A US Army spokesperson has confirmed that Chelsea Manning left Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. She was sentenced to 35 years in prison by court-martial in 2013 charged with espionage and 21 other offences, including stealing government property and a number of disobedience charges.

Manning was found guilty of was aiding the enemy “through indirect means” and could have received the death sentence for this charge alone, but ultimately received a 35-year prison sentence.

President Obama commuted Manning’s sentence to seven years total confinement in January 2017 including the three years Manning served before she stood trial.

Manning publicly came out as a transgender woman in August of 2013, the day after she was sentenced.

“As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition.“

But the Army said they would continue to consider her as a man. Manning was kept in male prisons for the entire time but her legal name change was granted in April 2014 by the Kansas District Court.

She did not receive hormone replacement therapy or any treatment for her gender dysphoria until February 2015. In September of last year, the ACLU announced the army would grant Manning’s request for gender confirmation surgery. Manning attempted suicide twice during her prison sentence: once on July 5 2016 and on October 4 of that same year.

For the first attempt she was later sentenced to 14 days of solitary confinement, but was released after seven days. She also went on a five-day hunger strike in September 2016 out of protest over “being bullied” by prison authorities and the US government.

But today Chelsea Manning is a free woman.

(Photo, Flickr; via Gay Star News)

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The man who opposed the inclusion of LGBTQ groups in St Patrick’s Day Marches, Catholic League President Bill Donohue, is apparently THRILLED that ABC cancelled The Real O’Neals. Donoghue said on YouTube,

“We’ve got great news, The Real O’Neals has been axed. They would have dropped it after one season except for the fact that the Catholic League has been fighting against it. It’s not the anti-Catholic content of The Real O’Neals that bothered us so much, most of it was just plain stupid. It was the fact that it was based on the life of Dan Savage. He’s a sick sex columnist.. he’s a filthy-mouthed bigot against Catholics.

They would never allow [white supremacist] David Duke to produce a show on ABC owned by Disney, but yet they allowed Savage to be a co-producer. They finally dumped it after the second season… if they had any guts they’d have dumped it as soon as they’d seen the script.

At least today, I can say it’s over. The Catholic League has finally won, albeit regrettably late. We went after advertisers, we dropped a few of them, we gave them some bad PR, and hopefully blackened up that snow-white image of Disney. It’s a good day.”

That’s a lot of hate coming from someone who supposedly follows the teaching of Christ.

Speaking of hate, the wildly overestimated hate group, One Million Moms (which has less that 90,000 on their Facebook page) had also campaigned against the show, encouraging supporters to target its advertisers claiming,

“It is almost impossible to describe the depth of depravity found in the sitcom The Real O’Neals. The Real O’Neals mocks Christianity and insults Catholicism. 1MM recognizes this show ridicules people of faith, and Christians across America are offended by it.

[It makes] a mockery of the Christian faith.”

The show is the second acclaimed LGBTQ comedy to be cancelled this year as the series Please Like Me, which explored queer and mental health issues, was dropped earlier this year after its original TV network closed down.

Online streaming giant Hulu stepped up to air the show’s already-filmed fourth season, but it was later confirmed that it would not be returning for a fifth.

We’ll miss The Real O’Neals and so will many others, including gay teens who needed to see themselves represented positively on TV, by something as innocent as a kiss.

(via Pink News)

The post #LGBTQ: ABC Cancelled “The Real O’Neals” (& Homophobes Are THRILLED!) appeared first on The WOW Report.

HENNNNY, we are DEAD!

The first part of Michelle Visage‘s episode of Lemme Pick You Up with Ts Madison is now live on WOWPresents and, giiiiiiiiiirl is it a damn good episode.

We are over here DYING of laughter at these two! Seriously, their jokes are hilarious. The pair talk about when Michelle met RuPaul, doing anal in your relationship, her love of porn, and SO MUCH MORE!

Seriously, what are you waiting for? Watch the full episode below!

The post Michelle Visage Talks Meeting RuPaul, Anal Sex, Porn, & SO MUCH MORE With Ts Madison In ‘Lemme Pick You Up’ Part One! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Roger Ailes, who essentially created U.S. disinformation with Fox News, is dead.

Of course his death was announced by his family and reported on Fox News, the ratings powerhouse that forced him out in a sexual harassment scandal last year.

Last summer, Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox anchor, sued him for sexual harassment, and other women came forward to support her claims. Ailes resigned last July.

Ailes started the network almost from scratch in ’96 and built it into a major influence on the right wing of American politics. You could say without it, we wouldn’t have President Trump.

Normally obits contain an RIP, but I don’t wish that. And since I don’t want to be mean or celebrate anyone’s demise with a BIH hashtag, I’ll just leave it like this.

Roder Ailes was 77. (via CNN)

The post Roger Ailes Is Dead appeared first on The WOW Report.

Based on multiple reports including the Palmer Report, Donald Trump’s senior staff have begun circulating their resumes in the hope of finding new gigs far away from scandal.

The Trump staff exodus came early yesterday afternoon when political insider Jon Cooper revealed that

“A source told me at least 3-4 WH staffers are shopping around their resumes. Overpowering sense of gloom, waiting for the next shoe to drop”

This came BEFORE Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the Trump-Russia investigation.

After that, the report of resumes being circulated was then repeated in a story on Wednesday night which was posted on the Chicago Tribune website but credited to the Washington Post. It all highlights the chaos within the White House that was barely functioning.

Rumors have also circulated that for the past week Trump is considering firing most or all of his White House senior staff, as he tries to lay the blame on them for his mounting failures and scandals.

So who knows if their resumes are being sent out because they think they’re about to get fired or whether they just want off the Trump ship as it seems to be taking on more water every day.

What the West Wing was watching on May 15…

(Bottom photo, Reuters; via Palmer Report)

The post In Sinking Ship News: Trump’s Senior White House Staffers Are Busy Sending Out Their Resumés… appeared first on The WOW Report.

In my time of dying, I want nobody to mourn

All I want for you to do is take my body home

Those opening lines to the last song Chris Cornell ever sang on stage. It’s a cover of Led Zeppelin‘s In My Time of Dying”

Soundgarden closed out their show at Detroit’s Fox Theater last night and hours later, Cornell was found dead. Detroit police said it as a suicide. Police spokesman Michael Woody said,

“We are moving in the direction of a possible suicide but we are waiting on the medical examiners office to provide their report.”

Cornell battled substance abuse and other demons that also plagued so many of his contemporaries. Cornell told Rolling Stone in 2015,

“I’ve lost a lot of young, brilliant friends, people that I thought were very inspired. They’re all young and these guys all had limitless potential in their lives in front of them.”

In recent years he moved to Florida with his family and opened up about his long term sobriety. Cornell told the Mirror in 2012 about his battle with alcoholism.

“It was a long slow slide and then a long slow recovery, but there was self-discovery too.

I was very lucky I was able to see that and not take it for granted. It helped me climb out of the mire. I saw how hard it could be.”

The last song Cornell ever released was called “The Promise.” It ends like this;

And one promise you made
One promise that always remains
No matter the price
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
And dare to rise once more
A promise to survive
Persevere and thrive
And fill the world with life
As we’ve always done

Chris Cornell was 52.

(via CNN)

The post #RIP: Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell’s Last Song Was About Death… appeared first on The WOW Report.

The history of gay characters on television has been a long series of two steps forward, one step back, and that’s why, even in the 21^st century, we look back at all the “Gay Firsts”: first gay supporting roles, first gay leading roles, first scene of gay men in bed together, first same-sex kiss, first gay characters that weren’t sissies or tragic.

On the 184th episode of the landmark series Roseanne (1988-1997), a small step forward was made in Television History. The episode was titled December Bride and I believe it was the first same-sex wedding on television. A month later, an episode of Friends (1994-2004), The One With The Lesbian Wedding, would feature the wedding of Susan and Carol, two recurring characters whose importance dwindled away by the end of the 2000 season. But, Rosanne got there first!

December Bride revolved around the wedding of longtime recurring character Leon, Roseanne’s boss (and later co-worker), perfectly played by Martin Mull, and his boyfriend Scott, played by the great Fred Willard. Roseanne served as their wedding planner. She, of course, went over-the-top and hilarity ensued. Roseanne’s open-mindedness about gay people was exposed as self-serving during the episode, but the whole thing ends up being rather sweet without being sticky. Plus, Leon and Scott stuck around and became a real part of Roseanne’s Conner family until the series ended.

At the end of the episode, the camera brusquely moves away from Mull and Willard’s kiss, another reminder that America wasn’t ready to see two gay men kissing. That wouldn’t happen on a network television show until Will locked-lips with Jack on Will & Grace in 2000. And then, it was for a shock joke.

Both Friends and Roseanne episodes were celebrated for their boldness at the time.  But, John Goodman’s Dan Conner stands in for the viewing public, as he is shown to be squeamish by the two men’s kiss. Yet, the revolutionary moment in the episode is at the very end, as Roseanne lectures Dan: “It just happens to be two people of the same sex kissing, and there’s nothing wrong with that“, while Mariel Hemingway sneaks into a seat behind Roseanne and coos “Hi!” It is a funny and telling moment because in a 1994 episode, Hemingway’s character kissed Roseanne full-on, causing quite the controversy in the media, and because the real Roseanne didn’t know the know the kiss was coming. The look on her face was priceless. Hemingway’s return was a reminder that ABC had allowed a woman-on-woman kiss a year earlier, but they still couldn’t show two men kissing after exchanging their wedding vows. Two steps forward and one step back.

Roseanne and Friends are streaming on Netflix. The two series remain smart and funny, and seemingly, very tame.

My friend, The Wow Report writer Trey Speegle, spilled the beans in a post today about a straight-to-series reboot of Roseanne featuring the original cast! Let’s hope Leon and Scott will join them!

The post #LGBTQHistory: Remembering TV’s First Same-Sex Wedding appeared first on The WOW Report.

ABC has just greenlit an eight-episode straight-to-series revival of the popular sitcom, Roseanne. ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said Tuesday,

“We’re rebooting Roseanne. The Conners’ joys and struggles are as relevant — and hilarious — today as they were then, and there’s really no one better to comment on our modern America than Roseanne.”

Its original castmembers Roseanne Barr, John Goodman (even though his character Dan died of a heart attack during the final season), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Michael Fishman (D.J.) and Lecy Goranson (Becky) are all set to return. Sarah Chalke, who played the role of Becky after Goranson, will also return, but in a new role.

Nearly 20 years after the Emmy-winning multicam went off the air, the revival was spearheaded by Gilbert, who currently hosts and exec produces the CBS daytime show The Talk.

Roseanne centered on the working-class Conner family in Illinois and ran on ABC from 1988-97. At its peak, the show ranked as the top series on TV during the 1989-90 season. (Btw, The Wow Report’s Stephen Rutledge just posted today about TV’s first gay wedding, on which show…?)

Roseanne is just the latest in a long line of revivals that includes NBC’s Will & Grace, as well as 24, Prison Break and The X-Files — which will return with another 10 episodes in 2018. ABC’s Twin Peaks is also getting the revival treatment, but on Showtime.

(via THR)

The post Series Reboot: “Roseanne” Is Back! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Million Dollar Listing New York season six is coming!

Are you excited? So are we! On Thursday, May 25 your favorite boys return to television as Million Dollar Listing New York season six premieres on Bravo at 9/8c.

There are so many things to be excited about — mainly the introduction of a new cast member!

On the sixth season of Million Dollar Listing Ryan Serhant and Fredrik Eklund will be joined by newbie Steve Gold. We don’t know much about him yet, but it looks like he’s more than prepared to enter the high stakes real estate world of MDL New York.

Aside from the newest hunky cast member, there’s so many other things we’re gonna see this season. From Ryan’ newly married life to more cuteness from Fredrik’s dogs, viewers are in for a wild ride.

So, what are we MOST excited for? Check out the GIFs below for some fun footage from the season six super tease.

More competitive and high-stakes listings!

Special guest stars like Bethenny Frankel!

A hunky new cast member, Steve Gold.

Look at those arms!

Plus, he’s single!

And ready to mingle!

More HUGE price tags on amazing properties!

Even more drool-worthy real estate!

Seriously.

Look at these places!

People falling into things…

…and breaking things!

And finally, Fredrik being… Fredrik!

Million Dollar Listing New York season six premieres on Bravo  on Thursday, May 25 at 9/8c. Will you be tuning in?

The post ‘Million Dollar Listing New York’ Season Six Is Premiering In One Week! Here’s What We’re MOST Excited To See This Season! appeared first on The WOW Report.

It’s official! July 6th here we come!

Two real estate agencies both alike in dignity, in fair Orange County where we lay our scene…

Alright, now the the Shakespeare is out of the way, let’s get to it! Who is excited about our new Bravo show, Real Estate Wars, officially premiering on July 6 at 10 pm ET/PT!

The show follows two agencies dubbed, Team McMonigle and Team Relegance, a la the Capulet vs. Montague in Romeo & Juliet, battling over the incredibly tough selling turf that is Orange County, California.

Per the press release:

“Bravo Media’s new docu-series, “Real Estate Wars,” premiering Thursday, July 6th at 10pm ET/PT, brings the cut-throat world of real estate in Orange County to life. With limited inventory in a premium area, this series follows two top rival real estate teams, The McMonigle Team and Relegance Group, as they fight for supremacy in this distinct and wealthy enclave.

It’s the ultimate turf battle in the O.C., and things get tense when realty and reality collide. John McMonigle was formerly the number one real estate agent in the country, but lost everything when the real estate market crashed, ultimately forcing him into bankruptcy. John, never a man to stay down, rebuilt his empire with five ambitious agents to create The McMonigle Team, with one of their primary goals being to beat The Relegance Group. Relegance is made up of five zealous agents, including the “real estate queen” of Orange County, Jojo Romeo, who happens to have a contentious past with John. As an estranged employee of John’s, she became determined to join Relegance and help them become the #1 team in the O.C. However, it’s a small world, and when they vie for the same high end clients, limited listings and large commissions, the competition can be ruthless. With 10 agents, eccentric clients, multi-million-dollar deals, old vendettas, and one common goal of winning, all is fair in real estate and war.”

Sounds like the show is going to be a little bit Romeo & Juliet meets Battle Royale meets Real Housewives of Orange County with Million Dollar Listing thrown in there.

TEAM MCMONIGLE
John McMonigle
Drew D’Angelo
Hunter Fedden
Leo Goldschwartz
Hoda Hajirnia

VERSUS

TEAM RELEGANCE
Jojo Romeo
Spyro Kemble
Kylie McCollough
Eliisa Stowell
Kacey Taormina

Let the drama begin! Watch the super teaser trailer for the first season right here!

Real Estate Wars is produced by World of Wonder with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, and Elise Duran serving as Executive Producers.

Will you be tuning into to watch the Real Estate Wars begin on July 6 at 10pm ET/PT?!?

[Image via Bravo.]

The post Our New Bravo Show ‘Real Estate Wars’ Officially Premieres On July 6! Details About The Show, Cast, & More HERE! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Truly heartbreaking to hear this… Chris Cornell – lead singer of both Soundgarden and Audioslave – committed suicide by hanging himself in a Detroit hotel room.

From TMZ:

Chris Cornell hanged himself … this according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The office released the cause of death Thursday as a “suicide by hanging” … hours after Cornell’s body was discovered in a Detroit hotel room following a concert. A full autopsy report, including toxicology results has not yet been completed.

We’re told Chris’ wife, Vicky, became concerned when she couldn’t reach the Soundgarden frontman after his show, and police discovered his body on the bathroom floor.

The post BREAKING NEWS: Chris Cornell of Soundgarden & Audioslave Died of Suicide by Hanging appeared first on The WOW Report.

This is incredible!

Hopefully, other shows follow Mom‘s lead on this! The Anna Faris and Allison Janney starring show on CBS is doing something incredible this year.

Instead of spending $250,000 on a typical ‘For Your Consideration’ Emmys campaign, Mom and CBS will be donating that lump sum of money directly to Planned Parenthood.

Such an important gesture in times like these! Series creator Chuck Lorre and Allison Janney made the announcement today and it should come as no surprise to fans of the actress. She has been a long time supporter of the world PP does.

Sun Dunlap, the Planned Parenthood President/CEO explained:

“In Los Angeles County alone, we answer approximately 2,000 calls each day from people asking us for help. Across the country, millions of women and men are relying on Planned Parenthood health centers for their basic care — like birth control, life-saving cancer-screenings, and STD testing and treatment.

We are committed to being here for them, no matter what. Generous support from our community fuels this work, and we are honored that the team behind Mom is launching this campaign at this critical time.”

They also released a non-traditional ‘For Your Consideration’ poster to commemorate the announcement.

If you want to donate along with the show, you can do so on the Planned Parenthood website.

Do you #StandwithPP?

[Image via CBS.]

The post YAS! ‘Mom’ On CBS Is Doing Something AMAZING In Lieu Of An Emmys Campaign! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Transgender army private Chelsea Manning just out of prison revealed herself to the world on Instagram.

Manning’s already got over 25,000 followers and counting. They went wild over the photograph which shows the 29-year-old smiling to the camera in a low-cut blue shirt.

Wearing bright red lipstick and her hair parted to the side, Chelsea used the #HelloWorld” with the caption,

“Okay, so here I am everyone!!“

Here are her first posts. You can follow Chelsea on Instagram here.

Okay, so here I am everyone!! . . #HelloWorld

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 18, 2017 at 9:55am PDT

Here's to freedom and a new beginning. . . #ChelseaIsFree

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 17, 2017 at 5:21pm PDT

So, im already enjoying my first hot, greasy pizza

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 17, 2017 at 9:34am PDT

First steps of freedom!! . . #chelseaisfree

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 17, 2017 at 6:39am PDT

(via The Mirror)

The post Chelsea Manning Surfaces on Instagram After Prison Release –”So Here I Am Everyone!!” appeared first on The WOW Report.

UMMMM. YES. Here for this!

With television Upfronts having happened/still happening in New York City, the TV announcement news is never-ending. From World of Wonder’s show Real Estate Wars getting a premiere date to news about all the cancellations and renewals, there’s so much news TV fans can geek out over.

In the case of The CW‘s new show Black Lightning, we’re literally about to geek out over it! The DC property is getting a series order from the network that is killing it with the superhero shows and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Though, it should be noted that this show will NOT be part of the Arrowverse.

Instead of going into a big long ramble about it, I’ll leave the description to The CW.

Per The CW:

“Jefferson Pierce is a man wrestling with a secret. Nine years ago, Pierce was gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, which he used to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life and his family on the line, he left his Super Hero days behind. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.”

YAS! Representation with a side of kickass heroes and heroines? Thank you, sign me up, yes please!

Not convinced yet? Fine, check out the official trailer for the upcoming CW show below!

A retired hero will rise again! Will you be tuning in to Black Lightning? 

[Image via CW.]

The post The CW Reveals The First Trailer For ‘Black Lightning’ & It Looks Incredible! Watch It HERE! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Be still my beating heart.

Before we even start this article, I just want to shout out Jessica Chastain for being this position, recognizing what was happening, and fabricating the outcomes to show the world. You are the real MVP, girl.

Anyway, the Zero Dark Thiry actress was on The Graham Norton Show alongside Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, and the incredible Diane Keaton and she saw an opportunity to have a lot of fun and ran away in the sunset with it.

While discussing Prometheus and a slew of deleted scenes that didn’t make it into the final film, Fassbender revealed that he wanted a clip of him, as his character, breakdancing to run during the end credits of the film.

Ridley Scott, obviously, said no to this, but Chastain saw her in and to the delight of everyone watching, convinced the X-Men actor to breakdance on the show.

Thank you, Jessica Chastain for doing this because it’s something that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, should see at least once in their lives.

Check out Michael Fassbender’s breakdancing skills below!

I really can’t decide who I’m more in love with after that clip: Michael Fassbender for break dancing or Jessica Chastain for tricking him into it.

The post Jessica Chastain, Gift From The Gods, Convinces Michael Fassbender To Break Dance On The Graham Norton Show! appeared first on The WOW Report.

The Prequel to The Dark Crystal is here and it’s coming to Netflix!

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

From the official website: 

“A beloved classic from the 80s marks its return as Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment network, will bring The Jim Henson Company’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance exclusively to members around the world. The 10-episode fantasy adventure series is a prequel to the groundbreaking 1982 fan favorite The Dark Crystal, and takes place many years before the events of the film. The series will be shot in the U.K., and will star an ensemble of fantastical, state-of-the-art creatures created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™ and Brian Froud, the original feature’s conceptual designer.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.”

The first time I ever saw any part of The Dark Crystal series was  while I was at the Hamburger Mary’s in Chicago! I was fifteen and super confused at what I was watching, but, honestly, I was hypnotized! I literally can’t believe they are bringing this back! 

The best part? They will be using Animatronics and Puppets! NOT CGI!

Check out the teaser trailer below!

[Image via Netflix.]

The post ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ is Coming & It Will Not Be CGI! Watch The Teaser Trailer HERE! appeared first on The WOW Report.

Matt Zarley HopefulROMANTIC

Adorable and multi-talented, Matt Zarley has released his short film hopefulROMANTIC on YouTube for FREE!

The internationally award winning short film co-stars George Takei and is a universal story about loving, letting go, and holding onto faith that there’s somebody for everybody. (yeah, we’re still holding onto that faith…)

If you want a good cry and love musical theater, then hit play below!

The post Want A Good Cry? See Matt Zarley’s Gay Musical Short on YouTube feat. George Takei appeared first on The WOW Report.

From Hollywood Boulevard, it’s The WOW Report for Radio Andy on SiriusXM! That’s right WOWers, World of Wonder Co-Founder Fenton Bailey, Executive VP of Development Tom Campbell, and WOW Report Editor James St. James have collaborated with reality TV guru and friend of WOW, Andy Cohen, on a weekly Top Ten Countdown of the things from the past week that make us go…WOW!

It’s a pop-culture obsessed hour complete with colorful diatribes, opposing opinions, and a dissection-like discussion that will make your drive home from work more fabulous!

We air TODAY at 4PM EST on SiriusXM, and again at 4PM PST (7PM EST). You can also catch it on the SiriusXM app!

Let’s get started…

10) Master of None Reinvents the Rom-Com!

We discuss the brilliant second season of Aziz Ansari‘s Master of None, currently streaming on Netflix. It just keeps getting better, and is the perfect binge-able series! We discuss in particular the episode “The Thief” – inspired by The Bicycle Thief – and “First Date.”

9) Was Snatched a Bungle in the Jungle?

James, Tom, and Blake saw the Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn mother/daughter comedy Snatched, and despite it’s lukewarm reviews, we all enjoyed the hell out of it! Go see it! Maybe with your mom! Snatched is currently in theaters nationwide.

8) HyperNormalization – A Real Doc About Our Fake World

This is a tough one, but I think Tom Campbell summed it up best saying:

[HyperNormalization] is the idea that there is no alternative, so you go with what you know, and you can’t even think of an alternative. You’re trying to make something normal.

This sounds eerily familiar. Especially in our current political state. Watch Adam Curtis’ BBC film HyperNormalization on above.

7) Paris Jackson – Hollywood’s New IT Girl

Paris Jackson Teen Vogue
Credit: Hedi Slimane for Teen Vogue

We all saw her grow up as the little girl under the veil, but Paris Jackson is busting out with  her recent appearance at the MET Gala, magazine covers, and an upcoming movie with Charlize Theron. Check out the Page Six article anointing Paris the new IT Girl.

6) Breaking News: Can a Big D*ck Kill You?

James St. James’ Crime Beat is lots of things, but boring and ordinary it is not. This week he tells us the story of a Florida man who asked for his big dick to be submitted as evidence in the murder trial of his girlfriend. Listen in for this one, and check out James’ post about it. Only in Florida, right?

5) The Queen is Dead. Long Live PBS’s King Charles III

Were you sad you weren’t in the UK, so you missed King Charles III – which imagines an alternate universe where Queen Elizabeth is dead, Prince Charles is the King, Kate Middleton is Lady MacBeth-ish, and Prince Harry wants to be a commoner? Have no fear, because you can stream it NOW on PBS!

4) Will & Grace & the Rise of the “Fem Gay”

With Will & Grace returning, WOW’s own Bryan Keating‘s on the current state of “Fem Gays” in modern television from his millennial viewpoint. Check out his post, and tune in at 4PM to see what we have to say about it.

3) Bad Books: Ivanka Trump’s Women Who Work

Princess Ivanka Trump plagerizes her way through another piece of fiction. Women Who Work should be in the fiction story, because Mrs. Kushner made all this shit up. Don’t buy this book because it’s full of lies. May I suggest instead…

2) Good Books: Money, Murder, and Dominick Dunne

We discussed the new book about Vanity Fair crime writer Dominick Dunne by Robert Holfer – Money, Murder, and Dominick Dunne: A Life in Many Acts. Get it now on Amazon.

1) Fashion Alert: Rompers for HIM!

Is the RompHIM the man bun of 2017? Will you catch any of us in one? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

Listen in at 4:00PM EST and again at 4:00 PST (7 PM EST) on SiriusXM! Or listen whenever you want on the SiriusXM App!

And be sure to give your ears the gift of THE WOW REPORT on Radio Andy SiriusXM EVERY Friday.

Do something this weekend that makes YOU go WOW!!!

The post HYPERNormalization! Fem Gays! And Can a Big D*ck Kill You? The Top Ten Things That Make Us Go WOW! for Radio Andy on Sirius XM! appeared first on The WOW Report.

It numbs the tongue, tickles your lips, and causes a sensation “between tingling and cramping” in the throat. Delightful! Just what you want in a summer cocktail! It’s the Aragog, named after the giant spider in the Harry Potter books, and it was created by Romeo Palomares, chief mixologist at the Luciferina Bar, in Mexico City, after his boss challenged him to come up with a cocktail that would impress patrons.

Via Oddity Central:

While browsing the unusual wares of the Sonora witchcraft market, Romeo recalls being drawn to the stall of a female vendor, who he asked about an interesting ingredient that he could add to a cocktail for an extra kick. She pulled out a dose of tarantula venom and encouraged him to try it, assuring him that it wasn’t enough strong enough to cause serious health problems.

Palomares was afraid to taste the venom at first, but his curiosity got the better of him in the end, so he took a sip. In an interview with Infobae, he describes the taste as “acidic, salty, special, like oysters”, but with mild side-effects. Within seconds, his tongue went numb, and he began to feel tingling and inflammation around his mouth. “My mouth felt like I had just been to the dentist,” he said. It was just what he was looking for!

Aragog is made with Mexican mezcal, Chilean pisco and Brazilian cachaça, mango juice, a touch of lemon and 0.05% tarantula venom per 500 ml of the drink. Palomares says that it’s not a cocktail for the faint of heart, not only because of his special ingredients, but also because it’s made with three kinds of spirits.

Asked about the health consequences of consuming Aragog, its creator said that he consulted with a doctor before serving it to customers, and came up with a dosage that is safe for consumption. He now works with a laboratory that supplies pure tarantula venom.

And despite these side-effects and people’s fear of taratulas, the Luciferina Bar usually sells up to 200 Aragogs a night.

So what do you think? Should we try it? Will you be serving it at your next summer soiree?

The post Trend Alert! “The Aragog” – a Summer Cocktail Made with Tarantula Venom – Is All the Rage appeared first on The WOW Report.

Vicky Cornell, wife of Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden issued a statement today morning speculating whether his suicide was the result of taking too anxiety medication. Vicky wrote,

“Chris’s death is a loss that escapes words and has created an emptiness in my heart that will never be filled. As everyone who knew him commented, Chris was a devoted father and husband. He was my best friend.

His world revolved around his family first and, of course, his music second. He flew home for Mother’s Day to spend time with our family. He flew out mid-day Wednesday, the day of the show, after spending time with the children. When we spoke before the show, we discussed plans for a vacation over Memorial Day and other things we wanted to do.“

Following Soundgarden’s concert Wednesday night, Vicky noticed a change in her husband’s demeanor when they spoke on the phone after the show,

“When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different. When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him. What happened is inexplicable and I am hopeful that further medical reports will provide additional details. I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life.“

Attorney for the Cornell family, Kirk Pasich, restated on Vicky’s belief that an extra dosage of Ativan, an anxiety medication often taken by recovering addicts, altered Chris Cornell’s mental faculties. He added that the Cornell family is

“disturbed at inferences that Chris knowingly and intentionally took his life.

“Without the results of toxicology tests, we do not know what was going on with Chris — or if any substances contributed to his demise. Chris, a recovering addict, had a prescription for Ativan and may have taken more Ativan than recommended dosages. The family believes that if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.“

Pasich said that side effects of Ativan include paranoid or suicidal thoughts, slurred speech and impaired judgment.

Vicki also said,

“The outpouring of love and support from his fans, friends and family means so much more to us than anyone can know. Thank you for that, and for understanding how difficult this is for us.”

If you or someone you know has thoughts of suicide, call The National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255

(via Rolling Stone)

The post Wife of Chris Cornell Blames Anxiety Medication, Ativan, For Her Husband’s Death appeared first on The WOW Report.