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

Rotten Tomatoes has formed new partnerships with three community-based nonprofits, per The Hollywood Reporter. It is supporting GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics' Crimson Honors Scholarship for LGBTQIA+ women and nonbinary students of color; sponsoring the National Association of Black Journalists' 2023 Arts & Entertainment Media Institute; and serving as a founding partner in Gold House's Futures Accelerator for aspiring and emerging Asian Pacific entertainment and business journalists. The critics' website also renewed its $25,000 donation to the Toronto International Film Festival Media Inclusion Initiative to help accredited press from historically excluded identities afford festival attendance, bringing its total gifts to the initiative to more than $100,000 since 2018.

Jessica Lange, Jim Parsons and Celia Keenan-Bolger will star on Broadway next April in a world-premiere production of Paula Vogel's new Mother Play, to be directed by Tina Landau, Deadline noted. The Second Stage Theater production will begin a limited engagement at Second Stage's Hayes Theater on April 2, with an official opening on April 25. Mother Play will mark Lange's first Broadway appearance since her Tony-winning performance in 2016's Long Day's Journey Into Night.

Queer|Art announced the new mentors for the 2024 Queer|Art|Mentorship program cycle, a press release noted. The new mentors include interdisciplinary composer and performer M. Lamar; writer/curator/community educator Eva Yaa Asantewaa; novelist Jackie Ess; and transdisciplinary artist/activist Demian DineYazhi'. They will join four returning mentors—author/playwright/gender theorist Kate Bornstein; artist/activist/writer Avram Finkelstein; filmmaker/writer Ira Sachs; and filmmaker/writer/artist Stephen Winter.

Apple TV+ released the trailer for The Super Models—a four-part documentary event spotlighting the careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington, a press release announced. The series is set to premiere globally on Sept. 20. Each episode features never-before-seen commentary from some of the biggest names in fashion and culture, with contributors including Donatella Versace, Isaac Mizrahi, Michael Musto, David Fincher, Bethann Hardison, Edward Enninful, Anna Sui, Todd Oldham and Michael Kors, among many others. The trailer is at https://youtu.be/G59GvtrbFtQ.

Lady Gaga is using her Las Vegas residency to push for LGBTQ+ rights, Out noted. While much of the show consists of Gaga singing jazz standards like "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "Luck Be a Lady" and "The Best Is Yet to Come," she recently also sang jazzed-up versions of some of her biggest hits, including the queer anthem "Born This Way," which she dedicated to the trans community.

Billie Eilish, Rufus Wainwright, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, Nile Rodgers, Bootsy Collins, Sofi Tukker, Bush and other musical acts have joined a coalition of musicians called Artists for Action to Prevent Gun Violence, Variety noted. The organization is launching with a series of live events, including a performance by Bush and special guests at New York's Irving Plaza on Sept. 22 (sponsored by AFA, Artist for Artist). Two concerts (including one next summer) will celebrate the release of the film that directly led to the creation of Artist for Action to Prevent Gun Violence: A Father's Promise. "As a father, I am staggered by the gun violence in America, and as a musician, I am fortunate enough to be able to take a stand against it," said Bush's Gavin Rossdale.

Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson established the People's Fund of Maui, which will distribute cash directly to those who were impacted by the wildfires that devastated Lahaina and other parts of the island—and they donated $10 million, Deadline noted. However, fans have criticized them for asking for donations, The Independent reported. One user wrote in the video's comment section, "Girl you got some nerve asking us working class people who can barely afford to put food on the table for our families to donate…why don't you ask your millionaire/billionaire buddies to help."

An aerial view of what one Reddit user identified as John Travolta's house provoked intense reactions from commenters, per Yahoo! News. The photo appeared in r/Anticonsumption—a subreddit whose tagline is simply "consumerism kills"—and a caption read, "An aerial view of John Travolta's house in Ocala, Florida, with parking space for his Bombardier Challenger and vintage Qantas 707." Another user commented, "Just by owning two jets, his carbon footprint is larger than a small city. We truly need to abolish grossly excessive wealth like this."

Ava DuVernay made history at the Venice Film Festival, becoming the first female Black U.S. director in the event's 80 years to have a film in the main competition, The Hollywood Reporter noted. At the press conference for her movie Origin (starring LGBTQ+ actress Aunjanue Ellis and Jon Bernthal), DuVernay said Black U.S. filmmakers are led to believe that international film festivals are simply not places for their work.

Kylie Minogue (who now just goes by Kylie) has released the title track and second single from her upcoming album, Tension, per a press release. The video (www.youtube.com/watch, directed by longtime collaborator Sophie Muller, sees Kylie take several different guises in a "retro-future" alternate reality. The album—described as being full of "unabashed pleasure-seeking, seize-the-moment, joyful pop tunes"—will be out Sept. 22 via BMG.

Talking with Vulture, actress Lily Gladstone (known for portraying an LGBTQ+ woman in the film Certain Women) made her thoughts known about Taylor Sheridan's series Yellowstone and the depiction of the American West, Deadline noted. Gladstone said that she auditioned several times for the Kevin Costner-led series due to the lack of opportunities, adding the Paramount Network drama was "Delusional! Deplorable!" However, she didn't fault the Native American actors who have booked roles in the series. "A lot of people are really wanting to call this 'Martin Scorsese's Western,'" she said of the new film Killers of the Flower Moon, in which she stars. "With natives and Westerns, we are so dehumanized that it just kind of feels like we're part of the landscape—instead of humans that are telling a story."

The stars were out for Beyonce's third and final Renaissance Tour concert at LA's SoFi Stadium on Sept. 4—which was also her birthday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Diana Ross serenaded her with "Happy Birthday" and also sang Ross' hit "Love Hangover," and Beyonce gave a speech thanking everyone from her family to all the original Destiny's Child members. Concertgoers included Zendaya and Tom Holland, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Chris Rock, Adele, Lizzo, Katy Perry, Kate Hudson, Normani, Brandy, rumored couple Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, and sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian.

Out Emmy-nominated actor Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) will return to Broadway this fall in the Tony-winning Best Musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Playbill noted. Burgess—whose Broadway credits include Good Vibrations, Jersey Boys, Guys and Dolls, and The Little Mermaid—will step into the role of Harold Zidler beginning Oct. 10 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, playing a limited engagement through Dec. 17.

Rufus Wainwright recently performed at London's Royal Albert Hall—honoring Jeff Buckley as well duetting with fellow LGBTQ+ musician Jake Shears (of Scissor Sisters) as he played his classic albums Want One and Want Two in full, per NME. Toward the end of the second set for Want Two, Wainwright invited the Shears to the stage for closer, "Old Whore's Diet"—and noted how they used to date, saying they made out in a car in Philadelphia.

The Broadway revival of Funny Girl, starring Glee alum Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, ended Sept. 3—and Michele said goodbye with a personal essay she shared on Instagram, according to Playbill. "This experience has been filled with some of the most incredible accomplishments and challenging moments that I have such deep appreciation and gratitude for," the essay stated. "To every single person who came to see our show: Your support, enthusiasm, applause and standing ovations have brought me to tears more times than I can count. I am forever grateful." Michele succeeded LGBTQ+ actress Beanie Feldstein in the role.

More than three months into the writers strike, Warner Bros. Television has suspended the remaining overall deals with some of its top creators, including openly gay producer Greg Berlanti, Deadline noted. (Mindy Kaling's Kaling International and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot are among the other companies that will be affected.) For most of the top showrunners, the arrangements are believed to be of a suspend-and-extend nature, meaning that they will get the time of the suspensions added to the end of their terms.

Could Schitt's Creek be rebooted? According to Out, executive producer Andrew Barnsley told The Messenger, "It's something that we know there's demand and interest for it, really. It's something that I know Dan and Eugene [Levy] are considering all the time, and I think it's going to be a timing thing." However, Barnsley clarified that he doesn't have any update or timeline regarding when a potential reboot could hit the screens. The producer emphasized that the show's creators "love the world" they made and wouldn't want to ruin it.

A little more than a month after announcing their split, Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef reached a divorce settlement, Extra noted. According to the court docs that TMZ obtained, the two signed an uncontested written agreement. Once the judge signs off, Martin and Yosef will be declared single.

Actor J. August Richards (of the TV shows Angel and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and musician Josh Gbor have married after announcing their engagement in February, Out noted. The ceremony was held in conjunction with Richards' 50th birthday. Although the occasion was happy, Richards made a serious comment on Instagram, noting, "We want to dedicate our ceremony to the people of the African Diaspora and all around the world living in countries where it is illegal or unsafe to be LGBTQ."

Five-time Grammy winner Lauryn Hill announced a 25th-anniversary tour for her iconic 1998 debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Variety noted. Hill's former group the Fugees—who abruptly canceled a planned 25th-anniversary tour around their multiplatinum album The Score album last year—will open only the U.S. dates. The 17-date tour will hit arenas around the world, including Brooklyn's Barclays, Chicago's United Center, Denver's Ball Arena, Los Angeles' Kia Forum and more.

Tom of Finland Foundation is presenting the "Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival 2023: GlobalSexual," per a release. This year, the festival will take place in Berlin, London and Los Angeles, with the latter event happening Oct. 7-8. This year's event will bring together erotic artists, panelists, DJs and galleries. Amongst the participating artists are Rick Castro, S. M. Shifflett, Rubén Esparza, Steve MacIsaac and Nora Rachel, while vendors are slated to include Peachy Kings, The Mr. She, and Folklore Salon & Barber, among others.

On the heels of its Venice Film Festival premiere, Showtime will debut The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, written and directed by the late Oscar-celebrated filmmaker William Friedkin and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk of the same name, per a press release. Starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, Jake Lacy, Monica Raymund and the late Lance Reddick, among others, the film follows a U.S. naval first officer who's standing trial for orchestrating a mutiny after his captain shows signs of becoming unhinged and jeopardizes the lives of his crew.

Legendary British band Duran Duran announced that their 16th studio album, Danse Macabre, will be out Oct. 27 on Tape Modern via BMG, per a press release. According to the release, "Danse Macabre is the soundtrack to their ultimate Halloween party. Across 13 tracks the band unearth bright melodies from the darkness, threading together new songs, themed covers and newly reimagined versions of their own 'spooky' classics." Some of the tracks include "Bury a Friend," "Spellbound," "Nightboat" and the title song as the band covers tunes from Billie Eilish, The Rolling Stones and others will add three new tracks of their own.

Continuing the 30th-anniversary celebrations of their groundbreaking album, Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins has teamed with Tower Records to re-create their historical album release event in 1993 with a special Tower Records pop-up at Madame Zuzu's in Highland Park, Illinois, a media release noted. On Sept. 14-16, Billy Corgan and Chloe Mendel's tea shop/art studio will be transformed into a Tower Records from 1993 with limited edition merchandise available for purchase. The pop-up will culminate with two exclusive performances by The Smashing Pumpkins on Sept. 17 that will feature the band playing intimate acoustic sets with music from Siamese Dream—the same set played on July 27, 1993.

Smash Mouth's lead singer, Steve Harwell, died at 56, TMZ revealed. The rock band's longtime frontman—who was one of the original founding members dating back to 1994—passed away on Labor Day at his home in Boise, Idaho as a result of liver failure. Harwell announced he was retiring from performing a couple years ago following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage. The band is best known for the hit song "All Star."

Joe Jonas sang a love song he wrote for his actress wife, Sophie Turner, during a recent Jonas Brothers' concert—despite his apparently looming divorce from her, Page Six noted. The DNCE frontman previously described "Hesitate" as a "love letter" to Turner, explaining in the Jonas Brothers' 2020 "Happiness Continues" concert film, "It's like my vows before I wrote my vows. It's my promise to Sophie."

Whoopi Goldberg was absent from the season 27 premiere week of The View due to yet another case of COVID, Deadline noted. Cases of the disease have risen dramatically within the past few weeks, also affecting people like First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. In a video to the show, Goldberg said, "In spite of everything you've heard, I am not at Burning Man, I am not still in Italy, I am not trying to change the outcome of the election, I just have COVID." Goldberg suffered a bout with COVID at the start of 2022 and again in November 2022.

Late-night host Jimmy Fallon apologized to his staff after a report highlighted a "pretty glum atmosphere" at The Tonight Show over the years, Deadline noted. Fallon spoke to staff t after Rolling Stone published an article that called the NBC show a "toxic workplace." The article called Fallon "erratic" at work and suggested that he was "inebriated" and hungover during working hours, with seven ex-employees saying that their mental health from working on The Tonight Show.

Nonbinary actor Ezra Miller (The Flash) joined rapper Matisyahu for Jewish Heritage Day at NYC's Citi Field to throw out a matzo ball before a Mets baseball game, Page Six noted. The rapper tossed the edible ball, while Miller reportedly played catcher and general manager of the proceedings. Miller has also been touring with Matisyahu, and social-media clips show the star appearing on stage with the musician to play percussion.

A spectator was ejected from a tennis match at the U.S. Open in New York City after German player Alexander Zverev accused the man of quoting a phrase from Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime, ABC News reported. Security officials were called in to remove the fan, who was apparently identified by spectators seated near him; then, the crowd cheered as the man was escorted out of the arena. Zverev ultimately went on to beat Italian player Jannik Sinner.

Almost six months after Jonathan Majors was arrested in New York City on domestic-violence charges, the Creed III actor's trial has been delayed again, according to Deadline. Another hearing will now be held on Sept.15 to set a new trial date.

Actor Danny Masterson (That 70's Show) was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for multiple rapes, Deadline reported. Permitted to address the court, Masterson chose not to speak, although he did confer with defense lawyer Phillip Cohen just before sentencing began. Also, Masterson was informed that, because of his sentence, he will have to register as a sex offender upon parole or release—which he told the court he understood.

Martha Stewart answered critics who slammed her for using "a small iceberg" to chill her cocktail while on a luxury cruise from Greenland to Iceland, Page Six noted. After getting blowback from people on social media after she posted a photo with the caption "We actually captured a small iceberg for our cocktails tonight," she reposted a Washington Post article with the headline, "Martha Stewart put an iceberg in her drink. Experts say it's no big deal." Glacier scientist Eric Rignot, from the University of California at Irvine, told the Post, "Icebergs float at sea already and slowly melt. Whether they melt in the ocean or in your glass does not make a difference."