Category: Entertainment

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Police Arrest 25+ As Protesters Tried To Disrupt Movie About Two Male Dancers In Love

(image via official website)
From Reuters:

Police in Georgia said on Saturday they had arrested more than 25 people after ultra-nationalist protesters attempting to derail the premiere of an award-winning movie about gay love clashed with security forces.

A few hundred demonstrators blocked the road outside a cinema in the capital’s city center on Friday ahead of the first screening of “And Then We Danced”, which tells the story of two young male Georgian ballet dancers falling in love.

Chanting “Long live Georgia” and “Shame”, the protesters – some holding crosses and religious icons – tried to force their way inside the cinema but where held back by riot police.

“This is not just a movie. This is an insult to our faith, our traditions and all that is holy for us,” said Guram Damenia, who came dressed in a traditional Georgian costume.

Two police officers and a young woman, who was trying to go watch the film, were injured, police said.

The three days of scheduled screenings in Tbilisi sold out immediately. The film, which has won awards at film festivals around the world, premiered to acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival this past spring.

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Helen Mirren & Sir Ian McKellen Read Trump’s Ukraine Transcript

L-R Sir Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren
With Stephen Colbert judging their innocence or guilt, two acting greats – Helen Mirren and Sir Ian McKellen – take on the roles of Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky and read lines from the infamous “transcript.” Mirren sums it up perfectly: “There’s no way of saying that except for ‘guiltily…” Their new film “The Good Liar” hits theaters on Friday, November 15th

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Out Music: Jakk Fynn “Fire”

Transmasculine Latinx pop artist Jakk Fynn

Transmasculine Latinx pop artist Jakk Fynn Jakk Fynn, a transmasculine Latinx pop artist dedicated to redefining masculinity, dropped his latest single this week, “Fire.” Unrequited love is the subject at hand in the pop/dance track. “Oftentimes, queer individuals don’t feel wholly accepted, seen or loved for who they are,” says the artist. “When romantic feelings are so infrequently returned, this can exacerbate an already deeply internalized identity struggle.” “Attraction and love are fairly involuntary,” adds Fynn. “Our central nervous system is a massive orchestration of electrical impulses that ‘fire.’” Jakk, a descendant of Mexican immigrants, is committed to using pop music’s power to uplift audiences and challenge toxic social narratives, especially for audiences who don’t often see themselves fairly and accurately represented in mainstream culture. His previous single, “Share the Seconds,” was released in 2018. Transmasculine Latinx pop artist Jakk Fynn

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Greyson Chance Is Dropping Beats In ‘Boots’

Hey hey, Lil Nas X, there’s more than one cowboy dropping beats in boots. Out singer/songwriter Greyson Chance drops his latest single & music video, “Boots.” The 22-year-old says he wrote the track as his response to how pop culture is currently embracing Western imagery. Chance says while writing the song he found himself “imagining what Johnny Cash would be like if he were around and making music in 2019.” The Oklahoma native says that ‘Western’ isn’t so much about style, “it’s about an attitude, an obsessive loyalty, and an unwavering wildness.”

I’ve been western before all of these punks These punks in California who think that they can punch

Chance tweeted out a dedication for the song telling his 2.7 million followers the track is for “the stars in California who can’t throw a punch.” Musically, “Boots” delivers a polished synth-pop rock vibe that’s earthy with an edge, and Chance’s vocals are smooth and confident.

Chance first found the public spotlight when a video of him performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” went viral in 2010 (the video has over 66 million views on YouTube). Ellen DeGeneres invited him on her talk show, and he was soon off and running. He released his debut album in 2011 but stepped away from music at the age of 18 to focus on his college studies. His latest album, portraits, was released earlier this year to strong reviews. In 2017, he came out via an Instagram post encouraging others “navigating their sexuality to devote as much time as they need to the process of finding self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-love.” He added that he felt it was “time to let a few more friends know that I am happy, I am here for you, and I am proud of who I am.”

 

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The decision to write this came after I received a message from a brave individual. Such message inspired me to shed light on an aspect of my private life which I have kept distant from my career in music. I came to fully recognize that I was gay when I was sixteen. I decided not to publicize my sexuality largely due to a matter of privacy, as I was still trying to find comfort and confidence within my own skin. Further, I always found conversations regarding music, politics, art, books – and the greatness of Nas’ catalog – to be far more interesting than what type of guy I was into. This is still true today. While this message is most definitely overdue, I encourage anyone who is navigating their sexuality to devote as much time as they need to the process of finding self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-love. Hell, for me, it took years to write this message. Nevertheless, I figured now was the time to let a few more friends know that I am happy, I am here for you, and I am proud of who I am. Cheers -G

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“Boots” is now available on all digital download/streaming platforms here.

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Get Ready, Small Town USA – The Queens Are Coming!

L-R Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela & Eureka O'Hara (image via HBO)

L-R Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela & Eureka O'Hara (image via HBO)
L-R Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela & Eureka O’Hara (image via HBO)
Get ready, small-town America – the queens are coming! HBO Network has announced a new unscripted TV series titled We’re Here starring RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela. Over six episodes, the trio of RPDR royalty will travel to small towns across the country with the goal of “empowering local communities with the magic of drag.” Each installment of the series will feature a different town where locals will be recruited to participate in a one-night-only drag show. The three queens will work to inspire their ‘drag daughters’ to step out of their comfort zone. We’re getting a Queer Eye / To Wong Foo vibe here… Creator and executive producer Johnnie Ingram says, “We’re bringing the art of drag into small-town America in an effort to make connections in unexpected places.” “Drag is about confidence and self-expression,” says Nina Rosenstein, EVP, HBO programming in a statement. “We are so thrilled to showcase the transformative power of the art form with our audience.” All three queens will contribute as consulting producers on the series with Ingram and co-creator/executive producer Stephen Warren. The divas shared the news with similar messaging on their Instagrams:  

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MAJOR! MAJOR! MAJOR! I’ve been working on a new series with @HBO called “WE’RE HERE,” (YASSS I SAID HBO!) … traveling to small towns across the country with my homegurlz @bobthedragqueen & @eurekaohara, empowering local communities with the magic of drag! It’s Emotional. Theatrical. Oh, it’s gonna be a SHOW! #WereHere is coming to @HBO in Spring 2020. Never give up on your dreams y’all. And don’t be afraid to WERQ HARD for what u want! HALLELOO!

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First Posthumous George Michael Track Released – ‘This Is How (We Want You To Get High)’

Photo of George Michael by Andrew Macpherson

Photo of George Michael by Andrew Macpherson
George Michael (Photo: Andrew Macpherson/Universal)
Some 35 years after the release of the smash-hit “Last Christmas” by Wham!, George Michael’s millions of fans get another festive treat. “This Is How (We Want You To Get High),” which was recorded during George’s final studio sessions, is his first original material to be released in seven years. George died on Christmas Day in 2016. A funky, upbeat soon-to-be-classic, “This is How (We Want You to Get High)” has a seductive George Michael hook and melody. The lyrics, written exclusively by George, see the star addressing society’s ills with his trademark blend of self-deprecation and wry humor. Work on the track began in early 2012, was subsequently recorded in sessions at Air Studios in London, and ultimately received finishing touches in late 2015 during George’s final recording sessions. With its uplifting vibe and socially-conscious message, “This is How (We Want You to Get High)” will be featured during the credits of the upcoming Last Christmas, Universal Pictures’ new romantic comedy. The film was inspired by the eponymous Wham! hit, and has a soundtrack featuring three Wham! tracks and twelve songs from George Michael’s solo career. Hit the play button below.

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Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Grease’ Costume Sells For $405,700 – More Than Double Auction Estimate

  My hubby Michael and I spent much of Saturday watching the streaming video feed of the Olivia Newton-John memorabilia auction via Julien’s Auction House. As regular readers know, Michael has been Olivia’s publicist for 20 years 🙂 We’d never watched a celebrity auction before, and knowing Olivia’s career so intimately we were fascinated to see what items really drew fans in. Olivia’s famous black leather jacket and skin-tight pants from the finale of GREASE, “You’re the One That I Want,” went for $405,700 – more than double the estimate. The outfit, along with hundreds of other items from Newton-John’s illustrious career spanning six decades raised a total of $2.4 million. While the black outfit was the focus of much of the press in the runup to the auction, we were surprised by how much other items went for. A custom ‘Pink Ladies’ jacket monogrammed with the name “Sandy,” which was given to Oliva at the close of shooting GREASE sold for $50,000, twenty-five times the estimate.

Michael standing in front of just some of Olivia Newton-John’s gold and platinum records
And a poster for the film signed by the full cast of the movie musical initially predicted to raise $1,000, raised $64,000. Also – a pair of patchwork bell-bottom jeans worn by Newton-John during a performance on NBC’s “The Midnight Special” in the 1970s raised $50,000. The original handwritten lyrics of “Hopelessly Devoted To You” from GREASE, written by longtime collaborator John Farrar sold for $22,500. And the first car Olivia ever bought in the United States, a 1975 Volkswagen Super Beetle, was purchased for $55,000. After her first bout with cancer in the 1990s, she was asked to lend her name (and help raise funds for) the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne, which aims to support the mind as well as the body. All of the proceeds from the GREASE jacket and pants will go to the center, as well as a portion of all the other items sold on Saturday.

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Liam Payne On Hugo Boss Shoot: ‘There Was A Lot Of Tequila For This Shoot’

Liam Payne (photo: Mert & Marcus for Hugo Boss)
Former One Direction crooner Liam Payne stopped the internet when he shared some snaps from his recent photoshoot for Hugo Boss underwear. Six weeks ago, photographer Mert Alas teased the upcoming campaign with an outtake on his Instagram:

 

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coming soon with @liampayne

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But that was tame compared to what was to come. The ’Strip That Down’ singer clearly took his own advice for the shoot with Victoria’s Secret model Stella Maxwell that includes photos of Maxwell topless laying between a clearly naked Payne’s legs. Payne told GQ Magazine UK that the session “got very raunchy very quickly,” adding that he “hadn’t been properly warned about the amount of nudity Mert [Alas] and Marcus [Piggot] do in their work.” The 26-year-old candidly shares in his GQ interview “there was a lot of tequila involved for this shoot.”

 

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#HUGObodywear #HUGOxLiamPayne

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“It just ended up being a lot more naked than I thought it was – and for her as well,” he added. “She was also naked. And I was just, you know, ‘Don’t look!’ She was naked behind me and I was thinking, ‘Liam, don’t look whatever you do.’” “I mean it was just a room full of five or six people and a hell of a lot of tequila to get me to this level,” he told GQ. “I was standing there and all of a sudden it was, ‘Right, OK, take them off.’ I’m like, ‘Really? Take them off? Off, off? Like on-the-floor off? Oh, my God.'” Payne also posted this video clip from the shoot on his Instagram:

 

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#HUGObodywear #HUGOxLiamPayne

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The singer says his mother wasn’t too keen on the shoot once he shared one of the more raunchy photos with Maxwell. “She took one look at it and gave me a clip round the ear,” said Payne. “All I was thinking was, ‘I better not tell her about the London buses!'” Hugo Boss announced the choice of Payne for the new underwear campaign earlier this year with this smoking hot shirtless pic.

In addition to the new ad campaign, look for Payne’s debut solo album, LP1, due out on December 6. (source: GQ Magazine UK)

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Sam Smith Covers Donna Summer Classic ‘I Feel Love’

Sam Smith (photo: Aria Shahrokhshahi)
Four-time Grammy Award winner Sam Smith has released a cover of the 1977 Donna Summer dance classic, “I Feel Love.” “As a queer person ‘I feel love’ has followed me to every dance floor in every queer space from the minute I started clubbing,” the non-binary/genderqueer artist wrote on their Instagram. “This song to me is an anthem of our community and it was an honour and most importantly so much fun to have a go at it. Highest song I’ve ever fucking sang. But a joy. I hope you all like it xx” Take a listen below.

And, of course, how could I touch the subject without referencing the oh-so-awesome original version by our diva, Miss Summer? Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, the track (considered the first electronic dance hit) was a Top 10 smash in the US and went all the way to #1 in the UK, Australia, and other countries.

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New Eminem/Joyner Lucas Track Leaked ‘What If I Was Gay?’

15-time Grammy Award winner Eminem (via Instagram)

15-time Grammy Award winner Eminem (via Instagram)
15-time Grammy Award winner Eminem (via Instagram)
The internet is buzzing after a short clip of a new track by rappers Eminem and Joyner Lucas surfaced titled, “What If I Was Gay?” With Joyner’s debut studio album on the horizon, it’s widely expected the track will arrive on that release.
Rapper Joyner Lucas (via Instagram)
Rapper Joyner Lucas (via Instagram)
The short 13-second snippet, first reported by HipHopNMore, includes some provocative lyrics. “What if I told you I was out of place? Wait, what if I told you I was gay?” raps Joyner. Em counters back, “What if I’m a hypocrite who’s just afraid to face truth? Wait, what if I told you I’m gay too?” Admittedly, there’s no context, but it’s certainly intriguing considering Eminem’s controversial history with the LGBTQ community. The 15-time Grammy Award winner came under fire for using anti-gay slurs on several of his early tracks like “Marshall Mathers” in 2000 and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” in 2002. In an attempt to hit the reset button, he appeared with Elton John at the 2001 Grammy Awards for one of the most memorable duets in Grammy history. The two artists performed Slim Shady’s “Stan” with Elton at the piano crooning the Dido sample from the track as Em delivered the rap. In a 2017 interview with Vulture, Eminem was asked about his homophobic lyrics:

The first time I got a taste of being called anti-gay was on ‘My Name Is’ when I said, ‘My English teacher wanted to have sex in junior high / The only problem was my English teacher was a guy.’ All I was saying was I don’t swing that way. So when I started getting flack for it, I thought, ‘Alright, you people think I’m homophobic? Watch this.’ I was trying to push the buttons of people who were calling me something that I wasn’t. The honest-to-God truth is that none of that matters to me: I have no issue with someone’s sexuality, religion, race, none of that.

This new track would be the second collaboration for Joyner and Eminem. Eminem had previously teamed up with Joyner for “Lucky You” which was featured on Em’s 2018 studio album, Kamikaze. (source: HHNM)