THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

In celebration of trans icon and four-time Emmy nominee Laverne Cox's 50th birthday, and just in time for Pride season, Mattel and Barbie are releasing a new Laverne Cox Barbie doll as a part of their Tribute Collection, Out Magazine reported. Barbie is also making a donation in Cox's name to TransFamilySOS, a nonprofit whose mission is to create a more gender-affirming and accepting community.

Singer/actor Ricky Martin is to lead Apple TV+ comedy series Mrs. American Pie, Deadline reported. The Assassination of Gianni Versace co-star will be the male lead in Mrs. American Pie, and is the latest to be added to a cast list that includes Kristen Wiig and Alison Janney for the series that Darn is exec-producing. The news came as the "Livin' La Vida Loca" star was in Cannes preparing to perform at the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) gala alongside Christina Aguilera and others.

Tim Mulligan has released the cookbook A Perfect 10, per a press release. The LGBTQ+ playwright and former attorney provides 10 fail-proof recipes for seven distinct meal periods (70 recipes in all) from breakfast to appetizers and sides, to salads, entrees, desserts and even a Thanksgiving menu. Dishes include Grandma's Gumdrop Bread, Eggs in Purgatory, Jerry's Special Pizza (with pepperoni, salami and pickles) and much more. See aperfect10cookbook.com .

Speaking of books, J. Logan Smilges—an assistant professor of language, culture and gender studies at TexasWoman's University—has released Queer Silence: On Disability and Rhetorical Absence (University of Minnesota Press), a press release noted. Even though silence has been equated with voicelessness, complicity and even death, Queer Silence insists that silence can be a generative and empowering mode of survival. Taking a thought-provoking stance, Queer Silence urges queer activists and queer-studies scholars to reconcile with their own ableism by acknowledging the liberatory potential of silence—a mode of engagement that disattached queers use every day for resistance, sociality and survival. See https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/queer-silence.

Queer|Art has shared details of The 2022 Queer|Art|Pride Digital Book & Print Fair—the fourth annual edition of the summer festival celebrating work by the organization's vibrant community of more than 200 LGBTQ+ artists, per a press release. The Queer|Art|Pride Digital Book & Print Fair is an annual summer marketplace consisting of a diverse array of artists, and is open for business online at www.queer-art.org/fair on June 1—July 31. The online marketplace features an abundance of works for perusal and purchase, including (but not limited to) artist books, novels, zines, poetry chapbooks, drawings, photographs, watercolors, garments, collages and prints; all of the proceeds from the Fair directly benefit participating artists.

The full lineup for Frameline46 Fest, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, has now been revealed, Out Magazine noted. The event, which will take place June 16 -26, will feature films such as Hulu's Fire Island, starring Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho; Prime Video's My Fake Boyfriend, starring Keiynan Lonsdale, Dylan Sprouse and Sarah Hyland; Black As U R, which will screen on Juneteenth; and Pixar's Lightyear prequel, with voice acting by Chris Evans. The festival will also include screenings of upcoming LGBTQ+ TV shows such as Peacock's reboot of Queer As Folk and Prime Video's TV series reboot of A League of Their Own. See frameline.org .

SPOILER: The winner of the fourth season of Netflix's The Circle has been revealed. Frank Grimsley—the so-called "big boy with a big personality"—played the game as himself and prevailed, taking home the largest-ever grand prize in the history of the series: $150,000, Out Magazine noted. At the grand finale, Grimsley (the first-ever LGBTQ+ winner of the competition) ultimately outranked runner-up Trevor St. Agathe—husband of The Circle's season-two winner, DeLeesa St. Agathe.

As the 45th anniversary of the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders approaches, Tony- and Emmy-winning performer Kristin Chenoweth is appearing in a new four-part Hulu documentary in which she opens up about her ties to the tragedy, USA Today noted. In June 1977, three Girl Scouts—Lori Lee Farmer, 8 and Doris Denise Milner, 10, both of Tulsa; and Michele Guse, 9, of Broken Arrow—were murdered on the first night of a weeklong camping trip at Camp Scott near Locust Grove. "I remember, I should have been on that trip. But I had gotten sick, and Mom said, 'You can't go,'" Chenoweth recalled in the trailer for Keeper of the Ashes.

Angela Lansbury is set to receive this year's Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre during the June 12 ceremony, Entertainment Weekly noted. Lansbury, 96, made her Broadway debut in 1957 with Hotel Paradiso, and won her first Tony for the 1966 musical Mame—and proceeded to win four more. Following the death of Olivia de Havilland in 2020, Lansbury currently reigns as the oldest living Oscar nominee.

Singer/actor Janelle Monae has been named the grand marshal of the inaugural WeHo Pride Parade that will take place Sunday, June 5, in West Hollywood, California, a press release noted. The parade will also honor JoJo Siwa as WeHo Pride's Next Gen Icon. Other parade participants joining the WeHo Pride celebration include the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Project Angel Food, just to name a few.

Glee alum Matthew Morrison has been kicked off the judges' panel on So You Think You Can Dance after less than a season on the show, per Page Six. The reason, according to a statement Morrison released, was his failure to "follow competition production protocols, preventing me from being able to judge the competition fairly," he said. It was announced in April that Morrison would join the show as a judge beginning with season 17; also coming on as new judges were YouTube superstar JoJo Siwa and dancer/former "So You Think" runner-up Stephen "tWitch'" Boss. Cat Deeley continues as the host.

Kelly Clarkson shared a cover of Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever" to coincide with news of a new EP called Kellyoke, NME noted. The pop star-turned-TV host regularly covers other people's songs on her eponymous daytime talk show, which airs weekdays on NBC. Some of the artists she's covered so far include Harry Styles, The Smiths, Radiohead, Ed Sheeran, George Michael and more. Dropping June 9 via Atlantic, the six-song project will include covers of songs by The Weeknd ("Call Out My Name"), Whitney Houston ("Queen of the Night"), Radiohead ("Fake Plastic Trees") and more.

Actor Matthew McConaughey was among the many celebrities who reacted on social media to the mass tragedy that took the lives of 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, per The Hollywood Reporter. "Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us," McConaughey wrote, beginning a lengthy message. "The true call to action is for every American to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror, and ask ourselves, 'What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem?'" Uvalde is the Oscar winner's hometown. The actor has previously described himself as supporting the Second Amendment while also advocating common-sense gun control laws.

Also, in light of the tragedy, singers Don McLean ("American Pie"), Larry Gatlin, Lee Greenwood and Larry Stewart of Restless Heart pulled out of the National Rifle Association's (NRA's) Memorial Day concert, Variety noted. The concert was part of a larger rally organized by the NRA, featuring speeches from former President Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz; "over 14 acres of guns and gear and 800 exhibitors"; and a concert. Gov. Greg Abbott withdrew from appearing.

Actor Mark Ruffalo joined his daughters in the New York City student walkout for abortion rights on May 26, according to a press release from RiseUp4AbortionRights.org . This was the fourth consecutive week of youth walkouts called for by the organization and, on May 26, they took place in more than 20 cities across the country. Ruffalo spoke at the closing rally, after marching with his daughters from Union Square across the Brooklyn Bridge, which the protesters had shut down. (See the entire speech at www.instagram.com/p/CeCTcy7p5kF/ .) Other celebrities took part in or have supported the #RiseUp4AbortionRights walkouts, including Kerry Washington, Kayli Carter and Miller Jovovich.

Rapper Isaiah Rashad has come out as sexually fluid, per Out Magazine. A sex tape leaked earlier this year showed Rashad giving and receiving oral sex from men, effectively outing him to the world. "I'm still learning about it myself," Rashad said in a recent Patreon-exclusive interview with media personality/fellow rapper Joe Budden. "I'm putting my head in the books to find out the basics of it. But basically, I'm not in full control when I walk into a room of who I'm attracted to."

Singer/actress Dove Cameron recently posted a tear-filled message on Instagram detailing her struggles with dysphoria and identity, Out Magazine noted. In part, she posted, "More days than not, I feel pulled [toward] no identity at all. I feel most natural as something imperceivable to myself, an energy and a presence. I don't know if I will ever be able to live as this, if I will ever find a rhythm in this job where perception is one of the major cornerstones." She added, "[M]aybe the spaces that are the least human can become the most human, if we want that, and we can all let each other take up a little more space. [I] love you."

Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson and actor/producer Justin Mikita are expecting another baby, according to Out Magazine. "Justin Mikita and I have some exciting news, we're expecting number 2!" Ferguson announced on Instagram. "Our growing family will be a family of four later this fall! We are so excited for Beckett to have a sibling." He also talked about the state of the world and said the couple will be partnering with Mili Mili—a female-owned small business that offers a line of custom sleep sacks, crib sheets, eye masks and robes designed by queer artist Katie Kaapcke. All of the proceeds will go to PRONOUN, Ferguson and Mikita's nonprofit that raises funds for organizations fighting for LGBTQIA+ equality.

Calvin Klein's Pride shoot for 2022 features Justice Smith and Nic Ashe, Out Magazine noted. The two actors initially came out as gay and boyfriends together in 2020. In addition, film icon John Waters appears with actress Mink Stole. Sasha and Sergio Lane and representatives from The Trevor Project also appear in addition to part of the House of Xtravaganza. The Afrofuturistic arts collective TRIBE; hairstylist Holli Smith and her fiance, Pony; and Snail Mail and her crew are all a part of the campaign, wearing the "This Is Love" collection.

MTV announced that actress/producer Vanessa Hudgens (tick, tick...BOOM!) will host the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards live from the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 5, a press release noted. The MTV Movie & TV Awards and Movie & TV Awards: UNSCRIPTED will simulcast across BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1, and will also air internationally on MTV in more than 170 countries.

A so-far-untitled documentary about musician Lizzo is coming to HBO Max this fall, per a media release. The film will profile the Grammy winner as she "makes history shifting the sound, soul, and spirit of popular music and culture all while balancing the challenges of life, love and stardom," the release noted. Lizzo announced the project from the stage of the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden.

The queer woman behind Loki responded to Russell T. Davies calling the show's LGBTQ+ representation a "feeble gesture," Out Magazine noted. Davis commented last year, "It's, like, one word! He said the word 'prince' [when Loki said he's been in love with princesses and princes] and we're meant to go, 'Thank you, Disney, aren't you marvelous!' It's pathetic!" In response, queer showrunner Kate Herron told Variety, "Russell is a hero of mine—but like I've said, I hope that we did at least open the door and that more stories will come."

Oliver Sim, a vocalist and bass player for The xx, recently revealed he's been living with HIV since he was 17 years old, Out Magazine noted. In a recent Instagram post, Sim explained the meaning and content surrounding his brand-new solo song, "Hideous," stating, "I've been living with HIV since I was 17 and it's played with how I've felt towards myself, and how I've assumed others have felt towards me, from that age and into my adult life. So, quite impulsively, I wrote about it on a song called 'Hideous.'" Sim has been an active part of The xx, but has also released music in 2022 as a solo artist.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will return to the road in early 2023, launching a series of to-be-announced U.S. arena dates in February, followed by European stadium shows kicking off April 28 in Barcelona and a second North American tour leg starting in August, Variety reported. The 2023 dates will mark the first live shows for Springsteen and the E Street Band since the conclusion of their 14-month, worldwide "The River" tour in Australia in February 2017.

Independent pro wrestler Max Zero came out as pansexual—fittingly, on Pansexual Visibility Day (May 24), Outsports noted. "I've done a lot in my life, this is the scariest," Zero tweeted. "I was gonna make like a fun himbo thing out of this but I just can't emotionally bring myself to do it … I'm pan. Love y'all." Pansexuality is defined as a "sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction [toward] people regardless of their sex or gender identity."

Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo will return to Broadway this summer in the Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, Deadline noted. Beginning July 19, Matarazzo will play the role of Jared Kleinman in the long-running musical. Matarazzo made his Broadway debut in the 2011 production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and returned for Les Miserables in 2014.

London-based Hipgnosis Song Management has acquired the song catalog of Justin Timberlake, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The firm's activity has included transactions for a 50-percent stake in Neil Young's catalog, as well as hits performed by Rihanna and Shakira, among others. Timberlake's worldwide music sales are currently in excess of 150 million, including 88 million as a solo artist and 70 million with 'N Sync, Hipgnosis said.

Alexis Bledel—who has portrayed Emily/Ofglen on The Handmaid's Tale since the Emmy-winning Hulu series launched in 2017—is exiting ahead of the upcoming fifth season, Deadline noted. In season four, June (played by Elisabeth Moss) struck back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she took brought unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.

Singer Halsey (she/they) vented her frustrations at her record label (Astralwerks/Capitol) on TikTok, claiming they're being blocked from releasing a "song I love" for marketing reasons, according to Variety. "Basically, I have a song that I love that I want to release ASAP, but my record label won't let me," reads the text starting the 29-second clip. The irony of Halsey creating a viral TikTok moment claiming their label will not release the song without a viral TikTok moment was not lost on observers.

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx (Ray; Spider-Man: No Way Home), Oscar winner Robert De Niro (Raging Bull; Joker), Scott Eastwood (The Fate of the Furious) and John Leguizamo (John Wick) are set for under-the-radar action movie Tin Soldier, which has begun filming in Greece, according to Deadline. Tin Soldier tells the story of The Bokushi (Foxx), who preaches to hundreds of veterans who have been drawn to the promise of protection and purpose under him; De Niro's and Eastwood's characters try to infiltrate the leader's fortress.

Singer M.I.A. is returning with a brand-new track titled "The One," produced by Rex Kudo & T-Minus a press release announced. The track comes with confirmation that a new album titled MATA is on the way. M.I.A will be performing live across select cities and festivals around the world this summer, and stops include Stockholm, Barcelona and Lyon.

Jesse Palmer—the former Bachelor who took over for Chris Harrison in season 26—will now emcee Bachelor in Paradise as well, Deadline noted. The Bachelor spinoff that features previous contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette will air Mondays and Tuesdays this fall. Wells Adams will stay on as the bartender at the Mexico resort.

Caitlyn Jenner reportedly wasn't invited to Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding in Italy, according to Page Six and TMZ. Kardashian and Jenner allegedly do not really see or speak to each other, so the Poosh founder did not feel it necessary to invite the former Olympian to her destination wedding. The pair reportedly are having yet another wedding once they return to LA, so it remains to be seen whether Jenner will be included in that event

Josh Duggar, the former star of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on federal charges of downloading and possessing child sex-abuse images, Today noted. Prosecutors had called for the Fayetteville, Arkansas judge to sentence Duggar—a father of seven—to 20 years in prison on the grounds that he had a "deep-seated, pervasive and violent sexual interest in children," reported the AP.

Andy Dick won't be heading to court following his arrest for felony sexual assault, since the alleged victim has stopped cooperating with police, Page Six noted. The Orange County sheriff said the case was sent to prosecutors, who then kicked it back to the sheriff's office after declining to press charges due to a lack of evidence. A YouTube channel titled "Captain Content RV"—which captured the arrest and events leading up to it—revealed a man who goes by the name of "JJ" accused Dick of molesting him in his sleep.