Women are not exempt from committing sexual assault.  According to model Josh Kloss, while appearing in the music video for “Teenage Dream”, Katy Perry left him feeling “pathetic and embarrassed”.  He thought things were going well on the set.  “When other people were around she was cold as ice even called the act of kissing me ‘gross’ to the entire set while filming.”  Despite being embarrassed, he got through the shoot – with Katy once inviting him to go to a strip club (he declined).  Later, they ran into each other at a birthday party.  “And when I saw her, we hugged and she was still my crush. But as I turned to introduce my friend, she pulled my Adidas sweats and underwear out as far as she could to show a couple of her guy friends and the crowd around us, my penis.  Can you imagine how pathetic and embarrassed i felt?”  I can’t imagine – but that’s because I haven’t seen Kloss’ penis.

This leads into yet another Fayewatch which, of course, is connected with Dunaway’s disastrous Boston run of the play Tea at Five.  This story isn’t about Faye being fired; it’s about Faye firing her assistant.  According to documents filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Michael Rocha began working as Faye’s personal assistant on April 5^th and was paid $1500/week.  He would do her shopping, remind her to take her meds, plan her schedule, and get her to places on time – so now we know who to blame.  He claims that Faye called him “a little homosexual boy” and referred to people around her as “little gay people”.  We don’t have to take his word for it – the little one recorded Faye making the offensive comments.  He went to the general manager and production’s lawyer.  In short order he was fired, being told that Faye “is not comfortable with you anymore”.  He is suing for unspecified damages.  Faye Dunaway – the gift that keeps on giving.

What’s not funny is sexual assault.  But in the current climate where career-ending accusations come fast and furious, where does due process fit in?  What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?  Case in point – Don Lemon.  According to reports, he was in Sag Harbor last July and had an encounter with bartender Dustin Hice, who is suing for unspecified damages stemming from emotional pain and loss of earnings.  Hice was working at a bar called Murf’s.  According to his statement, Hice “tried to get Mr. Lemon’s attention and offered to buy Mr. Lemon a drink.”  Don apparently declined.  Later, Hice claims that Lemon “put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle finger in Plaintiff’s moustache and under Plaintiff’s nose.”  He then asked Hice, “Do you like pussy or dick?”  The “attack” has left Mr. Hice with “feelings of shame, humiliation, anxiety, anger, and guilt” – in other words, the way I felt in Casablanca!

Reports indicate that Mr. Hice asked Lemon for $1.5 million not to file the suit.  Lemon (again) declined.  Hice then posted a photo standing in front of CNN headquarters with the caption, “touring the #CNN center today…or as #Trump would say, ‘the home of Fake News’ lol.”  As for the network, CNN is standing by Don Lemon, stating, “The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts.  This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon.  Don categorically denies these claims and this matter does not merit any further comment at this time.”

Should you ever have the opportunity to visit Casablanca – don’t.  Although the people were lovely (and God knows the local gays are hungry for tourists), nobody mentioned that I was arriving on Eid al-Adha.  I’m not exactly sure what this holiday is all about, but to celebrate they drag sheep and goats into the street, kill them, and cook them on bonfires while children play with the horns.  So it’s kinda like our Groundhog Day!  Between the thick black smoke and trying to avoid the torrents of blood pouring down the streets, I could barely make out the man pulling a cart to collect the bloodstained pelts.  It was all quite nauseating.  When I saw one lone sheep tied to a post on the outskirts of town, I considered setting it free.  Then I realized both of us would be caught and killed within minutes…and I ain’t giving up my pelt to anyone.  Sorry, sheep, but it’s survival of the fittest.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Grant in Long Beach: “I just saw Rocketman and fell in love with Richard Madden.  I keep reading he’s gay in real life.  So, once and for all, is he or isn’t he?”

Let me answer this question with a seemingly unrelated story.  Months ago, I reported that Marvel planned to make a film about their gay superhero, Ikaris – who has complete control over his physical form and never ages.  Talk about a gay superpower!  It was rumored that the company would only consider casting an openly gay Asian actor.  Well, it was just announced that the role will be played by…Richard Madden, who has heretofore avoided any discussions about his personal life.  We’ll see how long that lasts.

When Ikaris isn’t being played by Scarlett Johansson, it’s definitely time to end yet another column.  It’s also time to get out of Casablanca – I’m getting tired of being called Ilsa!  I’m also looking forward to returning to the United States.  Of course, I’m not returning to reality – I’m going directly to Provincetown.  Details of that trip will likely show up on www.BillyMasters.com – the site where nobody’s keeping score.  If you have any specific questions, send them along to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before Richard Madden reveals he’s part Asian!  Until next time, remember one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

There have been several attempts to bring the story of Liberace to the stage.  While none of those projects have made it very far, a new one based on HBO’s Behind the Candelabra is being produced by David Permut.  He says his ideal Liberace would be Bradley Cooper.  ‘Cause when I think of Liberace, I naturally think of Bradley Cooper.

For the time being, Cooper is unavailable to play the piano prodigy because he’s slated to play another formidable musical giant – Leonard Bernstein.  Bradley Cooper will play the composer of West Side Story (among other things) and also direct the film for Paramount Pictures.  He’s also snagged Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese as co-producers.  You may recall there was a rival biopic about Bernstein in the works which would have starred Jake Gyllenhaal.  Alas, that project stalled when Cooper snagged the exclusive rights to Bernstein’s music from the composer’s family – a decision which was made after he volunteered to co-host a performance of Candide alongside Carey Mulligan, who happens to be the front runner to play Bernstein’s wife.  Clever boy.

The Broadway musical The Prom – which is about a lesbian couple who want to attend the prom together – made history by hosting an actual lesbian wedding onstage.  Armelle Kay Harper, who is the script coordinator, married Jody Kay Smith.  According to reports, audience members were surprised when the real-life wedding happened after the show’s curtain calls.  Although it was completely legal, a larger, more traditional ceremony is happening in Smith’s hometown next month.

During this trip, I spent quite a bit of time in Rome.  You know who else was there?  Kevin Spacey.  You’d think after getting off (not necessarily literally) in Nantucket, he’d be laying low.  But no, he tipped off the press that he’d be at the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme museum near the bronze statue of Boxer at Rest.  Once there, Kevin launched into a dramatic recitation of Italian poet Gabriele Tinti’s The Boxer.  The poem discusses how people used the battered boxer for their amusement and then cast him aside after he outlived his usefulness.  The only thing that could have made this spectacle more ridiculous is if he read it in the original Italian.  Instead, he opted for what I consider a pretty stilted English translation, which you can see on BillyMasters.com.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Terrence in New York: “Is it true that Chace Crawford shows all in some new movie he’s in?”

It’s not a movie.  It’s a new series from Amazon Prime called The Boys, which is based on the comic book of the same name.  The main characters are superheroes, many of whom are disgruntled with the company they work for.  Crawford plays The Deep, who rules the oceans – which means he’s not wearing a helluva lot of clothing.  From what I can see, his most prominent feature is a tan line which, yes, I will show on BillyMasters.com.

I was struck by an interesting anecdote shared by the show’s creator, Eric Kripke.  “There was one scene that Amazon said ‘Fuck, no – you have to cut it.’  I couldn’t quite understand why considering everything else we have in the show, but: Homelander [played by Antony Starr], after being dressed down by Stilwell in episode 2, was standing on one of the Chrysler building eagles.  He pulled his pants down and started jerking off, mumbling, ‘I can do whatever I want’ over and over again until he climaxed all over New York City.”  I can’t imagine why Amazon had a problem with that!

Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee and Donna Mills recently got together at the Hollywood Bowl for a fundraiser promoting classic music, which was hosted by The Jose Iturbi Foundation.  The Knots Landing trio revealed that they still maintain a close friendship.  “The truth is that we are, in fact, sisters,” said Van Ark.  This December marks the 40^th anniversary of the nighttime soap.  While the ladies hope for some sort of reunion special, they have another idea.  “A show that we were going to call We’re ‘Knot’ Done Yet,” says Van Ark.  “And we’re not.”

Tituss Burgess has been flying high on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and is currently promoting his new CD, Saint Tituss.  But everyone is talking about his feud with Andy Cohen.  Tituss was on What Watch Happens Live and Cohen asked a viewer question about the film Burgess just made with Eddie Murphy.  Tituss was effusive in his praise for Murphy.  Then Andy asked, “Did you get to chat with him at all?”  Tituss said, “Of course I did.  Why wouldn’t I?”  Cohen added, “I just wondered if you got close at all because he was very problematic for the gays at one point when I was coming up.”  “Oh, I see.  He wasn’t problematic for Tituss….he was great and any troubles he may have had with gay people I guess are gone because he loved me.”  Fellow panelist Laverne Cox (wearing blue eye shadow) interjected, “It was a long time ago – people evolve.”  Meanwhile, Tituss batted his eyelashes while mouthing and gesturing something to the audience. “What was that?” Andy asked.  “Keep going, girl – do your show,” said Tituss.  We’re told that when the live telecast was over, Tituss quickly left the set and refused to sign the guest book, saying, “He knows I was here”.  Cohen was later asked if Tituss would be invited back.  “He’s been on four times.  He can do whatever he wants.  I just don’t want to offend him.”h

“But at the same time, my God, if you’re 3 years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a
certain way, or you think you’re a boy or a girl or whatever the case may be,
I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make that determination then,
OK, well then you’re gonna be a boy or a girl, whatever the case may be.”    
– Mario Lopez shares his thoughts on transgender children during a podcast with pro-Trump
conservative Candace Owens.  BTW, he later apologized, saying, “The comments I made were
ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were.”

Remember when summer used to be filled with reruns?  That’s how I’m feeling about this week’s column.  Not that the stories are old, but many of them relate to days gone by.  Take our opening quote from Mario Lopez, where he incoherently babbles about transgender children.  Of course, Lopez has been a longstanding ally of the LGBTQ community and has since apologized.  But his rambling reminded me of Miss South Carolina’s answer when Mario hosted the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant – a moment touted by most as epic in pageant history.  Back then, Mario tried to stifle a laugh.  Watch both clips on BillyMasters.com and see if you can do the same.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Russ in San Francisco: “I just watched Russian Doll and think Charlie Barnett is absolutely gorgeous.  Do you know anything about him?  Has he ever done nudity?”

I LOVED Russian Doll and have now watched it about five times, each time picking up something new.  As for Charlie Barnett, he’s having quite a year.  In addition to Russian Doll, he’s also in the new Tales of the City on Netflix.  He previously played gay on Chicago Fire, which was not a stretch since he’s openly gay.  Regarding nudity, parts of his anatomy seem to pop up in several productions, as you’ll see on BillyMasters.com.

Shawn Mendes is getting some flack regarding a coming out story – no, not his own.  At an Oakland, California meet and greet, a female fan asked Shawn to appear in a short video telling her parents that she’s gay.  “I’m bisexual and I haven’t told anybody, but my parents are very strict and I don’t know how to tell them, so I was wondering if you could do a little video.”  Shawn said, “This is what I want to tell you.  Your parents are your parents.  They’re going to love you no matter what you say, no matter how you say it, no matter how you look when you say it, at any time of the day.  Nothing I say is going to mean anything that is even close to what you saying it means to them, OK?”  He added, “Don’t ask me to do that.  And I would if I thought that it was a better thing to do, but I know in my heart it’s not.  I know your parents are going to just love you even more for being honest with them.”  While I completely agree that it’s not Shawn’s place to get involved, I think he’s making a whole lot of assumptions about this girl’s parents.  And, since I live to play devil’s advocate, do we know if: a) this girl is really bisexual and 2) she even has parents?  I mean, those Shawn Mendes fans can be pretty sneaky.

When we last heard from George Michael’s ex, he had barricaded himself in the late pop singer’s house…despite the fact that he was completely left out of the will.  A neighbor took some photos of the property revealing numerous smashed windows and water damage – which Fadi Fawaz claimed was part of his “home improvements”.  The family tried to evict Fatty…I mean Fadi (although, from recent photos, it’s an honest mistake).  Finally, the police arrested him on suspicion of aggravated criminal damage.  While in custody, the family changed the locks and boarded up the broken windows.  Since his release, neighbors say Fawaz has been seen sleeping on the balcony.

“Faye Dunaway playing a legendary film star – what could go wrong.”    
– Billy Masters on The Take way back in April.

If there’s one thing I enjoy more than starting a column by saying I was right, it’s starting a column by sharing a Fayewatch item.  Miss Dunaway will NOT be appearing as Katharine Hepburn on Broadway…or anywhere else, for that matter.  While I predicted this outcome months ago, I wasn’t completely right.  Sure, I knew she wouldn’t make it to Broadway, but I didn’t predict that Faye would be FIRED.  And this makes me sad.  Not because she was good in the role – it was an ill-advised pairing from the get-go.  But from the stories that are now circulating from the limited run in Boston, the hijinx that would have engulfed an actual Broadway production would have given me fodder for endless columns.  At least we can now tell you about her unhinged behavior in Boston.

It seems things were never good on the Tea at Five set.  At a photo session announcing the play, Dunaway reportedly threw her luncheon salad on the ground, proclaiming that since she was watching her weight, “the salad would be better on the floor than in her hand”.  Sources confirm that she never learned her lines (as I reported, an earpiece had to be used onstage), she frequently cancelled or was late to rehearsals, and would not allow people – including the playwright and director – to look at her.  When she did show up, she insisted that nobody around her wear white “because it distracts me”.  You know what might have helped with that?  Learning the lines!  And, while it seems implausible, sources claim that shortly before opening night, Faye had staffers get down on their hands and knees and scrub the floor of her dressing room.  I’m sure the words, “Now clean up this mess!” were uttered.  More believable, however, is that people working on the show would get “troubling, rambling, angry” voicemails in the middle of the night.  Hmmm – this sounds familiar.  And you can hear it on BillyMasters.com.

What’s better than Superman?  Would you believe two Supermen?  In the past, both Brandon Routh and Tyler Hoechlin have played the Man of Steel (Routh on the big screen in Superman Returns and Hoechlin on the small screen in Supergirl).  Plans are afoot for both men to once again don Spandex and play Superman at different points of his life on The CW’s next Arrowverse crossover.

Ever since Baz Luhrmann announced his next project would be a big-screen biopic about Elvis Presley, people have been wondering who would be cast in the lead.  Well, wait no more – the role has been filled by Austin Butler.  He’s appeared on TV in The Shannara Chronicles, Arrow, and The Carrie Diaries.  More legitimately, he’s held his own on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh alongside Denzel Washington.  I must admit, none of these credits helped me place him.  Because I live to serve, I discovered that Austin is one of those tight young blonds who are so appealing and yet so interchangeable.  Then I saw some photos of him alongside his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens, and something caught my eye.  How do I say this politely?  Let’s just say something in that photo stuck out.  I can’t put my finger on it – but I’d like to.  It looks like I might need to use my whole hand.  I’ll use the other hand to post the pics to BillyMasters.com.

Emmy nominations were just announced, and the heterophobic Netflix nabbed a record 117 nominations – well, a record for them.  What I found fascinating is that several trade publications took great pains to point out that the lobby of the Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre is now called the “Netflix Lobby”.  I’m sure they’re not implying anything unsavory – probably just singling out a curious decoration, much like I’d identify a lovely sconce (something I’ve never done).  By the way, perennial Emmy leader HBO once again led the pack with 137 nods.

There was quite a bit of queer love at the Emmys.  RuPaul’s Drag Race snagged 14 nominations, which is not only a record for the show, but also the most nominations ever for any show on VH1.  I wouldn’t be Billy Masters if I didn’t point out that series was initially developed for Logo, the all-but-defunct gay network.

Billy Porter’s nomination as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Pose was also historic.  Apparently this is the first time that an openly gay black man was nominated in this category – a narrow distinction, but a distinction nonetheless.  As they say, it’s an honor just to be nominated.  But here’s something that could be a good omen – the Emmys take place on September 22^nd, and Mr. Porter turns 50 the day before.  I can guess what his wish will be as he blows out that candle, or whatever he’s blowing on All Emmys Eve.

What I have no problem understanding is those charges against Kevin Spacey in Nantucket being dropped.  As I predicted, the district attorney dropped the charges in light of the accuser, Will Little, pleading the Fifth Amendment.  Mr. Little was also unable to provide the cell phone he used on the night in question.  No evidence, no witness, no case.  Nobody is saying Spacey is innocent of…well, of anything.  But, in terms of this particular crime, it couldn’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.  Of course, I don’t hold myself to those standards; he did it.

Our Ask Billy question concerns a summer replacement.  Jed in San Francisco writes, “The star of Blood & Treasure is really hot.  Where did he come from?  Do you have any photos of him naked?”

That would be Matt Barr, who I think of as a good-looking Bradley Cooper.  If that interests you, read on Macduff.  The young Mr. Barr was born a day after moi (well, a day and a couple of decades).  And like me, he’s blond-ish.  He’s scruffier and buffer and certainly not opposed to showing off his impressive physique.  Perhaps you’ve seen him in Hellcats or Harper’s Island – which don’t ring any bells with me.  He also had a brief role in The House Bunny.  Nothing?  Well, they say a photo is worth a thousand words.  Since we’re well over that limit, we’ll simply post some photos of Matt Bare…eh, Barr.  Well, both.  You see, he showed quite a bit in the film Ten Inch Hero – let’s just say the title pretty much says it all.   If that whets your appetite, check out BillyMasters.com.

A pair of interesting priest stories came across my desk.  And if you know anything about me, I’m always interested in priests coming.  First we heard about Father Pierre Valkering, who is a Catholic priest in Amsterdam.  The controversy began when he published a memoir in which he talked about his past as a sexually active gay man.  Obviously not an Earth-shattering revelation when it comes to Catholic priests.  He spoke openly about going to gay sex clubs – in particular, “dark rooms”.  Then during his priest days, he became addicted to gay porn.  Despite all of this being in the past, the Amsterdam Peace Church dumped him.  Father Pierre wasn’t surprised.  “It is clear that with this book I am going on particularly slippery ice, or even a minefield.”

Should Pierre be considering a change of profession, he may want to consider becoming a gay porn actor.  Scoff if you must, but he wouldn’t be the first ex-priest to make this transition.  Norm Self has appeared in four gay porn films since his retirement in 2017.  Oh, did I neglect to mention that he’s 85 years old?  I think he’s outlived a cougar and could possibly be considered a tyrannosaurus rex!  He went public about his vocation in the documentary, On The Game: The Sex Business.  He came to the decision pretty matter-of-factly.  “We are going to have sex anyway, so why not make it a liberating and bonding experience instead of hiding it away in the shadows?”  While I applaud the sentiment, I hope you’ll forgive me if I stop short of fully researching this story.

And now, time for a sad story which I predict will make many of you happy.  Gus Kenworthy and his beau Matt Wilkas have broken up.  See?  Aren’t you conflicted?  You’re like, “Aww…they made such a cute couple and they seemed so happy.”  On the other hand, you’re thinking, “Hmm…two really hot gay guys are suddenly single.”  I wish I had some dirt for you – or even rumors of a third party.  For now, we rely on the official statement: “Gus and Matt are taking time apart.  They love and support each other and remain close friends.”  Someone in the know says it happened at the end of June.  That’s Pride Month for you – some relationships make it, some don’t.

Didya know that Kenworthy and Wilkas actually met online?  Get your minds out of the gutter – they met on Instagram.  But gay apps are in the news.  I recently told you that the gay hook-up app Jack’d suffered a data breach which left thousands of users’ private photos open to the public.  This led to a ruling that they had to pay a $240K settlement.  In the midst of that, a much more popular app, Scruff, came in and bought Jack’d – probably for a song.

Having watched nearly every episode of LA Law and countless hours of Judge Judy, I consider myself somewhat of a legal expert.  So, it is my unaccredited opinion that there is no precedent for retroactively applying the Fifth Amendment.  And yet, that is what Kevin Spacey’s accuser, Will Little, did last week.  After cockily answering questions on the stand, Mr. Little was reminded that, should any of his statements prove to be false, he could face several charges, including a felony for tampering with evidence.  Suddenly a recess was called.  I don’t remember exactly how long it lasted, but I was able to find out that psycho Thomas killed Emma on The Bold and the Beautiful.  When we returned to the Nantucket courtroom, not only did Mr. Little refuse to answer any more questions – citing the Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself – he also asked that everything he had said earlier be stricken from the record.  The judge then told the prosecutor that given that they suddenly had no evidence (i.e., the cell phone) and no witness (i.e., Mr. Little), they may want to reconsider proceeding with criminal charges…lest he make the decision for them.  The next hearing is scheduled for July 31, but I believe a decision will be forthcoming much sooner.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Mark in Boston: “Rapper Lil Nas X has come out as gay this week.  This is a big deal, as he is a big star.  Do you have any nudes of him?  He must be on a gay website somewhere.”

I believe the timing of Nas’ coming out actually connects to nudes.  On June 23^rd, the rapper Tweeted, “Can’t believe my nudes leaked wtf”.  Then he came out, which as we say in the media biz “changed the narrative”.  Unless, of course, you’re Billy Masters – I ain’t so easily distracted.  BTW, Nas ain’t so lil, as you’ll see on BillyMasters.com.

Time for our weekly Schocking Story.  Aaron Schock – I know you all secretly lust after him solely as a sex object.  And I’m gonna give you about nine more reasons to want him.  Yes, we’ve featured a few dozen nude photos of him from every conceivable angle.  But the latest clips we’ve received are from video chats which feature him full frontal (including face), fully aroused, shaking his money maker in your…well, face.  At this point, I think I’ve got less footage of actual gay porn stars!  You can take him all in – metaphorically – at BillyMasters.com.

Meanwhile in MY Ptown, I was busy with the sun, sand, surf, and studs in skivvies.  Call me old-fashioned, but over July 4^th, I consider myself a patriot – as much of a patriot as those brave soldiers who stormed the airports and took to flight during the War of Independence.  Someone I’d never war with is the gorgeous Gavin Creel, who was at the Ptown Art House courtesy of Seth Rudetsky.  The show was a delight – you can always tell when Seth has a personal relationship with his guest.  This was effortless – like Gavin’s mellifluous range.  Seth has a cavalcade of guests stopping by all summer long, so check out PTownArtHouse.com for the latest schedule. 

Then there’s Varla Jean Merman, who never disappoints…even when she’s bored.  Yes, this year’s show is called A Star is Bored and, trust me, you’ll be anything but.  The songs, the costumes, the video, the cheese – it’s all there.  Varla even pays homage to those who came before her – so it’s almost educational.  Catch it before it turns up on your local PBS station during Pledge Week!  Get your tix early at PTownArtHouse.com because she’s got a limited schedule and is selling out each and every show.

Our very own Pete Buttigieg had a fundraiser in Provincetown on July 5^th.  It should go without saying that a gay man with the word “Butt” in his name is very popular in Ptown…and he was.  Didya know that of Democratic candidates for president, Mayor Pete raised more money in the second quarter than the rest of ‘em?  $24.8 million, to be precise.  To put it in perspective, Kamala hasn’t raised that much since she entered the race!  Tickets to Pete’s free fundraiser at Provincetown Town Hall were snatched up in a matter of hours.  The $2,800/ticket fundraiser sold out in 3 days.  There was a $1,000/ticket fundraiser which I believe took place on the street en route to the more expensive one.  That sold out quickly, too.  Because my priorities are vastly different, I did not go anywhere near these – nor was I awake during some of them.  But a source who did pay $2,800 told me, “Mayor Pete has very soft hands.”  That sounds reminiscent of a Palmolive commercial.  You’re soaking in it!

For our Ask Billy question, Gary in Dallas asks, “What’s this about Aaron Schock and the go-go boy?”

Our favorite disgraced Congressman was seen at Mexico City’s Boy Bar – a gay club which features strippers and a dark room (if you’re into that sort of thing).  On Saturday, June 22^nd, a patron whipped out his cell photo to take a video of his favorite stripper when who walks into the frame?  Yes, La Schock.  He, too, is apparently a fan of the flexible fella and shoved some money into his G-string.  And, wait…what’s he doing?  Eh, probably just looking for change.  You can see for yourself on BillyMasters.com – the site that also has every inch of Schock in countless photos and videos.

Many of you will not like this next story, so just hold your nose till I get it out.  Judi Dench has once again stood up for people currently seen as pariahs in today’s society.  “Are we going to negate 10 years at the Old Vic [when Kevin Spacey was artistic director] and everything that he did – how wonderful he’s been in all those films?  Are we just not going to see all those films that Harvey [Weinstein] produced?  You cannot deny somebody a talent.  You might as well never look at a Caravaggio painting.  You might as well never have gone to see Noel Coward.”  This brings up the age-old controversy – can one separate the art from the artist?  If nothing else, one must admire Dench’s loyalty…through thick and thin.

Broadway is not for the faint of heart.  Every year, the post-Tony Awards period sees several shut-out shows shutter.  Alas, this year is no different.  Within days of the awards, The Prom, King Kong, and The Cher Show posted closing notices.  Here’s an idea – why not combine all three?  I can just see it now.  Kong descends from the Empire State Building and asks Cher to be his date for the prom.  Of course, people protest – interspecies dating is still such a taboo subject.  I smell a hit…or maybe that’s just Kong.

While costs are prohibitive for Kong to hit the road, The Cher Show will embark on an extensive national tour.  However, the big news is that The Prom will be adapted by Ryan Murphy for Netflix.  And he’s bringing along a starry cast which includes James Corden, Ariana Grande, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Andrew Rannells.

A few weeks ago, I told you that Jesse Tyler Ferguson will return to Broadway next season in a revival of Take Me Out.  In addition to his appearance on the Great White Way, Jesse has also been named host of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition reboot for HGTV.  He’s gonna have an awfully busy life next year.

While we’re sharing good news, it’s just been announced that two of the latest people to be getting stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be Billy Porter and Andy Cohen.  Congrats!

“And then it dawned on me – I’ll go back to my roots. 
The theatre.  Back to Broadway.  Big mistake.”    
– Faye Dunaway as Katharine Hepburn in the play Tea at Five. 
This may be one of those art-imitating-life-imitating-art moments.

In years to come, when I contend that nothing exciting ever happens in June, please remind me about Faye Dunaway’s appearance as Katharine Hepburn in Matthew Lombardo’s Tea at Five at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.  To enumerate Miss Dunaway’s theatrical talents is beyond the confines of this column.  Surely she has the goods – skills that were honed at Boston University, which utilizes the Huntington Theatre for its productions.  Alas, the necessary ingredients did not come together for an unforgettable evening of theatre.

To be fair, opening night was after only a handful of previews, Faye is 78, and she hasn’t been on stage since…well, don’t even go there.  On the positive side, she does get through the show – although one can hardly say that in an ad.  What is curiously absent is anything even slightly reminiscent of the Great Kate.  In her red wig, Dunaway physically evokes memories of a latter-day Mary Tyler Moore.  Her character may have a broken ankle, but Faye’s Hepburn walks around with ease.  Where is she going?  To take sips out of strategically placed glasses of water.  After all, seniors need to stay hydrated.  There is not the slightest tremor – although the malady is referred to in the script.  Hepburn’s inimitable tight Yankee diction is all but missing.  As to the words, they don’t come to Faye easily – despite the aid of an earpiece (unless she is also guiding planes into Logan Airport).  Dunaway’s acting style is more of a slow, intense burn rather than Kate’s natural clip.  It’s a strange confluence that simply doesn’t gel.  As performed by La Dunaway, Lombardo’s script seems less engaging here than ever before.  I suppose it could all come together during the course of the remaining two weeks in Boston.  But Broadway?  I don’t think so.  Frankly, I’d advise all fans to swarm to Boston immediately.  At least that way you’ll be able to say you saw it.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Chet in Detroit: “I’m totally in love with Conner Bobay – he’s my ultimate twink.  I hear he’s been naked on his website.  Do you have any photos or videos?”

Thanks to my fans, I learned something.  Apparently Conner Bobay is one of those social media stars who sings, blogs, and poses in underwear.  Once I saw he has an OnlyFans site, I knew he had to also be peddling nudes (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  Sure enough, last week there was a dick-slip.  Upon further investigating, I seem to have found several other sizeable additions to the collection.  Check them out on BillyMasters.com.

When Conner is grabbing his own [BLANK], it’s definitely time to end another column.  Have you noticed our nude subjects keep getting younger and younger?  But you won’t find any underaged boys on www.BillyMasters.com – the site that doesn’t interest Kevin Spacey!  If you have a question, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before Will Little and his girlfriend appear in the musical version of The Notebook!  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Jussie Smollett’s recent birthday.  He took to social media to say, “Grateful for LOVE.  Grateful for y’all.  Grateful for another year around the sun.”  Alas, he’s not getting much love from Chicago.  On Jussie’s birthday, Judge Michael Toomin called for a special prosecutor to examine the entire Smollett “incident”, including how it was handled by authorities.  Toomin specifically targeted Jussie: “In perhaps the most prominent display of his acting potential, Smollett conceived a fantasy that propelled him from the role of a sympathetic victim of a vicious homophobic attack to that of a charlatan who fermented a hoax the equal of any twisted television intrigue.”  I’m not sure, but I think that was a compliment to Jussie as an actor.  Judge Toomin added that a special prosecutor was needed “to restore the public’s confidence in our criminal justice system”.

Then there’s Nicholas Sparks – author of those dreadfully saccharine and syrupy stories where straight white people fall in love after overcoming horrific obstacles.  Last week, Broadway producers announced that they were doing a reading of a new musical based on The Notebook.  This has the potential of being a huge moneymaker for the author.  But not so fast.  The very next day, the former headmaster of the Christian school Sparks founded claimed that the author tried to ban LGBT clubs and protests.  In fact, the former headmaster is suing Sparks, stating that he “unapologetically marginalized, bullied, and harassed members of the school community whose religious views and/or identities did not conform to their religiously driven, bigoted preconceptions.”  What would one expect from Epiphany School?  Yes, that’s the name of the school.  And Sparks did found it, so it’s his way or the highway (likely not the highway to heaven).  In an e-mail, Sparks accused the headmaster of having “an agenda that strives to make homosexuality open and accepted”.  Lest you think his vitriol was limited to the gays, Nick also said the school had few minority students because they were “too poor and can’t do the academic work”. 

Once this story went public, Sparks did some fancy footwork via Twitter: “As someone who has spent the better part of my life as a writer who understands the power of words, I regret and apologize that mine have potentially hurt young people and members of the LGBTQ community, including my friends and colleagues in that community.”  Being Sparks, he goes on and on, but you get the gist.  In fact, the only thing he didn’t address was the racist accusations.  Anyhoo, the producers of the musical were satisfied, and said (in part), “We are encouraged that Mr. Sparks has made a strong statement of support of the LGBTQ+ community today.”  And, on with the show.

It has been nearly three years since Kevin Spacey allegedly groped an underage busboy at the Club Car club in Nantucket.  For those of you who don’t get out much, lemme briefly recap.  Kevin was at this bar and took a shine to an 18-year-old busboy named Will Little.  Little texted his girlfriend saying that Spacey was “hanging around me in the bar.  He got my number and asked me to come out with him.”  Red Flag No. 1 – how did Spacey get his number?  From another employee?  Perhaps from a bathroom wall?  Or, most likely, from the busboy himself.  Who knows.  Will’s girlfriend texted back, “Are you kidding?  Sounds like he’s hitting on you” – because this girl isn’t stupid.  Little texted back, “I think he is.  He’s grabbing my leg and [BLANK]” – the word has been redacted, but I think we all know what [BLANK] is.  Then Will texted back, “I’m not gay – but I think Spacey is.”  Red Flag No. 2 – why is Will telling his girlfriend “I’m not gay”?  Doesn’t she already know that?  Or does she?  Then Will said, “He’s grabbed my [BLANK] 8 times.  He’s pissed I’m texting.  I told him I had a girlfriend”.  Red Flag No. 3 – how long is a “not gay” guy going to hang out with someone grabbing their [BLANK]?  Your choices are: a) long enough for him to grab you eight times, b) as long as he keeps buying the drinks, or c) I’m not gay.

Let me stop for a moment to make one thing perfectly clear – I believe Will Little.  I completely believe that Spacey was predatory towards this underaged guy.  But why did Will stay?  That’s my question.  Another question was brought up to me on NECN’s The Take – why were the bartenders serving a fellow employee who they knew was not of age?  Seems to me there are more questions than answers.

Some of those questions could be answered with Will’s cell phone.  It’s been alleged by Spacey’s attorney that the timeline of the messages as well as the content is crucial.  Specifically, the lawyer points out that Will’s final message to his “girlfriend” said, “I got the autographs and a hell of a story.”  The mouthpiece contends that the text messages do not “indicate the interaction was unwelcomed.”   It’s also been reported that Mr. Little’s mother may have redacted certain content on the phone that didn’t paint her son in a particularly positive light.  The judge ordered that the phone be turned over to Spacey’s team for examination by July 8^th.  So far, they have not complied.  Why not?  While the police did examine the phone, their records indicate it was returned to Will’s father.  But Mr. Little says he has no recollection of ever receiving the phone back.  The family’s attorney claims that they have “searched all the places where such a phone may have been stored.  They have not found the phone.”  The judge has ordered Mr. Little to appear in court if the phone doesn’t turn up.  Something smells rotten in Nantucket.

BTW, Lily, Dolly and Jane still plan on reuniting for a 9 to 5 sequel.  Last week, Dolly told CNN’s Robin Meade, “We’ve got two scripts and we’re waiting for the last rewrite.  So as soon as we all sign off on that, I’d say in the next few months we’ll be in production.”  A few months ago, Jane Fonda said the same thing.  “Right now, Dolly, Lily and I are all intending to be in it.”  Fingers crossed.

I went to several Pride-related events in Hollywood, including a book signing for Frank DeCaro’s encyclopedic volume, Drag: Combing Through the Big Wigs of Show Business.  What an entertaining and informative book – certainly a “must” for anyone reading this column.  Why, it is simply staggering the amount of information you learn.  In addition to the current drag divas, I was interested in reading about the people who paved the way – because, we all know that without drag queens, we’d have no Stonewall.  The event I went to at Barnes & Noble at The Grove was standing room only and featured the grand dame of Los Angeles drag, Momma.  On the dais we had Bruce Vilanch (who apparently is the go-to when it comes to writing material for men in drag on television), Alaska Thunderfuck, and the reigning Best in Drag, Reba Ariba.  The panel discussion was fascinating (I’ll link to it on BillyMasters.com) and special celebs like Jack Plotnick, Melissa Peterman, Tom Lenk, Drew Droege, Carolyn Hennesy, and others made it truly a celebration.  Go out and buy Frank’s book NOW!

Do you remember Bicentennial Moments?  They were little PSAs that ran on network TV.  I don’t remember exactly when – I believe it was sometime in the mid-‘70s.  Anyhoo, here’s your Gay Pride moment.  Didya know actor Michael Gross – yes, Michael J. Fox’s dad on Family Ties – made his Broadway debut in the original production of Bent?  And in drag?  Gross was also at DeCaro’s book signing, and we had a long conversation about him getting the role of Greta.  The story is included in Frank’s book.

The Hollywood Museum is a magical place filled with oodles of memorabilia and special theme events.  A few weeks ago, I told you about their seventh annual exhibit Real to Reel: Portrayals and Perceptions of LGBTs in Hollywood.  This exhibit kicks off Pride Month in LA, and I was thrilled to be at the gala opening, where some special awards were given out.  Most notably, Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner were named Hollywood Trailblazers.  The honor made the duo chuckle.  “Neither one of us has ever had a good sense of direction, so being perceived to be blazing a trail we find very flattering – it implies we knew where we were going!”  Other notables at the event were Fran Drescher, Sam Harris, Lisa Vanderpump, Tyler Henry, Judy Tenuta, Roslyn Kind, Kate Linder, Kevin Spirtas, Anita and Bonnie Pointer, Dawn Wells, and the rest.

A former member of the Indiana House of Representatives has attacked Mayor Pete Buttigieg for possibly being “too gay”.  Don Boys’ post, called “Pete, Since You Brought It Up, How ‘Gay’ Are You?”, says that for Buttigieg to be a legitimate candidate for president, he must first denounce both fisting and rimming.  Is that in the job description?  ‘Cause I’m curious what Trump has denounced.  Watersports spring to mind.  Boys went further by stating, “Voters should know that a homosexual president may not live to finish his term.”  I’ve got news for him – a few heterosexual presidents didn’t finish THEIR terms!  Boys continues, “Moreover, 70 percent of homosexuals admit to having at least one STD plus they are infected with other contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.  About 20 percent of homosexual men are infected with HIV and about half of them do not know it.  Don’t voters have a right, even an obligation, to know a candidate’s health status since the candidate’s health is always an issue?  Is a homosexual candidate an exception?  If so, why?”  While I certainly cannot speak for the candidates, I’d venture to guess that Mayor Pete will allow an STD screening if Donald does.  Although, Trump may get a bit too excited at the thought of Pete peeing!

Our Ask Billy question comes from Thomas in San Francisco: “I just saw Rocketman and thought Richard Madden [the actor who plays Elton’s boyfriend/manager] was so sexy.  Is he really gay?  What a body!”

I don’t believe Richard Madden’s sexual orientation is much of a secret.  Last week the venerable New York Times asked if he and actor Brandon Flynn are “an item”: “Madden shrugged, unbothered by the question but in no hurry to answer it, either.  ‘I just keep my personal life personal.  I’ve never talked about my relationships.’”  I think that says it all.  His body is on full display in the UK series Bodyguard.  The sight of Madden’s bare bottom on the BBC caused the usually unflappable Brits to become…well, flapped.  Check it out on BillyMasters.com.

Of course, every year we have the clash of LA Pride and the Tony Awards.  This year, the Tonys won out.  While there wasn’t much gossip to report, let me congratulate Mart Crowley for winning Best Revival of a Play for his Boys in the Band – a play that basically wouldn’t have been written were it not for Natalie Wood…but that’s another story for another time.  In accepting her Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for Humanitarian Efforts, our beloved Judith Light made a point of acknowledging us.  “It has long been my privilege to support the HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ+ communities, so to be honored in this way tonight is extremely humbling.”  And speaking of our community, is it just me or was LaTanya Richardson Jackson wearing a gay pride coat?  Or was she auditioning for a touring company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?  Speaking of clothes, bravo to my dear friend, the amazingly talented Bob Mackie for Best Costumes for The Cher Show!

Here we are, in the midst of Gay Pride Month, and what’s our first story about?  A Straight Pride Parade…in my native Boston.  Oh, the shame.  Don’t they already have a Straight Pride Parade in Boston?  The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade!!!  Oops, they’ve let the gays into that one, too.  In the broadest sense, I don’t have a problem with the idea of Straight Pride.  I enjoy both straight and gay men – as long as they enjoy me.  But the way this is being couched – as if straight people are an “oppressed majority” (their words) – makes me feel it borders on homophobic.  Unless, of course, members of the LGBT community are welcomed to join in, just like our straight allies are invited and encouraged to join in our Pride parades.  If not, it’s beginning to smell a lot like Charlottesville.

LA Pride kicked off with a spectacular free concert on the fairgrounds headlined by Paula Abdul.  Anyone who thought this would be some quick hit-and-run appearance doesn’t know Paula.  She was onstage for well over an hour.  She performed every hit, she told stories, she brought folks onstage to dance, she had amazing videos and dynamic dancers who tossed her around as if she were a rag doll.  The only thing she didn’t do was sing – which is ironic because at certain times, she had TWO microphones!  She’d struggle to be heard speaking, but when a song started, suddenly the vocals were crystal clear.  Ultimately it didn’t really matter.  Like Britney, who goes to hear Paula sing?  She put on a great show, as you can see from clips on BillyMasters.com.  BTW, this was a good chance for Abdul to try out the act in advance of her Vegas residency.  She’ll be going into the Flamingo on August 13^th.  I have two tips for Paula – get a coach to work on the monologues about your life and perhaps sing a little.

Could it be that a certain star of stage and screen (both large and small) is having his privates made public by a perturbed ex-paramour?  So say people who have seen the photos circulating and recognize the fastidious fella by, of all things, his feet!  And you know what they say about large feet.  Find out for yourself on BillyMasters.com.

With the release of Rocketman, director Dexter Fletcher has revealed his next dream subject.  “I’d do Madonna.  That sounds like a real rollercoaster ride!  It would be extraordinary.  I don’t know how happy she’d be about that.  But what an extraordinary life that would be.  If I was to tackle any other icon like that, it would be her.  She’s extraordinary.”  Anyone looking to buy Dexter a gift might consider a thesaurus.  It would be…“extraordinary”.

Speaking of Madge, I was shocked to see her performance on the Eurovision finals live from Tel Aviv (and I’m talking about the real live performance you can see on BillyMasters.com, not the doctored performance on most other websites).  What in the name of everything holy was she thinking?  First, she comes out wearing that ridiculous eye patch (she’s apparently still channeling Madame X, or perhaps it was a misguided tribute to Moshe Dayan).  Then there was “Like a Prayer”, not the hardest song to sing.  The word “caterwauling” comes to mind.  Frankly, I think William Hong could have done a better job!  As she cavorted onstage with kids the square root of her age, it hit me – she’s turning into Mamie Van Doren.  For you youngsters, Mamie was a sex symbol in the ‘50s and ‘60s.  As she got older, she couldn’t quite let go of the pin-up image and continued to wear questionable outfits for her age and body type, culminating in a shocking photo session in her backyard, where the 80-year-old danced around topless, wearing an Indian headdress.  Even more shocking, the photographer for the session was her son!  That goes above and beyond filial duties if you ask me.  I don’t think Rocco is in danger, but I think David better sleep with one eye open!

By the by, since there are no new ideas in Hollywood, MGM has announced that they will produce a feature film about the life of Boy George.  I have one word for them – Taboo.

In lighter lesbian news, Lea DeLaria is single and happy about it.  She recently spoke with Wendy Williams about her scuttled wedding plans.  She revealed she was the one who was dumped – although it ended amicably.  Eh, lesbians!  “She did everything right – Chelsea Fairless is a class act.”  Speaking of acts, DeLaria is taking her act to Provincetown.  She bought the venue formerly known as The Pied, and rechristened it The Club.  It’s in one of the best locations in town, and will now be a jazz club with all the usual accoutrements – food, drink, entertainment.  She says it will be different than most Ptown venues.  “There’ll be no cover charge.  People can come in and hear live entertainment from world-class jazz musicians, have a drink and small noshes until we close.”  I suspect she’ll be charging a cover when she brings in headliners.  Like for July 4^th weekend, she’s snagged Rosie O’Donnell!  Ro will perform July 5-7, and Lea DeLaria will be her opening act.  Which begs the question – will this be the first time Lea’s opened for Rosie?  Perhaps we’ll find out at the show.

The difference between a flirt and a tease is that a tease won’t follow through.  I, Billy Masters, am more of a flirt.  In fact, I’m what you’d call a sure thing.  Alas, I feel as if I’ve been teasing you with these weekly reports about Aaron Schock.  So let’s say right off the bat – I’m delivering.  To catch you up, the hunky former Congressman has been everywhere since the video of him seemingly fishing around in the pants of a male dance partner at Coachella went viral.  Apparently he’s been busy in public and in private.  For months, people have whispered of clandestine same-sex hookups with guys he’s encountered on various apps.  Nothing came of those whispers…until now.

A veritable treasure trove of unidentified nude photos just fell into our hot little hands – and, naturally, you can see them on BillyMasters.com.  Aside from the obvious resemblance to our Downton Abbey loving subject, what I find intriguing is that most of them focus on the guy in question’s ass.  The person in these photos vehemently says he’s a top – although more than one of his prospective partners has said that the person in the pics “prefers topping”, but says he will bottom.  Kinda like a vegan who occasionally has a pot roast!  Back to these butt photos – let’s just say they show angles that typically only turn up in proctological examinations.  In addition to the nude pix at various angles showing a body and face that bear a striking resemblance to the proudly straight Schock, we also received a jerk-off video.  Again, lots of focus on the ass, but we do see him fully aroused…in addition to his face.  What will he do for an encore?  After all, it is Pride Month.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Stephen in San Francisco: “I know lots of people hate him, but I think Austin Armacost is so dreamy.  I’ve always heard he has a small dick.  Then he posted a nude photo and it looks pretty big.  So, you have to find out – is the pic photoshopped or is it really that big?”

For those who don’t know, Austin Armacost is a model of some minor note.  More notable is his appearance on a handful of reality television shows, including the short-lived The A-List: New York, where we learned he had a minor tryst with Reichen Lehmkuhl (you’d think that would put the question of size to rest).  Later, he was on Celebrity Big Brother UK.  Most of his risqué shoots have focused on his derrière, which is certainly his largest asset.  But what of the elusive flip side?  The photo in question was posted on Austin’s website, but photos can be easily doctored.  Less easy to fudge is video, and we’ve gotten our hands on some footage where Austin shakes his moneymaker – proving it’s either real or held on with Super Glue.  See for yourself on BillyMasters.com.

I don’t think Dustin Lance Black is all too keen on the Brits right now.  Last week, he skipped seeing hubby Tom Daley take the gold in the Diving World Series at the London Aquatic Centre.  DLB said, “Sadly, organisers at @britishswimming have succeeded in creating a toxic environment for our family at their events so we can’t be there in person on this very special London morning.”  The organizers shot back saying that the couple’s son’s stroller was a health and safety concern.  “British Swimming is extremely disappointed that Tom’s husband felt that he couldn’t be at the London Aquatic Centre to support Tom yesterday.”  Lance shot back, “This situation had little to nothing to do with a pram.  I never asked to bring one in, and we certainly had no interest in being poolside with one.  Anyone there plainly saw that our son was on my lap.  This pram story is a lie.”

The next day, he later told the Times of London that the problem was initially about the buggy.  He was told he couldn’t bring it poolside for the reasons stated, so he took the child out of the buggy and had him either on the floor or his lap.  Officials then told him people were complaining about the buggy.  The situation escalated.  “A woman was thinking of throwing me out for causing a scene.  She accused me of swearing.  I didn’t.  They told Tom as soon as he was off the podium.”  Black was so distraught that he stayed away for the rest of the weekend.