Tag Archives: show biz

The New York Times reports: “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history and, for many, a symbol of musical theater, will drop its famous chandelier for the last time in February, becoming the latest show to fall victim to the drop-off in audiences since the pandemic hit. The closing is at once long-expected — no show …

From the New York Post: President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday secured the Radio City Rockettes to perform at his Jan. 20 inauguration — but at least one dancer was not happy with the decision. Rockette Phoebe Pearl said in an Instagram post Thursday night that she was “embarrassed and disappointed” to appear at the event. “I usually don’t use social …

Sen. Chuck Schumer wants to impose a $16,000 per ticket fine for scalpers who use bots. Broadway’s biggest star thinks that’s a fantastic plan. Rolling Stone reports: Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer held a press conference Sunday urging Congress to pass legislation that would crack down on ticket scalpers. If the bill – dubbed the …

Warning: Not safe for work beefcake ahead. Via press release: Chiseled morning show hosts, rock-hard reality show contestants and pumped up politicos took over the airwaves at this year’s ratings-raising edition of Broadway Bares, an evening of elaborately staged burlesque production numbers that gave a new meaning to “Bares TV.” Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Broadway Bares: …

The New York Times reports: The producers of “Hamilton,” a show that could well make hundreds of millions of dollars, on Friday bowed to pressure and said they would share some of the musical’s profits with original cast members. The deal, which was announced by a lawyer representing more than two dozen actors and dancers who were part of the …

Variety reports: There’s a new king in town. “Jurassic World” opened to a staggering $511.8 million worldwide, the highest global bow of all time. It marks the first time a film has ever grossed more than $500 million in a single weekend. The dinosaur thriller is the top-ranking film from sea to shining sea, after opening in first place in …

The reviews range from glowing to scathing, but judging by the first day’s receipts, Jurassic World could be the year’s top-grossing film. Via the Hollywood Reporter: Universal’s Jurassic World is devouring everything in its path at the Friday box office for a projected North American debut of $155 million-plus — one of the best showings in recent times and the …

Parks And Recreation star Nick Offerman is married to Megan Mullally of Will & Grace fame. Last year I saw them in an odd two-person Off Broadway play called Annapuma. Offerman was nearly nude for the first fifteen minutes.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will hold the 27th annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction on September 22nd in Times Square. Free and open to the public, the annual event takes place from 10 AM – 7 PM in the heart of the theatre district along West 44th Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue) and in Shubert Alley. One of …

We need some gay-ass fabulosity up in this here joint today. Via Broadway World’s Pat Cerasaro: A fantastically fun moment from The Dinah Shore show in which Liza Minnelli performs “Nowadays” from CHICAGO alongside the songwriters who wrote it, John Kander and Fred Ebb. The mutual affection they feel for each other is palpable, but the clip reaches new heights …

GLAAD has issued its third annual survey of the top 15 television networks and found that HBO leads the pack in the portrayals of LGBT characters. In GLAAD’s third annual Network Responsibility Index, which evaluated the five major networks and 10 cable outlets, HBO — the home to True Blood, Entourage and No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency — scored the …

Ed McMahon, the most famous sidekick in the history of television, has died at the age of 86. Ed McMahon, the loyal Tonight Show sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding “H-e-e-e-e-e-ere’s Johnny” for 30 years, died early today at 86. Mr. McMahon died shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by his …

Clearly, spray-on tan technology has a long, long way go. I’ll be back later tonight with the Cheetos-tinted winners. UPDATE: It was a big night for NBC’s 30 Rock and for HBO. Golden Globes 2009 Winners BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA:Slumdog MillionaireBEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY: Vicky Cristina BarcelonaACTOR, DRAMA: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler ACTRESS, DRAMA:Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road ACTOR, COMEDY OR …

Neil Patrick Harris hosted Saturday Night Live last night. Most of it was unfunny, except for a marginally amusing bit about Broadway falling on hard times. I was wondering about SNL’s history with gay hosts and went off to Wikipedia to research. Here’s what I found. 1976: Lily Tomlin. Not out at the time.1976: Anthony Perkins. Died without coming out.1976: …

Eartha Kitt, the bawdy, sexy, sultry performer whose name will forever live in the pantheon of gay icons, died today at 81. Actress and “Santa Baby” singer Eartha Kitt has died. Kitt, 81, died Thursday in New York City, her publicist confirmed to CNN, after being treated there for colon cancer. Her daughter Kitt Shapiro was by her side. Known …

Pink News is reporting that according to an upcoming book by Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick, during the show’s run there was some “sexual play” between McCormick and her TV sister Eve Plumb. The National Enquirer reports: “The most explosive comments will be how the then-blonde, blue-eyed cutie developed a crush on Eve Plumb, which led to some sexual play. …

Early this evening I was almost an extra in the Sex And The City movie, which is filming an outdoor restaurant scene on my street. Coming out of the Gracious Home hardware store, glamorously carrying a spray-bottle of Krud Kutter, I paused on the sidewalk to laugh at the dozens of silly women waving cell-cams in a vain hope of …

Brett Somers, whose cigarettes, wigs, and bawdy wit were ever-present on 70’s game show Match Game, turning her into a minor gay icon, died Saturday at 83. Viewers of the show may recall that Somers herself was often the subject of the show’s questions, as in “Brett got so drunk at the party, that she tried wear her _____ as …

Yesterday, Little David and I attended Broadway On Broadway, the annual free concert in Times Square that showcases the casts of hit shows. Weather was great, a little chilly at times, but we were miles away from the stage. The sound system was fine in our location, but quite annoyingly the video screens were out of sync with the sound …

-Daniel “Harry Potter” Radcliffe will be baring all in a Broadway production of Equus in 2008. Radcliffe earned high marks for his performance in a London run of Equus earlier this year. No venue or dates have been announced. -All 21 shows currently playing on Broadway are musicals. Last week’s attendance sagged by over 43,000 admissions over the previous week, …