"I would probably list myself as mostly straight. But who knows? In a fucking year, I could meet a guy and be like, 'Whoa, I'm attracted to this person.' I think defining yourself as 100% anything is kind of near-sighted and close-minded."—Josh Hutcherson tells Out magazine his thoughts on sexuality being fluid.
This week's column is being filed hours after performing, with the glorious Jenifer Lewis at Sheryl Lee Ralph's "Divas Simply Singing." This is the longest continuously running AIDS fundraiser in the country. Over the past 23 years, the stunning Sheryl Lee has not only raised countless dollars for the fight against AIDS, but also brought together some amazing artists. This year, we had Martha Wash, Amber Riley, Karyn White, Kelly Price, Alex Newell and many more.
Just before we walked onstage, Jenifer casually mentioned that she asked the band to join in our performance. This meant I'd not only be playing the piano, but also leading the band—with no rehearsal! One of the joys of "Divas" is that all of the performers are in the wings, cheering you on. So we just went out there and worked it. You can see the results on BillyMasters.com .
Because of my responsibility to "Divas," I wasn't able to attend the wedding of Greg Louganis and Johnny Challiot. The ceremony took place in Malibu and was attended by a number of celebrities—including Bruce Vilanch and Barbara Eden ( forever squelching rumors that they are the same person ). The couple got engaged in April and met just about a year ago ... on Match.com! See? The Internet's not just for hooking up for hot sex ( or for looking at hot sex on BillyMasters.com ).
Last week, TR Knight married his boyfriend of three years, Patrick Leahy. The ceremony ( which a source described as "small and quiet" ) took place in upstate New York and was attended by two of his former "Grey's Anatomy" co-stars, Katherine Heigl and Kate Walsh. The nuptials necessitated Knight taking two days off from appearing onstage as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet—not the Broadway version with Orlando Bloom, but an off-Broadway version with Elizabeth Olsen and William Hurt.
In other romantic news, Glee star Dot Marie Jones has announced her engagement to girlfriend Bridgett Casteen. The proposal took place a couple of weeks ago at GayDays Anaheim. The twosome were strolling through Disneyland and when they arrived at Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Dot popped the question. I guess the happiest place on Earth is also one of the most romantic. Congrats.
Alas, the course of true love never did run smooth. With that Shakespearean quote, we announce the second break-up of designer Marc Jacobs and gay porn star and male escort Harry Louis. Louis shared this news via Instagram in prose worthy of the bard: "So I would like to be the first one to share with you all the news... Me and Marc have decided not carry on with our relationship as boyfriends... The distance and lack of time because of work schedules aren't really something realistic, and he's such a beautiful and amazing person, that I think he deserve a bf who will stay at least in one of the cities that he leaves in." Yes, that is verbatim. With his disarming command of the Queen's tongue, I think Harry might seriously consider returning to his former profession.
Months ago we told you that legendary porn performer Lukas Ridgeston was contemplating a return to work in front of the camera. ( His last performance was in 2005. ) After a series of test shots ( which you can find on our website ), Ridgeston determined that he could live up to the standards of his prime. If you ask me, he tops himself, which is pretty damn hard to do. The new flick, Forever Lukas, is expected to drop Oct. 23, but we can whet your appetite right now with a little preview ( and a shower scene ) on BillyMasters.com .
In the midst of the government shutdown came some good news from a federal agency. The U.S. Post Office ( which is virtually self-sufficient ) just announced that it will issue a Harvey Milk stamp sometime in 2014.
Joan Rivers has found herself in the midst of a struggle at Fashion Police. As I'm sure you recall, the writers of the popular E! program walked out on strike back in April because they were not being paid overtime or getting benefits that would be standard if they had union contracts overseen by the Writers Guild of America ( WGA ). Going against the network, Joan publicly stated that she supported the writers. However, as the strike dragged on, the writers realized that their efforts against the network were being undermined by Rivers, who was writing her own material—and she's been a WGA member for decades. The union launched an investigation and determined that Rivers was relatively blameless, but she would have to refrain from writing until the strike was resolved. Joanie conceded, saying, "As a lifetime member of the WGA, I have always supported the writers and want what's best for them. In further support of the striking writers, I've decided not to render any writing services, even though as a comedian and a SAG-AFTRA host, I often write material for myself." Stay tuned.
Our "Ask Billy" question comes from Justin in Cincinnati: "Have you seen Witches of East End? It kinda looks like a rip-off of Charmed, right down to the set. Thoughts?"
Of course it looks familiar—the new Lifetime series is using the same house as Charmed for the exterior! But that's not where the similarities end. Instead of three sisters, we have two sisters and a mother. So it's still the power of three. Both shows have mothers with vaguely British accents. ( Compared to Julia Ormond, the heavenly Finola Hughes is an Oscar winner. ) Both shows begin with the girls just learning about their powers. Both feature a Black detective. There's even a Book of Shadows. ( In the new show, it's called Grimoire. ) When Freddie Prinze Jr. shows up in a few weeks, his character's name is Leo. And the premiere of this new show took place on the eve of the 15th anniversary of Charmed. Coincidence? Or are they just paying homage?
When Joan Rivers is gagging herself, it's definitely time to end yet another column. Don't forget to check out www.BillyMasters.com, the site with no gag reflex. If you've got a question for me, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Harry and Lukas teach Joan how to avoid gagging! Until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.
