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

The University of Virginia put out a video featuring Tina Fey asking its students to not be so homophobic at football games, LGBTQ Nation reported. At issue is the school's fight song, "The Good Old Song," which was written in the late 1800s; in the 1970s, "not gay" was substituted for "gay" in the line "We come from old Virginia where all is bright and gay." LGBTQ students have been fighting against the "not gay" lyrics for at least a decade.

Lee Daniels is set to go into production next month in Montreal on The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a project he will direct and produce about the legendary jazz singer, Deadline noted. The pic follows Holiday ( played by multi Grammy and NAACP nominee singer-songwriter Andra Day ) during her career as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she had a tumultuous affair. The pic will intimately examine Holiday's struggles with addiction, fame and heartbreaking love.

Actress Megan Fox gives simple advice to her eldest son, Noah, who sometimes likes to wear dresses to school: "Be confident," HuffPost noted. "Sometimes, he'll dress himself and he likes to wear dresses sometimes," Fox—who shares three boys with fellow actor Brian Austin Green—said during an interview on The Talk. She added that even though she sends Noah to a "really liberal, hippy school," in California, he sometimes "still has little boys going, 'Boys don't wear dresses,' or 'Boys don't wear pink.'"

The American Film Institute's board of trustees said that Julie Andrews will receive the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award next year, Deadline reported. The award will be presented April 25, 2020, at a gala in Los Angeles. Andrews won the Best Actress Oscar for Mary Poppins in her feature film debut; she later was nominated for The Sound of Music and Victor Victoria. She has Tony nominations for My Fair Lady, Camelot and the stage version of Victor/Victoria. She has also won five Golden Globes, three Grammys and two Emmys.

Queer Eye co-host Jonathan Van Ness says he's been "showered with grace" since he opened up about HIV-positive diagnosis, Page Six revealed. He thanked fans and loved ones for their support Sept. 21 after discussing his diagnosis in an interview about his upcoming memoir, Over the Top. The 32-year-old hairdresser revealed that he was 25 when he fainted at a salon while working on a client's hair. He went to a Planned Parenthood health center the next day and learned that he was HIV-positive.

Also, Jonathan Van Ness debuted a new video encouraging people to take charge of their sexual health by getting tested for sexually transmitted infections ( STIs ) and highlighting the need to protect people's access to STI testing and treatment through Title X, a Planned Parenthood press release noted. Planned Parenthood Federation of America Acting President/CEO Alexis McGill Johnson said, in part, "We're grateful to Jonathan for lifting up the critical importance of STI testing and treatment, especially now, as the Trump administration's attack on Title X puts access to basic preventive health care at risk for millions of people."

Daniel Levy—the showrunner, creator and star of the Emmy-nominated comedy series Schitt's Creek—has signed a three-year overall deal with ABC Studios, a part of Disney Television Studios, Deadline noted. The sixth and final season of Schitt's Creek will premiere Jan. 7 on Pop TV in the United States and on CBC in Canada. Also, Levy ( who's openly gay ) will be honored by GLAAD with the Davidson/Valentini Award at the 2019 GLAAD Gala in San Francisco on Sept. 28.

Gay icon and Olympic skating champion John Curry ( 1949-94 ) is profiled in the documentary The Ice King, which will be out on DVD/digital ( $24.95 ) on Oct. 8, a press release noted. Bonus features include "On the Beautiful Blue Danube: Creating the Music of The Ice King;" and a Q&A with director James Erskine.

Oscar-winning music producer Mark Ronson confirmed that he identifies as sapiosexual ( attracted to intelligence rather than gender ), Out.com noted. Ronson, who recently divorced French actress Joséphine de La Baume, got involved in a debate about the term backstage and let Good Morning Britain producers know he also identified as sapiosexual, which the hosts asked him about during his interview.

Hours after news broke that Kaitlynn Carter and Miley Cyrus decided to return to being just friends, Carter left a message for Cyrus on her Instagram account, Page Six noted. The "Wrecking Ball" singer shared several photos from her iHeartRadio Music Festival performance in Las Vegas that showed her wearing a leather ensemble while belting our her tunes. Carter commented, "GET IT!!!!!" Carter and Cyrus hooked up in Italy just hours before the singer announced her separation from husband Liam Hemsworth—and just weeks after Carter and Brody Jenner ended their own relationship.

The witchy 1996 cult favorite The Craft is getting a remake, and transgender Latinx actress Zoey Luna will be one of the four young women in the film's coven, alongside Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone and Cailee Spaeny, LGBTQ Nation noted. The 1996 film followed four misfits who begin dabbling in witchcraft to improve their looks, love lives and social standing at their Los Angeles parochial high school. Their magical connection starts to unravels when certain members begin using their powers for vengeance—leaving the others to reap the dark magic's consequences.

TLC, Heather Small, Kristine W, disco singer Maxine Nightingale and BETTY top the lineup of the 2019 Palm Springs Pride Festival, a press release noted. The festival will take place Nov. 1-3 in downtown Palm Springs. Other acts appearing during the 33rd annual Pride Festival will be New York City queer femme pop music duo Sateen, along with dance diva Pepper MaShay, Ava Vox, Ayline Artin, Torrey Mercer, Los Angeles-based comedian Jessica Inserra and London based Lucy Whittaker.

Taylor Swift has indeed announced her concert lineup for next year—but it only includes four U.S. dates and two cities, Variety noted. She'll perform July 25-26 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, as the first attraction of any kind at the new NFL stadium where the Rams and Chargers will thereafter play. The following weekend, July 31-Aug. 1, Swift's show will be in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Swift simultaneously announced eight other international shows.

NBC has put into development Like Son, Like Father, a half-hour comedy from writer Nick Lehmann ( I'm Not Crazy, Forever ), Forever creator Matt Hubbard and Universal TV, Deadline noted. The show centers on Nick, an out and proud gay man who finds himself in the unenviable position of assuming the role of his newly outed father's gay mentor and new roommate.

RuPaul's Drag Race made history at this year's Primetime Emmys by garnering 14 nominations—the most for any TV series in VH1's history, Deadline reported. On top of that, season 11 contestant Nina West made history, becoming the first person to walk the purple carpet in full drag. West finished sixth on the most recent season of Drag Race, which was won by Yvie Oddly; however, West was named Miss Congeniality. Also, RuPaul Charles picked up his fourth consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program to tie Survivor's Jeff Probst for most wins in the category.

Ramping up for the Sept. 27 release of Hey, I'm Just Like You ( Sire ), Tegan and Sara shared a new song, a press release noted. "Don't Believe The Things They Tell You ( They Lie )" examines the layers of deceit that cloud even the closest of relationships. Additionally, their first memoir, High School will be published Sept. 24 by MCD X FSG ( USA ) in hardcover, ebook and audiobook.

Twenty-two years after releasing his first Christmas-themed set, out Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz is releasing a new holiday album, Gifts of the Season, a press release noted. The 11-track collection will be released on Friday, Oct. 11, via Just Koz Entertainment, Inc. Gifts of the Season is the ideal companion piece for the 22nd Annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour—22 shows in 25 days—with Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington and special guest Chris Walker.

GLAAD responded to the recent Bachelor in Paradise episode in which contestants Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty became the first same sex couple to become engaged in franchise history. In a statement, President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, "Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty have shown audiences that LGBTQ couples go through many of the same romantic joys, trials, and tribulations on the road to finding love. Seeing two women get engaged on Bachelor in Paradise is a groundbreaking step forward towards including LGBTQ couples across reality television. Reality TV is finally moving [toward] storylines that LGBTQ audiences and allies have been craving for quite some time."

A&M/UMe and Janet Jackson announced the release of Rhythm Nation 1814: The Remixes, available across digital platforms. The digital-only reissues of these nine historic remix mini-albums ( containing 90 tracks total ) honor the 30th anniversary of one of Jackson's most successful albums: Rhythm Nation 1814. Three non-LP tracks that were previously available on rare single releases only are also included with Rhythm Nation 1814: The Remixes: "The Skin Game," "You Need Me" and "The 1814 Megamix."

Tom Hanks will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 5, 2020, Page Six noted. The actor has won praise for a string of characters in movies including Saving Private Ryan, the Toy Story films and the Golden Globe-winning Cast Away, for which he lost 55 pounds to play a man stranded on a desert island. Past recipients of the award include Jeff Bridges, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Barbra Streisand, Sidney Poitier and Lucille Ball.

Warner Bros.' The Joker will not be playing at the Cinemark Aurora theater where the 2012 Dark Knight Rises mass shooting took place, killing 12 and wounding 70, Deadline reported. This is a decision that was mutually made by both the studio and Cinemark which owned the Century 16, now known as the Century Aurora and XD. The Joker's story of a disturbed man who gets possession of a gun and uses it has some awful echoes for five people of the 300-plus Aurora, Colorado victim base.

A massage therapist who filed claims against Kevin Spacey in September 2018 has died, Vulture reported. The suit alleged that Spacey had sexually assaulted the plaintiff, who remained anonymous, by forcing him to grab Spacey's genitals twice during a private massage at the actor's Malibu home. Spacey had requested the case be dismissed due to the victim's shielded identity, but a federal judged moved it forward in May. Allegations against Spacey first surfaced in October 2017, at the outset of the #MeToo movement.

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter took out a restraining order against his brother Aaron Carter, claiming his younger sibling threatened to kill Nick's pregnant wife Lauren Kitt, Newsweek noted. Nick shared a statement on Twitter in which he said he and sister Angel "regret that we were required to seek a restraining order against our brother Aaron today." Aaron responded by posting "my brother just got a a restraining order against me. And I was just served lol.Take care. @nickcarter we're done for life."

GLOW, Netflix's female wrestling dramedy, is returning for a fourth and final season, Deadline noted. The series—which stars Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin and Marc Maron—is set to end after the next season. This is in line with a number of Netflix originals that end after three or four seasons. GLOW—which has earned 15 Emmy nominations and three wins during its run—tells the fictional story of Ruth Wilder ( Brie ): an out-of-work, struggling actress in 1980s Los Angeles who finds one last chance for stardom when she's thrust into the glitter and spandex world of women's wrestling.

Tamar Braxton reignited a three-year feud with her former The Real co-hosts when she went on The Wendy Williams Show and dismissed her ex-coworkers as "catty," Page Six noted. Williams also couldn't resist throwing some shade at The Real, calling the rival show "cute" before declaring the show was not as good without Braxton's help. The Real host Loni Love shot back just hours later, pointing out that their "cute" program won a Daytime Emmy in 2018—something The Wendy Williams Show has yet to accomplish.

Actress, director, producer and activist Eva Longoria will be the keynote speaker for WrapWomen's 2019 Power Women Summit, held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica on Oct. 24-25, TheWrap noted. Longoria will address diverse and female representation in Hollywood, aligning with the theme of the summit, "Toward 50/50." Long known as an actress, Longoria has shifted into a new role behind the camera, focusing on projects that accurately represent Latinx and other underrepresented communities.

Marilyn Manson is joining American Gods for the Starz series' third season, Deadline noted. The Sons of Anarchy alum will play bloodthirsty Johan Wengren, lead singer of the Viking death metal band Blood Death. Wengren and Blood Death are also a source of power for the Ian McShane-portrayed Mr. Wednesday in his war with the New Gods.

Jeff Lewis and ex-partner Gage Edward are looking for a new preschool for their daughter, Monroe Christine—after she was allegedly expelled because of comments Lewis said in public, People.com . According to the Flipping Out alum, the decision was made by administrators at the elite institution after they received complaints about negative comments Lewis had made about the school on his radio show.

The Jonas Brothers released a clip on Instagram of the group spoofing the show Friends' opening segment to mark the 25th anniversary of the series' debut, iHeart.com noted. Mashing up scenes from their "Sucker" music video to the sounds of the show's original theme song, "I'll Be There for You," brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas put their own spin on things 25 years after the show aired Sept. 22, 1994.

HBO Max is ordering two reimagined seasons, with 24 episodes of the animated series The Boondocks, a press release noted. The series from creator Aaron McGruder will launch in fall 2020 with a 50-minute special. All 55 episodes of the original The Boondocks series will also be available on the direct-to-consumer offering at launch.

Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep will headline a new full-cast audiobook recording of E.B. White's classic children's book Charlotte's Web from Listening Library, The Hollywood Reporter noted. The upcoming recording will mark the first new audiobook edition of the 1953 Newbery Honor Book since the author's own narration, recorded nearly 50 years ago. Streep will be joined by an ensemble cast of more than 20 veteran audiobook narrators.

Emmy-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest will return as host of the music competition series American Idol—a role he's held since the inception of the franchise in 2002, an ABC press release noted. He reunites with judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, as well as in-house mentor Bobby Bones.

Tom Welling is set to reprise his Smallville role as Clark Kent in the CW's upcoming DC Arrowverse crossover—joining two other actors who have played the Man of Steel, Tyler Hoechlin and Brandon Routh, that are already set to portray the character in the crossover, Deadline noted. Welling will reveal what happened to the character almost 10 years after Smallville.

Fewer than six weeks after Afton Williamson revealed on social media that she left ABC's The Rookie over sexual harassment and racial discrimination incidents, producer eOne released the results of its investigation, Deadline reported. eOne found that "those identified in Ms. Williamson's allegations did not conduct themselves in an unlawful manner or demonstrate behavior inappropriate for the workplace. It was also concluded that the executive producers, including showrunner Alexi Hawley, addressed matters of which they were made aware promptly and in a fair and reasonable manner."

Just days before Kenya Moore and Marc Daly announced their split, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star was singing her husband's praises, calling him the "love of my life," People.com noted. Recently the couple and their 10-month-old daughter Brooklyn sat down with Tamron Hall for an interview on her new talk show, Tamron Hall, marking their first TV appearance as a family.