In the wake of Nigel Lythgoe exiting So You Think You Can Dance, queer personality JoJo Siwa is returning to the series, per Deadline. Siwa, who was a judge on season 17 of the Fox show, will replace Lythgoe, who left after several sexual-assault allegations (including one filed by Paula Abdul). Siwa will sit alongside Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the judging panel. Cat Deeley will host the series, which premieres on March 4.
A gay-sex scene involving actor Tom Holland has incited homophobic backlash, per Metro Weekly. In the new miniseries The Crowded Room, Holland wears thick black eyeliner and hooks up with another man in the bathroom stall of a nightclub. While many fans celebrated Holland for his versatile and "brilliant" lead performance, some trolls tweeted critical remarks like: "Tom Gone Wrong #NotMySpiderMan." Fans were quick to defend the actor, noting that other actors who've portrayed the superhero—namely, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire—have also gone gay for pay.
Tibet House US announced that out comedian, writer and actor Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and singer/songwriterChristian Lee Hutson have joined the lineup for this year's Annual Benefit Concert, per a press release. The concert will return to The Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at NYC's Carnegie Hall on Feb. 26 with artistic directors Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson at the helm. Previously announced performers include Anderson, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Maya Hawke, Gogol Bordello and The Philip Glass Ensemble, among others; Uma Thurman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Arden Wohl and Jonah Freeman are the evening's honorary chairs.
And speaking of Bowen Yang, he distanced himself from comedian Dave Chappelle when the latter jumped on stage during the SNL cast's good-night segment at the end of a recent show, per Deadline. Chappelle—who has drawn considerable backlash from the LGBTQ+ community for what many perceive as transphobic jokes during three comedy specials—had no on-screen role in the Jan. 27 episode that Dakota Johnson hosted and which featured musical guest Justin Timberlake. In 2022, Yang, Sarah Sherman and non-binary comic Molly Kearney were not involved in the taping that Chappelle hosted.
Iconic British duo Pet Shop Boys have released the uplifting and reflective single "Loneliness," out via Parlophone, per a press release. They also announced their upcoming 15th studio album, Nonetheless, arriving April 26. The announcement also marks their return to Parlophone Records, the label that released their iconic and massively successful material from 1985 to 2012. Also, this year marks the 40th anniversary of their classic debut single "West End Girls," which was their first global #1 hit. In addition, Pet Shop Boys Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live at the Royal Arena Copenhagen is coming to screens worldwide for an exclusive two-night event that concludes Feb. 4. The video for "Loneliness" is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUVfoybVqIg.
Mariah Carey was honored with the Global Impact Award from the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective, per The Hollywood Reporter. "Is this a real Grammy? I haven't seen one in soooooo long," she said. (It had been almost two decades since Carey last received one; she last won in 2006 for "We Belong Together.") Lenny Kravitz also received a Global Impact Award, which H.E.R. presented to him. In part, he said that his "parents' records were my teachers. I memorized and sang note for note my mom's two favorite albums: Gladys Knight & the Pips' Imagination and Stevie Wonder's Innervisions."
Out published a list of 25 highly anticipated LGBTQ+ movies that will come out this year. Dan Levy makes his directorial debut in Netflix's Good Grief (already out), starring alongside Ruth Negga, Himesh Patel and Luke Evans. He Went That Way (with Zachary Quinto and Jacob Elordi) and Mean Girls are also already available to view. In Desire Lines (which debuted at Sundance),Kieran (Theo Germaine) is an Iranian-American trans man who travels back in time to understand his sexual identity. Then there are the Kristen Stewart vehicle Love Lies Bleeding (out March 8), Joker: Folie a Deux (with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga; out Oct. 4) and Wicked: Part One (Nov. 27). The full list is at https://www.out.com/film/lgbtq-movies-2024#rebelltitem21.
Actress Annette Bening—who just received her fifth Oscar nomination for her portrayal of champion lesbian swimmer Diana Nyad, in Nyad—has been named the inaugural recipient of the Santa Barbara Film Festival's Arlington Award, Deadline noted. The Arlington represents the first new award the festival has created in more than two decades and is named for the historic venue where all the fest's annual tributes timed to Oscar season take place. It will be presented on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 at the theater.
Talking with Vanity Fair, Queer Eye's Bobby Berk discussed his reasons for leaving the series and his rift with fellow host Tan France, per Queerty. "Tan and I had a moment," Berk said, adding that they were cordial toward each other at the recent Emmys. "I will always have a very special place in my heart for him and Rob [France's husband] and the kids. I can foresee in six months or a year, Tan and I at each other's house being good." As for leaving the show, Berk said they had all signed seven-year contracts and that Netflix unexpectedly renewed the show in 2023; despite having other projects, the other co-presenters decided to sign the new deal.
Queer actress/comedian Kate McKinnon will star in Hellmann's new environment-focused Super Bowl spot along with a feline known as "Mayo Cat," Variety noted. "I grew up in a house that was very environmentally minded, and we never threw anything out," she told Variety in an interview. "It's something that's very dear to my heart." This will be Hellman's fourth consecutive round on the Super Bowl ad roster.
In NYC, Ryan Raftery will return to Joe's Pub with his "Titans of Media Trilogy of Female Empowerment" musicals that will be based on the lives of Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart and Kris Jenner, per a press release. Raftery returns to Joe's Pub for his 10-year anniversary performing at the legendary venue. "Titans" will take place Feb. 27-March 12, with each woman being spotlighted on a different night. See JoesPub.com .
Florence + The Machine released "White Cliffs Of Dover"—the first single from Jack Antonoff's official soundtrack for The New Look, the forthcoming new series on Apple TV+, per a press announcement. The immersive, contemporary soundtrack, which Antonoff curated and produced, features covers of songs performed by artists including Bleachers, Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, The 1975, Beabadoobee, Nick Cave, Perfume Genius and more. It will be the first release on Shadow Of The City, Antonoff's new imprint at independent label Dirty Hit.
Kim Kardashian is producing and will be featured in a documentary series about Elizabeth Taylor for the BBC, Deadline noted. Searching for Sugar Man producer Passion Pictures is behind Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar [working title], which is being shopped globally by Fremantle. Kardashian is one of a range of high-profile stars—including Joan Collins and Margaret O'Brien—who knew Taylor personally and will appear in the three-part box set series for BBC Two and iPlayer. Kardashian recently starred in Ryan Murphy's latest installment of American Horror Story and she is re-teaming with Murphy for a Hulu legal drama; she is also starring in and producing female-driven comedy The 5th Wheel.
Longtime songwriting duo Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin will share this year's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, NPR noted. "I've been writing songs with Bernie for 56 years, and we never thought that, one day, this might be bestowed upon us," John said in a statement. "It's an incredible honor for two British guys to be recognized like this." This is the third time the Gershwin has been awarded to a pair of artists since the prize was established in 2007; Gloria and Emilio Estefan were jointly honored in 2019, and Burt Bacharach and Hal David won the award in 2012. A televised tribute concert for the pair is scheduled to be broadcast nationally on PBS stations on April 8 from Washington, D.C.
The Recording Academy and CBS announced that Joni Mitchell will perform on the Grammys telecast for the first time ever on Feb. 4, Variety noted. Mitchell has won nine Grammys and picked up a lifetime achievement award from the Academy in 2002. She is nominated this year for what could be her 10th Grammy—best folk album, for her Brandi Carlile-produced 2023 release Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live].
Rob McElhenney is used to playing a gay character on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but he said in real life that he's always been connected to the LGBTQ+ community because of his actual family, Out noted. "I was partly raised by two women, and I have two brothers who are gay, so I have always been part of the gay community," he told Deadline in 2018. "It's just always been a part of my life." In 2021, his moms were featured in a video for GLAAD for Mother's Day, in which they talked about their then-37-year relationship. McElhenney shared the video on his Twitter, saying, "No family looks exactly the same. So proud to call both of these ladies 'Mom.'"
Aussie actress Geraldine Viswanathan is set to replace queer actress Ayo Edebiri in Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts, per The Hollywood Reporter. Edebiri, who recently earned an Emmy for her role in FX series The Bear, had to exit the superhero pic due to scheduling conflicts. This is the latest recasting to hit the film that was delayed due to the Hollywood strikes.
Conservative trans figure Caitlyn Jenner has been removed from son Brandon's reality after threatening legal action against the show's production company, per TMZ. Brandon Jenner has a new series on UnchainedTV called At Home With the Jenners—and he apparently was using her name to promote the project, without her blessing. Caitlyn has been removed from all future appearances and has even been edited out of the episodes she was already shown in.
During Justin Timberlake's free show at Irving Plaza in New York City, the former *NSYNC star said a few words before singing "Cry Me a River," which is believed to be about Britney Spears, per USA Today. "I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely ... nobody," Timberlake said before the song, a concertgoer confirmed to People. The statement is his first about his ex-girlfriend Spears since the release of her 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, in which she revealed, among other things, that she had an abortion during her relationship with Timberlake. After the report about Timberlake, Spears posted on Instagram, "Someone told me someone was talking ... about me on the streets !!! Do you want to bring it to the court or will you go home crying to your mom like you did last time ??? I'm not sorry !!!"
The adult-oriented GayVN Awards recently took place in Las Vegas, with Alec Mapa and Cade Maddox hosting the event, per Out. Rhyheim Shabazz was the big winner of the night by taking home the Performer of the Year Award; he is the first gay adult entertainer to reach more than 1 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). Also, Austin Wolf won two of the fan-voted awards: Favorite Dom and Favorite Porn Star Creator. The full list of winners is at avn.com/business/articles/gay/2024-gayvn-award-winners-announced-926066.html .
Kate Hudson—known primarily as an actress (Almost Famous; Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)—announced that she has signed with Virgin Music Group to release her recordings, Variety noted. Hudson's first single, "Talk About Love," came out Jan.. 30. The song was co-written by Hudson with Linda Perry and Danny Fujikawa; the latter shared production duties with Johan Carlsson.
Musician Darius Rucker—a country-music artist who also fronts the band Hootie & the Blowfish—was arrested in Tennessee on misdemeanor drug-possession charges, USA Today noted. The musician was charged with two counts of simple possession and casual exchange as well as one count of violation of registration law following an arrest in Franklin. Rucker was released after posting $10,500 bond.
Slammed by allegations of rape, defecation, sex trafficking and more, Vince McMahon is no longer with WWE and UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings, Deadline noted. "I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth," McMahon said in response to Janel Clark's lawsuit. In her complaint, Grant says McMahon agreed to pay her $3 million in 2022 to keep their sexual relationship quiet if she signed an NDA. Now seeking to get that NDA voided, Grant signed it at the time, but says she has only received $1 million from McMahon so far. Also, Slim Jim has paused its WWE sponsorship because of the suit.
Real Housewives' Caroline Manzo has claimed that fellow Housewife Brandi Glanville sexually assaulted her, per Deadline. The suit—filed in New York State court against Bravo, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros Entertainment, Peacock and others—claims sexual harassment, sexual battery, discrimination and 14 more allegations. "Defendants allowed, condoned and even encouraged Ms. GLANVILLE's sexually aggressive and offensive conduct on others on the sets," says Manzo's 57-page complaint from NYC's Derek Smith Law Group. The suit can be read at deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/brandi-glanville-nbcu-bravo-rh-suit.pdf. (Also, last October, Marco Vega, the butler on the second season of Peacock's The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, filed a lawsuit alleging he was sexually assaulted by Glanville and fellow cast member Phaedra Parks.) Glanville has called Manzo's claims "sbsurd," per Page Six.
Actor Danny Masterson (That 70's Show) has been moved to California's Corcoran State Prison—the onetime home of the late criminal Charles Manson, Deadline noted. Transferred from DTLA to North Kern State Prison on December 27, Masterson—sentenced to 30 years to life for two rapes—was moved to the men-only maximum-security prison on Jan. 29. State corrections records have Masterson being able to seek parole in 2042.
