Anderson Cooper's new talk show, Anderson, has been renewed for a second season despite so-so ratings, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The show has not been a blockbuster, scoring about a 1.4 rating recently; however, stations have said they like the production values and guests. "I am enjoying the daytime show tremendously, and am looking forward to what lies ahead," said Cooper, who will continue to do the show alongside his show on CNN and other assignments.
Piers Morgan is leaving the NBC show America's Got Talent after six seasons, People.com reported. Morgan, who hosts the talk show Piers Morgan Tonight and the first winner of Celebrity Apprentice, cited a hectic schedule. He tweeted, "Turned out that juggling's harder than it looks, so I'm going to focus on CNN," adding, "And congrats to @MrsSOsbourne @howiemmandel & @NickCannon — you don't have to put up with me any more!"
Actress Diane Keaton has revealed that she once suffered from bulimia, Digital Spy reported. She told People that she battled with the eating disorder for five years after a casting director for the Broadway production of Hair criticized her weight. The actress—who has been in films ranging from Reds to The Family Stone—credited her recovery to consulting a psychoanalyst.
The United Kingdom's Ad Standards Authority has banned an ad actress Dakota Fanning did for Marc Jacobs, People.com reported. The authority said that ad—for Jacobs' Oh, Lola! perfume—is too suggestive. In the ad, the 17-year-old Fanning is sitting in a short dotted dress with an oversized flower-topped Oh, Lola! bottle between her legs. Jacobs called the development "unfortunate."
Actor Ashton Kutcher has apologized for defending controversial former Penn State University coach Joe Paterno, according to People.com . Initially, Kutcher protested Paterno's firing to his 8 million Twitter followers; however, many of the followers insulted Kutcher for his opinion. Kutcher, 33, then realized his mistake, recanting his previous tweet and saying he didn't know the entire story of Paterno and the child sex-abuse scandal. Kutcher later said he will now outsource his tweets.
The Swedish lesbian-themed film With Every Heartbeat won the Breakthrough Award at the AFI Fest 2011. The audience votes on the award, and Alexandra-Therese Keining's movie took the honor, which is accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize, MediaBistro.com reported. AFI FEST 2011 took place Nov. 3—10 in Hollywood, Calif., at several locations, including Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
David Testo, 30, a former MVP ( most valuable player ) for the Montreal Impact soccer team, came out of the closet in an interview with CBC Radio Canada, Advocate.com reported. The North Carolina native said, "I'm gay, I'm gay. I did not choose. It's just part of who I am. ... You can be both an excellent soccer player and being gay." He added that—although the public didn't know—his friends, family and teammates knew.
Rapper Fat Joe—who has worked with musicians such as Jennifer Lopez and Nas—said that it would be better that powerful gays who run the world of hip-hop came out of closet, Advocate.com reported. Joe, 41, said that there are gay people everywhere, especially in the music industry, and that gay leaders commit an injustice by not being open about their sexuality. He added that Lady Gaga found success by embracing LGBT rights, so people shouldn't fear coming out.
One More Lesbian ( OML ) —the largest online curators of non-pornographic LGBT film/TV content—has officially announced the debut of OML+, a premium video-on-demand service, according to a press release. Shirin Papillon ( founder & CEO ) has launched a new division to bring new non-pornographic films and other specialty entertainment to LGBT audiences around the world via digital platforms. The service will allow users to view a variety of popular lesbian titles as well as independent feature films and shorts for a range of $.99 to $3.99 for a 48-hour viewing period.
Rapper Nicki Minaj, already a gay fave, plans to issue new music under her gay male alter ego, Roman Zolanski, according to Eurweb.com . She plans to "address the nation" in several new songs as the invented character, who was introduced to fans on the Pink Friday track "Roman's Revenge." "Roman will be in rare form this time. you know why? cuz he no longer gives a f**k," Minaj wrote in a blog post that has since been removed.
Pop sensation Justin Bieber partied at a gay club after the MTV Europe Music Awards, according to NZCity. The "Baby" singer hit the nightspot Kremlin in Belfast, Northern Ireland, after winning Best Pop and Best Male honors at the event. He initially went to the official MTV party at the Europa hotel before going to Kremlin, which is Northern Ireland's first gay-owned and -managed venue.
Oprah Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King, and revered journalist Charlie Rose will join the CBS Morning Show in January, according to the Hollywood Reporter. CBS plans to capitalize on King's friendship with Winfrey, saying that the talk-show guru will probably pop up on the show from time to time. Rose, who has his own PBS program, also does occasional pieces on CBS's 60 Minutes.
Yet another actor has been injured in the Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the Hollywood Reporter noted. Matthew James Thomas, who plays the title role during some of the matinees, was injured backstage, halting the production for about 10 minutes. Since production started last year, several actors and stunt doubles have been injured.
A book about Michael Jackson contains details about the late singer's use of propofol, the drug that just got his former physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, according to USA Today. Frank Cascio, a former personal assistant and manager of Jackson, writer in My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship with an Extraordinary Man that Jackson took propofol as early as 1999. Propofol killed Jackson in 2009 at age 50.
Out singer George Michael has criticized a gay storyline in the popular UK series EastEnders, saying the plot insults gay people and terrifies gay children, according to Advocate.com . In the drama, the character Phil went to the home of another character, Christian, with a baseball bat after Christian was falsely accused of molesting Phil's son, Ben. On Twitter, Michael issued a series of tweets, including one that read, "George Michael has had enough of EastEnders. ARE THEY FUCKING KIDDING! Gay people deserve better than the BBC's pathetic attempts to 'represent' us."
Legendary entertainer Liza Minnelli underwent surgery in early November after breaking her foot, according to ContactMusic.com . As a result, she could not attend the Police Athletic League's Women of the Year event, held Nov. 7. However, she and openly gay Broadway figure Sam Harris are slated to perform two concert at the famed Manhattan jazz club Birdland Nov. 20-21, according to Playbill.com .
At the third annual Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebrated the careers of actor James Earl Jones and make-up artist Dick Smith and then paid tribute to Oprah Winfrey, the recipient of its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Winfrey explained the guiding principle, saying, "Your life matters. You matter. What you do matters." The ceremony started with Mary J. Blige performing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King, in which Jones was the voice of Mafusa.
Jessica Lowndes, one of the stars of the CW series 90210, has released a video for her single, "I Wish I Was Gay," the Huffington Post reported. In the video, Lowndes wears a corset and top hat and struts through a burlesque routine before getting revenge on an unfaithful boyfriend by shaving his legs with a razor and covering his face in lipstick. Lowndes plays Adrianna on the show, a revamp of the '90s show Beverly Hills, 90210.
Taylor Garrett—one of the cast members of the Logo reality show The A-List: Dallas—is claiming that he has again been attacked because of his affiliation with conservative pundit Ann Coulter, according to the Huffington Post. Garrett told the Daily Caller that he was attacked when he confronted a vandal who scratched "Fuck Coulter" into his car. In October, Garrett—a gay Christian Republican—said that someone threw a rock through a window in his apartment after he had lunch with Coulter. "The Democrats want me to live on their plantation as their slave, because I'm a gay person," he said. "And I refuse to do that."
In the December issue of Harper's Bazaar, Madonna claims, "Straight men did not find me attractive [ growing up in Michigan ] ," according to the Huffington Post. She added, "I think they were scared of me because I was different. I've always asked, 'Why? Why do I have to do that? Why do I have to look this way?" The "Like A Prayer" singer, 53, also talks about her 24-year-old boyfriend, French dancer Brahim Zaibat, saying that her four children respect him: ""It's also important that my children admire and respect this partner that I would choose for myself."
Hustler mogul Larry Flynt recently talked with the San Diego CityBeat about his pro-LGBT stance despite primarily identifying as conservative, according to the Huffington Post. Flynt, 69, said, "I've always been pro-gay rights. I'm especially conservative on fiscal issues ... but on social issues I'm totally liberal. I don't think the government has any business in your bedroom whatsoever, and it's none of their business who you're in there with or what you're doing."
Muppet Miss Piggy is the newest "woman" to participate in OUT Magazine's "Can I Be Blunt?" segment. In her "snout-out" to gays, she says, among other things, "Pigs + frogs. Interspecies marriage. The time has come," "You can call me a diva—just don't call me a ham" and "Thanks for teaching moi that I should never hold a grudge. … I should act on one." The movie The Muppets opens in theaters Nov. 23.
J. Edgar co-star Armie Hammer—who plays Clyde Tolson to Leonardo DiCaprio's late FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover—told Rolling Stone magazine that, as a boy, he was picked on for having effeminate features, Advocate.com reported. Hammer even said that a man tried to prevent him from entering a men's restroom because he thought Hammer was female. At the end of the interview, Rolling Stone's Peter Travers asked Hammer to sing any song, suggesting one that evokes Tolson—and the actor belted Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy."
Lady Gaga and stylist/creative director Laurieann Gibson have split professionally in a breakup some are describing as "nasty," according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Gibson was apparently unhappy with the messages in Gaga's music videos, saying they were too sacrilegious; Gibson also reportedly made snide comments about Madonna heavily influencing Gaga. Gaga feels that Gibson is more interested in her own career now.
Speaking of Gaga, a group of people claiming to be her fans have targeted fellow singer Adele online, Digital Spy reported. The British crooner has been targeted since she and Gaga were nominated for the "Best-Selling Artist in the World" award. ( Adele's latest leads Gaga's most recent CD, 10 million to 7 million. ) Gaga fans have made fun of Adele's weight, with comments such as "Confirmed: Gaga will not be wearing her meat dress because she is afraid Adele will eat it."
Kelly Clarkson has confirmed dates of her 2012 North America concert tour, according to Digital Spy. It starts Jan. 13 at the MGM Grand Theater in Mashantucket, Conn., and ends April 10 at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center. ( For Chicago-area fans, she will perform at the Venue at Horseshoe Casino March 10. )
Out singer Ricky Martin has been granted Spanish citizenship after being "recognized for ... artistic talents," according to the Huffington Post. Martin, 39, was given a "letter of naturalization" because of his connections to the country. Media outlets have reported that Martin sought the citizenship because he plans to marry longtime partner Carlos Gonzalez in Spain, which legalized marriage equality in 2005. ( Actor Benicio del Toro has also been granted Spanish citizenship, although presumably for a different reason. )
