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SHOWBIZ 'Transparent,' Tyler Perry, 'Drag Race,' singer Halsey
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2019-10-15

This article shared 6970 times since Tue Oct 15, 2019
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The soundtrack to Amazon Prime Video's The Transparent Musicale Finale—the movie musical fantasia of Jill Soloway's series Transparent—is available for streaming and digital purchase in conjunction with the finale premiere on Amazon Prime Video, a press release noted. The soundtrack features 12 songs sung by the cast, including Judith Light, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass, Alexandra Billings, Kathryn Hahn, Shakina Nayfack, Trace Lysette and more. The original music is written by Faith Soloway.

Tyler Perry said his new film studio will include a shelter for homeless LGBT+ young people and other marginalized groups, according to PinkNews. The Madea creator recently finished the first phase of work on a gargantuan new movie complex in Atlanta that stretches across 330 acres. Perry's film studio is located on a former Confederate Army base.

Singer/songwriter, RuPaul's Drag Race season-four winner and drag queen of Halloween Sharon Needles released her brand new EP, Spoopy, via Producer Entertainment Group ( PEG ) and Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance ( ADA ), a press release noted. Named after the meme-worthy misspelling of the word "spooky," Spoopy features covers of iconic Halloween party playlist mainstays such as "Monster Mash," "Somebody's Watching Me," "Highway to Hell" and more. The first queen from RuPaul's Drag Race to release a full length album, Needles has released three full-length LPs: PG-13, Taxidermy and Battle Axe.

Another RuPaul's Drag Race alum, Nina West, has released her new single and Music Video, Lisa Frankenstein, a press release stated. The colorful video features Nina West as the song's title character, Lisa Frankenstein—a Lisa Frank-inspired monster who is trying to navigate her way through high school. The video features an intro and interlude from SNL's Bobby Moynihan.

Singer Halsey—who has come out as bisexual—revealed that she received rape threats after her rendition of her single "Without Me" on The Voice last year, Gay Times noted. At the time, the singer said she was proud to have pissed off the homophobic viewers at home who missed the message, saying, "Representation matters. Thanks The Voice for giving a space for this vision to come to life." Speaking with The Times, Halsey revealed that her phone number was leaked, resulting in her receiving rape threats. Earlier this year, Halsey slammed a troll who claimed that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's marriage failed because of Miley's sexuality.

In a new interview with Vogue, Rihanna confirmed she turned down what would have been an iconic performance to show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, CBS News noted. "Absolutely," Rihanna said when asked if she rejected the Super Bowl gig. "I couldn't dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn't be a sellout. I couldn't be an enabler. There's things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way."

Harry Styles dropped a steamy video for "Lights Up," his first single in more than two years—and fans have questions, HuffPost noted. The video follows the pop star as he rides on the back of a motorcycle to a beachside bacchanal. He joins a crowd of sweaty, barely clothed revelers, writhing shirtless as both women and men caress his chiseled torso. Some suggested that the song's release on Oct. 11—National Coming Out Day—wasn't a mere coincidence, with one person calling the tune a "bisexual bop."

In the wake of its debut, the CW's Batwoman was roasted by people on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes after just one episode, Forbes.com noted. Batwoman, which stars out actress Ruby Rose, currently sits at 3.2 out of 10 and an 8-percent audience score on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, respectively ( compared with 7.8 and 72 percent, respectively, for The Flash ). One post on Rotten Tomatoes read, "I love strong and empowered women characters, but not when they stop every 10 seconds to remind me how strong and empowered they are, oh, and that they're also a woman."

Speaking of Rose, she recently detailed her own struggles with mental health dating back to her childhood, Page Six noted. "I've struggled with mental health my entire life," Rose captioned a photo of her on a hospital bed, taken just before her stint on Orange Is the New Black. "I was first diagnosed with depression at 13, then major depressive disorder at 16. When I was 18 I found out I had dissociative amnesia." Dissociative amnesia is a condition in which the sufferer cannot recall large portions of their life due to traumatic and stressful events, according to WebMD.

Jane Fonda was taken into police custody in Washington, D.C., while participating in a climate crisis demonstration, CNN.com reported. The incident came as the actress/activist launched her "Fire Drill Fridays" campaign—a civil disobedience effort to raise awareness of environmental challenges. In a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, Fonda said she was inspired to act by teen environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

Ricardo Chavira—who co-starred with Felicity Huffman on Desperate Housewives as Carlos Solis, the husband of Eva Longoria's character—is fuming about the 14-day prison sentence the actress received for her role in the college admissions scandal, Deadline reported. "White Privilege. And I saw Eight years worth of it, so I know what I'm talking about. Accountability and Responsibility don't mean shit to these people," Chavira tweeted, along with a link to a news article about the case.

Demi Lovato is mourning the death of her friend who struggled with addiction, People.com noted. She revealed on her Instagram Stories that her friend Thomas had passed away. ""Devastated. Please hold your loved ones tight. Tell them they are special and that you love them," she wrote underneath a black-and-white photo of Thomas. "Make sure they know it. RIP to my boo @sirtruss." "Addiction is NO joke," she wrote alongside another photo of Thomas. "heaven gained this beautiful angel last night because of that terrible disease.

Robert Forster—an Oscar nominee for his work as Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown—died at his Los Angeles home at age 78 following a brief battle with brain cancer, Deadline noted. Forster appeared in more than 100 films, including his latest, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, released Oct. 12 via Netflix.

The Haunting of Hill House is now on Blu-ray and DVD, from Paramount Home Entertainment, a press release noted. The three-disc Blu-ray and four-disc DVD sets feature all 10 episodes from the first season, including ( for the first time ) three extended director's cut episodes with previously unseen content. The series stars Carla Gugino and Michiel Huisman, among others.

Chicago company John E. Reid & Associates—which created a controversial interrogation technique—is trying to put When They See Us director Ava DuVernay and Netflix in the legal hot seat over a line in the Emmy-winning series, Deadline noted. "Defendants published the statements in When They See Us in an effort to cause a condemnation of the Reid Technique," said the suit, filed against the Oscar nominee and the streamer over a line in the fourth and final episode. The series depicts the rush to justice against five young men falsely accused in the near-fatal 1989 rape of a woman who was jogging in Central Park.

Kerry Washington has joined Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman in Ryan Murphy's upcoming movie version of the Broadway musical The Prom for Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed. The Emmy-nominated Scandal star will party with previously announced Prom guests Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key and possibly Ariana Grande.

CBS Television Distribution is moving ahead with a syndicated daytime talk show hosted by actress Drew Barrymore, which is on track for a fall 2020 launch, Deadline noted. The pickup comes fewer than two months after Barrymore shot a pilot for the potential talker in New York. It comes at a time when the genre is experiencing a resurgence, with a strong launch for NBCU's Kelly Clarkson talk show and a solid start for Disney's Tamron Hall talker.

Tony- and Grammy-winning actress Idina Menzel is reportedly in talks to join Sony's musical Cinderella, directed and written by Kay Cannon, Deadline noted. Menzel is poised to play Evelyn, the evil stepmother; also, news broke that Pose Emmy winner Billy Porter is in negotiations for the role of the fairy godmother—something Deadline later confirmed.

A new iteration of Grease is in the works by HBO Max, Deadline reported. The upcoming WarnerMedia streaming service has given a series order to Grease: Rydell High, a musical series inspired by the 1978 Golden Globe nominated film. Set in and around the world of Rydell High, the show reimagines the global smash hit movie with familiar as well as new characters.

HGTV's Property Brothers have their eyes set on their next project: the house featured in the classic TV show The Golden Girls, The New York Post noted. "So, we're thinking next, the Golden Girls house," said Drew, as the studio audience erupted into cheers. However, the Golden Girls house—which was set in Miami in the show but is actually in Los Angeles, at 245 N. Saltair Ave.—is not currently on the market. ( Trulia estimates its value at slightly more than $3 million. )

Surrounded by friends, family and her team, Rihanna celebrated the release of her new book at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Billboard reported. The visual autobiography, titled Rihanna, invites readers into her world—from her childhood to the present. The enormous, luxury limited edition of the book—a 504-page tome that currently retails for $175 or $5,500 ( the latter with a luxury bookstand created in collaboration with the Haas Brothers, per Phaidon's website )—that was on display in the Guggenheim lobby was the star of the night.

Actress Lucy Boynton told NME that she doesn't think there should be a sequel to Oscar-winning Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. "I think it's one of those things, that is better left," she said. "I feel like that it feels good. It feels good how it how it was packaged in that film, I think." Boynton played Freddie Mercury's one time fiancée Mary Austin in the movie, which snagged lead actor Rami Malek an Academy Award for his turn as the pop icon.

Carrie Underwood, host of this year's CMA Awards, surprised radio stations and broadcast personalities to reveal the news of their 2019 CMA Broadcast Awards wins, announced in advance of the The 53rd Annual CMA Awards" show and presentation, a press release noted. Underwood, a seven-time CMA Awards winner and a three-time nominee this year, called each of the stations to announce the news. Winners will be honored at The 53rd Annual CMA Awards: Country Music's Biggest Night, airing live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wed., Nov. 13, on the ABC Television Network.

In a recent interview with Variety, Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson confirmed that she and other Marvel stars have talked to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the idea of making a film that features all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's ( MCU's ) female superheroes, People.com noted. Larson starred as the titular role in this year's Captain Marvel, the MCU's first female-led film. "I don't know what my future is in that world. Obviously, it's a little more opaque for my character," said Scarlett Johansson, whose Black Widow character's future is up in the air in Avengers' Endgame. "But that group of actresses is so incredibly powerful and when they come together, it's explosive and unstoppable."

Stage Entertainment and Ghostlight Records announced that Tina-The Tina Turner Musical: Original Cast Recording is available worldwide on CD, both online and in stores, a press release noted. The release coincided with the musical's first Broadway preview at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Songs include classics such as "Proud Mary," "Nutbush City Limits," "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "Private Dancer."

Claws star Niecy Nash, Underground's Aisha Hinds, Essence Atkins and The Shade Room founder Angelica Nwandu will be featured in Behind Her Faith, a new docuseries for Urban Movie Channel, Deadline reported. Each of the four episodes will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the power of faith and its driving force for successful women in entertainment, sports, music, business, politics and the ministry. Jay Ellis ( HBO's Insecure ) is an executive producer.

Jenna Dewan has been tapped as host of Fox's new dating series Flirty Dancing—the U.S. adaptation of the hit British reality show, set for premiere this winter, Deadline noted. In the show that is part performance, part blind date and all about romantic chemistry, complete strangers are each taught half of a dance routine, then meet for the first time on a blind date when they will then dance together without saying a word.

On Dec. 20—one day before what would have been Frank Zappa's 79th birthday—Zappa Records and UMe will celebrate Hot Rats and the legendary composer's highly prolific 1969 period with a mammoth six-disc boxed set titled, The Hot Rats Sessions, a press release noted. This expansive new collection documents and compiles every composition recorded during several days in July 1969 when Zappa recorded Hot Rats and a wealth of other material that ended up being used throughout multiple releases during his lifetime. The Hot Rats Sessions also includes a one-of-a-kind "Zappa Land" board game where fans are tasked with helping Frank get back to the studio to finish Hot Rats.

As he's preparing to bid farewell to Supernatural character Sam Winchester, Jared Padalecki is gearing up for another run on the CW in a new character, Deadline reported. The network has landed for development Walker, a reimagining of CBS' 1990s action/crime series Walker, Texas Ranger, with Padalecki set to star and executive-produce. Walker extends Padalecki's stay at the CW and predecessor the WB, which he had called home for the past two decades with roles on Gilmore Girls and Supernatural.

Reality-TV figures Todd Chrisley and wife Julie Chrisley filed a lawsuit against Director Joshua Waites of the Georgia Department of Revenue's Office of Special Investigation, claiming he used his power to "aggressively pursue and prosecute bogus tax evasion claims against the Chrisleys," Page Six reported. Earlier this month, the Chrisleys settled allegations that they failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in income taxes to Georgia, paying a little under $150,000 to resolve the situation.

Three more women have come forward to police to accuse Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. of sexual misconduct, People.com noted. The actor is currently facing trial for allegedly groping a woman at a New York City rooftop bar. He was charged with two misdemeanors: forcible touching and sexual abuse in the third degree. He has pled not guilty to both charges.


This article shared 6970 times since Tue Oct 15, 2019
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