In this week’s podcast: • A gay Instagram & TikTok influencer in Russia was found murdered in a possible hate crime • The world’s first openly gay prince denounces so-called ‘conversion therapy’ and calls for banning it in his native India • The European Union denied funding to six Polish towns that say they are “LGBT free” • Lifetime Channel has announced a gay romantic movie for the holidays and Hulu’s Love, Victor gets the green light for a second season • What to watch now? How about four short films exploring the intersection of coming out and soccer? Find The Male Gaze: Strikers & Defenders on Amazon here. • NYC-based singer/songwriter Kyle Motsinger releases his new disco-themed single, “No Shame,” that drops the beat on body shame. All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast.
Me and Snoopy (photo: Denise Truscello) Some news items you might have missed: • Snoop Watch: Just a quick check-in to say Snoopy (the short one above) is doing great settling in with Michael and me. For those interested in #BeagleLife, most of my posts about Snoopy will be on Instagram here. Thanks to Denise Truscello for the pic and to everyone for all the messages of support about our new 14-year-old addition 🙂 • Instinct Magazine: The Lifetime TV channel has announced that it will release its first-ever holiday film with a same-sex romance as the central storyline. The upcoming tv movie is titled The Christmas Set-Up and follows two former high school friends who get (surprise!) ‘set-up’ by one’s mother during holidays at home. • Out Music: Acclaimed singer and songwriter VINCINT recently released “Hard 2 Forget,” the eagerly awaited follow-up to his acclaimed debut EP, The Feeling. The out artist has received raves from the media like this from Eonline: “VINCINT has kept us captivated with his sumptuous synth-pop sound and his outrageous vocals. As masterful with a full-throated belt as he is slipping into a soft falsetto, his is a voice.”
• WOW: Former Grey’s Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington (who was fired from the show for using a homophobic slur) came out to FoxNews as a Trump supporter. In April, the actor tweeted he had left the Democratic party. • Sunday Times: Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber on why the now-infamous CATS movie turned out the way it did – “The problem with the film was that [director] Tom Hooper decided that he didn’t want anybody involved in it who was involved in the original show. The whole thing was ridiculous.” • CNN: After repeatedly seeking to discredit mail-in voting, Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Florida’s election system is “safe and secure” and encouraged Floridians to vote by mail.
Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail! #MAGA
We get our first tease of Tony Award winner Idina Menzel singing the iconic “Wind Beneath My Wings” from the upcoming Lifetime Channel remake of the Bette Midler classic film, Beaches.
Here’s the synopsis of the film:
Like the 1988 original, the remake follows C.C. (Menzel) and Hillary (Nia Long) over several decades, including the former’s stage success and the latter’s tragic illness. Despite coming from different backgrounds, C.C., a budding singer, and Hillary, the daughter of a civil rights lawyer, strike up a friendship that lasts a lifetime.
The TV movie debuts on Lifetime January 21 at 8PM ET/7PM C
Penning the show will be Josh Safran, who was an Executive Producer on Gossip Girl and served as a Showrunner during the season season of Smash.
The plot will remain the same: A group of talented teens face the up and downs of attending the prestigious New York High School of the Performing Arts, all expressed in a smattering of musical and dance numbers.
First airing in 1982, the original series ran for six seasons, starring Debbie Allen. Supporting players during the show’s seven year run included a young Janet Jackson and recent Tony Award-winner, Michael Cerveris.
Nigel Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol) is also attached as an executive producer.
You’ll recall in 2009 a remake of the series totally flopped.
The original movie was raw, edgy (for it’s time) and was a part of my teenage landscape as a performer. It rang true on so many levels. For many of my generation in the arts, it evoked a visceral reaction.
To this day, I still “get” that ineffable, hard to explain thing that makes us all want to express ourselves in the arts.
Fingers crossed the powers that be find a way to communicate THAT to a new audience.
Check out the trailer for the highly anticipated biopic on the life of Whitney Houston – “Whitney” – which premieres on Lifetime Channel tonight, January 17, at 8pm ET.
Yaya DaCosta stars as Whitney Houston, Arlen Escarpeta plays Bobby Brown and Mark Rolston is music exec Clive Davis. The project marks Angela Bassett’s directorial debut.
Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston has denounced the film and the producers had troubles securing the rights to Whitney’s spectacular vocals. So Grammy nominated dance artist and Broadway actress Deborah Cox was brought in to re-record several of Houston’s iconic songs.
I know I talk quite a bit about Broadway here on The Randy Report.
And you may say, “Randy, I love your posts about Broadway, but I can’t afford the ticket price.”
Or – “I can’t afford to travel to New York City to see Broadway.”
Completely understandable. Now – Broadway comes to you.
Tony Award winner Cicely Tyson and Tony Award nominee Vanessa Williams reprise their celebrated Broadway performances in “The Trip To Bountiful” – the award-winning Horton Foote play brought to television as a Lifetime Movie World Premiere.
This movie event debuts on Lifetime TV this Saturday at 8pm with encore performances to follow.
I saw the play on Broadway last year and it was as beautiful, artful and touching.
With Vanessa Williams after her gorgeous performance in “The Trip to Bountiful” on Broadway
Based on Oscar®, Pulitzer Prize, and Emmy Award winning author Horton Foote’s Tony Award nominated play, “The Trip to Bountiful” is a courageous and moving story of liberation, as well as a humor-filled celebration of the human spirit.
In “The Trip to Bountiful,” Carrie Watts, begrudgingly lives with her busy, overprotective son, Ludie and pretentious daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae. No longer able to drive and forbidden to travel alone, she wishes for freedom from the confines of the house and begs her son to take her on a visit to her hometown of Bountiful. When he refuses, Mrs. Watts is undeterred and makes an escape to the local bus station, where she befriends Thelma, a young woman traveling home. When Ludie and Jessie Mae discover she is gone, they call in law enforcement to help, but Mrs. Watts is one step ahead of them and convinces the local sheriff to help her on her journey home to Bountiful.
Don’t miss Cicely Tyson, Vanessa Williams along with Blair Underwood and Keke Palmer in this television event. You’ll be glad you did.
Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives creator) has adapted the telenovela Ellas son la Alegría del Hogar, which has now been picked up with a 13-episode order.
Ex-Housewife Eva Longoria is one of the executive producers.
This should give series regular Susan Lucci plenty to talk about on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. The All My Children legend stars as Genevieve Delacort, a loopy, aging socialite, prone to suicide attempts, and taking much younger lovers.
Apparently, Lucci was testing through the roof for Lifetime, courtesy of her guest stints on Army Wives. I’m guessing that made this happen – and I for one am glad. Everyone I know who’s met Ms. Lucci says wonderful things about her.
In this week’s podcast: • A gay Instagram & TikTok influencer in Russia was found murdered in a possible hate crime • The world’s first openly gay prince denounces so-called ‘conversion therapy’ and calls for banning it in his native India • The European Union denied funding to six Polish towns that say they are “LGBT free” • Lifetime Channel has announced a gay romantic movie for the holidays and Hulu’s Love, Victor gets the green light for a second season • What to watch now? How about four short films exploring the intersection of coming out and soccer? Find The Male Gaze: Strikers & Defenders on Amazon here. • NYC-based singer/songwriter Kyle Motsinger releases his new disco-themed single, “No Shame,” that drops the beat on body shame. All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast. 
