ABOVE: Today would've been Divine's 76th birthday. He'd be around the same age as Cher and Dolly Parton. Instead, we lost him in 1988. Still remember the sting when a co-worker told me. I didn't believe her (no Internet) and went back to my dorm and dug through recycled newspapers to find the obit.
ABOVE: An embarrassment of riches.
BELOW: Keep reading for a gay Xmas tale, Billy Porter on his HIV diagnosis and more ... ...
To peach their own. (Images via video stills)
The 2021 MTV VMAs were off to a bootylicious start when Madonna — following a sweet sort of updating of her “Happy Anniversary, Darling” spot for MTV (that was wishing the network a happy 1oth, this was wishing it a happy GULP 40th) — showed up in full Dita Parlo gear, turning around to helpfully provide a big ass to kiss for any of her haters.
SURPRISE! The #VMAs begin with an introduction from the one and only @Madonna pic.twitter.com/YmWtjabVJ7
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) September 13, 2021
It was good TV, and probably great promo for her October 8 Madame X concert film on Paramount+.
Lil Nas X killed another live performance on a major awards show, arriving to save the somewhat boring MTV VMAs at the Barclays Center Sunday night.
I also loved that he was introduced by another Black gay man, Billy Porter:
Billy Porter introduced Lil Nas X and was serving looks! #vmas #LilNasX #MTVVMAs pic.twitter.com/aA504BYaQh
— GoreJust Goth (@gorejustgoth) September 13, 2021
my jaw? on the FLOOR. @LilNasX just KILLED it with @JackHarlow 🔥 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/Z54jXXP2E2
— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2021
Also liked that the show welcomed back other '80s icons in honor of its anniversary, including Cyndi Lauper (demanding women's rights) and David Lee Roth. I actually wish they'd gone even further into it and gotten Janet Jackson and a host of others I'm thinking of. (Maybe Janet could close the show still, as it isn't over yet.)
ABOVE: Everybody run ...
BELOW: Keep reading for the end of the U.S.'s longest war, LGBTQ elements in the colonies, gay nightlife in Greensboro and more ...
My shot of Mj from 2018, at the Pose launch in Harlem (Image by Matthew Rettenmund)
The Emmys were awash with nominations for the same shows over and over — The Crown, Mare of Easttown, The Handmaid's Tale, we get it!
They were also filled with diversity and quite a few LGBTQ highlights:
ABOVE: And just like that, Kim Cattrall who?
ABOVE: It's Grace Fucking Jones's birthday!
BELOW: Keep reading for the Ric Weiland story, Susan Collins in trouble and more ...
ABOVE: Next year will be the 100th anniversary of Bea Arthur's birth. And hopefully next year, in January, we will be celebrating Betty White's 100th birthday.
