Gay fave Kirstie Alley's new show, Kirstie Alley's Big Life, features a theme song, "Picture Perfect"—which was written by Carlos Bertonatti, a rising musician who is awaiting trial on charges of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter, according to the Miami New Times. On Jan. 17, Bertonatti allegedly slammed into cyclist Christophe Le Canne, killing him; Bertonatti reportedly had a blood-alcohol level almost twice the legal limit. A&E spokesman Barry Rosenberg did not comment when asked if Bertonatti ( who is the subject of the Facebook page Cyclists against Carlos Bertonatti ) receives royalties from the show, which runs a version of the song sung by Yogi Lonich.
Newsweek writer Ramin Setoodeh has defended his recent article, "Straight Jacket," that criticized certain gay actors for their believability ( or lack thereof ) in hetero roles, according to Advocate.com . Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth was among those who went after Setoodeh for criticizing actors such as Promises, Promises co-star Sean Hayes; the actress called the gay journalist's article "horrendously homophobic." Setoodeh responded, in part, by saying, "I meant to open a debate — why is that? And what does it say about our notions about sexuality? For all the talk about progress in the gay community in Hollywood, has enough really changed? The answer seems obvious to me: no, it has not."
The Daytime Emmy nominations have been announced, and ABC's General Hospital is leading the way with 18 nods, according to EW.com . In the talk-show genre, The Ellen DeGeneres Show received eight nominations while The View got five and The Oprah Winfrey Show received four. ( Winfrey has permanently removed herself from consideration. ) The Daytime Emmys will be broadcast live from the Las Vegas Hilton Sunday, June 27, on CBS.
Rosie O'Donnell debated former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on her radio show May 8 over the issue of gay adoption, according to the New York Daily News. Huckabee—who drew the ire of gay-rights activists by saying earlier this year when he criticized gay adoption because "children are not puppies"—said during the debate that "I think the ideal environment for children is in a relationship that has both a mother and a father." O'Donnell, who has adopted several children, responded, "This has been the focus of my life, so it's very, very painful to hear a heterosexual man who was at one time a pastor disparage my very essence just because of my sexual orientation."
British hip-hop artist Lady Sovereign has come out as a lesbian, according to Advocate.com item. Sovereign, 24, told Diva magazine that whenever she was asked about her sexuality, her publicists would stop the journalists; however, she added that "now I don't really give a s**t." The former Jay-Z protégé also said, "You can't hide away forever. It's just stupid and now I've come out I feel a lot more comfortable with myself."
The California marriage-equality organization known as the Courage Campaign has launched "Testimony: Equality on Trial," a response to the judicial decision to ban cameras from the federal Proposition 8 trial, according to Advocate.com . "Testimony" not only urges guerrilla-style readings but also has a website with reenactments by such celebrities as Marisa Tomei, Josh Lucas, Cheyenne Jackson, Patricia Clarkson and Michael Urie. Scripts are available on EqualityOnTrial.org .
Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor is criticizing Dr. Arnold Klein—the late Michael Jackson's dermatologist—for saying that Jackson was gay, according to an Advocate.com item. Taylor, a longtime friend of Jackson, said that Klein violated patient confidentiality policies by saying that. On Twitter, Taylor stated, "Dr. Arnie Klein declared on May 2 that he did not betray Michael Jackson by saying publicly that he had a homosexual relationship / with someone in 'Arnie's' office. / Just what we want in our doctors. And then to say he did not betray Michael's confidence. No wonder he has death threats. / I thought doctors, like priests took an oath of confidentiality. May God have mercy on his soul."
Seventeen-year-old singer Miley Cyrus is being admonished for giving 44-year-old Hollywood producer Adam Shankman a lap dance, according to Gather.com . Shankman—an openly gay man who is also a judge on TV's So You Think You Can Dance—has said that Cyrus is like his "little angel sister" and that "people need to lighten up." Newsday reported that Cyrus' father, singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus, told TMZ.com that Miley was simply "having fun" and that " [ i ] t's what people her age do."
At a Sotheby's auction in New York City, the 1986 Andy Warhol piece "Self Portrait"—owned by fashion designer/movie director Tom Ford—sold for $32.6 million, according to the New York Times. Six bidders attempted to purchase the painting, which was estimated to sell for around $15 million; ultimately it went to Sotheby's Gregoire Billaut, bidding on behalf of an unidentified client. In the painting, Warhol's face is cast in purple while the subject wears his famous wig and stares straight ahead. Fifty pieces sold at the auction totaled $190 million.
Despite starring on the TV series Hung—about a man who uses his enormous penis to his advantage—Thomas Jane says that he's a regular guy, according to an Advocate.com item. Jane, 41, told Men's Fitness, "Everything about me is prototypical. Everything. I even have a right-down-the middle-exactly-average dick." Hung will return for its second season next month.
