COMPILED BY ANDREW DAVIS
Polyester is the next John Waters movie that will be released on DVD—and Blu-ray and the Baltimore-based filmmaker is hoping an updated version of his Odorama card will go along with it, according to The Washington Blade. "I want to add the 11th Odorama odor: Wig odor—glue and sweat," Waters told an audience in New York City at a Q&A recently. Filmed for $300,000 and released in 1981, the movie ( which starred Divine and Tab Hunter, among others ) was part of Waters' suburbia-based "Trash Trilogy," along with Hairspray and Cry Baby. Also, "John Waters: Indecent Exposure," billed as the "first major retrospective of Baltimore native John Waters' visual art,' opens Oct. 7 at the Baltimore Museum of Art and runs through Jan. 6, 2019.
King Cobra actor Garrett Clayton announced on Instagram Aug. 20 that he is gay, People.com noted. "I thought it was important to explain why I took on this project in the first place," he wrote. "[The upcoming movie] REACH deals with some very serious and timely topics that have affected me personally, and have likely influenced many of your lives as well." Clayton, 27, said he decided to take on the role because of the personal connections he and the "man I've been in a relationship with for a long time" have to the film, tagging actor Blake Knight.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews has been hit with a more than $1-million lawsuit by former social-media consultant and pal Darwin Hall, Deadline noted. Among other claims, the action alleges breach of contract, cyberbullying, harassment, and an implied and disputed discrimination move against a member of the LGBTQ community in a business dust-up over an app. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges Crews essentially freaked out in mid-2013 over Hall working for an LGBT-identifying client on what the plaintiff calls a "dating app that the client had created for professional women."
Katy Perry's legal team is asking a judge to keep the singer's testimony sealed in Kesha and Dr. Luke's ongoing legal battle, E! noted. the Grammy nominee's legal team argues that their client "has no stake in this case and while she cooperated and provided deposition testimony as part of discovery, her testimony appears, at most, tangential to the case." Perry's attorneys say the "Swish Swish" singer testified with the understanding that her remarks would not be made public.
Comedians Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher have announced on Twitter that they are separating, Vanity Fair reported. The couple, who married in 2015, have made careers out of sharing their personal lives. Together, they released a joint stand-up album, Back to Back, in 2017; a 2016 sitcom on the ill-fated network Seeso called Take My Wife; and the Put Your Hands Together podcast, which they record weekly in Los Angeles. Now, both are currently working on their own podcasts separate from each other—Esposito with Queery and Butcher with Three Swings.
Armie Hammer came to the defense of Broadway co-star Kate Bornstein ( who identifies as a non-binary femme-identified transgender person ) after a transphobic person in the audience reportedly booed and shouted, "You're not welcome here," during an Aug. 8 performance, The Huffington Post noted. Hammer and Bornstein are making their Broadway debuts in Straight White Men, which opened July 23 at New York's Helen Hayes Theatre. After a woman and her male companion heckled Bornstein, Hammer tweeted, "To the woman in our audience who felt it was appropriate to yell, 'You're not welcome here!' at Kate Bornstein, our beloved friend, co-worker, and now family member..... feel free never to come back." Co-star Josh Charles retweeted Hammer's comment, and quote-tweeted, "And also feel free to go fuck yourself lady."
Longtime LGBTQ ally Kelly Clarkson stood up to a homophobe on Twitter who criticized the Grammy winner for sending love to a just-married same-sex couple she helped to get engaged during a 2016 show, Advocate.com noted. The anti-LGBTQ tweeter praised Clarkson's music while calling being gay "a sin." However, Clarkson responded, "I almost didn't respond 2 this because hate doesn't deserve a spotlight but u know what, truth does, & the truth is that God is Love, & Love shared between two people should be praised not condemned in my personal opinion."
Gina Gershon will take on the role of Melania Trump in the upcoming Off-Broadway musical The 1st Annual Trump Family Special, TheWrap.com noted. Gershon—known for her roles in Showgirls, Bye Bye Birdie and Cabaret—performed an impression of the first lady on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January. The show will run on Thursday nights Sept. 13-Dec. 6 at the Triad Theater in New York.
In a new essay for Time, Champions actor Josie Totah has come out as transgender, NewNowNext.com noted. "I know I'm lucky to be able to do what I love," wote Totah, referring to working as an actor. "But I also feel like I let myself be shoved into a box: 'J.J. Totah, gay boy.' My pronouns are she, her and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah.""
LSD—the new supergroup featuring U.K. singer Labrinth, Sia and Diplo—have released the new song "Thunderclouds," RollingStone.com noted. The chorus is, "Our house is burning/When you're raising hell/Here in the ashes your soul cries out/But don't be afraid of these thunderclouds." The song follows previously released LSD singles "Genius" and "Audio." The group is reportedly prepping its debut studio album, which will arrive later this year.
Paris Jackson apologized to fans after an op-ed called her Harper's Bazaar Singapore cover photo hypocritical and "absurd," USA Today noted. The column, published Friday by the entertainment editor of Gay Star News, questioned the 20-year-old actress and model's role in LGBT advocacy ( she is attracted to both men and women ) after appearing on a magazine cover in a country where same-sex marriage is illegal. "i didn't know, i am sorry," Jackson tweeted Sunday. "i was grateful for the opportunity, but i'll delete the post [promoting the cover] now."
"Say Anything" singer Max Bemis has come out to fans in an emotional open letter, according to NewNowNext.com . In a nine-page letter addressed to his fans, Bemis discusses the future of the band in light of the band's upcoming album, Oliver Appropriate. But Bemis candidly talks about his own experiences with mental health and his own sexuality—which he describes as "bi-ish or queer or a straight guy who can also like boys."
Many of the late artist Prince's albums from the years 1995-2010 have dropped in full across digital-music platforms, Billboard.com noted. The 23 albums now available ( not counting Anthology ) represent a first wave of digital catalog releases, including rare and out-of-print recordings, that include The Gold Experience ( from 1995 ), Emancipation ( 1996 ), The Rainbow Children ( 2001 ), Musicology ( 2004 ), Planet Earth ( 2007 ), 20Ten ( 2010 ) and more. Other titles from 1978-2015 will be reissued over the years.
Upon leaving Cedars-Sinai hospital, pop star Demi Lovato immediately entered rehab for addiction treatment and now, according to E! News, "She will be in rehab for several months and is doing an extensive program to ensure she gets the help she needs." Lovato is currently in Chicago, where she is undergoing treatment with a therapist who focuses on sobriety, mental health and wellness. In accordance with her rehab, Lovato has cancelled the remaining tour dates in her Tell Me You Love Me tour, and has minimized social contact.
Investigation Discovery ( ID ) announced the world premiere of the new series Twisted Sister, with one of this country's most well-known sisters, Khloe Kardashian, at the helm, a press release noted. The series takes viewers inside the most shocking crimes ever committed by the unlikeliest of pairs; sometimes these sisters work together to commit a crime, but often the duo can turn against one another. The six-part series ( produced by 44 Blue Productions and Khlomoney Entertainment, and executive-produced by Kardashian and Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch ) will premiere Monday, Sept. 3; following this special world premiere, the series will air every Monday.
Bruno Mars announced that Ciara, Boyz II Men, Charlie Wilson and Ella Mai will serve as openers during the final leg of his 24K Magic tour, Page Six noted. Cardi B was originally scheduled to support Mars throughout the trek, but she pulled out to spend more time with her new daughter, Kulture. The tour will kick off Sept. 7-8 in Denver, and will end with a three-night stand in Honolulu on Nov. 8, 10 and 11. ( Those last shows will feature the Green and Common Kings. )
Asia Argento—the actress-director who emerged last fall as one of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein's first accusers—paid $380,000 to a young actor who accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was just 17, according to TheWrap, citing The New York Times. Argento arranged to pay the settlement last November to Jimmy Bennett, an actor-musician now in his 20s who played Argento's son in the 2004 film The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. X Factor Italy said it will end its collaboration with Argento if the rumors prove to be true.
Kevin Spacey's latest film, Billionaire Boys Club, has earned the lowest box-office opening of the year, making just $287 from 10 screens in its first two days in theaters ( and $618 on its opening weekend ), TheWrap noted. If the current national ticket price average of $9.27 is used, that means that no more than 31 people bought tickets to see the crime drama. Filmed in 2015 and released with no publicity following a VOD release last month, Billionaire Boys Clu" was one of Spacey's final projects before he was hit with more than two dozen sexual-misconduct accusations.
Republicans are condemning a poster by Pearl Jam that shows the White House in flames and a bald eagle pecking at a skeleton they say is meant to depict President Donald Trump. However, Pearl Jam's bassist, Jeff Ament, is unapologetic, saying in a statement he was the "sole conceptualist" for the poster. He said the role of an artist is to make people think and feel, and the current administration has people thinking and feeling.
Chris Pratt spoke about the firing of James Gunn in a new interivew—and these are his first statements since he came together with the Guardians of the Galaxy cast to write an open letter supporting the director, JustJared.com noted. "It's not an easy time," Pratt said. "We all love James and he's a good friend of ours, but we also really love playing the Guardians of the Galaxy. It's a complicated situation for everybody." Gunn was fired last month after offensive tweets resurfaced from his past. Among the tweets that forced Disney and Marvel's hand were: "I like when little boys touch me in my silly place," Deadline reported.
Gold medalist Simone Biles won the USA Gymnastics National Championships while sending a powerful message to sexual assault survivors, Inside Edition noted. Biles, 21, competed Aug. 19, wearing a leotard that was pale teal—the same color as the ribbon that represents sexual-assault awareness and prevention. Biles is among more than 150 girls and young women who said they were sexually assaulted by former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar; he's serving life in prison
The Hills cast reunited at the MTV Video Music Awards ( VMAs ) to announce a reboot of the iconic reality show coming in 2019, TheWrap.com reported. Cast members of the original series—including Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and Audrina Patridge—appeared at the awards show to announce The Hills: New Beginnings, which will reunite original cast members, alongside their children and friends, and follow their personal and professional lives in Los Angeles.
Speaking of the VMAs, VH1 star Bobby Lytes wore a jacket with the message "Make America Gay Again" at the MTV Video Music Awards, TheHill.com noted. Lytes, who is in the series Love & Hip Hop: Miami, is the first openly gay cast member to appear in a show from VH1, according to Variety. Also, rapper Logic wore a T-shirt that said, "F—k the Wall," while giving a performance for his song, "One Day."
E! has opted not to renew its first and only remaining original scripted series, The Royals, for a fifth season, Deadline noted. However, the series' leading producing studio, Lionsgate TV, has been shopping the soapy drama starring Elizabeth Hurley and has been in talks with sister cable network Pop, a co-venture between Lionsgate and CBS, for a possible fifth-season pickup.
However, E! is bringing on a new show. According to a press release, it will debut the late-night talk show Busy Tonight, hosted and executive-produced by actress Busy Philipps, on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The half-hour talk show, airing every Sunday through Wednesday, will feature Philipps giving her opinions on the latest pop-culture stories and trending topics, and there will be celebrity guest interviews and original comedic segments.
Lena Dunham posted two nude selfies to celebrate the nine-month anniversary of her hysterectomy, TheWrap.com noted. "I've never celebrated the 9 month anniversary of anything and I realized last night why that number feels so funny- I won't ever do it the way I planned to," she posted on Instagram.
Allison Mack—the former Smallville star who's facing sex trafficking charges over her connection to the alleged sex cult Nxivm—would like some leniency, according to RollingStone.com . The actress has asked the judge overseeing the case to lighten the terms of the GPS-monitored house arrest she got when she posted $5 million bail this past spring.
