Category: Entertainment

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Preview: Same-Sex Valentine Rom-Com “The Thing About Harry”

L-R Niko Terho and Jake Borelli (screen captures)
The allure of romantic comedies is that we could possibly see ourselves in these over-the-top but hopelessly romantic situations. The problem for LGBTQ folks is we’ve not seen much of our own stories presented in many past rom-coms. Freeform TV (formerly ABC Family) will offer their contribution in changing that entertainment landscape when The Thing About Harry, a gay-themed Valentine’s Day flick, premieres on Freeform in February. The film is directed and co-written by former Queer As Folk star Peter Paige, who also created the network’s successful The Fosters series. Totally adorable out actor Jake Borelli (Grey’s Anatomy) stars as Sam (“a handsome, funny, neurotic, intelligent young gay man”), and newcomer Niko Terho plays the titular Harry (“an emotionally uncomplicated, promiscuous player who has always left a string of broken hearts in his wake”). For whatever reason, Sam ends up traveling with Harry, a former jock and social enemy who’s not only heading home but towards some serious self-discovery. In the newly-released preview, Harry comes clean as to why he spent so much time and effort taunting Sam in high school. I’m pretty sure a lot of us can relate to this moment.

Also featured in the film are Queer Eye star Karamo Brown as Paul, described as an “overbearing and pretentious gay man,” so there’s type-casting involved. Britt Baron (of GLOW fame) plays Stasia, Sam’s best friend. And Paige will appear as Sam’s roommate Casey. “It’s been an honor to partner with Freeform in making great television with LGBTQ+ characters as leads. True equality can only be achieved when you see yourself reflected in the movies, music and stories that paint our culture,” said executive producers Paige, Greg Gugliotta and F.J. Denny in a joint statement. “As young gay men in the ’90s, whenever a rom-com opened, we would watch the leading lady fall in love, and imagine what it would be like if the boy was saying all those things to another boy,” they added. “We’ve always wanted to make a movie — an unabashedly romantic comedy — that queer boys wouldn’t have to translate. It’s rewarding to take the genre to a new, all-inclusive level.”

The Thing About Harry premieres Saturday, February 15 at 8p/7c on Freeform.

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James Blunt’s Raw New Music Video “Monsters”

R-L James Blunt with his father, former cavalry officer Colonel Charles Blount
Whoa. Very powerful. From Yahoo News:

British singer-songwriter James Blunt is best known for his sentimental heartbreak ballads “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover,” but his latest single “Monsters,” a tribute to his ailing father, is his rawest and most poignant yet.

In his devastating new “Monsters” music video, an anguished Blunt, in an extreme close-up reminiscent of Sinead O’Connor’s iconic, one-take “Nothing Compares 2 U” clip, stares down the lens.

Blunt struggles to maintain his composure throughout the first half of video, so much much so that it’s almost uncomfortable to witness. And when the camera finally cuts to a wider shot, it becomes clear why he is so distraught, that he isn’t acting, and that his tears are very real.

Sitting stoically beside him is his real-life dad, former cavalry officer Colonel Charles Blount, who is battling stage 4 chronic kidney disease.

Blunt appeared on Good Morning Britain last year and shared his father’s serious illness. At the time, he addressed any possible organ donors: “I’ve come on here to ask you what blood group you are. Some things have been going on in my life that I needed to write about. My father has not been very well, actually. He needs a new kidney and a kidney donor. And I’ve come on here to ask you what blood group you are. If you are an O-positive, I’ll take it off you.” The artist later revealed that, sadly, he is not a match. The video went viral after Star Trek star William Shatner tweeted the clip to his 2.4 million Twitter followers:

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New Jonas Bros Video Offers A Thigh-Full

Nick Jonas channels his best Risky Business
The Jonas Brothers lose their pants in their latest music video, “What a Man Gotta Do,” and we ain’t mad. The video features the JoBros paying homage to their favorite rom-coms beginning with Nick Jonas (and his thick thighs) slip-sliding in his socks and button-down shirt channeling his best Tom Cruise in Risky Business.

It’s kind of hard to concentrate as Nick offers up some serious thigh-candy while wife Priyanka giggles from the couch. Joe Jonas and wife Sophie strut out their best John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John impersonations in a Grease-inspired dance-off complete with updated hand-jive.
Joe Jonas goes pants-less
Kevin Jonas goes full-on John Cusack standing outside Danielle’s bedroom window with a boombox lifted overhead a la Say Anything. Eventually, Kevin and Joe end up pants-less like Nick, which makes the music video that much better. All in all, it’s a fun diversion for a Friday. And, considering the video has nearly 5 million views in less than a day, it’s pretty safe to say we’re not the only ones who think so. With its oh-so-catchy hook, the pop track is sure to be a hit…and did we mention the music video?

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New Music: Michelle Kash “Personal Jesus”

I was immediately taken by the groovy, grungy, soulful cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” by Michelle Kash. In alt-pop mode, Kash serves confident yet moody vocals across a sultry soundscape. The music video is a saturated, evocative vision that’s nearly psychedelic in seductive, shadowy style. “There’s a sensual vibe to everything,” says Kash. “It’s moody, but it’s also dark. Across the music, I feel like what I’m doing is just human.” “When I sing ‘Personal Jesus,’ I have a vision of a sexual savior within myself or whom I look for in others,” she explains. “It’s gritty and shadowy like an after-hours party. I hadn’t seen a woman cover the song, which added a different dimension. It paves the way for where I want to go musically.”

In addition to her music, Michelle has had a lifelong commitment to philanthropy and advocating for gender equality, female empowerment and is a fierce fighter for animal rights. You can follow her on Instagram here. (images via screen capture)

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Whitney Houston To Be Inducted Into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Whitney Houston (screen capture via YouTube/I’m Every Woman)
Legendary singer and LGBTQ favorite Whitney Houston and rapper The Notorious B.I.G. were announced this morning as posthumous inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was the first time the two artists, who died in 2012 and 1997 respectively, had been on the nominating ballot. Also part of the Rock Hall’s class of 2020 are: experimental/alternative rockers Nine Inch Nails, 1970’s soft rock artists the Doobie Brothers, synth-pop group Depeche Mode and English glam/rock band T. Rex. The six inductees were chosen by an international group of over 1,000 recording artists, industry professionals, and historians. An artist doesn’t become eligible for induction until 25 years after the release of their first single, album or EP, which means that this year’s class had to have released their first eligible music in 1994 or earlier. Diversity has been a consistent criticism for the hall over the years. In her acceptance speech last year, Janet Jackson underscored the dearth of female inductees saying, “2020 – please induct more women.” This year’s list of 16 artists under consideration included only 3 women. In addition to Houston, Pat Benatar made the shortlist for the first time but failed to get the nod, and Rufus featuring Chaka Khan was left out for the fourth time. This is the first year that the winner of the Fan Vote, introduced in 2013, did not get chosen for induction. The Dave Matthews Band led the Fan Vote with over a million votes cast online since October. Pat Benatar came in second with almost 900,000 votes. But neither scored induction honors this year. USA Today reports that music journalist-turned-producer Jon Landau, who worked with Bruce Springsteen, will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award given to influential producers, songwriters and music executives. Music manager Irving Azoff will also receive the same honor. For the first time, the induction ceremony will be televised live on HBO. Tickets to the May 2 event in Cleveland go on sale February 27 at ticketmaster.com.

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News Round-Up: January 14, 2020

Ignacio Pérez Rey (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunk: Ignacio Pérez Rey (above), in Madrid, Spain, proves clothes are sexy, smiles are sexy, and Madrid is sexy. #grrr • Bloomberg News: Democratic Senator Tim Kaine says he has enough votes to pass a resolution that would limit President Donald Trump’s ability to carry out a military attack against Iran without congressional authorization. Kaine said Tuesday he has 51 “declared votes“ for his resolution including GOP senators Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Susan Collins and Todd Young. • The Gaily Grind: High school freshman Kayla Kenney was expelled from her Christian school after wearing a rainbow sweater while celebrating her 15th birthday with her family at a local restaurant with a rainbow cake. The school seems to have assumed celebrating with rainbows meant the teen was lesbian…? • Los Angeles Blade: Pete Buttigieg attended a primarily black gay fundraiser in Los Angeles at the home of Jordan Fudge, a managing partner of the venture capital firm Sinai Ventures. The event was co-hosted by Empire writer/director Lee Daniels, who called Buttigieg “a candidate that is worthy of serious, serious consideration.” • The Advocate: Tennessee lawmakers have approved a bill that would give faith-based adoption and foster care agencies legal cover to turn away same-sex couples and other prospective parents who offend the agencies’ religious beliefs. The governor has signaled he plans to sign the bill into law. • Netflix: The streaming giant offers this supercut of RuPaul’s most fab performances featured in the new series, AJ and the Queen. While I found parts of the series surprisingly flat and slow, Ru does bring some heat serving up lewks and body as she lip syncs for her life in these drag performances.  

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Out Music: RuPaul “You’re A Winner, Baby”

Not only did RuPaul see his new Netflix series AJ and the Queen premiere this past Friday, but the same day he also dropped his latest studio album titled, You’re A Winner, Baby. But wait – there’s more! At the end of January, Ru’s uber-popular TV series, RuPaul’s Drag Race will become a live stage show on the Las Vegas Strip at the Flamingo Las Vegas. It’s good to be ‘queen,’ henny.

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News Round-Up: January 10, 2020

Burt Ward as Robin and Adam West as Batman (promo photo via ABC)
Some news items you might have missed: • PageSix: Burt Ward, recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his role of ‘Robin’ (above) in the campy 1960s series Batman, says ABC advised him to take pills to reduce the bulge in his Robin trunks. #ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmm • Lambda Legal: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling in Roe & Voe v. Esper that halted efforts by the Trump administration to discharge members of the Air Force because they are living with HIV. The panel of three judges wrote, “Any understanding of HIV that could justify this ban is outmoded and at odds with current science. Such obsolete understandings cannot justify a ban.” • Deadline: Trevor: The Musical, an acclaimed stage adaptation of the 1994 Oscar-winning short film that gave rise to one of the nation’s most prominent LGBTQ organizations, will make its New York debut this April in an Off-Broadway staging. • CNN: The latest CNN/Des Moines Register polling shows four Democrats closely clustered at the top of the rankings: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (20%), Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (17%), former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (16%) and former Vice President Joe Biden (15%) all cluster tightly at the top of the pack. That’s an increase of 5 points for Sanders and a drop of 9 points for Buttigieg since the last DMR poll in November. • NBC News: After nearly 40 governors agreed to allow refugees in their states, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot became the first governor in the country to refuse to take in refugees today. However, 18 of his 26 Republican counterparts chose to open the door to refugees, much to the surprise of the Trump administration. • USA Today: Brazil’s Supreme Court has reversed a ruling that would have required Netflix to remove a satirical film depicting Jesus as gay. • Out Music: Randy Report favorite Halsey drops her new music video, “You Should Be Sad,” in advance of her third studio album Manic set for release January 17. The video is set at a country-inspired barn dance/rave and features choreographed sequences as Halsey channels her best Shania Twain. Fun clip and visually there’s lots of eye-candy.

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Gavin Creel Turns ‘Something Wonderful’ Into Pulsing Pop Goodness

Tony Award winner Gavin Creel turns ‘Something Wonderful’ into pulsing pop goodness
Everything old is new again as hottie actor/singer Gavin Creel reinvents the classic “Something Wonderful” from The King & I into a fresh, modern pop song that celebrates gay love. The richly-layered arrangement, by Nadia DiGiallonardo, shifts the tune effortlessly from classic King & I mode to a contemporary Coldplay vibe. The track opens simply, but at the 2:00 mark begins a slow, churning build to pulsing pop goodness. Creel wisely trusts not only the material but his own considerable vocal prowess never overreaching to wild, sky-high screaming that some try to pass off as singing today. “This project excited me because it was really about honoring beautiful songwriting but also reimagining it to create a new way in which we might listen to and enjoy this brilliant material,” the openly gay singer told The Advocate.

Creel made his Broadway debut in 2002 as “Jimmy Smith” in the hit musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. That was followed by acclaimed performances in Hair, The Book of Mormon, She Loves Me, Waitress and finally his Tony-winning turn as “Cornelius Hackl” in the Bette Midler revival of Hello, Dolly! Later this month he heads to London to reprise his role as the hunky Dr. Pomatter in Waitress with pop star Sara Bareilles. This track is the latest from the R&H Goes Pop! series which puts contemporary twists on timeless classics from the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalogue. The series began with a rocking “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin” by Jeremy Jordan (Supergirl, SMASH), and has since featured a same-sex take on “We Kiss In A Shadow” by Jelani Alladin (Frozen) and Matt Doyle (The Book of Mormon).

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‘RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE!’ Debuts January 30 At Iconic Flamingo Las Vegas

All tea, no shade! Some of the most famous drag queens in the world are taking over the Las Vegas Strip when RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE! hits the stage at Flamingo Las Vegas beginning Thursday, Jan. 30. From the creative team behind the Emmy Award-winning series RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE! will be the most sickening eleganza extravaganza in Las Vegas herstory. The revue is everything you love about the TV show and then some. Each live performance will be packed with outrageous comedy, eye-popping fashions, over-the-top singing and dancing, heartwarming moments, plus twists and turns that will leave the audience “gagging” for more. The atmosphere of the show is interactive and encourages audience members’ participation as if they were attending a live episode of the world-famous competition. Seven queens will be featured in each show from a rotating cast of Aquaria, Asia O’Hara, Coco Montrese, Derrick Barry, Eureka O’Hara, India Ferrah, Kahanna Montrese, Kameron Michaels, Kim Chi, Naomi Smalls, Shannel and Yvie Oddly. RuPaul’s Drag Race LIVE! will perform Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Click here for ticket info.