InFrame

EDGE Interview: Rich Burns On Shaping 'The Disappointments' Into the Definitive Queer Midlife Comedy

Photo Credit: Provided

by Steve Duffy Mar 13

3 MIN READ

The Disappointments, from creator/director Rich Burns, is the Humanitas Prize-winning digital series about three middle-aged gay best friends trying to figure out how to live their best lives. About what to expect from the upcoming Season 2, creator Rich Burns says, “We ended Season 1 with a big cliffhanger – a time jump, where we see Ray and Dwight were broken up with no explanation. In Season 2, we see what went down between them and what comes next. This season will also dive more deeply into the lives and careers of Ray, James, and Gary. We see them in new and challenging work settings, and getting promising opportunities that could help them turn their lives around. I’m really excited for people to see the incredible work our cast and crew have done, and I can't wait for viewers to meet all the new characters who bring the laughs, the conflict, and more heart and more dreams. Season 2 is definitely a big step up.”

With Season 2 about to arrive, Rich joined us to reflect on what he’s learned, what’s new, and why this chapter takes the show to a whole new level.

EDGE: What lessons did you learn from season 1 that you are bringing into season 2?

RB: Season One was really an experiment, and it wasn’t until I got into the editing that I understood what the show wanted to be. I realized the heart of it was the friendship among the three main characters—keeping them together, talking, reacting, and navigating life as a unit. I also leaned into the humiliation comedy, which ramps up as the season goes on. These guys suddenly realize they’re running out of time, they can’t retire, and they end up taking odd jobs that lead to increasingly embarrassing situations. Watching them try—and fail—to reinvent themselves is part of the fun. Between seasons, I learned to trust the show and rely on the crew. Being on set, seeing something I wrote alone in a room become a full world, is incredible. And so many people worked on this project purely out of passion—actors deferred salaries, the cameraman took a fraction of his usual rate. It reminded me that if you trust the material, people show up for it.

EDGE: The show tackles midlife challenges in the LGBTQ community with honesty and humor. Why do you think that perspective has been underrepresented in the media?

RB: Honestly, the biggest issue is simply that it’s not considered “sexy.” And that’s not just in gay culture—straight culture has the same problem. You don’t see a lot of representation of straight characters over 50 either. There are exceptions, of course—Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm, which I adore and definitely draw inspiration from—but across most media, age is viewed as a tougher sell. At least, that’s the assumption. But then you look at The Golden Girls, and it proves the opposite. There’s always something that breaks the rule. Within the LGBTQ community, it feels especially important not to buy into that idea. We already struggle with representation across the board, regardless of demographic. So we have a responsibility to embrace the full spectrum of who we are, including age. I mean, there are parts of the community I don’t personally relate to—Pose, for example, wasn’t my lived experience in any way—but I watched every episode. I loved it. I thought it was brilliant. You don’t have to see yourself reflected 1:1 to appreciate a story or show empathy for a different walk of life. And that ties into something that happened recently: someone saw our trailer and commented, “Stop normalizing older–younger relationships. The imbalance is blah blah blah…”—just going off. And my reaction was: you actually need to watch the show. Yes, we portray an older–younger dynamic, but we flip it. The power sits squarely with the younger guy. The assumption this person made couldn’t have been more off. It’s that instinctive, quick-to-judge intolerance—people reacting before they’re informed—that frustrates me. I hate the word “triggered,” but honestly, that kind of kneejerk outrage does trigger me.

EDGE: How do your own lived experiences as a queer creator shape your writing for Season 2?

RB: I have to be a little careful about how I phrase this, but I’ve had jobs working in animation where I experienced something very similar to what Ray goes through. I found myself in rooms where I was significantly older than everyone else. It actually happened twice: one situation was great—I connected really well with the team, men and women alike—and the other… not so great. Those two contrasting experiences really informed Ray’s storyline in Season Two, especially his time working at Unicorn Princesses in Outer Space.

EDGE: What have you found to be most challenging for gay men in their 60’s?

RB: For me, it’s split. On one hand, there’s the feeling of becoming invisible or out of touch with current cultural references. I can keep up with friends in their 30s and 40s, but when I’m around people in their 20s, I often have no idea what they’re talking about—and we all just laugh about it. One thing about our community is that we naturally mix across age groups more than straight culture seems to; we meet younger people socially, not romantically, and sometimes we’re just speaking different languages. The other part of it is labels. I really dislike being called “daddy.” It feels reductive, like someone’s putting me in a box instead of actually seeing me. Anytime I’m on apps—or even just on social media—if someone leads with that, I’m out. It makes me want to say: try harder, look deeper. I’m more than a single word or stereotype.

EDGE: Ray is still processing his breakup with Dwight and is working in an environment where he feels like an outsider. For older gay men, what advice do you have for them when experiencing something similar?

RB: If you’re going through what Ray experiences at work, start documenting it. Keep a diary, take notes—because if it ever crosses into real ageism or jeopardizes your job, having a record matters. At the same time, if the people you’re interacting with show even the slightest openness, try finding common ground. Sometimes you can laugh about the differences and make it something you share instead of something that divides you. I don’t think it’s helpful to push advice onto younger colleagues just because you have more life experience, but staying open to those conversations is important. If there’s a natural, organic moment to offer insight, take it. We do have more lived experience than many of the younger people we work with—so when the opportunity presents itself, it can be valuable to share it in a way that feels mutual rather than imposed.

EDGE: What does Season 2 allow audiences to see in Gary that they may not have noticed before?

RB: I don’t think Season One was long enough. In its re-edited form, it’s only five episodes, and even with eight episodes in Season Two, it still doesn’t feel like enough time to fully explore everyone—especially Gary. To me, Gary is the spiritual heart of the show. He’s grounded, centered, and has this quiet sense of peace, even when he does get frazzled. And beyond the character, I’ve known Gedde Watanabe since the late ’80s, and I don’t think he’s ever had a role that showcases this side of him. It’s actually very close to who Gedde is in real life. One of the greatest compliments I’ve gotten came from his husband, John, who watched the whole season and got teary-eyed at the end. He told me that in over 30 years together, he’s never seen anyone capture Gedde the way we did in this show.

EDGE: James’ storyline is a fun twist. How did you approach exploring boundaries and power dynamics?

RB: I’m actually exploring some of these themes in my own life, so a bit of that naturally made its way into the writing. A lot of it also came from watching James and Chuck work together. Even before I wrote Season Two, when Chuck appeared briefly in Season One, their chemistry was immediate. They clicked in a way that made it easy to imagine a dynamic between their characters that I could build on. I love taking something small I notice in an actor and amplifying it for the character. With James, for example, there are tiny moments that feel so “him” that I can’t help but turn the volume up creatively. He’s nothing like the character in real life, but those flashes of personality inspire me. As the episodes unfold, their dynamic evolves in ways that let both actors shine. And in Episode Six, James has a nearly sevenminute sequence that’s almost entirely physical comedy. It’s one of my favorite moments because it shows just how much he can do without saying a word.

EDGE: Season 2 gives each character a career breakthrough. What was important to you about showing them all stepping into new opportunities at the same time?

RB: I really wanted Season Two to spread the story around and give each character equal weight. In Season One, we mostly saw them only within their friendship, so this time I wanted to put them in different environments and see how they each handled new situations—especially awkward ones. That’s where a lot of the comedy comes from: these guys are all in their sixties, desperate to make money so they don’t end up broke, and suddenly they’re taking jobs that challenge them in unexpected ways. From a storytelling standpoint, everyone getting a job created builtin conflict, which is essential for comedy. It made it easy to explore. Okay, what does each character run up against now? And some of it came naturally from my own experiences, which helped shape their challenges in a fun, relatable way.

EDGE: Without giving spoilers, what do you hope viewers take away from Season 2?

RB: I hope the show leaves people wanting a Season Three. I’ve heard from viewers in places like the Middle East and Africa who say they could never live openly, and that the show lets them imagine a different kind of life. I never expected that kind of impact. For people in the same age group as the characters, I want them to feel seen. There’s so little representation of people in their sixties who are flawed but still fully human and relatable. These characters reflect the reality that life doesn’t always turn out the way we imagined in our twenties—and that’s true for straight and gay viewers alike.
Ultimately, I want older viewers to feel recognized, and younger viewers to see that no matter how life unfolds, what matters most is the people who love you. things may not be perfect, but if you have friends who show up for you—and you show up for them—you’ll be okay.

EDGE: Are there storylines or themes you’re already thinking about for a possible Season 3?

RB: There is a storyline I’m excited about, but I can’t discuss it without spoiling the end of Season Two. After the premiere, absolutely—I think it explores something rarely seen in either straight or gay media. As for a third season, I’m not sure we can make one. We couldn’t sell the show, and producing another season would require a much bigger budget with everyone being paid. Networks wanted ownership or “stars,” which worked against us. A third season would have to be fully viewerfunded, and I’m not sure we could realistically hit that number. That’s why I’ve started considering a movie instead—it has a better chance of getting into festivals, finding distribution, and attracting additional funding. But creatively, yes—I have plenty of stories left for every character. With characters at this stage of life, you never run out of material. The older they get, the more interesting things they run into, and that’s what makes it fun.

Ahead of the streaming premiere of Season 2 on March 22, the first episode of the Director’s Cut of Season 1 of the darkly comic digital series The Disappointments is now available on YouTube.

Smithsonian Museum Will Revamp Its Slavery Exhibit After Artifact Loan Runs Out

School children visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture's Middle Passage exhibit, behind a wooden timber, the artifact at right, from the slave ship, the São José-Paquete de Africa, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

by Gary Fields, River Zhang and Jacquelyn Martin Mar 12

4 MIN READ

A Smithsonian museum exhibit about the maritime journey that millions of Africans were forced to take across the Atlantic to slavery in the Americas will change later this month, when a remnant from one of the first sunken slave ships ever recovered is taken off display in Washington.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture says a timber piece of the slave ship, the São José-Paquete de Africa, on display in its “Slavery and Freedom” exhibit, will soon be prepared for a trip back to its home museum in South Africa.

The 33-pound (15-kilogram) timber piece has been prominently displayed — seemingly suspended over a dark void, a ballast at its side — as part of a loan agreement to the museum since it opened in 2016. The agreement, examined by The Associated Press, was initially five years and then was extended another five in 2021, ending July 1.

The ship remnant will be among several items sent back to the Iziko Museums of South Africa later this year. Because of its delicate nature, a special crate has to be built for its transport.

Other items from the ship, including the ballasts that served as counterweights for the human cargo, are remaining on display and will be returned to South Africa in two years. A manifest of the cargo on the ship will replace the timber piece.

The last day for museum visitors to see the timber piece on display is March 22.

A relic of the trans-Atlantic slave trade was recovered in 2015

The São José, a Portuguese vessel bound for Brazil with more than 400 captives from Mozambique, struck a rock and sank in December 1794 off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. Half of the people aboard perished. Survivors were resold into slavery in the Western Cape, according to the Smithsonian.

Recovered in 2015, the ship was identified and studied through the Slave Wrecks Project, an international network of institutions that confirmed it was associated with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The ship is among the first known wreckage of such a ship that was recovered, in which enslaved Africans died.

The São José piece is in the lowest public level of the museum and is part of the larger “Slavery and Freedom” exhibit, which focuses on the slave trade, including the ships and conditions of transport, as well as artifacts, such as shackles.

The exhibit addresses the Middle Passage, an especially fraught part of the Atlantic Ocean crossing where many of the captives died. While there is no exact count, the number of people who perished during the journey is in the millions, according to Paul Gardullo, the assistant director of history at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Slavery exhibit changes unrelated to Trump museum review

The alteration of the slavery exhibit comes at a time when any changes related to history and the American story at federal parks, museums or other public spaces are being scrutinized. President Donald Trump's administration has focused on putting the U.S. in a good light as the country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The displays, exhibits and programming of several Smithsonian museums are under review as part of an executive order signed in March 2025 by the Republican president, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The National Museum of African American History and Culture is one of the institutions named in the order.

Michelle Commander, the museum's deputy director, told the AP the exhibit change is entirely related to the loan agreement but understood the timing might raise questions.

“That’s why we’re being transparent in this moment, because we are aware that there are those kinds of questions,” Commander said. “But, as we’ve said, this is really about the conservation needs of that item.”

As part of the loan, Gardullo said, the South African government has a robust cultural patrimony law that dictates how its artifacts and historical materials are treated and how long they can be loaned out.

“The wooden materials are more fragile, and they need a little more close care,” he said.

‘Extraordinarily powerful’

Recent visitors to the National Museum of African American History and Culture spoke of the power of the display with the slave ship timber, unaware that it would be altered shortly.

Lines wait to enter the darkened gallery, entitled the Middle Passage, where there is a solemnity as people study the dark space where the timber sits next to a ship's ballast. The tangible nature of the exhibit takes it out of textbooks and into reality, said Krystina Hernandez, who was there chaperoning her 7-year-old son’s schoolmates.

Anehtra Reynolds, from northern Virginia, was emotional as she exited the area. She said the presentation, including the artifacts and the darkness of the gallery, gave her a “piece of what they felt in terms of their misery.”

“I think there was a sign in there that mentioned there were some slaves who starved themselves to death in hopes that they would, when they died, they would be returned to their land,” Reynolds said.

Jim Carnes, who was in Washington visiting family from Birmingham, Alabama, said he was familiar with much of the information because he has worked in civil rights education in Birmingham and Montgomery, two places central to the nation's civil rights history.

“The artifacts are extraordinarily powerful,” he said, adding that he's left feeling sadness and anger, not just at the conditions of the enslaved people but at the current push by the federal government to “deny this ever happened.”

Jorge Carvajal, who is originally from Colombia but lives with his wife in south Florida, said seeing the exhibit silenced the stereotypes, especially that Black people are unreasonably angry.

“Empathy is what I’m trying to say. This will help people empathize a lot more. I mean, at least you would hope,” he said.

Commander said the staff at the museum will work to make sure that the exhibit continues to have the same impact with the remaining artifacts and displays.

“The story does not leave the museum because this timber is going to be returned to its owners,” she said.

Minimalist Horror 'Undertone' Uses Audio and Soundscapes to Scare You

Director Ian Tuason poses for a portrait to promote the film "Undertone" on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in West Hollywood, Calif. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

by Lindsey Bahr Mar 12

4 MIN READ

Alfred Hitchcock famously claimed he didn’t watch his films in theaters. When asked if he missed out on hearing the audience scream, he said, “No. I can hear them scream when I’m making the picture.”

While Ian Tuason, the mind behind the buzzy new auditory horror “Undertone,” reveres and references Hitchcock as much as the next horror filmmaker, he has to disagree with him on this one. For Tuason, the real screams are the point.

“My favorite thing about this whole process is just watching it with audiences. I think that’s probably why I wanted to make a horror film … just to kind of witness the reactions,” Tuason said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “The same way as when you tell a ghost story at a campfire, it doesn’t feel that great unless you see your friend scared.”

His debut film “Undertone,” which opens in theaters on Friday (yes, the 13th), is already doing just that. After playing at the Sundance Film Festival, it had some calling it the “scariest movie you’ll ever hear.”

“Undertone” is a minimalist horror, set in one location, with essentially one character. Evy (Nina Kiri) is a paranormal podcaster who is taking care of her dying, comatose mother upstairs. She’s the skeptic of the podcast, which she does with a remote co-host (Adam DiMarco) in the middle of the night. Nothing can scare her, but this new investigation, in which they try to decode a series of unnerving audio files sent anonymously, has rattled her.

Why sound is so scary

Tuason always dreamed of being a filmmaker, but he began his career in virtual reality and made a name for himself as an early proponent of immersive 3D sound for his cinematic horror shorts, which have been viewed millions of times. Soundscapes became his calling card. So, when he sat down to write “Undertone,” he included every audio cue, resulting in a 250-page script.

“Sound in movies, it makes space for the audience to imagine what they’re not seeing,” Tuason said. “Whatever you imagine that’s scary is going to be way scarier than what I can show you. There’s going to be millions of different versions of this movie in millions of minds and that’s all because of the power of suggestion driven by sound and a lot of negative space.”

In the process of shooting, he even found himself taking out a lot of the visuals he thought he’d need, stripping it down to its barest form: A woman listening to audio clips through her noise canceling headphones and freaking herself, and the audience, out. They figured it out with the help of a local Toronto postproduction studio, REDLAB. When A24 came on board to distribute the film, they were able to do the mix again in Dolby.

“It’s definitely meant to be seen in the theater in Dolby, because that is the exact vision that Ian had,” said producer Cody Calahan. “But at home, on headphones, alone, it is a different experience … You can kind of watch it twice.”

The personal story behind the film

Behind the film is a deeply personal story of demons, loss and grief. In 2020, during the pandemic, both his parents received terminal cancer diagnoses, and he moved back home to their Toronto suburbs to care for them. His mom died a few months later, followed by his father two and a half years later. During that time, Tuason was drinking a lot too, but also writing, melding together an audio play he’d created with the story of a lone caregiver.

He wrote it figuring that he’d just have to make it himself with whatever resources he had. It could be set in his childhood home (nothing to rent) and feature one actor (“I could afford that,” he said). And he didn't hold back: Even he was surprised by his own capacity for honesty about some of his darkest moments.

“I didn’t really have to write in a way where I’m trying to pitch it,” Tuason said. “I think that’s what gave it its honesty. Because I was going to make it either way.”

His main character, Evy, is him, he said. But he wrote Evy as a woman and not a man because, Tuason said, he needed the character to face a choice that would change their life; He couldn’t think of anything bigger than the question of whether to have a child.

Throughout it all Tuason worked on himself as a person too, leaving the skeptic behind and turning into a believer, he said. He knows the Evys of the world will doubt it, but he sees meaningful connections everywhere now; Even in the film’s release date that he had nothing to do with.

“It’s a miracle that I made this thing and then A24 bought it, and then Sundance and then the release on Friday the 13th,” Tuason said. “My dad passed on Friday, the 13th. And March was the last month I had with my mom.”

What’s next: Paranormal Activity and Kung-Fu

Though moviegoers might just be discovering Tuason, Hollywood has already taken notice. In December, he was tapped to direct a new “Paranormal Activity” film. He knows that horror is what people want from him, and as a self-proclaimed people pleaser he wants to do that too. But he does have dreams of delving into other genres as well, like science fiction and, eventually, Kung-Fu.

“It’s going to be modern day Kung-Fu,” he said.

But now, he’s focused on getting “Undertone” out to the world. And he’s grateful that he’s starting to see it as a film and a character, separate from himself.

“It’s starting to feel less and less like me,” he said. “There wasn’t any separation for the longest time, but now I watch it in the theater and I’m a little bit more distanced … now I can look at it and kind of just focus on the technique, the art and have it live as a thing separate from me.”

'Reminders of Him' Is a Sad-Happy Colleen Hoover Adaptation, Mixing Grief and Romance

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Maika Monroe, left, and Tyriq Withers in a scene from "Reminders of Him." Photo Credit: Michelle Faye/Universal Pictures via AP

by Mark Kennedy Mar 12

3 MIN READ

The hunky, sweet hero in the new romantic drama “Reminders of Him” at one point turns to the movie's heroine and tells her: “I’m starting to wonder if you’re the saddest girl I’ve never met.” It's hard to argue.

First, she’s a penniless former prison inmate who has returned to her small town of Laramie, Wisconsin, where she's hooking up with her former boyfriend’s best friend. Second, that boyfriend is dead and she's been blamed, hence the prison sentence. Plus, she’s hoping to connect with her estranged daughter, born of tragedy.

There's a lot going on with Kenna Rowan, who can't afford a phone or a car and so walks everywhere around the town, lives in a run-down motel and can't initially get a job because she's a felon. She hates listening to the radio because all the songs are sad. Pot calling the kettle, right?

“Reminders of Him” is very faithful to Colleen Hoover’s 2022 novel of the same name, right down to slices of the same dialogue and even the Mountain Dew T-shirt, jean shorts and boots our heroine is first introduced in. She finally gets a job as a grocery bagger and starts building a life, biding her time until she figures out how to reconnect with her daughter.

Maika Monroe — a one-time scream queen — stretches out her dramatic muscles to play Kenna and nails the assignment, a woman with a hard shell who is looking for a little grace, a tricky role that's both flirty and maternal.

After seven years in prison, Kenna walks into a fraught situation. Her 5-year-old daughter — yeah, the math is a bit hazy here — is being raised by her dead boyfriend's parents, with an assist from his best friend, Ledger, played with real soul by Tyriq Withers. Kenna's mere presence threatens to blow up this cozy arrangement.

What's remarkable about “Reminders of Him” is that there are no villains. The grandparents — played by Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, both perfect — are naturally aghast at the notion that the woman who was driving the car when their son died might swoop in and take their grandchild. But any parent can sympathize with Kenna, who gave birth in handcuffs and never got to even hold her baby.

Ledger is caught in the middle, attracted to this sad Kenna but also a fierce defender and surrogate father of her daughter, Diem. Falling in love with the lady accused of killing your best friend may not be the wisest thing to do, but there you go.

The movie veers dangerously close to overwrought melodrama — like a line about Kenna “heading back to the place it all went wrong hoping to make something right” — and it flirts with twee: Not many grocery store baggers spend their off-time dancing at dusk with sparklers.

But that's what happens when you add romance to a redemption story and the actors pull it off, with perhaps the best performance by little Zoe Kosovic, who plays Diem with freshness, adorableness and directness. Also kudos to actor Monika Myers, who plays a motel neighbor with the timing and dry wit of Bob Newhart.

There are men here, of course, but this is a very female-driven work, from the executive producers and producers to the screenplay writers — Hoover and Lauren Levine — to the director, Vanessa Caswill, who shows a very assured hand.

Everywhere on screen, women stand up for women. A female assistant manager at the grocery store reaches out to offer Kenna employment when her male boss won't, a female motel owner offers a discount and it is the grandmother who provides a breakthrough to this familial standoff.

It is a thoughtful production where details matter. At one point we learn the dead boyfriend’s favorite color is yellow and later we hear not one but two versions of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” There may be a few too many shots of an orange Ford F-150 and heavy use of a strummy acoustic guitar whenever a tender moment is coming, but “Reminders of Him” is a well-crafted, well-acted sad-happy Hoover adaptation.

“Reminders of Him,” a Universal Pictures release that opens in theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for sexual content, strong language, drug content, some violent content and brief partial nudity. Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four.

Raven-Symoné Addresses Social Media Backlash Over Wife's Appearance: "It's Disrespectful, Unnecessary, and Harmful"

Photo Credit: Tea Time With Raven + Miranda Podcast

by Chris Tremblay Mar 12

2 MIN READ

Raven-Symoné, known for her roles in "That's So Raven" and "The View," spoke out against social media users who have criticized the appearance of her wife, Miranda Maday. The couple married in 2020 after meeting on Instagram, and Symoné has frequently shared aspects of their relationship on social media.

In a video interview posted online on March 11, 2026, Symoné directly addressed the "discourse" surrounding Maday, stating, "It's disrespectful to my wife, but then I also know the Internet." She elaborated that the negativity stems from multiple factors, including the fact that Maday is a white woman married to a Black celebrity and that their union is a same-sex marriage. Symoné emphasized, "It's disrespectful, it's unnecessary, and it's harmful," underscoring the personal toll of such online harassment.

The backlash appears to have intensified recently, with social media users commenting on Maday's looks, age difference, and the interracial, same-sex nature of their relationship. Symoné, who came out as a lesbian in 2014, has been open about her identity and marriage, often using her platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility. Her response comes amid broader discussions in LGBTQ+ communities about the intersection of race, sexuality, and online toxicity, where same-sex couples, particularly interracial ones, face disproportionate scrutiny.

This incident echoes experiences shared by other LGBTQ+ celebrities, such as when Symoné previously defended her privacy against public speculation about her personal life. Community responses on platforms like Lipstick Alley, a forum popular in Black online spaces, have mixed reactions, with some users supporting Symoné's stance while others debate the dynamics of her marriage. Advocates for transgender people and other LGBTQ+ identities note that such discourse often amplifies harm to same-sex marriages, contributing to mental health challenges for those targeted.

Symoné's comments were made during a candid conversation where she acknowledged the internet's role in amplifying negativity, saying she is aware of its nature but still finds the attacks unwarranted. The event, reported on March 11, 2026, has sparked conversations about respect for LGBTQ+ relationships, with Symoné's words serving as a call for boundaries in public commentary. As a prominent figure in entertainment, her voice carries weight in affirming the validity of diverse same-sex partnerships.

While major outlets like GLAAD or Human Rights Campaign have not yet issued formal statements on this specific incident as of March 12, 2026, the response aligns with their ongoing work against online harassment targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. Symoné and Maday continue to share positive updates about their life together on Instagram , focusing on joy amid the noise. This episode underscores the persistent need for affirming language and support for LGBTQ+ couples facing public judgment.

Kelly Clarkson Reveals 'American Idol' Lied About Winner's Car Prize 23 Years Later

Photo Credit: NBC/Universal

by Chris Tremblay Mar 12

2 MIN READ

Kelly Clarkson, the inaugural winner of "American Idol", publicly stated that the show's production lied to her about receiving a car as part of her grand prize more than two decades ago. Clarkson made the comments during the March 10, 2026, episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" while conversing with "The Traitors" Season 4 winner Rob Rausch, who mentioned delays in his own prize money.

"I relate to this so hardcore," Clarkson told Rausch, noting she won "American Idol" Season 1 in 2002 when he was likely not yet born. She explained that the show promoted a $1 million prize, but clarified it was "a million dollars worth of investment in you," referring to the recording contract she ultimately signed with RCA Records, in partnership with "Idol"'s 19 Recordings. Following her win, Clarkson achieved commercial success with multiple top-ten singles, platinum albums, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards.

However, the car portion of the prize never materialized for Clarkson, who said she desperately needed it at the time because her own vehicle was damaged and she could not afford the insurance deductible. "And then they said you get a car... And then, no! I did not get a car!" she recounted. Clarkson highlighted the disparity by recalling how "American Idol" Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken and his mother each received cars, prompting her joking frustration: "I was like, ‘What the f***?’... I’m gonna actually kick your ass right now."

Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, now a judge on the show, confirmed she received her prize car—a Ford Mustang convertible—and still owns it. In a 2023 interview on "Today's Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen", Underwood described driving the car after moving to Tennessee as a pivotal moment in her career. Clarkson returned to her daytime talk show on March 9, 2026, after a brief hiatus.

This disclosure arrives as Clarkson announced the end of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" after its seventh season this fall, citing a need to prioritize her family. She shares daughter River and son Remy with her late ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, who passed away at age 48 in August 2025. "Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives," Clarkson wrote in a February 2, 2026, Instagram statement.

The story has sparked online discussions about prize fulfillment in reality competitions, though no official response from "American Idol" producers has been issued as of March 12, 2026. While the event lacks direct LGBTQ+ community responses in initial coverage, Clarkson has long been an affirming ally, supporting transgender people and other LGBTQ+ identities through public statements and performances. Fans in LGBTQ+ spaces on social media have praised her candor, drawing parallels to broader themes of corporate accountability relevant to queer artists in entertainment. No specific impacts on LGBTQ+ communities have been reported from this revelation, as it centers on Clarkson’s personal experience from the show's early years.

Hockey Player Who Lost Family in Rhode Island Shooting Scores Winning Goal in Double Overtime

Police continue to tape off the Dennis M. Lynch arena a day after a deadly shooting during a youth hockey game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Pawtucket, R.I. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi

by Kimberlee Kruesi Mar 12

2 MIN READ

High school senior hockey player Colin Dorgan, wearing a patch on his jersey honoring the three family members he lost in a Rhode Island ice rink shooting last month, scored a game-winning goal in double overtime Wednesday that advanced the Blackstone Valley Co-op team out of the semifinals.

Audra McDonald, Cheyenne Jackson, Bianca Del Rio, and More Announced for Provincetown Town Hall Summer 2026 Series

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: Bianca Del Rio attends MISTR's National PrEP Day at The Abbey on October 09, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. Photo Credit: Amy Sussman

by Chris Tremblay Mar 14

2 MIN READ

Provincetown, Massachusetts, a renowned destination known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ community, will host a series of high-profile performances at Town Hall this summer. Producer Mark Cortale announced the 2026 lineup on March 11, 2026, featuring Broadway stars, drag icons, and cabaret legends.

The season opens on May 24 with six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, celebrated for her roles in Gypsy, Porgy and Bess, Carousel, and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, as well as her work in HBO's The Gilded Age. She will perform with music director and host Seth Rudetsky, known for Sirius/XM's Seth's Big Fat Broadway and On Broadway.

Following on July 5 over the 250th Independence Day weekend, Megan Hilty takes the stage. Hilty is recognized for her breakout role in NBC's Smash, her Tony-nominated performance as Madeline Ashton in Death Becomes Her, and her Drama Desk-winning turn in 9 to 5: The Musical, accompanied by pianist Matt Cusson.

Emmy and Grammy nominee Cheyenne Jackson, an openly gay performer known for Broadway's Once Upon a Mattress and Into the Woods, as well as films like United 93 and Behind the Candelabra, brings his Mid Life Torso Tour to Town Hall on August 2. The intimate cabaret-style concert includes hits from Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley, and Sam Cooke, alongside original music and personal stories, showcasing his comedic and vocal talents.

On August 16, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 winner Bianca Del Rio, a drag queen often called the "Joan Rivers of the Drag World" by The New York Times, delivers a one-night comedy performance. Del Rio's appearance underscores the series' appeal to drag enthusiasts and the broader LGBTQ+ community.

Tony-nominated Melissa Errico follows on August 23 with her debut Provincetown concert, The Streisbar Effect, celebrating Barbra Streisand's influence, accompanied by pianist Billy Stritch. The season closes August 30 with Grammy nominee Marilyn Maye, nearing 98, in her 15th consecutive summer appearance. Dubbed "the greatest white female singer in the world" by Ella Fitzgerald and "The Taylor Swift of Cabaret Singers," Maye performs with Tedd Firth.

Cortale, who launched live entertainment at The Art House in Provincetown in 2011, recently produced the London premiere of Beautiful Little Fool and the Broadway run of Floyd Collins. This marks the 15th season of his star-driven programming at Town Hall, Provincetown's largest entertainment venue. Tickets and information are available at PtownTownHall.com, with a 2026 Season Pass offered at a 10% discount if purchased by May 24, guaranteeing VIP front-section seats selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

Provincetown has long been a haven for LGBTQ+ artists and audiences, fostering events that celebrate queer talent like Jackson and Del Rio. Past lineups have included other prominent LGBTQ+ figures such as Neil Patrick Harris, reinforcing the town's role as a cultural hub. The series aligns with Provincetown's legacy of inclusive entertainment, drawing diverse crowds to Cape Cod for intimate performances that blend Broadway excellence with personal storytelling. While primary coverage centers on BroadwayWorld and Playbill, both dated March 11, 2026, additional context from TheaterMania and Times Square Chronicles confirms the venue's history with queer-affirming stars, though deeper community responses remain forthcoming as the season approaches.

Catherine Opie Discusses Radical Visibility of Butch Identity in National Portrait Gallery Exhibition

Photo Credit: Catherine Opie / National Portrait Gallery

by Chris Tremblay Mar 13

2 MIN READ

The National Portrait Gallery in London launched "Catherine Opie: To Be Seen" on March 5, 2026, marking the first major UK museum exhibition dedicated to the work of American photographer Catherine Opie. The exhibition showcases more than 80 photographs produced over three decades, focusing on Opie's influential contributions to contemporary portrait photography and queer visibility.

Opie's practice spans studio portraiture, documentary photography, and environmental studies, consistently exploring themes of social, political, and personal identity. A highlight is her seminal series "Being and Having" , which features intimate portraits of her LGBTQ+ friends, styled with the compositional authority of historical painters like Hans Holbein the Younger to challenge traditional notions of who deserves visibility in art.

In a March 11, 2026, PinkNews interview, Opie reflected on the radical nature of the exhibition for a butch lesbian artist in a venue rooted in aristocratic portraiture. She emphasized how her portraits elevate everyday LGBTQ+ individuals—friends, activists, and community members—beyond celebrity or nobility, fostering a broader understanding of identity through being seen. "I would like to thank the National Portrait Gallery for this incredible honor of presenting my work in London. My hope is that the audience will leave the exhibition with a broader understanding of what portraiture can achieve – that in our culture of creating portraits of known nobility and a kind of celebrity, that everyone begins to understand identity through being seen," Opie stated.

The show traces Opie's evolution, including documentation of queer communities in Los Angeles, American political events like Barack Obama's inauguration and LGBTQ+ rights protests, and personal scenes of family and self-portraiture. Her measured, documentary-style approach resists spectacle, building layered narratives of civic and personal life that connect private experiences to broader social history. Installed in dialogue, the portraits juxtapose artists, children, and strangers, prompting visitors to reconsider historical exclusions in portraiture, particularly for marginalized LGBTQ+ people.

Opie has described portraiture as inherently political, a tool to record shifting cultural contours and affirm belonging for queer communities. In a livestreamed conversation at the gallery, she introduced the exhibition, underscoring its role in expanding representation. For transgender people, lesbians, gay men, and other LGBTQ+ individuals historically sidelined in fine art, Opie's work offers affirming visibility in a prestigious institution.

The exhibition runs at the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, until May 31, 2026, before touring to the National Galleries of Scotland at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh during summer 2026. This presentation positions Opie's photography as a bridge between historical portrait traditions and contemporary debates on identity politics, making it a significant moment for LGBTQ+ art in the UK.

Opie's commitment to community shines through series like those documenting LGBTQ+ protests and intimate friendships, reinforcing the exhibition's message of radical inclusion. By ennobling queer subjects in a space once reserved for elites, the show challenges ongoing barriers to representation for butch, lesbian, and broader LGBTQ+ artists. Visitors have the opportunity to engage with these themes through Opie's precise, human-centered lens, which continues to influence global conversations on visibility and belonging.

Liza Minnelli Reveals Drug-Fueled Affair with Martin Scorsese in New Memoir

Photo Credit: Hachette Books

by Chris Tremblay Mar 12

2 MIN READ

Liza Minnelli, the 79-year-old "Cabaret" star and daughter of Judy Garland, has disclosed a previously secret affair with Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese in her memoir "Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!", published on March 10, 2026. The book chronicles their romance, which ignited on the set of the 1977 musical drama "New York, New York", a film that starred Minnelli opposite Robert De Niro and was directed by Scorsese, then 34 years old.

Minnelli describes being "quickly swept up in a passionate romance" that became "amour fou," a French term for a self-destructive obsession. She writes that the affair was "the worst-kept secret on the set," with both parties soon turning to cocaine use on and off set. "Marty became a heavier and heavier user of cocaine," Minnelli recounts. "It seemed that it was no longer recreational for either of us. It was day and night." At the time, Minnelli was married to her second husband, producer Jack Haley Jr., whose father had played the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" alongside Garland; Scorsese was wed to writer Julia Cameron, whom he divorced that year.

The production of "New York, New York" faced significant challenges, running over budget from $9 million with an additional $2 million in costs and taking 22 weeks instead of the planned 14; it ultimately flopped critically and commercially, recouping $16.4 million. Minnelli portrays the affair as a "runaway train," stating, "Nothing good could come of it." Tensions escalated post-filming when Scorsese publicly confronted Minnelli in Greenwich Village over her affair with Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, screaming, "How can you do this to me?" in front of Haley. Minnelli and Haley divorced in 1979.

The relationship extended into professional territory when Minnelli hired Scorsese to direct her Broadway musical "The Act", but out-of-town reviews were scathing, and she ultimately fired him, a decision she said "damn near killed me and broke my heart." Minnelli notes Scorsese was "exhausted" from "a steady diet of hostility and substances," leading to a hospitalization that prompted him to quit drugs and alcohol, paving the way for his later successes like "Goodfellas". In 2014, at the Academy Awards, Scorsese turned away when Minnelli approached, with her reflecting, "Not all of the bad feelings have healed. Very sad."

For LGBTQ+ communities, Minnelli holds iconic status as a gay ally and performer whose mother, Judy Garland, is a enduring figure in queer culture; her candid memoir underscores the entertainment industry's historical struggles with addiction and infidelity, themes resonant in LGBTQ+ narratives of resilience amid personal turmoil. The revelations, drawn from Minnelli's firsthand account, offer insight into the human costs of fame without endorsing or sensationalizing the events.