NYC’s East Ninth Street and University Place, which was co-named in honor of the late Terrence McNally during an outdoor ceremony filled with the gay playwright’s words from his plays and his songs from Broadway musicals, Gay City News noted. The co-naming ceremony—on the block where McNally lived between Broadway and University Place until his 2020 death—was led by McNally’s surviving spouse: Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy. Kirdahy introduced artists who re-enacted scenes from McNally’s plays: Donna Murphy did a scene as Maria Callas in Master Class; Tony nominees Jonathan Groff and Francis Jue read, respectively, from And Things that Go Bump in the Night and Love! Valour! Compassion!; and Brandon Uranowitz and Caissie Levy sang from Ragtime. Among the others paying tribute to McNally were Manhattan Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who chairs the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus; and Terrence McNally Foundation’s Santino DeAngelo.
The Critics Choice Association’s (CCA’s) 2nd Annual Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television took place June 6 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, and featured more than 20 performers, creators, producers and writers from this year’s most acclaimed television shows and films, per a press release. Sherry Cola hosted the event, which featured honorees such as Tramell Tillman (Supporting Performance Award-Drama Series, for Severance); Benito Skinner (Rising Star Award, for Overcompensating); Bowen Yang (Comedy Award, for Saturday Night Live); Jeff Hiller, Murray Hill, Tim Bagle, Mary Catherine Garrison and Bridget Everett (Ensemble Award, for Somebody Somewhere); Jewels Sparkles (Reality TV Award, for RuPaul’s Drag Race); Nathan Lee Graham (Vanguard Award, Mid-Century Modern); and Niecy Nash-Betts (Groundbreaker Award; Grotesquerie), among others. In addition, Wanda Sykes received the Career Achievement Award [Editor’s note: Windy City Times Contributor Jerry Nunn is founder and chairman of the Critics Choice LGBTQ+ Committee and is programmer for the celebration].
Sesame Street posted an inclusive message on X in honor of Pride Month—and conservatives criticized the post, according to Them. The June 1 post featured a graphic of the arms of various residents of Sesame Street arranged in rainbow order. “On our street, everyone is welcome,” the post read. “Together, let’s build a world where every person and family feels loved and respected for who they are. Happy #PrideMonth!” However, in a since-deleted post, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) replied, “I am once again asking PBS to stop grooming children,” alongside a picture of Bernie Sanders, per The Hill. In addition, Republican Illinois state Rep. Mary Miller—a member of the RSC as well as the similarly conservative Congressional Family Caucus and the House Freedom Caucus—posted to X the following day, claiming, “PBS is shamelessly grooming our children while collecting taxpayer dollars.”
Surviving Ohio State will debut Tuesday, June 17, on HBO and will be available to stream on Max, a press release noted. The documentary tells the story of the male victims of Dr. Richard Strauss—a sports medicine physician and serial sex abuser who worked at The Ohio State University (OSU) from 1978 to 1998. Told by the student-athletes and others who concealed their trauma for years, the film builds on the efforts of whistleblowers and journalists who exposed the scandal in 2018. Eva Orner directed the film and was one of the producers, along with Grant Heslov, Jon Wertheim and George Clooney, among others.
On July 25, Madonna will finally release her long-rumored project Veronica Electronica, which features eight rare and unreleased remixes from her 1998 album Ray of Light, according to Variety. The album will also be available as part of the “Silver Collection,” her ongoing career-spanning series of limited-edition silver vinyl reissues. The album will debut digitally and on silver vinyl, with “Skin (The Collaboration Remix Edit)” available now. It is part of the singer’s 2021 deal with Warner Music that saw her catalog returning to the company that released her first albums. Ray of Light sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and earned Madonna four Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Album.
Jennifer Lopez brought a message of LGBTQ+ liberation at the WorldPride Music Festival, Out noted. “We are singing and dancing right here on their front lawn, misbehaving. Yes, we are,” Lopez told the crowd ; the festival was held at the Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, just miles from the president’s residence. “Over the years, your love and your support have been a source of strength for me and today I am here to celebrate you,” she added. “I’m so happy to be able to be here to celebrate community, diversity, love and freedom.” Lopez’s set—which included a cover of George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90,” backed by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington—capped a lineup that included Paris Hilton, Tinashe, Trisha Paytas and Betto Who.
To celebrate Pride Month, Billboard Latin compiled a list of LGBTQ+ Latinx artists “we’re obsessed with,” according to the publication. Just some of the individuals include Chilean artist Alex Anwandter; Brazilian superstar Anitta; Venezuelan-born trans woman EMMA; Javiera Mena, who has released songs such as “La Isla de Lesbos”); Ecuadorian pop artist Johann Vera; Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García; Brazilian queer icon Ludmilla; Cuban act Musteerifa; Peruvian singer-songwriter Nicole Zignago; Mexican-American singer-songwriter-actor Omar Apollo; Spanish singer Pablo Alborán; Mexican electrocumbia singer Remix; and hip-hop artist Snow Tha Product.
Anna Emma Haudal’s lesbian rom-com The Venus Effect (Venuseffekten)—featuring The Killing‘s Sofie Gråbøl—is now available to view on streaming platforms internationally, per a press release. The plot is described thusly: “Twenty-something Liv’s life is turned upside down when the chaotic and headstrong Andrea comes crashing into her countryside gardening store. Andrea is everything Liv isn’t, and she’s completely infatuated. As the two women grow closer, their different lifestyles begin to clash, and Liv discovers that relationships, love and family can come in many forms.” The movie is available on Peccadillo film, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada and Amazon branches in other countries as well. The trailer is here.
Fashion designer Andrew Christian is shutting down his eponymous underwear brand, Queerty noted. Before ending things, Christian will release a final collection entitled Bespoke. “After more than 25 years, my hands will soon lay down the needle that has guided me through this calling,” Christian wrote on his website. “My final words as a designer won’t be spoken aloud, but sewn into Bespoke—Fall/Winter 2025 (October), my final collection.” He added, “I began this journey as a scared gay kid from Fresno with nothing but a sketchbook and a dream. Fashion became my sanctuary—a place to exist, survive, and celebrate who we are.” He admitted to Queerty, though, “Before making the decision to close, I actually reached out to all the major apparel companies, offering them the opportunity to acquire Andrew Christian. Unfortunately, none showed interest. … There’s a reluctance to associate with LGBTQ+ focused businesses that simply wasn’t there a few years ago.”
Them unveiled the third of its Pride Month covers, this time featuring The Traitors Emmy-winning host and producer Alan Cumming, a media release noted. “Especially now, when we’re being vilified and persecuted and then razed, then all the more reason to have our presence and our representation,” Cumming said. “Even on a little reality competition show, I think you can actually do great things just by exposing people to ideas and things they haven’t seen before.” Cumming, 60, added, “I wish we would see beauty in aging or just see beauty in not being always associated with youth,” he tells me. “And youth is beautiful, but you know what? It’s not all that. … I still feel everything’s working and I don’t feel like I’m impeded by my age in any way. But at the same time, I have wisdom and I have been around the block and I have something to say.”
Lesbian competitor Amanda Nunes—considered one of the most dominant female fighter in UFC history—has ended her retirement after almost two years, Outsports reported. Nunes’ last fight was her UFC Bantamweight title defense against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in 2023. Newly crowned UFC Bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison called Nunes—who attended the recent UFC 316 pay-per-view event with her wife and two children—into the octagon during her post-fight interview. “I’m ready to stay here,” Nunes said. “I’m going to take the belt back. I’m going to defend it as long as possible, as long as my body can handle [it], I’m going to be here.” When she retired, Nunes held the record for wins (16) and UFC title fights (11) by a female UFC fighter.
The Gravitas Ventures film Jeannette will premiere June 17 on all major Video On Demand platforms, a press release announced. In the aftermath of Orlando’s Pulse nightclub mass shooting, competitive bodybuilder Jeannette Feliciano seeks support and healing through her community while she continues to coach fellow survivors at the gym. As her life begins to calm, Hurricane María hits Puerto Rico—throwing Feliciano back into crisis mode. There will also be screenings in NYC (June 17, at the Andrew Freedman Home), Philadelphia (June 18, at Film Society Bourse) and Los Angeles (July 9, at The Philosophical Research Society).
MPX is presenting the LGBTQ+ romance film Things Like This, which is now available on all major Video On Demand platforms, per a media release. The film follows Zack Anthony, a struggling writer, and Zack Mandel, a talent agent assistant trapped in a failing relationship, who meet by chance at a showcase. Their connection begins with a small act of kindness and grows after a disastrous but comedic first date; as they spend more time together, they uncover a surprising shared past that feels like fate. Joey Pollari and Max Talisman lead a cast that includes Jackie Cruz, Margaret Berkowitz, Romy Reiner, Taylor Trensch and Eric Roberts, among others.
Queer actress Keke Palmer is joining Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson and Eva Longoria in the Amazon MGM Studios film The Pickup, which will debut Aug. 6, per a press release. The plot is described thusly: “A routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.” Marshawn Lynch, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, Andrew Dice Clay and Ismael Cruz Córdova co-star.
LGBTQ+ singer/songwriter Rita De Los Angeles marked Pride Month by releasing the country-disco anthem “Not Even A Little,” a press release noted. The song, out June 13 on all streaming platforms, is a tribute to the iconic Dykes on Bikes—and all of the first-year streaming royalties will go to the Dykes on Bikes chapter whose video using the track gains the most likes on Instagram or TikTok by July 7. Originally from Los Angeles, De Los Angeles is now living on a small farm in Germany with her wife of 16 years and their three children.
On June 8, Broadway said goodbye to two limited-run productions: Good Night, and Good Luck and Othello, per Broadway World. Good Night took its final bow at the Winter Garden Theatre following 22 previews and 77 regular performances; Othello ended its limited run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre following 30 previews and 89 regular performances. Good Night received five Tony Award nominations, including Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for George Clooney; Othello, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, recouped its initial investment after just nine weeks on Broadway.
Also, Smash, a TV-to-stage musical, will close on Broadway after failing to win any Tony Awards, per Variety. The show will play its final performance on June 22 after 32 previews and 84 regular performances at the Imperial Theatre. Based on the cult-favorite television series, Smash (which received mixed reviews) chronicled the backstage chaos of the fictional Bombshell, a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe; the production takes a turn when the lead actress, portrayed by Robyn Hurder, decides to go Method and becomes obsessed with channeling Monroe.
Non-binary Australian singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist G Flip has returned with a queer new single titled “Big Ol’ Hammer,” per a press release. G Flip has also unveiled an official music video (with queer comedian/actress Fortune Feimster and some comedic outtakes) that was directed by Anne-Sophie Bine for the track.
“This is probably the queerest song I’ve ever written. This song is about the feeling of putting on a tool belt with a big ol’ hammer—it’s camp, tongue-in-cheek, fun and not to be taken too seriously. When I wrote it, I immediately knew I wanted to release it during Pride,” said G Flip.
The new trailer and poster for Freakier Friday—the sequel to the beloved Disney classic starring Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan—has been released, per a Disney press release. The move opens exclusively in theaters Aug. 8. In the film, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.
Film Forum will present the U.S. theatrical premiere of Luis Ortega’s Kill the Jockey on July 2, per a press release. According to the release, “Pathos, romance and surrealism meld stylishly in this tragicomedy about a sad-eyed, drunkard jockey named Remo whose gangster patrons and identity crisis drive him to near self-destruction. Instead, Remo is reborn and revitalized, mysteriously, as mink-wearing, handbag-toting Dolores.” Kill the Jockey had its world premiere at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, and was the Argentine entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. The film’s trailer is here.
Investigators are looking into whether the sexual orientation of King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss played a role in his fatal shooting in Texas, per The Guardian. Joss’s husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, has said the person who killed the actor yelled “violent homophobic slurs” before opening fire outside his home in San Antonio. Recently, the San Antonio police chief said the department’s initial statement that the killing might not have been a hate crime was “premature.”
Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White and Lisa Salters, an ESPN/ABC sideline reporter for the NBA Finals, left their duties to attend to a family matter, per IndyStar. White and Salters are partners, and both have stepped away as Salters’ mother deals with a health issue. Austin Kelly coached the Fever on June 7, when the team (without Caitlin Clark) trounced the Chicago Sky in WNBA action.
Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock legends Bush return with “The Land of Milk and Honey,” the first single from their upcoming 10th studio album, I Beat Loneliness, out July 18 via earMUSIC, a press release noted. The song was produced by Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale and Erik Ron (Panic! At The Disco). Following the release, Bush will embark on a worldwide tour; the band will tour across North America from July 19 to Aug. 30 before heading overseas to join Volbeat for a series of dates across the EU and UK from Sept. 18 through Nov. 13.
Prime Video is not proceeding with a second season of the Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s ballet dramedy series Étoile—even though there was a two-season order, Deadline confirmed. The streamer and Amazon MGM Studios will continue to support the series’ Emmy campaign in the comedy categories. The eight-episode show follows the dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet companies in New York and Paris as they try to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars.
Paris Hilton, with her next-gen media company 11:11 Media, announced Infinite Icon—a feature concert documentary set for worldwide theatrical release in early 2026, Variety noted. The company also announced a partnership with CJ 4DPlex, the world’s leading producer of immersive film formats and cinema technologies. Hilton recently discussed the upcoming visual memoir during her “Building a New Media Empire” conversation at Tribeca X with Andrew Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of Luminate Intelligence; and Bruce Gersh, co-founder and president of 11:11 Media.
Former The Real Housewives of Atlanta regular NeNe Leakes was recently criticized for saying on her online talk show that she wouldn’t date men who date trans women, Out noted. Talking with trans celebrity Ts Madison, Leakes insisted that the man would have to be bisexual, adding, “The man gonna be sleeping with me and you? I don’t want to talk to him no more. Why the hell you going to sleep with me then going to sleep with you? I don’t want him. I’m over it.” However, Madison said, “If a man comes in here and he looks at me and you … well, he likes women.” Social media laid into Leakes. “NeNe being this ignorant about queer topics while constantly existing in queer spaces is gross,” one person posted on X. “Pick up a mf book.” However, the episode covers many topics, from sex work to Madison’s business split from Khia.
In Sydney, singer Katy Perry was grabbed on stage by a fan who got through security, Page Six noted. The singer was visibly surprised as a man unexpectedly ran onstage and put his arm around her; the “Firework” singer yelped and then spun away from him before security dragged him off. Perry tried to keep the disruption to a minimum as she continued singing her hit “Hot N Cold” while her band played. However, she said, “There’s never going to be another show like this, so just enjoy it, Sydney.”
Veteran actor Steve Guttenberg (Three Men and a Baby) revealed he and Caitlyn Jenner were asked to enhance their attributes while filming the 1980 camp classic Can’t Stop the Music, per Page Six. “I did wear really skimpy shorts,” he said, adding that the movie’s producer, Allan Carr, asked him and Jenner to “stuff our shorts with socks to make it look a little bigger.” Guttenberg also discussed what he learned while acting: “I think you have to be very careful of your ego when you have success as an actor because it’s a very fragile business and you cannot believe what you see. You’re very important today, and tomorrow nobody knows who you are.”
Rachel Zoe is slated to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills during its 15th season in her return to Bravo, per Deadline. The stylist is not a new personality to Bravo, as she starred in The Rachel Zoe Project during 2008-13 on the network. The latest season of Beverly Hills included Kyle Richards, Erika Jayne, Dorit Kemsley, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke and Bozoma Saint John; Kathy Hilton and Jennifer Tilly were featured as friends of the cast. (Beauvais recently left after falling out with the cast during the reunion, while Jayne has hinted at returning.)
Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Justin Baldoni‘s $400-million defamation claim against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, finding that her accusations of sexual harassment were legally protected and, therefore, immune from suit, Variety reported. Lively has sued Baldoni in federal court for sexual harassment and retaliation, claiming that he and the producers of It Ends With Us lran a smear campaign against her after she complained about conditions on the movie’s set. Liman ruled that initial claims—first made in a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department and shared with the New York Times—were covered by the litigation privilege, which shields legal claims from defamation actions.