Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1.) The Lesbian Bar Project, a Jagermeister sponsored documentary centred on the rapidly decreasing number of lesbian bars in the United States, came out on Tuesday. The series is hosted by out actress Lea DeLaria (Orange is the New Black), and aims to highlight the remaining lesbian bars in the United States, and celebrate places that support marginalized genders, no matter what. Catch the documentary series streaming on the Roku Channel now, and watch the trailer below! (You can also catch it in-person tomorrow at Boycott Bar in Phoenix, AZ.)
2.) Trans actor Elliott Page has joined upcoming queer cheerleading drama Backspot as an executive producer. The film stars Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs), an out queer actress, in the lead role of Riley, who is navigating the complicated worlds of queerness and cheerleading. The film will also be the first for Page’s new production company, Page Boy Productions, and Jacob’s queer indigenous owned Night is Y. In casting news this week, out actor Jake Choi, who you may know as Miggy in Single Parents or Ryan Fu in queer film Front Cover, was added to the cast of Vacation Friends. The film is a followup to 2021 buddy comedy Honeymoon Friends. Bisexual actress Maddie Hasson will co-star in Elevation, an upcoming post-apocalyptic thriller from George Nolfi.
Elliot Page to Executive Produce ‘Backspot’ Cheerleading Drama (Exclusive) https://t.co/pGYANJkm3V
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 13, 2022
3.) Season four of HBO Max’s Doom Patrol will premiere on December 8, and an official teaser for the season dropped this week. The DC comic adaptation features a number of queer players, including Crazy Jane, Larry Trainor (played by gay actor Matt Bomer), and Clara Steele. Season four of Titans, which will have a two episode premiere on November 3, released a teaser this week. Chella Man, a deaf trans actor, is expected to return this season as Jericho, the queer son of Slade Wilson.
4.) Season three of Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest released a trailer, which premieres on November 11. The show features queer couple Rachel and Dana, and Rachel is played by out actress Ashly Burch. The Conners announced that its fifth season will be its longest one yet, continuing to harken back to the age of television when sitcoms had twenty plus episodes a season. Mark Healey II, played by Ames McNamara, is a young gay character in the show.
5.) Guy Branum, out gay comedian, has sold two broadcast comedy projects, Le Coq to NBC and Outer Calistoga to ABC. Le Coq follows the trials and tribulations of owning a Midwestern gay bar and the goings on of the staff that run it. Outer Calistoga will follow the story of three wildly different family’s renovating an old country house in the wealthy town of Calistoga. Keep an eye out for more developments on these exciting projects in the future!
Deadline wrote an article about how I owe people scripts. https://t.co/3dyhIVOXox
— Guy Branum (@guybranum) October 12, 2022
6.) Season two of Sort Of, a comedy on HBO Max featuring a non-binary protagonist, will return to the platform on December 1. The show follows Sabi Mehboob (out creator Bilal Baig) grappling with multiple identities as a bartender, the youngest of a Pakistani family, and the parental figure for a hipster family.
7.) American Horror Story: NYC, the eleventh season of the long-running horror show, released new posters for the season this week. As a Ryan Murphy production, the cast is incredibly queer, featuring out performers Joe Mantello, Zachary Quinto, Russell Tovey, Charlie Carver, Sandra Bernhard, Kall Penn, Isaac Cole Powell, and Denis O’Hare. Catch the new season streaming on Hulu October 19!
Kal Penn as “Mac Marzara.” FX’s AHS:NYC premieres 10.19 on FX. Stream on Hulu. #AHSNYC #AHSFX pic.twitter.com/0ijUsrcj7z
— AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) October 10, 2022
8.) This week is a busy one for queer artists, so break out your Spotify/Apple Music/Amazon Music/CDs/Records and get listening! Queer singer Betty Who’s fourth studio album today entitled BIG! comes out today. Her cover of “I Love You Always Forever” from her second studio album charted in the top ten in Australia and topped the dance charts in the USA. MUNA released a live EP this week called Live at Electric Lady Studios, which features the popular “Silk Chiffon” as well as a cover of Taylor Swift’s “August.” Tove Lo’s new album Dirt Femme was released today, marking the queer singer’s fifth studio album. Carly Rae Jepsen released the video to her new song “The Loneliest Time” (also the name of her upcoming album), which features gay singer Rufus Wainwright, as well as drag performer Fena Barbitall. Queen released a new song featuring late frontman Freddie Mercury titled “Face It Alone,” which will be featured on their upcoming collector’s edition of The Miracle.
9.) Melissa Etheridge opened her off Broadway show, My Window – A Journey Through Life, this week. You may know the singer’s biggest hits, like “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” but Etheridge has an extensive musical catalog. The show chronicles the queer singer-songwriter-musician’s life and music together in one multi-faceted performance. Snap up the last few tickets to see the legend herself in this limited three week run quickly! Another queer singer from the same era, Jill Sobule, is also performing a limited show called F*ck7thGrade, which will run from today (Oct 14) to November 8. You may know Sobule’s songs “Supermodel” or “I Kissed a Girl” (no, not the Katy Perry song). Sobule’s show is about the worst year of her life, the seventh grade. Get your tickets today!
10.) The nominations for the American Music Awards were announced on Friday. Among the LGBTQ nominations are Dove Cameron, Måneskin, and Steve Lacy in Best New Artist, Elton John and Lil Nas X are both up for Collaboration of the year, while John is also nominated for Touring artist, and Lil Nas X for Music Video and Hip-Hop song. Cardi B is nominated in Female Hip-Hop star. See the full list of nominations here and catch the show November 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC!