Open Thread

Variety reports: A federal judge has rejected an $46.8 million settlement of the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct cases, saying some of its terms are “obnoxious” and it is not suitable for a class action. In a 20-minute hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said the settlement improperly nullifies claims of non-participating parties, and delegates his responsibilities as a …

Via email from JMG reader Paul: From HIV/AIDS to Corona Virus: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Reminds Us To Measure Life in Love. Seasons of Love, from 1996’s musical RENT, talks about measuring life in love against the backdrop of HIV/AIDS. It reminds us that life is short and to cherish every minute. To celebrate, remember and measure our lives …

Deadline Hollywood reports: ESPN has suspended NBA star reporter Adrian Wojnarowski without pay, the result of an obscene message he tweeted in reply to US Senator Josh Hawley. Wojnarowski will not be in Orlando, Florida to cover the NBA restart of its pandemic-shortened season. The length of his suspension has not been revealed. Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, sent a …

Rolling Stone reports: Two years ago, when Rufus Wainwright celebrated the 20th anniversary of his debut with a series of tour-de-force concerts, performing the songs that kicked off his career helped him tap into a new creative wellspring. “In order to progress, at this point in my life, it’s good to take stock,” says Wainwright, 46. “See what worked, what …

Billboard Magazine reports: The GLAAD Media Awards are going virtual. The media advocacy organization announced today that it is combining two planned ceremonies, one in New York (March 19) and the other in Los Angeles (April 16), into one virtual event scheduled for July 30 and set to stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube accounts at 5:00 p.m. PT (8:00 …

Billboard Magazine reports: Abraham Quintanilla Jr., the father of the late Mexican-American singer Selena, has sent a cease and desist letter to Trump supporter Joe Michael Perez, who plans to host an upcoming rally at the Selena Memorial in Texas. “In cultivating the legacy of Selena, the Quintanilla’s have never associated Selena with partisan politics,” reads a statement obtained by …

Deadline Hollywood reports: The hit British import and international game show format The Weakest Link is making a comeback with Jane Lynch as host and executive producer. NBC has greenlit 13 episodes of the rapid-fire quiz show, with production to begin later this year. Co-produced by BBC Studios’ Los Angeles production arm and Universal Television Alternative Studio, the new version …

Billboard Magazine reports: Throughout her career, Janelle Monáe has proven time and time again that she is a true triple threat — she can clearly sing, her acting chops are excellent, and she’s showcased her dance abilities on a regular basis. Now, she’s got another title that she’s ready to add to her resumé: superhero. In an excerpt from her …

Playbill reports: The Metropolitan Opera’s Nightly Met Streams series features a range of new and classic broadcasts in its 17th week, which begins July 6 with the latest filmed capture of Franco Zeffirelli’s famed staging of La Bohème. Later offerings this week include an all-star Eugene Onegin with Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, and Mariusz Kwiecień, as well as two comparatively …

Deadline reports: As the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians examine their team names and logos in contemplation of changing what many deem offensive, one other baseball team has remained outside of the debate. The Atlanta Braves, who once spotlighted Chief Noc-a-Homa, a Native American who would emerge from a teepee and do a war dance when a team player hit …

Billboard Magazine reports: The ongoing mask debate across the United States has gotten the Hamilton treatment just in time for the musical’s Disney+ premiere this weekend. A YouTube parody brings the coronavirus pandemic pro-mask and anti-mask sides head to head, with lyrics themed the soundtrack of Hamilton. The clip, uploaded by the Holderness Family, gets straight to the topic as …

Deadline reports: Just days after Actors’ Equity Association urged members not to take jobs with Florida’s Walt Disney World until the resort agrees to provide COVID-19 testing, the amusement park reports that “tens of thousands of cast members” are preparing to return for the phased opening that begins July 11. In addition to playing Disney characters, Cast Members (a Disney …

Billboard Magazine reports: Vanilla Ice cooled off plans for a concert in Texas after taking considerable heat for an event that sought to gather hundreds of fans in one of the nation’s coronavirus hot spots. The 1990s rapper with the hit single “Ice Ice Baby” had been scheduled to play a lakeside show just outside Austin on Friday (July 3), …

New from our pal Matt Baume: New York. 1987. The city is in the middle of a violent crime wave, income inequality in Manhattan is among the worst in the country, and a callous presidential administration is ignoring an epidemic that has killed tens of thousands of people. But inside the Imperial Elks Lodge on West 129th Street, a group …

Billboard Magazine reports: With Pride Month coming to an end on Tuesday (June 30), virtual celebrations around the world are officially wrapping up — but singer and actress Nikki Blonsky is giving herself one more thing to celebrate before the festivities are over. On Sunday (June 28), Blonsky, who played the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 film version …

The New York Times reports: Broadway will remain closed for at least the rest of this year, and many shows are signaling that they do not expect a return to the stage until late winter or early spring. The Broadway League said Monday that theater owners and producers will refund or exchange tickets previously purchased for shows through Jan. 3. …

Playbill reports: Fifty-one years to the day since the first brick was thrown at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, Playbill presents the Pride Spectacular concert June 28, 2020, at 8PM ET at Playbill.com/PridePlays. The presentation will be presented with a closed-captioning option. A celebration and commemoration of the launch of the modern gay rights movement at Stonewall and Pride, …

Billboard Magazine reports: Turns out Lizzo is 100% her own “Soulmate,” so she enlisted the Fab Five from Netflix’s Queer Eye to gas her up in the new lyric video for the self-love anthem. She dressed up her Cuz I Love You track from last year with a rainbow-colored animated visual today. Bobby Berk officiated Lizzo’s wedding to herself, which …

Trax Source reports: The message behind the music is that no matter where you come from, on the dancefloor there’s acceptance and hope. Nothing could be clearer in ‘Finally Ready’, The Shapeshifters’ first collaboration with Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning singer, actor, director, composer and playwright Billy Porter. Co-written by Billy, ‘Finally Ready’ is a declaration of Pride, of breaking …

Playbill reports: The stars aligned for a Pride special when the cast and creators of Pose—including Tony winners Billy Porter and Patti LuPone, Mj Rodriguez, Janet Mock, and Indya Moore—got together virtually for a performance of Porter’s single “Love Yourself.” Check it out in the video below ahead of the Pose-A-Thon June 26 at 10 PM ET. The video also …