Thailand's culture ministry is criticizing Lady Gaga over what it says was her inappropriate use of a Thai flag during a Bangkok concert in May, according to the New York Daily News. The "Born This Way" singer wore a traditional Thai headdress and a bikini while sitting on a motorcycle with a Thai flag tied to it. The ministry claims the act was "not appropriate and hurt the feelings of the Thai people."
It appears that LOGO has pulled the plug on the gay reality show The A-List: New York, according to Out.com . Reichen Lehmkuhl, a star on the show, recently tweeted, "The A-List New York will NOT be back. Official word. So long boys. What a long, strange, trip that was." He added on Facebook, "Logo said, '[they] are changing directions. A-List isn't a match for that direction.'" LOGO is reportedly moving away from LGBT-focused programming, although it's retaining RuPaul's Drag Race.
In New York City, openly gay actor Cheyenne Jackson headed the MCC Theater's benefit engagement of The Heart of the Matter, a collection of short plays by Neil LaBute, Playbill.com noted. Carolyn Cantor (In A Dark Dark House) directed the production, which ran June 13-16 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Others in the production included Krysten Ritter (from the TV show Don't Trust the B—— in Apartment 23) and Emmy winner Tammy Blanchard.
Speaking of Jackson, he and Rob Lowe are the newest additions to the movie Behind the Candelabra, a film about the late pianist Liberace, according to an Advocate.com item. Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are starring in the movie, which is based on a memoir by Liberace's longtime secret lover, Scott Thorson. Jackson is negotiating regarding an unspecified role, while Lowe will play a plastic surgeon.
Conservative pundit Glenn Beck has said he's poised to destroy the Fox show Glee with his own version of the series, the New York Daily News reported. At the recent Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, D.C., Beck said that he is appalled by Glee, which tackles topics such as teen sexuality. Beck said he will create his own version of Glee—one with no "stereotypical conservative Lee Greenwood music."
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss—creators of the TV series Game of Thrones—said that a decapitated prop head of former President George W. Bush appears in the finale of the first season, according to a Politico.com article. Benioff and Weiss made the statement in a commentary, but have added that "it's not a political statement." HBO has apologized and has vowed to remove the scene from all future DVD production.
Madonna has followed her breast flash in Istanbul by baring her bottom on stage at Rome, according to MTV UK. She did both while performing the song "Human Nature." However, in Rome she removed her pants to show the thong-clad derriere. In related news, Lady Gaga has fired back at Madonna, who has mocked Gaga's song "Born This Way" by melding it with her hit "Express Yourself" in concert, the Chicago Sun-Times noted; Gaga has reportedly called Madonna "Menopausal Mom."
The premiere of the reboot of the TV show Dallas paid off for TNT, according to EW.com . The episode garnered 6.8 million viewers— making it the number-one scripted series premiere on all of cable so far this year. Larry Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy (who all starred in the original) are among those featured in the new series.
Shonda Rhimes—the creator of TV's Grey's Anatomy—has criticized the new ABC Family show Bunheads for what she says is a lack of diversity, according to the New York Post. Bunheads (created by Gilmore Girls' Amy Sherman-Palladino) is about an ex-ballerina-turned-Vegas showgirl (played by Sutton Foster) who becomes a teacher at her mother-in-law's dance school. Rhimes tweeted, "[R]eally? You couldn't cast even ONE young dancer of color so I could feel good about my kid watching this show?" ABC Family execs had no comment.
Actress Lucy Lawless has pled guilty to trespassing on an oil-drilling ship with other Greenpeace activists, SheWired.com reported. The Spartacus and Xena: Warrior Princess star, 44, is scheduled to be sentenced in September; she could receive up to three years in jail. The activists had spent 77 hours on top of a 170-foot drilling tower before they were arrested and charged with burglary—despite a lesser charge of "unlawfully being on a ship" being an option.
Adam Levine—the lead singer of Maroon 5 and a judge on The Voice—has landed a lead role in Can A Song Save Your Life?, according to Deadline.com . Levine will join Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Hailee Steinfeld in the film. John Carney (who directed the Oscar-winning Once, which became the Tony-winning musical) will helm the film.
John Travolta's former pilot, Doug Gotterba, is planning on writing a tell-all about his alleged relationship with the actor, according to an NDTV.com item. Gotterba, 60, has reportedly lined up two writers for his book. The actor allegedly had a long-term relationship with Gotterba in the 80s before marrying Kelly Preston in 1991.
Broadway fixture Brian Stokes Mitchell will be the celebrity marshal at this year's Cleveland Pride Parade, according to the organization's website. Also, he will join the North Coast Men's Chorus as that group kicks off its 25th-anniversary season benefit concert at the Palace Theater June 23. Mitchell has been in Broadway productions such as Kiss of the Spider Woman and Man of La Mancha in addition to portraying one of Rachel's two dads on TV's Glee.
Music producer Mark Ronson is angry at the publication Village Voice for allegedly misquoting him about the late singer Amy Winehouse, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. According to the Village Voice, Ronson reportedly suggested that Winehouse was "upset, competitive, [and] restless" about singer Adele's rise to global fame. Ronson posted on Facebook, "I read the interview for the first time just now, and there are so many wrong quotes in there." Ronson said he'll never talk about Winehouse with other journalists again.
Lindsay Lohan was found unconscious in a Los Angeles hotel June 15, according to the Daily Mail. Paramedics were called to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey shortly after Lohan had called the production team of her new movie, Liz & Dick, and said she wasn't feeling well. Her rep, Steve Honig, told E! News, "Lindsay has been working a gruelling schedule for the last couple of days," and added that no drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident.
Aretha Franklin departed Sarah Jessica Parker's fundraiser for President Obama after 20 minutes—but she had a good reason. According to the New York Post, Franklin left the $40,000-a-head event to join famed producer Clive Davis and others in the audience at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards gala. At the ceremony, inductee Tom Jones was excited to meet fellow honoree Bette Midler, adding, "I've written a musical I think she'd be great for."
Bisexual singer Me'shell Ndegeocello will be among those performing at the Smithsonian's "Bring Back the Funk" concert June 27 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the Washington Examiner reported. The National Museum of African American History and Culture will host the free evening concert, which will feature legendary musician George Clinton, among others. Last year, Clinton donated the iconic stage prop "The Mothership"—which his group Parliament/Funkadelic used—to the museum.
Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is engaged to girlfriend Catherine Shepherd, SheWired.com reported. Via her fansite Again Today, Carlile stated, "My biggest news ever is that I got engaged!!!!!! I realize the Seattle Times beat us to the punch but its cool that they care!" Carlile and Shepherd spearhead The Looking Out Foundation, a charity Carlile founded in 2008 that seeks to "support, through music, humanitarian outreach efforts in local communities and beyond."
Jack Osbourne—brother of Kelly Osbourne and son of Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne—has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, according to the Daily Mail. The 26-year-old discovered he had the disease after losing 60 percent of vision in his right eye. Jack—who recently became a father for the first time—told Hello! magazine that, at first, he went through all different emotions when he was waiting for the diagnosis; now, "adapt and overcome" is his new motto.
A 7-year-old British girl named Charlotte Neve awoke from a coma after hearing singer Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," the Telegraph reported. Neve's mother got in the girl's bed to cuddle with her when the song—one the mother and child used to sing together—came on the radio. The mother, Leila Neve, started to sing it to Charlotte when the little girl began to smile; two days later, Charlotte (who had suffered a brain hemorrhage) started speaking.
At a recent San Francisco audition for The X Factor, a male contestant made judge Britney Spears smile—because she recognized him, as they performed a duet a decade ago, according to People.com . However, the audition became emotionally charged when the singer started to cry and told the judges and audience that he's gay. He said, "At the time I didn't think I was worthy. I didn't think you thought it was okay that I am gay." Spears said, "I think it is fine you are gay." (Update: Advocate.com reported that the contestant may be Don Phhilip, who sang with Spears on the song "I Will Still Love You" from her Baby, One More Time album.)
Broadway Bares XXII: Happy Endings—an evening of modern-day burlesque presented June 17 at the Roseland Ballroom—raised more funds than any previous Broadway Bares production, according to Playbill.com . This year's event raised more than $1.2 million to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. With this year's record total, the 22 editions of Broadway Bares have raised almost $10 million for BC/EFA.
Former boxer Mike Tyson is now taking a bite out of Broadway, according to the New York Daily News. He will star in a one-man show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, that will begin a limited engagement July 31 at the Longacre Theater. Spike Lee will direct the production.
Debra Jo Rupp, known as the matriarch from That '70s Show, is portraying famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer in the show Dr. Ruth, All the Way, according to Playbill.com . The play—will will open in Pittsfield, Mass., June 30—looks at Westheimer's life before she became famous, including fleeing Nazis and struggling as a single mother.
Oscar-nominated actress Susan Tyrrell—known for her performances in cult films such as Andy Warhol's Bad, Angel and Cry-Baby—died in Los Angeles at 67, Advocate.com reported. Tyrrell garnered many LGBT fans because of her often-outrageous portrayals in movies such as Big Top Pee-Wee. In 2000, she had both legs amputated after being diagnosed with a bone-marrow disease.
