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Published by BANG Showbiz English Cara Delevingne says growing up queer was “isolating and hard to navigate at times”. The 29-year-old actress-and-model – who identifies as pansexual and has previously dated St. Vincent and Ashely Benson – is thankful that her older siblings, Poppy and Chloe, 35 and 36, respectively, were supportive but she admits she needed to navigate her sexuality for herself to find her true identity. Speaking to The Sunday Times newspaper, she said: “Growing up as a queer child was isolating and hard to navigate at times. My sisters did their best to be there for me but it was something I had to go through myself to truly know who I was. I’m still on that journey and will continue to be for the rest of my life.” Cara signed with Storm Management straight out of school and admits she was naive when she first started out in the modelling industry, but she has since come to “cherish” the fashion world. She explained: “When I had my first modelling job at ten I wasn’t aware of what I was doing, or the fashion and artistry that I now understand and cherish. With any job or path there’s always a way to make some sort of change.” The ‘Carnival Row’ star also admitted she’s always had a rebellious side and wants to “question” everything. She added: “First and foremost I have always seen myself as a rebel, not as someone who wants to break rules but as someone who wants to question them. I love the word “naughty”, but only as an adult. To me naughty means someone who questions what they’re told. I think at this point I might be the naughtiest of the three of us.” The blonde beauty previously admitted she felt “suicidal” whilst struggling with her sexuality when she was a teenager. Cara spent her youth battling with internalised homophobia as she grew up thinking same-sex relationships were “disgusting”. She explained how her “old-fashioned” upbringing made her think there was something wrong with her when she developed feelings for other women, and explained she was so “ashamed” of who she was she contemplated taking her own life. She said: “I grew up in an old-fashioned household. I didn’t know anyone who was gay. I didn’t know that was a thing and actually, I think growing up I was quite not noticeably, I wasn’t knowledgeable of the fact I was homophobic. The idea of being same-sex [partners], I was disgusted by that, in myself. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I would never, that’s disgusting, ugh’. “I do correlate the massive depression and the suicidal moments of my life [to that] because I was so ashamed of ever being that. But actually, that was the part of me that I love so much and accept.” The ‘Life in a Year’ star even confessed there is “still a part” of her that “wishes” she was straight because of her “complicated” relationship with her sexuality. She added: “There is still a part of me where I’m like, ‘Oh, I wish I could just be straight.’ There is still that side to it. It is really complicated.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Sean Penn is getting put through the wringer on social media after he doubled down on his stance that men should not wear skirts. The 61-year-old actor — who is going through his third divorce — grabbed negative attention when he openly discussed how. he felt about the male gender dressing in what is considered to be traditional female clothing. “There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt,” he told The Independent. Mega Penn attempted, and failed miserably, to explain his controversial remarks, but ended up sticking his foot in his mouth even more. Sean Penn’s Estranged Wife Leila George Wants Divorce Wrapped Up Quickly, Hands Over Financial Docs According to i — a British morning newspaper — the Academy Award winner allegedly reemphasized his disdain, claiming he’s “frustrated in the world” he lives in. He also believes “there has been an absence of male behavior.” “I am in the club that believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminized. I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But, I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them,” he allegedly stated. Mega Well, the internet is not taking kindly to Penn’s comments and are ripping the actor a new one on Twitter. “Loooove when men talk about being feminine like it’s literally the worst thing you could do. Simply love it. You hear that, femmes? Totally relevant Sean Penn thinks he’s better than you because *checks notes* he wears JEANS. A thing that feminine people NEVER DO,” one person tweeted. “RuPaul could fully kick Sean Penn’s ass,” joked another. “I’m just here to tweet it’s f–k Sean Penn all day every day,” wrote someone else, adding, “no one wants his crusty dusty ass opinions.” FYI — some of the hottest males in the entertainment industry have graced the world wearing dresses and skirts. Examples include Harry Styles and Kid Cudi. Mega View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jessie Pang HONG KONG (Reuters) – A leading Hong Kong university on Saturday covered a painted slogan commemorating China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, the latest instance of a public June 4 memorial being removed in China-ruled Hong Kong. A Reuters journalist saw about a dozen construction workers wearing yellow hard hats erect grey metal construction hoardings around a “martyrs slogan” painted across the length of the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) Swire bridge. The slogan, painted in Chinese characters on the pavement, read: “The souls of the martyrs shall forever linger despite the cold-blooded massacre. The spark of democracy shall forever glow for the demise of evil.” Asked why the university, which took down a “Pillar of Shame” Tiananmen statue https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-university-fences-off-tiananmen-statue-campus-2021-12-22 in December, covered the 20-character slogan, an HKU spokesperson said by email, “The University of Hong Kong regularly conducts maintenance works at various locations and facilities, with the above site being one such project.” For over three decades, it has been a tradition for students at HKU to repaint the slogan on the bridge before the anniversary of 1989 crackdown. The fencing-off of the 20-metre (65-foot) long slogan is the latest step in Hong Kong involving memorials, people or organisations affiliated with the sensitive date and events to mark it. Rights groups and witnesses say thousands may have been killed in the Beijing crackdown on students and democracy activists. Chinese officials have given a death toll of about 300. The former British colony had long been the only place on Chinese soil where June 4 could be publicly remembered, unlike mainland China where it is a taboo topic and censored. For the past two years, however, authorities have barred an annual candlelight vigil, citing COVID-19. In December, three local universities took down sculptures commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing in which hundreds, perhaps thousands of people were killed after Chinese troops fired upon civilians. Authorities have been clamping down in Hong Kong under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 that some foreign governments, including the United States, say is being used to suppress civil society, jail democracy campaigners and silence dissent. Authorities say the law has restored order and stability after massive street protests in 2019. Several workers and security guards at the bridge site declined to comment on the work. Parts of the slogan that could not be surrounded by the nearly 2-meter (6 1/2-foot) high hoarding were overlaid with metal plates on the road. (Reporting by Jessie Pang; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by William Mallard) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Prince Andrew is allegedly looking to clear up his name from any ties that would connect him to the convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell in the upcoming trial against Virginia Giuffre. The British royal reportedly plans to ask for help from actor Kevin Spacey who was pictured with Maxwell sitting on a throne at Buckingham Palace during a private tour organized by the prince. MEGA According to The Sun, the Duke Of York claimed in legal documents Maxwell was not his close associate despite having been pictured multiple times together. He hopes Spacey can help him explain to the jurors that Maxwell was invited by the actor during the infamous tour rather than himself directly. Spacey reportedly is “high on a hit list of names” Andrew’s defense team plans to reach out for the trial. “Andrew had invited Spacey for the tour of the Palace. She came with him — not as a guest of Andrew’s,” an insider spilled. “The snaps go right to the center of the claims against Andrew, and an image of Ghislaine Maxwell in the most private space within Buckingham Palace looks very damning.” The source continued, “But if Kevin can convince a jury he was the crucial link with Ghislaine, rather than Andrew, it distances the Prince from her somewhat — that’s crucial.” The informant also shared that the prince “believes such a gifted actor and public speaker could be a very compelling asset in front of a jury.” MEGA Andrew had strenuously denied the assault allegations brought by Giuffre, who claimed she was forced to have sex with him when she was only 17 years old. Earlier this month, he was ordered to face his accuser after a judge who presided over the case rejected his attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. The source also added, “It’s a ballsy move to think about using Spacey given his own problems. But his testimony would add to Andrew’s argument that Ghislaine was not a close friend.” However, despite the reports, a spokesman for the Duke claimed, “It is categorically untrue that any help has been offered or that we have accepted any.” MEGA As Radar previously reported, Spacey was also accused of sexually assaulting young men between 1995 and 2013. He was charged with an alleged indecent assault in the US in 2018 but was later dropped along with a civil lawsuit. As a result of the allegations, the actorlost his role in the Netflix hit show House of Cards, and production removed any scenes featuring him on Ridley Scott‘s All The Money In The World. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears will not be silenced! Following weeks of public jabs at each other, the Princess of Pop has yet again dubbed Jamie Lynn a liar and “scum” as her sister’s memoir Things I Should Have Said becomes a best seller. mega The Grammy winner shared a clip from The Real talk show — which showed the hosts collectively criticizing Jamie Lynn for profiting off of her big sister’s story — to her Instagram on Friday, January 28. BRITNEY SPEARS SPOTTED SHOPPING IN L.A. IN FIRST SIGHTING SINCE BLOWOUT SOCIAL MEDIA FEUD WITH SISTER JAMIE LYNN CAME TO A HEAD “National best seller ???? DUH …. the timing of your book was unbelievable Jamie Lynn …” Britney furiously captioned the post. “Especially knowing the whole world had no clue what was really done to me !!!!” mega “My whole family including you is saying YOU DIDN’T KNOW …. Bullsh—t !!! But what these women are saying here is pretty clear !!!!” The heated message continued. “I’m just kinda shocked that more people like these real soul sisters aren’t telling it like it is !!!” The “Toxic” singer has famously been feuding with her baby sister ever since the release of her highly anticipated book, which came only a few months after Britney saw a major court win and was freed from the legal chains of her oppressive 13-year conservatorship. SAM ASGHARI IS GETTING TIRED OF FIANCEE BRITNEY SPEARS’ ENDLESS DRAMA AS FAMILY WOES WORSEN, WORRIED IT’S ‘GOING TO DRAG ON AND ON’ “Congrats best seller … I’m not surprised at all,” Britney said, punctuating the thought with hand clapping and thumbs down emojis. “The nerve of you to sell a book now and talk sh—t but your [sic] f—king lying just like you lied about Alexa Nikolas !!!!” She added, referring to the former Zoey 101 star’s costar, who has also implied Jamie Lynn lied about her in the controversial memoir. mega The mother-of-two went on to say that she wished Jamie Lynn would agree to take a lie detector test regarding the content of the book, “so all these masses of people see you’re lying through your teeth about me !!!!” “I wish the almighty, Lord would could come down and show this whole world that you’re lying and making money off of me !!!! You are scum, Jamie Lynn,” she said, concluding the post. This passionate social media rant comes shortly after Jamie Lynn posted her own self-congratulatory announcement, “I can’t believe I’m officially a NATIONAL BEST SELLING AUTHOR!” to her Instagram earlier that day. “I have no words except how grateful I am that I was able share my story with y’all,” her message to friends and fans continued. “This has been one of the most challenging and vulnerable things I have ever done and I just honestly can’t thank y’all enough for the support and kindness.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Queen Elizabeth has launched her own line of condiments. The 95-year-old monarch is releasing her own tomato ketchup and brown sauce, made from ingredients grown on her Sandringham estate, with the ketchup described as “ideal for breakfast or any time of the day,” while the brown sauce is “packed with vinegar and spices.” They come in a 10 oz. glass bottle with a Royal Estate label. A note on the bottle states: “A real family favourite, packed full of tomato and lightly spiced, this ketchup is delightful. Vibrant and fruity, this ketchup can be enjoyed any time of the day, perfect to add flavour to a dish.” Queen Elizabeth is said to be a fan of fish and chips, with a source previously explaining: “She very occasionally treats herself to fish and chips when at Balmoral. A footman is dispatched to get it from the local town of Ballater.” And former royal chef Darren McGrady once revealed that kitchen staff would make their own versions of takeout food for the Queen and her family. He said: “It always tickled me at Balmoral, we would make our own burgers. They would shoot deer, and we would do venison burgers. There’d be gorgeous cranberry and everything stuffed into them, but we never set buns out. “The only thing you would pick up and eat with your fingers is afternoon tea.” View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Ellen DeGeneres was seen running some errands on Friday afternoon in her neighborhood of Montecito, California, as the end of her long-running talk show looms. The comedian is fighting to keep her legacy alive as she wants to be remembered for her accolades rather than failures stemming from the recent toxic workplace accusations hedged against her. MEGA Paparazzi caught the 64-year-old chatting on her phone before she walked into the grocery store to pick up a few items. During the rare outing, she opted for a casual look in the fashion department, wearing a black hoodie and a pair of matching Nike joggers and trainers. DeGeneres accessorized her outfit with a baseball cap to cover her blonde hair and stylish sunglasses. The veteran TV host completed her sporty ensemble with a silver watch on her wrist. In one of the snaps, she carried a box and some items that appeared to be a couple of pairs of comfy pants atop it. Her sighting comes as her show is drawing to an end after being on air for more than a decade since 2003. The primetime program has been nominated and won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards over the years. She first announced her decision to retire from the talk show gig last May during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. MEGA However, prior to her announcement to conclude the show, DeGeneres was accused of creating a toxic work environment for her staffers — a story Buzzfeed News exposed in July 2020. The story had drawn both backlash and support from fans towards the comedian, but as a result, their ratings have plummeted despite DeGeneres’ attempt to apologize and fix the issue by firing some of her producers. As Radar previously reported, the comedian planned to end her longtime career in the talkshow worldon a good note by making sure the final season would be the most memorable one. “Ellen wants to remind everyone of all the good she has done. All the countless lives that her show has changed, including her own,” an insider told us. “Except the final season to continue with lots of trips down memory lane. This final season isn’t about ratings; it is about legacy.” MEGA DeGeneres also shared with her viewers that as much as she loves her show, it has not served her the way it used to. “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged…and as great as this show is, and as fun, as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she said. While addressing the controversy concerning her less than ideal work environment, the Louisiana native explained the situation had affected her personally. “All I care about was spreading kindness and compassion, and everything I stand for was being attacked. So, it destroyed me, honestly,” she added. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – U.S. former President Donald Trump said on Saturday if he were to run for president and win in 2024, he would pardon people charged with criminal offenses in connection with the deadly Jan. 6 assault by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol. Trump, who has not said whether he will run for president again after his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election, was speaking at a rally in Conroe, Texas. “Another thing we’ll do, and so many people have been asking me about it, if I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly,” Trump said to applause. “We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly.” Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the worst assault on Congress since the War of 1812. Fueled by Trump’s false claims that his November 2020 election defeat was the result of fraud, the attackers sought to stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. One police officer who responded to the scene died the day after the attack, while four others who guarded the Capitol died later by suicide. About 140 police officers were injured during the hours-long attack. Four rioters also died. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault. (Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by William Mallard) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adele has reportedly pulled out of performing live at the Brit Awards. The ‘Easy On Me’ hitmaker – who indefinitely delayed her Las Vegas residency earlier this month – was planning to take to the stage for the event at London’s O2 Arena on 8 February but has left organisers with a “massive headache” after she told them she’ll no longer make the ceremony, though it is still possible she could sing for fans via a video link. A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: “Adele was confirmed to perform on the night, but has now pulled out — which has been a massive blow for the organisers. “They are talking to her team to see if she can appear by videolink. “It’s a massive headache but they want her involved in any way she will agree.” Adele is also nominated for four awards at the event – including the prestigious Artist of the Year accolade – and so now Brits bosses will need to find someone to accept any prizes she wins on her behalf. The insider added: “They also now have to find someone to accept her awards — should she win. “And several big names have already said no. “Names already mentioned include Sam Smith, and even Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa — who are both up against Adele for awards — but they are all looking unlikely. They have also made an approach to Stormzy, in the hope that they can persuade him.” It is believed the 33-year-old star pulled out of the show because her team were concerned about a backlash following her decision to delay her US shows at the last minute. The source said: “It seems there were concerns of another backlash if she’d performed on the Brits so soon after calling off her Vegas shows last-minute. “That decision has understandably caused a great deal of disappointment and, in the wake of that, Adele and her team decided to call off her Brits performance.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake are “very good friends”. The ‘Cry Me A River’ hitmaker accidentally exposed the pop star’s breast during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004 and the 55-year-old star insisted people need to “move on” from the controversial incident, which she feels was “blown way out of proportion”. In a message to fans recorded for her Lifetime and A&E documentary ‘Janet’, she said: “Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion. And, of course, it was an accident that should not have happened, but everyone is looking for someone to blame and that’s got to stop. “Justin and I are very good friends, and we will always be very good friends. We spoke just a few days ago. He and I have moved on, and it’s time for everyone else to do the same.” The scandal let to a backlash against Janet while the ‘SexyBack’ hitmaker’s career continued to skyrocket, and the ‘Together Again’ singer recalled how Justin asked her at the time if he should make a public statement but she advised him to stay out of the “drama”. She told her brother Randy Jackson in the documentary: “We talked once and [Justin] said, ‘I don’t know if I should come out and make a statement.’ And I said, ‘Listen, I don’t want any drama for you. They’re aiming all of this at me.’ So I said, ‘If I were you, I wouldn’t say anything.’ “ Last year, Justin issued a public apology for the incident, and in 2018 he confirmed he “absolutely” took time to make amends with Janey. He said: “I don’t know that a lot of people know that. I don’t think it’s my job to do that because you value the relationships that you do have with people. II stumbled through it, to be quite honest. I had my wires crossed and it’s just something that you have to look back on and go like, ‘Okay, well you know, you can’t change what’s happened but you can move forward and learn from it.'” Despite her comments now, in 2006, Janet said she felt “all the emphasis was put on me” following the incident, “as opposed to us.” And asked if she felt Justin had “left her hanging”, she replied: “To a certain degree, yeah.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have expressed “their concerns” to Spotify over misinformation spreading on the platform. Musicians, including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, asked for their music to be removed from the app amid calls for Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast to be removed for giving false information regarding the coronavirus vaccine. And now, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who set up Archewell Audio, signing an exclusive mega-money multi-year deal with the streaming giant to release a number of podcasts, have revealed they urged Spotify to help stop the “global misinformation crisis”. In a statement, an Archewell spokesperson said on behalf of the royal couple: “Since the inception of Archewell, we have worked to address the real-time global misinformation crisis. “Hundreds of millions of people are affected by the serious harms of mis- and disinformation every day. “Last April, our co-founders began expressing concerns to our partners at Spotify about the all too real consequences of Covid misinformation on its platform. “We have continued to express our concerns to Spotify to ensure changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis. “We look to Spotify to meet this moment and are committed to continuing our work together as it does.” Spotify insisted it bans “false or dangerous deceptive content about Covid-19, which may cause offline harm and/or pose a direct threat to public health.” ‘Heart of Gold’ hitmaker Neil had his music removed from Spotify earlier this week. In a request to the company, the 76-year-old singer said: “I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform. They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them. Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule.” The streaming service later responded: “We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid since the start of the pandemic. We regret Neil’s decision to remove his music from Spotify, but hope to welcome him back soon.” In a note on her official website titled ‘I Stand With Neil Young!’, Joni, 78, added: “I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.” View the full article

Timothy Leduc and Ashley Cain-GribbleLGBTQ Winter Olympians When the 2022 Winter Olympics kick off on Feb. 4, a record number of out LGBTQ athletes will be in Beijing in hopes of achieving their own gold medal moment. According to Outsports, the 2022 Games will feature at least 34 out Olympians representing 13 nations and populations across the LGBTQ spectrum, including the first nonbinary Winter Olympian ever, competing in nine different sports. Much like the 2020 Summer Olympics, the number of LGBTQ Olympians is a dramatic increase compared to any other Winter Games. Team LGBTQ’s 2022 roster more than doubles the number of out athletes from the previous Winter Olympics in 2018. It also includes the most out LGBTQ men, 11 currently, in Winter Olympics history, just four years after the Winter Games saw its first out male competitors. “It’s honestly a privilege to feel part of a community, and one that is pushing boundaries like no other,” British figure skater Lewis Gibson said. “Every four years the numbers skyrocket up and up … The Olympics are a legacy and being part of this group of people is that as well.” Leduc hopes to reach the same heights while providing another example for LGBTQ fans watching at home. “I’m hoping that moves the conversation forward in that more queer people can embrace authenticity,” Leduc told Iowa News Now. “Embrace what makes them unique and different and that they don’t have to change themselves in order to be a part of sports.” Out LGBTQ Coaches In addition to the landmark number of out athletes, there will also be an assortment of out LGBTQ coaches leading them toward Olympic glory. All four of the currently known out coaches heading to Beijing come from the figure skating world, including Adam Rippon and Jorik Hendrikx, who were part of the groundbreaking out LGBTQ male presence on the ice in 2018. “The experience of going to the [Winter Olympic] Games is a huge accomplishment. Everybody wants to have a medal, but awards and accolades, they fade away. What you remember as an athlete is your experience,” Rippon told E! News. “I hope that athletes remember that it’s a really, really intimate personal experience.” Brian Orser and Romain Haguenauer join Rippon and Hendrikx as the currently known out coaches geared up for Winter Olympic competition. Winter Olympics: Previously on Towleroad 2022 Winter Olympics Features More Than 30 Out LGBTQ Olympians, Including First Out Nonbinary Athlete Brian Bell January 30, 2022 Read More Trans Swimmers Lia Thomas And Iszac Henig Compete, Win At Ivy League Meet Brian Bell January 12, 2022 Read More Queen Honors Olympian Tom Daley for His Athletics and Advocacy; Diver, Knitting Entrepreneur Now ‘Officer of the Order of the British Empire’ Brian Bell January 4, 2022 Read More WNBA Champ Candace Parker, Former Teammate Come Out on Wedding Anniversary; Rapinoe’s New Nike Clothes Line; Top 200 LGBTQ Pro Wrestlers Brian Bell December 15, 2021 Read More Carl Nassib Designs Custom LGBTQ Cleats For NFL Charity Program; First Time Multiple Players Honor LGBTQ Orgs Brian Bell December 14, 2021 Read More Chicago Blackhawks Covered Up Player’s Report of Sexual Assault By Former Coach in 2010; NHL Fines $2 Million, Execs And Coach Resign Brian Bell October 29, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Luu/Creative Commons View the full article

Team Willow taking shape on RuPaul’s Drag Race. After three weeks of feel-good vibes, RuPaul’s Drag Race finally gave us a villain for season 14. It all starts innocently enough, as the gals gather following June Jambalaya’s elimination. Pathological overachiever Jasmine Kennedie cannot resist the opportunity to feel the Jantasy. (Jantasy, noun /ˈjan(t)əsē’/ 1. The belief that your undeniable talents are unrecognized by reality show judges.) What follows is a teary breakdown about not winning last week’s ball challenge. You can probably imagine how this is received. Luckily, this season’s union rep Kornbread is on the case. She immediately calls out Jasmine for steamrolling conversations and taking up too much space. The feedback is direct and actionable. Gauging by the reactions of the other queens, it needed to be said. In Jasmine’s defense, self-awareness is not a switch one can merely flip on. You can tell she genuinely is trying to do right the remainder of the episode, but, ho boy, it’s a rough ride. Team captains Willow and Maddy on RuPaul’s Drag Race. This week’s challenge splits the queens into two teams to complete a fictional “super tease” parody montage for the season. The voiceover is provided by Ru and consistent for both teams, so they get to choose how to bring things like “catfights” and “shocking revelations” to life. It’s one of those acting challenges where most of the humor comes from the edit. It’s a very narrow ask, and a lot of the ladies’ choices are left on the cutting room floor. Ru appoints last week’s winner, Willow, and last week’s lip sync survivor (winner feels like an overstatement), Maddy Morphosis, team captains. As the last queen picked, Jasmine chooses to walk her chatterbox over to team Willow, alongside the recently riled Kornbread. As the queens hash out their ideas, the tension between Kornbread and Jasmine on Team Willow is thicker than Roxxxy Andrews’ padding. It’s not that Kornbread is wrong, per se, but she relentlessly harps on every faux pas Jasmine makes. (And, to be fair, there are a lot!) Eventually it’s like watching someone rub a puppy’s face into their mess, and we the viewers are the carpet. Over on Team Maddy, we ask the age old question: Can heterosexual men be funny? The jury is still out, but Maddy does impress with some legit joke pitches that demonstrate a fluency in drag humor belied by Maddy’s chill, Buffalo Wild Wings vibe. Predictably, we get to see the pretty girls struggle to find their funny. Jorgeous and Kerri can’t let go of being sexy long enough to make fools of themselves. Puerto Rican pageant princess Alyssa Hunter doesn’t have a lot of funny ideas to contribute, and during filming she misses key set-ups for punchlines. It feels reductive to blame it all on language barrier. It feels much more like Alyssa, like so many pageant queens before her, just doesn’t excel at this brand of humor. Jennifer Lopez herself says really nothing at all to the queens in a pre-recorded message on RuPaul’s Drag Race. The finished products are pretty good! On Team Willow, the team captain totally slays with jokes even Marc Maron would appreciate. My favorite bit involves realizing she’s not competing for a shot at love with Jeffrey Boyer-Chapman on The Bitchelor. She secures a top spot with a great interpretation of this week’s “Night of 1,000 J.Los” runway, choosing to wear one of J.Lo’s most Romy and Michelle ensembles from her first Grammy Awards in 1998. It’s basically camp, and the judges eat it up. Some of her teammates are not as successful. Iconic guest judge [everybody say] Loni Love reads Kornbread for relying on fat jokes, which is a valid criticism. However, Kornbread’s Met Gala-inspired runway is stunning. It doesn’t feel like the performance is worth of a bottom-three finish. Kornbread was still funny, still went for it, and she looked great on the mainstage. Kerri also looks incredible in the actual green Versace dress J.Lo wore in 2019 as an homage to her legendary lewk from 20 years earlier. Not a recreation, not a copy, THE DRESS. Like, the fabric has graced both ladies’ skin. It’s an impressive sight, but is it an impressive achievement? It doesn’t really showcase Kerri’s personal taste, talent, ingenuity, point of view or anything other than her personal connections. Once the immediate shock reaction wears off, it’s actually a little disappointing. Her comedy is a lot disappointing. There’s just no “there” there. She’s relying on pretty. It’s bottom two for her. Team Maddy fares better overall with DeJa and eventual winner Angeria taking top spots. DeJa especially shines this week, giving us slapstick, character, one-liners and some actual acting. If her runway was better, she’d have my vote for this week’s win. Angeria looking stunning on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Instead, that goes to Angeria. As usual, she looks great on the mainstage dripping stones as J.Lo at the Met Gala 2019. Even more than Kerri’s genuine artifact, Angeria just knows how to make the judges (and audience) gag on her eleganza. She’s undeniably funny in the clip, but the humor is much more personality-driven than cleverly crafted. It’s no less valid (especially in this context), but depending on your personal tastes, your mileage may vary. That leaves Alyssa to lip sync against Kerri to “Play” by J.Lo. The sync leaves a lot to be desired. Kerri is clearly trying not to damage the dress, so her range of motion is “limited.” Alyssa attempts to incorporate one of those cash guns, but it jams in a big “womp, womp” moment. Alyssa is certainly doing more overall, but this isn’t a dance competition. Personally, I found Alyssa’s efforts to impress to be a bit frantic and disconnected from the energy of the song. Even though Kerri is decidedly sleepier, she punctuates some lines with facial expressions, and there was almost something charming about her ease. That’s why I don’t feel Alyssa’s elimination is the injustice some folks on Twitter seem to think it is. A successful pageant girl, she doesn’t need a lowly recapper like me to tell her she’s talented and gorgeous. However, this show looks for some very specific criteria, and I’m not sure Alyssa has the full arsenal Ru is looking for. (As an aside, I hate this chocolate bar gimmick. Unless it’s notable, I’m not going to bother with it week-to-week.) How are our ladies faring after the first comedy challenge? Let’s take stock with our rankings below. Angeria continues to ride a wave of momentum, racking up another win (her third, if you include the mini-challenge). Even when the judges fawn over her runways, I still feel like they’re underselling how beautiful the garments are. Plus, she’s got an irresistible personality AND can make Ru laugh? So far, no notes!There’s a good case to be made that Willow is the true top contender this season. After a … let’s call it “disarming” … entrance look, Willow unleashed an original vision that extends from performance to fashion. She was funnier than anything the writers for this show have ever come up with, and her J.Lo outfit was outside-the-box, hideous, beautiful and perfect all at once. I give the slight edge to Angeria, because there’s potential for Willow to easily go too cerebral and alienate the judges. Angeria is more aligned with what works on this show.Why aren’t we talking more about Bosco? She cracks me up in the confessionals, she regularly transforms her face with different makeup techniques, and, even when her runways are a little similar, there’s a lot of thought there. I like what she brought to the teaser, though she was a bit hampered working with the so-so Jorgeous.There was nothing wrong with Kornbread‘s work this week, but once the judges get one of these ideas in their heads, it tends to stick. While she initially seemed squarely in the right during the conflict with Jasmine, her doggedness quickly became off-putting. I didn’t find her performance any more obvious than Angeria’s, but I agree it was a bit one-note. Then again, like, this is a super cut? There’s not exactly room for character development. Plus, she had one of my favorite looks on the runway. She should’ve been safe.Jasmine hasn’t hit peak levels of insufferability for me as a viewer, even if she may have long past that point for her fellow cast members. We know she can sew. We know she can dance. We know she’s got some exquisite gowns. She even delivered decent enough comedy. Her competency is well established, but can she wow the judges with any particular mastery?It’s a shame for Jorgeous this was the J.Lo episode. I like the mirrorball nude-illusion bodysuit inspired by a similar outfit Jennifer wore to something called the “Super Bowl.” But, more than that, I loved her J.Lo dance moves, which were super specific and recognizable. Unfortunately, the comedy just wasn’t there.Meanwhile, DeJa comes charging back into the competition. She landed early in the bottom two, but this week absolutely slayed every scene she was in. Oddly enough for this established seamstress, her runway was my problem (and kept her from an even higher ranking). Ross correctly clocked the design for not being close enough to J.Lo’s original, but I could not disagree more with his assertion that DeJa’s was an improvement. It was more like a knockoff Halloween costume for “Dance Diva from the Bronx.”I guess Lady Camden was trying to sell a character that, underneath all the red, white and blue regalia, was secretly British. Um, ok? Since the edit didn’t provide that context, it just sort of read as bizarre. These other queens are here to play this season, and several have already made very strong impressions. The clock (Big Ben, in this case) is ticking.There wasn’t too much Daya to discuss in this episode, but she’s been proving worthy of the second chance, no matter how sloppily it was justified by Ru.I’m still a big Kerri Colby fan, but being told you’re too concerned with being pretty is a kiss of death. Of course the dress was incredible. Of course. It was incredible when J.Lo did it. Twice. I’m also being pretty generous about the lip sync. Hopefully in a less precious garment, she’s got more to give.Orion‘s J.Lo lewk was faithfully recreated by hand, and she held her own during the tease. A solid, safe week, but she’s got to give us something memorable to erase the bad taste from her first talent show performance.Eep! I don’t mean to harp on Maddy, but … her best work (coming out as straight) was cut from the final teaser and her runway looked very off-the-rack, J.Lo inauguration-by-way-of-ASOS.It’s not that I think Alyssa is the least talented queen here; it’s just I think she was the least successful at this competition after this week.How would you rank the queens? Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race coverage. View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by uSports.org Jason Brown, 27, is an American figure skater. He became one of the youngest figure skaters to win a medal after Team USA won bronze in the team event in Sochi in 2014. After failing to qualify for the 2018 Olympics, Brown was burnt out. In the last four years, he has been through a personal journey, coming out as gay last June. He uses his platform to voice his support of love in all forms. During the last few years, he also re-fell in love with skating and the process that got him to Sochi. Now, he’s back and looking to add another medal to his collection in Beijing. When asked if he felt co… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Former zoo owner and reality TV superstar Joe Exotic has been resentenced to 21 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot, a federal judge said Friday. The resentencing — a shortening of just one year — came despite pleas from his lawyers after an appeals court ordered a new sentence. Supporters were hoping the zookeeper would be freed from prison. The star of the hit Netflix show “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was sentenced to 22 years in January 2020 after he was convicted of hiring two men to kill animal rights activist Ca… Read More View the full article

Published by PsyPost New research shows having a greater number of older brothers increases the probability of a person entering a same-sex union at some point in their lives. This finding, detailed in our paper published this month in the Journal of Sex Research, offers a rare insight into the origins of sexual orientation. The origins of sexual orientationIn recent decades, many countries have achieved remarkable progress towards equal treatment of LGBTIQ+ people, including greater public support and more protective legislation. But despite these encouraging developments, sexual minorities still experience high … Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Setting the record straight! Michael Phelps‘ transgender ex-girlfriend, Taylor Lianne Chandler, is calling out the former Olympian for his “hypocritical” views on trans athletes. Phelps, 36, recently went on the record in an interview with CNN and called transgender swimmer Lia Thomas‘ participation in organized sports “complicated”. He later added that “sports should all be played on an even playing field,” in reference to the continued discussion of which gendered teams trans athletes should be allowed to play on in school and college sports. “He doesn’t fully understand the science, advantages or disadvantages,” Chandler exclusively told Radar, noting her ex was “a hypocrite for saying it should be a level playing field.” JAZZ JENNINGS CLAPS BACK AT HATERS CLAIMING REALITY STAR DIDN’T DESERVE TO BE READMITTED TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY: ‘PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DENY MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS “He is genetically superior with his 6’7 wingspan, double-jointed ankles and huge feet,” she argued of the decorated swimmer. “His chemical composition allows him to breathe in and fill his lungs and hold his breath longer [than his competitors].” Chandler noted that despite understanding Phelps was likely put on the spot and uncomfortable with answering the hard-hitting questions, the whole interview was still deeply hurtful for her to watch, given their history. mega “In that moment of watching and hearing him say those things, it felt like a literal slap in the face,” she candidly told the outlet. “I felt like I was good enough to love, lay with and be with, but not be respected or allowed in the women’s sport of swimming – like I was not a woman, but rather an alien or God-knows-what. It can’t be a woman’s sport if it doesn’t include all women, period!” MICHAEL PHELPS DETAILS HIS STRUGGLES WITH DEPRESSION & ANXIETY — ‘I’VE NEVER OPENLY TALKED ABOUT IT’ “People against women in trans sports have like five examples to choose from,” Chandler further explained. “It’s not like trans women are dominating any sport overall. It is a pocket here and there around the country that the press jumps on to make it seem like it is a world pandemic.” As for her own beliefs surrounding the highly debated subject of trans athletes, Chandler believes there should be standards, but it should be determined on a “case by case” basis according to both the individual as well as the sport involved. “There should be standards, but I don’t believe they are fair enough at the moment, especially for someone who started the physical and medical transition a year ago,” she said, referring to Thomas, who only began their transition in 2019 and competed on the university swim team a year later. “One year on blockers and estrogen isn’t enough to undue the advantage of masculinization during puberty that at 18 you would still be undergoing.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jessica Chastain felt guilty for judging Tammy Faye Bakker before playing her on screen. The 44-year-old actress portrays the late televangelist in the new movie ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ and believes it the way to atone for her “harsh” views of her alter ego when she was younger. Jessica said of Tammy Faye: “I didn’t watch religious television, but I knew she was silly and easy to make fun of. “She was on the cover of tabloid magazines, so I thought she must be a terrible person.” The ‘Molly’s Game’ actress explained that her opinion on Tammy Faye changed after she had watched a documentary about her life – which serves as inspiration for the film. Jessica told the Daily Mail newspaper’s Baz Bamigboye column: “I felt guilty I’d judged her so harshly.” Tammy Faye’s marriage to her husband Jim Bakker (played by Andrew Garfield in the flick) fell apart after he was convicted of fraud but Jessica feels that her character was harshly treated for Jim’s mistakes due to her looks. She explained: “Her husband made some mistakes – and Tammy was vilified for it. “But really, it was because of her appearance. Women have been commodified in society. So much is about physical appearance and that’s how women have been judged.” The ‘355’ star continued: “She was shamed, and Tammy’s the physical embodiment of that shame. “People would look at her and go: ‘She’s the kid from a broken family.’ That’s how it was. “She knew what it was like to be unloved and unwelcome. Her thought was to connect and reach out to strangers, because she believes in God’s good grace.” View the full article

Published by DPA 1,850 euros for a digital snippet of a famous artwork: An Austrian museum is selling off 10,000 NFTs of Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss". Ouriel Morgensztern/Belvedere/dpa One of the world’s most famous romantic artworks is the latest to be sold as unique digital versions, as Vienna’s Belvedere museum prepares to sell NFTs of Gustav Klimt’s legendary Art Nouveau painting “The Kiss”. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the museum has announced that it will begin selling digital romance in the form of 10,000 NFTs of Klimt’s “The Kiss”, each costing around 1,850 euros (2,060 dollars). Hyped by some and dismissed as a money-making scheme by others after NFT artworks fetched millions at auction, these so-called non-fungible tokens are digital certificates of authenticity meant to prove this is the original, even if countless other digital copies of Klimt’s artwork still exist. With this project, Belverede is tapping into a new source of income, a spokeswoman said of the campaign, which could bring in a total of up to 18.5 million euros. The museum says buyers can register for a chance to pay and “own a fraction of the digitalized image” and use these registrations as “a digital declaration of love” on Valentine’s Day (February 14). The Belvedere’s project is only the latest in a string of high-profile NFT sales following a boom in this new technology. Proponents say that even though there can be any number of identical copies of a work of art or object, only one NFT can be considered the original. The authenticity of the files in most current NFTs is secured with the tamper-proof blockchain data chain of the cryptocurrency Ethereum. “The conversion of digital reproductions into virtual originals opens up new forms of participation that, in financial terms, should be taken seriously, yet can also be viewed playfully,” said Belvedere Director General Stella Rollig. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden family finally has a cat. First lady Jill Biden’s office has announced America’s first family is excited to welcome a two-year-old, gray-and-white-striped feline named Willow to the White House. Biden, a community college professor, named the cat after her hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, the first lady’s spokesperson Michael LaRosa said. “A farm cat from Pennsylvania, Willow made quite an impression on Dr. Biden in 2020 when she jumped up on the stage and interrupted her remarks during a campaign stop,” LaRosa said. “Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden.” Dr. Biden had said in April that the family had a female cat “waiting in the wings.” The green-eyed, short-haired tabby cat was settling in well at the White House with “her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore,” LaRosa said. In December the Bidens welcomed a new dog family, a German Shepherd named Commander, who was four months old at the time. Their dog Champ died earlier in 2021. Major, a rescue the family adopted before coming to the White House, is living offsite with family friends after reported biting incidents at the White House. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Heather Timmons and Karishma Singh) View the full article