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

A star-studded Wearable Art Gala—a benefit celebrating the 5th anniversary of WACO Theater Center, and founded by co-artistic directors Tina Knowles-Lawson (Beyonce's mother) and Richard Lawson—took place Oct. 22 in Santa Monica, California, per The Hollywood Reporter. Every member of Destiny's Child attended the event, which Keke Palmer hosted. Other notable guests included Tyler Perry, Lupita Nyong'o, singers Chloe and Halle Bailey, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon, Marsai Martin, Lori Harvey, and Magic and Cookie Johnson. Honorees included Angela Bassett (Film & TV Icon Award) and Mark Bradford (Art Icon Award); Star Jones was the art auctioneer.

And at the event, Beyonce officially sold the first set of tickets for her 2023 "Renaissance Tour," according to Yahoo! News. A concert package valued at $20,000 was auctioned off during the gala. The package details included "2 First Class International United Airline Polaris tickets to select cities, with 3-Night hotel accommodations at a Marriott Property," "2 concert tickets" to Beyonce's 2023 tour and a guided backstage tour with Tina Knowles-Lawson.

Legendary nightlife staple and Billboard-charting dance artist Kevin Aviance has seen a resurgence this year in his public profile—thanks to Beyonce, The Advocate noted. As Beyonce sampled one of his songs on her most recent album, Renaissance: ACT I, Aviance's star was already steadily on the rise, booking DJ gigs across North America. The artist made his name with hits like "Din Da Da" and "Give It Up" in the late '90s and early 2000s, had a line of women's heels in his name for two seasons and was once named by Billboard as one of the most successful dance artists of all time. "I've never stopped working; I've been stopped," he said.

Henry Cavill posted to social media that he is "back as Superman" following his cameo in the post-credits scene of Black Adam, which opened to $140 million worldwide, Variety reported. Cavill said the image of him in the Superman suit included in the Instagram video and his Black Adam cameo "are just a very small taste of things to come," although he provided no further details.

In other Cavill-related news, he is exiting the fantasy series The Witcher after three seasons in the main role, with Liam Hemsworth set to take over as the character in the Netflix series, per The Hollywood Reporter. The third season is expected to debut in summer 2023, while the four-episode prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin—starring Sophia Brown, Michelle Yeoh and Laurence O'Fuarain—is set to launch Dec. 25 on Netflix. Cavill stars alongside Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes 2, debuting on Netflix on Nov. 4.

Shania Twain—a five-time Grammy-winning legend and the best-selling female artist in country music history—will release her new album, Queen of Me, on Feb. 3, 2023, according to a press release. Twain will also embark on a global 49-date Queen of Me Tour, produced by Live Nation; Kelsea Ballerini, Lindsay Ell, Hailey Whitters, Breland, Robyn Ottolini, Priscilla Block and Mickey Guyton will be joining her on select dates throughout the tour.

Gal Gadot said Wonder Woman 3 is going to be "worth the wait," Extra reported. At Veuve Clicquot's Solaire Culture exhibit—which features all women artists in celebration of brand pioneer Madame Clicquot's entrepreneurial spirit—Gadot said, "I can tell you that the story is incredible… just wait. It's gonna be worth the wait." Patty Jenkins will direct this Wonder Woman film as well.

The streaming service Dekkoo (geared toward gay men) will debut the series Adam in Fragments on Thursday, Nov. 17, according to a press release. The drama—produced by Dekkoo Films and The Arbor Company—follows Adam (Beau Swartz), a sex worker who has never had to worry about anyone but himself until he meets Lucy (Keiva Bradley). Adam's urge to guide the young and naive aspiring adult-film starlet and protect her from their terrifying handler, Felix (Francisco Antonio), triggers a series of events that sends violent ripples through the Los Angeles underground sex trade. The trailer is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHz11nAgTz0.

On Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, Jamie Lee Curtis is slated to receive the highest award the Santa Barbara International Film Festival hands out: the Maltin Modern Master Award, Deadline noted. The honor is named for film critic, author, and historian Leonard Maltin, who will be conducting the in-person conversation on stage at the Arlington Theatre with Curtis.

LGBTQ+ celebrities and allies posted their thoughts about actor/comedian Leslie Jordan in the wake of his fatal car crash, Out noted. Will & Grace co-star Sean Hayes wrote, "My heart is broken. Leslie Jordan was one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with. Everyone who ever met him, loved him." Lynda Carter (the original Wonder Woman) posted, "Leslie Jordan put a smile on the faces of so many, especially with his pandemic videos. What a feat to keep us all laughing and connected in such difficult times... It feels so cruel that this could happen to such a beautiful soul." George Takei tweeted, "Leslie, we are heartbroken at your loss and will miss your mirth and your inimitable spirit."

Also regarding Leslie Jordan, he was reportedly experiencing shortness of breath for the past few weeks and had an upcoming appointment with a cardiologist, according to Extra. The actor was thought to be healthy otherwise, aside from a bout with COVID last year. Law enforcement sources told TMZ they believe Jordan had a heart attack before the accident.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras' hit song "Unholy" reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Out noted. As reported by Billboard, Smith and Petras are "the first publicly non-binary and transgender soloists, respectively, to top the Hot 100." On Instagram, Smith posted, "I can't believe it. Number 1 in America. I am honestly speechless, overwhelmed, [nauseous], and extremely happy. This song is so special to me for so many reasons and I am just so proud of everyone involved for their bravery and guts and spirit. I am so [honored] to get to work with such incredibly talented musicians and humans. And Kim … what magic you are."

Netflix renewed Wanda Sykes' scripted comedy The Upshaws for a third season, Variety confirmed. Regina Hicks created and runs The Upshaws with Sykes, who also stars opposite Mike Epps and Kim Fields. The show, which premiered its second season in June, will return in early 2023 with new episodes; it centers on a working-class African American family in Indiana.

"I had double knee surgery last year. I had knee surgery in August, and then I had another knee surgery in November," OWN mogul Oprah Winfrey said in a recent "The Life You Want" Class on gratitude, Prevention noted. She added, "As I was rehabilitating, I started hiking. Every day, I tried to hike more and do more. My appreciation for every organ and every limb has expanded exponentially." One class attendee wrote that she was grateful for every organ and every limb, prompting Winfrey's revelation.

Responding to criticism, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story creator Ryan Murphy said he and his team reached out to 20 victims' families and friends during the three and a half years it took to research and prepare for the Netflix series about the serial killer, The Hollywood Reporter revealed. "It's something that we researched for a very long time," Murphy said at an event for the show at the DGA Theatre in Los Angeles. Niecy Nash—who plays Glenda Cleveland, Dahmer's neighbor who on many occasions tried to alert police about Dahmer's murders but was always ignored—questioned why no memorial had been set up for the victims. Murphy replied that he'd be happy to pay for a memorial.

The controversy over the Netflix series The Crown continues, Deadline noted. The Crown's Jonathan Pryce—who portrays Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in the show's upcoming fifth season—said he's "bitterly disappointed" by those he termed "my fellow artistes," for publicly criticizing the drama and demanding it carry a disclaimer. Pryce, an Oscar nominee, was referring to comments made by Judi Dench in The Times where she called the series "cruelly unjust to the individuals and damaging to the institution they represent." In a view shared by cast colleagues Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville, Pryce noted that the public outbursts attacking The Crown "came about because of an enhanced sensitivity because of the passing of the Queen."

Julia Roberts revealed that Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, paid the hospital bill for her birth when her parents couldn't afford it, according to Page Six. While in conversation with Gayle King, the Pretty Woman star explained that her parents befriended the Kings while living in Atlanta and running a theater school. It previously has been reported that a Ku Klux Klan member blew up a car outside one of Betty and Walter Roberts' plays in response to King Jr's daughter Yolanda being cast in a role where she had to kiss a white actor.

Rihanna dropped her first single in six years with "Lift Me Up"—the first track to emerge from Marvel's blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Variety noted. The song, a tribute to the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman, was written by Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems, Rihanna, film composer Ludwig Goransson and director Ryan Coogler; it is one of two songs from the film, which premieres in theaters on Nov. 11.

In the recent reunion specials for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' 12th season, Erika Jayne called out Housewife Kathy Hilton for allegedly using an anti-gay slur while they were dancing at a club, Out noted. "I see Kathy coming from the dance floor, very upset," Jayne said during the reunion. "I say, 'Kathy, what's wrong?' She says, 'The DJ's an old f*cking f*g,' and walked off." Hilton immediately denied the accusations, saying she was "frustrated" that the DJ was "too busy" to accept song requests, but that she didn't use that language, and never would have.

ABC and dick clark productions announced that award-winning actor, producer and musician Wayne Brady will host the 2022 American Music Awards (AMAs) live from L.A.'s Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 20, and to stream the next day on Hulu, per a press release. It will be Brady's first time hosting the world's largest fan-voted awards show. Tickets are now on sale now at www.axs.com .

Country-music icon/actress Reba McEntire recently performed in Nashville as part of her "Reba: Live In Concert" tour, presented by Live Nation—but received an honor before the show, according to a press release. Earlier in the night, McEntire was honored for more than 58 million albums sold worldwide. Universal Music Group Nashville President Cindy Mabe and Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan presented the singer with a plaque to commemorate the accomplishment. McEntire also portrays Sunny Barnes in the ABC drama Big Sky: Deadly Trails.

Katy Perry is giving music fans 14 more chances to see her in Las Vegas with the announcement of new 2023 show dates to her Las Vegas residency "Katy Perry: PLAY," at Resorts World Theatre, per a press release. Tickets for the new shows—scheduled Feb. 15-25 and March 3-April 15 will go on sale to the public beginning Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.

The nominations for the 2022 Gotham Awards have been revealed, The Hollywood Reporter noted. Tar leads the film nominees with five nods, followed by Aftersun, which scored four nominations. Meanwhile, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Inspection and Women Talking each scored three nods. The nominations were announced live at Cipriani Wall Street, where the awards ceremony itself will take place next month, by trans actress Angelica Ross (TV shows Pose and American Horror Story).

As a part of DC's continuous fluctuations, it was announced that HBO Max's Green Lantern series will switch gears and no longer be about the Emerald Gladiators Alan Scott and Guy Gardner, and will instead be about John Stewart, one of DC's first Black superheroes, Out noted, citing The Hollywood Reporter. Previously, the series, headed by Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon), was to focus on a large group of Lanterns, including Gardner and Scott, the latter who is gay. Finn Wittrock had been cast as Gardner and Jeremy Irvine had been cast as Scott.

Country star Sam Williams —the son of music legend Hank Williams Jr.—wasn't exactly in the closet before the premiere of his new music video for "Tilted Crown," which finds him kissing another man (his real-life boyfriend) on camera for the first time, Queerty noted. Directors Alexa and Stephen Kinigopoulos brought up the idea of including a same-sex kiss and, after some deliberation, Sam agreed it was an important part of his story to tell. "I felt like I was promoting invisibility, like I wasn't being visible and wasn't being myself. And I just thought it was the perfect opportunity to just show who I was," he said on Apple Music's Proud Radio.

Brockhampton announced the release of a new album, The Family, which will arrive on Thursday, Nov. 17, per a press release. The announcement came with two visual trailers from the band alongside the launch of a digital and three limited edition box set pre-orders. The Family was teased at the end of their Coachella set earlier this year.

Rosie O'Donnell and girlfriend Aimee Hauer have reportedly split, Extra noted. Last month, O'Donnell opened up on their relationship, telling Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, "I watched… her TikToks, and every time I saw her, I would smile and [be] like, 'This woman is, like, perfect. Look at her, she's so happy and enthusiastic and beautiful and bright and she has a light coming from her.'" In July, the pair appeared for their first red-carpet appearance at the Stand Up for Friendly House comedy benefit at L.A.'s Fonda Theatre.

Legendary NFL player Tom Brady and Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen are going their separate ways after 13 years of marriage, NPR noted. They posted statements on Instagram, each saying they had "amicably" reached the decision. The divorce landed in the midst of Brady's 23rd NFL season, and just months after the seven-time Super Bowl champion put an end to his short-lived retirement.

Musician Danny Elfman unveiled a new video for Boy Harsher's remix of "Happy," the latest visual to accompany his recent remix album Bigger. Messier, a press release noted. The release stated that the video is "complete with unsettlingly saccharine smiles, laughter and cheerleading choreography that feel like a warped VHS tape unearthed from the deepest depths of the 1980s." The release preceded his Oct. 28-29 concerts at The Hollywood Bowl that featured Harsher as a special guest. The show was entitled "Danny Elfman: From Boingo to Batman to Big Mess and Beyond!"

Andy Cohen apologized to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) star Garcelle Beauvais after the Bravo host received backlash from viewers, Deadline noted. During the second part of the RHOBH reunion last week, Lisa Rinna admitted she was the one that threw Beauvais' autobiographical book in the trash and not Erika Jayne, who had shared the moment on Instagram. While talking about the situation at the reunion, Cohen sidestepped Beauvais' feelings about the memoir in the trash and instead made light of it by asking Rinna about her recycling habits.

Produced by Daddy TV and streaming on OUTtv, the LGBTQ+ reality show X-Rated: NYC has now been renewed for two more seasons, according to an Out item that cited a brief from C21Media. The franchise is also being expanded with a brand-new spinoff, X-Rated: LA. The new, LA-based show will follow the same format as the original NYC series.

MRC said it was not moving forward with its recently completed documentary about Kanye West, with the news coming amid growing criticism of the rapper/entrepreneur's recent anti-Semitic statements, Deadline noted. The latest move comes as more in Hollywood have been calling for companies to sever ties with West, who has been increasingly vocal about his views toward Jewish people. Also, powerful agency CAA has dropped West and Adidas eventually dropped its partnership with him as well.