WNBA player Brittney Griner said she’s “blown away” that critics have called her un-American for kneeling during the national anthem, per Yahoo! News. The View’s co-host Joy Behar asked Griner to respond to those who believed she acted carelessly in Russia and didn’t deserve the United States’ help because she had knelt during the national anthem. Griner replied, in part, “The unpatriotic thing, that blows my mind, because, one, my dad fought for this country, ’68, ’69, Vietnam Marines and law enforcement for 30 plus years. Dad was my hero. I wanted to be a cop. … And doesn’t it make me more American that I’m demonstrating a protest? That’s my right as an American, so for me to be called un-American, I was blown away at that.”
PBS tackles the history of disco—the pre-eminent popular music of the 1970s—in a three-part series, Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution, per a press release. Disco embodied the height of 1970s glamour, but was also inextricably linked to ethnic communities, queerness and female empowerment. The three-part docuseries will have episodes that premiere on June 18, June 25 and July 2, tracking the beginning, rise and fight against backlash (respectively) of the musical genre. Among many others, the docuseries will feature Jocelyn Brown, Honey Dijon, Nona Hendryx, Anita Ward, Thelma Houston, MNEK, Marshall Jefferson, Kim Petras, Scissor Sisters’ Ana Matronic and Jake Shears, and Carmen D’Alessio.
Amazon has ordered a reboot of the classic competition series American Gladiators for its Prime Video service, Deadline noted. The original ‘90s series pitted a cast of amateur athletes against each other as well as the shows’ own gladiators across a range of challenges including a tough obstacle course; it was rebooted at least twice—in 2008 and 2018, the latter time with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg co-hosting. Recently, ESPN aired 30 For 30: The American Gladiators Documentary, while Netflix launched Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators. British broadcaster BBC has found success with a new generation of Gladiators.
Singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper announced a farewell tour, setting one last national musical journey that will take her to arenas in 23 cities in North America this fall, Variety noted. Lauper did not release any statement explaining her reasons for doing a farewell tour now, although she was expected to talk about it as she promoted a new documentary about her career, Let the Canary Sing. The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour—described as her first major road trip in a decade—will begin Oct. 18 in Montreal and end Dec. 5 at Chicago’s United Center.
Queer singer Omar Apollo announced a tour to accompany his plans for his sophomore album, God Said No, which features musician Mustafa and actor Pedro Pascal, among others, a press release noted. The tour will start Aug. 20 in his home state of Indiana. The God Said No Tour will include 29 dates, with stops in Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Houston and more; later performances will see Apollo at iconic venues such as the Greek Theatre and Hollywood Bowl, among others.
Anderson Cooper said his close friend Andy Cohen is doing a lot to s tay afloat in showbiz, per Page Six. Cohen has faced much scrutiny in recent months after becoming the subject of allegations from several former Real Housewives stars. While he didn’t get into specifics, Cooper could have been referring to the outside investigation into misconduct claims Bravo opened into Cohen earlier this year.
However, also speaking of Cohen, his show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen—marking its 15th anniversary—will have a primetime special air on Sunday, June 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, a press release noted. The show has been renewed through 2025. “Fifteen is my new lucky number!” said Cohen, who is considered to be the first openly gay late-night host, in a statement. “I can’t wait to celebrate the ‘WWHL’ legacy. Thank you to Bravo for always having faith in our little late-night show that could: allowing me to ‘go there,’ play ridiculous games, host incredible guests and generate endless water-cooler talk. This is my dream job, and I hope I never wake up.”
Orville Peck announced his “6th Annual Rodeo,” featuring a headline set from Peck & Tanya Tucker in addition to performances from Medium Build, Mickey Guyton, Reyna Roberts, The Nude Party and more, per a press release. With John Waters hosting, the rodeo will begin with a kickoff party at Basement East on Aug. 23, a takeover at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on Aug. 24 and a closing party at Brooklyn Bowl on Aug. 25. On June 2, Peck appeared as a surprise guest during Kylie Minogue’s headline set at Out Loud Festival at WeHo Pride, where they debuted their new single ,“Midnight Ride.” The track, which features production from Diplo, arrives this Friday, June 7—ahead of Peck’s second Stampede album, which will also feature multiple duets. Stampede Vol. 1 has duets with Willie Nelson, Elton John and Noah Cyrus, among others.
Out singer and former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert made a brief return to reality TV when he appeared as a guest competitor on the new season of the Chinese show Singer, Instinct noted. (Lambert sang his hit “Whataya Want from Me,” which has found renewed life in China, climbing three charts there recently.) The series has established artists—some who call China home while others are known internationally—compete for the title after weeks of singing unfiltered to a live studio audience. Currently, Lambert can be found touring with Queen, having taken over lead vocals from Paul Rodgers in 2011. Lambert’s last solo record, High Drama, was released in 2023; he has released two songs—“Lube” and “Wet Dream”—from his upcoming Afters EP, per Retropop.
Kate McKinnon and Andy Samberg have joined the cast of Jay Roach’s The Roses, starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch, per Deadline. Ncuti Gatwa, Sunita Mani, Zoë Chao, Jamie Demetriou and Belinda Bromilow are also in the movie, The Roses is a reimagining of the 1989 classic The War of the Roses, based on the novel by Warren Adler.
Bisexual Hacks star Hannah Einbinder’s stand-up comedy special Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go will debut June 13 on Max, per a press release. Einbinder takes the stage at L.A.’s El Rey Theatre for her first stand-up special. Among other things, the comedian also gets candid about being queer, her faith, climate change and her stoner roots in this debut comedy hour.
Adam Levine is returning to the NBC show The Voice, per a press release. Levine will return for season 27 in spring 2025 alongside new coach Kelsea Ballerini as well as returning coaches Michael Buble and John Legend. NBC recently announced Buble, Snoop Dogg, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani as coaches for season 26, coming this fall. The Voice recently crowned its first LGBTQ+ winner in Asher HaVon.
And speaking of Asher HaVon, he made his first live, post-win appearance at GLAAD’s Concert For Love & Acceptance, a press release noted. HaVon—who performed covers of “Titanium” and “Last Dance”—joined out country music artist Ty Herndon for the annual concert, now in its ninth year, at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Nashville. The event—which took place on the eve of CMA Fest—also featured appearances and performances from Adam Mac, Annie Bosko, Carmen Dianne, Chris Housman, Cody Alan, Denitia, Fancy Hagood, Jada Cato, Jamie Floyd, Leon Timbo, Shelly Fairchild and more. Proceeds from the show benefited Herndon’s Foundation For Love & Acceptance.
Tello Films announced the launch of its latest original series, Lez Go Travel Show, premiering on June 15, per a press release. Hosts Stacey Powell and Christin Baker embark on a global adventure, exploring diverse cultures; interviewing lesbians and community members; and celebrating travel, love and inclusivity. In honor of Pride month, Tello Films will release the first five episodes of the show throughout June and July. The trailer is here.
John Duff’s first single off his yet untitled debut album, “Be Your Girl,” is being described as “a celebratory anthem from another time,” per a press release. The disco tune has a 1940s-inspired arrangement. “In today’s modern world, when so many queer artists are releasing authentically queer music, I thought it would be fun to retroactively go back and design a legacy artist that never got a chance to exist,” Duff said. “In this song, I’m imagining a classic-that-never-happened from the point of view of a queer artist [who] never was.” Duff’s “Be Your Girl” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms; the video is here.
Queen of Hearts—the new album from emerging queer pop star Zolita—is out now via AWAL, per a press release. The release stated, “The project is built around a pair of equally ambitious themes—one half, Zolita views as a giant queer celebration, while the other half is more meditative and introspective, diving deep into life’s turmoils and travails.” Fans can watch videos for her songs “Grown Up,” “Small Town Scandal,” “All Girls Go to Heaven” and “Bloodstream.” To celebrate Pride Month and Queen of Hearts, Zolita—who also plans to go on tour, with stops at places like Chicago’s Chop Shop, L.A.’s Troubadour and Atlanta’s Aisle 5—hosted a Queen of Hearts Pride Pageant extravaganza in L.A. with non-profit organization Queer Capita.
Dolly Parton is bringing her life story to the Broadway stage, per CBS News. “I’ve been writing my life story as a Broadway musical for several years and I’m proud to announce we are finally developing ‘Hello, I’m Dolly – An Original Musical’ for the Broadway stage,” Parton said on social media. Inspired by her life and career, Hello, I’m Dolly will come to Broadway in 2026 with music and lyrics by Parton, a statement on the show’s website said. Last year, she garnered three new Guinness World Records for her musical achievements, bringing the 78-year-old’s total to 10 world records.
Bridgerton co-star Jessica Madsen revealed that she’s in a relationship with another woman, per HuffPost. On Instagram, she revealed that she’s “in love with a woman” and “loud about it and proud about it,” alongside bright artwork honoring the LGBTQ+ community. She received a lot of support, including compliments and congratulations from fellow cast members.
Non-binary, genderfluid, pansexual actor, filmmaker and conservationist Paulina Lule is a Ugandan-American actor and filmmaker, per a press release. They were born and currently reside in Milwaukee and are set to star opposite Academy Award “Best Actor” winner Forest Whitaker in the MGM+ upcoming series Emperor of Ocean Park. The show is from the executive producers of the Emmy- and SAG-winning series Shameless, and premieres on Sunday, July 14.
According to legal documents that The Blast obtained, Madonna and those involved with her concerts are being sued for multiple complaints, per Yahoo! This includes false advertising and unwanted exposure to sexual content. And another plaintiff, Justen Lipeles, filed a class-action lawsuit on his behalf and that of all individuals in California who were deceived into purchasing expensive tickets for Madonna’s concert. The suit alleges breach of written contract, negligent misrepresentation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false advertising, negligence/negligent infliction of emotional distress and unfair competition.
And speaking of tours, Jennifer Lopez has canceled hers, according to People. Live Nation announced that the singer’s This Is Me… Live is canceled because she is “taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends.” Fans who have already purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will automatically be refunded. For those who purchased through third-party resale sites, fans will need to reach out to the point of purchase for more details.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of one of television’s most watched sitcoms, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will release Friends: The Complete Series in 4K Ultra HD on Sept. 24, per a press release. This ultimate collector’s set for any Friends fan includes more than110 hours of content—including all 236 original broadcast episodes released for the first time in 4K Ultra HD, plus more than 20 hours of extra features including all-new bonus content. The show originally aired on NBC from Sept. 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004.
LGBTQ+ singer, songwriter and actor Joshua Bassett announced The Golden Years Tour featuring special guest Thomas Day, per a press release. With Live Nation producing, the 24-city North American leg will launch July 30 at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix and make stops in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, New York and more before wrapping up in Los Angeles at YouTube Theater on Sept. 3. Bassett will kick off the European leg of the tour in Dublin on Sept. 16, continuing to London, Paris, Milan and more, before concluding in Copenhagen on Oct. 9. Bassett recently returned with the nostalgic new track “The Golden Years,” the title track from his upcoming debut album that will drop July 26.
Focus Features will Piece by Piece on Oct. 11, a press release noted. Featuring Pharrell Williams, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay Z and Snoop Dogg, the film is described as “a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds.”
According to TMZ, a video shows veteran actor Richard Dreyfuss trying on various dresses before embarking on a recent anti-trans rant. TMZ obtained surveillance footage from the end of May showing the Jaws actor being helped by a number of staffers at Worthy Girl Consignment in Beverly, Massachusetts, where he later got on stage at the Cabot Theater and made controversial remarks, including anti-trans ones. Reportedly, the staffers at Worthy Girl Consignment—the pro-LGBTQ+ business where the actor tried on dresses, ultimately picking a floral blue item—are angry with him.
On a recent Wheel of Fortune episode, contestant Tavaris Williams made a daring guess while attempting to solve a “Phrase” puzzle, Today noted. As the letters appeared on the board, he said, “Right in the butt!” before making an “oops” face. During the May 23 episode, Sajak said “no” after Williams’ guess before calling on fellow contestant Blake, who correctly responded, “This is the best!” “Pat was the best! He made me feel so great about that at the break,” Williams told host Jimmy Kimmel on the latter’s show. “He said, ‘You know, we’ll find a tactful way of editing it. I don’t know how, but we’ll do it.’”
After news broke that Sara Ramírez’s controversial And Just Like That… character, Che Diaz, wouldn’t return for the Sex and the City sequel series’ third season, Cynthia Nixon opened up about her character, Miranda Hobbes’, love interest, according to them. “[Sara] created such an amazing character—essuch a controversial character, but such an amazing character,” Nixon told Variety, noting that she and Ramírez (who are both members of LGBTQ+ community) are now “frequent texting buddies.” Diaz—introduced as a nonbinary comedian who co-hosted a podcast alongside Carrie Bradshaw—caught Hobbes’ eye as she began coming to terms with her own queerness. By the end of season two, Diaz and Hobbes had broken up and moved on to new love interests.
Revolt has a new ownership structure after its founder, Sean “Diddy” Combs, stepped aside as chairman of the television and media company, Variety noted. Current employees will become the largest shareholder group of the company as Revolt will remain Black-owned. The change in ownership comes after various reports of big-money investors seeking to buy Combs’ stake in the company, including Essence Ventures CEO Richelieu Dennis.