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

British singer Robbie Williams has said that he is "49 percent homosexual and sometimes as far as 50 percent," according to the UK Express. The former Take That singer—who has also previously revealed that he wished he'd had a fling with a man in his youth—has claimed that he identifies with gay men and would love to go into musical theater. However, regarding his "49-percent" comment, Williams added, "That would imply that I enjoy having a particular sort of fun, which I don't."

The AIDS documentary How to Survive a Plague will premiere on the PBS series Independent Lens Dec. 30, according to a press release. The movie tells the story of two coalitions, ACT UP and TAG ( Treatment Action Group ), and the activism and innovation they employed in making AIDS manageable. With unfettered access to never-before-seen archival footage from the 1980s and '90s, filmmaker David France reveals controversial actions, heated meetings, failures and breakthroughs.

The all-male social-network app Grindr has revealed its Best of 2013 Awards, according to a press release. Grindr users from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia voted in several categories, including Gay Icon of the Year ( Neil Patrick Harris ), Best Coming-Out Story ( Wentworth Miller ), Best TV Show ( Modern Family ), Next Celebrity To Come Out ( Taylor Lautner ) and Enemy of the LGBT Community ( Vladimir Putin ), among others.

Israeli actor Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman in the forthcoming Batman v. Superman movie, according to Variety. The Wonder Woman rumor has been kicking around for some time, and insiders believe the plan is to have not just Batman and Superman in the film but several members of the Justice League as well. Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck are set to star, with Zack Snyder directing.

Britney Spears' new album, Britney Jean, was projected to top the Billboard album chart, despite being the lowest-selling of her career so far, according to Digital Spy. The star's eighth studio album was on course to sell approximately 115,000 and 120,000 copies during its first week on sale. By contrast, Spears' previous album, Femme Fatale, debuted with sales of 276,000 back in 2011, while 2008's Circus had first week sales of 505,000.

Lady Gaga went full-frontal for the cover of Canada's Candy Magazine, Page Six noted. The cover photo shows Gaga posing with a fake moustache, a coat covering her right breast and a scorpion on her left. However, it's the singer's private area that has everyone talking, with her pubic hair in full view. Candy celebrates androgynous style and describes itself as "The First Transversal Style Magazine."

Grammy winner Toni Braxton has said that she'd like to portray a lesbian on the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, according to a SheWired.com item. "I'm hoping to be on Orange Is the New Black," Braxton told TheGrio. "That's my favorite show. I'm hoping… we'll see. I told you I wanted to be a lesbian. ... I still want that." Braxton has had such hit songs as "Breathe Again" and "He Wasn't Man Enough for Me"; her screen creds includes the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars and the We tv reality show Braxton Family Values.

Kirstie Alley has reignited her feud with former Scientologist Leah Remini in a big way, telling Howard Stern that Remini is a "repulsive" "bigot" who she's blocked on Twitter, according to Radar Online. Remini—a contestant on the most recent season of Dancing with the Stars—left the Church of Scientology this summer, and Alley reportedly felt betrayed. Alley said, "When you are generalizing and when your goal is to malign and to say things about an entire group … when you decide to blanket statement that Scientology is evil, you are my enemy."

Elton John's sold-out concert in Moscow went on as scheduled Dec. 6 despite concerns over the country's new laws on homosexuality, according to The Guardian. "I am deeply saddened and shocked over the current legislation that is now in place against the LGBT community here in Russia," John told the sold-out audience at one point. John, who also played in Kazan Dec. 7, dedicated his Moscow show to Vladislav Tornovoi, a 23-year-old man who was tortured and murdered after supposedly telling his friends he was gay.

Madonna has joined the Human Rights Campaign's ( HRC's ) new "Love Conquers Hate" T-shirt campaign in support of Russia's LGBT community, according to The Huffington Post. The "Justify My Love" singer emailed HRC members, in part, "Even with the 2014 Sochi Olympics just a few months away, fair-minded Russians are facing fines, harassment, and violence at the hand of thugs. At this dangerous moment in Russian history, we as advocates have a responsibility to speak up and take our hopeful message global."

TheWrap.com compiled what it felt were some of Hollywood's best reactions to NBC's live presentation of The Sound of Music that featured Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer. Albert Brooks wrote, "Tonight they will finally put back the original scene where Von Trapp sucks the blood out of Maria. #soml," while Mia Farrow posted, "Wonder why they remade this." Sarah Silverman wrote, "Wow there's so much fake fun happening! #SOML" and Anna Kendrick stated, "Both my goosebumps and my "sing it bitch" hand might never go down. @AudraEqualityMc #SoundOfMusic."

Speaking of NBC's version of The Sound of Music, that particular show was the channel's biggest Thursday non-sports show since the finale of ER in 2009, according to TheWrap.com . The holiday special, starring Carrie Underwood, earned a 4.6 rating/13 share the key 18-49 demographic, and 18.5 million viewers overall. That was enough to beat a Thursday night lineup that included The Big Bang Theory, broadcast TV's highest-rated scripted show in the demo. The special will be out on DVD Dec. 17.

For the upcoming 29th season of the MTV reality show The Real World, premiering Jan. 15, the network has cast the usual assortment of young and attractive people. However, producers have added a new twist: Several weeks into the season, the single housemates will unexpectedly be joined by their exes. The cast this season ( set in San Francisco ) includes Jay, a commitment-phobic "heartthrob" from the Bronx who boasts 60,000 Twitter followers; and Jenny, a bisexual aspiring actress from Los Angeles.

Lindsay Lohan fled Miami Beach's Shore Club hotel after authorities showed up twice to interview her and her entourage after Barron Hilton, Paris and Nicky Hilton's little brother, claimed the actress had him beaten to a pulp, according to Page Six. Barron filed a police report claiming Lohan, 27, ordered an attack after overhearing him criticize her following an all-night party at a lavish rented mansion on Florida's Star Island. Paris Hilton later posted on Instagram, "No one f—— with my family and gets away with it!!" Barron plans on suing Lohan and has assembled a legal team.

Jared Leto and James Franco tied for the best supporting actor award at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for their roles in Dallas Buyers Club and Spring Breakers, respectively, according to TheWrap.com . Bruce Dern was named Best Actor ( over 12 Years a Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor and Dallas Buyers Club's Matthew McConaughey ); Cate Blanchett and Adele Exarchopoulos shared the award for their performances in Blue Jasmine and the lesbian-themed Blue Is the Warmest Color; and Lupita Nyong'o was named the best supporting actress for 12 Years a Slave.

In an interview with The Guardian, singer Susan Boyle revealed she has Asperger's Syndrome. She said, "Some articles have said I have brain damage. I have Asperger's." Asperger's, a high-functioning form of autism, mainly affects people's social interaction and communication skills. Boyle added, however that the diagnosis doesn't define her: "It's a condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do."

Family Ties star Meredith Baxter has tied the knot. According to People Magazine, Baxter, 66, and her longtime partner, contractor Nancy Locke, were married in an intimate ceremony Dec. 8 in Los Angeles. Close friends and family—including Baxter's five children—looked on as the couple exchanged handwritten vows. The couple had been dating for seven years.

Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, better known as the musical duo Icona Pop ( who had the recent huge hit "I Love It" ), recently talked about their relationship to the LGBT community, according to The Huffington Post. "I think it's so important to be proud of who you are. It all comes down to love," Hjelt told HuffPost Live. "I wish I was gay so I could be in love with Aino because we would have the perfect relationship." Icona Pop has a relatively sizeable gay fan base, with their latest video "All Night" paying homage to the nightlife voguing and ballroom scene.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were on hand for the 36th annual Kennedy Center Honors, according to USA Today. The honorees were opera singer Martina Arroyo; pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock; pianist, singer and songwriter Billy Joel; actress Shirley MacLaine; and musician and songwriter Carlos Santana. MacLaine's younger brother, Warren Beatty, is a previous Kennedy Center Honoree recipient, making them the first brother and sister to both receive the honor.

Entertainer Mel B has become the first musical artist be involved with bitcoins, partnering with Cloudhashing.com to accept this new currency, according to a press release. Mel B, also known as "Scary Spice," returned to her musical roots with her first single in almost a decade, "For Once in My Life." Bitcoins, a form of digital currency, are used at businesses such as coffee shops, hotels and online stores, the L.A. Times noted.

The rock bands Heart and Barenaked Ladies, along with country singer Willie Nelson, have canceled planned performances at SeaWorld in Florida, citing a recent documentary that raises questions about the effects of captivity on whales, according to ABC News. Heart was the latest act in the past week to cancel appearances at SeaWorld Orlando's Bands, Brew & Barbecue music series in February. All the acts cited the recently released documentary Blackfish, which raises questions about the effects of captivity on killer whales at marine parks such as SeaWorld.

After injuring his hand on the set of his upcoming film, Jake Gyllenhaal showed off his cut-up hand to Ellen DeGeneres, according to E! Online. The star revealed the wound after the talk-show host asked him about the incident, which occurred on the set of the film Nightcrawler. "A mirror broke in the middle of the scene, I hit a mirror and it broke," Gyllenhaal explained. "And it cut my hand." Gyllenhaal, who is also a producer on Nightcrawler, lost 20 pounds to play a crime scene journalist in the crime drama.

Cher reportedly had to throw away a wig because it was infested with spiders, according to Channel 24. The "Believe" singer was upset when one of her favorite orange headpieces went missing, but one of her assistants explained she had thrown it out after discovering it was infested with the arachnids.

Controversial Republican figure Sarah Palin is back with yet another television show, this time an outdoor program for the Sportsman Channel, according to The Chicago Tribune. She will host Amazing America with Sarah Palin, a weekly program celebrating the "red, wild and blue" lifestyle; it is set to premiere in April. Her previous foray into series television, Sarah Palin's Alaska, aired for one season on TLC in 2010.

Harry Cook—a 22-year-old Australian actor known for several major TV roles—revealed he is gay in a YouTube video that more than 35,000 people watched in its first day, according to NewNowNext.com . He's best known for playing Geena Davis's son in the 2010 Australian drama Accidents Happen, and will appear alongside Sam Neil and Bryan Brown in the TV series Old School. Like 19-year-old British diver Tom Daley, Cook also shared that he's in a relationship, but doesn't reveal the identity of his boyfriend.

One Direction band member Harry Styles took new girlfriend Kendall Jenner to Therapy, a popular gay bar in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, according to US Weekly. The same day that the One Direction singer, 19, and model/reality star, 18, were spotting leaving the Ganservoort Hotel in the Meatpacking District together, the pair resurfaced at Therapy with a few other friends. The bar's theme that night was "Gays Gone Wild," with other patrons dancing to pop hits. Styles has reportedly gone to Therapy several times.

TV and film star Fran Drescher will make her Broadway debut as Cinderella's stepmother Madame in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella beginning Feb. 4, 2014, according to Playbill.com . Drescher, who will play a ten-week engagement through April 13 at the Broadway Theatre, will succeed Tony winner Harriet Harris. Cinderella has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, a new book by Douglas Carter Beane and original book by Oscar Hammerstein II.

Appearing as the guest editor and cover star of Vogue Paris' December issue, pop star-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham says she has no "passion" for her former "girl power" persona Posh Spice, US Weekly noted. "I realized it was finished for good in 2008, when we reformed for our reunion tour," Beckham, 39, stated. "It should have been the best moment of my life, but I just wanted to be elsewhere."

Beyonce and husband Jay-Z stepped out for an animal-product-free lunch, hitting up Westwood, Calif. vegan hotspot Native Foods as part of their "22 Days Challenge," US Weekly noted. However, Beyonce caused some murmurs by reportedly wearing real fur to the restaurant. She paired her look with suede ( another vegan no-no ) platform boots and quilted pants. The couple has dined on such dishes as marinated kale salad, corn tacos with chipotle butternut squash, and vegan chocolate truffles.

Tickets are now available for the Broadway production of If/Then, which will star Tony Award winner Idina Menzel and will now begin previews March 5, 2014, prior to an official opening March 30 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Playbill.com noted. The new musical reunites Tom Kitt ( music ), Brian Yorkey ( book and lyrics ) and Michael Greif ( director ), the creative team behind the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical Next to Normal.

Rihanna has hit a huge milestone in her career by selling more than 10 million albums in the United States, according to Billboard.com . After her latest album, Unapologetic, sold 5,000 copies last week, her total hit 10,001,000 in U.S. sales. Unapologetic has sold more than 1.1 million copies. Rihanna's best-selling album remains 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad, which sold 2.8 million copies.

On Dec. 6, Anderson Cooper's AC 360 hit not just its lowest viewership and demo results for the year to date but its worst numbers since moving to the 8 p.m. time slot in August 2011, according to Deadline.com . The CNN show pulled in 255,000 total viewers—with just 58,000 in the adults 25-54 demo. Overall, the Jeff Zucker-run network had its third-worst primetime result of 2013 and its worst Friday viewer numbers since he took over.

HBO Films has put in development Mae West, a movie about the true Hollywood original, with Bette Midler attached to star and executive-produce, Deadline.com reported. The project is the brainchild of William Friedkin ( The Exorcist ), who will direct and also executive-produce. Broadway figure Harvey Fierstein, who recently penned the book for the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots, is writing the script. Mae West—based on West's autobiography Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It—chronicles West's rise to stardom after writing and starring in her scandalous Broadway show, Sex.

Ben Whishaw has been confirmed to play Freddie Mercury in the forthcoming biopic about the late Queen singer, according to the UK Independent. Whishaw had been rumored to play Mercury since October, when Queen drummer Roger Taylor said he hoped the band could secure the Skyfall actor for the film. Earlier this year, Whishaw ( who was also in Cloud Atlas ) confirmed speculation that he is gay and happily married to composer Mark Bradshaw, according to Entertainmentwise.com .

Film director and So You Think You Can Dance judge Adam Shankman has entered rehab, People Magazine reported. A statement reads, "Adam Shankman is currently seeking treatment in a rehabilitation center. His friends and family support him and wish him well on his journey to recovery." In recent years he both directed and choreographed Hairspray and Rock of Ages. No reason was given for the treatment.

The family of Norman Rockwell is waging a fierce campaign against a new biography of him that implies the late artist could have been secretly gay or harbored pedophilic impulses, according to The New York Times. Farrar, Straus and Giroux recently published American Mirror, Deborah Solomon's account of Rockwell's life. In the book, Solomon raises the question of whether Rockwell was gay, writing that he "demonstrated an intense need for emotional and physical closeness with men," and that his marriages may have been a strategy for "controlling his homoerotic desires."