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

Madonna responded after Pepsi recently re-released her once-controversial commercial more than 34 years after it was pulled from the airwaves, according to HuffPost. A 52-second, edited version of the 1989 ad ran during the MTV Video Music Awards as part of Pepsi's star-studded 125th-anniversary campaign; in the video, Madonna joins dancers as her then-new single "Like a Prayer" is played. After thanking Pepsi for "finally realizing the genius of our collaboration," Madonna ended her note on Instagram with a James Baldwin quote: "Artists are here to disturb the peace." The ad was initially yanked because the official "Like a Prayer" music video showed Madonna kissing a Black saint and dancing in a field of burning crosses, prompting religious groups and the Vatican to protest.

LGBTQ+ actress Miriam Margolyes has become the latest big name to join the cast of the longtime British series Doctor Who, per Deadline. Margolyes, a British-Australian acting veteran, will voice Meep, the iconic creature adapted from The Star Beast comic strip. Margolyes, who played Professor Sprout in Harry Potter, will be on three special episodes at the end of this year, which will see David Tennant take on the role of the 14th Doctor to coincide with the show's 60th anniversary.

And also regarding Margoyles, actor/comedian Steve Martin responded to allegations from her in the new memoir Oh Miriam: Stories From An Extraordinary Life, per Deadline. At one point in the book, she talked about working with Martin on the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors, calling him "undeniably brilliant, but horrid to me." In a statement, Martin said, "My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors. But when it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts [during a scene in which Martin's character slams a door in the face of Margolyes' character and punches her], I have to object. I remember taking EXTREME caution regarding the fake punch—the same caution I would use with any similar scene."

In a series of social-media posts, trans actress Angelica Ross (Pose; American Horror Story) revealed that while under contract with FX, she was strung along by creator Ryan Murphy about a story involving Black women heading a horror season before being completely ghosted, according to Out. Ross had been listening to the audiobook of Zakiya Dalila Harris' The Other Black Girl—about racism in the corporate world—and was inspired to share her own story. At this time, Ross was under a "first position" contract with FX and "Horror Story"—meaning she had to turn down offers from Marvel Studios at the time.

And Angelica Ross also discussed actress/Ryan Murphy muse Emma Roberts, per AV Club. Ross said Roberts "irritated... almost every actor" on the American Horror Story: 1984 set. "Folks seemed like they wanted to fight her all the time because she was playing psychological games on set," Ross shared on Instagram live (archived on Twitter/X). "Like, she was playing mind games with people." Also, Ross alleged that Roberts was transphobic toward her, yelled at directors and tried to compare salaries with her co-stars.

A screening of the upcoming Prime Video movie Cassandro took place at NYC's Metrograph, per a press release. (Star Gael Garcia Bernal and other actors were not present, presumably because of the actors' strike, although real-life inspiration Saul Armendariz and director Roger Ross Williams did attend.) In the film, Armendariz (played by Bernal), a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso, rises to international stardom after he creates the character Cassandro, the "Liberace of Lucha Libre." The movie, which has garnered Oscar buzz, is already in select theaters and will stream on Prime Video starting Friday, Sept. 22.

In a recent Vanity Fair interview, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny talked about being accused of "queerbaiting," according to the outlet them. "I get an endless number of negative comments and sexist and homophobic ones, without being homosexual, for dressing like that," he said. "Maybe the queer person suffers more, but it is not like I put on a skirt and go out and they say, 'Look how cool.' They're going to attack me either way." In the new film Cassandro (about a gay Mexican wrestler), the rapper plays Felipe, a drug dealer who kisses Gael Garcia Bernal's title character.

Almond Restaurant Group co-owner Eric Lemonides wed his longtime partner, top Compass agent Lee Felty, at Sagaponack's Foster Farm—and hundreds of people attended, including Joy Behar, Don Lemon, B-52s singer Fred Schneider Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner, per Page Six. There were also a flash mob ceremony with aspiring Broadway actors, officiated by journalist Linette Lopez; a 15-minute drone show seen throughout Sagaponack; and pop musician Debbie Gibson singing "Lost in Your Eyes" for the couple's first dance—and then reportedly singing a 12-minute ABBA medley.

Captain Sandy Yawn—the yacht captain showcased in Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean—confirmed her engagement to gospel singer Leah Shafer, The Advocate noted. In an exclusive talk with E! News, Yawn revealed, "I have been thinking about marrying Leah for years." She described the recent proposal as a fairytale brought to life in a secluded cove, complete with flowers and violinists.

And on the flip side, singer Darren Hayes (best known for being half of Savage Garden) officially ended his marriage to ex-husband Richard Cullen, per Out. Hayes and Cullen originally announced their separation in May, and have officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Hayes and Cullen, a director/screenwriter, married in 2005, and then again in 2013 after it was legalized in the United States.

Singer Maren Morris said she is leaving country music due to the effects the "Trump years" have had on the music genre, according to The Hill, citing the L.A. Times. "After the Trump years, people's biases were on full display," she told the Times. "It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic." Referencing Jason Aldean's hit song "Try That in a Small Town," which was a hit with conservatives, Morris said, "People are streaming these songs out of spite."

Queer former Olympic diver Greg Louganis auctioned three of his five Olympic medals on Sept. 14 in an effort to fund the Damien Center—Indiana's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS services center, per Outsports. "The medals, they're in the history books," Louganis said before the event. "Instead of holding on to them, I'm aiming to share my piece of Olympic history with collectors; together, we can help the Damien Center and its community to grow and thrive." Louganis hopes to name two areas of the Damien Center for two people dear to him—his mother, Frances Louganis; and Ryan White, the teenager who died of AIDS in the 1990 and brought attention to the cause.

Out gay British actor Stephen Fry said that an AI ripoff of his voice narrating a historical documentary is only the beginning, per Deadline. Speaking at the CogX Festival in London, Fry played a clip of an AI system mimicking his voice to narrate the film. "I said not one word of that—it was a machine. Yes, it shocked me," Fry said. "They used my reading of the seven volumes of the Harry Potter books, and from that dataset an AI of my voice was created and it made that new narration." He added that the current actors' and writers' strikes are attempts to address that potential problem for actors.

Actor and LGBTQ+ ally LeVar Burton—and more than 175 other artists and authors—signed an open letter encouraging people to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ book bans that are sweeping the nation, LGBTQ Nation noted. The letter begins with the artists stating that they're "horrified by the threat of censorship in the form of book bans." The letter was also signed by directors Guillermo del Toro and Rob Reiner, science educator Bill Nye, singer Ariana Grande, parent Gabrielle Union, queer activist ALOK, trans athlete Chris Mosier, actor John Leguizamo and others. The letter is at campaigns.moveon.org/banned-bookmobile/artists/ .

In Oregon, a showing of the nearly finished film Outliers and Outlaws took place at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, according to KLCC. In the film—about lesbians in the city of Eugene—nine women, now in their 70s and 80s, tell their stories. The movie's 10-minute trailer introduces viewers to why lesbians felt drawn to Eugene, how they succeeded in male-dominated careers, and became business owners and community leaders—all while enduring discrimination and harassment.

The Atlanta Pride Committee announced the entertainment lineup for this year's Pride festival on Oct. 14-15, The Georgia Voice noted. This year's headliners include Swedish pop duo Icona Pop, best known for their hit song "I Love It"; gay rapper Saucy Santana; and nonbinary Australian DJ G Flip. There will also be performers such as the Out Front Theatre Company, Angie K and DJ MikeQ, among others.

After a festival run that included the London Soho Horror Festival, Miami's OUTshine and Portland's Queer Screams Film Festival, The Latent Image, the indie British thriller by Alexander McGregor Birrell, is now out on DVD and VOD/streaming via Cinephobia Releasing, per a press release. The Latent Image is a cat-and-mouse thriller about a mysterious man who breaks into a a gay writer's secluded cabin. The trailer is at www.youtube.com/watch.

Multi-platinum-selling and eight-time Grammy-winning singer Carrie Underwood announced 18 new shows added in 2024 for her "Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency" at Resorts World Theatre, per a press release. Also, the American Idol alum's deluxe edition of her Denim & Rhinestones album will be out Sept. 22, featuring six new tracks including her current single, "Out of That Truck."

Cindy Crawford criticized Oprah Winfrey over their 1986 interview in which the TV host asked the supermodel, who was 20 at the time, to show off her body to the cameras, per The Independent. Crawford reflects on the interaction in the new Apple TV+ documentary The Super Models, which spotlights the careers of models Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Crawford, who rose to fame in the late '80s. Reflecting on the moment in the new documentary, Crawford said, "I was like the chattel or a child—be seen and not heard."

Katy Perry sold her music rights to Litmus Music—the Carlyle-backed company co-founded by former Capitol Records president Dan McCarroll—for $225 million, Variety noted. The deal includes Perry's stakes in master recordings and publishing rights for the five albums she released between 2008 and 2020: One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, Prism, Witness and Smile. After years as a major superstar during the 2010s, Perry has slowed her career, focusing on residencies in Las Vegas, philanthropy work, judging American Idol and raising a family with her partner Orlando Bloom.

Grammy-winning international trans pop singer/songwriter Kim Petras unexpectedly released her album Problematique as a surprise for her fans via Republic Records/ Amigo Records, per a press release. Previously shelved after being partially leaked, the album has "10 tracks of euphoric escapist pop inspired by French house music and Parisian soundscapes," the release added.

Gus Kenworthy opened up to Attitude about his struggles with body dysmorphia, which causes persistent, intense shame and hatred over perceived body defects, Out noted. "I don't think I have the perfect body," Kenworthy said. "I have absolute body dysmorphia, the same way that every gay person does." He did, however, add that he is happy being viewed as a sex symbol—even if he's not always feeling himself.

Comcast-owned Sky released the first trailer for House of Kardashian—its upcoming documentary series about the Kardashian-Jenner clan, Variety noted. The three-part docuseries promises to delve into the lives and legacies of Kris Jenner and her brood by speaking to some of the people closest to them—including Jenner's ex-spouse Caitlyn Jenner and longtime family friend Joe Francis (of Girls Gone Wild fame). Unlike their shows Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians, none of the family had any editorial control over the documentary.

Amid backlash, Drew Barrymore has postponed her talk show, per Deadline. "I have listened to everyone, and I am making the decision to pause the show's premiere until the strike is over," Barrymore announced on Instagram. Previously, Barrymore had posted an emotional apology to WGA members regarding her decision to return to her daytime talk show amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes—but later removed the video. Also, CBS reversed its plan to premiere The Talk on Sept. 18, and The Jennifer Hudson Show has pushed back its start date as well.

*NSYNC released its first new song in more than two decades after announcing the release of "Better Place," which will be featured in the new Trolls movie Trolls Band Together, iHeart noted. The development happened after Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick reunited on the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards stage on Sept. 12.

Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-lee Furness are ending their marriage, People noted. The Australian couple said in a statement, "We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth." The couple—who share kids Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18—have been married for 27 years.

Most of the original cast members of the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer are returning for an Audible original story, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, set in the same world as the original show, per Variety. The new story will focus on Spike (James Marsters) as the protagonist and will debut Oct. 12. In addition to Marsters, returning cast members include Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Head, Juliet Landau, Emma Caulfield Ford, Amber Benson, James Charles Leary and Danny Strong. The scripted original picks up 10 years after the events of the 2003 finale.

Musician Jack Johnson's third live album, Songs for Maui—a benefit album to support those affected by the Maui fires—is out digitally, per a press release. Featuring Hawaii's Paula Fuga and John Cruz, Songs for Maui features 10 songs recorded live on location at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center's Castle Theater during Johnson's special 2012 Hawaiian Islands tour.

Apparently, Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski only invited one of his co-stars to his bachelor party, Queerty noted. On Andy Cohen's radio show, Queer Eye co-host Karamo Brown said, "Just Tan [France] was invited—the shade!" However, Brown added, "When it comes to events like that, family things, weddings, it costs money, so I don't take offense to it." Porowski announced his engagement to longtime partner Kevin Harrington last year.

In her new audiobook, But First, God, Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves opens up for the first time about how she found her faith in 2018 following the ouster of husband, Les Moonves, who was forced to step down as CBS chair after he was accused of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, Variety revealed. She also claims she was pressured into exiting The Talk, stating, "After my husband and I left our jobs, I was a ball of mixed emotions and at the top of the list I was angry, I was frustrated, I felt robbed, and I felt wronged. I felt like so many people that I loved and trusted or thought were friends… wow, they did me so dirty."

Action-film veterans Cam Gigandet and Kellan Lutz, who also co-starred in Twilight, are reuniting in the action crime-thriller Desert Dawn, Deadline noted. In the new movie, the newly appointed small-town sheriff (Lutz) and his begrudging deputy (Gigandet) get tangled in a web of lies and corruption involving shady businessmen and a cartel while investigating the murder of a mysterious woman.

Ashton Kutcher resigned from his post as board chair at Thorn, the anti-human trafficking organization that the actor/producer co-founded, per The Hollywood Reporter. In a letter, Kutcher cited his and partner Mila Kunis' character letter for convicted rapist and fellow That '70s Show star Danny Masterson.

And two weeks after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, Bijou Phillips has filed for divorce from Danny Masterson, Extra noted. Earlier this month, Phillips was by Masterson's side as he received his sentence after being found guilty on two of three forcible-rape charges. Despite the convictions, he maintains he did nothing wrong. Others, such as TMZ, have noted that the divorce might be a money-saving move; if Phillips gets 50 percent of the assets, then those are protected.

Creed III actor Jonathan Majors' trial on domestic-violence charges once again has been delayed and may not happen until late this year, Deadline noted. The Loki actor is looking at a year behind bars if found guilty on the misdemeanor charges of assault and harassment stemming from a March 25 incident with a now-former girlfriend.