Donald Trump may be gone from the White House, but political satirist Randy Rainbow is NOT hanging up his microphone. With his thumb on the political pulse of Washington, he offers up his timely take on Barbra Streisand’s timeless, “Evergreen,” from her 1976 film A Star Is Born. Streisand and co-creator Paul Williams took home that year’s Oscar for Best Original Song. Babs also scored the Song Of The Year trophy at the Grammy Awards for the track. But in this parody, Rainbow skewers QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. You can find my past coverage of Rainbow’s clever musical musings on The Randy Report here.
(image via The Golden Globe Awards) The nominations were announced Wednesday morning for the 78th Annual Golden Globes with a lot of trophy love for LGBTQ-themed entertainment. Following its sweep at the Emmy Awards, Schitt’s Creek was nominated for Best Musical/Comedy Series. The comedy’s four stars – including out actor/producer Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and Annie Murphy – were also honored with nominations. Ryan Murphy’s The Prom scored a nod for Best Picture – Musical/Comedy. The Prom scored only one nomination in the acting categories – James Corden for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Corden received some backlash as a straight actor serving up an over-the-top performance as a gay man in the movie musical. I wasn’t a fan of the performance. Netflix’s Ratched was nominated for Best TV Series – Drama with queer leads Sarah Paulson and Cynthia Nixon garnering nominations as well, for the lead role as Mildred Ratchet for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama, the supporting role of Gwendolyn Briggs in Best Supporting Actress – Television, respectively. HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, which has two major gay characters (one played by out actor T.R. Knight), was nominated for Best Musical/Comedy series. In the Best Supporting Actor – Television category, Jim Parsons was recognized for his work in Hollywood. Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama will see two heavy-hitting LGBTQ-centric performances competing against each other. Viola Davis for her star-turn as Ma Rainey in Netflix’s adaptation of playwright August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Andra Day’s richly-layered Billie Holiday in Hulu’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Both are worthy of the trophy. Onward, which featured Lena Waithe voicing a small queer role, was nominated for Best Picture – Animated. The Life Ahead and Two Of Us, both LGBTQ-themed movies, were nominated for Best Picture – Foreign Language. The Life Ahead, from Italy, features transgender actress Abril Zamora in a trans leading role. The French film Two of Us follows a love story between two older women. While not queer news, I applaud the history made in the Best Director — Motion Picture category. For the first time, three women have been nominated – Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), Chloé Zhao Nomadland) and Regina King (for One Night in Miami). #Applause Additionally, Norman Lear will be honored with the Carol Burnett Award, and Jane Fonda will be awarded this year’s Cecil B. DeMille Award. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will host the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards airing live on Sunday, Feb. 28 from 8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT on NBC. You can find the full list of nominations at GoldenGlobes.com.
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett (image via Depositphotos) Legendary recording artist Tony Bennett has re-teamed with Lady Gaga for a second album of standards as a follow-up to the massive 2014 hit album, Cheek to Cheek. The album, recorded between 2018 and early 2020, is set for a spring release. In announcing the upcoming release, however, Bennett’s family has also shared a secret: that Bennett, now 94, was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease four years ago. From AARP:
Tony Bennett has Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of age-related dementia. Alzheimer’s is characterized by a progressive memory loss that robs its sufferers of many of the gifts that we all take for granted — speech, understanding, treasured memories, recognition of loved ones — and leaves them utterly dependent on caregivers.
Bennett, first diagnosed in 2016, has so far been spared the disorientation that can prompt patients to wander from home, as well as the episodes of terror, rage or depression that can accompany Alzheimer’s frightening detachment from reality; and, indeed, he might never develop these symptoms. But there was little doubt that the disease had progressed.
Early in the article, writer John Colapinto shares this brief moment from the recording sessions with Bennett and Lady Gaga:
The pain and sadness in Gaga’s face is clear at such moments — but never more so than in an extraordinarily moving sequence in which Tony (a man she calls “an incredible mentor, and friend, and father figure”) sings a solo passage of a love song. Gaga looks on, from behind her mic, her smile breaking into a quiver, her eyes brimming, before she puts her hands over her face and sobs.
AARP adds this ‘disclaimer’ in the article:
Eager for as many ears as possible to hear and enjoy what may very well be the last Tony Bennett record, they have jointly decided to break the silence around his condition, a decision they have, necessarily, had to make without Tony’s input, since he is, Susan said, incapable of understanding the disease, let alone making momentous decisions about whether to publicly disclose it.
Gayatri Devi, M.D., who diagnosed Bennett, said the singer has some “cognitive issues, but multiple other areas of his brain are still resilient and functioning well.” Read the full article at AARP.
Life is a gift – even with Alzheimer’s. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and @AARP The Magazine for telling my story.
Award-winning singer/songwriter Justin Utley (screen capture) Out artist Justin Utley’s new music video, “Underneath My Skin,” is a powerful, gut-wrenching musical paean to the end of a relationship. “It’s about deep heartache and betrayal; an experience I had that was so intense the only way to express how it felt was to embed it in this song,” says Utley. “It’s deeply personal and emotional, I think it resonates with anyone who has been at the difficult end of a relationship’s rope.” The piano-driven power ballad begins simply, but beat by beat, verse by verse, the passion in play build. By the time the military drums kick in, the song has become a visceral runaway train of emotion.
I close my eyes and count to ten, breathing out and breathing inLetting go of what we’ve been, and then I see your face againI’m not ok, I can’t pretend, it hurts too much to be your friendI can’t go back to where we’ve been, get out from underneath my skin
Justin Utley (screen capture from ‘Underneath My Skin’) “Underneath My Skin” is the fifth release from SCARS, Utley’s third studio album. The piano ballad is something of a departure from the rest of the album which lies primarily in a pop/rock sonic landscape. But versatility is a hallmark of Utley’s catalogue. From his early recordings with a modern country feel (“Stand For Something”) to his recent holiday release (“All Is Bright”) which had a Mumford & Sons sensibility, to his rock-centric action hero music video “American Hero.” “Underneath My Skin” and the rest of SCARS is available on iTunes and all digital download sites.
Tian Richards [image via Instagram]In an upcoming episode of the CW drama Nancy Drew, Tian Richards (Dumplin’) will debut in the role of ‘Tom Swift’ with plans for a new spinoff starring the character. From Deadline:
In the planted-spinoff episode of Nancy Drew, Tom Swift will crash into one of Nancy Drew’s (Kennedy McMann) investigations, an event that Nancy interprets as supernatural and Tom believes to be cosmically paranormal. (This is not a traditional backdoor pilot/planted spinoff as Tom Swift is developing a regular pilot script in addition to the title character appearing on Nancy Drew.)
Co-created by Nancy Drew’s Melinda Hsu Taylor and Noga Landau, with Cameron Johnson, Tom Swift will follow the serialized adventures of its titular Black, gay, billionaire inventor (Richards) who is thrust into a world of sci-fi conspiracy and unexplained phenomena after the shocking disappearance of his father.
Tom takes to the road on a quest to unravel the truth, leaving behind the comforts of his usual moneyed lifestyle, all while fighting to stay one step ahead of an Illuminati-scale group hell-bent on stopping him.
Tom’s missions will require his genius and flair for innovation guided by love, romance, friendship and the mysteries of the universe yet-unsolved.
Dance band Ten City shares its first new music in 25 years with their new single, “Be Free.” Byron Stingily (lead singer & songwriter) and electronic music producer Marshall Jefferson bop along to the disco beat as the track finds its groove with a funky bass guitar and dance-tastic horns. “’Be Free’ encompasses the spirit of Dance and House Music! Many times people focus on our differences but ‘Be Free’ speaks to how we are more alike than different,” says Stingily about the song. “It is a song about respecting and appreciating our differences!” L-R Marshall Jefferson and Byron Stingily Having released their first album Foundation in 1989, Ten City are best known for their singles “Devotion,” “Right Back To You,” and “That’s The Way Love Is” which peaked at #8 in the 1989 UK charts and #1 in the US Billboard Charts. At a time when we can really use it, “Be Free” has an underlying message of inclusivity with lyrics that remind us we are all alike, that we all deserve freedom and we deserve to be respected. Hit play and bounce into the weekend like a boss. “Be Free” is available on all major download/streaming platforms.
The new 5-part drama series ‘It’s A Sin’ debuted last night on Channel 4 in the UK and the reaction from the LGBTQ community is overwhelmingly positive. The series – from Queer As Folk creator Russell T. Davies – chronicles the journey of four friends in London during a decade in which everything changed, including the rise of AIDS. Via Metro:
In episode one, Ritchie (Olly Alexander) moves to London to study law, during which time he embarks on sexual relationships with several individuals, including Ash (Nathaniel Curtis) and Roscoe (Omari Douglas).
But while there is plenty of fun, levity and hilarity in the story, this is juxtaposed with moments of tragedy, as Neil Patrick Harris’ character Henry, a mentor to Colin (Callum Scott Howells), is depicted dying of AIDs in hospital.
Russell, who also created Queer of Folk and was responsible for the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, has been lauded for his ‘astonishing writing’, with one person saying that in their opinion, he is ‘one of our finest TV writers.’
‘It’s A Sin’ debuts in the US February 18 on HBO Max. Check out the first look clip below.
The reaction on the Twitterverse was off the charts
If you haven’t watched #ItsASin yet, please do! Knowing about LGBTQ+ history is so important and this show taught me a lot of things I didnt realise about how hard it was in the 80s. We’re so lucky, but there is still work to be done. The older generation seriously paved the way.
#ItsASin is so FULL of heart, I can’t help but smile. @russelldavies63 you really are a wonderful human being. The script is beautiful, the performances are sublime and its so close to home I can’t stop thinking about it. ❤️
Not yet ‘out’ to my family, in the ’80s, I left homophobic suburbia to do a drama degree. Within weeks, I was visiting men dying of AIDS, alone in hospital. #ItsASin wasn’t just an emotional watch, it’s like viewing my life on TV. I know what happens next. Coz I lived that too. pic.twitter.com/GaAecFn3LD
TV should educate, empower, shock and open our eyes to the world around us and that’s what It’s a Sin has just beautifully and effortlessly done. It wasn’t sugarcoated or romanticised, it was raw, pure and truthful.
To any young people who may have watched #ItsASin last night. It’s going to be ok. In fact, it’s going to be hard, but you will come to terms with who you are. You’re amazing and special. And some AMAZING people laid the groundwork, angels lost their lives. Always remember them.
I have no ability to delay gratification so watched all five episodes of #ItsASin last night and it has completely wrecked me. Maybe I won’t be able to articulate exactly why, either. I just know that my heart is a lot sadder than it was yesterday pic.twitter.com/2huHKrUD7k
No spoilers, but what you’ll witness with Ep 5 is one of the most amazing pieces of TV drama ever.@russelldavies63 is a genius. The voice of people who the world hates for being born different, and who reveals the true price we pay for that toxicity pic.twitter.com/rR2ISRtF84 — Guy Lambert (@GRALWrites) January 23, 2021
Chloe Lattanzi & Olivia Newton-John (photo: Michelle Day) Four-time Grammy Award winner and international pop star Dame Olivia Newton-John released her latest single and music video, “Window in the Wall,” today. The track, a duet with her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, is an uplifting piano-driven ballad. The optimistic lyrics address the distance and divides felt by many in these turbulent times:
Looking for a window in the wall / Maybe we can see the other sideAnd find we’re not so different after all / Looking for a window in the wall
The new ballad opens with Lattanzi’s pensive, sensitive vocals. She’s quickly joined by Newton-John whose rich artistry underscores (again) her rightful place in the pantheon of great pop singers. Check out the music video below. https://youtu.be/VmW-wumdBV4?si=og6SYRUwxvd4xc09 Produced by six-time Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb, “Window in the Wall” is a breath of fresh air in these stormy, unsettled times. The music video clearly resonated with fans as it quickly hit #1 on the iTunes Music Video chart and stayed at the top spot for hours. You can follow Dame Olivia Newton-John on Facebook here, and follow Chloe Lattanzi on Instagram here. “Window in the Wall” is available now on Amazon and other digital download sites. This marks the second musical collaboration for the mother/daughter duo. In 2015, the two singers hit number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club chart with “You Have To Believe,” their reworking of Newton-John’s 1980 single “Magic” from the soundtrack to the film Xanadu. At the time, I interviewed Chloe about the collaboration and the achievement. Hit the play button below to hear our chat.
Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in ‘Breaking Fast’ Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: First lady Dr Jill Biden is visiting an LGBTQ health center and HIV/AIDS clinic on her third day in the White House “to highlight and promote support services for cancer patients and caregivers, and hear about the impact of COVID on access to health care, including cancer screenings and prevention efforts.” • Queer Cinema: The gay-themed romantic comedy Breaking Fast, starring Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy (lead image), gets released today on VOD and digital outlets. The acclaimed film offers rare visibility for gay Muslims. Set against the twinkling lights of West Hollywood, Breaking Fast is a romantic comedy that follows Mo, a practicing Muslim still reeling from heartbreak. When an All-American guy named Kal offers to join him in his nightly Iftars –the traditional meal eaten by Muslims during Ramadan– meal after meal, the two start to discover they have more in common than meets the eye.
• Boston Herald: Mark Sahady, 46, of Malden, and Suzanne Ianni, 59, – organizer’s of Boston’s so-called ‘Straight Pride’ event – were arrested for taking part in the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. Because of course. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Michigan’s BTL featuring Brian Michael Smith (below). • The Nation: Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) has misled the public about training for the Paralympics, just as he misrepresented his education and business history. After saying he “had an opportunity” for the Paralympics with hopes of breaking the 100-meter dash, journalists took a deep dive and couldn’t find any evidence he’d ever competed anywhere. • Instinct Magazine: YouTube star Jojo Siwa (Dance Moms, Nickelodeon) came out via a photo on Twitter.
(image via YouTube) Like many of us, political satirist Randy Rainbow has been counting down the days (even the minutes) until Donald Trump leaves the White House. The day before the Donald’s departure, Rainbow has reassembled some of his most popular characters from over 100 videos to perform this musical sendoff, a parody of the iconic “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway musical RENT. Throughout Trump’s time in the political spotlight, Rainbow has provided dozens of spot-on, uber-clever music video parodies skewering the Trumpster. Taking the melodies from Broadway and pop culture and meshing them with sharp-as-a-tack lyrics, Rainbow has served up hilarious helpings of biting commentary on Trump and his orange misdeeds. Today, Rainbow and company remember the “Seasons of Trump” the country has had to endure for the past 2,102,400 minutes.
Two million a hundred two thousand four hundred minutesWith just one president so unhinged and unfitTwo million a hundred two thousand four hundred minutesHow do you measure four years of this sh*t?
In scandals, impeachments, in porn stars, in ScaramuccisIn rallies, in insurrections, in fliesIn two million a hundred two thousand four hundred minutesHow do you measure four years of the lies?
Along the way, we’re reminded of some of the outrageousness that was the Trump administration. That includes Trump’s declaration as ‘a very stable genius,’ plus a rogues gallery of characters like Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kelly McEnany. Rainbow also manages to mention pee tapes, fake news, COVID, covfefes, and ‘alternative facts.’ It all culminates in a Mariah-inspired high note and a whispered ‘bye gurl.’ His most recent musical missive took aim at the insurrectionists who invaded the U.S. Capitol building. Co-opting the tune of ‘Tradition’ from Fiddler on the Roof, Rainbow’s ‘Sedition!’ garnered over 2 million views in less than a week. As Saturday Night Live has found, there’s always something in politics to lampoon, so here’s hoping Rainbow continues to entertain us even without the Orange one in office. You can find my many posts covering Rainbow’s past parodies by clicking here.
Donald Trump may be gone from the White House, but political satirist Randy Rainbow is NOT hanging up his microphone. With his thumb on the political pulse of Washington, he offers up his timely take on Barbra Streisand’s timeless, “Evergreen,” from her 1976 film A Star Is Born. Streisand and co-creator Paul Williams took home that year’s Oscar for Best Original Song. Babs also scored the Song Of The Year trophy at the Grammy Awards for the track. But in this parody, Rainbow skewers QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. You can find my past coverage of Rainbow’s clever musical musings on The Randy Report here. 
• 
Today, Rainbow and company remember the “Seasons of Trump” the country has had to endure for the past 2,102,400 minutes. 
His most recent musical missive took aim at the insurrectionists who invaded the U.S. Capitol building. Co-opting the tune of ‘Tradition’ from Fiddler on the Roof, Rainbow’s ‘Sedition!’