RuPaul and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season three winner Raja will make guest appearances on “The Simpsons.”
Ru will play a character called Queen Chante and Raja will voice a cartoon version of herself. They both made the big reveals on their Instagrams.
“Here she is everyone! I am so proud to announce my cameo appearance on #theSimpsons ! I cant describe how honored I am to have been asked to do this episode airing November 18, with special guest @rupaulofficial . The best part is…I play myself in a scene with Homer. I’ll never forget crying my eyes out, as rain came pouring down on the sidewalk outside the recording studio. Tears of joy. The Simpsons was a huge part of my childhood, being asked to be on an episode was surreal and mind blowing, to say the least,” Raja captioned her “Simpsons” character.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” will return to crown the first “Drag Race Christmas Queen” on a special holiday episode, according to Vulture.
Previous contestants from past seasons will come back to battle it out for a mini all-star competition. Returning queens include Kim Chi, Trixie Mattel, Mayhem Miller, Jasmine Masters, Eureka O’Hara, Latrice Royale, Shangela and Sonique.
Ru, Michelle Visage, Ross Matthews and Todrick Hall will return as judges. The queens will compete by lip-syncing to holiday music from RuPaul’s Christmas albums “Slay Belles” and “Christmas Party” and will dance to moves choreographed by Hall.
RuPaul on the season 10 finale of ‘Drag Race’ (Screenshot via YouTube)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” unveiled which queens will return to battle it out for the crown.
Entertainment Weekly announced that this season’s cast includes Farrah Moan (season nine), Gia Gunn (season six), Jasmine Masters (season seven), Manila Luzon (season three, All Stars 1), Monét X Change (season 10), Monique Heart (season 10), Naomi Smalls (season eight), Latrice Royale (season four, All Stars 1), Trinity the Tuck (season nine) and Valentina (season nine).
“The girls on ‘All-Stars 4’ are exciting and they have so much more to show,” RuPaul told Entertainment Weekly. “I think it will shock fans, although I don’t think they’ll be as disappointed. We always try to do something fresh and interesting, and sometimes it turns out in a way that you don’t really expect. I love Trixie [Mattel]. She’s a real superstar, but I really didn’t count on the other girls who came back being so vindictive [and voting against Shangela].”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” premieres on Friday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. on VH1.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4’ teaser (Screenshot via Twitter)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” ruvealed its guest judges for the season and its first teaser.
The celebrities that will be guest judging the returning queens this season will be Erica Ash, Susanne Bartsch, Yvette Nicole Brown, Ciara, Frances Bean Cobain, Felicity Huffman, Gus Kenworthy, Zoë Kravitz, Jenifer Lewis, Keiynan Lonsdale, Kacey Musgraves, Rita Ora, Ellen Pompeo, Cecily Strong and Jason Wu.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” premieres on Friday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. on VH1.
Old albums new on vinyl, lavish box sets and more make great gay gifts — for others or yourself!
Whether you want a souvenir of the hit show, actual lifestyle tips or tons of eye candy of the stars, “Queer Eye: Love Yourself, Love Your Life” is a 300-page, full color, hardcover book released Nov. 13. $29.99
“Guru” by RuPaul features photos and bite-size wisdom nuggets. $25.99
Old albums new to vinyl include “This Christmas Aretha,” the Queen’s 2008 release and sole holiday record (out Nov. 16, $19.99), and a remastered vinyl release of Cher’s 1998 comeback album “Believe” (drops Dc. 7; $19.99). Want more ‘Ree? “Atlantic Records 1960s Collection” is out Dec. 7 on six LPs. Eleven demos and outtakes are making their vinyl debut. $99
Some acts like Kate Bush and Bananrama are re-releasing their entire discographies on 180-gram vinyl. Bush’s are remastered and feature a bounty of tracks making their vinyl debuts. Bananarama’s are on colored vinyl and cassette. Prices vary.
“Life” is the new album from Boy George and Culture Club, their first since 1999. The late October release is available in regular and deluxe editions, black or colored vinyl with art prints, cassette, signed test pressings and various bundles (prices vary) at boygeorgeandcultureclub.com.
Trixie Mattel, winner of this year’s “All Stars 3” on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” makes her vinyl debut with her albums “Two Birds” and “One Stone” on one LP with clear and pink colored vinyl, deluxe gatefold jacket, sticker sheet, fold-out poster and more. Out Nov. 30 for $29.99 from atorecords.com.
“MLVC60” collects more than 1,000 of Madonna’s most colorful, graphically exciting and socially important magazine covers from 1982-2018 in a “visually narrative fashion that becomes the story of Madonna’s career, of magazine design, of the rapidly changing social mores of the last three decades and more. By Matthew Rettenmund and designed by Anthony Coombs, the team behind “Encyclopedia Madonnica 20: Madonna from A to Z.” 342 color pages, hardcover. $75 at barnesandnoble.com or boyculturedotcom@gmail.com.
Kweer Cards is a gay greeting card company that offers cards for birthday, wedding, adoption, engagement, transitioning, holidays and more. All cards are 5×7 inches and $5-6 each. Kweer Cards’ Tom of Finland 2019 features colorized versions of the classic gay drawings. $20. There’s also a Tom of Finland five postcard set for $15. Details at kweercards.com.
There was never much “Golden Girls” merch when the show was on NBC in the ‘80s but boy are they making up for it now. A flood of “Girls” merch is available with everything from a coloring book ($15), pin set ($5.99), various magnets, games, calendars and more. Widely available at retailers such as Books a Million, Five Below, Barnes and Noble, Michael’s and more. Prices vary.
Kiss n’ Make-Up (846 36th St., Baltimore) offers John Waters- and Divine-inspired gifts like these socks, pillows, smart-ass oven mitts and more. Prices vary. kissnmakeuphampden on Instagram or call 410-467-5477.
Modeled on Catholic holy cards, queer artist Ria Brodell offers 28 of her paintings of butchy icons of yore in “Butch Heroes.” Katherina Hetzeldorfer was tried “for a crime that didn’t have a name” (lesbian sex) and drowned to death in 1477. $24.95 from mitpress.mit.edu.
It’s an exciting time for Sheryl Crow fans. The LGBT ally is out with a new live album and accompanying DVD/blu-ray “Live at the Capitol Theatre: 2017 Be Myself Tour.” Her debut album “Tuesday Night Music Club” makes its U.S. vinyl debut (double 180-gram LP) today with a limited 3,500 copies available today at record stores participating in Record Store Day: Black Friday. Prices vary. recordstoreday.com.
Diana Ross’s “Wonderful Christmas Time” collects tracks from her 1994 EMI collection “A Very Special Season” (never officially available stateside) and “Making Spirits Bright,” her long-out of print 1994 Hallmark collection with 20 Christmas (“The Christmas Song,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain”) and non-seasonal sacred tracks (“Amazing Grace,” “His Eye is On the Sparrow”). It’s on CD and digital platforms.
The “Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” features Dolly Parton collaborating with an eclectic group of female singers such as Miranda Lambert, Mavis Staples, Macy Gray and more on Dolly classics such as “Dumb Blonde,” “Here You Come Again” and a new strings-only version of “Jolene.” The movie “Dumplin’” debuts on Netflix Dec. 7. The soundtrack is out Nov. 30.
BBC and World of Wonder are bringing “RuPaul’s Drag Race” across the pond.
Deadline reports that “RuPaul’s Drag Race U.K.” will air on BBC Three in 2019. Over eight episodes, 10 U.K. queens will compete to become Ru’s “Queen of Great Britain.”
RuPaul, who is producing the show, will also serve as host and judge for the British version. Michelle Visage will also be back on the judging panel.
“It is a dream come true to extend our royal family to the United Kingdom with our partners at BBC Three. I am beyond excited to celebrate the massive charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of the Queen’s queens. And before anyone asks, yes, we would be thrilled to have Meghan Markle join us, as we are already preparing a ‘Royal-Mother-To-Be’ runway challenge,” RuPaul said in a statement.
Other international versions of “Drag Race” include Chile and Thailand.
Hey super queens, who’s got what it takes to be part of our royal family? RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is OFFICIALLY headed to @bbcthree next year. Which of the Queen’s queens will be crowned Great Britain’s next drag superstar? @rupaulpic.twitter.com/KHVU7trv8S
RuPaul on ‘Grace and Frankie.’ (Screenshot via YouTube)
“Grace and Frankie” released the trailer for its fifth season and this time around RuPaul is getting in on the antics.
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie respectively, two women who become friends after their husbands reveal they are leaving their wives for each other. The Netflix series also stars Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen, June Diane Raphael, Baron Vaughn, Brooklyn Decker and Ethan Embry.
Season five shows RuPaul going toe to toe with Grace and Frankie when the pair sneak into their already sold home. The season will also feature a guest appearance from Nicole Ritchie.
“Grace and Frankie” season five streams on Netflix on Jan. 18.
Fox has released a first look at RuPaul’s upcoming daytime talk show set to make its debut on June 10.
The show titled “RuPaul” will air Monday through Friday for a three-week trial run for select Fox TV stations.
Deadline reports “the show will feature Charles’ modern take on the talk format. He will showcase his aspirational message with celebrity and newsmaker interviews, along with empowering everyday people to become their best selves. His sense of beauty, make-up and style will make the runway work for everyone.”
Katy Perry and Taylor Swift in ‘You Need to Calm Down’ music video. (Screenshot via YouTube)
Taylor Swift released the music video for her new single “You Need to Calm Down” which features plenty of LGBTQ pride and a slew of celebrities.
Ellen DeGeneres, Adam Rippon, Todrick Hall, Billy Porter, Hannah Hart, Dexter Mayfield , Chester Lockhart, Laverne Cox, Adam Lambert, Ciara, Ryan Reynolds, Hayley Kiyoko, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita and the cast of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” — Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown and Tan France, all make cameo appearances in the video.
In one scene, RuPaul walks by a line of drag queens holding up a crown.
“And we see you over there on the internet. Comparing all the girls who are killing it
But we figured you out. We all know now we all got crowns. You need to calm down,” Swift sings.
The queens are all impersonating popular female singers and rappers. They include local queens Tatianna as Ariana Grande and Riley Knoxx as Beyoncé. Trinity The Tuck appears as Lady Gaga, Delta Work as Adele, Trinity K Bonet as Cardi B, Jade Jolie as Taylor Swift, Adore Delano as Katy Perry and A’keria C Davenport as Nicki Minaj.
All of the drag queens start fighting and Swift, dressed as french fries, finds Katy Perry, dressed as a hamburger, in the crowd. The two pop stars embrace with a hug symbolically calling an end to their famous feud.
At the end of the video, Swift urges fans to sign a petition for Senate support of the Equality Act.
Swift has been showing her support for the LGBTQ community all month. At the start of June, Swift wrote an open later to Sen. Lamar Alexander from her home state of Tennessee to support the Equality Act. She also gave a surprise performance at Stonewall Inn along with Ferguson.
Since the release of “You Need to Calm Down, which name drops LGBT media watchdog organization GLAAD, donations to GLAAD have increased. Fans have been showing their support by donating $13 to the organization, a nod to Swift’s favorite number.
Judy Garland with co-star James Mason in ‘A Star is Born.’ (Photo courtesy AFI)
June 2019 marks not only the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, but also the 50th anniversary of the death of queer icon Judy Garland, as well as the anniversary of her birth in 1922.
In the early stories about the insurrection, there was a direct connection between the two events. Garland died in London on June 22, just 12 days after her 47th birthday. On June 26, her remains were flown to Manhattan; thousands of devastated fans came to pay their respects and the funeral parlor had to remain open all night long to accommodate overflow crowds.
Her televised funeral service the next day, including a moving eulogy by her “A Star Is Born” co-star James Mason, was watched by millions.
That night, according to contemporary news reports and early historical accounts, queer fans gathered to mourn her death, including some of the patrons at the Stonewall Inn, a Mafia-owned gay bar in Greenwich Village. Shortly after 1 a.m. on July 28, police raided the bar, but this time, fueled by a potent mix of sorrow and rage, the patrons fought back.
In the intervening years, narratives about how the riots started have shifted, and historians such as David Carter now deny that there was any link between Garland’s death (deemed an accidental overdose of barbiturates) and the riots, despite the testimony of Sylvia Rivera herself.
Nonetheless, the identification of Judy Garland as the patron saint of the Stonewall Riots is still strong in the queer imagination. For example, RuPaul recently said, “Now it has been 50 years since Judy passed and on the night of her funeral, in June 1969, the Stonewall Riots occurred. Fed up with police harassment, the patrons of the Stonewall used their grief over Judy’s death to rise up and fight; and the gay liberation movement was born.”
Judy Garland (Photo courtesy of the National Theatre)
RuPaul paid tribute to Garland in the episode of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” that aired Feb. 1. The drag superstar used the show to educate the contestants and the audience about the amazing legacy of the woman described as “one of the greatest stars that Hollywood ever produced.” RuPaul also explained that the phrase “friend of Dorothy,” referring to Garland’s legendary performance as Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz,” was used as a gay secret code pre-Stonewall.
Writer, performer and raconteur Justin Sayre, an expert on all things Garland, emphasizes her importance in the overall narrative of queer resistance.
“The Judy component still means something to me,” Sayre says. “Here was a community reeling from the death of an icon of that community. Whether or not it led to the first brick being thrown, it informed the narrative. The invocation of Judy is sometimes seen as something flippant rather than a powerful moment of grief that we turned into something righteous. To me, that is much more of a queer narrative than one individual did one thing. I think queerness is about community and how we build things together.”
To honor Garland’s memory and the spirit of Stonewall, Sayre is the creator and host of “Night of a Thousand Judys,” an annual benefit for the Ali Forney Center, which houses homeless LGBT youth in New York City.
“It’s a wonderful fit,” Sayre says. “None of us get over the rainbow unless we all do.”
Renowned queer film historian Steven Cohan offers some additional reasons why Garland still remains a popular queer icon. Cohan is the Dean’s Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at Syracuse University. Two of his books, “Incongruous Entertainment: Camp, Cultural Value and the MGM Musical” and “Hollywood By Hollywood,” include fascinating examinations of Garland’s “A Star Is Born.”
Citing critic Richard Dyer, Cohan identifies three features that continue to make Garland’s work so compelling to gay audiences: her androgyny (she frequently performed in male clothing), her camp sensibility (she had a sharp sense of humor and her screen persona was shaped by gay studio executives at MGM) and her identification with the girl next door who was never as ordinary as she seemed. In addition, Cohan emphasizes her extraordinary resilience.
“She always came back,” Cohan notes, pointing to the record-breaking concert at the Palace Theatre in 1951, the 1954 movie “A Star Is Born” and the legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in 1961.
Cohan also notes that “her iconic status in gay culture is more historical than continually active.” Like her career, her legend has its ups and downs.
The current upswing may have started with the release of the latest remake of “A Star Is Born.” Queer icon and artist Lady Gaga took on Garland’s iconic role and scored a personal triumph.
This year, musicians across the country are offering birthday concerts for Judy. Here in Washington, the National Symphony Orchestra is hosting “50 Years Over the Rainbow: A Judy Garland Celebration” on June 28-29 at the Kennedy Center. Under the direction of out Maestro Steven Reineke, the NSO will celebrate Garland’s life and work with singers Laura Osnes, Carpathia Jenkins and Jimmie Herrod.
Judy Garland (Photo courtesy of Signature)
In September, Renee Zellweger will star in “Judy” about Garland’s 1968 return to London for a series of cabaret performances.
Finally, some viewers see the spirit of Judy Garland inhabiting Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City” novels, which are now being revisited in a Netflix limited series. After all, as the saga starts, Mary Ann Singleton flees the drab Midwest for the Emerald (and very grassy) City of San Francisco and gathers a fabulous found family around herself.
And as the new series starts, Maupin’s Dorothy figure returns to San Francisco, perhaps answering one of the lingering questions about Judy Garland’s iconic character: Why does she go back to Kansas after her adventures in Oz? Mary Ann’s journey offers an alternative ending where Dorothy returns to Oz to live with her family of choice, the latest generation of rebels, visionaries and brick throwers.
Judy Garland (right) with Margaret Hamilton in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Garland’s character’s plight has been widely seen as analogous to the gay experience. (Photo courtesy AFI)
VH1 has renewed the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise for two more seasons.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 12 have been greenlit by the network, RuPaul announced in a video clip posted on Monday.
“Hey squirrel friends, are you hungry for more RuPaul’s Drag Race? Good, ’cause your country breakfast is ready!” RuPaul says in the clip. “And I’m serving up a new season of ‘All Stars 5’ and a new season of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race 12.’ And they’re coming soon to VH1.”
“All Stars 5” will have returning “Drag Race” queens compete for a spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame.” Season 12 will bring in a new group of queens to showcase their talents and impress Ru.
Premiere dates for both seasons have yet to be announced.
The first teaser trailer for RuPaul‘s new scripted comedy series has dropped.
Co-written by RuPaul and Michael Patrick King (“Sex and the City”),“AJ and The Queen”is an upcoming hour-long scripted comedy series that comes to Netflix in January.
The show centers around Ruby Red – played by RuPaul – a “down-on-her-luck”
drag queen who embarks on a cross-country tour a rundown 1990s R/V with her
unlikely sidekick, an 11-year-old stowaway orphan named AJ.
The new teaser trailer doesn’t offer a lot of detail about the show, but it serves up enough to let fans know that the “legendary” Ruby Red is as fierce as the fabulous queen who plays her
On doing the show, RuPaul says, “It is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done because it’s acting like a real human. Usually in acting roles I play the gay best friend or the neighbor. This is a fully rounded human being with all of the emotions.”
“We shot that for five months,” Ru added. “We were in the
writers’ room for two months. I had to memorize pages and pages of dialogue. It
was a challenge, but I’m so proud of it.”
The 10-episode series also stars Josh Segarra, Tia Carrere, Michael-Leon
Wooley, and Katerina Tannenbaum, with Izzy G. as AJ. Co-writer King also serves
as showrunner and executive produces alongside Charles and Jhoni Marchinko. It’s
set to start streaming on January 10.
Netflix
has dropped the official trailer for RuPaul’s new scripted series.
“AJ and the Queen,” created by
RuPaul with Michael Patrick King (“Sex and the City”), debuts on the streaming
network in January, and although we’ve gotten a quick teaser trailer for it
already, this is the first extended look we’ve been given to date.
The
show’s synopsis, according to the press material, reads:
“Robert
Lee (RuPaul), better known as the drag queen Ruby Red, has big dreams of
opening his very own drag club. After years of performing in clubs all across
the country, he has scrimped and saved and is one signed lease away from
turning his dreams into a reality until he realizes he’s been swindled by a
charismatic grifter (Josh Segarra) and his eye-patch wearing partner-in-crime,
Lady Danger (Tia Carrere). With his heart broken and money stolen, Robert has
no choice but to pick up the pieces and start over, and a cross country Ruby
Red roadshow provides the perfect opportunity to do just that.
“But
when AJ (Izzy G.), a scrappy, streetwise 10-year-old escaping a difficult home
life, stows away in Robert’s rundown RV, the consummate performer suddenly
finds himself in a new set of shoes: de facto parent. Fabulously mismatched yet
perfectly paired, AJ and Ruby must find a way to navigate through tough times
as they learn a few tricks from one another and roll on to brighter days.
Michael-Leon Wooley and Katerina Tannenbaum also co-star.”
The show lists Michael Patrick King, RuPaul Charles, and Jhoni Marchinko as Executive Producers, with King as the showrunner. It’s produced by MPK Productions in association with Warner Bros. TV.
RuPaul (Photo courtesy of RuCo/California Hall of Fame. Credit: Mathu Anderson)
LGBTQ entertainment icon RuPaul has become the first drag queen to be inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame, which was established in 2006 by the California Museum and the former California First Lady Maria Shriver, recognizes “legendary people who embody California’s innovative spirit and have made their mark on history,” according to the description on their official website.
According to NewNowNext, The Emmy-winning creator of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” was among the 10 inductees that were honored last week at the California Museum in Sacramento, as Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom presented “Spirit of California” medals to the Hall of Fame’s 13th Class.
Introducing RuPaul, Mrs. Newsom said, “There is perhaps no one person that has done more to dismantle the limiting ‘man box’ we put our boys and men into than RuPaul… He has achieved success in every medium he has attempted… He has transformed hearts and minds, and he has saved lives too, with countless young people finally seeing themselves reflected in their media, grateful for the community where they too can feel at home.”
Receiving the medal, RuPaul, whose full name is RuPaul Andre Charles, said, “California has this incredible spirit to it, of frontiersmen, of trailblazers… People who aren’t afraid to take on a challenge. And I am so proud to be a part of that legacy, and to take that ingenuity and spirit with me, and carry that torch around the world, wherever I go.”
In addition to RuPaul, this year’s 13th Class of the California Hall of Fame included Dr. Maya Angelou, Brandi Chastain, Dr. France A. Córdova, Tony Hawk, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, The Reverend James M. Lawson, Jr., George Lopez, Wolfgang Puck, and Helen M. Turley.
RuPaul was accompanied to the event by his husband, Georges LeBar.
Josh Segarra and RuPaul in ‘AJ and the Queen.’ (Photo by Beth Dubber; courtesy Netflix)
Actor and ally Josh Segarra has been very busy lately. Last Friday (Jan. 10) when this interview took place, his new show “AJ and the Queen” started streaming on Netflix and Segarra and his wife Brace Rice brought their second son Hank home from the hospital.
Segarra says the show’s audience will have a fun ride with star RuPaul and a beautiful bevy of queens from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (including guest appearances by Pork Chop, Vanessa Vanjie, Chad Michaels, Trixie Mattel, Valentina and Trinity the Tuck) as well as delicious cameos from Adrienne Barbeau, Marc Singer, Lorraine Bracco, Laura Bell Bundy, Mary Kay Place, Mario Cantone and Bridget Everett.
As for the plot, Segarra says, “You’re going to meet Robert Lee, played by RuPaul, who performs as Ruby Red and you’re going to meet AJ who’s played by this awesome young actress named Izzy G. Ruby Red is going to open up a club but finds out pretty early on that all of his money was stolen by his boyfriend Hector Ramirez (played by me) who is really a con man named Damien Sanchez. You meet Lady Danger, Damien’s partner in crime, played by Tia Carrere in an eyepatch.”
He continues, “You travel across the country with Robert and AJ in their RV and you get to watch RuPaul and the queens do some great numbers. It’s a lot of fun.”
Segarra had fun hanging out with the drag queens on the set.
“There were days where it didn’t feel like I was going to work,” he says. “There were days when I came in for just one little scene, but I’d stay for a couple of hours and watch the queens come and do their thing. I could see how happy they were to come play. I could see their eyes light up when they came on the soundstage. They are larger than life.”
Segarra says there’s a line in the script that sums up his attitude toward acting and life: “Nobody is just one thing.” He applied that to his portrayal of Hector/Damien who is more than just a comic villain (although he is funny). Segarra weaves strands of guilt into the con man’s character and also explores the character’s complicated sexual identity and complex feelings for Ruby Red.
Segarra even says the show may have inspired him to do drag.
“I told MPK (Michael Patrick King, co-creator of “AJ” and writer for “Sex and the City”) to get me some heels,” he says. “I’ve got some ideas up my sleeve — maybe I’ll pop a little Gloria Estefan number out.”
The actor has a strong connection to the Estefan family. In 2015, he originated the role of Emilio Estefan in the award-winning Broadway show “On Your Toes.”
“It was an honor and a privilege to play Emilio,” Segarra says. “Just getting to know Gloria and Emilio was amazing; I grew up listening to their music. When I was a kid, my parents took a dance class and I still have a vivid memory of them dancing to one of Gloria’s songs, so this was a full circle experience for me.”
“I was so proud to represent the immigrant community,” he says. “My parents moved from Puerto Rico the year before I was born. They spoiled my brother and sister and I; they worked their asses off to give us the life that we had. And I grew to respect the work the Estefans have put into their lives; they gave up everything to start their life anew. I tried so hard to tell the story of their life the best I could; I am so grateful to them.”
He’s also proud to be an LGBT ally, he says.
“When I came to New York City I felt like a lost boy. I was trying to find my footing and you learn that everyone is just trying to find a place to fit in. A lot of the people I hold nearest and dearest to me are in the LGBT community and I’ve seen how hard they had to struggle and I’ve heard their stories about growing up and not fitting in and I realize our stories are similar and different. We all just want to find someone who’ll tell us we’re doing OK.”
“I’m there to stand up for the LGBT community,” he says. “I’m so proud that we created this show about love and acceptance.”
Besides watching his scene-stealing turn as the well-endowed Staten Island Oli in Amy Schumer’s “Trainwreck,” Segarra’s LGBT fans can catch him in two upcoming TV shows. He’ll be appearing in “Katy Keene,” the “Riverdale” spin-off on the CW, and he’ll be reprising his role as aspiring shoe designer Lance on the second season of “The Other Two.”
In the meantime, the proud new father is building a swing set and preparing to face the challenges of raising two sons. Segarra says that older brother Gus was fine meeting baby Hank until his wife Brace picked up the baby and Gus started screaming, “No, Mama, no! Put him down.”
The boys may be squabbling already, but the well-grounded actor and ally just says, “I am at such peace.”
Josh Segarra in ‘AJ and the Queen.’ (Photo by Beth Dubber; courtesy Netflix)
Ryan Murphy at the 2018 unveiling of his star on Hollywood Boulevard (Photo via Instagram)
LGBTQ entertainment
mastermind Ryan Murphy has been announced by GLAAD as the winner of one of its most
prestigious honors, the LGBTQ media advocacy group revealed on Thursday.
Murphy, the award-winning
screenwriter, producer, and director behind “Glee,” “American Horror Story,” “Feud,”
and “Pose,” among a host of other LGBTQ fan-favorite projects across various
media, will be honored as part of the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in the Spring.
The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive
representations of LGBTQ people and issues, this year with over 175 previously-announced
nominees competing in 30 categories.
In addition to the competitive
awards, GLAAD also presents several special awards, honoring specific individuals
who have used their platform in the media to advance the cause of LGBTQ
acceptance worldwide.
The world’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization had previously revealed Taylor Swift and Janet Mock as the 2020 recipients of the Vanguard Award and the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, respectively, with the awards to be presented at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 16.
The new announcement
names Murphy as the recipient of the Vito Russo Award. Russo, a founder of
GLAAD and a celebrated ACT UP activist, pushed open doors for LGBTQ performers
and stories to be included in the news and entertainment media. The award named
in his honor is presented annually to an openly LGBTQ media professional who
has made a significant difference in accelerating LGBTQ acceptance; previous honorees
include Billy Porter, Anderson Cooper, Ricky Martin, Andy Cohen, Cynthia Nixon,
RuPaul, Rosie O’Donnell, Tom Ford, Samira Wiley, Thomas Roberts, George Takei,
Alan Cumming, Craig Zadan, Liz Smith, and Neil Meron, among others. Murphy will
receive the honor at an earlier GLAAD Media Awards presentation at the Hilton
Midtown in New York on Thursday, March 19.
In a statement, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, “Ryan
Murphy is a talented trailblazer behind some of the most innovative and popular
LGBTQ projects in television, theater and film history, and he continues to
bring underrepresented LGBTQ voices to the table in ways that raise the bar in
Hollywood. Ryan’s unique and gifted brand of storytelling has not only
entertained the masses, but provided LGBTQ youth with characters who inspire
them to live boldly and proudly.”
It’s not the first time
the Emmy, Golden Globe, Tony, and Peabody-winning LGBTQ media mogul has been
honored by GLAAD. He has previously been nominated for GLAAD Media Awards for multiple
projects, winning for shows like “Pose,” “Glee,” “American Horror Story:
Asylum,” “The New Normal,” “Popular,” and “American Crime Story: The Assassination
of Gianni Versace.” This year he is nominated again in two categories, Outstanding
Comedy Series (for “The Politician,” his most recent Neflix series) and
Outstanding Drama Series (for “Pose,” which made history by featuring the
largest transgender series regular cast and the largest LGBTQ cast ever for a
scripted series).
Murphy’s work has not been
limited to episodic television. He has been lauded for his film version of “Running
With Scissors,” as well as for his HBO adaptation of Larry Kramer’s seminal
AIDS drama, “The Normal Heart,” which was a previous winner at the GLAAD Media
Awards in addition to several Emmy and Golden Globe honors.
On stage, he produced
the Tony-winning 2018 Broadway revival of the iconic LGBTQ play “The Boys
in the Band,” which featured a cast of out actors that included Jim Parsons,
Zachary Quinto and Matt Bomer. He has produced a film version of the stage hit,
slated for release this year.
Also coming soon are the upcoming series “Ratched” and “Hollywood,” both
co-written, directed and produced by Murphy, who is also set to direct the
feature film adaptation of “The Prom,” the hit Broadway musical about a gay
high school teenager who stands up against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in her
small town. It will have a cast that includes Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and
James Corden, among others.
Murphy has not just promoted LGBTQ acceptance
through his work in the entertainment industry. He’s also used his platform to
elevate LGBTQ and minority
voices in other ways: in 2018,he announced that all profits from “Pose” would
be donated to charitable organizations working with LGBTQ people, such as the
Sylvia Rivera Law Project, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, and
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center; last year, he hosted a special benefit
performance of “The Prom,” in with proceeds going to LGBTQ organizations
including the Hetrick-Martin Institute, GLAAD, and The Trevor Project. He
previously launched an initiative called Half, which aims to create equal
opportunities for women and minorities behind the camera in Hollywood. Less
than a year later, his own Ryan Murphy Television had a director’s slate that
featured 60% women, with 90% being women and/or minorities.
Murphy has also been
recognized for his trailblazing accomplishments and impact. In 2018, he
received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2019, he was selected as a
‘Titan’ for the Time Magazine’s annual 100 Most Influential People list.
This year, the GLAAD Media Awards, including the returning category for Outstanding Broadway Production. The Outstanding Kids & Family Programming category has been expanded to ten nominees, and GLAAD has also announced Special Recognition honors for Netflix’s “Special,” and for pioneering LGBTQ journalists Karen Ocamb (California Editor for the Blade), and Mark Segal.
For a full list of the nominees
for the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, click here.
Everything seems to be coming up RuPaul these days.
The Emmy-winning icon, who is not only the creator of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
but a renowned recording artist, actor, and drag superstar, has never been far
out of the limelight. In recent months, however, he seems to be practically
bathing in it. On January 10, Netflix premiered “AJ and the Queen,” the
10-episode comedy in which he has his first-ever leading role in a scripted TV
series, and it’s been getting him plenty of extra attention.
Before that, VH1
announced in August that they would be bringing back “Drag Race” for a twelfth
season, as well as an “All-Stars 5” and a new “Celebrity Drag Race” edition over
the next year. In addition, The “Drag Race” brand announced plans for even
greater expansion worldwide, with a first season of “Canada’s Drag Race” and a
second season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” planned for debuts in 2020.
Now, RuPaul will join the ranks of some of pop culture’s greatest icons when
he takes the stage in front of a live studio audience in New York’s Rockefeller
Center on February 8 for his debut gig as host of “Saturday Night Live.”
As announced
by NBC on Tuesday, RuPaul will serve as host for the episode, with Justin
Bieber as musical guest, one week after an episode featuring NFL star J.J. Watt
as host and country artist Luke Combs as the musical guest on Feb. 1.
Though it marks RuPaul’s first appearance as host, it’s not the first time
the 59-year-old star has been on SNL – in 1993, he appeared in a sketch during
a show hosted by Charles Barkley.
After NBC’s announcement, the Twitter account for “RuPaul’s Drag Race “ posted an image with the caption, “Start your engines…and live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!!! Can’t wait Mama.”
A Doritos ad starring Little Nas X is one of 7 LGBTQ-inclusive spots that will air during this weekend’s Super Bowl broadcast (Image courtesy Doritos/Frito-Lay)
With the news that this weekend’s live broadcast of Super Bowl LIV will feature at least eight LGBTQ-inclusive ads, it’s fitting to pause and take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come in the struggle for LGBTQ acceptance – even if it’s only to remind ourselves that, no matter how disheartening the political tides may be, there is still reason to hope that support for the community continues to grow within the culture at large.
On Friday, GLAAD issued a statement marking what they called
“an unprecedented level of LGBTQ inclusion” scheduled for Sunday’s FOX airing
of the NFL championship game, as well as the milestone represented by San
Francisco 49ers coach Katie Sowers, who is the first out LGBTQ woman to serve
as a coach in a Super Bowl game. They also took the opportunity to give the homophobic
conservative advocacy group One Million Moms a taste of their own medicine, announcing
they had launched petition
a calling for the organization to “call it quits.”
The statement included comments from GLAAD President and CEO
Sarah Kate Ellis, who said, “The level of diverse LGBTQ inclusion from at least
seven brands during advertising’s biggest night, coupled with Katie Sowers’
trailblazing role on the field as Offensive Assistant Coach of the 49ers, mark
a rainbow wave at the Super Bowl this year.”
GLAAD went on to chart some of the progress that has been
made in LGBTQ representation by advertisers on the Super Bowl broadcast, citing a
2007 Snickers ad depicting two men who become disgusted when they
accidentally kiss, a Coca-Cola ad from was celebrated for an ad featuring a diverse
collection of American families, a
Coca-Cola ad from 2014 that featured a family with two dads, and another
from 2018 that used gender-neutral pronouns.
In addition, the LGBTQ media advocacy organization noted several
out LGBTQ celebrities who have appeared in Super Bowl commercials over the
years, such as RuPaul (who was the first drag queen to do so, twenty
years ahead of this year’s ad featuring “Drag Race” alumni Kim Chi and Miz
Cracker), Ellen
DeGeneres, Neil
Patrick Harris (who has appeared
twice), and Carson Kressley, who co-starred with Cindy Crawford in a 2005
Diet Pepsi ad.
The brands offering this year’s eight LGBTQ inclusive ads, as noted by GLAAD, are:
Pop Tarts (with Jonathan Van Ness) Sabra (with Kim Chi and Miz Cracker, former contestants on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”) Microsoft (with 49ers coach Katie Sowers) TurboTax (with Trace Lysette and Isis King, as well as other LGBTQ members of the ballroom community) Doritos (with out Grammy-winner Lil Nas X) Olay (with Lilly Singh, out bisexual host of NBC’s “A Lilly Late with Lilly Singh,” and the host of the GLAAD Media Awards in New York on March 19) Amazon Alexa (with Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Budweiser (with married World Cup champs officially designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-LGBTQ hate group. In the petition, OMM raises issue to the commercial’s inclusion of drag queens Kim Chi and Miz Cracker, saying, “Normalizing this lifestyle is contrary to what conservative, Christian parents are teaching their children about God’s design for sexuality.”
In response to OMM’s latest in a long history of failed
campaigns against brands that have taken steps toward LGBTQ inclusion, GLAAD
announced that it has launched
its own petition, blasting the organization for claiming a mission to “stop
the exploitation of children” when “nearly all of their public work and actions
center on targeting brands/networks that include LGBTQ people in programming or
ads,” and calling on them “to pack it up and go home.”
Ellis commented, “Leading brands have learned that fringe
anti-LGBTQ organizations like Monica Cole and so-called One Million Moms
project of the AFA, are not a reflection of where Americans are.
Family-friendly brands today include all families, including LGBTQ ones.”
When the eight scheduled LGBTQ-friendly commercials air during Sunday’s game between the 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, it will mark a record level of inclusivity for ads airing during the Super Bowl.
As Ellis puts it, “Now, American families will see and cheer on LGBTQ icons…
it’s about time.”
Below, you can watch Little Nas X star opposite movie icon Sam Elliott in his Doritos ad, which will air during the Super Bowl LIV broadcast on Sunday, February 2, at 6:30pm ET.
Ross Mathews got his start on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” where he was known as “Ross the intern.”
The fabulously out gay guru has since been seen on many shows such as “Celebrity Fit Club,” “The Insider,” “Celebrity Big Brother” and, of course, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” where he’s been a staple at the judge’s table since season seven in 2015.
He launched his book tour for “Name Drop: the Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour” (out Feb. 4) this week in New York and plays Washington Sunday night. Mathews, 40, dished on all that and more while driving to his second home (he lives mostly in Los Angeles) in Palm Springs last week.
WASHINGTON BLADE: How are things?
ROSS MATHEWS: Good. I feel like everyone has this sense of optimism this year that has been lacking the last couple years. People were like, “Ugh, God — this year can’t end soon enough,” but now, I don’t know, everyone I’ve talked to feels great about 2020 and so far so good. Also I’m driving to my place in Palm Springs, so I’m like in heaven.
BLADE: How were your holidays?
MATHEWS: It was really nice. I got to be with my family in Washington state and it was super nice, then I got to be back here in California and I went to Puerto Vallarta, which is another one of my happy places.
BLADE: Tell us about your book. How did it come about?
MATHEWS: The idea came to me in the shower. I was just like, “Oh my gosh, I wish I could tell everybody the stories I tell my friends at happy hour,” but then I thought, “But that’s so name-droppy.” Then I thought, “Screw it, just lean in — those are the stories people want to hear.” So “Name Drop” really is filled with celeb stories I usually only tell at happy hour and since it’s all about happy hour and I do cook every day, I thought why don’t I include some of my original rossipes in there so people can actually have happy hour while they’re reading the book, ‘cause that’s what the book feels like. It feels like you’re sitting down with me, ordering a drink and a bite and we’re just gushing over celebrities.
BLADE: So it’s cocktail and food recipes?
MATHEWS: Yes, there’s cocktails and rossipes for every single one and I pair them up with a chapter so for instance, I give Celine Dion “My Artichoke Heart Will Go On.” For Faye Dunaway, I give you my rossipe for “Endamame Dearest,” and it goes on from there.
BLADE: You had an encounter with Faye? Is she as scary as I fear she might be?
MATHEWS: I was too scared to ask her what I really wanted to ask her, but I thought it was so fascinating that I got to meet her, so I included it in the book. You know, some of these stories are when I had my dreams come true from people I’d loved forever, and some of these stories are about people who really disappointed me when I met them but I always say no celebrities were harmed in the making of this book. I tell the reader exactly what happened but I’m not out to hurt anybody.
BLADE: And these are all your own creations?
MATHEWS: Yes
BLADE: How did you get into that?
MATHEWS: So the cocktails are all sort of like my spin on cocktails that already exist and I make them original to me. The rossipes are all things I actually make. I’ve always loved cooking. I learned from my mom and I loved watching her. I love going to a restaurant and trying something and thinking, “Oh, I’d do it this way,” and then going home and cooking. I do that with Food Network too. I watch and go, “Huh — I would make it with this,” then I try it. Cooking is art — just another way to create.
BLADE: Do you have a favorite?
MATHEWS: Oh my gosh, I love them all. I make “Baked Ziti with a Z” for the Liza Minnelli story and that one’s really delicious.
BLADE: Please tell me there’s a chapter on Omarosa (she and Mathews were on “Celebrity Big Brother” together in 2018).
MATHEWS: Absolutely! We do an Omarosa Mimosa and then just a TV dinner because that chapter’s all about reality TV. Which by the way, an Omarosa Mimosa is made with blood orange juice.
BLADE: What was going through your head in real time when she was telling you all that stuff during your little tete-a-tete on “Big Brother”?
MATHEWS: Listen, I write all about that in the book. It was so surreal being locked away from the outside world for 30 days with cameras following us 24-7 and then Omarosa walks in and this was right after she had left the White House. I was fascinated by her and knew we had to talk about it or people wouldn’t think we were being real in that house. It’s impossible not to be real when they’re filming you 24 hours a day. So that conversation, to sit there and ask her those questions and what I was thinking and also what happened afterwards, which nobody knows about, that’s all in the book.
BLADE: Do you get a clothing allowance on “Drag Race”?
MATHEWS: No. I have to get my own wardrobe and of course, you have to step it up because you’re sitting next to RuPaul. I partner with Mr. Turk and I’m sucking up to friends who are designers. I’ve worked with Mr. Turk and Trina Turk for a long time and I’ve worn Tallia Orange before, so I try to find people who can partner with me so I’m not spending mazillions of dollars on these clothes.
BLADE: Is the stuff you wear on “Drag Race” the kind of stuff you wear in your private life or do you glam it up for the show?
MATHEWS: Well you have to wear something noticeable on that set. What am I going to do? Show up in corduroy or khakis? In real life, I love clothes but I’m not always in a suit. Usually I’m in like a jacket with a leopard scarf and a Gucci slide. When I go to Palm Springs, it’s elastic head to toe (laughs).
BLADE: Do you do your own shopping?
MATHEWS: I’ve had stylists in the past. My partner all those years, Salvador (Camerna), was my stylist but lately I’m not using a stylist. It’s just me partnering with various designers and trying to express myself however I feel that day. The other day I had on ripped jeans and boots and I was feeling all butch, like green Army Surplus jacket and right now I’m wearing Gucci fur slides and a leopard scarf, so I’m feeling more Nellie today. It’s fun to express fashion, always a joy.
BLADE: Was there ever a “Drag Race” contestant you thought went home too early?
MATHEWS: Yes. I’ve never disagreed with the winner, but I have opinions on who should stay and who should go. That’s part of my job, I get to argue my point to Ru who makes the ultimate decision. So I have of course thought somebody should have stayed who went home at a certain point, but the cream always rises to the top and I agree with every winner who’s been chosen.
BLADE: Did you ever feel somebody who sashayed away should have won the lip sync?
MATHEWS: (long pause) Yes (laughs). But I don’t want to give specific cases. Ru is the Supreme Court and I defer to Ru all the time. But there’ve been a couple times when someone won and I go, “Huh — I didn’t see that one coming.” But that’s not my job to decide that. I’m just there to give my two cents.
BLADE: Do you hang out with Michelle (Visage) and Carson (Kressley) outside the show?
MATHEWS: Absolutely. Michelle and I just went to lunch in Calabasas the other day. She got gluten-free grilled cheese. She’s like a sister to me and Carson’s like a brother. I love them all. And we really just make each other laugh all day long.
BLADE: You’re all so chummy now but Michelle had a rather prickly relationship with (former judge) Santino (Rice). Does a little tension there help the show?
MATHEWS: Well, I can’t really speak to her relationship with Santino, but Michelle and I are like brother and sister. If we disagree, we’re not gonna keep it in. I’ll tell her she’s nuts, but we laugh about it later. We have absolutely had strong disagreements where we each draw a line in the sand and we’ll never agree on something but then we go to lunch afterwards. I’m not afraid of her.
BLADE: Who’s been your all-time favorite “Drag Race” guest judge?
MATHEWS: Oh my gosh, there are so many. I can’t believe the people we get to sit next to. I’ll come home and say, “I just sat next to Lady Gaga for like 12 hours,” or Miley Cyrus. I have to be careful not to say some of the names coming up ‘cause they’ll blow you away, but I’ll get in so much trouble. It’s one of the greatest gifts of the show the artists that Ru and World of Wonder allow me access to. It blows me away.
BLADE: Who would be your dream judges?
MATHEWS: Liza, Cher, Bette, Madonna — you know, the icons.
BLADE: Do you guys write all your own puns for the runway commentary or do you have help?
MATHEWS: No, we come up with it as it’s happening. As we see it, we say it.
BLADE: They’re pretty clever most of the time. I’ve always thought, “They must get some help with this.”
MATHEWS: No, we just try to make each other laugh. There’s no better feeling than making really funny people laugh. There are some stinkers from time to time and the editors help us out.
BLADE: About how long does it take to tape a full “Drag Race” season?
MATHEWS: Well, there’s a lot going on. I don’t want to ruin it for people but of course, it takes longer than just what you see. There are outfit changes and you have to stop for production and sometimes there’s a lighting cue that goes wrong you have to redo. There’s a lot that goes into a production of this size but as someone who loves showmanship, I don’t want to give too much away.
BLADE: What’s the biggest thing being behind the scenes on these kinds of shows that stands out to you that you’d never have thought about as a viewer at home?
MATHEWS: Well, like the first time I went to the Oscars, I was staring at all the stars on the red carpet then you turn to the left and see 12 portapotties. I was like, “Wow, I didn’t know those were there,” they cut those out of the shots for TV. Or being in the “Big Brother” house and hearing the camera operators in the wall saying, “I’ve got a close up on Ross’s face, he’s going to bed.” I was like, “Oh my god, I didn’t think about that.” Or there’s a microphone hanging over the toilet, the one toilet you share with 11 other celebrities. It’s not all glamorous but it’s all a piece of the puzzle.
BLADE: Have you seen Ru’s new Netflix show?
MATHEWS: I have! Michelle and I went to the premiere. We were basically wearing the same red suit, it’s on my Instagram. It’s so great, I’m so proud of Ru. You know, Ru refuses to be put in any box. You think you know what Ru can do, then Ru goes, “Oh, I can also do this.”
BLADE: When Ru was on the cover of Vanity Fair in December, the article suggested he’s only knowable to a point, down to earth and candid in some ways — I’m paraphrasing — but also with a bit of aloofness, like he only lets you get so close or never totally lets his hair down. Is that your impression?
MATHEWS: Um, I can’t really speak for other people’s impressions of Ru, but I can tell you what Ru has been for me. Ru has been so kind and so supportive and so welcoming and you know, there’s one quote on the cover of my book and it’s a quote from Ru and that’s on purpose because for this phase of my career, Ru’s been the one who has sort of given me a platform and said, “Hey, look at this guy, he’s really funny.” ‘Cause Ru could have picked anybody for that seat next to him and so for me, he’s a mentor and a friend.
BLADE: You’ve made self-deprecating cracks about your sex life on “Drag Race.” You gettin’ any these days? Or dating anyone?
MATHEWS: (laughs) I am dating a lot actually. I never did this before. I didn’t really date in my 20s because I was figuring out how to be a famous person and I felt like a clown a little bit, so I felt like I had to choose between being funny or sexual. Then I got in a relationship and we were together for 10 years and now I found myself out dating again and I’m really confident now in who I am and I’ve never been single and confident at the same time, so I’m having a really good time dating. I find people fascinating. I like meeting people and I like learning from people and I think if you’re inquisitive and confident, you’re a really good dater.
BLADE: Reality TV and media can be rather soul sapping. And Ru is always spouting great spiritual wisdom. How do you refuel spiritually yourself?
MATHEWS: Not to sound cheesy, but I’m really fueled by living my dream. I don’t need anything else.
BLADE: Good luck with your book and tour.
MATHEWS: Thanks! Please come out. It’s just an hour and a half where we shut the door on the world, ‘cause everything’s fucked right now …
BLADE: Yeah, especially in Washington!
MATHEWS: I know, right? We just shut all that out and have some laughs.
Ross Mathews combines his love of cooking, cocktails and Hollywood in new tome ‘Name Drop.’ (Photo by Ricky Middlesworth)
Sherry Vine, aka Joey Gugliemelli (Image via Facebook)
A
contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has been disqualified for “cat-fishing” a
number of young actors online.
Sherry
Pie (whose non-drag name is Joey Gugliemelli) was exposed earlier
this week on Facebook by an aspiring performer, Ben Shimkus, who posted
what he called “a weird story” about the competitor on the popular reality show’s
current season. Several other young male actors came forward soon afterward
with similar tales, with Gugliemelli issuing an apology on Thursday.
Today,
according to BuzzFeed,
a spokesperson for VH1 and production company World of Wonder said in a
statement:
“In
light of recent developments and Sherry Pie’s statement, Sherry Pie has been
disqualified from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Out of respect for the hard work of the
other queens, VH1 will air the season as planned. Sherry will not appear in the
grand finale scheduled to be filmed later this spring.”
Shimkus
had shared that he had been contacted by someone named Allison Mossey, who claimed
to be interested in working with him and asked him to submit videos.
“I had to film scenes that felt particularly sexual and awkward, but the opportunity seemed too good to let the overt sexual nature or my inhibitions get in the way,” the young actor shared. “I simply told myself that my parents wouldn’t be allowed to see the show, but I wanted the professional experience and the bright and shiny object on my resume.”
After an email exchange lasting three weeks, Shimkus revealed, he “grew wearisome of the back and forth that seemed to be going nowhere” and, after checking with an organization with which “Mossey” had claimed to be associated, discovered that he had actually been corresponding with Gugliemelli.
Following Shimkus’ post, several other young male actors came forward to BuzzFeed News with similar stories about the “Drag Race” star. Each of them claimed they had been approached online by Gugliemelli, who had posed as a casting director in order to get them to send audition tapes of themselves saying and doing embarrassing, sometimes overtly sexual things – with one 23-year-old actor, Josh Lillyman, even claiming he had been pressured to masturbate on camera.
The young performer said, “I did everything he asked me to because at that point he had built up so much detail for the show that I was truly convinced it was real and associated with HBO. It took a lot for me to break that delusion. I was willingly doing all the things he was asking me to.”
“This is Joey, I want to start by saying how sorry I am that I caused such trauma and pain and how horribly embarrassed and disgusted I am with myself. I know that the pain and hurt that I have caused will never go away and I know that what I did was wrong and truly cruel. Until being on RuPaul’s Drag Race, I never really understood how much my mental health and taking care of things meant. I learned on that show how important “loving yourself” is and I don’t think I have ever loved myself. I have been seeking help and receiving treatment since coming back to NYC. I truly apologize to everyone I have hurt with my actions. I also want to say how sorry I am to my sisters of season 12 and honestly the whole network and production company. All I can do is change the behavior and that starts with me and doing that work.”
Response to the apology was harshly critical, with one commenter calling out Gugliemelli by saying, “only sorry because you got caught. this is sexual harrassment, you disgusting pig.”
: Benjamin Lennox/VH1
Get DRAGGED into the phenomenon! 
“Guru” by RuPaul features photos and bite-size wisdom nuggets. $25.99
Old albums new to vinyl include “This Christmas Aretha,” the Queen’s 2008 release and sole holiday record (out Nov. 16, $19.99), and a remastered vinyl release of Cher’s 1998 comeback album “Believe” (drops Dc. 7; $19.99). Want more ‘Ree? “Atlantic Records 1960s Collection” is out Dec. 7 on six LPs. Eleven demos and outtakes are making their vinyl debut. $99
Some acts like Kate Bush and Bananrama are re-releasing their entire discographies on 180-gram vinyl. Bush’s are remastered and feature a bounty of tracks making their vinyl debuts. Bananarama’s are on colored vinyl and cassette. Prices vary.
Trixie Mattel, winner of this year’s “All Stars 3” on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” makes her vinyl debut with her albums “Two Birds” and “One Stone” on one LP with clear and pink colored vinyl, deluxe gatefold jacket, sticker sheet, fold-out poster and more. Out Nov. 30 for $29.99 from 
Kiss n’ Make-Up (846 36th St., Baltimore) offers John Waters- and Divine-inspired gifts like these socks, pillows, smart-ass oven mitts and more. Prices vary. kissnmakeuphampden on Instagram or call 410-467-5477.
Modeled on Catholic holy cards, queer artist Ria Brodell offers 28 of her paintings of butchy icons of yore in “Butch Heroes.” Katherina Hetzeldorfer was tried “for a crime that didn’t have a name” (lesbian sex) and drowned to death in 1477. $24.95 from 
It’s an exciting time for Sheryl Crow fans. The LGBT ally is out with a new live album and accompanying DVD/blu-ray “Live at the Capitol Theatre: 2017 Be Myself Tour.” Her debut album “Tuesday Night Music Club” makes its U.S. vinyl debut (double 180-gram LP) today with a limited 3,500 copies available today at record stores participating in Record Store Day: Black Friday. Prices vary. 
Diana Ross’s “Wonderful Christmas Time” collects tracks from her 1994 EMI collection “A Very Special Season” (never officially available stateside) and “Making Spirits Bright,” her long-out of print 1994 Hallmark collection with 20 Christmas (“The Christmas Song,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain”) and non-seasonal sacred tracks (“Amazing Grace,” “His Eye is On the Sparrow”). It’s on CD and digital platforms.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is OFFICIALLY headed to 
