THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

While criticizing New York City as his home in favor of a move to the more "gated" Los Angeles, Alec Baldwin addressed several of his recent controversies in the New York Magazine essay published Feb. 23, according to a New York Daily News item. Among other things, Baldwin even called out lesbian MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, and many others, in a denunciation of the cable network's decision to pull his short-lived show. He wrote that Maddow is a "phony" who he speculates had something to do with his firing. ( Maddow responded by saying she wishes Baldwin the best. ) Baldwin also discussed a recent incident, saying he was "wrongly" accused of using an anti-gay slur.

Bette Midler will perform at the Oscars for the first time on March 2, according to TheWrap.com . She's been a guest before, as a presenter and Best Actress nominee for The Rose and For the Boys. She joins a list of musical performers that includes Pharrell Williams and Idina Menzel, but it's not currently known what song she will sing.

Sir Patrick Stewart has taken to Twitter to respond to a Guardian columnist mistakenly reporting he is gay, according to Gay Star News. Stewart—known for his roles on the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series and the X-Men films—had shown his support to Ellen Page for her coming out, and columnist Jane Czyzselska wrongly pegged Stewart as gay after he posted the tweet. The column was corrected, but not before Stewart posted, "But @guardian I have, like, five or even SEVEN hetero friends and we totally drink beer and eat lots of chicken wings!"

A recent "Dear Abby" column criticized a couple who wondered why they were excluded from neighborhood gatherings after they said they did "not approve of their lifestyle choices" of two gay couples in the area, according to The Huffington Post. After shutting down their "lifestyle choice" argument, Abby told the couple—who signed their letter "Unhappy in Tampa"—that she "find[s] it interesting that you are unwilling to reciprocate the hospitality of people who welcomed you and opened their homes to you, and yet you complain because you are receiving similar treatment."

Country-music singer and LGBT-rights advocate Jennifer Nettles discussed lesbian rumors in a talk with PrideSource, The Huffington Post noted. "I had such a strong lesbian following and, in the gay community as a whole, I've always had so much support from them," said Nettles, who married husband Justin Miller in 2011. "I think a lot of people just assumed that [I was lesbian]." Lyrics in songs such as "On the Shoulders of Giants" ( "It's crotch propaganda /Bat for both teams /and it's me not choosing sides/ Standing in between" ) have helped fuel the rumors.

Kathryn Skaggs—author of the "A Well-Behaved Mormon Woman" blog—has written a lengthy post blasting the 2013 animated movie Frozen for what she described as the movie's "gay agenda to normalize homosexuality," according to The Huffington Post. Of the tribute and parody versions of the movie's Academy Award-nominated theme song, "Let It Go," Skaggs has written, "I could blatantly see that the homosexual agenda, to normalize the practice, was not simply an underlying message in the movie Frozen, but is the actual story. Skaggs says she is not anti-gay but believes that "acting on same-sex attraction is contrary to God's will."

Cee-Lo Green reportedly announced his exit from NBC's The Voice to avoid having the network and Mark Burnett Productions fire him, according to TheWrap.com . Blindsided by the timing of his announcement, producers are now unsure what to do with Green's vacant coaches' seat. The general belief among the production was that Green was feeling the weight of a drug-related legal case that could result in prison time.

The Q scores ( which measure a celebrity's likability ) have been revealed for several national morning personalities—and Robin Roberts has come out on top, according to TheWrap.com . Robin Roberts, whose cancer fight last year was a major focus of Good Morning America, has a Positive Q Score of 29, while former cohort Sam Champion scored a 25. ( By comparison, actor Tom Hanks scores in the 50s. ) However, Today's Matt Lauer scored a 7, with Kathie Lee Gifford earning a 5. The average Positive Q Score for a celebrity is 15, and the average for a host of any kind of news show is a 13.

Alex Newell, an actor and singer best known for his role as Wade "Unique" Adams on the TV show Glee, is officially slated to take the stage as one of Chicago Pride Fest's headliners, according to ChicagoPride.com . The annual festival is returning to Boystown for the 12th year June 21-22, the weekend before the city's annual Pride Parade that drew 1 million attendees last year. Newell is scheduled to perform Sunday, June 22.

Broadway, television and film star Cheyenne Jackson will make his first appearance in the 30th Annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event ( S.T.A.G.E. ) "S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the Movies," being held on Saturday, May 10, at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, according to a press release. Among others who will be performing are Lainie Kazan, Richard Chamberlain, Mitzi Gaynor, Barbra Streisand's son Jason Gould and Betty Buckley.The concert raises critical funds for AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Lucas Documentaries and Breaking Glass Pictures have signed a deal to release adult-film entrepreneur, activist and political columnist Michael Lucas' Campaign of Hate: Russia and Gay Propaganda on DVD April 1 ( SRP $19.99 ) and VOD this May, according to a press release. As Winter Olympics took place in Sochi, Lucas returned to his native country with co-director Scott Stern.

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning singer Kylie Minogue will release a brand-new album, Kiss Me Once, on Warner Bros. Records/Parlophone on March 18, according to a press release. This is the Australian pop icon's first studio album since 2010's Aphrodite, and her first since signing to Roc Nation Management. Kiss Me Once, a return to the dance floor after 2012's orchestral compilation The Abbey Road Sessions, was executive-produced by Kylie and Sia, who co-wrote the title track.

Speaking of Minogue, she recently surprised a fan with a performance—at his local London gym, according to Gay Star News. Adam Milner was working out at The Factory Gym and Dance Centre without realizing his fellow gym bunnies were actually backing dancers. With a burst of a glitter cannon, the pop singer showed up to sing her new single "Into the Blue" especially for him.

The cast and crew of ABC's multiple Emmy-winning comedy Modern Family recently spent time in Sydney, Australia, filming the show's next holiday special, The New York Post reported. In addition to Sydney, the show went to Queensland to film at the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands. It's the first time that an episode of the five-season-old series has been shot outside of the United States.

Multiple Oscar winner Meryl Streep is in final negotiations to play political activist Emmeline Pankhurst opposite Carey Mulligan in the women's-rights drama Suffragette, according to TheWrap.com . Sarah Gavron is directing Ruby Films' drama, which is starting production overseas. In 1999, Time magazine named Pankhurst as one of the "100 Most Important People of the 20th Century." She founded the Women's Social and Political Union and her protests earned her time in prison, where she and other members staged hunger strikes to secure better conditions.

History was made Feb. 23 when Jason Collins—a seven-foot, 35-year-old NBA veteran—walked onto the court at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He sported Brooklyn Nets uniform No. 46, playing about 11 minutes in what was his 714th career regular-season NBA game, according to Windy City Times. It was his first, though, as an openly gay NBA player—and Collins is now the first active gay athlete in one of the big four male team sports in North America. Collins grabbed two rebounds, had one steal, committed five personal fouls and did not score in Brooklyn's 108-102 win over the host Lakers.

American Idol has had gay contestants in the past, but none of them has come out publicly until their time on the show was done. Recently, though, M.K. Nobilette made "Idol" history by being the first contestant to be openly gay on the show. Nobilette, who became one the top 13 finalists this season, said to the judges, "I'm very obviously gay. And there are always going to be people in America and everywhere else who are definitely going to hate. But I think in the last two years there have been a lot of things that have definitely changed that, and have really made it a positive thing."

In one of the highest-profile packages this year, NBC has given a 13-episode straight-to-series order to Shades of Blue, a drama starring Jennifer Lopez that she will executive-produce with American Idol co-star Ryan Seacrest, Deadline.com noted. Shades of Blue—which is slated for the 2015-16 season—is a police series that centers on Harlee McCord ( Lopez ), a single mother and detective recruited to work undercover for the FBI's anti-corruption task force.

Singer Pink will appear at this year's Oscars, according to TheWrap.com . The producers did not specify what role Pink would play on the show, other than to say that she would take part in "a highly anticipated moment on the broadcast." The only special moment that Zadan and Meron have announced is a 75th-anniversary tribute to The Wizard of Oz. The show's theme is a tribute to movie heroes.

The production of season three of Netflix's House of Cards is being delayed until mid-June pending the outcome of two separate bills in the Maryland legislature that would ensure another season of lucrative state tax breaks for the political drama, according to Deadline.com . According to the Maryland Film Office, the 130 days of production on the first two seasons of House of Cards helped contribute to film and TV's estimated $197.2 million in economic impact in fiscal year 2013. Season two of the show recently started streaming on Netflix.

Maria Agatha Franziska Gobertina von Trapp, whose family inspired the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music, died Feb. 22 at the age of 99, according to TheWrap.com . The last survivor of the von Trapp brothers and sisters died in her sleep at her home in Vermont. Following the death of father Baron von Trapp's first wife, aspiring nun Maria Kutschera joined the family to teach the children, fell in love with the baron and married him in 1927. A very musical family, the von Trapps toured Europe and the United States, settling in the States in 1938.

Co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet isn't returning for the upcoming 18th season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars, as she's been fired from the show, TheWrap.com reported. A co-host of the dancing competition since season 10, Burke-Charvet was informed she had been fired Feb. 21. "[W]eird day….Shocking pre-season elimination #DWTS… ME," she tweeted. "@Tom_Bergeron didn't even read my name. I won't be returning to the show this season." Erin Andrews, a former "Dancing" contestant, will replace Burke-Charvet.

The website The Fame Driven has dubbed singer Taylor Swift a "power beard" for allegedly dating famous gay men over the years, according to IBTimes.com . The bearde rumor all began thanks to recent reports that she's been spotted with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose sexuality has been the subject of speculation. The site's report says, "Although none of the men Swift has dated have ever come out publicly, gay men have historically wondered about a few of her exes, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas, and Taylor Lautner."

Eminem and Rihanna are co-headlining a three-city tour in August, according to TheWrap.com . Dubbed the "The Monster" tour after their most recent collaboration on the single of the same name last year, the singers will perform in New York, Detroit and Los Angeles. Their fourth collaboration with one another, "The Monster" appears on Eminem's eighth studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2.

Tyra Banks has taken a break from the fashion industry, turning businesswoman once again, according to Fashion & Style. The America's Next Top Model host is one of those investing in The Muse, a virtual career center formerly known as The Daily Muse. The Muse announced the close of a $1 million venture and angel-funding round, raising a total amount of $2.2 million to date.

The 45th Annual NAACP Image Award winners were announced live during a two-hour special Feb. 22 on TV One, TheWrap.com reported. Among the winners were the ABC show Scandal ( as well as actors Kerry Washington and Joe Morton ), actor Idris Elba, singers Beyonce and John Legend, and the film 12 Years a Slave ( in addition to "Slave" actress Lupita Nyong'o ). In addition, Oprah Winfrey and Stevie Wonder separately honored the late former South African president Nelson Mandela, while openly gay director Paris Barclay ( the first African-American president of the Directors Guild of America ) was inducted into the Image Awards Hall of Fame.

Former Dallas Cowboys player Greg Ellis said on ESPN Radio that he's worried about the consequences of now-out potential NFL player Michael Sam patting a teammate on the butt, according to NBC Sports. Ellis asked, "If he pats somebody on the butt ... how is that to be received? If he said, 'Come on baby'? I called guys baby all the time on the football field, but when you have taken a stand and went and go public and say that, 'I am gay,' how is that going to be received?"

One of the cast members of America's Next Top Model's upcoming 21st cycle cast has made news in the past because of alleged anti-gay activities, according to a Fenuxe.com item. Adam Smith, who graduated from Emory University in 2010, reportedly stayed in Atlanta after finishing school—and allegedly became abusive and violent toward a younger gay student. After the younger student accused Smith of anti-gay statements and actions, Smith said in a statement, "I am in NO WAY at all a homophobic person. I have many friends at Emory who will vouch for me as a friendly guy and a genuinely great person."

Gay actor/activist Sir Ian McKellen has said he has "never met a gay person who came out and who regretted it," according to Pink News. McKellen, who came out publicly 26 years ago, told Buzzfeed, "Anyone in public life who comes out, comes out primarily for themselves, and their life is immediately improved. That's what happened to me." He also offered advice to those who are struggling to come out, saying: "I feel sorry for anyone who feels the need to lie about themselves. That's not good for you."

U.S. film producer Harvey Weinstein has praised Benedict Cumberbatch's "genius" portrayal of Alan Turing in the upcoming biopic of the late British gay codebreaker's life, Pink News reported. The Imitation Game is the upcoming film based on the biography Turing, a wartime codebreaker who is considered the father of modern computing. Weinstein, who recently bought the rights to the film, said his decision was spurred by what he saw from a 20-minute compilation of scenes.

The full list of presenters at this year's Academy Awards has been unveiled, according to Deadline. Among the dozens of actors slated to present are Jamie Foxx, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Day-Lewis, Viola Davis, Sidney Poitier, Matthew McConaughey, John Travolta, Whoopi Goldberg, Charlize Theron, Andrew Garfield and Tyler Perry. Ellen DeGeneres will host the ABC event Sunday, March 2.

The National Enquirer and its publisher, American Media Incorporated, have reached a settlement with playwright David Bar Katz, who they falsely named as Philip Seymour Hoffman's gay lover, TheWrap.com reported. The tabloid planned on publishing a full-page apology in the Feb. 26 issue of The New York Times and will fund "an annual prize of $45,000 for an unproduced play," according to a report by Jim Dwyer. The National Enquirer reportedly characterized its error as an "honest mistake."

Following a sold-out 2013 event, Indy Pride, Inc., has announced that the 2014 installment of Girl Pride will take place at Talbott Street Nightclub June 12, according to a press release. Special guests will include Luciana, called the "Queen of Electro," and Grammy-nominated singer/author Mary Lambert, who sang with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on the gay anthem "Same Love." See www.circlecityinpride.org .

Adam Baldwin, a star of the onetime sci-fi TV series Firefly, went on Twitter with a post about marriage equality that The Huffington Post said compared it to incest. Baldwin unleashed his rant after posting a link to an article on The Hill about Matt Bevin, a Congressional hopeful from Kentucky who suggested legalizing same-sex marriages could lead to the legalization of parent-child marriages for issues like tax purposes. Baldwin tweeted, "What's wrong, now, with a father marrying his son for love & to avoid tax penalties?" He later told HuffPost Gay Voices he did not liken same-sex marriage to incest, tweeting, "Please correct/retract your false 'incest' post. I never made that comparison. My point was strictly re: tax avoidance marriage."

Tegan and Sara have announced their own spring/summer headlining tour that will precede a fall trek with Katy Perry, according to a press release. Among the stops are Chicago, Nashville, Toronto and Atlanta. The lesbian twins are also confirmed for Big Guava Music Festival in Tampa, Fla.; Hangout Music Fest; Suburbia Music Festival; and Firefly Festival in Dover, Del., this summer.

A lawsuit alleges that a gay-bashing supervisor on the show CSI tormented a crew member with anti-gay slurs and crude drawings of penises —because he thought the worker was gay, according to TMZ.com . Donald Perdue, a set painter on the show, claims supervisor Jeremiah Redclay engaged in a five-year campaign of brutal harassment, calling him derogatory names and hanging drawings of gay sex at Perdue's work station. Perdue, who says he's straight, says the harassment started when he heard Redclay refer to certain actors on the show as "d***suckers" ... and he asked Redclay to stop.