Tag: Oscars

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Oscars Announces New Diversity Criteria For Best Picture Consideration

The Academy Awards has announced new criteria regarding diversity and inclusion for films that wish to be considered in the Best Picture category In an attempt to address “underrepresented groups,” producers will need to hire more LGBTQ+ people, women, folks of color, and those with disabilities. Per the new guidelines, films that want to be considered for Best Picture will have to submit a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form showing they have met at least two of the four standards laid out by the Academy. The four standards are as follows (via Queerty):

Standard A: The movie must have a lead or “significant” supporting actor from an “underrepresented racial or ethnic group,” or 30% of the more minor roles must come from under-represented groups (women, certain racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ, disabled). Alternatively, the main storyline may be focussed on under-represented groups.

Standard B: At least two of the creative heads among the crew – director, casting director, costumer designer, etc – are from underrepresented groups (again, women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ or disabled). Alternatively, at least six of the crew are from under-represented racial groups, or 30% of the crew come from under-represented groups.

Standard C: “The film’s distribution or financing company has paid apprenticeships or internships”, from the underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ and certain ethnic groups, as well as offering training opportunities and skills development for individuals from these groups.

Standard D: The final standard concerns the marketing and distribution departments of movies, saying, “The studio and/or film company has multiple in-house senior executives from” the aforementioned groups (women, certain ethnic groups, LGBTQ and/or disabled).

It all sounds good, but in truth, a film can easily meet standards C and D by having, for example, women on the publicity team, or queer staffers/assistants on the costume crew. Currently, the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 25, 2021.

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News Round-Up: February 10, 2020

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Hunky Dan Tai (above) starts the week looking forward – “Everything the light touches is our kingdom.” Follow Dan on Instagram here. • CBS News: Pete Buttigieg (who was named the victor of the Iowa caucuses by a squeak) is asking for a partial recanvass for 66 precincts as well as a recanvass of all in-state satellite caucus locations. The former South Bend mayor said he believes the discrepancies identified by his campaign would result in a net increase of 14 state delegate equivalents if corrected. • Oscars 2020: I loved Janelle Monáe’s opening number for the Academy Awards. Beginning with the theme from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and then moving into a robust celebration of “all the amazing talent in this room,” the 34-year-old told the audience, “I’m so proud to stand here as a black, queer artist, telling stories.” The dancers were on point, the visuals creative, and when Billy Porter joined the number to knock out some “I’m Still Standing,” it all went over the top. #Bravo

• Washington Post: Federal prosecutors on Monday said longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone deserves a sentence of 7 to 9 years in prison for lying to Congress and tampering with a witness related to his efforts to learn about hacked Democratic emails during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. • Virginia: The Virginia state House on Monday passed HB 972, which would decriminalize marijuana, by a vote of 64-34. The state Senate is expected to pass its own version shortly. Gov. Ralph Northam has signaled his support for the measure. • Out: Netflix announced today that the popular series Sex Education will, indeed, return for a third season. • USA Today: For the first time in the 2020 Democratic primary, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders took the lead in a national Quinnipiac University poll, overtaking former Vice President Joe Biden, just after the Iowa caucuses and one day ahead of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. Sanders received 25% support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, with Biden at 17%.

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Funny: Porn Star Reads Red Carpet Fashions For Filth

Antonio Biaggi (via Instagram)
Pop culture fashionistas are spending their Monday recapping the style show that was the Oscars’ red carpet. Most of the ‘experts’ try to be upbeat but often deliver a few zingers about this dress or that suit, which, let’s face it, can be funny. But someone sent me a link to some social media posts by porn star Antonio Biaggi, and I can tell you, this ain’t your mama’s fashion round-up. In a video posted to Instagram and Twitter, Biaggi goes on an f-bomb filled rant about the fashion parade and he definitely doesn’t hold back. Note – definitely NSFW language here. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8XZ3y0n5dt/ “Ok, I haven’t seen the Oscars in years, like ten years, almost since Joan Rivers – I miss Joan Rivers,” begins Biaggi before adding, “What the f*ck happened to Joan Rivers?” Folks were all over the spectrum regarding the Joan Rivers comment with some posting their astonishment (“I have second-hand embarrassment watching this”) to agreeing with Biaggi (“That was everything, thank you”). When a follower pointed out Rivers passed away, he shifted a bit saying, “We need to get her back from hell.” https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZlJYDB3O1/ Continuing with the rant, he calls out E! Entertainment by name, incredulous that “they think that all the dresses are beautiful! They’re not beautiful – they’re ugly as f*ck!” Biaggi then goes after two attendees in particular. “Look at Billy Porter – what is that? It looks like he got his shower curtain and he went off to the Oscars,” declares the porn star. “I understand the whole ‘gender-fluidity’ but come on, give me a break,” he adds. But wait – there’s more! “And then some b*tch called ‘Billie Eilish?’ Who the f*ck is she?” Saying he’d never heard of the ‘Bad Guy’ singer, Biaggi describes Eilish’s choice of fashion as “homeless in Chanel.” But – to his credit – with his rant comes a rave. https://twitter.com/XxxBiaggi/status/1226642975213727746 “You have to dress like Regina King – that’s a beautiful, elegant woman,” announces the 41-year-old. “When you go to a red carpet, dress up nicely, mother-f*ck*rs!” I have to admit I do agree with some of what Biaggi has to say here because King did serve up supreme deliciousness in an asymmetrical, beaded Versace gown. And I do scratch my head a bit at some of what I see on the red carpet, but I’m clearly no fashionista on the level of Biaggi. In subsequent posts, he called out Sandra Oh for looking like a feather duster; Timothée Chalamet was deemed a ‘serial killer;’  and Blacc Chyna scored ‘piñata’ status. But Charlize Theron and Zazie Beetz got deservedly high marks from the adult performer. He eventually posted his Best and Worst Dressed choices in subsequent tweets. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZaDPYhOVp/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZZivaBI_F/ Everyone gets to have their opinion, folks, and we celebrate that. In a follow-up post on Instagram, Biaggi claimed that right and added, “if you don’t like it, don’t follow me.” https://www.instagram.com/p/B8X6MzMgail/

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Podcast: YouTube Star Blackmailed, Backstage Rumors At ‘Will & Grace,’ 2020 Oscar Nominations

The Randy Report podcast

The Randy Report podcast delivers the week's top stories in a quick, convenient podcast - 'the 60 Minutes of gay news - only shorter' In this week’s podcast: • Marriage equality comes to Northern Ireland • A gay conservative student who led a drag queen protest was found dead of suicide just hours later • Blackmail forces a YouTube star to come out • The truth behind rumors of backstage fights at NBC’s ‘Will & Grace’ • And the Oscar nominations are out and pretty much without the gays All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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News Round-Up: January 8, 2020

Australia’s Human Nature (image via Instagram/Denise Truscello)
Some news items you might have missed: • Las Vegas: Australia’s biggest pop group, Human Nature, will be donating 100% of the ticket sales from their January 25 concert at The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip to support victims of the Australian bushfires. • The Advocate: Preparing an end-run around Michigan’s Republican-controlled legislature, activists are getting ready to gather signatures for a ballot initiative that could codify employment and housing protections for LGBTQ residents. • NBC News: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle have announced they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent.” The couple says they plan to split their time between the U.K. and North America. • KIT212: Kenneth’s ‘Wrestle Wednesdays’ post might pose a challenge to ‘hockey butt.’ • USA Today: The head of ABC Entertainment confirmed today there will (again) be no formal ‘host’ at this year’s Academy Awards telecast. • Billboard: Check out this month’s edition of Queer Necessities, a monthly LGBTQ-driven playlist (via Spotify) from Billboard Pride catching you up on the latest and greatest bops by queer musicians and fierce allies.

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Lady Gaga On Stage Chemistry With Bradley Cooper: “Fooled Ya!”

Lady Gaga on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

One of THE highlights of the Academy Awards this past Sunday was Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s stunning performance of the (now) Oscar-winning song, “Shallow.”

While Cooper had announced in advance that he would not be singing as his character from A Star is Born, “Jackson Maine,” there was still some intense romantical connection between the two stars during the performance.

So much so, that social media began to wonder if the duo were becoming an item?

I should note that while Gaga recently called off her engagement with longtime beau, Christian Carino, Cooper is in a relationship with model Irina Shayk.

In case you missed it, here’s the performance:

During an appearance Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night, Kimmel asked about the sparks that flew during the song.

“You had such a connection with Bradley that, instantly – and I guess this is a compliment – people started saying, ‘Oh, they must be in love,’” said Kimmel.

Will a roll of her eyes, Gaga shot down the rumors.

“First of all, social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the Internet,” said the newly-minted Oscar winner. “And what it has done to pop culture is abysmal.”

“People saw love, and guess what, that’s what we wanted you to see,” she added in a triumphant note.

“This is a love song, ‘Shallow,’ the movie A Star Is Born is a love movie,” explained Gaga. “We worked so hard all week on that performance.”

The pop diva credited Cooper with coming up with the concept and staging of the Oscar performance from their entrance from the audience to lighting the audience during the song to the intimacy they projected.

Gaga added that she’s had a lot of experience with love songs.

“Look, I’ve had my arms wrapped around Tony Bennett for three years touring the world,” said the ‘Bad Romance’ singer. “When you’re singing love songs, that’s what you want people to feel.”

“I’m an artist,and I guess we did a good job,” she added. “Fooled ya!”

Watch the full chat with Jimmy Kimmel below: