"As a joke at the end of one take, Burt leans over and kisses you square on the mouth. The crew thinks this is very funny, but makes you uncomfortable. Uncomfortable and, it will ultimately turn out, gay. Burt Reynolds' kiss makes you gay."Neil Patrick Harris talks about appearing with Burt Reynolds in B.L. Stryker. If there's one thing Burt's known for, it's his sense of humorhe's been pulling that same joke on guys for decades!
It's time to come clean. Many of you have been asking why I've spent more time than usual in Boston over the past year. I've had what turned out to be a series of surgeries on my shoulder. Since the bulk of my loved ones are in Boston ( to say nothing of some of the best hospitals ), it made sense to have the surgery done there. The biggest downside is that I've spent an endless amount of time in a slingwhich reminds me of a weekend I once spent with Michael Brandon, but that's another story.
No convalescence could keep me from returning to Hollywood for "Divas Simply Singing." This was the 24th consecutive year that the divine Sheryl Lee Ralph has helmed this AIDS benefit and, rumor has it, next year will be the last. From her opening Caribbean-inspired production number through her plethora of scene-stealing gowns, Miss Ralph knows how to deliver a show that never falters. Due to my injury, I was unable to accompany Jenifer Lewis on the piano. But I was thrilled to watch my play mama take ahold of the audience with a heartfelt "Here's To Life."
I must add that there was one hysterical moment when Jenifer went out to help Sheryl with her mike. Sheryl thanked her, telling the audience that Jenifer was always there for her. She then added that if she needed a kidney, she was sure that Jenifer would "think about it." Lewis' reaction was priceless ... and you can see it only on BillyMasters.com . Loretta Devine delivered a hysterical gender-bending take on "You've Changed." From divas like Michelle "Destiny's Child" Williams to the stars of the off-Broadway show Sylvestera Mighty Real Musical ( which, coincidentally, was produced by Sheryl and the Diva Foundation ), the capacity crowd ate it up. Bravo to everyoneand especially Sheryl, who is even more beautiful inside than she is on the outside.
Another star's outsides got quite a bit of press this week. Renee Zellweger caused tongues to wag when she turned up at the Elle Women in Hollywood party looking like a younger version of, well, not Renee Zellweger. She looked like a completely different person. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Personally, I've never cared one way or the other about Zellweger or her previously scrunched-up face. But I do find it somewhat disingenuous to show up on a red carpet, have your photo taken by media outlets around the world and then take issue with criticism about your appearance, unless someone held a gun to her headwhich, of course, is a distinct possibility.
Derek Hough revealed that he actually once had a gun held to his head. Last weekend at the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network ( GLSEN ) gala, the hoofer was honored with the Respect Award and revealed a connection to the organization. And he shared a painful childhood secret: "For those of you who don't know, I was actually bullied as a young boy on one occasion." I can feel you on the edge of your seatsat least, I hope that's what I'm feeling. "They would tie my ankles up with a very rough rope and hang me in a tree upside down, spit on me and call me names, even hold a gun to my head. ... Dance became my GLSEN. It became my safe place." So, there you have itif you don't have a GLSEN chapter nearby, you might want to consider doing the cha-cha-cha. Of course, that may be what led to the bullying.
In one of the more surprising stories of the week, auteur Bryan Singer has announced that he's gonna be a daddy. If one believes all those rumors, this would not be the first child he's had. But in this case, we're talking about him actually fathering a child. The mother will be his best friend, Michelle Clunie, who you might remember from Queer As Folk. This news doesn't come completely out of left field ( that, Bryan, is a baseball referencejust in case you have a boy ). Earlier this year, Singer told Out magazine, "I'm quite bisexual. In the last five years, I've had two girlfriendsone for two years, one for eight months."
Lance Bass and fiancé Michael Turchin have set a date for their nuptials: Dec. 20. The ceremony will be filmed by E! for a special to air sometime around Valentine's Day. While Bass' 'NSYNC bandmates will be invited, there are no plans for the group to perform. "I think it's a little cheesy if I sing at all at my wedding," said Bass.
What Lance didn't consider cheesy was posting a nude video of his betrothed. Well, if an underwear model was my fiancé, I'd insist he was naked at all times. The video shows Lance chasing Turchin into the bathroom, where the bare-assed beau is attempting to get into the shower. Where he's running naked from we'll leave to your imagination when you watch the vid on BillyMasters.com .
There's very little left to your imagination when it comes to the subject of our "Ask Billy" question. Darren in Miami writes: "Everyone talks about the hot gay law student on How To Get Away With Murder. But who was the guy he hooked up with who was working for Elizabeth Perkins? He was amazing!"
That would be Niko Pepaj, who happens to be Albanianlike your humble scribe ( except he was born there 23 years ago ). You might have previously seen him in MTV's Awkward or Bunheads or My Super Psycho Sweet 16: Part 2. I must admit, I never saw any of these. But I certainly didn't miss his copy-room romp with legal eagle Jack Falahey. Niko also has quite an extensive body of work ... as a model. And his body has been documented from a variety of intriguing angles. One very revealing photo was accompanied by an apt quote: "I'm very proud of my butt! I work hard on my lower body." You can appreciate all the work he put into his body if you check out BillyMasters.com .
When we're featuring a pair of bare asses, that's definitely the end of yet another column. But don't you worryyou're getting more than that on www.BillyMasters.comno ifs, ands or butts! I may be slightly incapacitated, but I'm still here to deliver whatever you need. So send your questions off to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Renee reveals she was just trying out a Halloween costume. Until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.