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'Steel Magnolias' remake, Rachel Maddow and Boy George
Entertainment news: Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2011-10-12

This article shared 5781 times since Wed Oct 12, 2011
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Disgraced pastor the Rev. Ted Haggard will appear on the show Celebrity Wife Swap, trading partners with actor Gary Busey, according to Reuters. Haggard was exiled from the Colorado-based New Life megachurch he founded after admitting "sexual immorality" with and buying crystal meth from masseur Mike Jones. Haggard's wife, Gayle, has written a book about her husband's gay-sex scandal titled Why I Stayed. Busey's longtime girlfriend, actress Steffanie Sampson, had a son with the Celebrity Apprentice veteran last year.

Lifetime is developing Fame Monster: The Lady Gaga Story, a biographical picture of the star, Deadline.com reported. The project—which Norman Snider wrote and Ilene Kahn Power is executive-producing—will chronicle the life of Stefani Germanotta, who was later transformed into the pop megastar. The production may get a green light soon.

Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish are collaborating on Rocketman, a feature film about John's career, Deadline.com reported. John and Furnish are teaming with Billy Elliot writer/playwright Lee Hall on a project they are calling a biographical musical fantasy. Rocket Pictures' Steve Hamilton Shaw and Furnish will produce.

Singer Adele has canceled the rest of her sold-out U.S. tour because of a vocal-cord hemorrhage, Yahoo! News reported. The Grammy winner pulled out of 10 dates, starting with Atlantic City, N.J., Oct. 7 and ending in Texas three weeks later. In a statement on her website, Adele said, "I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or I risk damaging my voice forever. I have great confidence in believing you know how much this upsets me, how seriously I take it and how truly devastated and annoyed I am by this."

Lesbian MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow told Hollywood Reporter that she's concerned that the gay community may become lost while people rush to get married, Advocate.com reported. Maddow said, "I worry that if everybody has access to the same institutions that we lose the creativity of subcultures having to make it on their own. And I like gay culture." Maddow, who has been with partner Susan Mikula for 12 years and resides in Massachusetts, said they don't feel an urgent need to tie the know.

Melanie Chisholm—best known as former Spice Girl Mel C—discussed rumors of lesbianism and bulimia with the Daily Mail, according to US Magazine. Chisholm, 37, said that being in the spotlight made her depressed and bulimic, saying, "The tabloids were cruel about my appearance, and nothing can prepare you for that." She also said that tabloids called her "masculine," which generated rumors about her sexuality. Chisholm identifies as heterosexual, and has dated property developer Thomas Starr since 2002.

Movie director Lars von Trier said Danish police have questioned him for possibly breaking French law when he joked about Nazis and Hitler at this year's Cannes Film Festival, according to Yahoo! News. The remarks caused von Trier to be expelled back in May; he has since said that he would not make any more public statements or provide interviews. Last month, fashion designer John Galliano was convicted of making anti-Semitic remarks in a Paris bar, leaving him with a criminal record.

In 2012, many will be listening to Kate Winslet, Anne Hathaway and other A-list stars as the celebrities will be part of Audible.com's new line of audio books, Yahoo! News reported. Others who have signed up to read include Jennifer Connolly (who will read Paul Bowles' The Sheltering Sky) and Samuel L. Jackson (who will take on Chester Himes' A Rage in Harlem). Kim Basinger, Susan Sarandon, Colin Firth, Annette Bening and Nicole Kidman have also signed on as readers.

The recently disbanded musical group R.E.M. will release its last album— R.E.M.: Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011—on Warner Bros. Records Nov. 15, according to a press release. The album is a 40-song retrospective that, for the first time, collects songs from R.E.M.'s entire back catalog, including the band's early years on the IRS label in addition to its Warner Bros. Records catalog. R.E.M. formed in 1980 when (now out gay) singer Michael Stipe met guitarist Peter Buck in an Athens, Ga., record store where Buck worked. After recruiting bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, R.E.M. released its first single, "Radio Free Europe," in 1981, followed by 1982's Chronic Town EP.

Singer and LGBT ally Gloria Estefan has landed her 23rd number-one hit on the Billboard dance chart with "Wepa," according to a press release. The song is from her most recent CD, Miss Little Havana, which was released Sept. 27. Named one of "The 25 Most Influential Women" by People en Español in its October 2011 issue, Estefan has sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and has won seven Grammy awards since debuting as the front woman of Miami Sound Machine. In a recent interview, Estefan championed gay rights and marriage equality.

After reports that the show's future was in jeopardy, Fox has renewed The Simpsons for two more seasons, bringing the grand total to 25, according to Digital Spy. In a statement, Fox has previously said, "We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model." New episodes resume Oct. 30 with "Treehouse of Horror XXII."

Actress Betty White told the gay publication Frontiers that she's a gay icon because she holds nothing back and loves animals, according to On Top Magazine. White said, "Throughout my career, I've always portrayed characters that were humorous, but also weren't afraid to speak their minds, especially when it came to racy or controversial topics. I think this struck a chord with the LGBT community. We both also share a very strong love for animals." White, 89, and six scantily clad buff guys recently taped a promotional video for a life-insurance settlement company.

On Nov. 21, Grammy Award-winning artist Lady Gaga will release a Blu-Ray & DVD copy of the Emmy Award-winning HBO special Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden that includes exclusive, never before seen footage, according to a press release. The new products are also available in a special package called Born This Way: The Collection that will include the multi-platinum 17-track record Born This Way; the brand=new Born This Way: The Remix album; and the Monster Ball Tour DVD.

Singer Ke$ha has designed a T-shirt to support the work of the Human Rights Campaign, On Top Magazine reported. Her T-shirt—which features a purple monochrome zebra against a black backdrop with the words "We R Who We R—celebrates National Coming Out Day (which took place Oct. 11). The shirt is available at www.shop.hrc.org and costs $35.

Boy George's life will be the subject of an upcoming coffee-table book. Entitled Kings of Queens, the book will include never-before-seen personal photos, letters and illustrations. Only 999 copies—each signed by the singer—will be available. The book, available through Kitchen Sink Publishing Dec. 12, will come with a 10-inch vinyl disc of unreleased songs.

The country-music duo Sugarland will place a free concert in Indiana in memory of those killed in a stage collapse at this year's state fair, according to Digital Spy. Sugarland will play at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Oct. 28. Fans who held tickets to the state fair will have first priority in booking tickets. Among the seven people killed was lesbian Chicago activist Christina Santiago.

Justin Timberlake has signed on to portray Casablanca Records co-founder Neil Bogart in the movie Spinning Gold, which starts shooting next year, according to MTV.com . Spinning Gold will chronicle Bogart's career as a record executive who launched the careers of acts such as Donna Summer, KISS and the Village People. Bogart died of cancer in 1982 at age 39.

X Factor judge Simon Cowell said he took his show's auditions to New Jersey because he wanted to find contestants with the same qualities as the cast members of the MTV show Jersey Shore, MTV.com reported. Cowell said, "Whether you like the show or not, these kids are suddenly big, big stars. They just make me laugh." He also said that Snooki is his favorite cast member, adding that in contestant Brian Bradley he found someone with attitude.

Shirley MacLaine will be the 40th recipient of the American Film Institute's (AFI's) Life Achievement Award June 7, 2012, according to Deadline.com . AFI Board of Trustees Chair Howard Stringer said, "Shirley MacLaine is a powerhouse of personality that has illuminated screens large and small across six decades." McLaine, 77—who won the Oscar in 1984 for her role in Terms of Endearment—will receive the award four years after her younger brother, Warren Beatty, was honored.

Sharon Osbourne took time off from co-hosting The Talk to have her breast implants removed, according to People.com . Osbourne admitted on the show recently that "One morning I woke up and one of my boobies was kind of much longer than the other ... So I'm thinking, this isn't right." It turned out that one of her implants had "leaked into the wall of my stomach," so she had them removed.

Lindsay Lohan is facing another round of legal issues after Elite Transportation Limo and Security Services filed a suit against her for more than $90,000, according to Digital Spy. Elite claims that Lohan used its services for three months in 2009; late charges and penalties have figures into the final amount. She completed 35 days of house arrest in June in connected with the theft of a $2,500 necklace.

Lifetime is remaking the 1989 film Steel Magnolias—with an all-Black cast, according to Deadline.com . Kenny Leon, who directed the 2008 ABC movie A Raisin In The Sun, is attached to direct the new Steel Magnolias. The original had an all-star cast of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Darryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts.

Openly gay film director Lee Daniels (Precious) is teaming with writer W. Merritt Johnson (Temple Grandin) for a Showtime project that will shed light on the little-known drag-ball subculture, Deadline.com reported. The contemporary drama is set in New York City and will focus on the disenfranchised multicultural transgender youth of the ball subculture. Youths are in different fraternity-like "houses" or "drag families."

On Oct. 10, Cher cried after transgender son Chaz Bono performed a paso doble on Dancing with the Stars with dance partner Lacey Schwimmer (set to the theme of Rocky), Advocate.com reported. Bono earned his highest score to date (21 out of 30) as Cher wildly clapped with tears in her eyes. Judge Bruno Tonioli said, "In the true spirit of Rocky, no matter how many knocks you take, you keep coming back, you keep fighting, you keep getting stronger."


This article shared 5781 times since Wed Oct 12, 2011
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