April 18, 1976: I don’t know about where you live, but nearly everyone I know in Portland is a hyphenate (lawyer/farmer/author/chicken-wrangler), even I am an actor-writer-ne’er-do-well, making today’s birthday gay guy a most certain honorary citizen & a gay hero & a many word hyphenate. Gavin Creel is an activist/actor/singer/songwriter, & he is also one of founders of Broadway Impact, an organization of theatre professionals fighting for LGBT Equality.

Creel came out publicly in a 2009 interview in The Advocate. He has been honored as one of Out Magazine’s OUT 100. He has performed & given speeches at events benefiting The Human Rights Campaign. Creel toured with The Cyndi Lauper True Colors concert series & sang on the Capitol lawn at the 2009 National Equality March. Besides all the original Broadway cast albums, Creel has 3 solo vocal albums including Get Out, released in Spring 2012.

Creel was in the cast of the terrific revivial of Hair on both Broadway (2009) & The West End (2010). Creel earned Tony Award nominations for Hair & his Broadway debut, Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). He has also appeared on Broadway in La Cage Aux Folles (2004) & the West End production of Mary Poppins. He’s come a long way since his first stage appearance when, as a high school sophomore, Creed palyed Sir Sagamore in Camelot; speaking 2 words: “& mine.”

“Talking about sexuality, sexual orientation & understanding how sexual identity factors into all of our thinking, is a conversation that I believe everyone should fearlessly enter into. It drives me crazy how “gay issues” so often appear to be just for the gays & are therefore relegated to the outside edges of a newspaper or newscast or even election (except when it is conveniently spun into the hot topic to help mobilize people against us for the sake of “morality”. I love who I am, but I don’t see me & my gay friends as a bunch of homos who should be set apart from the rest. I don’t agree with those in our community who think that as gay people we are special & should therefore keep ourselves isolated from certain straight-associated thinking or conventions. If I really am special, I don’t need to separate myself to stand out (yet another thing I would say to the pimple-faced, show-choir-obsessed, teenage version of me). I hope the words are call to everyone: sexy straights, bi beauties, terrific trans people &, of course, us gorgeous gays.”

Although I appreciate him shirtless in Hair, Gavin Creel must now to wear a white shirt & black tie as Elder Price in the London production of The Book Of Mormon, for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor In A Musical.

 “Fans should follow me across the country & stalk me because I will put out. I will make out with every single one of them!”

Gavin Creel celebrates his 39 years birthday today.

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Las Vegas’s Ferris wheel is 550 feet tall

The New York Wheel, which just started construction on Staten Island, will have a concert venue, beer garden, playground and it’ll become the tallest Ferris in the U.S.. At 630 feet and 60 stories tall – 80 feet taller than the one in Las Vegas and almost 200 feet taller than the London Eye – it’s due to be completed in 2017. The 40-minute ride will have drop-dead views of the NYC skyline, the Statue of Liberty and each glass pod will hold 40 visitors, operating until midnight. The only downside? It’s in Staten Island. Nevertheless, the New York Wheel’s goal is to attract some of the 3.6 million tourists who ride the free (yes, FREE) Staten Island Ferry each year, most taking the 25-minute ride over, only to leave immediately on the next ferry back. But no one is holding their breath for Staten Island to turn into the next Brooklyn, which over the past decade became its own tourist destination, thanks to Williamsburg, art galleries, the Brooklyn Museum and all things artisinal. But Staten Island does have the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden which I’ve yet to visit, so that free ferry is going to bring a LOT of people to a place that gets overlooked on the well-worn tourist trail that is NYC.

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Spanish architects José Selgas and Lucía Cano’s proposal for the 15th Serpentine Pavilion made from colourful see-through plastic.

Every year since 2000 a chosen architect designs a folly pavilion that is erected near the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park in London. (Photographer Iwan Baan has photographed many if not all) Architect Smiljan Radic’s pavilion opened there last summer and after its run, the Radic Pavilion was carefully carved up, reinstalled in art gallery Hauser & Wirth’s outpost in the english countryside in Somerset. The views out of of the great curved openings in the elevated structure are beautiful and just eight months after opening there have already been some 90,000 visitors, more than double what they estimated. The Radic Pavilion has perhaps the happiest afterlife of any Serpentine structure. While the majority of the 15 pavilions created for the London gallery are in long-term storage, other structures will never exceed their trumpeted debuts in Kensington Gardens, this pebble-like folly will likely be intriguing and engaging visitors for decades to come.

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Here’s a fun fact, if you don’t already know it. When Walt Disney built Disney World in Florida in 1971, he created an complex underground tunnel system called “Utilidors”, for the cast members and maintenance to travel unseen to park guests. The tunnel network prevented anything out of character from ruining the “magic” of Disney. According to lore, one day Walt was walking through Disneyland in California, when he saw a cowboy walking through Tomorrowland to his post in Frontierland. This sight was so jarring to Disney that the Utilidor tunnel system was born. They cover nearly 9 acres with some tunnels SO long that golf carts are necessary. The enormous basement also houses make-up and dressing rooms, design, decorating and rehearsal facilities and even cafeterias, a check cashing service and an employee hair salon called “Kingdom Kutters”. (let’s hope the name and styles have been updated since ’71.) Check out this vintage footage of a quick glimpse into the tunnels.

(via Messy Nessy Chic)

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Just a day after it was leaked online (and quickly taken down), director Zack Snyder just released what he calls the “not blurry, not pirated” trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on Twitter. Ben Affleck‘s Batman shows up in this first look the 2016 superhero smackdown, after an audio collage of voices wondering whether or not Superman is more of a threat than a defender of mankind. Jeremy Irons’ as Alfred tells us about…

“the fever, the rage … the feeling of powerlessness that turns good men cruel”

The new Dark Knight stares down Henry Cavill‘s Superman and asking him whether or not he bleeds. “You will,” promises Batman. The movie comes out in March 2016. Watch.

(via Hollywood Reporter)

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Ashley Judd
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Hayden Christensen
James Franco
Jesse James
Kate Hudson
Luis Miguel
Maria Sharapova
Paloma Picasso
Ruby Wax
Suge Knight
Tim Curry
Tony Plana
Troy Polamalu

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with co-star & pal Elizabeth Montgomery

April 19, 1930- Dick Sargent. This is a post about Dicks.

Looking back now, I realize that the beguiling sitcom Bewitched, running from 1964 to 1972, was actually a powerful satirical allegory about the prejudice against gay people. Samantha, a powerful witch with many talents, lives as a mortal & hides her true self from a society that could never understand or accept her. She was in the broom-closet. Agnes Moorehead played Endora, Samantha’s oddly single, meddling mother who hates Samantha’s father played by a very fey Maurice Evans. Endora lectures Samantha about hiding who she is just because she might be rejected by society. Each episode was another zany example of the perils of not coming out. The show had possibly the gayest cast ever: Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead, Maurice Evans & of course, Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur, all were gay. Even the show’s lead, Elizabeth Montgomery, was an avid activist for gay rights.

Richard Cox’s mother was silent film actress Ruth Powell, his father, Elmer Cox, was the business manager to film star Douglas Fairbanks & director Erich Von Stroheim.

Cox studied theatre at Stanford University. Back in Hollywood, he received a small role in 1954’s Prisoner Of War, starring Ronnie Reagan. I suppose it was just too much of a burden to be billed as Dick Cox, & when he joined the Screen Actors Guild he changed his last name to Sargent.

Dick Sargent found steady work in 1950s & 1960s TV series: Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, I Dream Of Jeannie. He played a lead role in One Happy Family & Broadside. Sargent was featured in the films: Operation Petticoat (1959), That Touch Of Mink (1962) & an Elvis Presley project- Live A Little, Love A Little (1968).

I have read that Sargent & Tammy Grimes auditioned for the original roles of Darrin & Samantha Stephens during the casting of the pilot of Bewitched. Sargent became unavailable because he was under contract for Broadside. He did go on to play Tammy Grimes’s brother on the short lived series The Tammy Grimes Show, where the lead character’s name was Tamantha.

Bewitched, as we all know, went into production with Elizabeth Montgomery & Dick York as Mr. & Mrs. Stephens. After season 5, York left Bewitched because of back problems & a dependency on painkillers. To prepare viewers for the switch to a new Darrin in Season 6, ABC ran all of the shows in which Dick York did not appear during the summer 1969. Are you keeping your Dicks straight?

Sargent did not have an easy time stepping into the role in this top rated show with a popular leading man. If you watch, & I have, he often appears nervous & uncomfortable in his first season. The role of Darrin was never written differently, the 2 actors simply had a different interpretation of the character. Both Sargent & York have said that there was little room for improvisation & that the actors on Bewitched always stuck with the script. Sargent’s Darrin was more laid back & slyer. Elizabeth Montgomery:

“By the time Dick Sargent came on the show, Darrin & Samantha’s relationship was 5 years old… Darrin’s objections to witchcraft would have mellowed anyway, whether it was Dick Sargent or Dick York.”

Dick York had praise for the continuation of the show & for Sargent’s portrayal of Darrin. Sargent:

“Occasionally, I wonder about Bewitched. But I guess we all wonder about something or other. Most working actors don’t get a role where they become household faces. They may not know my name, I may be Darrin to people out there, but if people see you & smile at you & act like you’re an old friend, I think that’s a pretty swell accomplishment.”

After Bewitched, Sargent went on to guest-star in many popular 1970s & 1980s TV series that we all loved: Taxi, Alice, Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, The Dukes Of Hazzard, The Waltons, The Love Boat, Three’s Company, Murder, She Wrote, & L.A. Law. Sargent did voice work & returned to performing live theater when he had the chance.

In 1989, Sargent was diagnosed with that damn cancer. After a long & successful acting career, Sargent came out of the closet in 1990. He asked his old friend Elizabeth Montgomery to join him as Grand Marshall of the LA Gay Pride Parade in 1992. Montgomery:

“In or out of the closet, I love him. He’s a super guy & a good friend. I’m happy for him & proud of him.”

During the Bewitched years, Sargent’s bio made mention of an ex-wife to avoid speculation about his gayness. He even appeared as a couple with gay actor Fannie Flagg on the game show Tattletales. But actually, Sargent shared his life & his home with his partner of 20+ years, Albert Williams, until Williams’ death in 1990.

Sargent supported gay rights issues & was a life-long advocate of the Special Olympics. Sargent took his final bow, gone from prostate cancer, in 1994, less than a year before Elizabeth Montgomery’s passing from colon cancer.

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Gwyneth Paltrow announced last week she would take up the challenge laid down by her friend chef Mario Batali and the NYC Food Bank to live on what families on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) would be allowed to spend in a week: $29. Paltrow wrote on her website Goop:

“We only made it through about four days, when I personally broke and had some chicken and fresh vegetables (and in full transparency, half a bag of black licorice). My perspective has been forever altered by how difficult it was to eat wholesome, nutritious food on that budget, even for just a few days.”

She graded herself a C- on the project, but Internet reaction to her efforts was swift and critical early on. While her selections of beans and rice might make sense to the average shopper, fresh vegetables and herbs like cilantro are unlikely to be staples of cash-strapped families, who may be forced to purchase cheaper bulk items like cereals and canned foods. Maybe the fault wasn’t all Paltrow’s as she was operating on the low-end of the scale of SNAP funding; according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the average benefit per person is about $125 per month (or $31.25/week). But maximum SNAP benefits in 2015 can go up to $194/person (or $48.50/week). A household of three (Paltrow is a single mom with two children) can receive up to $511/month (or $127.75/week). Those are still far from big bucks (we went out to dinner last night and it was $120 a person) but all are higher than $29/week for a single individual. A representative for Food Bank For NYC explained its $29/week amount in a statement:

“Because there are so many variables when it comes to determining SNAP allotment, to determine a total ‘food budget’ for the challenge, Food Bank For New York City took the average monthly benefit per person enrolled in the SNAP program over a six month period.

As we challenge people to live on a SNAP/food stamp budget for one week, this is a way to capture an appropriate number for a broad audience, It is true that SNAP benefits fluctuate based on income, number of children per family, and other factors — but it’s also worth noting that 92 percent of SNAP recipients are either working or aren’t expected to work because they are children, elderly or disabled. Regardless, the challenge has inspired people to think and look at the obstacles SNAP recipients face each day — together, we can work to end hunger.”

In the end, it was a good-hearted (but doomed) effort to eat for a week on so little $$. As Paltrow wrote,

“I know hunger doesn’t always touch us all directly — but it does touch us all indirectly. After this week, I am even more grateful that I am able to provide high-quality food for my kids. Let’s all do what we can to make this a basic human right and not a privilege.”

I agree, but that won’t stop the haters from screaming about this. There ARE worse things in the world than Gwyneth Paltrow calling attention to hunger in America. But as some of you snarkily commented “calling attention” is not enough. Well, then find out where your local food banks are here and donate, if you feel so strongly. Or don’t.

(via Today)

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Coachella‘s fashion, such as it is, has been pretty predictable –but Jaden Smith took another style risk and upended fashion gender norms. Weekend two of the the music fest kicked off Friday, and the 16-year-old arrived in another long shirtdress with a red rose cluster in his locks. Say what you want about this young Smith dude, but he seems to finding himself, and to me, he pulls this off. What do you think this means? It means that he’s a 16 year old, rebelling and figuring out who he is… and famous or not, that’s pretty normal for a teenager. Don’t listen to the haters, Jaden.

(Photos, Pacific Coast News)

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The triplex south tower penthouse in the San Remo on Central Park West, is on the market. The price includes a two-bedroom two-bath lobby level apt (for guests or help, no doubt) is included in the sale, for $75 million. If met, this would set a record for an UWS co-op and crush the $26.4 million achieved at the San Remo just last year. Demi Moore, who bought the penthouse with her ex-husband Bruce Willis, from producer Robert Stigwood in 1990, has a monthly maintenance of $17,912.85, which has about 7,000 square feet of interior living space and 1,500 square feet of wraparound terraces with panoramic park, river and cityscape vistas from the 28th floor. The maintenance for the maisonette is $3,273. The San Remo was designed in 1929 by Emory Roth with distinctive twin towers culminating in Renaissance-style Corinthian temples crowned by 22-foot-high copper lanterns underwent a co-op conversion in 1972, and although Madonna was rejected by the board, other boldface residents through the years have included Dustin Hoffman, Diane Keaton and Steven Spielberg. Moore and Willis were smitten by the south tower:

“We looked at everything on the park, Fifth Avenue, Central Park South and Central Park West, and there was just nothing like it. The location, architecture and history of the San Remo were on a completely different level.”

They have installed new windows in every room, not counting bathrooms, etc, the penthouse has 14 rooms total on three levels not counting the first floor “maisonette”. The interiors of both units have been redone in a Mission motif dominated by cherry wood, which is slightly out of character for the building and would surely be redone by the new owners. The grand living room has three exposures, more than 20 feet of park frontage overlooking the boat pond. A 14-by-20-foot library has the original plaster rosette molding and bas reliefs in the ceiling. This is a potential sixth bedroom and it has the original Roth en-suite bath. (Apt #1H has both original baths.) The 24-by-17-foot dining room has a crystal chandelier and the kitchen has views north to the George Washington Bridge, with a stone center island, double Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Viking range. The media room on the 28th floor has 16-foot ceilings and access to the terraces. On the mezzanine level above the media room are a sleeping loft, full bath and kitchenette. Ms. Moore has not occupied the penthouse for several years and says:

“I’m spending the majority of my time in my other homes, and this apartment is too magnificent not to be lived in full time.”

Only one neighbor shares a similar perch. The owner of the San Remo’s smaller north tower penthouse? Bono.

(Photos, Tony Cenicola; via New York Times)

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April 20, 1951- The Sad Song Of Luther Vandross

Slick, overproduced, modern R&B is not my favorite genre, but there is no denying the luscious, lustrous instrument that was the voice of Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. He was the premier male R&B singer of his era. He won 8 Grammys including for Song Of The Year in 2004, for the touching Dance With My Father.

Vandross started as a much in demand, first-rate backup session singer, adding luster & depth to the songs of Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Chic, & Barbra Streisand. Vandross toured with David Bowie in 1974 & sang backing vocals on the Young Americans album. He was mentored by Roberta Flack, who saw in Vandross the makings of a truly great artist. He was well liked & respected in the industry.

Vandross had a series of well reviewed, strong selling solo albums & collaborations in the 1980s, 1990s & early aughts. Yet, his career was vexed by questions about his sexuality. He was never romantically linked in the media with any women. He never explicitly denied being gay, but he never publicly acknowledged it either. He claimed that he was too busy with his career, & “it was not what he wanted.” Vandross’ homosexuality was an open secret in the music biz, but his name is never seems mentioned in the lists of Great Gay Artists.

Vandross suffered terribly from diabetes & hypertension. His weight was up & down wildly throughout his career. Remember when MTV was a network that showed music videos? In the 1980s & 1990s, I was always shocked that I could not recognize Vandross from song to song, between hefty Vandross in a caftan or sleek Luther in a suit with cinched waist & shoulder pads. He was handsome, nudging towards pretty. In 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke at his home in Manhattan. Except for accepting his 2004 his that Song Of The Year Grammy in 2004, he was never seen in public again. On the YouTube video of the awards, Vandross states:

“Whenever I say goodbye, it’s never for long because I believe in the power of love.”

Vandross took that final bow in July 2005. He was just 54 years old. Reports stated that he had never fully recovered from the 2003 stroke. He left this world peacefully, surrounded by family & friends. He would have been 64 years old today. I cannot imagine that he would not have still been recording today, possibly in his best voice, & possibly out & proud, with a special guest role on Empire.

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It’s raining this morning, but after a BRUTAL winter, for the last several days we’ve had finally had some nice Spring weather here in NYC. The trees are budding, and celebs have been out all over town… even the slider turtles came out of hibernation in Central Park. The Tribeca Film Festival is screening new films and director Jodie Foster is town to shoot her new movie Money Monster. Amal Clooney visited her hubby on set (below) and George stopped to chat with her and horse around with co-star Jack McConnell(below right).

Julia Roberts is in Money Monster as well, and was out in Grammercy where she still keeps an apartment, I think…. and who is that slipping out the side door of Lupa…? It’s First Lady, Michelle Obama looking chic & springy with a spring in her step.

50 Shades star, Dakota Johnson was seen out with Mom Melanie Griffith shopping at La Garconne in Tribeca after having lunch together one day and with her dog Zeppelin, in the Village the next.

Anderson Cooper and longtime boyfriend Benjamin Maisani sport matching Adidas kicks and Tea Leoni out jogging in Central Park on a beautiful sunny day.

Jennifer Connelly and husband Paul Bettany casually promote NYC and Emma Roberts and fiance Evan Peters either waiting for a cab or an Uber driver.

Taylor Swift going in and coming out The Spotted Pig in West Village. One of her best friend’s is supermodel, Karlie Kloss, and you can see here from her gorgeous skin and long legs, had she not become a singer/songwriter, she could have been a runway girl too.

Amber Heard was seen all over town (in at least 6 different looks) this being her best, I think, as well as a sweet moment on the red carpet with a young fan at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Katies Holmes was out to dinner with Mom, Dad and Suri at Babbo Ristorante after attending the Tribeca Film Festival and the gorgeous Olivia Palermo going into the 9th annual Delete Blood Cancer Gala at Cipriani Wall Street.

January Jones stopped outside the Apple Store store to sign autographs after talking about her Good Kill film and the ageless Debra Messing was spied wearing all white going into the Huffington Post studios.

Vanessa Hudgens looking summery leaving her apartment in SoHo and Olivia Wilde in a odd dress, I’m on the fence about, seen coming out of the SVA Theater during the Tribeca Film Festival.

Anne Hathaway was out with husband Adam Shulman around West Village in this strange mix of clothing (incognito?) and then two other days she went with equally strange ensembles. If your friend dressed this way, no big deal – but your friend probably isn’t a movie star that has her picture taken every time she steps out the door. Let’s go shopping, Anne… you can do better, even on your day off. (Photos, Pacific Coast News)

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Big Sean got his name, one assumes, for a certain part of his anatomy. It seems, Big Sean and Ariana Grande are still a couple but he’s still has to deal with Grande’s daddy. Ariana’s father, Edward Butera, recently posted a comment on Big Sean’s Instagram, making sure he knew that he was being clocked. Sean posted this photo of himself with the caption:

“I give her that D… #Detroit.”

Mr. Butera then commented:

“that D. better be Detroit Sean.”

Let’s hope Dad hasn’t Googled Big Sean’s bigness already… but one would guess Dad was talking more about the “D” part than the size, right?

The post #InstaBust: Ariana Grande’s Dad Warns Big Sean, “That D. Better Be Detroit, Sean.” appeared first on World of Wonder.

NSFW: What do you get when you ask females to describe and draw their “ideal penis”? … well, as you can see it’s not always easy to get an honest answer. But Elite Daily somehow managed to get a few gals willing to sit down with a pad of paper and get creative. Not only women like penises, so I’m not sure why they didn’t throw in a few gay men – and not all women really want one, so a lesbian or two would have spiced this up a bit as well, but it’s pretty funny anyway… watch.

The post #DickPics: Women Draw Their Ideal Penis Shapes & Sizes appeared first on World of Wonder.

The queen of bridal, Vera Wang, announced the debut of her Spring 2016 Bride Collection with a short film titled Hotel Madrid directed by Gordon von Steiner. I love the look of this but reading some comments on YouTube makes me think SOME people never saw a fashion magazine or runway show in their lives. Peony1955 said:

“…these are not appropriate wedding dresses…she is just drawing attention to her brand. I usually love Vera Wang dresses but there are only a couple of these that are lovely, the rest are nighties for a horror flicks modeled by dead zombies.”

Tabitha Dowlswell was not happy either:

“I’m…just…horrified. This is just taking something that is meant to be beautiful and making it… I don’t even have the words. Creepy will work though. YUCK.”

In the biz, it’s called editorial, kids, which means giving the viewer a story, not just pretty clothes. Well, YOU get it, right? Or do you hate it too? Well, anyway whether everyone likes it or not, it’s doing its job “drawing attention to the brand”, and hey, Vera’s in charge but she doesn’t do this by herself, so the credit/blame is to be shared. This was styled by Victoria Mesenbrick with hair by Bok-Hee and Marla Belt makeup, featuring models Sarah Brannon, Nastya Sten, Hedvig Palm, Clementine Deraedt, Issa Lish and Josephine Le Tutour. Watch and you can leave your comments on Wow’s Facebook timeline.

The post #FashionForward?: Vera Wang Angers Bridezillas with Her “Creepy” Short Film, “Hotel Madrid” appeared first on World of Wonder.

Target stores around the country were overwhelmed by shoppers looking to nab the Lilly Pulitzer collection during the launch yesterday. The luxury clothing line, known for its bright pastels and floral prints, had collaboration with Target saw lines wraping around stores. The stores website crashed almost immediately after the colorful 250-item Lilly Pulitzer collection went live at 3 AM, forcing shoppers to wait until brick and mortar stores open this morning to shop for most items, but many shoppers were met with cleared racks and zippo. Zilch. Nada. Lilly Pulitzer had this to say today:

As usual, you have blown us away with your dedication to the brand! Currently the Lilly for Target collection is nearly sold out on Target.com but there is some availability at Target stores. If you didn’t get what you were looking for, here’s a little sunshine we’re spreading your way: visit lillypulitzer.com or any Lilly Pulitzer retail location today or tomorrow and receive a MYSTERY GIFT with any purchase. Thank you thank you thank you for being you and always supporting us xx

Needless to say, some people bought tons to sell online at a profit and those who lost out were pissed. Multiple people on social media reported that the entire line was selling out within 10 minutes of stores opening. There was a launch luncheon at Bryant Park Grill last week in Manhattan with celebs wearing the brand which, with this demand, was probably not even necessary, but they likely paid for the privilege. If you remember the same this happened with Missoni‘s collaboration a while back. I’m waiting for the Prada collection myself… I know, don’t hold your breath.

Camilla Alves & Emmy Rossum get chummy at the Lilly Pulitzer for Target launch at Bryant Park Grill. Bella Thorne & Kate Bosworth were likely paid to wear their Pulitzer prints to the event as well.

(Photos, Instagram, Pacific Coast News)

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If you combine Almost Famous and Dazed and Confused with a dash of Will & Grace, it’s kinda the story of my early life. 20+ years after its initial release, Boyhood director Richard Linklater’s classic film, a period piece about a group of Texas teenagers on the last day of high school in 1976, still holds up. Whether or not you were even born in the ‘70s, the film’s themes —cliques, hazing, and hormones— make it universally relatable for teenagers, whether they know who Foghat is or not. (Great soundtrack, btw.) It also features some of the earliest performances from a handful of actors who went on to become big stars, including Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Parker Posey, and Matthew McConaughey, who, in character as David Wooderson, uttered his trademark…

“Alright, alright, alright.”

Watch…. and don’t bogart that doobie, nerd!

The post #Happy420!: Celebrate By Firing Up One of The Best Stoner Movies Ever,”Dazed and Confused” appeared first on World of Wonder.

Fresh from appearing in the Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, Michelle Visage has been on the road with the fabulous Battle of the Seasons show alongside many of the stars of past seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Inclusive Networks talked to Michelle about things like Drag Race…

Why do you think Ru Paul’s Drag Race is still so popular?
“You know how sometimes a show takes a minute to take off, you hear about it then realise there’s buzz about it but you’re already three seasons in. I think Ru Paul’s Drag Race was that way. I really think that Season3 is where it really started. Even though that’s when I became a judge on the show too, I swear to god it’s got nothing to do with that. I feel that’s when it really started to get legs and from there it’s only got bigger and bigger. So a lot of people then went back and revisited the earlier seasons and Season4 was even bigger. People are starting to open up to the idea of drag being a viable art form and not just looking at it as being a bunch of freaks and gay-boys who don’t fit in. There’s so much more to it than that and people are just starting to realise that. So the more mainstream it goes, the bigger it’s going to get and that’s what’s happening.”

Does the show receive any negativity?
“Of course. I mean homosexuality still gets negative press from all areas. We are still not completely accepted in mainstream. Even when we have full equality there’s still going to be negativity as you have people out there who don’t want to hear it any other way than the way they think. You can’t always have the tide being in your favour and that’s fine. It’s not ever going to be everything that we want it to be but the closer we get, the more we fight and the more positive the outcome is going to be.”

Will a UK version of Drag Race happen?
We’re working on it. Jonathan Ross has been my guardian angel. He’s been unbelievable with it. It’s just a matter of finding a commissioner who wants to take a risk. I believe in my heart of hearts that it’s going to happen. I don’t know when or where, but it’ll happen. But at this point I have no definitive answers.

What was your reason for taking part in Big Brother earlier this year?
I did Big Brother for the gays. I swear to god I didn’t do it for any other reason except to get our TV show known in the UK and to give a voice to the gays. Yes, you have equality in the UK but it’s not country wide. Lots of people are still bigoted and people still don’t understand the fight we’ve got. It’s never enough to spread the word, we’ve got to keep fighting and showing our colours and pride.

For the rest of the interview with our fab, gorgeous, outspoken gal, go here.

(via Inclusive Networks)

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Tommy being dried off after a bath.

Tommy Tucker was an orphaned squirrel in Washington, DC, when Zaidee Bullis adopted him and for some unknown reason, Bullis sewed custom-made doll dresses for him to model. In 1944, photographer Nina Leen was working on photo assignments for LIFE and as she had prior experience with animals, the magazine asked her to photograph little Tommy Tucker. Leen styled Tommy the squirrel in drag for a LIFE magazine feature and although Tommy occasionally bit his her, he otherwise went along and wore the outfits, quite well, as you can see. Leen’s keen knack for shooting animals is the real hidden talent in this work and as you might imagine, it’s pretty tough to get animals to cooperate, let wear costumes. There’s an exhibit of her work that is now on view at Daniel Cooney Fine Art in New York City through May 16.

(via Hyperallergic)

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If you want to know what gay heaven is like (if you grew up in the 70s) take a look at Elton John, Cher, Bette Midler and Flip Wilson performing Mockingbird, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Never Can Say Goodbye and Proud Mary on The Cher Show in 1975. OK, and if THAT’S not gay enough for you, how about Cher in an afro with MJ & The Jackson 5 as bonus footage! There. Are. No. Words… just watch.

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