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Collins' new gig; Broadway news; Kelly McGillis dishes
Entertainment news: Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2014-06-03

This article shared 6715 times since Tue Jun 3, 2014
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Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins will be a part of Marriott Hotel's newest ad campaign that targets LGBT individuals, known as "#LoveTravels," according to NetsDaily.com . Collins, who was the first openly gay NBA player, spending some of this past season with the Nets, will be featured in ads for Marriott to help promote the campaign. On the campaign, Collins called it "important not only to the LGBT community but to society in general."

The Tony Awards announced a diverse group of presenters for the June 8 ceremony, according to The Wrap. Among the presenters are Zachary Quinto, Clint Eastwood, Gloria Estefan, Fran Drescher, Lucy Liu, Matt Bomer, Audra McDonald, Kevin Bacon, Bradley Cooper and Liev Schreiber, among others. Golden Globe- and Tony-winning actor Hugh Jackman will return for the fourth time to host the Tonys.

The 59th Annual Drama Desk awards ceremony was held June 1 at Town Hall in Manhattan, according to USA Today. There were no real shockers—although Neil Patrick Harris ( Hedwig and the Angry Inch ) had to share his award with Jefferson Mays, the star of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which earned six awards in all—more than any other this production this season—including outstanding musical. Jessie Mueller edged veterans Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara and Idina Menzel to earn outstanding actress in a musical for her portrait of the title character in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Lesbian actress Kelly McGillis has now said that working with Jodie Foster in the 1988 drama The Accused was a great experience, according to Gay Star News. "Working with Jodie was lovely," McGillis said in the current issue of Closer magazine. "I really think she's a wonderful person." McGillis also said making Top Gun with Tom Cruise and the rest of the cast "was such a fun gig," but added that Witness co-star Harrison Ford was "kind of aloof."

Andy Cohen is looking to expand his empire, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The host of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live and exec producer behind The Real Housewives franchise is developing an unscripted series with the title I Slept With a Celebrity. The series, which does not yet have a network attached, is currently being shopped to both broadcast and cable networks.

George Michael's spokeswoman says the singer is "resting" after receiving hospital treatment for an undisclosed ailment, LGBTQ Nation noted. Ambulances were called to Michael's London home May 22 and the "Faith" singer was taken to a hospital. Michael has had a series of health problems in recent years, as well as automotive mishaps connected to his use of marijuana.

Stonewall—openly gay director Roland Emmerich's dramatization of the Stonewall Riots that stars Warhorse breakout Jeremy Irvine—has added Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ron Perlman and Joey King to the supporting cast, according to The Wrap. The film is a drama about a young man in New York caught up during the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a pivotal event widely considered the starting point for the modern gay-rights movement. Kicked out of his own home, young Danny Winters ( Jeremy Irvine ) flees to New York and eventually winds up at the Stonewall Inn, Danny meets the suave Trevor ( Rhys Meyers ) before catching the eye of Ed Murphy ( Perlman ), Stonewall's manager.

Queen is planning to release a new album of previously unheard Freddie Mercury vocals from the 1980s, Variety reported. In an interview with BBC Radio, Queen guitarist Brian May said, "We found a few more tracks with Freddie singing and all of us playing, and they're quite beautiful. People will be hearing this work toward the end of the year." May said the material will mainly be from the 1980s, with the album most likely titled as Queen Forever. Mercury was the lead singer of Queen until he died in 1991 from AIDS-related complications.

Actor Jonah Hill ( 22 Jump Street; Moneyball ) has apologized for an anti-gay slur he uttered at a photographer, according to E! Online. After the photographer taunted Hill about the actor's shorts, he turned around and reportedly said, "Suck my d—k, you f——t." Hill apologized for his poor choice of words on The Howard Stern Show. "This is a heartbreaking situation for me," the Wolf of Wall Street star said apologetically.

Singer Elly Jackson of the British musical act La Roux has said she does not feel comfortable openly labelling her sexuality, and embraces androgyny because she doesn't feel male or female, according to Pink News. In 2010, the "Bulletproof" singer said, "I don't have a sexuality. I don't feel like I'm female or male. I don't belong to the gay or straight society, if there is such a thing. ... I'm not saying I'm bisexual—I'm just sexual." Jackson is now considered La Roux ( as opposed to the duo the act used to be ), with supporting musicians backing her.

The winners of the 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards ( the "Lammys" ) were announced June 2 in a gala ceremony that comedienne Kate Clinton hosted in New York City, according to a press release. Among the many category winners were Luis Negron's Mundo Cruel: Stories ( Gay General Fiction ), Chinelo Okparanta's Happiness, Like Water ( Lesbian General Fiction ) and Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore's The End of San Francisco ( Transgender Nonfiction ). Writers Alison Bechdel and Kate Bornstein received special honors.

HBO's The Normal Heart brought in 1.4 million viewers on May 25, making it the fifth-biggest debut of the 17 films HBO has created since 2010, according to a TIME item. Glee creator Ryan Murphy directed the adaptation of Larry Kramer's award-winning 1985 play, which followed the early days of the AIDS crisis in New York City and starred Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons and Julia Roberts. While the numbers aren't bad for the film, the showing pales in comparison to Lifetime's Flowers in the Attic sequel, which premiered with 3.4 million viewers the following night.

Actor Robert De Niro talked with Out magazine about his late gay father, Robert De Niro Sr., according to People.com . "To me, he was always a great artist," De Niro said. He also said about his father, "Yeah, he probably was [conflicted about being gay], being from that generation, especially from a small town upstate. I was not aware, much, of it. I wish we had spoken about it much more. My mother didn't want to talk about things in general, and you're not interested when you're a certain age."

E! has finally confirmed that its late-night talk show Chelsea Lately is coming to an end—almost two months after star/executive producer Chelsea Handler announced her intention to leave the network when her contract expires, according to The Wrap. Despite the awkward ending to Handler's seven years on the cable network, E! plans a month-long run of special episodes and guests leading up to a one-hour Chelsea Lately series finale on Aug. 26.

British singer Sam Smith has come out of the closet, according to The Huffington Post. Smith raised a few questions about the message of his new video "Leave Your Lover" when he appeared to be dealing with issues surrounding his sexuality and a love triangle with two other people. Now, the singer has confirmed in an interview that he is, in fact, attracted to other men, although he doesn't use identifiers such as "gay," "queer" or "bisexual."

Following a few weeks of talks, actress Stacey Dash has signed with the Fox News Channel as a contributor, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Dash—best known for starring alongside Alicia Silverstone in the 1995 hit Clueless—has inked a deal to offer cultural analysis and commentary across daytime and primetime. Dash is no stranger to politics; known as an outspoken conservative on Twitter, her endorsement of Mitt Romney in 2012 landed her several television appearances.

Tyra Banks is returning to daytime with a new syndicated lifetime talk show for Disney-ABC set for a 2015 launch, according to Deadline. The yet-to-be-named show will have the model-producer-TV personality leading a team of lifestyle experts as they tackle a range of topics. Banks' first syndicated daytime talker, The Tyra Banks Show, ran for five seasons and earned her a Daytime Emmy.

Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk was taken into police custody after attacking Brad Pitt at the red-carpet premiere of Maleficent, which stars Pitt's fiancee, Angelina Jolie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sediuk, 25, was arrested and booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and held at the LAPD's Hollywood station in lieu of $20,000 in bail. NBC Los Angeles reported that an emergency restraining order has been issued to Sediuk to stay away from Pitt, Los Angeles Police Sgt. Albert Gonzalez said.

Legendary out actors Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen portray longtime gay couple Freddie and Stuart in the British sitcom Vicious, which will debut on PBS June 29, according to DKCNews.com . Constantly picking each other apart and holding on to petty slights for decades, Freddie and Stuart are always at each other's throats, cracking snide remarks aimed at the other's age, appearance and flaws. However, underneath their vicious fighting, they have a deep love for one another.

Actress and transgender activist Laverne Cox was on the cover of a recent issue of Time magazine. The Orange Is the New Black star was accompanied on the cover by the lines, "The Transgender Tipping Point: America's next civil rights frontier." Inside the issue, Cox—the first trans person on the publication's cover—discussed her upbringing as well as her own experience with her sexuality and gender identification.

Debmar-Mercury said it will keep The Wendy Williams Show in production through July for a second straight year, according to Deadline. The syndicated series has been renewed through 2017.

Atlantic Records has announced the impending release of Hedwig and the Angry Inch—Original Broadway Cast Recording, the musical companion to the eight-time Tony-nominated show starring Neil Patrick Harris, according to a press release. The release comes 15 years after Atlantic released the cast recording for the original production in 1999, and 13 years following Atlantic's release of the original motion picture soundtrack for the film incarnation. The soundtrack will be available for pre-order June 17 and for download July 1. The album will be available at physical retailers beginning July 15.

Mariah Carey posted several photos of herself Friday, May 30, riding public transportation in New York City while wearing ( what else? ) a glitzy gown, according to US Weekly. The Grammy winner seemed to enjoy her NYC subway experience, and shared another pic of herself flanked by two suit and tie-clad pals: music producer Jermaine Dupri and BET Music Programming President Stephen Hill. Carey's upcoming CD—Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse—has just been released.

Speaking of Carey and her new CD, it did not debut to strong numbers, according to The Wrap. Me. I am Mariah … The Elusive Chanteuse sold just 57,000 copies in its first week. ( The album was released May 27. ) "Beautiful" was released as the album's lead single on May 7, 2013, debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 24; it ultimately made it to number 15, making it Carey's 33rd Top 20 single.

A federal judge has ruled that two ejected American Idol contestants do not have a libel case against the E! network and Fox because the challenged statements are true, according to Courthouse News Service. Corey Clark from the 2002 season of the singing competition sued E! Entertainment Television, Fox and others in 2012, and fellow second season contestant Jaered Andrews joined as a co-plaintiff in an amended complaint. Among other things, Clark claimed he had sexual relations with then-judge Paula Abdul, but American Idol lawyers said they found no evidence of the affair.

The Hollywood Chamber Community Foundation will honor Judge Judy Sheindlin with the 2014 Mary Pickford Award at the annual Heroes of Hollywood awards luncheon, according to Yahoo! News. The award recognizes a woman who has demonstrated a commitment to the mentorship of women in the workplace, served as a leader and role model and made significant contributions to community service. The Heroes of Hollywood awards luncheon will take place June 5 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex in Hollywood.

Oscar-winning actresses have been under attack for making seemingly poor analogies, Yahoo! News reported. A day after Gwyneth Paltrow's Internet trolls/war comment caused a major backlash, Charlize Theron was under fire for a remark she made likening media intrusion to rape. Although Theron meant rape of her privacy, her controversial comment quickly sparked criticism across the Internet.

Following its recent adaptation of Larry Kramer's AIDS-era play The Normal Heart for a TV movie, HBO has announced another period project centered around gay rights. According to Variety, Adam Shankman ( Rock of Ages ) and Dave Kajganich ( A Bigger Splash ) have sold the project Open City ( working title ) to the premium cabler. Set in the New York of the late 1960s, the drama explores characters from various corners of Manhattan as they navigate the cultural revolutions and political turmoil of the era—including the unlikely alliance between the mafia and the city's gay community in the opening of a West Village nightclub.

Roland Emmerich ( the openly gay director behind such films as Independence Day ) will reteam with Dean Devlin to reboot Stargate, their 1994 sci-fi movie that starred Kurt Russell and James Spader, according to Moviefone. MGM's Gary Barber called the duo "world-class creators of the original" and noted that they would "bring their reinvigorated vision of this wildly popular property to audiences of multiple generations." Devlin and Emmerich are also currently attempting to reanimate the Independence Day franchise over at Fox.

Christopher Meloni—the hunky star best known his role on Law & Order: SVU—has said that gay fans have constantly propositioned him since ending his run as a bisexual murderer on the HBO prison drama Oz, according to Gay Star News. He described to talk-show host Conan O'Brien what usually goes down: "It's mostly in the showers [at the gym]. They lather a bit too long down in the nether regions, never speaking... You're doing your thing and you're washing and you can feel the energy." Unfortunately for Meloni's fans, Fox cancelled his new sitcom, Surviving Jack, after less than one season.

In an essay for PolicyMic, Orange Is the New Black writer Lauren Morelli came out as gay after examining issues of sexuality in the process of writing the Netflix hit, according to The New York Daily News. Morelli—who had married to her longtime boyfriend—flew to New York to begin production on the show, not realizing that she would begin to question her sexuality. "I realized I was gay in fall 2012, one of my first days on the set," Morelli wrote. "I am now out to my family, my friends, and most of my co-workers on 'Orange.'"

Just days after announcing she was taking a break from Twitter—following news that she had separated from Jamie Bell, her husband of nearly two years—actress Evan Rachel Wood returned to the site to dispel rumors she "hooked up" with actress Michelle Rodriguez, according to The Huffington Post. She posted, "I have never even said 'hello' to Michelle Rodriguez. I think it's convenient someone chose to make up the story now and not that night [of an event both women attended]. ... Complete lies made up to exploit a public separation, as if that isnt hard enough. Disgusting."

There will be at least one more male-stripper movie in the near future, according to a NewNowNext.com item. Chocolate City, otherwise known as the black Magic Mike, is an urban stripper drama starring rapper-actor Romeo Miller ( aka Lil' Romeo ) as well as veteran megahunks Michael Jai White and Tyson Beckford. Romeo will play Devin, "a young college student who's lured into the world of male exotic dancing to pay the bills." The indie film, which Jean Claude LaMarre wrote and will direct, will begin shooting in L.A. at the end of June.

The National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame board has announced its choices for the second induction class. Inductees include Billy Bean, retired MLB player; Wade Davis, executive director of You Can Play and retired NFL player; Tom Daley, Olympic medal-winning diver; Gareth Thomas, retired rugby player; retired NFL player Esera Tuaolo; Brittney Griner, decorated collegiate athlete and active WNBA player; Diana Nyad, endurance swimmer; and mixed martial artist Fallon Fox, among others. The induction of the second class of honorees will be held at Chicago's Center on Halsted on July 11.

HBO's True Blood returns for its 10-episode, seventh and final season on Sunday, June 22, according to a press release. Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the series takes place in a world where vampires and humans co-exist, after vampires have come out of the coffin, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood that means they no longer need humans as a nutritional source. True Blood: The Complete Sixth Season is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD.

Ann B. Davis, known for her role as housekeeper Alice Nelson on The Brady Bunch, died June 1 at the age of 88, CNN reported. Close friend Bishop William Frey said Davis fell and hit her head May 31 in her bathroom; she suffered a subdural hematoma and never regained consciousness. Actress Florence Henderson, who played mom Carol Brady on the sitcom, said she was devastated to learn of Davis' death.

In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, Comcast announced the redesign of its Xfinity.com/LGBT portal which features a curated collection of TV and movie selections as well as original entertainment, news and behind the scenes interviews, according to Business Wire. The company will also provide its Xfinity TV subscribers free access to HERE TV ( www.heretv.com ) via Xfinity On Demand June 10-16. Original HERE TV series and specials including the Emmy-nominated A World of Dreams: Voice from the OUT100, original sitcom From Here on OUT, and fan favorites Dante's Cove and The Lair will be available at no charge for Xfinity TV subscribers nationwide and accessible via the Xfinity On Demand menu.

Country singer Brad Paisley took some time before his concert in Kansas to pose for a selfie in front of a few members of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church who appeared to be picketing his show, The New York Daily News reported. "Westboro Baptist Selfie!!" he wrote as a caption, sharing the snapshot to Twitter. "Or west-Burro( ass ) selfie. Hopefully they can hear the show out here." The Topeka, Kansas-based religious group—known for its anti-gay bent—held signs with messages like "God hates drunks" and "sin breeds violence."

Two-time Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum New Zealand songstress Lorde has announced she is returning to North America this fall, according to a press release. Her tour dates include Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug. 1 as well as stops in New York City, Toronto, Las Vegas, Nashville, Cleveland and San Diego, among others.

A Southern California production of the Tennessee Williams classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was canceled after an anti-gay outburst in the audience led to a physical confrontation, the firing of an actor and an apparent cast revolt, according to L.A. Weekly. The theater announced in a statement that the play's run was "suspended" through its June 14 end date as a result of "cast members leaving the show with no time to adequately re-cast their parts ... " Actor John Lacy was terminated for removing the heckler—but he was received support from several actors, including Hell on Wheels' Anson Mount, The Wrap noted.


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