Hollywood (United States) (AFP) – “Oppenheimer” swept the board on Sunday at the Oscars, Hollywood's biggest night of the year, with seven awards including best picture and best director, crowning a triumphant year for filmmaker Christopher Nolan. Nolan's masterful drama about the father of the atomic bomb, half of last summer's massive “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, also bagged acting prizes for lead Cillian Murphy and supporting actor Robert Downey Jr. Nolan — a British-American filmmaker hailed as a generational talent — said that film as an art form still has room to grow. “Movies are just a…

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Kylie Minogue is doing “more than okay” despite being tired after a massive week of performances. The 55-year-old pop superstar has performed at the BRIT Awards, was honoured with the Billboard Icon Award and even performed with Madonna over the last few days and admitted that despite her “busy” time of it, everything that has happened to her has been “incredible”. She told US TV show ‘Extra' whilst attending the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty: “You know when you've had busy times in your life and you know you've been really busy but other people don't. So when you say ‘Oh I'm kind of tired', t…

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Tennessee Williams And Key Wests' Literary Legacy

The art history of Key West comes from all sides. It's claim as an important gay influence cites back to visits by Tennessee Williams who is said to have finished writing A Streetcar Named Desire at Key West's La Concha Hotel. (While that paints a picture, it turns out to not be original, or more accurately is part of a collection owned with Key West's kissing cousin, the town or Provincetown in Mass which claims the same legacy, down to knowing where this great inspiration of Streetcar was finished, Captain Jack's Pier, of course.).

Other works, The Glass Menagerie, Summer and Smoke, and parts of The Night of the Iguana and Suddenly Last Summer, are co-claimed to differing degrees. Ultimately the fact of The Tennessee Williams Museum is in Key West throws geographical claims to the Keys, though Provincetown's annual Tennessee Williams Festival nourishes the legacy with a festival that contributes to the relevance and modern evolution of his work. (Visit both to honor this legacy, not just for his beloved work, but for his reputation for great success with, uh, romantic partnering… equally revered in the north and south, with the ability pay homage to this legacy in both.)

While not for everyone, but checking all the “daddy boxes ” for others in LGBTQ communities, Ernest Hemingway‘s legacy also weaves through Key West. This unexpected Venn diagram of literary Key West be bedfellows also includes Judy Blume, a long-time resident, vocal protector of young peopl eis a best-selling, and often banned, young-adults author who explores themes of self-acceptance and self-expression in her widely read novels.

Just more of Key West life supporting, celebrating individuality, inspiration and freedom, a legacy across sectors and history of Key Wes and still to this day.

Art Around Town

Key West, a locale synonymous with inspiration, not only caters to the whims of art enthusiasts but serves as a sanctuary for artists whose works are as diverse and captivating as the island itself.

At the forefront, Gallery On Greene continues to stand out with its exceptional Cuban art collection, highlighting profound connections between Key West and Cuban culture. Under the stewardship of Nance Frank, contemporary and historic works blend into a cornerstone of the island's artistic community.

The Gingerbread Gallery, known as the oldest gallery in Key West, offers visitors a glimpse into the island's natural surroundings. The works here pay homage to the ethnic and racial diversity of Key West, capturing the essence of its vibrant neighborhoods with visual narratives.

Delving deeper into the island's art scene, the Harrison Gallery stands as a beacon of creativity and craftsmanship. Owned and operated by Helen Harrison, this gallery not only tells the unique story of an artistic journey by sea from Costa Rica to Key West but also showcases masterful wood sculptures and artworks that are deeply influenced by the island's maritime heritage.

Lastly, Shade Ceramics and its owner, Mark Klammer, offer a distinctive take on the artistic landscape of Key West with a focus on pottery that captures the warmth and breeziness of ocean life. This gallery, along with others on White Street, anchors a quieter enclave where the arts flourish with the laid-back lifestyle of the island.

The Studios of Key West

Key West's commitment to the visual arts is further exemplified by The Studios of Key West, a hub for artists and art lovers alike. This center offers workshops, exhibitions, and studios, fostering a community and is also home to Books & Books the not for profit book shop founded by Judy Blume and her husband George Cooper, who previously founded the Tropic Cinema, the Key West independent theater that “opened its doors in 2004 to welcome the circus that is Key West. We had one simple idea: to bring quality movies to people who longed for something more than Hollywood blockbusters.”

Express Yourself

In Key West, everyone's an artist, they say. It's not a punchline to some joke told by one of the washashore hosts or comedy circuit performers at Comedy Key West. In Key West it's an expectation that many locals grow into as they stay on. Somehow it's not enough to captain a boat, write up the news or toil daily in hospitality. While interviewing subjects for our podcast (see below) almost every subject spoke of creative side projects, telling hosts they also “work in mixed media”, are finishing work on a one-man show, or have found enough support to share a poetry practice. Might work for you too. Bring your creativity and supplies…

Gay Key West Uncovered is a six-part miniseries podcast that turns to the locals of Key West to help tell their story, including drag queens, creative digital nomads, a super fierce lesbian boat captain, naked pool boys, business owners and even the mayor. We were feeling all respectable and creative this time ‘round, but next time be prepared to dive into different waters, clothed or not. For now… listen to the local artists, gallerists and funny people, including comedian host Bobby Hankinson, give a quick tour of Key West's art scene in their own words:

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Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, took to X on Friday and raised eyebrows with an impassioned attack on federal programs to remove lead pipes. “Biden wants to replace lead pipes,” wrote Kobach, referencing a line from President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address. “He failed to mention that the unfunded mandate sets an almost impossible timeline, will cost billions, infringe on the rights of the States and their residents — all for benefits that may be entirely speculative.” Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that for much of the 20th century was used extensively in plumbing, ga…

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This weekend, while President Biden championed the merits of democracy during various campaign stops in swing states, former President Donald Trump hosted far-right Hungarian autocratic president Viktor Orbán at Mar-a-Lago and even took him to a concert. Trump's friendliness with the Hungarian prime minister is likely due to the fact that Orbán's central guiding philosophy and preferred method of governing are similar to Trump's, and could provide insight as to what a second Trump presidency would look like. Like Trump, Orbán is hostile toward immigrants, and notably built a massive border fen…

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Kristen Stewart knows how to use her “feminine wilds” to find acting jobs. The 33-year-old actress believes her personality has been “created” by the world she inhabits and that she understands how to “appeal” to other people. Kristen – who is bisexual – explained to ‘Extra': “I knew how to sort of use my feminine wilds to get like jobs. “I'm created by the world that we live in, which is a patriarchal world and so I know how to appeal and it never felt like a lie because I am a pretty fluid person. “I think some people are, kind of like more distinctly, you know, preferentially succinct where…

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How many dildos are the right amount for a road trip movie about two lesbian women? None? Two? Seven? Whatever the answer, there appears to be a unusually large amount in “Drive-Away Dolls”, the new film by Ethan Coen, better known as one half of the Coen brothers behind classics like “The Big Lebowski” and “Fargo”. For “Drive-Away Dolls”, Ethan Coen enlisted the support of his wife Tricia Cooke, who also works in the film industry as an editor and producer and who, in her own words, sees herself as queer. Cooke had long had the idea for a road movie about two lesbian women, originally set to …

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Beth Ditto became “incredibly resourceful” after growing up in modest surroundings. The 43-year-old star – who is best known as the lead singer of Gossip – believes that her personality has been shaped by her upbringing in Judsonia, Arkansas. Beth – who is the middle of seven children – told the BBC: “If we wanted something, it wasn't like. ‘You've got to work for it and earn it', it was, ‘Why don't you learn how to make it?'” The music star still has vivid memories of her own self-reliance at an early age. She shared: “If you don't have money, and you don't have clout, it makes you incredibly…

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According to conservative pollster Sarah Longwell, voters are less concerned with Donald Trump's age than they are worried about his mental fitness as they look at the presidential choices in 2024. Appearing on MSNBC's “The Weekend,” Longwell — founder of Republican Voters Against Trump — was asked about voter worries about both Trump and President Joe Biden and she replied the public seem to hold them to two different standards. “I wonder, in your focus groups, how the two issues are bearing out, the question of the candidates and the comparison points between the two of them,” co-host Alicia…

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Demi Lovato regrets being so “critical” of herself during her younger years. The 31-year-old star – who first found fame as a child – has revealed that she wishes she embraced “self-love” at a much earlier age. Asked what advice she would give her teenage self, Demi told PEOPLE: “What I would tell my teenage self is I would say don't hold yourself to anybody else's standards but your own. And if your own becomes too critical, then look within yourself and try to find that self-love. “I think it's really important to find self-love no matter what age you are.” Demi has learned a lot about beaut…

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Athens, Greece, marks a historic milestone as the city hall witnesses its first same-sex marriage, just three weeks following the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country. Esteemed Greek novelist Petros Hadjopoulos, known by his pen name Auguste Corteau, and his partner, lawyer Anastasios Samouilidis, celebrated their union in a ceremony officiated by the mayor of Athens.

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Many people are now asking about Evan G. Greenberg, the CEO of the Chubb Group, which has a subsidiary that fronted the cash given to Donald Trump for his bond in New York for the E. Jean Carroll settlement. Even if Trump intends to appeal the settlement ruled on by the jury, he must put the cash up as a bond to the court. Greenberg is the one who made it happen. As legal analystAllison Gill pointed out, he is not only a New York businessman, but was also brought on by Trump in 2018 to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. His term ended in 2022. Want more breaking…

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Paris [France], March 9 (ANI): With the official inclusion of the right to abortion in its constitution, France has become the first nation in the world to do so. President Emmanuel Macron has pledged that he “will not rest” until women in Europe are afforded the same protections, according to Al Jazeera. The constitutional amendment that the French Parliament had approved earlier in the week was sealed on Friday by Macron. While attending the event, which took place on International Women's Day, Macron declared that he would work to have the right to an abortion included in the EU Charter of …

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President Joe Biden mocked Clarence Thomas this week over the Supreme Court justice's controversial habit of taking luxury trips that are paid for by wealthy GOP donors and friends, RadarOnline.com can report. President Biden's surprising remarks about Justice Thomas came on Monday in a fiery interview with The New Yorker. The 81-year-old president and reporter Evan Osnos discussed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade back in June 2022. The pair also discussed a concerning concurring opinion that Justice Thomas wrote at the time in which he suggested using the “legal rationale”…

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At least a dozen clinics in Russia “secretly” conduct so-called conversion therapy, an abusive practice used to forcibly “cure” LGBTQ+ people, the U.S.-funded broadcaster Current Time reported on Monday. According to Current Time journalists, “patients” are often sent to these conversion therapy clinics against their will. Their treatment involves being isolated from the outside world for several months, during which they are sometimes forced to take psychotropic drugs, pray and undergo hypnosis. The clinics, which operate in Moscow as well as the Moscow and Rostov regions and parts of Russia'…

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Is JoJo Siwa replacing her bows with babies? The 20-year-old recently shocked fans after covering her arms with tattoos and revealing she's already picked out a sperm donor for her children — who she wants to have sooner than later. During an interview last week, the professional dancer confessed she has “two tattoos dedicated to” her future kids. “This one's dedicated to my baby girl one day. Her name is Freddy. Then this one is dedicated to my twin boys, Eddie and Teddy,” Siwa strangely declared of her unborn offspring. “I want three babies, I got my sperm donor lined up,” the Dance Moms alu…

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A study published in The Journal of Sex Research uncovered a significant rise in the number of Americans identifying as bisexual or reporting bisexual behaviors, especially in recent years. The findings shed light on the evolving landscape of sexual orientation in the United States. While acceptance of same-sex sexuality and marriage has notably increased, bisexuality has remained somewhat in the shadows, with less clarity around its trends and behaviors. This gap prompted researchers to delve into nationally representative samples to map out the landscape of bisexuality. For their study, the …

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New York (AFP) – Much speculation has swirled around megastar Taylor Swift's potential power in the US presidential election, and on Tuesday she toe-dipped in, urging her fans to vote. Swift, one of the world's most famous and most-discussed artists, did not urge her loyal Swifties towards any particular political position or candidate, instead focusing on the importance of casting one's ballot. “Today, March 5, is the Presidential Primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories,” the 34-year-old wrote on Instagram, referencing the state she spent much of her youth living in. “I wante…

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The impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is likely to begin in the US Senate this week. It is expected to be quickly tabled or dismissed by Democrats, who hold the majority and have criticized House Republicans for bringing the case to trial despite a lack of “high crimes and misdemeanors” the Constitution requires to necessitate impeachment. Both Senate Democrats and Republicans have criticized the Mayorkas impeachment as a political stunt. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) said his Republican counterparts in the House of Representatives were engaging in the “w…

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By Emma Wilson Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness has been dubbed a “monster” in a jaw-dropping expose about the hit Netflix show. Ten production members on the show spoke with Rolling Stone about what went on behind-the-scenes on the hugely popular show, which debuted back in 2018. Queer Eye helped launch the Hollywood careers of Jonathan, chef Antoni Porowski, stylist Tan France, lifestyle guru Karamo Brown, and interior designer Bobby Berk, and has spawned eight seasons with the Fab Five travelling across the US giving makeovers to deserving people. However, the production staff and sources w…

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