Source
NASSAU, Bahamas - John Travolta's teenage son, Jett, died in the Bahamas after falling ill and hitting his head at his family's vacation home, police said Friday. A house caretaker found Jett, 16, unconscious in a bathroom late Friday morning. He was taken by ambulance to a Freeport hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from chief police superintendent Basil Rahming.
The teenager had last been seen going into the bathroom on Thursday and had a history of seizures, according to the statement. Police said they are planning an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Another police spokeswoman, Loretta Mackey, said Jett apparently hit his head on the bathtub.
A spokeswoman for Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport said she could not release any information because of privacy concerns.
Jett was the oldest child of Travolta and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, who also have an 8-year-old daughter. The family arrived on a private plane Tuesday and had been vacationing at their home in the Old Bahama Bay resort community.
"The Travolta family has become like family to us at Old Bahama Bay and we extend our deepest sympathies to them," said Robert Gidel, president of Ginn Resorts, the property's owner.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
The devil wears crap
Biggest fashion faux pas of 2008 goes to... Vogue editor and style icon Anna Wintour
By Paul Thompson
Style queen Anna Wintour committed the biggest fashion faux pas of 2008.
The futuristic Chanel gown worn by the Vogue editor at a New York fashion event topped the list of the worst outfits compiled by prestigious Time magazine.
Wintour wore the Karl Lagerfield designed dress to what is described as New York's party of the year, was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in May.
She was host of the £3,000 a head bash which attracted dozens of celebrities, including Tom Cruise, his wife Katie Holmes, George Clooney and the Beckhams.
But with her silver dress, which one critic described as a cast off from the sci-fi film "Dune", Wintour stole the show.
It also earned her the top spot on Time magazine's list of fashion faux pas beating out outfits chosen by Madonna, Janet Jackson and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Commenting on the dress, the magazine said: "When the history of modern fashion is written, this will be its Waterloo.
"The unimpeachably stylish Vogue editor Anna Wintour turns up at the fashion event of the year, the Met's Costume Institute Gala in New York City, in a dress that makes her look as if she were encrusted with giant fossils.
"Fashionistas, how they love to look old."
The event was based around the opening of the Costume Institute's exhibition, “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy.”
Wintour, 59, is known as a fashion icon on both sides of the Atlantic and in her position as Vogue editor can make or break a fashion house.
She is known for her distinctive pageboy bob haircut and insistence on always wearing sunglasses.
See more faux pas here
If you can't lay one, steal one
Source
Gay penguins expelled from zoo colony for stealing eggs are given their own to look after following animal rights protest
By Caroline Graham
A pair of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.
Last month the birds were segregated after they were caught placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs.
But angry visitors to Polar Land in Harbin, northern China, complained it wasn't fair to stop the couple from becoming surrogate fathers and urged zoo bosses to give them a chance.
In response, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother.
'We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo,' said one of the keepers.
'It's very encouraging and if this works out well we will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination.'
Wildlife experts at the park explain that despite being gay the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers.
'One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite the fact that they can't have eggs naturally, it does not take away their biological drive to be a parent,' said one.
One campaigner who did not want to be named welcomed the move and said: 'It wasn't fair to stop them becoming parents and keep them apart from all the other birds just because of the way nature has made them.'
Last month zookeepers said the couple were removed from the group not because of discrimination, but so as not to disturb the colony during hatching time.
Gay penguins expelled from zoo colony for stealing eggs are given their own to look after following animal rights protest
By Caroline Graham
A pair of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.
Last month the birds were segregated after they were caught placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs.
But angry visitors to Polar Land in Harbin, northern China, complained it wasn't fair to stop the couple from becoming surrogate fathers and urged zoo bosses to give them a chance.
In response, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother.
'We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo,' said one of the keepers.
'It's very encouraging and if this works out well we will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination.'
Wildlife experts at the park explain that despite being gay the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers.
'One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite the fact that they can't have eggs naturally, it does not take away their biological drive to be a parent,' said one.
One campaigner who did not want to be named welcomed the move and said: 'It wasn't fair to stop them becoming parents and keep them apart from all the other birds just because of the way nature has made them.'
Last month zookeepers said the couple were removed from the group not because of discrimination, but so as not to disturb the colony during hatching time.
The holidays - perfect time to give up drinking
Source
Tara Reid Heads To Rehab
LOS ANGELES — A publicist says Tara Reid has checked herself into rehab. Jack Ketsoyan said Friday that the "American Pie" star went to the Promises Treatment Center. He did not specify what she was being treated for or when she entered the facility.
"We appreciate your respect to her and her family's privacy at this time," he said in a statement.
Reid, 33, earned a reputation as a drunken partier after famously being photographed on a red carpet with her breast exposed, apparently unaware that the strap of her dress had fallen off.
Her film credits include "Van Wilder" and "The Big Lebowski." She also hosted the short-lived, half-hour show "Taradise" on E!
Tara Reid Heads To Rehab
LOS ANGELES — A publicist says Tara Reid has checked herself into rehab. Jack Ketsoyan said Friday that the "American Pie" star went to the Promises Treatment Center. He did not specify what she was being treated for or when she entered the facility.
"We appreciate your respect to her and her family's privacy at this time," he said in a statement.
Reid, 33, earned a reputation as a drunken partier after famously being photographed on a red carpet with her breast exposed, apparently unaware that the strap of her dress had fallen off.
Her film credits include "Van Wilder" and "The Big Lebowski." She also hosted the short-lived, half-hour show "Taradise" on E!
He deserves every penny
Source
Madonna Pays Off Guy Ritchie To Finalize Divorce
RAPHAEL G. SATTER
LONDON — Madonna has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie by also parting with at least 50 million pounds ($76 million), the singer's spokeswoman said Monday.
Liz Rosenberg told The Associated Press the settlement was in the range of 50 million to 60 million pounds ($76 million to $92 million) as part of their divorce agreement, a figure she said included the value of the couple's country home, Ashcombe House in western England, which Ritchie will keep.
Rosenberg said the couple's west London pub _ the Punchbowl _ would also remain with Ritchie.
A representative for the British filmmaker declined comment.
The couple were reportedly worth some $525 million, the vast majority of which belonged to Madonna. Ritchie had an estimated $35 million fortune.
Their multimillion pound (dollar) settlement is about twice the size paid out in Britain's latest high-profile celebrity divorce, that of former Beatle Paul McCartney and model Heather Mills.
"I'd assume it's one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement," Rosenberg said.
The biggest contested divorce settlement in English history was the 48 million pounds (about $90 million at the time) insurance tycoon John Charman was ordered to pay his ex-wife in 2006.
Madonna Pays Off Guy Ritchie To Finalize Divorce
RAPHAEL G. SATTER
LONDON — Madonna has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie by also parting with at least 50 million pounds ($76 million), the singer's spokeswoman said Monday.
Liz Rosenberg told The Associated Press the settlement was in the range of 50 million to 60 million pounds ($76 million to $92 million) as part of their divorce agreement, a figure she said included the value of the couple's country home, Ashcombe House in western England, which Ritchie will keep.
Rosenberg said the couple's west London pub _ the Punchbowl _ would also remain with Ritchie.
A representative for the British filmmaker declined comment.
The couple were reportedly worth some $525 million, the vast majority of which belonged to Madonna. Ritchie had an estimated $35 million fortune.
Their multimillion pound (dollar) settlement is about twice the size paid out in Britain's latest high-profile celebrity divorce, that of former Beatle Paul McCartney and model Heather Mills.
"I'd assume it's one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement," Rosenberg said.
The biggest contested divorce settlement in English history was the 48 million pounds (about $90 million at the time) insurance tycoon John Charman was ordered to pay his ex-wife in 2006.
How to dress a president
Inauguration '09:
What Should Obama Wear?
by David Lipke
Although the world now knows that President-elect Barack Obama will wear a Hart Schaffner Marx single-button, notch-lapel tuxedo for the evening festivities on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, that isn’t stopping others from lining up for the role of the administration’s First Tailor. So WWD asked men’s designers what they thought the new president should wear on his historic day.
With his lanky 6-foot, 2-inch frame, basketball-toned physique and sophisticated élan, Barack Obama has all the makings of a presidential style icon. With endless references to John F. Kennedy, designers are eagerly anticipating a return to Camelot-era glamour. But Obama has cultivated a style all his own. Kennedy was a product of the East Coast establishment and its preppy, New England aesthetic, while the President-elect has humbler roots — albeit roots that led him to Columbia and Harvard (Kennedy’s alma mater). Indeed, Obama’s style tends to reflect his political philosophy: practical but carefully considered; modern but accessible.
While JFK was said to be horrified when he appeared on the cover of GQ — he didn’t want to be seen as fashion-conscious — Obama has happily appeared on the covers of GQ, Esquire, Men’s Vogue and even Men’s Health (with all his clothes on). “This is the first president in a very long time that has a great body for clothing,” noted Duckie Brown’s Steven Cox and Daniel Silver. “Because that’s true, he can wear a more modern, slim silhouette.”
For Obama’s big day on Jan. 20 on the steps of the Capitol, designers mostly see him in updated yet classic sartorial style. Tommy Hilfiger envisions a patriotic color combo of a navy blue suit, white shirt and red tie, while Brioni advocates for the iconic three-piece gray flannel suit, with an Italian twist: double vents. Of course, with men’s wear, it’s all about the subtle details, so Paul Smith edges his suit lapels with black grosgrain tape, and Kenneth Cole suggests a Fifties-era — but chic again — tie bar. Come evening and the inaugural balls, Rag & Bone and Dsquared want Obama to don a full-on tuxedo with tails, but Savile Row’s Richard James really pushes the envelope with a sequined tuxedo jacket.
Interestingly, none of the designers include that pesky campaign issue in their sketches: an American flag lapel pin.
See more here
Colin Powell reflects on Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Source
Colin Powell a Reformed Sinner?
by Emma Ruby-Sachs
There is nothing people like more than a reformed sinner and Colin Powell is doing one heck of a job campaigning for reformer of the year. Yesterday, he told Fareed Zakaria that he believes it is time to review Don't Ask Don't Tell because, "times have changed, it is not 1993, it's 2008." The talk with Zakaria is one of a slew of interviews and public statements made by the former Secretary of State on the military policy regarding LGBT personnel.
But this radical shift in Powell's stance on LGBT issues should not give him a carte blanche.
Let us not forget that it was Powell who led the charge for the implementation of Don't Ask Don't Tell in 1993. He said then, "I continue to believe strongly that the presence of homosexuals within the armed forces would be prejudicial to good order and discipline." (USA Today, November 16, 1992) In support of this position, Powell told Ted Koppel that in the military, "we have to shower together."
According to the San Francisco Chronicle's coverage of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testimony to Congress on DADT, Powell stated, "'cohesive teams of warriors who bind so tightly' that they can charge into machine gun fire could not be sustained with known homosexuals among their number." He further testified that he would be troubled if a soldier of his showed up at a gay pride parade dressed in drag. (San Francisco Chronicle, July 21, 1993).
The fact that these comments were made fifteen years ago does not make them any less offensive. Punishing LGBT soldiers because their very presence "outs" the homophobia of other military personnel is tantamount to segregating black students in high school because their presence upsets white teenagers and interrupts their learning process.
When presented with this logic, Powell told reporters that, "Unlike race or gender, sexuality is not a benign trait. It is manifested by behavior. While it would be decidedly biased to assume certain behaviors based on gender or membership in a particular racial group, the same is not true for sexuality."
As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell justified homophobia as a simple objection to a behavioral choice. The obvious hypocrisy of condemning racism while upholding homophobia is easily obliterated by the "sexuality as choice" argument. Too bad Powell's analysis is not supported by factual evidence and most personal testimony refutes the choice theory.
Yesterday, Powell may have asked for a review of the discriminatory policy of the military. But he is still on record justifying the exclusion of LGBT people, equating sexual orientation with lifestyle choices and is personally responsible for the termination of 9,488 employees under DADT since 1993.
We may all love a reformed sinner, but pitching in for Obama and calling for a soft review of DADT shouldn't cut it when it comes to Powell.
Colin Powell a Reformed Sinner?
by Emma Ruby-Sachs
There is nothing people like more than a reformed sinner and Colin Powell is doing one heck of a job campaigning for reformer of the year. Yesterday, he told Fareed Zakaria that he believes it is time to review Don't Ask Don't Tell because, "times have changed, it is not 1993, it's 2008." The talk with Zakaria is one of a slew of interviews and public statements made by the former Secretary of State on the military policy regarding LGBT personnel.
But this radical shift in Powell's stance on LGBT issues should not give him a carte blanche.
Let us not forget that it was Powell who led the charge for the implementation of Don't Ask Don't Tell in 1993. He said then, "I continue to believe strongly that the presence of homosexuals within the armed forces would be prejudicial to good order and discipline." (USA Today, November 16, 1992) In support of this position, Powell told Ted Koppel that in the military, "we have to shower together."
According to the San Francisco Chronicle's coverage of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testimony to Congress on DADT, Powell stated, "'cohesive teams of warriors who bind so tightly' that they can charge into machine gun fire could not be sustained with known homosexuals among their number." He further testified that he would be troubled if a soldier of his showed up at a gay pride parade dressed in drag. (San Francisco Chronicle, July 21, 1993).
The fact that these comments were made fifteen years ago does not make them any less offensive. Punishing LGBT soldiers because their very presence "outs" the homophobia of other military personnel is tantamount to segregating black students in high school because their presence upsets white teenagers and interrupts their learning process.
When presented with this logic, Powell told reporters that, "Unlike race or gender, sexuality is not a benign trait. It is manifested by behavior. While it would be decidedly biased to assume certain behaviors based on gender or membership in a particular racial group, the same is not true for sexuality."
As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell justified homophobia as a simple objection to a behavioral choice. The obvious hypocrisy of condemning racism while upholding homophobia is easily obliterated by the "sexuality as choice" argument. Too bad Powell's analysis is not supported by factual evidence and most personal testimony refutes the choice theory.
Yesterday, Powell may have asked for a review of the discriminatory policy of the military. But he is still on record justifying the exclusion of LGBT people, equating sexual orientation with lifestyle choices and is personally responsible for the termination of 9,488 employees under DADT since 1993.
We may all love a reformed sinner, but pitching in for Obama and calling for a soft review of DADT shouldn't cut it when it comes to Powell.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
"I just wish he’d come over on this side of the street."
Source
NeNe: 5 Ways Housewives Has Changed My Life
November 19, 2008
The Real Housewives of Atlanta wrapped its first season with another dramatic episode Tuesday — but fans can’t get enough of the fabulous NeNe Leakes, the season’s breakout star. Before the cast reteams for what promises to be an explosive reunion special (Nov. 25 on Bravo), Leakes stopped by PEOPLE’s New York offices to talk about what’s different about her — and not just her new ‘do (pictured) — since becoming one of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Here, in NeNe’s words, are the five ways the Bravo show has changed her life for the better. – Brian Orloff
• “I have tons of fans who love me and come up to me everywhere I go.”
• “I’ve learned a lot of things about myself. I’m learning to be a little bit more patient. I’m learning to tone certain things down. I’m learning to be not as outspoken.”
• “My business has increased. My foundation Twisted Hearts brings awareness to domestic violence against women in the community. I have tons of people reaching out to me wanting to help me with my foundation. Had I not done the show, I would not have this platform.”
• “I have made new friends with the New York Housewives — Bethenny and Jill — and the Orange County Housewives. The one I love the most is Vicki. I’ve learned about my friendships that I’ve had throughout my life, too. There were definitely people that I needed to let out of my circle. So, I’m learning to keep my circle of friends very close.
• “I’m not surprised that Anderson Cooper is talking about me! Wouldn’t you talk about me? I’m not surprised. Anderson Cooper is gorgeous. He is THE silver fox, and I just wish he’d come over on this side of the street. And come over here and talk to me! Wendy Williams talks about me every single week. She sent messages to me. She said if she had to be any housewife it would be me. I’m not surprised. She has to change a few of her ways herself. We have a lot of celebrity people reaching out to us.”
NeNe: 5 Ways Housewives Has Changed My Life
November 19, 2008
The Real Housewives of Atlanta wrapped its first season with another dramatic episode Tuesday — but fans can’t get enough of the fabulous NeNe Leakes, the season’s breakout star. Before the cast reteams for what promises to be an explosive reunion special (Nov. 25 on Bravo), Leakes stopped by PEOPLE’s New York offices to talk about what’s different about her — and not just her new ‘do (pictured) — since becoming one of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Here, in NeNe’s words, are the five ways the Bravo show has changed her life for the better. – Brian Orloff
• “I have tons of fans who love me and come up to me everywhere I go.”
• “I’ve learned a lot of things about myself. I’m learning to be a little bit more patient. I’m learning to tone certain things down. I’m learning to be not as outspoken.”
• “My business has increased. My foundation Twisted Hearts brings awareness to domestic violence against women in the community. I have tons of people reaching out to me wanting to help me with my foundation. Had I not done the show, I would not have this platform.”
• “I have made new friends with the New York Housewives — Bethenny and Jill — and the Orange County Housewives. The one I love the most is Vicki. I’ve learned about my friendships that I’ve had throughout my life, too. There were definitely people that I needed to let out of my circle. So, I’m learning to keep my circle of friends very close.
• “I’m not surprised that Anderson Cooper is talking about me! Wouldn’t you talk about me? I’m not surprised. Anderson Cooper is gorgeous. He is THE silver fox, and I just wish he’d come over on this side of the street. And come over here and talk to me! Wendy Williams talks about me every single week. She sent messages to me. She said if she had to be any housewife it would be me. I’m not surprised. She has to change a few of her ways herself. We have a lot of celebrity people reaching out to us.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Marc Jacobs Wants to Marry Lorenzo Martone
Source
Remember the summer’s furious speculation over whether Marc Jacobs had married his boyfriend, Lorenzo Martone, in France? It may be that Lorenzo said no, or at least, not yet. After the Cinema Society screening of Milk, which tells the story of California's first openly gay elected official, Jacobs said marriage could be in his future. “I am seriously considering marriage,” he told us.
Gesturing to Martone at his side, Jacobs added, “If I can get him to marry me, I would.” Jacobs claimed that this was not just a case of post-Milk pride. “I’d do it in a minute,” Jacobs insisted.
He laughed when we reminded him that California is not an option. “I refuse to let anyone tell me who I can and cannot marry, and who I can and cannot love. That’s just bullshit,” said Jacobs. “Wherever we’d have to go. If he’s up for it, I’m up for it.”
What would it take for Lorenzo to say yes? “We’re just finding the right moment and the right opportunity, getting to know each other better and better, and make sure it’s the right choice,” Martone said quietly, in a soft Brazilian accent. “But we’re very … proud.”
Remember the summer’s furious speculation over whether Marc Jacobs had married his boyfriend, Lorenzo Martone, in France? It may be that Lorenzo said no, or at least, not yet. After the Cinema Society screening of Milk, which tells the story of California's first openly gay elected official, Jacobs said marriage could be in his future. “I am seriously considering marriage,” he told us.
Gesturing to Martone at his side, Jacobs added, “If I can get him to marry me, I would.” Jacobs claimed that this was not just a case of post-Milk pride. “I’d do it in a minute,” Jacobs insisted.
He laughed when we reminded him that California is not an option. “I refuse to let anyone tell me who I can and cannot marry, and who I can and cannot love. That’s just bullshit,” said Jacobs. “Wherever we’d have to go. If he’s up for it, I’m up for it.”
What would it take for Lorenzo to say yes? “We’re just finding the right moment and the right opportunity, getting to know each other better and better, and make sure it’s the right choice,” Martone said quietly, in a soft Brazilian accent. “But we’re very … proud.”
Cheyenne to star in Mormon extravaganza
Source
'South Park' Creators Take on Salt Lake in New Mormon Musical!
by Jarett Wieselman
It's a good thing Trey Parker and Matt Stone like controversy because it sounds like they're in for quite a lot of it with their newest project - a Broadway musical based on the lives and loves of Mormons! After getting their lyrical feet wet with an Oscar-nominated song from 1999's "South Park:Bigger, Longer & Uncut," Trey & Matt - along with Robert Lopez, the co-writer of "Avenue Q" - have finally settled on a script and are workshopping their new production aptly titled, "Mormon Musical."
Oh, and did I mention that Cheyenne Jackson - one of Broadway's most beloved actors - is the star of the potentially polarizing show? Yes, that brick wall of a man gave me the first show scoop at Friday's Out 100 Party, where he was honored. "It's hilarious - very acerbic and biting. It offends everybody but does what 'South Park' does best, which is by the end it comes around and has something great to say," Cheyenne told Pop Wrap.
"I play the main missionary, Elder something," he said, straining to recall the name of his character. But the biggest unknown still is who else will be joining the cast. When I asked Cheyenne which other actors would be co-starring, all he would say (through the world's largest grin) is, "a lot of people - all amazing." That naturally leads me to believe "Mormon Musical" is about to become one of the most star-studded shows to hit Broadway in years!
The show starts rehearsals in December, so expect to see it on the Great White Way sometime in 2009! Oh, and for all the Cheyenne fans out there, check out the rest of our interview after the jump!
Cheyenne-Jackson-new-play.jpgPop Wrap: I was such a huge fan of "Xanadu" - how difficult is it to get over a show closing?
Cheyenne Jackson: It's really tough because you become such a close knit group. My partner calls musical theater people 'carnies' because we bond into such an immediate family. So it's very, very hard not to see them every day.
PW: I read somewhere that the shorts you wore in "Xanadu" got progressively shorter as the show wore on, is that true?
Cheyenne: That's kind of true (laughs) but only because as jeans frey they just get shorter and shorter. I had like four pairs - shortest to longest - and which ones I wore depended on how sassy I was feeling. Like for the Tony Awards, I grabbed my sassiest ones and hiked 'em up. You gotta work it, I had been doing it for 513 shows, so I figured I might as well rock it on the Tony's!
PW: This was your first show where the audience was seated on the stage - what're your feelings on this new trend?
Cheyenne: It wasn't my favorite at first, to be honest because I don't like to be distracted and when I start the show on my hands and knees in the middle of the stage there were always people five feet away loudly whispering, "Hi Cheyenne! Woot!" I just need a little quiet but you get used to it and I think it's a trend that's going to continue so I better get used to it.
PW: How often do people shout, "Get out of here, Cheyenne Jackson" at you?
Cheyenne: Um, at least once every three days.
PW: Did you ever anticipate that a small cameo on an internet show would become such a huge phenomenon?
Cheyenne: No, not at all. It was an improv one night and it just happened. We were all laughing so hard, I kinda knew immediately that it was going to turn into something.
PW: So, we're here at the Out 100 Awards - where you're being honored - given what's going on in the world right now, is this night bittersweet or hopeful?
Cheyenne: A little bit of both, mostly inspiring though. As frustrating as Prop 8 has been, we have to look back at the last 60 years and see how far we've come. And with Barack Obama's election last Tuesday, we have to take stock and have hope.
PW: Do you think people have finally realized how much they can affect change?
Cheyenne: Yes, definitely. I think the election showed us that people can have a voice - a lot of people throughout my seven years here have always been like "meh" about politics, but now, people are so excited and empowered.
PW: I sat about three rows behind you at the "Project Runway" finale fashion show and I heard Michael Kors ask you from across the aisle if you were wearing breakaway pants - is that a norm for you?
Cheyenne: Ha! Michael Kors always teases me. He's been a dear friend and always comes to all my shows, I just think he gets a pseudo-stripper vibe from me.
'South Park' Creators Take on Salt Lake in New Mormon Musical!
by Jarett Wieselman
It's a good thing Trey Parker and Matt Stone like controversy because it sounds like they're in for quite a lot of it with their newest project - a Broadway musical based on the lives and loves of Mormons! After getting their lyrical feet wet with an Oscar-nominated song from 1999's "South Park:Bigger, Longer & Uncut," Trey & Matt - along with Robert Lopez, the co-writer of "Avenue Q" - have finally settled on a script and are workshopping their new production aptly titled, "Mormon Musical."
Oh, and did I mention that Cheyenne Jackson - one of Broadway's most beloved actors - is the star of the potentially polarizing show? Yes, that brick wall of a man gave me the first show scoop at Friday's Out 100 Party, where he was honored. "It's hilarious - very acerbic and biting. It offends everybody but does what 'South Park' does best, which is by the end it comes around and has something great to say," Cheyenne told Pop Wrap.
"I play the main missionary, Elder something," he said, straining to recall the name of his character. But the biggest unknown still is who else will be joining the cast. When I asked Cheyenne which other actors would be co-starring, all he would say (through the world's largest grin) is, "a lot of people - all amazing." That naturally leads me to believe "Mormon Musical" is about to become one of the most star-studded shows to hit Broadway in years!
The show starts rehearsals in December, so expect to see it on the Great White Way sometime in 2009! Oh, and for all the Cheyenne fans out there, check out the rest of our interview after the jump!
Cheyenne-Jackson-new-play.jpgPop Wrap: I was such a huge fan of "Xanadu" - how difficult is it to get over a show closing?
Cheyenne Jackson: It's really tough because you become such a close knit group. My partner calls musical theater people 'carnies' because we bond into such an immediate family. So it's very, very hard not to see them every day.
PW: I read somewhere that the shorts you wore in "Xanadu" got progressively shorter as the show wore on, is that true?
Cheyenne: That's kind of true (laughs) but only because as jeans frey they just get shorter and shorter. I had like four pairs - shortest to longest - and which ones I wore depended on how sassy I was feeling. Like for the Tony Awards, I grabbed my sassiest ones and hiked 'em up. You gotta work it, I had been doing it for 513 shows, so I figured I might as well rock it on the Tony's!
PW: This was your first show where the audience was seated on the stage - what're your feelings on this new trend?
Cheyenne: It wasn't my favorite at first, to be honest because I don't like to be distracted and when I start the show on my hands and knees in the middle of the stage there were always people five feet away loudly whispering, "Hi Cheyenne! Woot!" I just need a little quiet but you get used to it and I think it's a trend that's going to continue so I better get used to it.
PW: How often do people shout, "Get out of here, Cheyenne Jackson" at you?
Cheyenne: Um, at least once every three days.
PW: Did you ever anticipate that a small cameo on an internet show would become such a huge phenomenon?
Cheyenne: No, not at all. It was an improv one night and it just happened. We were all laughing so hard, I kinda knew immediately that it was going to turn into something.
PW: So, we're here at the Out 100 Awards - where you're being honored - given what's going on in the world right now, is this night bittersweet or hopeful?
Cheyenne: A little bit of both, mostly inspiring though. As frustrating as Prop 8 has been, we have to look back at the last 60 years and see how far we've come. And with Barack Obama's election last Tuesday, we have to take stock and have hope.
PW: Do you think people have finally realized how much they can affect change?
Cheyenne: Yes, definitely. I think the election showed us that people can have a voice - a lot of people throughout my seven years here have always been like "meh" about politics, but now, people are so excited and empowered.
PW: I sat about three rows behind you at the "Project Runway" finale fashion show and I heard Michael Kors ask you from across the aisle if you were wearing breakaway pants - is that a norm for you?
Cheyenne: Ha! Michael Kors always teases me. He's been a dear friend and always comes to all my shows, I just think he gets a pseudo-stripper vibe from me.
Tina Brown: Bush Library To Be "Halloween Shop Of Horrors," Presidency "A Chapter Of Hideous Accidents"
Source
The Daily Beast founder and editor-in-chief Tina Brown appeared on "The Rachel Maddow Show" (guest-hosted by Alison Stewart, wife of executive producer Bill Wolff) Tuesday night. Brown's segment was focused on the 62 days remaining in the Bush presidency, and she did not mince words in dissecting the lame duck.
"One of the things that I'm told at the moment is that Bush is entirely focused right now on his legacy, on his library," she said. "That's all he really wants to talk about is his library. Because he's trying to build a legacy. But quite honestly, one can only think that that library is a Halloween House of Horrors. From the Guantanamo room to the Abu Ghraib room to the Hurricane Katrina room, this is going to be a very interesting library when it is built."
Brown also said that Bush's presidency has had "so many disasters" that, unlike previous lame duck Presidents, he is not "looking back in a mellow fashion on his Presidency, or even feeling that he has busy things to do so much as a President who is kind of punch-drunk with a series of debacles which even he — in his great denial and refusal to accept his own failures — has to accept at this point has been a chapter of hideous accidents, if you want to be charitable about it."
The Daily Beast founder and editor-in-chief Tina Brown appeared on "The Rachel Maddow Show" (guest-hosted by Alison Stewart, wife of executive producer Bill Wolff) Tuesday night. Brown's segment was focused on the 62 days remaining in the Bush presidency, and she did not mince words in dissecting the lame duck.
"One of the things that I'm told at the moment is that Bush is entirely focused right now on his legacy, on his library," she said. "That's all he really wants to talk about is his library. Because he's trying to build a legacy. But quite honestly, one can only think that that library is a Halloween House of Horrors. From the Guantanamo room to the Abu Ghraib room to the Hurricane Katrina room, this is going to be a very interesting library when it is built."
Brown also said that Bush's presidency has had "so many disasters" that, unlike previous lame duck Presidents, he is not "looking back in a mellow fashion on his Presidency, or even feeling that he has busy things to do so much as a President who is kind of punch-drunk with a series of debacles which even he — in his great denial and refusal to accept his own failures — has to accept at this point has been a chapter of hideous accidents, if you want to be charitable about it."
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Niles got hitched
From Advocate.com
David Hyde Pierce is Gay, Married... and Marching Against Prop. 8
As Dr. Niles Crane on the hit sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce had a great deadpan. That also extended to his own life: for years he wouldn’t confirm or deny being gay. Since then he thawed enough to thank his longtime partner, Brian Hargrove, in his 2007 Tony Award acceptance speech. And on Saturday, Pierce was one baseball-capped protester among maybe 20,000 others marching for equality in Los Angeles.
By Anne Stockwell
November 16, 2008
David Hyde Pierce is Gay, Married... and Marching Against Prop. 8
As Dr. Niles Crane on the hit sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce had a great deadpan. That also extended to his own life: for years he wouldn’t confirm or deny being gay. Since then he thawed enough to thanked his longtime partner, Brian Hargrove, in his 2007 Tony Award acceptance speech.
And on Saturday, Pierce was one baseball-capped protester among maybe 20,000 others marching for equality in Los Angeles. He was still deadpan -- dead serious. But in five minutes he told me more than he’s ever said in his stellar career.
As we talked, I noticed Pierce was wearing a wedding ring. I asked, and he confirmed: “Yeah, we got married three weeks ago.”
Advocate.com: David, why are you here now? For a long time you’ve chosen to be circumspect about -- I remember you saying, “My life is an open book, I just don’t choose to read it.” Why now?
David Hyde Pierce: For one thing, I said that 15 years ago, so life has changed a lot in 15 years. But this is not about being gay. This is about having the basic right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and having that put up for a vote, not only here in California but across the country, and that is just fundamentally not what this country is about. And I completely understand the passions on both sides of this issue, but like I said, those rights are not negotiable no matter whether people like it or not. We’re not trying to force anything on anyone. We’re trying to go about our lives and live them the best that we can. So that’s why I’m here, and that’s why all these people are here.
Do you foresee now that more celebrities will become involved in speaking out against Prop. 8, now that it’s passed?
I have no idea what celebrities will do. I think the real issue for me is that this should never have been something that people voted on. This is not a country where people get to vote on people’s private lives, where people vote on whether we get to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. That’s part of the fundamental right of being an American. And so that to me is the miscarriage of justice—not the way the vote went. I’m proud that at least in California it was close. There are other states where it wasn’t close at all, and they even took away the right to adoption. To me the issue is, this should not be an issue divided by voters.
When friends ask you to separate, or distinguish between, religion and civil law on this issue -- it seems to be a point of confusion for so many people—what do you tell them?
A: Religion and civil law are already separated in this country. And I actually don’t think it’s so much an issue of separation of church and state; I think it’s a separation of emotion and fear, and passions getting stirred, from reality. The reality is, this whole marriage thing doesn’t affect anyone but the people getting married. And people have been led to believe and the passion’s been stirred up that it’s going to affect their children and it’s almost as they think, if gay people can get married, then the whole country has to turn gay. It’s craziness, and it doesn’t deal with the simple reality. The reality of the vote, what people were really voting on here, was, do you believe that the people of California should have a right to vote on who you choose to marry, whether you’re straight or gay. That was the vote. And miraculously, the people of California voted yes, we think everybody should get a vote in our marriage. They can’t have meant that. They can’t have really understood what they were voting for and voted for that, because it doesn’t make any sense.
David Hyde Pierce is Gay, Married... and Marching Against Prop. 8
As Dr. Niles Crane on the hit sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce had a great deadpan. That also extended to his own life: for years he wouldn’t confirm or deny being gay. Since then he thawed enough to thank his longtime partner, Brian Hargrove, in his 2007 Tony Award acceptance speech. And on Saturday, Pierce was one baseball-capped protester among maybe 20,000 others marching for equality in Los Angeles.
By Anne Stockwell
November 16, 2008
David Hyde Pierce is Gay, Married... and Marching Against Prop. 8
As Dr. Niles Crane on the hit sitcom Frasier, David Hyde Pierce had a great deadpan. That also extended to his own life: for years he wouldn’t confirm or deny being gay. Since then he thawed enough to thanked his longtime partner, Brian Hargrove, in his 2007 Tony Award acceptance speech.
And on Saturday, Pierce was one baseball-capped protester among maybe 20,000 others marching for equality in Los Angeles. He was still deadpan -- dead serious. But in five minutes he told me more than he’s ever said in his stellar career.
As we talked, I noticed Pierce was wearing a wedding ring. I asked, and he confirmed: “Yeah, we got married three weeks ago.”
Advocate.com: David, why are you here now? For a long time you’ve chosen to be circumspect about -- I remember you saying, “My life is an open book, I just don’t choose to read it.” Why now?
David Hyde Pierce: For one thing, I said that 15 years ago, so life has changed a lot in 15 years. But this is not about being gay. This is about having the basic right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and having that put up for a vote, not only here in California but across the country, and that is just fundamentally not what this country is about. And I completely understand the passions on both sides of this issue, but like I said, those rights are not negotiable no matter whether people like it or not. We’re not trying to force anything on anyone. We’re trying to go about our lives and live them the best that we can. So that’s why I’m here, and that’s why all these people are here.
Do you foresee now that more celebrities will become involved in speaking out against Prop. 8, now that it’s passed?
I have no idea what celebrities will do. I think the real issue for me is that this should never have been something that people voted on. This is not a country where people get to vote on people’s private lives, where people vote on whether we get to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. That’s part of the fundamental right of being an American. And so that to me is the miscarriage of justice—not the way the vote went. I’m proud that at least in California it was close. There are other states where it wasn’t close at all, and they even took away the right to adoption. To me the issue is, this should not be an issue divided by voters.
When friends ask you to separate, or distinguish between, religion and civil law on this issue -- it seems to be a point of confusion for so many people—what do you tell them?
A: Religion and civil law are already separated in this country. And I actually don’t think it’s so much an issue of separation of church and state; I think it’s a separation of emotion and fear, and passions getting stirred, from reality. The reality is, this whole marriage thing doesn’t affect anyone but the people getting married. And people have been led to believe and the passion’s been stirred up that it’s going to affect their children and it’s almost as they think, if gay people can get married, then the whole country has to turn gay. It’s craziness, and it doesn’t deal with the simple reality. The reality of the vote, what people were really voting on here, was, do you believe that the people of California should have a right to vote on who you choose to marry, whether you’re straight or gay. That was the vote. And miraculously, the people of California voted yes, we think everybody should get a vote in our marriage. They can’t have meant that. They can’t have really understood what they were voting for and voted for that, because it doesn’t make any sense.
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