ABOVE: Lenny Kravitz, Lenny Kravitzing.

BELOW: Keep reading for Taron Egerton going gay, a crash Sex Education and more...

Rain ... feel it on my fingertips ... (All images by Matthew Rettenmund, unless noted)

Days later (and a trip to Chicago behind me) — here are my thoughts on attending Madonna's Madame X premiere in NYC on Thursday, September 23:

ABOVE: Gosh, 40+ years after Madonna arrived in NYC and went to the center of it all, Times Square, and 34 years after the massive Who's That Girl movie premiere there, and 33 years after I arrived in NYC on my first trip here to see her in Speed-the-Plow, I'll be back in Times Square tonight for her Madame X movie premiere. Wish me luck.

BELOW: Cassandra Peterson introduces her partner of 19 years, gay Republicans mad that Biden called out anti-LGBTQ countries for some reason, here comes the Academy Museum 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: Driver's license photo.

BELOW: Keep reading for Kevin McHale's belly button lobbying, Biden's vaccine mandate, Marvel canceled a show for being too gay and more ...

ABOVE: This group, to which I belong, has good taste.

BELOW: Keep reading for DNA's sexiest men alive, Biden's vow regarding terrorists in Kabul, Roger Montoya on that porn-powered campaign to try to defeat him, a new Louis for Interview with the Vampire and more ...

ABOVE: He should just travel with a pedestal.

BELOW: Keep reading for Nolan Gould pole dancing, a harrowing Afghanistan story, a new Lucille Ball podcast from beyond the grave and more ...

ABOVE: Ann Miller — a legend for sure — was only 57 here!

BELOW: Keep reading for Murray Bartlett offers the poop on The White Lotus, more Afghanistan armchair nation-building, the battle for Nichelle Nichols and more  ...