a&e features
Cait, AbFab, ‘Will & Grace’ dominate 2016 entertainment news
Wonder Woman, Beyonce, Ellen also keep tongues wagging


(Photo courtesy NBC)
Wonder Woman is a beloved superhero for many but her big screen glory wasn’t embraced until this year. Audiences received their first glimpse of the Amazonian warrior, portrayed by Gal Gadot, in “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” in March. While the role was brief, hype surrounding her solo film “Wonder Woman,” to be released on June 2, 2017, began this year with clips and a trailer.
If this year’s brief sighting wasn’t enough there will be plenty of Wonder Woman in the coming years with Gadot appearing as Wonder Woman in “Justice League” on Nov. 17, 2017 and in “Justice League 2” in 2019.
Meanwhile ‘70s TV Wonder Woman Lynda Carter brought her “Long-Legged Woman” show to the Kennedy Center in April. She sings there regularly.
# 9: NBC debuts “Hairspray: Live!”

(Photo courtesy Fox Searchlight)
NBC continued its tradition of live, television musicals with “Hairspray Live!” on Dec. 3. The musical was an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical version, not the John Waters original film nor the 2007 remake, with Harvey Fierstein penning the teleplay and reprising his role as Edna Turnblad. Big names like Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Rosie O’Donnell and Sean Hayes bolstered the cast, but newcomer Maddie Baillio held her own in the starring role of Tracy Turnblad.
While there were plenty of slips during the airing, the mic frequently cut out and a cameraman sadly cut Chenoweth out of a final bow, it had plenty of charm. There were boisterous musical numbers and live, ‘60s-themed commercials for Oreo, Reddi Wip and Toyota throughout the broadcast adding the right amount of old school charm. Relive the experience, or take it in for the first time, with an encore airing on Dec. 26 from 8-11 p.m.
#8: ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ returns

Jennifer Saunders in ‘Absolutely Fabulous the Movie’ (Photo courtesy NBC)
“Absolutely Fabulous” revived itself once again for a feature-length movie that hit theaters in July. Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley brought back their characters Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone, this time to accidentally kill Kate Moss and hide out in the south of France. The movie had plenty of celebrity cameos including Graham Norton, Daniel Lismore, Dame Edna Everage and Joan Collins.
The ‘90s BBC comedy always seemed to make a comeback with a revived series from 2001-2004 and 20th anniversary specials in 2011 and 2012. This time Saunders revealed to the Daily Mail the party is finally over for Edina and Patsy.
“I’m not doing anything more with ‘Ab Fab.’ That’s it,” Saunders says. “That. Is. It. I can’t see the point of doing anything else with it, really.”
#7: ‘I Am Cait’ cancelled

Caitlyn Jenner (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Caitlyn Jenner took the world by storm in 2015, but 2016 proved to be a quieter year for the former Olympian, and the ratings for “I Am Cait” were hit hard by the dip in interest. A spin-ff from “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” the first season of “I Am Cait” focused on Jenner and her family coming to terms with publicly living her life as a transgender woman. While viewers tuned in to see Jenner share emotional moments with her children and confront her ex-wife Kris Jenner, the second season shifted in tone. It followed Jenner and a group of her transgender friends on a road trip across the U.S. advocating for transgender rights.
Having more of a political focus, the second season’s storylines focused on Jenner’s conservative views clashing with her friends’ more liberal politics. Side storylines with Jenner’s friends including Candis Cayne, Ella Giselle, Chandi Moore and Kate Bornstein also took up more screen time than before. Exactly why the show hit low ratings isn’t exactly known but E! and Jenner announced the show’s cancellation in August.
# 6: Colton Haynes, Kristen Stewart, Shepherd Smith come out

Colton Haynes (Photo courtesy LOGO)
Celebrities chose 2016 to be honest about their sexual orientation with some choosing to directly address it and others simply no longer hiding.
Actor Colton Haynes’ sexual orientation was frequently speculated about after photos surfaced of him appearing in gay magazine XY. When a fan referenced Haynes’ “secret gay past” on Tumblr in January, Haynes responded nonchalantly by saying, “Was it a secret?” The “Arrow” star officially came out in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in May explaining that his anxiety about coming out prevented him from doing so earlier.
Kristen Stewart became more open about her relationships with women in 2016. In March, French musician Soko confirmed that she was in a relationship with Stewart. The actress moved on to date her former assistant Alicia Cargile and confirmed they were together in an interview with Elle UK. Stewart told Elle UK when she was dating a guy, hinting at her highly publicized relationship with actor Robert Pattinson, that they were “turned into these characters and placed into this ridiculous comic book.” Now, dating a woman she said, “Right now I’m just really in love with my girlfriend. We’ve broken up a couple of times and gotten back together, and this time I was like, ‘Finally, I can feel again.’”
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith quietly “came out” in an interview with the Huffington Post in October. While being questioned if his former boss Roger Ailes had ever stopped him from coming out publicly, Smith denied it while confirming his sexual orientation.
“That’s not true,” Smith said. “He was as nice as he could be to me. I loved him like a father.
#5: ‘Finding Prince Charming’ becomes a hit

(Photo courtesy of LOGO)
“Finding Prince Charming” proved that gays can follow the dating reality show formula with the best of them. Modeled after “The Bachelor,” the show pitted 13 male suitors in competition for the affection of Atlanta-based interior designer Robert Sepúlveda Jr. The show included plenty of nasty, spit-flinging brawls, “I’m-not-here-to-make-friends” mentalities and lots of “OMG-I-can’t-believe-I’m-falling-in-love-so-fast” revelations. As a host who serves as a soundboard for the bachelor, Lance Bass grilled Sepúlveda on which way his heart was leaning each episode, and emotional tie eviction ceremonies (the equivalent of a “The Bachelor” rose ceremony) to complete the age-old dating show. Bombshell secrets were also dropped throughout, like Sepúlveda’s past as a sex worker in his ‘20s coming to light.
The formula worked for both Sepúlveda and LOGO as the bachelor asked Eric to “keep his tie” for an exclusive relationship and LOGO scored high ratings. The show will be back for a second season.
#4: DeGeneres receives Medal of Freedom

(Image courtesy NBC)
Ellen DeGeneres was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in an emotional ceremony for the comedian in November. Obama noted that DeGeneres was courageous to come out 20 years ago and reminded everyone that the result was the cancellation of her sitcom “Ellen.” However, her persistence in the industry led her to have the success she has achieved today.
“Again and again, Ellen DeGeneres has shown us that a single individual can make the world a more fun, more open, more loving place, so long as we just keep swimming,” Obama said at the ceremony. DeGeneres visibly teared up when Obama placed the medal around her neck.
The monumental moment wasn’t without some DeGeneres antics. The comedian was denied entry into the White House when she forgot to bring her ID. Waiting outside in Layette Park, DeGeneres tweeted the ordeal with a picture of her sitting forlornly on a bench. Eventually, she was allowed inside where she took on the Mannequin Challenge with fellow honoree Diana Ross.
#3: Hollywood turns out for Hillary

Katy Perry performs at the Democratic National Convention. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Hillary Clinton’s presidential run proved she was, mostly, the celebrities’ president. Many stars voiced their support for Clinton in the 2016 election from musicians to actors. Cher publicly campaigned for Clinton, frequently tweeting her support and appearing at campaign events. Demi Lovato joined Clinton on the campaign trail during the primaries and appeared at the Democratic National Convention. Ellen DeGeneres also proclaimed herself a Clinton supporter on her talk show. Elton John and Katy Perry both performed at Clinton fundraisers during the campaign. Lady Gaga and Perry attended Clinton’s election watch party and Lady Gaga stood in solidarity with Clinton by protesting outside Trump Tower after Donald Trump was announced President-elect.
The election also brought back beloved sitcom “Will & Grace.” Will, Grace, Jack and Karen all returned for a 10-minute minisode based on the election. While the minisode wasn’t specifically pro-Clinton, the cast did appear to support Clinton in song at a fundraiser. Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack and Megan Mullally sang a song bashing Trump to the tune of “Officer Krupke” from “West Side Story.”
#2: Beyoncé serves up ‘Lemonade’
Without warning, Beyoncé dropped the music video for “Formation” on Feb. 6 for what would become the first single from her sixth studio visual album “Lemonade.” Beyoncé performed “Formation” at the Super Bowl half-time show and drew criticism for the Black Panther-themed performance.
“Lemonade” was released on April 23 as an album and a one-hour concept film, which aired on HBO. The album mixed hip-hop, rock, reggae, pop, country and gospel. The songs caused a buzz about Beyoncé’s marriage with Jay-Z, many were left wondering “Who is Becky with the good hair?,” and how much of the album was truth or art.
“Lemonade” became a critical think piece darling among music critics and was praised for its unapologetically, pro-black narrative of love, womanhood and heartbreak. “Saturday Night Live” spoofed the album twice with its skits “The Day Beyoncé Turned Black” and “Melanianade,” a “Lemonade” performance with Melania Trump in Beyoncé’s role. “Lemonade” also earned nine Grammy nominations making Beyoncé the woman with the most Grammy nominations of all time.
#1: Saying goodbye to David Bowie, Prince

David Bowie (Photo by Jorge Barrios; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Legendary musicians David Bowie and Prince died this year leaving behind legacies that experimented with sound, toyed with androgyny in fashion and left their mark on culture.
Bowie rocked the charts beginning in 1969 with his hit “Space Oddity,” but fully emerged as his glam rock, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust in 1972 with his hit “Starman.” As Ziggy Stardust, Bowie donned face paint and exuberant costumes. He confessed to being both gay and bisexual before admitting he was a “closet heterosexual” in a 1983 interview with Rolling Stone. The British singer died from liver cancer on Jan. 10 just two days after the release of his final album “Blackstar.”
Prince’s death from an accidental fentanyl opiod overdose on April 21 shocked the world with the loss of one of the best-selling artists of all time. Considered a sex symbol since his breakout album, Prince consistently mixed his sexually explicit lyrics, soft voice and androgyny to create a music persona unlike any other. The music from his 1984 musical film “Purple Rain” earned him two Grammys and an Oscar. The singer stayed active in music until his death, performing show dates for his “Piano & a Microphone Tour” up until a week before his death.
HONORABLE MENTION: Violet Chachki’s grand-yet-decadent gown at the season eight finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in May had the whole world gagging.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: “The Real O’Neals” star Noah Galvin (he plays gay and is gay himself) stumbles big time in a June Vulture interview in which he trashed Colton Haynes, Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”) and director Bryan Singer. He later apologized.
a&e features
Visit Cambridge, a ‘beautiful secret’ on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
New organization promotes town’s welcoming vibe, LGBTQ inclusion

CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Driving through this scenic, historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, you’ll be charmed by streets lined with unique shops, restaurants, and beautifully restored Victorian homes. You’ll also be struck by the number of LGBTQ Pride flags flying throughout the town.
The flags are a reassuring signal that everyone is welcome here, despite the town’s location in ruby red Dorchester County, which voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a lopsided margin. But don’t let that deter you from visiting. A new organization, Proudly Cambridge, is holding its debut Pride event this weekend, touting the town’s welcoming, inclusive culture.
“We stumbled on a beautiful secret and we wanted to help get the word out,” said James Lumalcuri of the effort to create Proudly Cambridge.
The organization celebrates diversity, enhances public spaces, and seeks to uplift all that Cambridge has to share, according to its mission statement, under the tagline “You Belong Here.”
The group has so far held informal movie nights and a picnic and garden party; the launch party is June 28 at the Cambridge Yacht Club, which will feature a Pride celebration and tea dance. The event’s 75 tickets sold out quickly and proceeds benefit DoCo Pride.
“Tickets went faster than we imagined and we’re bummed we can’t welcome everyone who wanted to come,” Lumalcuri said, adding that organizers plan to make “Cheers on the Choptank” an annual event with added capacity next year.
One of the group’s first projects was to distribute free Pride flags to anyone who requested one and the result is a visually striking display of a large number of flags flying all over town. Up next: Proudly Cambridge plans to roll out a program offering affirming businesses rainbow crab stickers to show their inclusiveness and LGBTQ support. The group also wants to engage with potential visitors and homebuyers.
“We want to spread the word outside of Cambridge — in D.C. and Baltimore — who don’t know about Cambridge,” Lumalcuri said. “We want them to come and know we are a safe haven. You can exist here and feel comfortable and supported by neighbors in a way that we didn’t anticipate when we moved here.”

Lumalcuri, 53, a federal government employee, and his husband, Lou Cardenas, 62, a Realtor, purchased a Victorian house in Cambridge in 2021 and embarked on an extensive renovation. The couple also owns a home in Adams Morgan in D.C.
“We saw the opportunity here and wanted to share it with others,” Cardenas said. “There’s lots of housing inventory in the $300-400,000 range … we’re not here to gentrify people out of town because a lot of these homes are just empty and need to be fixed up and we’re happy to be a part of that.”
Lumalcuri was talking with friends one Sunday last year at the gazebo (affectionately known as the “gayzebo” by locals) at the Yacht Club and the idea for Proudly Cambridge was born. The founding board members are Lumalcuri, Corey van Vlymen, Brian Orjuela, Lauren Mross, and Caleb Holland. The group is currently working toward forming a 501(c)3.
“We need visibility and support for those who need it,” Mross said. “We started making lists of what we wanted to do and the five of us ran with it. We started meeting weekly and solidified what we wanted to do.”
Mross, 50, a brand strategist and web designer, moved to Cambridge from Atlanta with her wife three years ago. They knew they wanted to be near the water and farther north and began researching their options when they discovered Cambridge.
“I had not heard of Cambridge but the location seemed perfect,” she said. “I pointed on a map and said this is where we’re going to move.”
The couple packed up, bought a camper trailer and parked it in different campsites but kept coming back to Cambridge.
“I didn’t know how right it was until we moved here,” she said. “It’s the most welcoming place … there’s an energy vortex here – how did so many cool, progressive people end up in one place?”
Corey van Vlymen and his husband live in D.C. and were looking for a second home. They considered Lost River, W.Va., but decided they preferred to be on the water.
“We looked at a map on both sides of the bay and came to Cambridge on a Saturday and bought a house that day,” said van Vlymen, 39, a senior scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton. They’ve owned in Cambridge for two years.
They were drawn to Cambridge due to its location on the water, the affordable housing inventory, and its proximity to D.C.; it’s about an hour and 20 minutes away.
Now, through the work of Proudly Cambridge, they hope to highlight the town’s many attributes to residents and visitors alike.
“Something we all agree on is there’s a perception problem for Cambridge and a lack of awareness,” van Vlymen said. “If you tell someone you’re going to Cambridge, chances are they think, ‘England or Massachusetts?’”
He cited the affordability and the opportunity to save older, historic homes as a big draw for buyers.
“It’s all about celebrating all the things that make Cambridge great,” Mross added. “Our monthly social events are joyful and celebratory.” A recent game night drew about 70 people.
She noted that the goal is not to gentrify the town and push longtime residents out, but to uplift all the people who are already there while welcoming new visitors and future residents.
They also noted that Proudly Cambridge does not seek to supplant existing Pride-focused organizations. Dorchester County Pride organizes countywide Pride events and Delmarva Pride was held in nearby Easton two weeks ago.
“We celebrate all diversity but are gay powered and gay led,” Mross noted.
To learn more about Proudly Cambridge, visit the group on Facebook and Instagram.
What to see and do
Cambridge, located 13 miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay, has a population of roughly 15,000. It was settled in 1684 and named for the English university town in 1686. It is home to the Harriet Tubman Museum, mural, and monument. Its proximity to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge makes it a popular stop for birders, drawn to more than 27,000 acres of marshland dubbed “the Everglades of the north.”
The refuge is walkable, bikeable, and driveable, making it an accessible attraction for all. There are kayaking and biking tours through Blackwater Adventures (blackwateradventuresmd.com).
Back in town, take a stroll along the water and through historic downtown and admire the architecture. Take in the striking Harriet Tubman mural (424 Race St.). Shop in the many local boutiques, and don’t miss the gay-owned Shorelife Home and Gifts (421 Race St.), filled with stylish coastal décor items.
Stop for breakfast or lunch at Black Water Bakery (429 Race St.), which offers a full compliment of coffee drinks along with a build-your-own mimosa bar and a full menu of creative cocktails.
The Cambridge Yacht Club (1 Mill St.) is always bustling but you need to be a member to get in. Snapper’s on the water is temporarily closed for renovations. RaR Brewing (rarbrewing.com) is popular for craft beers served in an 80-year-old former pool hall and bowling alley. The menu offers burgers, wings, and other bar fare.
For dinner or wine, don’t miss the fantastic Vintage 414 (414 Race St.), which offers lunch, dinner, wine tasting events, specialty foods, and a large selection of wines. The homemade cheddar crackers, inventive flatbreads, and creative desserts (citrus olive oil cake, carrot cake trifle) were a hit on a recent visit.
Also nearby is Ava’s (305 High St.), a regional chain offering outstanding Italian dishes, pizzas, and more.
For something off the beaten path, visit Emily’s Produce (22143 Church Creek Rd.) for its nursery, produce, and prepared meals.
“Ten minutes into the sticks there’s a place called Emily’s Produce, where you can pay $5 and walk through a field and pick sunflowers, blueberries, you can feed the goats … and they have great food,” van Vlymen said.
As for accommodations, there’s the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay (100 Heron Blvd. at Route 50), a resort complex with golf course, spa, and marina. Otherwise, check out Airbnb and VRBO for short-term rentals closer to downtown.
Its proximity to D.C. and Baltimore makes Cambridge an ideal weekend getaway. The large LGBTQ population is welcoming and they are happy to talk up their town and show you around.
“There’s a closeness among the neighbors that I wasn’t feeling in D.C.,” Lumalcuri said. “We look after each other.”
a&e features
James Baldwin bio shows how much of his life is revealed in his work
‘A Love Story’ is first major book on acclaimed author’s life in 30 years

‘Baldwin: A Love Story’
By Nicholas Boggs
c.2025, FSG
$35/704 pages
“Baldwin: A Love Story” is a sympathetic biography, the first major one in 30 years, of acclaimed Black gay writer James Baldwin. Drawing on Baldwin’s fiction, essays, and letters, Nicolas Boggs, a white writer who rediscovered and co-edited a new edition of a long-lost Baldwin book, explores Baldwin’s life and work through focusing on his lovers, mentors, and inspirations.
The book begins with a quick look at Baldwin’s childhood in Harlem, and his difficult relationship with his religious, angry stepfather. Baldwin’s experience with Orilla Miller, a white teacher who encouraged the boy’s writing and took him to plays and movies, even against his father’s wishes, helped shape his life and tempered his feelings toward white people. When Baldwin later joined a church and became a child preacher, though, he felt conflicted between academic success and religious demands, even denouncing Miller at one point. In a fascinating late essay, Baldwin also described his teenage sexual relationship with a mobster, who showed him off in public.
Baldwin’s romantic life was complicated, as he preferred men who were not outwardly gay. Indeed, many would marry women and have children while also involved with Baldwin. Still, they would often remain friends and enabled Baldwin’s work. Lucien Happersberger, who met Baldwin while both were living in Paris, sent him to a Swiss village, where he wrote his first novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” as well as an essay, “Stranger in the Village,” about the oddness of being the first Black person many villagers had ever seen. Baldwin met Turkish actor Engin Cezzar in New York at the Actors’ Studio; Baldwin later spent time in Istanbul with Cezzar and his wife, finishing “Another Country” and directing a controversial play about Turkish prisoners that depicted sexuality and gender.
Baldwin collaborated with French artist Yoran Cazac on a children’s book, which later vanished. Boggs writes of his excitement about coming across this book while a student at Yale and how he later interviewed Cazac and his wife while also republishing the book. Baldwin also had many tumultuous sexual relationships with young men whom he tried to mentor and shape, most of which led to drama and despair.
The book carefully examines Baldwin’s development as a writer. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” draws heavily on his early life, giving subtle signs of the main character John’s sexuality, while “Giovanni’s Room” bravely and openly shows a homosexual relationship, highly controversial at the time. “If Beale Street Could Talk” features a woman as its main character and narrator, the first time Baldwin wrote fully through a woman’s perspective. His essays feel deeply personal, even if they do not reveal everything; Lucian is the unnamed visiting friend in one who the police briefly detained along with Baldwin. He found New York too distracting to write, spending his time there with friends and family or on business. He was close friends with modernist painter Beauford Delaney, also gay, who helped Baldwin see that a Black man could thrive as an artist. Delaney would later move to France, staying near Baldwin’s home.
An epilogue has Boggs writing about encountering Baldwin’s work as one of the few white students in a majority-Black school. It helpfully reminds us that Baldwin connects to all who feel different, no matter their race, sexuality, gender, or class. A well-written, easy-flowing biography, with many excerpts from Baldwin’s writing, it shows how much of his life is revealed in his work. Let’s hope it encourages reading the work, either again or for the first time.
a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.





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