whitney Houston hologram on The Voice, The Daily Mail reported. The "Candyman" singer sparked rumors she would be paying tribute to the late singer on the NBC talent competition after photos and videos surfaced on social media late last week of her singing with the virtual likeness. Houston was found dead in her hotel room in February 2012.
Jennifer Lopez's team reportedly had to scramble to broker a last-minute deal to raise more money for the singer's video for "Ain't Your Mama," Fox News noted. A "product-placement specialist" was allegedly called in two days before production began on the clip because there were concerns the video couldn't be completed to the singer's standards without an injection of extra funds. To attract additional funding, the team hustled to bring in -social-networking app Friendable, then reworked the shoot's script to integrate the product into the storyline.
NBC has announced the sequel Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. Following Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors, the film is about an unexpected blizzard that threatens the Parton family, while at the same time Dolly's father ( and his kids ) make sacrifices to raise enough money to finally buy his wife the wedding ring he could never afford to give her. The original cast will return for the sequel: Jennifer Nettles as Avie Lee Parton, Ricky Schroder as Robert Lee Parton, Gerald McRaney as Rev. Jake Owens and Alyvia Alyn Lind as young Dolly Parton.
LGBT network Here TV is available as a monthly subscription on Amazon Video for Prime members, a press release noted. Episodes of classic Here TV original series—including Dante's Cove—as well as films, documentaries and specials are all available by subscription to Amazon Prime members. Amazon Prime members can begin their free trials to Here TV now at http://amzn.to/1NlO4UY.
Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe is about to see like he's never been seen before, according to Bloody Disgusting. The Sundance-screened movie ( and very R-rated ) Swiss Army Man, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano, released its trailer—with Radcliffe starring as a zombie whose penis and gas emissions change the life of Paul Dano's castaway, Hank.
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has slammed former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger for pulling out of Cats on Broadway at the last minute as he confirmed she is set to return to co-judge UK X Factor, The Daily Mail reported, citing The Economist. However, Scherzinger said the contract was never finalized. The pop star, who appeared on the X Factor panel in 2012 and 2013, will likely rejoin the show alongside veteran judges Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell.
Rapper DMX was reportedly furious that he was billed as the opening below Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reality star Erika Jayne for a show at Miami's gay-friendly House Nightclub, according to a New York Daily News item that cites TMZ. House owner Mark Lowe told TMZ that it's "insulting" anyone would think of DMX as an opening act, and that the performances would be billed as two separate events—and are not being promoted as gay-friendly. DMX has used anti-LGBT lyrics in a few of his songs.
Billboard and dick clark productions announced that Celine Dion will be honored with the esteemed ICON Award at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards on May 22, a press release noted. Dion will also take to the stage for a special rendition of Queen's "The Show Must Go On" after she accepts the award. Dion has sold almost 250 million albums during her career; also, she has earned five Grammy Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, two Academy Awards and six American Music Awards.
New Line has acquired Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, and has set Remember the Titans scribe Gregory Allen Howard to adapt the biography of Misty Copeland, Deadline reported. She made history by becoming the first African-American soloist dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. The bestselling book, and the movie, will chronicle humble beginnings and effort to reach that pinnacle.
NBC has canceled Eva Longoria's Telenovela, a press release noted. Telenovela, which Longoria executive-produced, offered a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a telenovela, with Longoria portraying the star of the show. NBC has already renewed Superstore ( which preceded Telenovela on the same night of the week ), Law & Order: SVU and Dick Wolf's entire "Chicago" franchise.
Grammy-winning country singer Jennifer Nettles' second solo studio album, Playing With Fire, is out, via Big Machine Records, according to a press release. Produced by Dann Huff ( Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Steven Tyler ), the album was recorded in Nashville. The singer/songwriter collaborated with Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Jessie Jo Dillon and Lori McKenna on each of the album's 11 tracks.
Talking with TheWrap, actor Christopher Meloni—who current plays slave trader August Pullman on the WGN America show Underground—discussed previous show Law & Order: SVU, among other things. Regarding a possible return to "SVU," Meloni said, "I really have no idea how to answer that. From the beginning, I've said I'd be more than happy to come back for the last six episodes." He also discussed big-screen projects such as the indie film Diary of a Teenage Girl and the revenge movie I Am Wrath, starring alongside John Travolta.
Supergirl will move from CBS to sister network the CW, which has renewed the superhero drama for a second season, according to Deadline. The pickup, which comes hours after the most recent deadline for CBS to make a renewal decision on the freshman series, expands the CW DC superhero universe to four series, all from producer Greg Berlanti, as Supergirl is set to join The Flash, Arrow and DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
