Among the ads that might be seen during the Super Bowl clash between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers is a Doritos spot with gay overtones. As a neighbor trims his hedges he notices something very appetizing next door. He licks his lips repeatedly—but is it at the Salsa Verde Doritos or the two very gay men sitting by the pool eating the chips? At the end of the ad, one of the men turns to the other and says, "Told you so."
Multi-platinum rock band Green Day will release a brand-new live album, entitled Awesome As Fuck, on March 22 on Reprise Records. The set, which includes a CD plus bonus DVD, features explosive performances captured during the band's 2009-2010 World Tour in support of their Grammy® Award-winning album 21st Century Breakdown. 21st Century Breakdown debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, won a 2009 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album," and has sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide.
The Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association has announced the winners of its Dorian Awards, according to InContention.com . I Am Love topped Black Swan, Toy Story 3, The Kids Are All Right and The Social Network for film of the year while Annette Bening won for performance of the year. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work was named documentary of the year, I Love You Phillip Morris was LGBT-themed film of the year, Easy A was tabbed unsung film of the year and Angela Landsbury was named the recipient of the Timeless Award.
The Razzies ( which honor the worst in film ) were announced Jan. 24—and the vampire movie Eclipse received nine nods, according to People.com . Worst Picture nominations went to Eclipse, The Last Airbender, Sex & the City 2, Vampires Suck and The Bounty Hunter ( with Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler ) . The Razzies will be handed out at Hollywood's Barnsdall Gallery Theatre Feb. 26.
After a long journey, it seems that Wonder Woman will be a TV series, as NBC has picked up David E. Kelley's project, according to Deadline.com . New NBC entertainment president Bob Greenblatt made the decision—and it didn't hurt that Kelley's new show Harry's Law ( starring Kathy Bates ) has made a promising start. The superhero project has been described as a reinvention in which Wonder Woman—aka Diana Prince—is a vigilante crime-fighter in L.A.; however, she is also a corporate executive who tries to balance all the elements of her life.
The rumors about former U.S. President Bill Clinton appearing in the sequel to The Hangover are untrue, according to a CNN.com item. Ed Helms, who stars in The Hangover 2, told MTV that Clinton "came and visited us [ in Thailand ] . I'd be surprised if there's a scene in the movie." However, Helms did confirm that former boxer Mike Tyson will make a cameo in this movie as well.
Sir Elton John has described fatherhood as "enchanting," CNN.com reported. John said, "I thought I would be frantic, worrying about when [ the baby is ] crying. I got to understand that's what babies do—crying, and you put him over your shoulder, you carry him in front of you, you change him, you feed him, you read him a bedtime story, you bathe him. It's all so wonderful." John and partner David Furnish are the fathers of Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, who was born via surrogate last Christmas Day.
Actress Michelle Williams talked about ex Heath Ledger's death and the aftermath on the TV show Nightline—but she now feels that she's revealed too much, according to CNN.com . Among other things, Williams said that she still struggles with talking about the late actor to their 5-year-old daughter, Matilda. Of the interview, Williams said, "It was a three-hour interview that was edited in such a way that was devastating to me." An ABC News rep said that the work "was done fairly and thoughtfully." Williams, who has been nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film Blue Valentine, met Ledger on the set of Brokeback Mountain.
Robert Downey, Jr., has dropped out of the Sam Raimi film Oz: The Great and the Powerful, according to the Hollywood Reporter. However, Disney is hoping that Johnny Depp will take over the role in the movie, which is seen as a Wizard of Oz prequel of sorts. The film is about a young illusionist who flees a traveling circus. His balloon is caught up in a tornado and he is transported to the land of Oz, which is run by two evil witches.
Tammy Etheridge—the ex of Melissa Etheridge—is blasting the singer's current romance with Nurse Jackie creator Linda Wallem, according to US Magazine. On her blog, Tammy blasted suggestions that Melissa and Wallem are a relatively new couple, writing, "She said it would help [ to move out in 2009 ] . I was convinced it would/too and I trusted there was/no one else/I didn't know/there was someone moving in/as I was moving out." Wallem was "best man" at the Etheridges' wedding in 2003. Melissa's response to Tammy's rant was "I do not comment on haikus."
Former Culture Club lead singer Boy George is set to release Ordinary Alien, his first solo CD in more than a decade, according to a press release. The openly gay musician worked on the album with producer Kinky Roland, who has worked with Bananarama and other dance-music artists. The first single, "Amazing Grace," is out now; other songs on the CD include "Brand New" and "Here Come the Girls."
The Harps grocery-store chain censored an issue of US Magazine by placing a "family shield" over a cover featuring Sir Elton John, partner David Furnish and infant son Zachary, according to Parent Dish. The 65 businesses run by Harps Food Stores covered the magazine with plastic that had the words "Family Shield. To protect young Harps shoppers" on it. After pro-gay groups and individuals expressed their outrage, company head Kim Eskew said that Harps removed the shield.
In other Elton-related news, he shocked listeners of Radio 2 when he dropped the F-bomb, according to Monsters and Critics. John, 63, let the word slip while talking with talk-show host Chris Evans about playing piano early in the day. After the 9 o'clock news, John apologized, saying, "I'm really, really sorry that I said that naughty word, but I cannot believe that anyone would want to get up and first thing in the morning play the piano." Evans then played "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word."
Openly gay former NFL player Esera Tuaolo is scheduled to sing the national anthem at an upcoming home game for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, Advocate.com reported. Tuaolo was the first NFL player to sing the anthem before performing in a game. ( He came out after retiring. ) The performance will happen during the Clippers' Equality Night, Feb. 2.
Former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman is divorcing wife Rhonda after 10 years of marriage, fueling more speculation about the ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback's sexuality, according to Examiner.com . Speculation began in the mid-'90s, and other football players ( current and former ) have made allusiont to Aikman's private life. Among those is out ex-player Dave Kopay, who has apologized for pressuring Aikman "out of the closet."
Geri Jewell—who is probably best known for playing Blair's cousin, Geri, on the '80s show The Facts of Life—has come out of the closet, according to SheWired.com . Jewell has a memoir coming out April 1 that will cover her struggles with cerebral palsy and Hollywood's discrimination of her; a manager who embezzled her money; addiction; and a broken marriage in addition to her sexuality.
Actress Fran Drescher and her ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show Jan. 28 to talk about their union, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Jacobsen—who collaborated with Drescher on the TV show The Nanny—came out to her after they divorced; they had been married 21 years. The Oprah episode was entitled, "Love, Marriage, Betrayal: Our most Memorable Couples Return!"
Columnist/activist Dan Savage is possibly coming to MTV, according to EW.com . Savage, who started the "It Gets Better" project last year in response to the rash of teen suicides, is working on an advice show. MTV has ordered a pilot in which Savage tours college campuses while dispensing the brand of honest and occasionally graphic sex and relationship advice known to readers of his column, "Savage Love."
In Interview magazine, out fashion designer/movie director Tom Ford said that "gay men make better designers," according to an NBCNewYork.com item. He added, "I'm an equal-opportunity objectifier. I think it's the exact same thing. I'm sorry, I don't understand why our culture both worships and objectifies beauty, and then slams those of us who participate in it."
Actor John Travolta has acknowledged Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais' joke that apparently targeted him, according to On Top Magazine. During the Jan. 16 show, Gervais said, "Not nominated, I Love You Phillip Morris. Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor. Two heterosexual actors pretending to be gay—so the complete opposite of some famous scientologists, then." When TMZ asked Travolta about the joke, he replied, "Well, it's a roast, you know." In a Dec. 10, 2010, interview with The Advocate, Carrie Fisher outed Travolta, saying, "We know" when asked about his rumored same-sex trysts.
New Kids on the Block singer Jonathan Knight is officially out of the closet. According to Advocate.com, he wrote on the band's website, "I have never been outed by anyone but myself." Pop star/actress Tiffany was thought to have outed Knight recently but he said that he has been open about his sexuality for two decades. On the site, he added, "I never [ knew ] that I would have to do it all over again publicly just because I reunited with NKOTB! I have lived my life very openly and have never hidden the fact that I am gay!"
Ricky Gervais has stated that he's been invited back to host the Golden Globes for a third time, according to The Wrap. On his website, the British actor/comedian wrote, "I don't know what I could do better. I certainly couldn't get more press for them, that's for sure." However, Phil Berk, who heads the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has denied that Gervais was asked to return, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back. Nice try, Ricky," Berk said.
James Franco is going to be on the Great White Way, joining Nicole Kidman in a Broadway production of the Tennessee Williams' drama Sweet Bird of Youth, Gold Derby reported. Franco ( known for such movies as 127 Hours, Milk and Howl ) will portray Chance Wayne, the younger lover of an older movie star who goes with her on a trip home. Paul Newman and Geraldine Page co-starred in the original Broadway production.
Kevin Alejandro has suggested that his romantic True Blood relationship with Lafayette ( played by Nelsan Ellis ) will continue to evolve, according to Digital Spy. Alejandro—whose character was recently killed off on the TV show Southland—said, "My relationship [ will grow ] not only with him but other characters in the show as well. They are really moving us around and balancing it out in all these crazy, strange ways and it works, man. It works really well this year." True Blood's fourth season will start June 12 on HBO.
The Tudors' hunk Henry Cavill beat out actors such as Matthew Bomer ( TV's White Collar ) , Joe Manganiello ( werewolf Alcide in TV's True Blood ) and Armie Hammer ( The Social Network ) to win the role of Superman in director Zack Snyder's movie, according to Digital Spy. Cavill, 27, was slated to play the Man of Steel in McG's proposed 2004 movie; when out director Bryan Singer took the helm, Brandon Routh became the lead instead. Snyder's movie will be in theaters in December 2012. Glee's Dianna Agron is supposedly in the running to portray Lois Lane.
Jane Lynch, who plays Sue Sylvester on TV's Glee, wants Sir Elton John to guest-star on the show, Digital Spy reported. Lynch's co-star Matthew Morrisson recently said that John could play Sue's love interest. Lynch told People magazine, "I love that idea, and I'm all over that idea. From [ Morrison's ] lips to [ executive producer ] Ryan Murphy's ears!"
Singer Ricky Martin has said that his twin sons have taught him about love, Digital Spy reported. The "She Bangs" singer told Parade magazine that the births of sons Valentino and Matteo have completed him. He said, "Every day they teach me different things. The love is there. When you have a 2-year-old saying every other hour, 'Papi, te amo. Papi, I love you,' it can't get better." Martin has also said that he'd like to have a daughter as well.
