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SHOWBIZ Neil Patrick Harris, Mary J. Blige, Jane Lynch, Pet Shop Boys
Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka are in Walgreens' new #TrueHolidayStory campaign, which finds the beauty and humor in memorably imperfect moments, NewNowNext.com noted. In the new spots, Harris and Burtka's holiday is less than ...
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LGBT films and personnel among Golden Globe nominees
The 2019-2020 awards season kicked into full gear with the Dec. 9 announcement of this years Golden Globe nominees, and numerous LGBT-themed films and television shows, as well as LGBT personnel, were among those recognized by ...
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Five Worth Finding: Gay spy movie, Santa Suite and more
—London Spy: In this British-American series that originally aired in 2015, devil-may-care Danny ( played by a fantastic Ben Whishaw ) meets the straight-laced, enigmatic and handsome Alex ( played by Edward Holcroft ). What ensues ...
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Winter movies bring an intriguing mix
We finish out the year with some heavy hitters that we previously mentioned in the fall preview, such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Cats and Little Women in December. J.J. Abrams has now hinted ...
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Sean Hayes at Feb. 5 Goodman event
Goodman Theatre, now in its 95th season, will host the "Legacy & Promise" Education and Engagement Luncheon Wed., Feb. 5, featuring Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated actor Sean Hayes. The event will take place at The Palmer House ...
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Chicago Filmmakers kicks off 2020 with 'Justice January'
This January, Chicago Filmmakers is pleased to present a series of documentaries that explore current social and political issues around environmental justice, immigration justice, and reproductive justice. These new documentaries reveal personal stories behind the political ...
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Siskel showing LGBTQ+ films in December
The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 164 N. State St., is showing several LGBTQ+ films of interest in December. They include: —Fleabag ( Dec. 12, 15, 22 ): ...
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TELEVISION 'Work in Progress' spotlights Chicago, LGBTQ+ representation
The new Showtime series Work in Progress really features queer represenation—arguably, more than such landmark series as Orange Is the New Black and Pose. With many of the actors and producers from Andersonville, Chicago audiences can ...
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Holiday rom-com from lesbian filmmakers debuts
Thanks to classics such as Love, Actually—not to mention a seemingly continuous stream of confections from Hallmark and Lifetime Channels—romantic comedies have become for many a tradition during the holiday season. This year, a Los Angeles-based ...
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SHOWBIZ Jamie Lee Curtis, Taylor Swift, trans model/activist, Lil Nas X
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis told interviewer Chris Azzopardi she supports the outing of closeted lawmakers who advocate for anti-LGBTQ causes, The Washington Blade noted. During an interview in support of her knew film, Knives Out, the ...
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WINDY CITY TIMES 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Part One of Two
Feel the heat We all know the polar vortex may be revisiting sooner rather than letter, so be ready with Heat Holders socks and gloves ( various prices; HeatHolders.com ). The socks, specially developed with cashmere-like ...
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Vaginal Davis exhibit at Art Institute in 2020
The Art Institute of Chicago is slated to run "Vaginal Davis: The White to Be Angry" Feb. 1-April 26, 2020. Davis is a key figure in the history of queer music, performance and video art. Naming ...
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Center hosts Oscars kickoff party
Center on Halsted hosted the "A Night With Oscar 2020" kickoff party Nov. 13. The Center presented a panel discussion about Chicago's underground ball scene featuring Legendary Troy Ebony, from House of Ebony; Nikolay Khan, from ...
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TV'The L-Word' follow-up aims for sex, laughs, drama and diversity
During 2004-09, Showtime's The L-Word offered a Sapphic-centric L.A.-set successor to Queer As Folk. While groundbreaking, audacious and sexy—with more than 110 sex scenes during its run—creator Ilene Chaiken and her creative teams were responsible for ...
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WORLD Ugandan raid, pope's statement, Turkish university, Peruvian movie
A Ugandan court charged 67 people with causing a nuisance after they were arrested in a gay-friendly bar, in a move condemned by activists as the latest "homophobic" attack, Reuters reported. The 67—who were among 127 ...
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PFLAG National to honor George Takei with the 2019 Betty DeGeneres Advocate Award
WASHINGTON, DC. | PFLAG National—the nation's first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer ( LGBTQ+ ) people, their parents and families, and allies—will honor actor and advocate George Takei with the 2019 ...
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"Scrooge & Marley" screening Dec. 18
"Scrooge & Marley" is a modern day variation on Charles Dickens' classic story of the holidays, "A Christmas Carol." Recounted from a gay sensibility, with heart, comedy and music, the magic of Dickens' timeless tale of ...
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Gus Kenworthy on skiing, 'Horror Story' and coming out
Gus Kenworthy first made an impression upon many LGBTQ individuals not so long ago—in 2018, when he was one of three openly gay U.S. athletes competing in the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea ( Brittany ...
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SHOWBIZ Out singer, 'Hamilton,' 'Sense8,' Dolly Parton, Shangela
LGBT singer Michael Longoria released a music video for "Kiss Me ( Like They Do In The Movies )," an original song written by Longoria and arranged by James Dobinson, a press release noted. The music ...
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WORLD Movie premiere, Argentina's president, jail sentences in Malaysia
Ultra-nationalist protesters in the former Soviet republic of Georgia clashed with police as they attempted to derail the premiere of a critically acclaimed movie about gay love in the capital, Tbilisi, Reuters reported. Hundreds of demonstrators ...
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NUNN ON ONE, MOVIES Elizabeth Banks spreads her wings helming 'Charlie's Angels'
Elizabeth Banks wears many hats in the third installment of Charlie's Angels. She acted, directed, produced, and wrote the screenplay in the popular story of women working in a detective agency. The film stars Kristen Stewart, ...
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SHOWBIZ Rachel Weisz, John Waters, Jeff Goldblum, Lady Gaga
Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz will play Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor for female directing duo Bert & Bertie and UK-Australia producing powerhouse See-Saw Films in A Special Relationship, Deadline reported. Slumdog Millionaire scribe Simon Beaufoy has written ...
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Oscar 2020 kickoff
party Nov. 13
The "A Night With Oscar 2020" kickoff party—featuring a Chicago ball scene talk back—will take place Wed., Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. With the success of the FX ...
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MOVIES Ira Sachs on bringing 'Frankie' to life
Gay Jewish filmmaker Ira Sachs has shown a wide variety of topics in his work on the big screen. He has made a semi-autobiographical film called Keep the Lights On, which was based on a past ...
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Chicagoan helps bring nuances of foster system to the screen
Chicago attorney Jay Paul Deratany, who is gay, recently penned the screenplay for a new film about the inherent dysfunction within the U.S. foster care system—a realm he knows well. "Practicing law is telling a story ...
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Gene Siskel events in
Nov.-Dec. include
'Fleabag,' 'Joplin'
The Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., has an extensive list of screenings and events planned for November and December. Among them are the following: —Fleabag ( various dates in November ): This hilarious, ...
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MOVIES Michael Shannon's 'Current' affair
Actor Michael Shannon has built an impressive resume after his film debut in Groundhog Day. He gained widespread attention in 8 Mile and went on make movies such as Man of Steel, The Shape of Water, ...
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MOVIES Ozon layer, French director's new film looks at church coverup
A few years back, French director Francois Ozon, whose films—among them Swimming Pool, 8 Women and L'Amant Double—had largely centered on female characters, decided that his next project should focus on men and their emotional fragility ...
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Moulin Rouge, A Night with Janis Joplin among Gene Siskel Film Center events
OCTOBER SERIES: Screening/Lecture Series: Viewing Positions ( through December 10 ): This series uses a wide variety of films to demonstrate the different relationships that films establish with the viewer, and the thematic, cultural, and ...
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SHOWBIZ RuPaul, 'Grease,' Queen Latifah, LGBT lists
VH1 announced that RuPaul's Celebrity Drag Race, an expansion of the Emmy-winning franchise, has been greenlit for 2020, a press release noted. The four-episode event series will feature 12 celebrities as they sashay into the "werk" ...
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Five Worth Finding: TeaPotBrew, 'The GayBCs' and more
—TeaPotBrew Bakery: Nestled in the South Loop/Prairie District, this bakery ( 1802 S. Wabash St.; 312-966-6001 ) features dozens of teas, delicious sandwiches/pastries and the friendliest staffers you'll likely to encounter. Also, items are available on ...
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Reeling announces festival winners
Reeling: the Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival announced the highly anticipated juried, audience and AARP Silver Image award winners for films screened at the 37th annual festival, held Sept. 19-29. They included: —Jury awards for 15 ...
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ACE Comic Con has same-sex marriage proposal
At ACE Comic Con, which took place Oct. 11-13 in Rosemont, John Chambrone proposed to his boyfriend, Richard Owen—while Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson ( Captain Marvel ) witnessed the event. "Brie Larson was amazing! He said ...
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FLIP Fest running through Nov. 13
Pride Films and Plays has announced its first FL!P Fest—four nights of staged readings of full-length comedic lesbian plays. The plays will be read one per night on three Tuesdays ( concluding with The Queen's Fool: ...
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'IT Chapter Two' on Digital Nov. 19
Coinciding with Halloween, it was announced that the horror film IT Chapter Two will arrive on Digital on Tuesday, Nov. 19, and on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on Tuesday, Dec. 10. ...
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SHOWBIZ George Michael, Billy Porter, Michael Hutchence, LGBTQ-history film
The holiday romantic comedy Last Christmas (starring Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson and Henry Golding) won't just feature the music of George Michael—it will also include a previously unreleased song by the late queer pop legend, Out.com ...
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Trans bodybuilding film out Nov. 7
The award-winning, trans-bodybuilding documentary Man Made releases worldwide on VOD platforms on Thursday, Nov. 7, via Journeyman Pictures. The movie follows the lives of four transgender men as they prepare to compete at TransFitCon—the only all ...
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Gay skier/actor at Roscoe's Oct. 24
Openly gay Olympic freestyle skier and actor ( American Horror Story ) Gus Kenworthy is teaming with Coors Light to throw an '80s rock-themed Halloween party in Chicago. "Halloween Rocks" is happening Thursday, Oct. 24, at ...
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Chicago International Film Festival features LGBT-related titles
The Chicago International Film Festival kicks off the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 16 with a screening of Motherless Brooklyn as well as Zombieland: Double Tap later that evening. The festival lasts through Sunday, Oct. 27, and ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Transparent,' Tyler Perry, 'Drag Race,' singer Halsey
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 ...
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Reeling Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival announces award winners
( CHICAGO, IL - October 10, 2019 ) Reeling: the Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival announces the highly anticipated juried, audience, and AARP Silver Image award winners for films screened at the 37th annual festival, September ...
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SHOWBIZ Queer comic, 'Star Wars,' Nick Jonas, Rachel Maddow
Ian Aber—the queer award-winning, Atlanta based comedian known as a national finalist on the hit reality competition series StandUp NBC—released his first-ever studio album, Night Sugar, through RadLand Records, a press release noted. In the album ...
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WORLD Kenyan magazine, Russian anti-LGBT ruling, Brazilian films
Pride Umbrella Kenya, a member organization of The Refugee Coalition of East Africa ( RefCEA ), announced the launch of QR Magazine, a press release noted. The first issue of this quarterly publication, The Transgender Issue, ...
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LGBT HISTORY MONTH For celebrities, an off-screen journey to on-screen equality
By Steve Rothaus
ABC News correspondent Gio Benitez said that as a young reporter in Miami, he was inspired by the greats of television journalism: Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, Barbara Walters and Katie Couric. He didn't seek out gay ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans actor, 'Judy,' 'Concert for America,' Dolly Parton
Trans actor Brian Michael Smith was one of three casting announcements made ahead of Fox's 9-1-1 spinoff, Lone Star, which debuts in January, Out.com noted. This next installment in Ryan Murphy's burgeoning franchise will take place ...
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SHOWBIZ Ricky Martin, Tina Fey, Lee Daniels, Megan Fox
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) will honor singer and actor Ricky Martin with the HRC National Visibility Award at HRC's 23rd Annual National Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 28, a press release noted. ...
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Porter among those striking a pose at 2019 Emmys
Pose's Billy Porter made history the evening of Sept. 22 when he became the first openly gay Black actor to win the Emmy for the best lead actor in a dramatic series. Porter has rarely failed ...
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Sisters in Cinema launches fellowship for Black women filmmakers, LBTQ stories
Sisters in a SIC ) with support from Chicago Women's Foundation LBTQ Giving Council has awarded three first-time feature filmmakers with a $2,500 grant for the production of a documentary film. This program is an initiative ...
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Black Alphabet film fest to honor Trans Awareness Week
Black Alphabet Film Festival returns for its seventh year, showcasing films that highlight and explore the LGBTQ and same-gender-loving ( SGL ) experience—and it will take place at the same time as Transgender Awareness Week. This ...
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REELING FILM FESTIVAL
Lesbian director highlights queer history in 'The Archivettes'
Megan Rossman is an out and proud lesbian filmmaker. But while making The Archivettes, whose Chicago premiere is part of the Reeling Film Festival, she had a lot to learn. "I had never thought of my ...
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REELING FILM FESTIVAL Wendy Jo Carlton explores life, love in 'Good Kisser'
Wendy Jo Carlton is an out director, producer and teacher known for indie films like Hannah Free, starring Sharon Gless, and the lesbian romance musical Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together. She's also the creator of ...
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MOVIES A look at what's hitting the big screens this fall
Fall back into the movie theater after a summer that certainly had some lackluster moments, cinematically. We head into awards season and it shows with films begging for accolades, such as Judy and A Beautiful Day ...
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REELING 2019 The reviews are in
Reeling 2019: The 37th Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival will take place Sept. 19-29 at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema and Music Box Theatre. Without further ado, here are reviews of some of the movies slated to ...
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South Asian Film Festival Sept. 19-22
The 10th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival ( CSAFF ) will take place Sept. 19-22. The Red Carpet and opening night film, The Last Color, will be shown at Venue SIX10, 610 S. Michigan Ave., ...
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WEBSERIES 'Kissing Walls' creators on Chicago, sex scenes, independent TV
Local webseries Kissing Walls has continued to challenge television's traditional boundaries in its second season with its upfront depiction of the lives of twentysomething gay men living on the North Side. Windy City Times sat down ...
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NUNN ON ONE Lance Bass, Baptists, Broadway and 'The Boy Band Con'
Popular performer Lance Bass wears many hats these days. After rising to fame in the boy band NSYNC, he moved into working in movies and television. Along the way, the Mississippi native even became certified to ...
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REELING FILM FESTIVAL Gay filmmaker takes the crown in 'Pageant'
In Pageant Material, a teen dreams of becoming a queen—a drag queen, that is. Rodney ( Hart Morse ) is seventeen, out of the closet and mourning the death of his beloved mother. While enduring bullying ...
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REELING FILM FESTIVAL Unexpected legend takes stage in 'Broadway'
He calls women "darling" and drops f-bombs in the same sentence. He's both Jewish and gay, and has never hidden either. He keeps photos of his ex-boyfriends in silver frames and can recount detailed anecdotes about ...
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Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas returns to the Auditorium Theatre
( CHICAGO, IL ) The live concert experience of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas returns to the Auditorium Theatre for the second year for two special Halloween screenings on October 31 and November 1. The ...
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Jason Stuart makes it into the middle of the Midwest
Actor Jason Stuart has over 35 years of steady work on film and television as a character actor. He came out of the closet as gay early on in his career and the parts only improved. ...
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Filmmaker Martell discusses web series Damaged Goods
A Chicago-based filmmaker and production house head is preparing for a second season of his web series about the lives of young Chicagoans of color—and discussing possibilities for transforming the program into a television series. Director ...
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SHOWBIZ Designer dies, Kristen Stewart, Oprah, Freddie Mercury
Chris March—a costume designer who rose to fame after appearing on season four of Bravo's reality show Project Runway—died of a heart attack on at age 56, Deadline reported. A New York City resident, March was ...
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ACE Comic Con Midwest Oct. 11-13
ACE Comic Con Midwest will be at the Donald E. Stephen Convention Center in Rosemont on Oct. 11-13. Guests for this year's show include Oscar winner Brie Larson ( Captain Marvel ), Chris Hemsworth ( Thor ...
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MOVIES Reeling festival rolls out new LGBT films
Reeling 2019, the 37th annual edition of Chicago's LGBT film festival, kicks off Sept. 19, and lasts through Sept. 29 in various venues throughout the city. Founded in 1982, Reeling is the second oldest LGBT film ...
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NUNN ON ONE MOVIES Sam Harris: Out performer serves it up in 'Ham'
Sam Harris initially grabbed people's attention as the grand-champion singer of Star Search, winning with his version of the classic song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." This brought him a contract with Motown Records and his debut ...
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Comic Con dazzles with stars, cosplay
Thousands of pop-culture aficionados ( many donning the costumes of their favorite characters ) visited Rosemont's Donald E. Stephens Convention Convention Center on Aug. 22-25 for Wizard World Comic Con. There were many celebrities present—with one ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Judy,' Jill Soloway, John Cameron Mitchell, Octavia Spencer
Decca and Republic Records announced the release of two star-studded duet, to appear on the brand-new album Judy ( the soundtrack to the film of the same name ), a press release noted. The original soundtrack ...
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NUNN ON ONE COMEDY Rachel Dratch talks Biance del Rio, gay friends
Rachel Dratch is originally from Massachusetts; she moved to Chicago to further her comedy career by working with The Second City and ImprovOlympic. When asked what one thing she learned from her days in the Windy ...
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Derek Jarman films out Aug. 27
Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films will release two movies by the late filmmaker Derek Jarman ( 1942-94 )—Blue and The Garden—on Tuesday, Aug. 27. In a new 4K master of Blue ( $24.95 for the Blu-ray ...
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SHOWBIZ Tituss Burgess, IMDb, Halsey, Stephen Colbert, 'Queer As Folk'
Quibi has greenlit Dishmantled—described as "a high-octane cooking competition that will literally blow your socks off," with Tituss Burgess ( Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; 30 Rock ) set to host, Deadline reported. Hosted by Burgess, each episode ...
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Reports: Wachowski back in the Matrix
Transgender filmmaker and Chicago native Lana Wachowski announced Aug. 20 that she would be directing a fourth Matrix film, according to Variety. Wachowski directed the three previous films in the series—The Matrix ( 1999 ), The ...
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10 Questions with Vic Featuring Xabiani Ponce de Leon
It's hard to stand out as an actor during a film festival such as Outfest where over 150 films are screened within nine days. But Xabiani Ponce de LeÃ"n did just that with director Hari Sama's ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Elm Street,' 'Crime Story,' Tab Hunter, Lady Gaga
Gay actor Marc Patton is returning to the big screen, as himself, with the documentary Scream, Queen: My Nightmare On Elm Street, The Washington Blade noted. The film tells the story of how his "big break" ...
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UPDATE: Travolta to attend Wizard World Comic Con
This year's Wizard World Comic Con Chicago will take place Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 22-25, at Rosemont's Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Rd.—and it has just gotten some serious star power. It was announced Aug. ...
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Reeling LGBTQ film festival announces film line up
( August 12, 2019 - Chicago, IL ) Reeling, the second-oldest LGBTQ film festival in the world and a beloved Chicago cultural institution for more than 35 years, kicks off fall with an exciting slate of ...
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