Arts & Entertainment
Sights, sounds and smells
Pop culture gifts to dazzle all the senses
Books, DVDs and Blu-rays, special edition box sets all make great gifts. And as more and more media move into the electronic zone, unwrapping something tangible feels extra nice.
Here are a few ideas to get your gift-giving idea juices flowing.
BOOKS:
āIn Bed with Gore Vidalā by Tim Teeman is as juicy as the title implies, exploring in great detail, how gay the famed writerās sex life was despite his insistence that there was āno such thing as gay.ā E-book: $9.99; $19.99 trade paperback. (Photo courtesy Magnus)
āExtraordinary Heartsā by Nicholas Benton gathers the local newspaper publisherās sweeping series of LGBT essays under one cover. Lethe Press/$20 (Photo courtesy the author)
āThe Forever Marathonā by Jameson Currier is a new novel billed as a āwickedly delightful war of wits and whines between longtimeā gay couple Jesse and Adam over the course of a two-day fight. E-book: $9.99; $18 trade paperback. (Photo courtesy Chelsea Station Editions)
MUSIC:
āLove to Love You Donnaā by Donna Summer is a remix collection of the late divaās biggest hits by top DJs. The biggest shock? How current these new mixes sound despite the source material being, in most cases, decades old. (Photo credit Verve)
āSnow Globeā by Erasure is the gay duoās first seasonal effort in a 25-year career. Itās as moody, electronic and subversive as one would expect. (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
Broadwayās āCarols for a Cureā Vo. 15, the annual AIDS benefit recording, is a double-disc set that carries on the seriesā tradition ā seasonal covers done in every style from high camp (Perez Hilton is back again this year) to shockingly poignant (the cast of āMotownāsā stunning medley). Rock-It Science Records.
āGleeāsā Matthew Morrison has a holiday EP called āA Classic Christmasā out this week. PBS will air a TV special of the same name on Nov. 30. He plays the Kennedy Center Nov. 29-30. (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
āLoved Me Back to Lifeā by Celine Dion, the divaās first English studio album since 2007. You or someone on your list is either excited about this or not. No promo blurb could possibly change your mind at this point of Dionās career. (Photo courtesy Columbia)
āBrave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouseā by Sara Bareilles, a DVD/CD live set from the LGBT allyās tour. It features a cover of Elton Johnās āGoodbye Yellow Brick Road.ā (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
Kelly Clarkson is out with her first-ever holiday album, āWrapped in Red.ā It features first single āUnderneath the Treeā and the title cut. (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
Madonnaās āMDNA World Tourā is now available on DVD and Blu-ray after a recall delayed the proceedings. Interscope. (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
āBritten & Pears: a Unique Musical Cooperationā celebrates the centennial of the birth of gay composer Benjamin Britten who enjoyed a personal and professional relationship with singer Peter Pears. Ten discs. $54.97. (Photo courtesy United Classics)
A DVD of Stevie Nicksā documentary film āIn Your Dreams,ā about the making of her album of the same name, drops Dec. 3. $14.98, Reprise.
TV
āAb Fabā the entire series is now available on a 10-disc set. $158.98. (Photo courtesy BBC Home Entertainment)
āBewitched,ā available for years in season packs, is now out in a āwhole seriesā package. $55.99. (Photo courtesy Sony)
āFlo,ā the āAliceā spin-off featuring sassy Polly Holliday in the title role, was doomed by endless time slot changes during its brief season-and-a-half run back in 1980. Rarely seen in syndication, it finally gets some respect with all 29 episodes available in one package. $34.99 (Photo courtesy Warner Archive Collection)
NOVELTIES/OTHER
There have been endless Catwoman interpretations over the years. The Barbie Collector Classic Catwoman pays homage to Julie Newmarās timeless performance. Another featuring Adam Westās Batman is also available. $35.52 each. (Photo courtesy Mattel)
Lypsinka and illustrator Stefano Imbert have collaborated on a line of Lypsinka merchandise featuring everything from magnets, pins, mugs, T-shirts and more. Visit the shop online at zazzle.com/lypsinka. (photo pending)
The Smithsonian has its own line of gift items this year featuring a Castle Key paperweight ($35), wreath hanger ($40), African-American art banner bags (prices vary) and more. Pictured here is the Hirshhorn Britto Pop-Art Dog ($20). On Dec. 7-8, a series of holiday events will be held at the various Smithsonian museums featuring book signings, holiday films in IMAX theaters, crafts for kids and more. (Photo courtesy the Smithsonian)
Gay designer Tom Ford is out with a new fragrance. āNoirā is an āoriental, sensual fragrance that captures the twin facets of the Tom Ford man ā the refined, urbane sophisticate whom everyone gets to see and the intriguingly sensuous private man they donāt.ā 1.7 oz for $90; 3.4 oz. for $125. (Photo courtesy Tom Ford)
This seasonās new womenās fragrances offer an alluring array from Gucciās āGuilty Blackā ($75), Dolce & Gabbanaās āVelvet Desert Oudā ($270) to lighter scents like Calvin Kleinās āDowntownā ($65) and Jimmy Chooās āWhite Editionā ($150).Ā (Photos courtesy Dolce & Gabbana/Jimmy Choo)
a&e features
āRuPaulās Drag Race: All Starsā cast visits D.C.
8 queens vie for $200,000 prize for charity in new season, premiering May 17
Donning sparkling and star-studded red, white, and blue attire on a gloomy, humid D.C. Monday, the cast of the latest āRuPaulās Drag Race All Starsā season sashayed on the National Mall to promote the reality show’s ninth season.
This upcoming season is different than those in the past ā eight queens are competing for a donation of $200,000 for the charity of their choosing, rather than a personal cash prize.
Several cast members noted how it felt important to visit the nationās capital, being authentically themselves and wearing drag. Nina West, who competed in season 11, likened drag to armor.
āWeāre here during a really specific time in history, that’s, I would say, markedly dark,ā she told the Blade at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. āAnd there’s an opportunity, as drag has always done, which is for our community as specifically LGBTQI+ people, to stand in our truth and be wonderful ā like guardians and fighters for our community.ā
Sheās competing for the Trevor Project, which is focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for young LGBTQ people. This seasonās pivot to compete for charity made Nina West want to come back on the show for the All Stars season. Sheās been offered the spot two times before this, she said, and this twist aligned with what she wanted to do.
Several of the other queens mentioned that itās an honor to be featured in this season, including season 5ās Roxxxy Andrews. She also competed in two subsequent All-Stars seasons.
She chose the organization Miracle of Love, which provides HIV/AIDS prevention programming and assistance in central Florida. Itās a smaller, more local organization, which is why Roxxxy Andrews chose it. She wants to make its work more nationally known. Also, vying to win during a charity season makes the competition feel more rewarding, she said.
Plastique Tiara of season 11 also noted itās different competing for charity. Sheās competing for the Asian American Foundation, which launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and aims to curb discrimination and violence through education and investments in nonprofits.
āIt’s more competitive because then you’re fighting not just only for yourself, but your ideas and the things that you love,ā she said.
Vanessa Vanjie of seasons 10 and 11 agreed that competing for charity adds a bit more pressure ā she chose the ASPCA. And as onlookers near the Lincoln Memorial took pictures of and with the queens, she said she was relieved.Ā
āI was a little bit worried somebody would yell some slurs at us,ā Vanessa Vanjie said. āNothing happened. Everybody came to take pictures like Santa Claus in the middle of the mall.ā
Thereās a range of contestants from different seasons for this round of All Stars. Some queens hail from recent seasons, but Shannel competed on the showās first season. To be a part of this new season is surreal, she said.
Sheās competing for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which she has a close tie to. Sheās dealt with anxiety her entire life. The association is focused on increasing awareness and improving diagnosis and treatment.
āI always felt like I just wasn’t normal, sadly,ā she said. āAnd so now being able to be able to do this season and to get back to that organization is like amazing to me.ā
Gottmik, from season 13, is competing for Trans Lifeline ā a nonprofit providing advocacy, a hotline and grants created by trans people, for trans people. Being able to do drag and give back is the āperfect scenario,ā Gottmik said.
Gottmik was the first openly trans man on Drag Race, which was overwhelming when first on the show. Gottmik felt pressure to be the āperfect example,ā but later realized that they didnāt have to worry so much.
āI just want to show people that trans people are real people. We can express ourselves however we want to express ourselves, through drag, through whatever it may be,ā Gottmik said.
The new season will be available to stream on Paramount+ on May 17.Ā
Photos
PHOTOS: GLSEN Respect Awards
Marcia Gay Harden presented with Advocate Award in New York City ceremony
The LGBTQ advocacy organization GLSEN held its annual Respect Awards at Gotham Hall in New York City on April 29. Special guests included Billy Porter, Wilson Cruz, Nathan Lee Graham and Anthony Rapp. The evening included a live performance by The Scarlet Opera. Peppermint of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” served as host. Marcia Gay Harden was presented with the Advocate Award.
(Photos by Andrew Werner)
Celebrity News
More than 1 million people attend Madonna concert in Rio
Free event took place on Copacabana Beach on Saturday
An estimated 1.6 million people on Saturday attended Madonna’s free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.
The concert, which was the last one as part of Madonna’s Celebration Tour, included a tribute to people lost to AIDS.
Bob the Drag Queen introduced Madonna before the concert began. Pabllo Vittar, a Brazilian drag queen and singer, and Anitta, a bisexual pop star who was born in Rio’s HonĆ³rio Gurgel neighborhood, also joined Madonna on stage.
Congresswoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker, and Rio Municipal Councilwoman MĆ“nica BenĆcio, the widow of Marielle Franco, a bisexual Rio Municipal Councilwoman who was assassinated in 2018, are among those who attended the concert.
“Madonna showed that we fight important fights for the human rights of Black (people), young (people), women and LGBTQIA+ people, and against all injustice, discrimination, and violence,” saidĀ AssociaƧao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association ofĀ TravestisĀ and Transsexuals), a Brazilian trans rights group known by the acronym ANTRA, on itsĀ X account.Ā “What they call identitarianism’ is our subversion to the retrograde and conservative tackiness that plagues the country.”
The Associated Press reported the concert was Madonna’s biggest ever.