LGBTQ news and entertainment
Bulgaria’s DARA won the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna on Saturday with “Bangaranga,” a crowd-pleasing dance track, touching on themes of empowerment and surrendering to the night.
In a recent interview, DARA shared the song defines “a special energy that everybody has in themselves, it is something that everybody can unlock only by letting go.” Continue reading “And The Winner Of 2026 Eurovision Song Contest Is…”
I met the impossibly talented Delta Goodrem many years ago through Olivia Newton-John. In addition to her musical gifts, she’s one of my favorite human beings to spend time with.
Delta is representing Australia in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest this year in Vienna. And tonight, she threw down an amazing performance in the semi-finals.
You are not ready for this. I’m so happy for Delta I practically giggled while watching. Continue reading “Delta Goodrem IS The ‘Eclipse’ At Eurovision Song Contest 2026”
Some news items for you: • Eurovision Song Contest: Austria won this year’s mega-song competition as JJ (above), a 24-year-old countertenor from Vienna, combined elements of opera, techno and soprano in his song “Wasted Love.” The win is Austria’s third in the competition, following drag queen Conchita Wurst’s success in 2014 and Udo Juergens’ victory in 1966. Continue reading “2025 Eurovision Song Contest Winner + More News”
Some news items you might have missed: • PEOPLE: Former talk show queen Ellen DeGeneres is returning to Netflix for a new comedy special, but in a press statement says, “This is my last.” Continue reading “Ellen Announces New Netflix Special Will Be Her Last + More News”
Some news items you might have missed: • Gay Times: Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) admits he feels some guilt over taking on queer roles as a straight actor. The handsome actor has played five gay/bisexual characters in the past several years. Continue reading “Nicholas Galitzine: Some Guilt Over Taking Queer Roles + More News”
Producers have announced plans to bring the long-running (and often over-the-top) “Eurovision Song Contest,” Europe’s popular music competition, to America. Since 1956, some of the best-selling music artists in the world have competed in past editions, including ABBA, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias and Olivia Newton-John. From Variety:
Hoping to siphon off some of the magic of the beloved six-decade-old show, which draws over 200 million viewers to its grand finale, the premise for “The American Song Contest” will remain similar to the European version. Professional musical artists — solo singers, duos or groups up to six members — from each of the 50 states and across every musical genre will perform all original songs on the live televised event.
The format, as it is currently conceived, will position the artists head-to-head against other states’ representatives in a series of televised qualifier competitions, leading to semi-finals and the ultimate primetime Grand Finale March Madness-style.
Propagate Content will create The American Song Contest Academy, a group consisting of music professionals based in the U.S. that represent all genres and backgrounds, from which juries of artists and music industry notables who, along with the regional audiences, will select top talent from all 50 states to compete.
“The American Song Contest” is set to debut during the 2021 holiday season.
But will they bring the awesome camp factor? We’ll have to see 🙂 Check out a short trailer for the upcoming competition as well as some of the most famous past performances at ESC.
The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced this year’s edition has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat. In a post to Instagram, the statement read, in part:
It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam.
Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead.
However, the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe – and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities – means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned.
We are very proud that the Eurovision Song Contest has united audiences every year, without interruption, for the past 64 years and we, like the millions of fans around the world, are extremely saddened that it cannot take place in May.
This is the first time since the song contest began in 1956 the event been canceled. From ABBA’s win in 1974 to transgender singer Dana International of Israel in 1998 to Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst’s victory in 2014, the over-the-top performances and often queer-centric sensibility of the competition has made the annual event a highly-anticipated international television spectacle.
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| Eurovision Song Contest audience roared for same-sex smooch (screen capture) |
No matter where it happens, I get all excited when a ‘kiss cam’ zeroes in on a more-than-willing gay couple.
And such was the case during the first night of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest currently taking place in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Trans singer and 1998 Eurovision Song Contest champ, Dana International, was performing an upbeat, bouncy version of Bruno Mars’ “Just The Way You Are.”
Throughout the song, the audience was treated to shots of couples going in for the smooch.
But it was a gay couple’s lip-lock that got the biggest and best reaction from the crowd.
Click the Twitter video below and enjoy.
😭 CRYING AT THE DANA INTERNATIONAL KISS CAM. #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/3cjaZC3gGU— BBC Eurovision🇬🇧 (@bbceurovision) May 14, 2019
If you’re quick, you can see another gay couple in smooch-mode at the very beginning of the segment.
The Eurovision Song Contest has long celebrated a message of acceptance.
Dana, who won the international competition 21 years ago for Israel, told the crowd, “Love has no religion, love has no race, love has no limits, love is love. We all deserve to be loved.”
The show’s host, Assi Azar, shared before Dana’s performance that her groundbreaking win back in 1998 and her ‘unbelievable life story’ helped him to come out. He credited the singer with helping “millions of people around the world” to feel comfortable with who they are.
However, a TV host from Belarus, Yavhen Perlin, wasn’t so enchanted by the kissy-goodness.
On the air, broadcasting back to his country, Perlin initially got excited about the kiss-cam. But when he saw the first couple was gay, he told his viewers, “Oh, my goodness – maybe we’d better not watch.”
Perlin felt more at ease with the next couple, who were heterosexual (“Ok, so far so good!”), but expressed more dismay when the camera found the following male couple (“Oh, come on!”).
Perhaps this ignorant presenter has somewhat missed the point of #Eurovision…Eurovision 2019: Belarus TV host’s homophobic remarks condemned https://t.co/DnsfyVqMCg— MarkFitz (@Mancfitzlaw) May 15, 2019
According to the BBC, several journalists took to social media to denounce Perlin’s comments.
“I feel so embarrassed,” wrote Radio Liberty’s Ales Piletski on Facebook. “The good thing is these boorish jokes are not heard in other countries.”
And speaking of other countries, many on social media were thrilled that the same-sex kiss was broadcast live, which meant many countries that aren’t so LGBT-friendly – like Russia – got a healthy view of man-on-man make-out session.
first it was a kiss cam showing 2 men, and then one of the presenters talking about his husband.
Russian authorities are shitting themselves right now XD#Eurovision #Eurovision2019— Masha Misanthrope (@nicereminders) May 14, 2019
An image of two men sharing a kiss broadcast to millions across the world. Giving hope to people who live in countries where this simple act is a crime.That’s the power of #Eurovision and I absolutely love it. pic.twitter.com/CEY9Rjommt
— Liam Beattie (@Liam_Beattie) May 14, 2019
Russia had to play those gay kisses on national tv😂😂😂✊✊✊ #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/o4ZctKW22R— go.wait.in.the.car (@yg_vs_yg) May 14, 2019
So many gay kisses on national TV, can you feel the audiences trembling? #Eurovision— 🌈 Amor Vincit Omnia 🌈 (@GregoryJMatz) May 14, 2019
Eurovision love kisscam steals the show. Dana international was sensational and to see so many kisses from gaymen, straight couple’s, senior couples was utterly moving. Hopefully it will come back for lesbian kisses and trans and everybody else. #kisscam #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/nuIZk3nFh8— ROMEO (@PlanetRomeo) May 14, 2019
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| Madonna (image via Instagram) |
International pop star Madonna has been confirmed for the Eurovision Grand Finale in Tel Aviv on May 18.
The Jerusalem Post reports that Madge asked for $1 million to perform two songs – one catalogue hit and one new track from her upcoming album – at the international music event.
Sylvan Adams, an Israeli-Canadian billionaire, offered to cover the cost telling the Post, “I saw the importance of bringing the iconic singer to Tel Aviv and creating a memorable historic performance.
Adams told reporters at the INTV conference that he sees the opportunity as a way to boost tourism to Israel.
“I think the more people we bring here, the more people see our true nature, and the true beauty of our country and our people, and the freedom and openness and tolerance and safety of our country,” said Adams.
Traveling with an entourage of 60 people, the 60-year-old pop icon will arrive four days before the live performance.
Madonna’s last performance in Israel was in 2012 when she launched her world tour in Tel Aviv.
Her appearance comes at a complicated time for the LGBTQ community in Israel.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a group of LGBTQ activists that he would not promise to promote LGBTQ equality.
In February, the Association for LGBTQ Equality sent a report to Israel’s President Rivlin which documented a 54% jump from 2017 to 2018 in homophobic incidents.
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| Courtney Act in “Fight For Love” |
RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Courtney Act drops her brand new music video, “Fight For Love,” today as she preps to become Australia’s entry at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
Act will participate in ‘Eurovision – Australia Decides’ on SBS on Saturday, February 9, where the winner will be determined via the combination of a public vote (50%) and the votes of a professional jury panel (50%).
She calls the dance-pop single “a dancefloor banger about coming together and fighting for the things we believe in.”
Echoing a message of social justice, she adds, “I think it’s so important to think about the basic human rights of others and to use our collective voices, minds and bodies to lift those people up and bring about change.”
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| Courtney Act (image via Facebook) |
The 36-year-old first made her way into the public spotlight during the debut season of Australian Idol in 2003. Making it to the Wild Card round, she was the first competitor to bring the art of drag to a reality show.
Since that time, she’s placed 3rd on Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, won the 2018 season of Celebrity Big Brother UK, celebrated her own 2018 holiday TV special, Courtney Act’s Christmas Extravaganza, and is now the host of the UK bisexual dating show, The Bi Life, on E!
And along the way, she’s help to educate her fans on LGBTQ issues like HIV stigma and gender fluidity.
“A sweet 16 years after Australian Idol, I have the chance to show the world how I have grown as an artist and performer and I am so excited,” says the drag superstar.
“Fight For Love” harkens back to the heyday of music videos with several glam looks for Act, dancing drones, and an undeniable dance beat perfect for the Pride dance floor.
This is certainly material Eurovision embraces.
Check out “Fight For Love” below.