LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items I thought worth your time: • 10 Tampa Bay: Meteorologists are keeping an eye on Hurricane Milton as it intensifies to a Category 5 heading for Tampa Bay. Tampa International Airport has already announced it will close Tuesday evening. You can watch live coverage of the storm approach below. Continue reading “Hurricane Milton Reaches Cat 5 Approaching Tampa Bay + More News”
Some news items you might have missed: • Metro Weekly: Emmy/Grammy/Tony winner Cynthia Erivo (soon-to-star in the upcoming WICKED movie) will be honored with the Human Rights Campaign’s National Equality Award at it’s annual gala in D.C. Continue reading “Cynthia Erivo To Be Honored At HRC Gala + More News”
Some news items you might have missed: • OUT Magazine: Cynthia Erivo gave a moving speech about her coming-out journey as a public figure at a benefit for the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “As I stand here in front of you: Black, bald-headed, pierced, and queer, I can say I know a thing or two about being ‘the other.'” Continue reading “Cynthia Erivo Shares Her Coming Out Journey + More News”
Super Bowl watchers got the first look at the new trailer for the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway blockbuster WICKED arriving in movie theaters on Thanksgiving 2024. The highly-anticipated movie musical stars Cynthia Erivo (Broadway’s The Color Purple) as “Elphaba” and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording star Ariana Grande as “Glinda.” Continue reading “First Look: Teaser For Upcoming Film Adaptation Of ‘WICKED’”
Ricky Martin (screen capture via People)
Some news items you might have missed: • The Advocate: A group organized by the LGBTQ+ travel company Vacaya sheltered in place with others during a shootout in Cancun (above), which was apparently between rival drug gangs. Continue reading “News Round-Up: November 4, 2021”
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| Cynthia Erivo & Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon on ‘American Idol’ |
It was “Celebrity Duets” week on American Idol, and the talent competition saw 6 contestants eliminated as the show heads towards opening up the voting to the public next week.
Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, the openly gay son of a Maryland pastor, had the good fortune to be paired with Tony/Grammy/Emmy Award-winning actress (The Color Purple) Cynthia Erivo for a luscious, show stopping performance of Cyndi Lauper’s classic hit, “Time After Time.”
Side note: Erivo’s performance in the Broadway revival of Color Purple was a transformational experience – easily one of the most powerful star turns this writer has ever seen onstage. She deserved every accolade and honor for her gut-wrenching turn as “Miss Celie.”
And now, back to American Idol…
The song was an inspired choice that played to both singers’ strengths. With complicated runs, obvious chemistry and effortless high notes, the performance definitely impressed the judges.
Katy Perry: “It’s like you guys’ souls were singing to each other…It was a spiritual moment for me.”
Luke Bryan: “It was incredible. I’m sitting on the edge of my seat going, ‘Please go for the big note;’ and you did it, and you just knocked it outta the park. Great job.”
Lionel Richie: “That was glorious. Glorious…We just witnessed a masterful performance.”
In a recent interview with Out, Harmon shared that American Idol hasn’t quite told his story as honestly as he’d like.
Thus far, his narrative has been one of rejection by his family after he came out.
“I’ve never said that my parents have rejected me, or don’t accept me as me, their son,” Harmon told Out. “And that in combination with my parents not being able to make it to the first couple performances and [not being] featured on the show yet, you know, it’s easy for people to take that and run with it and say, ‘Oh, Jeremiah’s parents are these monstrous, abusive people,’ which in reality, they’re just trying to integrate this experience and they’re processing it in their own way.”
Racking up strong performances like “Time After Time,” plus previous turns with “Landslide” and an original song, “Heaven,” Harmon’s family will have more time to “process” the experience as Harmon advanced to the Top 14 and will continue his AI journey.
Watch Harmon and Erivo make musical magic with “Time After Time” below.
Stop, drop and scroll down to take a look at out Empire star Jussie Smollett’s gorgeous new music video, “Freedom.”
“This video is about love,” Smollett recently told Complex. “I wanted to show two people doing the everyday things that every single couple does. I see nothing but beauty through the eyes of these characters we’ve created. I hope everyone else does as well. Love is freedom. Freedom is love. Enjoy!”
The sensitive and beautifully shot video features Cynthia Erivo (Tony Award-winner for The Color Purple) and Tika Sumpter (Gossip Girl) as a loving couple simply living their lives out loud.
The track is from his upcoming album, Sum of My Music, out March 2.
Tonight was closing night for the brilliant revival of The Color Purple on Broadway.
As I posted a month ago, this production may be the most powerful event I’ve ever witnessed on a Broadway stage. And I don’t use hyperbole very freely.
Thankfully, the producers of the show shared Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo’s incredible 11o’clock number, “I’m Here.”
After an evening of “Miss Celie” being beaten down for being “ugly” and unworthy, she finally utters the transformative words, “I’m beautiful. And I’m here.”