Billy Porter in the acclaimed FX series POSEPose Executive Producer, Writer, Director and Co-creator Steven Canals announced via Twitter today the acclaimed series will end after the upcoming third season. “Hey Pose fam! We made the decision to end [the show] after 3 seasons because we reached the intended ending of our story,” tweeted Canals. “This experience has been life changing. THANK YOU is too small a word. And yet, it’s what is in my heart. Hope to see you May 2nd when we debut.”
Hey Pose fam! We made the decision to end @PoseOnFX after 3 seasons because we reached the intended ending of our story. This experience has been life changing. THANK YOU is too small a word. And yet, it’s what is in my heart. Hope to see you in May 2nd when we debut. #PoseFXpic.twitter.com/P9fMZfrS06
“‘Write the TV show you want to watch!’ That’s what I was told in 2014 while completing my MFA in screenwriting. At the time we weren’t seeing very many Black and Latino characters — that happened to also be LGBTQ+ — populating screens. And so I wrote the first draft of a pilot the ‘younger me’ deserved. Pose was conceived as a love letter to the underground NY ballroom community, to my beloved New York, to my queer & trans family, to myself.
“I, along with my incredible collaborators, never intended on changing the TV landscape. I simply wanted to tell an honest story about family, resilience, and love. How fortunate am I to have done that for three seasons. I’m filled with gratitude to our intrepid writers, cast, crew, and producers who worked tirelessly to make Pose come to life, humbled by our loyal audience, thankful to the ballroom community who trusted us to tell their story, overwhelmed by the critics who warmly embraced us, and forever indebted to Ryan Murphy, FX, and 20th Television for changing my life.”
The series garnered multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for its first two seasons including a win for Billy Porter for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 2019 Emmy Awards. Pose Season 3 premieres May 2 on FX.
Billy Porter as ‘Pray Tell’ on POSE (promo photo) The acclaimed FX series Pose resumed shooting this fall after hitting the pause button due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Emmy Award winner Billy Porter shared some intel from behind-the-scenes when he sat down on Live With Kelly and Ryan this week. “We are shooting Season 3 right now with all of the COVID protocols in place,” Porter told the hosts. “It is not the easiest version of filming a television show that I have been a part of, but I am grateful that we are back to work. Disney is now the parent company of FX, and they have really taken this seriously. They are keeping us all very safe during this process.” What folks really want to know, though, is how are they filming those huge ball scenes created with a soundstage full of actors and extras? “We’re still trying to figure that part out,” Porter admitted. “We have not shot any of the balls yet. We have been shooting the scene work, and I believe we are waiting for the ball sequences to hopefully be shooting them in some sort of vaccine situation. So, we are pushing those scenes to next year.”
(image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Fitness trainer Dominik Scherl (above) wants to know who’s been naughty and who’s been nice? 😉 • NY Times: Congressional leaders are on the verge of cementing a roughly $900 billion stimulus deal that is expected to provide a new round of direct payments to millions of Americans as well as additional unemployment benefits, food assistance and rental aid. • Twitter: After President-elect Joe Biden formally announced Pete Buttigieg today to be his pick for Transportation Secretary, Buttigieg shared his thoughts of a time when gay people had a much more difficult time making progress in Washington, D.C. With this nomination, Buttigieg could become the first LGBTQ cabinet appointee confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
I’m mindful of the history of this appointment, knowing this is the first time an American president has ever sent an openly LGBTQ cabinet appointee to the Senate for confirmation. pic.twitter.com/txVuqO4o59
• Washington Blade: As the Trump administration is nearing its end, federal agencies are hurriedly finalizing regulations granting leeway to religious institutions that are federal grantees and contractors, which critics say would enable anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Because these regulations went through a rule-making process, the Biden administration won’t be able to easily undo them. • KIT212: Kenneth takes a look at the popular podcast, Gayest Episode Ever, which looks at LGBTQ+ themed episodes from shows past, back when LGBTQ+ characters and storylines were rare and (often) done terribly. The podcast is not only touching, funny and smart, but it also provides insightful commentary on the evolution of queer representation, gay rights and how culture can both affect, and be affected by, what we see on TV. • The Advocate: The venerable queer magazine offers its list of the ‘Top 15 Best LGBTQ+ TV Shows of 2020.’ Hit the link to see if your favorite made their list. • Texas Tribune: A former Houston police captain was arrested after allegedly running an air conditioner technician off the road and threatening him at gunpoint on October 19 in an attempt to ‘prove’ the man had over 700K fake ballots. “There were no ballots in the truck,” according to a Harris County district attorney’s office press release. “It was filled with air conditioning parts and tools.” • InstaHunks II: One more from furry Santa man Dominik Sherl…
Men’s saunas may make a comeback in San Francisco Some news items you might have missed: • Gay Star News: San Francisco may finally see gay bathhouses return thanks to the city relaxing rules it brought in at the height of the AIDS crisis. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the city’s governing council, voted unanimously on Tuesday to remove the restrictions on saunas in hopes that the businesses will now ‘reopen as part of the city’s COVID-19 economic recovery’. • Meidas Touch: A Democratic super PAC is launching an anti-President Trump ad that uses former President Reagan’s comments in a 1980 presidential debate when he was challenging then-President Carter. The ad is set to air exclusively on Fox News over the course of the next week and features Reagan’s famous debate moment when he asked the country if it was “better off” than it was four years ago.
• Queerty: Actresses Indya Moore and Angelica Ross, of FX’s Pose, have criticized the Emmy Nominations, just one day after their announcement. The two transgender actresses attacked the Television Academy for ignoring the trans performers on the show, and lashed out at the show’s network, FX, for a lack of promotion. • KIT212: Kenneth helps us all over Hump Day with his latest installment of ‘Wrestle Wednesday’ (below). • Boy Culture: When the man who wrote Encyclopedia Madonnica 20: Madonna from A to Z, literally THE BOOK on Madonna, calls the international superstar out over COID-19 batshittery, you know it’s serious. • The Gaily Grind: Four plainclothes NYC police officers were caught on video jumping out of an unmarked grey Kia minivan in broad daylight, snatching an 18-year-old transgender protester off the street, wrestling her to the ground, and throwing her into the vehicle before speeding away from the intersection.
NYC is taking after Portland – a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest – this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street pic.twitter.com/1PDhSYuK9h
The cast of Schitt’s Creek (via Instagram) The 2020 Emmy Award nominations were announced this morning with lots of LGBTQ recognition to go around. Schitt’s Creek garnered a whopping 15 nominations including Outstanding Comedy Series as well as Outstanding Lead Actor / Lead Actress / Supporting Actor / Supporting Actress for Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Daniel Levy, and Annie Murphy respectively. Daniel Levy is also nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. The show has received four nominations in past years. https://twitter.com/SchittsCreek/status/1288140496410480640 VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race scored 10 nominations including Outstanding Competition Program and one for Mama Ru for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked was nominated for two trophies including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, and RuPaul’s Drag Race Out Of The Closet scored a nod for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series. The ‘make better’ show Queer Eye was honored with 7 nominations including Outstanding StructuredReality Program, and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. https://twitter.com/QueerEye/status/1288152402135265280 Billy Porter was nominated again for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Pray Tell in FX’s Pose. Porter took home the trophy last year in the same category. The series also received nominations for period costumes, hairstyling, and makeup, but no Emmy love for any of the transgender actresses on the show – Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, and Angelica Ross. Additionally, the show itself was not nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. Steven Canals, one of the co-creators of the show, made note of that on social media. https://twitter.com/theebillyporter/status/1288143439046090758 https://twitter.com/StevenCanals/status/1288165593581903873 The wild and wooly Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness received 6 nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. We’re Here, starring Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela, was nominated for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. Holland Taylor was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her delicate turn as a movie studio casting director in Netflix’s Hollywood. Jim Parsons also scored an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series of Movie nod for his scheming talent agent in Hollywood as well. Hollywood, which reimagines the Golden Age of Tinsel Town with marginalized communities like Black and LGBTQ Americans finding success in the 1940s, received 12 nominations in total. In the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category, Laverne Cox received a nomination for her appearance in the final season of Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black. Cherry Jones was nominated in the same category for her work in HBO’s Succession. https://twitter.com/RandyRainbow/status/1288157086426312704 Political satirist Randy Rainbow was honored with a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series for his popular parodies of Broadway tunes which lampoon political figures. HBO’s dystopian superhero drama Watchmen walked away with the most nominations, 26 in all, followed by Amazon’s stylish comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with 20 nods. For a complete list of all nominees head over to Emmys.com. The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be presented on September 20 on ABC.
Some news items you might have missed: • CBS Sports: Major League Baseball is set to return starting either July 23 or 24, the league has announced. It’s worth noting that 40 MLB players and staff members reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus in recent days. • Billboard: Former President Barack Obama is set to deliver a special message to the LGBTQ community for the 3rd annual Stonewall Day virtual event. He will be joined by major stars such as Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry and more, who will be offering their own messages of support, while pop superstars Kesha and Hayley Kiyoko will take to the digital stage for special performances. The Stonewall Day 2020 livestream on Logo’s YouTube and Facebook pages from 12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Friday, June 26. • NewNowNext: Also on Friday, the cast of FX’s Pose will reunite for “Pose-A-Thon,” a commercial-free, one-hour online kiki with the cast and creative team of Pose. The event will raise awareness for three LGBTQ organizations: GLSEN, Hetrick-Martin Institute, and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. The “Pose-A-Thon” will air Friday, June 26 at 10pm ET on FX, Freeform, and the “Pose-A-Thon” website. • New Music: Lauv drops a surprise new EP titled Without You. The 4 tracks were all written and produced during quarantine. The global hottie also releases the quarantine made video for “Dishes,” the totally chill-vibe lead track for the EP. p.s. He also recently launched Breaking Modern Loneliness, an episodic podcast where each episode is a new open forum discussion on all things human relationships, mental health, and technology.
• Zillow: The massive real estate website has announced all Zillow listings will now provide information regarding local LGBTQ protections to help home buyers and renters identify which communities provide protection for all. Currently, only 22 states and the District of Columbia have laws against housing discrimination that include sexual orientation and gender identity. • Reuters: American approval of Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has dropped to the lowest level on record since Reuters/Ipsos polls started asking the question at the beginning of March. With new COVID-19 cases surging, 58 percent said they disapproved. • Out: Actor and activist Wilson Cruz (My So-Called Life, Star Trek: Discovery) offers this subtle reminder that at the young age of 46-years-old, he ain’t playing.
L-R Dyllon Burnside, Billy Porter (screen capture) As Pride Month 2020 has begun amid ongoing concerns for dealing with the COVID-19 health threat, this certainly would be a good time to serve up a new season of the critically-acclaimed FX series Pose. But alas, while the first two seasons of the diverse, queer-themed series premiered in time for Pride, this year we are without our fix of ballroom fierceness as production was shut down early in the coronavirus pandemic. Series star Indya Moore, who plays aspiring model ‘Angel Evangelista,’ recently told Variety, “When production paused, I wasn’t shocked — I knew it would happen — but it was a bittersweet moment for me.” “On the one hand, if anyone had gotten sick, it surely would have spread fast,” they added. “On the other hand, most folks working on a production are living paycheck to paycheck. So I was worried about how they are going to survive.” Co-creator Steven Canals shared with the venerable Hollywood outlet that the show will definitely return – it was renewed for Season 3 after just one episode of the second season had aired – but how the storytelling is handled may shift.
“Things like kissing — we will likely forgo those moments,” said Canals. “The place on our show where the biggest impact will be felt will be the ball scenes,” he added referring to the massive number of background actors featured in the dance sequences. “Those scenes have 125 to 150 background actors,” explained Canals. “That’s tricky because that’s such an important and critical part of our show and the narrative. We’re just, only now, having conversations of ‘Is there a world where we forgo these things?’”
Canals shares that the entire season hadn’t been fully scripted yet when the production shut down. “I haven’t had anybody reach out asking for those scripts,” said Canals. “It’s all been about family and really caring for each other’s well-being.” But Canals does guarantee there will be another season of Pose, and one that will put the powerful LGBTQ politics of the series “upfront and center,” where they always have been. “So in terms of the narrative of Season 3 and the way we’re moving forward, I think it will inherently address what’s happening currently with COVID-19,” adds the openly queer screenwriter. “All of that was already baked into the DNA of the show.” It’s hard to imagine the series without the now-iconic ballroom scenes depicting so much LGBTQ tribal pride. Or groundbreaking love scenes between Emmy Award-winner Billy Porter’s ‘Pray Tell’ and Dyllon Burnside’s ‘Ricky Evangelista.’ But trust and believe, the creative powers that brought us the most diverse LGBTQ cast of actors and writers will find a way. Season 1 of Pose is currently available on Netflix with Season 2 joining the lineup on the streaming platform on June 11.
Writer/producer Ryan Murphy has announced the medical props used on the hit FX show Pose (featured in scenes related to the AIDS epidemic) are being donated to Mount Sinai Hospital to help fight the COVID-19 health threat. Murphy shared on his Instagram: “On my FX series POSE, one of our regular sets and locations is a hospital where in season 3 (spoiler) Blanca works as an AIDS/hiv counselor. Today we donated all our prop supplies to Mount Sinai hospital to help nurses and doctors battling the Covid outbreak. Let’s all keep giving when and where and how we can. More to come…”
Billy Porter (right) on the set of ‘Pose’ (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: Emmy Award winner Billy Porter (above) looks euphoric as the cast of Pose begins working on Season 3. “I couldn’t be more excited to be back on set with my @poseonfx family today to start shooting season 3 of this show that I’m so proud to be a part of. I can’t wait for y’all to see what we have in store for you this season – it’s going to be epic hennies!” • Washington Post: Bipartisan congressional negotiators reached an agreement today on a roughly $8 billion emergency spending bill to combat the coronavirus, hoping to send it to Donald Trump’s desk by the end of the week. The deal must still be voted on by the House later Wednesday and the Senate on Thursday. • New Music: Loving the latest from Malia Civetz, “Broke Boy,” a gospel-tinged, pop bop that finds Civetz extolling her guy’s assets even if they aren’t financial. Her raise-the-roof, full-throated vocals paired with a body-positive/sex-positive message is definitely a winning combination. I think we’ll be hearing a lot from the powerhouse vocalist. “I love my broke boy…there’s no credit card that’s gonna buy my heart, cuz I gave it all to a broke boy.”
• Cape Town: Two teen boys, aged 14 and 17, allegedly gang-raped a lesbian over the weekend in an attempt to ‘correct’ her sexuality just a day before the annual Cape Town Pride Festival on Saturday. • NBC News: After failing to win any states on Super Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is reportedly “assessing” her path forward. Her campaign manager sent an email to staff Wednesday morning, saying that they are “disappointed” in the Super Tuesday results and that Warren will be “going to take time right now to think through the right way to continue this fight.” • Dazed: Straight men, like InstaHunk Ryan Yule (below), are apparently joining content-hosting fan sites like OnlyFans making soft porn for gay men. Yule makes a strong case for doing so: “I used to have a wank and wouldn’t get paid for it, and now, I get paid for it.” He reportedly has 250 subscribers at $15 a month. Minus the site’s 20 percent fee, that adds up to about $3,000 a month.
This year’s LGBTQ Critics’ top honors went to artists from Pose, Parasite and Judy GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, has announced its picks for 2019’s best films, TV and events — and the big winner is Parasite snagging five awards. One of the best-reviewed films of the year, the South Korean flick was recognized for Film of the Year, Foreign Language Film of the Year, Director of the Year (Bong Joon-ho), Film Performance of the Year – Supporting Actor (Song Kang-ho) and Screenplay of the Year (Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won). “GALECA members strive to determine the best cinematic experiences through the distinct LGBTQ lens, and this year was particularly rich in options,” said GALECA President Diane Anderson-Minshall, Editorial Director of The Advocate. “Yet when director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite practically swept our awards roster with five wins, I was not surprised. The dynamic, darkly comic drama about a poor family conniving to live the good lifespeaks to the times we live in, with vivid commentary on class, inequity and even climate change. Parasite is a perfect film for the Trump era.” Also in the mix: Renée Zellweger honored with Film Performance of the Year – Actress for Judy; Antonio Banderas’s stunning performance snatched up the award for Film Performance of the Year – Actor for Pain and Glory; and Catherine O’Hara was honored for career achievement with the Timeless Star Award. Billy Porter won TV Performance of the Year – Actor for his powerhouse turn as “Pray Tell” in Pose and Phoebe Waller-Bridge scored in TV Performance of the Year – Actress for Fleabag. Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire was honored as LGBTQ Film of the Year while Cats and Netflix’s The Politician were recognized as the Campy Flick and Campy TV Show of the Year, respectively. Lady Gaga won in two categories: TV Musical Performance of the Year performing “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper at the Academy Awards and special accolade as Wilde Artist of the Decade. As a voting member of GALECA, I’m quite proud of not only this year’s winners but the diverse list of nominees. Formed in 2009, GALECA aims to generate camaraderie and solidarity in an unsettling media environment, champion constructive film and television criticism, and elevate the craft of entertainment journalism. Complete list of nominees (winners noted by *): Film of the Year Hustlers Little Women Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood Pain and Glory *Parasite Portrait of a Lady on FireDirector of the Year Pedro Almodóvar, Pain and Glory Greta Gerwig, Little Women *Bong Joon-ho, Parasite Sam Mendes, 1917 Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on FireFilm Performance of the Year — Actress Awkwafina, The Farewell Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story Lupita Nyong’o, Us Alfre Woodard, Clemency *Renée Zellweger, JudyFilm Performance of the Year — Actor *Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory Adam Driver, Marriage Story Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems Joaquin Phoenix, Joker Taron Egerton, RocketmanFilm Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress Laura Dern, Marriage Story Florence Pugh, Little Women *Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Margot Robbie, Bombshell Zhao Shuzhen, The FarewellFilm Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Al Pacino, The Irishman Joe Pesci, The Irishman Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood *Song Kang-ho, ParasiteLGBTQ Film of the Year Booksmart End of the Century Pain and Glory *Portrait of a Lady on Fire RocketmanForeign Language Film of the Year Atlantics Pain and Glory *Parasite Portrait of a Lady on Fire The FarewellScreenplay of the Year Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story *Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won, Parasite Greta Gerwig, Little Women Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire Rian Johnson, Knives OutDocumentary of the Year American FactoryApollo 11For Sama*HoneylandOne Child NationLGBTQ Documentary of the Year Circus of Books Gay Chorus Deep SouthThe Gospel of Eureka5B*Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm StreetVisually Striking Film of the Year ** TIE Midsommar*1917The LighthouseParasite*Portrait of a Lady on FireUnsung Film of the Year *Booksmart Her Smell Gloria Bell The Last Black Man in San Francisco WavesCampy Flick of the Year *Cats Greta Knives Out Ma SerenityTV Drama of the Year Chernobyl Euphoria *Pose Succession UnbelievableTV Comedy of the Year *Fleabag The Other Two PEN15 Russian Doll Schitt’s CreekTV Performance of the Year — Actor Bill Hader, Barry Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us *Billy Porter, Pose Jeremy Strong, SuccessionTV Performance of the Year — Actress Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek MJ Rodriguez, Pose *Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag Michelle Williams, Fosse/VerdonLGBTQ TV Show of the Year EuphoriaThe Other Two*PoseSchitt’s CreekTales of the City Unsung TV Show of the Year Gentleman Jack On Becoming a God in Central Florida *The Other Two PEN15 Years and YearsTV Current Affairs Show of the Year Full Frontal with Samantha Bee The Rachel Maddow Show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver The Late Show with Stephen Colbert *Leaving Neverland TV Musical Performance of the Year *Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” 91st Academy Awards Lizzo, “Truth Hurts,” VMAs 2019 Megan Mullally, “The Man That Got Away,” Will & Grace Annie Murphy, “A Little Bit Alexis,” Schitt’s Creek Michelle Williams, “Who’s Got the Pain?,” Fosse/VerdonCampy TV Show of the Year American Horror Story: 1984 Big Little Lies RuPaul’s Drag Race *The Politician RiverdaleThe “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award Roman Griffin Davis Kaitlyn Dever Beanie Feldstein *Florence Pugh Hunter Schafer Wilde Wit of the Year (Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse) Dan Levy Billy Porter Randy Rainbow Taika Waititi *Phoebe Waller-Bridge Wilde Artist of the Decade (Special Accolade) *Lady Gaga Greta Gerwig Ryan Murphy Billy Porter Phoebe Waller-Bridge Timeless Star (Career achievement award) *Catherine O’Hara
The series garnered multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for its first two seasons including a win for Billy Porter for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 2019 Emmy Awards. Pose Season 3 premieres May 2 on FX.
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