Despite not getting an Emmy nod, the reboot of Frasier is returning for season two on Paramount+ with some familiar faces and places.  We hear that Frasier will return to Seattle and his old radio station KACL.  That episode will feature Dan Butler, Edward Hibbert, and the devilishly divine Harriet Sansom Harris as Frasier’s old agent Bebe.  No word if either David Hyde Pierce or Jane Leeves will turn up – which one would expect since it’s been made clear that Niles and Daphne still live in Seattle.  The new season commences on September 19^th.

And this leads perfectly into our Ask Billy question.  Victor in Dallas writes, “I hear Kim Cattrall is going to return to And Just Like That….  Any truth to the rumor?  Will it be another phone cameo like last season?”

I’ve heard the same rumors – but with a twist.  Response to her cameo last season was so positive, the powers-that-be are willing to do whatever they can to get her back.  I’m told that negotiations are ongoing for an actual storyline.  Cattrall, who previously was adamant about not appearing, seems to have warmed to the idea…with a few stipulations.  She wants all of her scenes filmed in England.  She’d like Samantha to have a storyline of her own.  She wants to be paid plenty (she got $1 million for last season’s two-minute scene – and she got to keep the clothes).  And she would prefer not to appear with any of the other three ladies.  What does that mean?  Stay tuned…

When actors can make half a mil a minute, it’s time for me to consider changing professions and end yet another column.  And I thought Stormy Daniels had a good payday!  I’m getting a bit hot under the collar – but that could be because it’s been around 100 degrees every day during this trip.  My God, it feels as if they’ve already started the cremation process.  While I try to cool off, you can check out www.BillyMasters.com – the site that’s always steamy.  If you have a question for me, dash it off to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before J.D. Vance changes his name…again!  Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

Since everyone here in Europe has Olympic fever, I’m going to shine a spotlight on an athlete who, alas, will not be competing.  Trey Cunningham is a strapping 25-year-old hurdler who also happens to be a Ford Model.  What’s not to love?  Shortly after not making the cut for Team USA, he made a revelation.  “I’m just Trey, and apparently it’s a special thing that I like to kiss guys.”  Apparently kissing guys was not something he explored back in his hometown in rural Alabama – which he described as “the sort of place where you did not want to be the gay kid at school”.

Longtime readers know nothing makes me happier than the annual Kennedy Center Honors.  Oh, sure, it’s lost a bit of luster with a revolving door of hosts.  Give me the days when Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg would amble out, mosey on over to the podium and welcome people in those dulcet tones more appropriate for a very special episode of Bonanza.  Now, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll walk onstage.  So let’s talk about the recipients.  For years, a popular online game has been to predict who won’t make the cut.  Happily, Liza Minnelli’s streak as the most overlooked person is intact.  The Susan Lucci of the Kennedy Center Honors once again didn’t get a nod.  She’s been passed over in favor of Francis Ford Coppola, Bonnie Raitt, jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, The Grateful Dead and The Apollo Theatre.  I remind everyone that the Kennedy Center Honors are NOT given out posthumously – so someone better get on the stick!

Prior to winging my way to the Continent, I made a quick day trip to Ogunquit and heard lots of excited chatter about the Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of A Little Night Music.  Sure, most of it had to do with Friends chanteuse, Kathleen Turner.  But many were excited that Broadway belter Julia Murney would be playing the role of Desiree.  Since Murney is a most compelling stage presence, I’m intrigued to see what she’ll do with the part when I get back.  It runs through August 17, and what few tickets are left can be snagged at OgunquitPlayhouse.org.

A late addition to the Provincetown summer lineup takes place at the end of the season at the Provincetown Theater.  Lisa Lampanelli will be doing a reading of her new solo show, Lisa Lampanelli: Irrelevant! on August 31^st.  This is her second time trying out new material at the famed venue since her 2019 reading of The Gorge.  This show chronicles the comedienne’s rise to prominence as a stand-up, leaving it behind to become a life coach, and suddenly feeling…“irrelevant”.  I can’t wait to see it!  You can grab tickets at ProvincetownTheater.org.

One of my favorite people has squeezed Provincetown into his already-packed ass-ignments.  That would be the ridiculously rambunctious Randy Roberts, who will hit The Crown & Anchor on select Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in August.  Don’t miss this chance to spend an evening with a legend at a choice venue…and at bargain prices!  Specific dates and tickets can be found on OnlyAtTheCrown.com.

“All of my gay friends were like, ‘Honey, I saw your text messages. 
That’s it?!’  They go, ‘Oh my God, if people hacked into Grindr
and put Grindr chats public, none of us would have jobs anymore.”  
– Armie Hammer tells Bill Maher reactions to his so-called scandalous texts. 
This begs the question – what does it take to become one of Armie’s gay friends?

Being in Europe, you get a very different view of American politics.  Everyone I’ve talked to was worried that Joe Biden would drop out of the election – which is ultimately what has happened.  Of course, these were the same people who applauded QEII for not resigning, who elected a hooker to the Italian Parliament, and approved of a French president who showed up places with his wife and mistress.  Be that as it may, I decided to take a look at J.D. Vance.  I was intrigued when I heard that his birth name was James Donald Bowman.  I assumed that’s where “JD” came from.  While Bowman was his birth father, his mother’s third husband was Hamel – and while in college, JD used that as his last name.  Fine.  At some point, he fell out with Mr. Hamel, and came up with Vance – which I mistakenly believed was an homage to Vivian!  Turns out “Vance” is his mother’s mother’s maiden name.  In fact, his maternal grandparents were strongly involved in his upbringing.  “Finally, the same name as the family to which I belonged,” which sounds kinda sweet.  Plus, really, what do I care?  It’s his business.  Except he’s not quite so accepting when it comes to other people changing their name.  In fact, he’s been vocally opposed to transgender people changing their name.  In fact, he’s against most trans rights, women’s rights, gay rights, reproductive rights, and any gun control.  He’s also been known to call Donald Trump “Hitler” in private.  So, I guess he’s not all bad!

Speaking of hot athletic guys, our Ask Billy question comes from Tim in Maryland.  He asks, “What do you know about Malik Delgaty?  He’s really hot, but he seems to have come out of nowhere.”

All of your questions will be answered in an interview the porn star did with Men.com, where he made a startling revelation.  Turns out that his dad worked as a male stripper when he was younger.  In fact, he stripped at the same club Malik started in!  “I guess it’s in my blood.  I was surprised.”  Malik’s days solely as a stripper quickly progressed to films, which I don’t believe was the case with his father – but perhaps one is considering a return.  He calls the decision “the best choice I’ve ever made.”  You can check him out on BillyMasters.com.

When I’m wondering if stripping is genetic, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  I know they say “like father, like son” – but do they have to like each other?  And if they do – could someone please film it?  Then I’d have something new to share with you on www.BillyMasters.com – the site that never shies away from a hot story if it includes hot men.  Keep sending in your questions to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Trump is measured in his stocking feet!  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

Since I’m currently on the continent (as they say), everyone is talking about the upcoming Olympics.  Since I’ve always been partial to the aquatic sports given my own background as a diver (something I like to mention as often as possible), I’m looking forward to watching Tyler Downs’ return for his second Games.  The 20-year-old is probably better known to the masses due to his presence on TikTok, which I hear all the kids love.  But it’s another video resurfacing that’s given him perhaps a bit of unwanted attention.  Picture it – China, 2019.  UK Olympic diver Tom Daley (then 25 and married with a kid) is filmed locking lips with a 15-year-old US diver!  Some circles describe it as “making out”, but the two have tightly closed lips and nothing seemingly sexual occurs.  The younger – and more aggressive – kisser was Tyler Downs!  You can see it for yourself on BillyMasters.com.

Many of you have asked for an update on Austin Wolf.  As you know, gay porn’s top dog was arrested for sending and receiving child porn images and videos.  He is facing up to 20 years in prison.  At his arraignment (where he mouthed “I’m sorry” to his longtime partner), his lawyer asked that he be remanded to his NYC home and be equipped with an anklet – which I find a rather cumbersome accessory.  The judge denied the request, saying that releasing Wolf “could not reasonably assure the safety of the community”.  I’m not sure if the judge knew this, but Austin’s last social media post said, “Have you seen what happens to little boys that follow me to the lock room?”  Ouch (that’s what he said).  Wolf was remanded to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, which is said to be far from sanitary and known for sex offenders to be at risk of harm.  He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Meanwhile in Russia, a gay male porn star claims that the authorities forced him to participate in a sting operation entrapping gay men.  USSRboy (whose real name is Matvey Volodin) creates content and got an invitation from fans to travel to meet them – all expenses paid.  When he got there, he found the “fans” to be officers from the Centre for Combating Extremism – which is basically a witch-hunt organization.  He claims the officers beat him and took his phone.  Then they forced him to go on his Telegram account (which is the app Austin Wolf was using – note to self…don’t ever use Telegram) and invite men over for trysts which would be videotaped as evidence for indecency charges (second note to self – entrapment is legal in Russia).  After working with the special service offices, Volodin was arrested for “petty hooliganism” – which I bet is a bigger deal in Russia than it is here.  He’s still in prison and being withheld his HIV antiretroviral meds.  He is facing a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty.

I won’t say much on the Donald Trump incident since it’s a developing story.  I know everyone responds differently in a crisis.  But I seriously doubt that in such a situation my first words would be, “Let me get my shoes!”  On the other hand, I have nothing to hide about my height.  Biden, Trump, Obama, Clinton and Bush called for unity and condemned violence.  I’m sure many join my sigh of relief that Trump is OK.  Not only do I not want the former president to be martyred, but I fear he’d be replaced by Marco Rubio…who’d win by a landslide.  If I had another hand, I’d be somewhat skeptical about this whole thing.  Or maybe I’ve just seen Moon Over Parador one time too many.

We typically don’t cover celebrity deaths (or even near-deaths) this early in a column, but my heart is heavy due to a trio of passings.  As I was editing this column, I got word from a mutual friend that Shannen Doherty lost her long, arduous battle with cancer.  It’s all the more admirable that it’s been a particularly busy year for Doherty.  She started her popular Let’s Be Clear podcast – where she not only went public with her side of past scandals and feuds, but also opened up to fans about her ongoing health issues with disarming honesty.  She started attending both Charmed and 90210 conventions with her former castmates.  And just last week, she relaunched the House of Halliwell podcast with Holly Marie Combs, Brian Krause, and Drew Fuller.  In the first episode, she even outlined hopes for a reboot of Charmed.  Only weeks ago, Shannen discussed her inevitable funeral.  She wanted it at her house and she wanted it to be a party.  “I want my funeral to be like a love fest.  I don’t want people to be crying or people to privately be like, ‘Thank God that bitch is dead now.’”  Rest in peace, Shan.

One of the earliest and most glittering AIDS fundraisers took place on April 29, 1986.  It was organized by the fashion industry and was billed as The World’s Largest Photo Session, and it took place at NYC’s Jacob Javits Center.  After an enormous buffet, we were directed to an adjoining area where the celebs would congregate for the photos and meet the press.  Having my priorities in check, I lingered at the now-abandoned buffet.  And then, ensconced by a phalanx of security guards, came Elizabeth Taylor.  Suddenly it was just the two of us – me at the chateaubriand and Liz at the fried chicken!  She smiled at me as she tore into a thigh when she was summoned to speak to the press.  “For Christ’s sake – can’t I even get a piece of meat in my mouth?”  Truer words…

What was the point of this story?  Oh, yes – the dead celebrity.  This was my first time around that many famous people at once, and I was unfortunately alone.  Having nobody to take photos of me hobnobbing with the stars, I spent most of my time clicking away at Dina Merrill, Donna Karan, Bianca Jagger, Brooke Shields, Andy Warhol, Peter Allen, Barbara Cook, Grace Jones, and loads of others.  And then, I looked down and spied Dr. Ruth Westheimer.  This was the apex of Dr. Ruth mania.  She had a popular television show and was a media darling.  She seemed approachable, so I asked if I could take a photo with her.  She was delighted, so I took what might have been my first selfie.  Admittedly, I had to get on my knees to do it.  As if on cue, Calvin Klein walked over and…well, then the story takes a turn best left for another time.  Dr. Ruth passed away last week at the ripe old age of 96.

Last week was Richard Simmons’ birthday.  He posted on Facebook, “Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life!  I am sitting here writing emails.  Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”  Less than 24 hours later, he was dead at the relatively young age of 76.  The last decade of his life had been shrouded in mystery and controversy.  But prior to that, we interacted somewhat frequently.  When I was embarking on a road trip, he personally burned me dozens of CDs of his favorite songs for the occasion.  And when my beloved dog Jufka got hit by a car, he was one of the many people who generously donated to the surgery that saved her life.  Shortly after that, Richard stopped making public appearances, shuttered his Los Angeles Slimmins workout studio, and retreated from the world.  Rumors circulated that he was being held hostage or, at the very least, under some sort of nefarious control from his housekeeper, Teresa.  It led to numerous reports, including one from The National Enquirer, claiming he had undergone botched gender-reassignment surgery.  This led to Simmons filing a suit, which he lost – the upshot seeming to be that calling someone transgender is not defamation.  The last I heard, he was appealing that ruling.  As we went to press, the news of his death was reported as “natural causes” – which seems odd.  And then my eagle eyes noted that the 911 call was made by Simmons’ “housekeeper”.  Hmm…

Our Ask Billy question required a bit of research.  Justin in Detroit wrote, “What do you know about Harry Jowsey being offered $40K for sex?  Was it from a guy or a girl? I always get a gay vibe from him.”

Starting with the question on most of my readers’ minds – who the hell is Harry Jowsey?  He was the “reality star” who appeared on Dancing with the Stars and couldn’t count to four if his life depended on it.  He found his initial fame on Too Hot to Handle for Netflix.  He segued into OnlyFans, where he once claimed he made $100K in 24 hours (as a side note, I have not seen a single bit of proof that anybody makes that type of money on a regular basis – although I’m sure it happens occasionally).  More recently, Harry returned to Netflix for Perfect Match.  He’s awfully pretty to look at – and he’s the first to say so.  He told the story about being offered money for sex.  “Back in Australia, had this guy DM me on Instagram.”  So far, I’m intrigued.  “He said, ‘Hey, I want you to sleep with my girlfriend.  I’ll give you $40,000.’”  Well, you had me, then you lost me.  Harry says his response was, “Brother, $40,000 for 30 seconds is the greatest deal of all time.”  30 seconds?  Now we know why all of Harry’s relationships end so…prematurely.  Still, he’s pretty to look at, so check out his pics on BillyMasters.com.

When Harry can be had at bargain prices, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  The bright side of that story is that Kevin Spacey claims to be broke.  PHEW – you dodged a bullet there, Jowsey!  As for me, I’m off to destinations unknown in Europe for the next month.  But fear not – as long as I can get online, I’ll continue to dish the dirt on www.BillyMasters.com – the site that knows no boundaries.  If you’ve got a question for me, send it along to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Taylor Swift asks Varla Jean Merman to be her opening act!  Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

Yes, Pride Month is in our rear-view mirror, but there was one notable event that happened at the tail end.  On June 28^th, the Stonewall National Monument and Visitor Center had a gala opening which was attended by a number of luminaries.  Spotted in the crowd were Elton John, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Collins, Michael Kors, Courtney Act, Katy Perry, and even President Biden.  During his remarks, Joe said, “This beloved bar became the site of a call to cry for freedom, dignity and equality and respect.  Rebellion that galvanized the LGBTQ+ community all across the nation and quite frankly, around the world…To this day, Stonewall remains a symbol of legacy and leader of the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans women of color who, for generations, have been at the forefront of helping realize the promise of America, for all Americans.”  He added, “We remain in a battle for the soul of America.  But I look around at the pride, hope and light that all of you bring, and I know it’s a battle we are going to win and continue to make progress.”  Try and picture that speech being made by President Trump!

Elsewhere in NYC, the current Elphaba in Wicked proclaimed herself a proud member of our community.  Mary Kate Morrissey made an appearance at NYC Pride and belted out “Defying Gravity” while wearing a tee that said “Here, Queer, & Wicked” (I personally wouldn’t have used that last comma, but it’s a stylistic choice).  Brava.

Several spawn of celebrities used Pride Month to come out.  Louisa Jacobson, the daughter of Meryl Streep, proclaimed her proclivities.  Joining her is Melissa Etheridge’s daughter Bailey, who has announced her engagement to girlfriend Jocelyn Simone.  By the by, I had no idea that Bailey’s last name is a combination of both Melissa and Julie Cypher’s last names – Cypheridge!  And did you know Sophia Bush is gay?  After two failed marriages (Chad Michael Murray and Grant Hughes), she is now dating soccer player Ashlyn Harris.  After her last divorce, a friend said, “I don’t just think he was not the right person for you – I also don’t actually think you like men!”  Everyone should have a friend in their life as direct as that.  Now, if only someone could convince Chad Michael Murray that he should be with a man, I could sleep well…or, preferably, not.

And that leads us to another story involving the lovely CMM.  Production has just begun on a sequel to Freaky Friday.  Last week, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan were photographed on the set of the new film, which will also reunite them with Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon, and others from the original.

Continuing the reunion theme, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are in talks for a second Practical Magic.  While I don’t know anyone who has been longing for this reteaming, good for them.

George Clooney is poised to make his Broadway debut in a stage adaptation of his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck.  Like the film, the play will center on Edward R. Murrow’s skirmishes with Senator Joseph McCarthy.  It is due to open sometime next spring.

It should be noted that a few other famous fellas will also be turning up on the Great White Way next season, including Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Gallagher and Kit Connor.  Then there’s Robert Downey Jr. – who appeared in the film version of Good Night, and Good Luck with Clooney.  He’ll beat George to Broadway when he stars in a new play called McNeal, about an acclaimed writer struggling with his next project – until he becomes fascinated with AI.  It starts previews on September 5^th and opens on the 30^th.

I can thank my lucky stars that I saw Ian McKellen last month in Player Kings in London’s West End because it is entirely possible that could have been his last stage appearance.  After taking a tumble off stage, he bowed out of the show for the last two weeks of the run in London – David Semark took on Sir Ian’s role of Falstaff.  At the time, we heard that despite injuries to his wrist and neck, McKellen would still lead a tour with the show this summer.  Alas, that was wishful thinking.  “It is with the greatest reluctance that I have accepted the medical advice to protect my full recovery by not working in the meantime.”  He hastened to add, “Doctors have assured me that my recovery will be complete and speedy and I look forward to returning to work.”

“I didn’t want to make Legally Blonde 2.”  
– Joel Kim Booster‘s response to calls for a sequel to Fire Island. 
“People think they want a sequel, and then they’ll be confronted with
something that will sully the memory of the first one and at best be
forgotten about.”   Ultimately, he’s saying he’ll do it –
when and if he comes up for a good enough premise to do it.

For months, my proofreaders have chided me for not referring to HBO as Max – the network’s newly-christened brand name.  Well, first it was HBO Max, slowly segueing into simply Max.  I know most of my readers don’t know what the hell Max is – so I stuck with HBO.  Apparently the powers-that-be heard my complaints and now are dumping Max and returning to HBO – at least in the US.  They are still going to try to push this Max crap overseas.  If you ask me, this rebranding is the biggest business bungle since the rollout of New Coke!

While I typically spend the whole July 4^th week in Provincetown, upcoming international travel forced me to make a brief but notable cameo appearance.  Sure, I might have only been in town for a few hours, but that was enough to keep tongues wagging long after they wagged on me.  In between the cavalcade of sex, I managed to catch two shows.  First up with Edie at the Red Room.  Her show, Edie: Queen of the Desert, not only pays homage to her adopted home of Las Vegas, but also celebrates the 30^th anniversary of the classic The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.  Edie is a true original, and her show is a good mix of well-written material, great interaction with the audience, and her fantastic dance moves – she truly is the hoofer with a heart of gold.  And she’s at the sumptuous Red Room all summer, so get more details and tickets at RedRoom.Club.

Then there’s the legend that is Varla Jean Merman.  Calling her show The Errors Tour is more than a Taylor Swift reference.  Varla truly pays tribute to those errors and mishaps that occur to all of us who work in this business called show.  As is typical, Varla delivers more laughs per minute than any other performer on the planet.  The dazzling costumes, witty lyrics and ridiculous sight gags live alongside an overall theme of self-love, kindness, and being able to laugh at our foibles.  Most touching was a tribute to the late Leslie Jordan, who starred alongside Varla in the off-Broadway musical Lucky Guy.  Even that was wrapped up in a message of endurance has kept Merman on top for 27 consecutive years in Provincetown.  You can catch her at The Crown & Anchor Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 – and plan early, since this show sells out regularly.  Get tix at OnlyAtTheCrown.com.

This late-breaking Ask Billy question comes from Russell in Miami: “OMG – I just read that Austin Wolf was arrested for child pornography!  I can’t believe it.  Do you know any details?”

Gay porn star Austin Wolf (real name James Heath Smith) was arrested Friday in NYC for sending and receiving what federal prosecutors call “hundreds of videos of child pornography”.  The arrest couldn’t have come as a surprise – back in April, Wolf’s apartment was raided, and investigators found an SD card with the videos – talk about thorough!  Let that be a lesson to you – hide all SD cards in a place where they would never be found…unless investigators did a full-body cavity search!  I believe Wolf could accommodate a few terabytes!  Some of the videos on the drive are purported to be of infants – and at least one shows a grown man doing unthinkable things to a 10-year-old boy!  The search came after investigators engaged Austin on the popular Telegram app from March 24^th through the 28^th.  During those four days, he allegedly sent and received hundreds of videos.  As to Austin himself, I really don’t know much about him – other than I once introduced him on a stage full of hot men and had not the vaguest idea which one he was.  What can I say?  He didn’t suck my dick – although it should also be noted I wouldn’t have the vaguest idea who most of them were, either.  Regardless of what they say, I’m only human!  You can check him out on BillyMasters.com.

When we should all be cautious of a Wolf in or out of any clothing, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  Here’s a connection you probably didn’t see coming – Austin Wolf was in the 2012 edition of Broadway Bares!  For more scintillating coverage (and uncoverage), check out www.BillyMasters.com – the site that is childproof!  If you have a question for me, send it off to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Joe and Donald actually do the Alley Cat at the next debate!  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

In some curious casting news, Andrew Rannells is out of the Broadway musical Tammy Faye.  He originated the role of Jim Bakker in London’s West End, and was announced for the US transfer.  He broke the news on the red carpet at the Tony Awards.  “I’m actually not doing Tammy Faye anymore, I’m very sad to say.  I was very excited.  I’m a huge fan of the show and unfortunately, we got into a situation where we couldn’t quite find terms that made everyone happy, which is really disappointing.  Which is why normally they don’t announce an actor before the contract.”  Ouch!  Adding insult to injury, he’s been replaced with his Falsettos co-star, Christian Borle!  On the positive side, Rannells gets to sleep with Tuc Watkins anytime he wants – and from what I hear, that is no small consolation.  If nothing else, it’s gotta ease the pain – or perhaps replace it with a more pleasurable one.

Sometimes people get cast in musicals away from the Broadway stage, and it makes big news.  Such was the case when the Ogunquit Playhouse announced a single cast member for their upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music – Kathleen Turner!  The Broadway vet is taking on the role of Madame Armfeldt, previously played by such actors as Hermione Gingold, Angela Lansbury, and Elaine Stritch.  The production runs July 18 though August 17, so I’d recommend being fleet of foot to OgunquitPlayhouse.org.

Last week was Broadway Bares – the annual event where the sexiest men and women on Broadway strut their stuff to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  For the seventh consecutive year, Mark MacKillop was the highest fundraiser, bringing in $212,625 – beating his last year’s record of $120K.  To date, this hoofer with a heart of gold has raised $606,625 – and he’s shooting for a million!  The irony is he has yet to appear in a show on Broadway!  So he’s kinda Broadway adjacent.  Of course, you know Mark from his numerous appearances on Billy Masters LIVE – to say nothing of his live performances and presence on social media.  Congrats, babe!

A few recognizable faces are planning to strip for a different cause.  Anthony Anderson, James Van Der Beek, Bruno Tonioli, Taye Diggs, Tyler Posey, and NFL’s Chris Jones have joined the cast of Fox’s The Real Full Monty.  Based on the popular British series, this show is all about raising awareness and funds to fight prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer.  The two-hour special will air this fall – and I can think of two reasons to watch.

I am always thrilled when friends get good news.  Last week, Sherri Shepherd was shocked when she learned she will be receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!  Making the news even sweeter was that it was delivered by her bestie, Niecy Nash.  Then I got another call – Fran Drescher also made the cut!  And somehow Jane Fonda is just getting one now?  Well, better late than posthumously!  Congrats to the Class of 2025!!!

“You’ve got the morals of an alley cat.”  
– Joe Biden‘s most pointed attack on Donald Trump – if one discounts the use of the
word “malarkey”.  I should mention that “Alley Cat” was a term popular in the 1920s –
which pre-dates even Biden.  The only thing that could have made it better is if he did the dance
– still popular at weddings all over these United States.

Here we are, poised to celebrate the Fourth of July.  And you know what that means?  Provincetown.  For those of you who have not partaked (partaken?) of our Cape Cod enclave, let me explain that various weeks in Ptown have themes.  There is Bear Week, Lesbian Week, Family Week, etc.  The week of Fourth of July is known as Circuit Week, because that’s when Ptown is packed to the gills with circuit boys – young lads with single-digit body fat, and often similar IQ scores (not that anyone’s doing standardized testing).  So, I thought I would recap some of the more notable venues and their headliners, which we’ve covered previously.  I’ll also fill in some gaps – a skill that comes in handy on Circuit Week!

The Crown and Anchor is the center of Provincetown, and they have Varla Jean Merman, Thirsty Burlington, and Dina Martina.  The Post Office Café and Cabaret has Judy Gold, Anita Cocktail, The Devil Wears Payless, and appearances throughout the summer by John McDaniel, Branden & James, Nicolas King and John Hill.  The Pilgrim House has Miss Richfield 1981 and Miss Conception.  The Provincetown Theatre has The Rocky Horror Show.  And Town Hall is utilized by various producers, including Mark Cortale (formerly of the Provincetown Art House), who is bringing in Claybourne Elder, Jinkx Monsoon, Cheyenne Jackson, Bianca Del Rio, Audra McDonald, and Marilyn Maye.

Speaking of the Art House, Ginger Minj is now producing events there under what can only be described as murky circumstances.  Nonetheless, one must acknowledge there’s a bevy of entertainers – including Minj herself.  However, my readers will be particularly pleased to note the rare opportunity to see Nick Adams July 10-13.  It’s oft-said that nobody has it all.  But Nick certainly comes close – as the photos on BillyMasters.com will attest to.  And $50 for a front-row seat?  A bargain!  Get more details and tickets at LiveAtTheArtHouse.com.

There’s also the Red Room, which is hosting some of our favorites all summer long.  Edie will be in residence as Queen of the Desert.  Our pal Alison Arngrim is bringing her popular Confessions of a Prairie Bitch to town July 12-14.  The outrageous Jackie Beat holds court July 16-18.  Edmund Bagnell will be playing with himself (on the violin, silly) and singing sweet songs August 9-11.  And much, much more.  Full listings at RedRoom.Club.

I hasten to add that the Red Room also hosts a sizzling weekly underwear party on Thursdays – and it’s well-documented how much I enjoy those!  So much so that I also make it a habit to attend the ones at Purgatory at the Gifford House on Saturdays.  And if I’m not too tired, I’ll even go to their Sunday leather night…if I’m not already tied up.

One of the most popular events in Provincetown history is Ryan Landry’s legendary Showgirls.  This weekly variety show takes place on Mondays and up until last season was at the Crown and Anchor.  Then they found themselves homeless.  Happily, a new venue has been secured – the charming Provincetown Inn.  Mark my words, it will be THE place to go every Monday night.  Grab your tickets at House of La Rue – the show sells out quickly.

To call Varla Jean Merman an institution would be like saying she should be in an institution…both statements being absolutely true.  This year, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD – with only one “A”) is honoring Varla (aka Jeffery Roberson) at their 43^rd annual Summer Party in Provincetown.  They noted her 27^th consecutive year entertaining the masses in Provincetown – often one at a time, but small groups can also be accommodated – not to mention her numerous philanthropic activities.  Tickets for this fundraising soirée can be had at GLAD.org.

Hot on the heels of Andrew McCarthy’s documentary Brats (about the so-called Brat Pack), Sony Pictures is exploring the possibility of making a follow-up to the classic St. Elmo’s Fire – on the condition that the entire cast reunite.  Does it have to be everyone?  ‘Cause, really, I can do without Mare (no offense).

Speaking of reunions, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are poised to star in a crime thriller called RIP.  While they are best known for Good Will Hunting, the duo actually collaborated on 9 films in total.

I don’t want to get anyone alarmed, but I think Ben’s marriage to Jennifer Lopez is in trouble.  I know – we all thought it would last forever.  When I saw she was in Italy with some girlfriends, I remembered that’s what Sofia Vergara did just before she announced her split from Joe Manganiello.  Must be something in the water…

Judy Gold and Sandra Bernhard revealed that they’ve been working on a script.  The feature film is titled Hope Falls and would find the funny ladies playing cousins – with Sandi as the bossy one (‘cause that Judy is such a shrinking violet).  They started writing it during the pandemic and they’d like to pitch it to Netflix.

As 2023 drew to a close, Jennifer Saunders vowed to write “a film or series based on AbFab…I want to do something related.”  Well, we’re all getting her wish…kinda.  Later this year, British television will air a two-hour tribute show called Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out.  This will be the first time the cast has been together since the 2016 film.  Saunders explained what she’s looking forward to: “I loved making AbFab, but I can’t remember a great deal.  So much of this retrospective is a revelation to me!”

Speaking of retrospectives, The Young and the Restless just paid tribute to Joshua Morrow, who celebrated 30 years on the sudser.  We got to see some early clips of the pouty-lipped hunk in his very young and restless days.  Then I saw a photo online of what I thought was young Josh.  Nope – it was his look-alike 19-year-old son, Crew Morrow – who is joining the sister soap The Bold and the Beautiful.  He is a new recast for the role of Will Spencer, whose mom is played by Heather Tom, who played Josh’s sister on Y&R.  Small world, isn’t it?  Naturally, you can check out Crew on BillyMasters.com.

Hulu has just ordered a new sitcom which will likely be “Must See TV” for my readers.  Mid-Century Modern comes from Max Mutchnick and David Kohan (of Will & Grace fame) alongside Ryan Murphy – who seems to have his fingers in everything.  The premise is that three gay gentlemen of a certain age decide to live out their golden years in Palm Springs.  Nathan Lane plays Dorothy…err, Bunny.  And his mother moves in as well, played by the luminous Linda Lavin.  The hot gay who is also a bit dim (think Rose) will be the 46-year-old Matt Bomer.  I’d argue that he is not “golden” by any stretch of the imagination, although it bears noting that the Golden Girls characters started off in their 40s and 50s.  The last roommate has yet to be cast.  Rounding out the cast is “a naked Gen Z housekeeper”, which sounds like a combination of the short-lived Coco on Golden Girls and Agador in The Birdcage.  The cast will be in good hands as James Burrows has signed on to direct the pilot.

Following last week’s Tony Awards, an interesting discussion took place on social media.   Someone asked why and how Audra McDonald would play Mama Rose in Gypsy – after all, Rose Hovick was a real person, and was white.  Of course, I defended color-blind casting, and then brought up Hamilton.  But it did get me thinking – what if the situation were reversed?  Imagine the uproar if Kathleen Turner played the title role in The Rosa Parks Story?  Still, I’d pay good money to see her get on the bus saying, “Lordy, Lordy, I sho’ is tired!”

Carol Burnett cemented her place in history by placing her handprints and footprints in cement.  Obviously the ceremony took place at the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (OK, now it’s the TLC Chinese Theatre…soon to become the TCL Asian-American Theatre, I’m sure).  It was a fitting site since Burnett grew up a few blocks away.  The honor happened after Palm Royale executive producers Laura Dern and Jayme Lemons learned Burnett had never been given this honor.  They made a couple of calls and the theatre said, “Name the day.”  Congrats.

“I got your back, kid.”  
– Harrison Ford‘s response when Anne Heche told him she was considering coming out around the time
their film Six Days, Seven Nights was being released.  This anecdote is part of a longer essay in
The Hollywood Reporter by public relations guru Simon Halls (that’s Mr. Matt Bomer to you).

Last week, Donald Sutherland died at the age of 88.  Typically, this is not something I’d cover in this column – certainly not as a lead story.  However, I was struck by this line in the New York Times obituary.  “With his long face, droopy eyes, protruding ears and wolfish smile, the 6-foot-4 Mr. Sutherland was never anyone’s idea of a movie heartthrob.”  Is there any need for that?  Sure, they went on to say fantastic things about his talent, but at that point, who cares?  I imagine my obituary will say, “Never what anyone would call conventionally attractive…”  They’d probably follow that up with, “He had romantic liaisons with many famous men,” or “He slept with lots of gay porn stars,” or even, “He was known to have an enormous appendage.”  But after that opening, who cares?  On the other hand, the next line of Donald’s obit says this: “He often recalled that while growing up in east Canada, he once asked his mother if he was good-looking.  ‘No, but your face has a lot of character.’”  Thanks, Mrs. Sutherland.  That’s like Mrs. Lizzo saying, “For a big girl, you don’t sweat much!”

Then there’s the arrest of Justin Timberlake.  So much misinformation out there, we’re going to bring you a few facts first.  On June 18^th at 12:37AM, police in Sag Harbor (Hamptons adjacent, you know) observed a 2025 BMW go through a stop sign.  They also noted the car did not stay in its lane.  They pulled the car over and found Mr. Timberlake “operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition”.  Justin was arrested, processed, held in a cell until arraignment, and was released at 9:30AM.  In the mug shot (which you can see on BillyMasters.com), he looks glassy-eyed…although still better than most of us look after retouching.  Shortly after this all went public, someone posted an official-looking report that he “had traces of molly, poppers, Truvada, and coke in his bloodstream.”  Untrue – if for no other reason than we know no blood was taken…and nothing comes back from the lab that quickly.  However, it IS true that while he was being booked, Justin said under his breath, “This is going to ruin the tour.”  The booking officer said “What tour?”  Yes, Justin is so old (go ahead – “How old is he?”), the cop didn’t even know who he was!  Timberlake is due for a virtual court appearance on July 26^th – ironically, the day he’s set to perform in Krakow, Poland.  And I think we all know rarely do good things come out of a stay in Krakow!

Due to the troublesome racial elements, Splash Mountain at Disney World in Orlando was shuttered in 2023.  It’s been revamped into a new ride – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on The Princess and the Frog.  Ahead of the June 28^th opening to the public, Jenifer Lewis met the press for a special sneak peek (her character, Mama Odie, figures prominently on the ride).  Alas, halfway through, the ride stalled.  Leave it to the resourceful Lewis to keep people entertained with an a capella version of “Dig a Little Deeper” – which you can see on BillyMasters.com.

Last week, Rosie O’Donnell was honored by PFLAG NYC for her work raising money and awareness for the organization.  Performing at the soirée was the glorious Christine Ebersole.  While that would normally be notable enough, she obviously needed an accompanist.  At the piano was John McDaniel, bandleader from The Rosie O’Donnell Show.  Then Ro and Johnny reunited for some photos, which you can obviously see on our website.

For the past few months, I’ve been highlighting events happening in Provincetown this summer.  Time to turn our focus onto The Crown & Anchor – the geographic and entertainment center of our little seaside enclave.  Some of our community’s biggest stars will be in residence.  First up, we have Varla Jean Merman’s latest oeuvre, The Errors Tour – a cavalcade of naughty ditties, uproarious stories, and hilarious videos, all delivered from a true raconteur.  She is onstage Tuesday thru Saturday at 8:30PM – and if history has taught us anything, get your tickets in advance.  An even hotter ticket is Thirsty Burlington’s Cher 1987.  There’s little to say about Thirsty as Cher, except she’s been endorsed by the Dark Lady herself and Bob Mackie.  Since Thirsty had to skip last season, you can bet this show will be packed – especially since she’s only appearing Tuesdays at 7PM.  The irrepressible Dina Martina takes over the stage Wednesday through Sunday at 7PM.  There’s tons of other shows and special guests, so it’s really smart to check out OnlyAtTheCrown.com.  Tell ‘em Billy sent you!

In present-day England, Kevin Spacey has been increasingly chatty.  His most recent interview was with Piers Morgan and lasted over 90 minutes.  He again reminded us that he’s never been found guilty in any of his criminal or civil proceedings.  He admitted that while he’s done nothing illegal, he’s been known to be somewhat “handsy”.  While I’m willing to believe many of these cases are fabricated or blown out of proportion, the phrase “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” springs to mind.  After comparing his situation to Dalton Trumbo’s blacklisting, Spacey began to sob and revealed that he is broke, has millions of dollars of legal bills, and his house in Baltimore is being auctioned off due to foreclosure.  Then a funny thing happened – two days later, the auction was cancelled.  Strike that – it was “postponed”.  The new auction date is July 25^th.

But don’t think Kevin hasn’t gotten any work.  There have been a couple of projects.  One was The Man Who Drew God, which was directed by and starred Franco Nero alongside Kevin Spacey in a small-ish role.  Nero’s wife, Vanessa Redgrave, was originally cast in a role that was ultimately played by Faye Dunaway.  Spacey and Dunaway together?  Alas, it was only released in Russia and Italy – where, presumably, both Spacey and Dunaway are HUGE!  Spacey also got the title role in Peter Five Eight, which was released in the US On Demand – although we’re not exactly sure who was demanding it.  It’s called a “low-budget indie thriller”.  Having seen it, I can honestly say that’s an insult to low-budget indie flicks everywhere. Writer-director Michael Zaiko Hall said, “He was extremely sweet to work with.  I saw Kevin as a grandfatherly, sweet man.”  I’m sure he loved that!

The Brits always seemed to have a much more enlightened view of sexuality.  Certainly the Doctor Who universe has been littered with gays – and I don’t mean that disparagingly (although…).  However, Who himself has never been embroiled in a same-sex romantic situation…until now.  And, before you all jump on me (which I tend to enjoy), I don’t consider the peck with Captain Jack a same-sex romantic kiss.  Last week’s episode features the dashing Doc (played by Ncuti Gatwa) teaming up with Rogue played by brand-new Tony winner Jonathan Groff to fight some shape-shifters in 1813 England…not the most welcoming era for gays, which was evident when the twosome took to the dance floor à deux.  Before Rogue skedaddled, Gatwa and Groff locked lips for a good 15 seconds.  While I suppose that’s good for the Doc, I’d need a bit more.  And some tongue is always appreciated.  You can check it out on BillyMasters.com.

It never fails – smack dab in the middle of Pride Month, one of our illustrious members has to give us gay folk a bad name.  This week, it’s Zachary Quinto.  According to reports, he was in Toronto, Canada, and allegedly acted like “an entitled child” at a restaurant.  From what we can put together, the restaurant texts you when your table is ready.  When he was texted, Zachary didn’t respond or go to see the host (maybe he’s like my parents, who NEVER check their texts).  When he did show up, the table had already been given away to another party.  He saw two empty tables and tried to take them over – even though he was informed they were already spoken for.  The restaurant claims he made the host cry and made other diners uncomfortable.  They added, “Mr. Quinto, take your bad vibes somewhere else, we have many lovely celebrities join us at Manita but you are NOT one of them.”

In more casual dining news, Colton Underwood showed off his meat – as in the meat you put in your mouth (well, that doesn’t clear things up at all).  I’ll show you the photo on BillyMasters.com.  He considers this his first official Pride.  “It’s taken me a few years to really put the work in.  To learn and advocate and fight next to our community and understand where I fit in in all of that.”  Here’s a tip – if you consider yourself part of the community, you are likely not next to us.  He added, “We’re all part of the same community.  We have each other’s backs and nobody can get in between us.”  Because, you know, he’s next to us.

During The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Matt Bomer revealed that he didn’t get the role of Superman way back in 2003 because he’s gay.  He was allegedly director Brett Ratner’s choice for the role, but then Ratner left the project.  At the time, Variety wrote, “The final straw for Ratner seems to have been the unwillingness of Warners execs to approve Ratner’s choice as the Man of Steel, soap star Matt Bomer.  Among the actors who tested for the role were Brendan Fraser, Paul Walker and Josh Hartnett.”  It should be noted that at the time, Bomer was best known for his role on Guiding Light – and was not out publicly.  When asked point-blank if he lost the role because he’s gay, Bomer said, “How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but yeah, that’s my understanding.”  By the by, when a new director joins a project, they typically make their own casting choices.

Our Ask Billy question comes from Jason in Miami: “Whatever happened to that movie that Bette Midler was making with Susan Sarandon and Megan Mullally?  You wrote about it a long time ago.  Is it still happening?”

Not only is it still happening, it’s in the can and coming out on August 1^st.  The Fabulous Four stars Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally and Sheryl Lee Ralph.  It actually only began filming last September.  It probably seems like a long time ago because it was announced in May of 2022.  Back then, Sissy Spacek was part of the cast.  At some point, she dropped out – opening the door for Miss Ralph.  The story is about three friends who travel to Key West to be bridesmaids at a friend’s wedding.  The bride being Midler, and the other three are her old college friends – which is odd because there’s over a decade between Mullally and Midler.  Maybe Megan was like a Sheldon Cooper/Doogie Howser situation.  Anyway, fingers crossed for a successful opening.

When we can go from the Fab Five to the Fabulous Four, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  I’d be remiss not to mention that this past weekend was also Boston Pride, and next weekend will be Stonewall Pride Wilton Manors.  While it looks like I’m missing all the fun, you can keep up with everything by checking out www.BillyMasters.com, the site that’s proud 365 days a year.  If you have a question you need answered, drop a note to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before we find out what else Jonathan Groff is full of.  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

Last week, The View celebrated the 30^th anniversary of Sister Act 2.  Most of the cast reunited with Whoopi Goldberg for great stories and great music.  Some cast members – like Jenifer Lewis and Jennifer Love Hewitt – were unable to be there in person, so they sent in video messages.  But one notable person was conspicuously absent – and virtually unmentioned.  On the show’s podcast, Brian Teta (executive producer of The View) said, “Lauryn Hill…we made every effort to get her here, but unfortunately it just didn’t work out.  We would have loved to have had her, she’s very important to the movie, but it didn’t work out.”  Maybe she was just late…again.

Inching closer to Boston, another reunion is taking place – and this one should be complete.  Queer Eye is a global phenomenon, but it all started over 20 years ago.  In July 2003, Bravo broadcast the original Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and it ran for five seasons.  The boys are reuniting for a special evening at the Foxwoods Casino on June 22^nd.  Cleverly titled An Evening with the Original Fab Five: 20 Years Later, Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley and Jai Rodriguez all plan to attend.  They did another reunion a few months ago, and it was so successful they are adding dates.  The show will include behind-the-scenes stories, design tips, Q&A, and a live makeover – God help us.  You can grab your tix at Foxwoods.com.

Before we leave California, Oprah Winfrey posted a Pride Month message.  “It was 35 years ago that my younger brother, Jeffrey Lee, died from AIDS.  He was 29 years old.  The year was 1989 and the world was an extremely cruel place – not just for people suffering from AIDS, but also for LGBTQ people in general.  I often think if he’d lived, he’d be so amazed at how much the world has changed.  That there actually is gay marriage and a Pride month.  How different his life might have been had he lived in a world that saw and appreciated him for who he was rather than attempting to shame him for his sexuality.  I believe that every single person has the right to love who they want to love and be the person they most want to be.  My hope for you is that you are living a life that feels authentic to you and that you have the support around you to do so, no matter your sexuality.  Whether or not you’re celebrating Pride this month…or always, I wish for you the continued freedom to rise to your truest, highest expression of yourself as a human being.”

Working our way east, let’s take a pit stop in Las Vegas, where the successful Weekends with Adele residency continues at Caesars Palace.  Last week, a guy yelled out, “Pride sucks!”  Well, that stopped our diva in her tracks.  Perched on the piano bench, she retorted, “Did you come to my fucking show to say ‘Pride sucks’?  Are you fucking stupid?  Don’t be so fucking ridiculous.  If you have nothing nice to say, shut up, alright?”  As it happens, the incident was caught on video, which you can see on BillyMasters.com.

“I’m single.  I’m feeling full of pride.  And PrEP.”  
– Jonathan Groff welcomes the audience to the Pride of Broadway event. 
You know what they say – better safe than pregnant.

Welcome to another Pride Month.  And what better way to show our solidarity than competing Pride events?  Oh, those wacky folks in Los Angeles.  When I hosted LA Pride (for seven consecutive years, but who’s counting?), we were united – because there’s enough of Billy to go around.  Then West Hollywood booted LA Pride and now has OUTLOUD Music Festival, where the word “Pride” is eschewed.  What can I say?  It was a kinder, gentler, and certainly cheaper time.  Oh, yes – OUTLOUD tickets were several hundred dollars.  When I’m hosting, I have one rule of thumb: you give me all-access, I’ll give you all-access.  Of course, I wasn’t hosting a concert by Kylie Minogue – and compared to her Vegas prices, people in WeHo actually got a bargain.  They also got, from all accounts, a fantastic show.  There were others who performed throughout the weekend.  People like Janelle Monáe and Keke Palmer.  For those who didn’t want to break the bank, the festival kicked off with a free Friday night concert headlined by Adam Lambert and Kesha – who apparently no longer sports a dollar sign in her name. 

Not to be outdone, LA Pride in the Park held a concert a week later, and they had some star power of their own – Ricky Martin!  Also appearing was JoJo Siwa – well, the Lord giveth…  Tickets started at a far more reasonable price, but VIP access was available for those who had a few hundred to spend.  Ricky kept the capacity crowd entertained with a high-energy set which featured his hips on overdrive (and they didn’t seem to be lying).  He even showed a good amount of skin, the color of mocha.  Once everyone dried off, pride went from the park to the street for the annual LA Pride March down Hollywood Boulevard with Grand Marshal George Takei.

In a somewhat Boston-related Ask Billy question, Kyle in Philadelphia asked, “Is Richard Dreyfuss insane?  What happened at that screening of Jaws when he went off on women, trans people, and Barbra?”

This is what happens when I leave Boston – chaos ensues.  Although, to be fair, the incident in question happened in Beverly, Massachusetts at the Cabot Theatre.  The event was called An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss and Jaws Screening.  For reasons unknown, he made his entrance in a dress – which was quickly taken off with the help of two female stagehands.  Onstage with a moderator, Dreyfuss showed some clips from his career, and audience members asked a number of questions.  When the subject turned to the film Nuts, he called Barbra Streisand a genius and a great talent, but also said she is stubborn and she should know her place.  Curiously, he added “women are so passive…that’s why the movie sucked.”  When asked about the #MeToo movement, he said many of those people make him want to vomit.  Somehow he dovetailed to trans youths, saying how “you shouldn’t be listening to some 10-year-old who says they want to be a boy instead of a girl”.  He added, “It’s not OK because when the kid’s 15, she’s going to say, ‘I’m an octopus’.”  At that point, a flurry of people walked out.  He also talked about how many of the problems in this country came about when the schools stopped teaching civics – which I find hard to disagree with.  After the fact, the actor’s son Ben spoke up saying, “Well, now you know why I refused to give him the password to his own twitter account for a decade.”  You can see clips from the evening on BillyMasters.com.

Something I predicted a few years ago has finally come to fruition.  Audra McDonald is going for her seventh Tony Award (but who’s counting) by leading Gypsy.  It is often said that not enough time passes between Broadway revivals of Gypsy, so I thought why not look at the history.  The original with Merman opened on May 21, 1959.  The first revival hit Broadway on Sept 23, 1974 with Angela Lansbury.  For those of you without an abacus handy, that’s about 15 years.  Another 15 years passed before Tyne Daly got her turn – on Oct 27, 1989.  She was replaced by Linda Lavin, who finished the run.  Again, close to 15 year later, Bernadette Peters landed in a production originally offered to Patti LuPone.  That opened on March 31, 2003, and featured the current Mrs. Neil Patrick Harris.  When LuPone finally got her turn, it was only 5 years later – March 27, 2008.  And now, on December 19, 2024, Audra McDonald begins previews – after another 15-year gap.  She’s not the first Mama Rose of Color – in 2014, Leslie Uggams played Rose in an Equity production at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. 

That Audra will be splendid is not in doubt.  The production will be directed by George C. Wolfe, so she’s in more than capable hands.  As for casting, I hate to be so on the nose, but couldn’t Norm Lewis join her as Herbie?  For the strippers, I’d love to see Jenifer Lewis, Loretta Devine and Sheryl Lee Ralph – but, whatever you do, don’t call it a reunion.  As for Louise, that’s always a tough call.  I guess Zendaya is probably too big.  And Keke Palmer is probably too old.  Age may not be an issue since I hear discussions are ongoing for Denée Benton to take the role – which makes sense since she already plays Audra’s daughter on The Gilded Age.  Of course, this goes on the assumption that it will be an all-Black cast.  It could be one of those colorblind productions that folks love so much.

My first day in London was marred by a lack of sleep.  I decided to keep going and attend the matinee of Remembrance Monday.  All I knew about the play was that it was less than 90 minutes, and featured two hot guys in their underwear.  If that couldn’t keep me awake, nothing would.  Michael Batten’s play about a gay couple is a provocative one that addresses issues many of us can identify with.  He gets there by way of one clichéd plot twist that I could well have done without.  As to the lads – Nick Hayes and Matthew Stathers are both not only talented, but worth seeing in their scanties.  And there was one member of my audience who put them both to shame – and he knows who he is.  The production at the Seven Dials Theatre has closed, but the memory lingers on.

I also saw John Cleese’s stage version of Fawlty Towers.  I remember the television show with some fondness, but was never a fanatic.  Therefore, I think I’m the perfect audience member.  I found it a total delight.  Using classic plot points to structure an interweaving play was a perfect way into the characters and the material.  If it left one wanting more, I suppose all’s the better.  The cast was evocative of the originals, but with their own personalization.  I must single out Adam Jackson-Smith, who bears the most fleeting of resemblances to Cleese, and yet mines the role for nuances and ticks that all felt genuinely fresh and effortless.

My last day in London was spent with Sir Ian McKellen.  He’s appearing in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 by Robert Icke.  This puts Sir Ian’s portrayal of Sir John Falstaff front and center in Player Kings.  Shockingly, his Falstaff has more vigour than pathos – quite a feat for the 85-year-old actor, who has had a busy few years (including again playing Hamlet, himself).  Falstaff is a challenging character who rarely leaves the stage during this four-hour presentation.  Special kudos to Toheeb Jimoh, whose Prince Hal makes his entrance as a butt-baring go-go dancer!  Not only is he a fine actor, his arse gets two thumbs up from me.  That Richard Coyle is old enough to play Henry IV makes me feel ancient.  But he’s as splendid as ever – as is the entire cast.

“Happiest bday my baby…daddy loves you to the moon and back. 
I’ve always asked people to love me unconditionally, thank you for
teaching me what that really means.  Be you!  Your best you! 
You’re the gift and I’m wrapping paper…love love love you for life. 
Excuse my ignorance, chalk it up to growth.  Love you so much,
thank you for making me a man.  So proud.”  
– Marlon Wayans’ post to his trans son Kai.  He told People magazine, “It took me all of a week,
and in that week I grew the most I ever did in my life.  You understand the purpose of kids
and the beauty of unconditional love.  At the end of the day, in my heart,
the only thing that matters to me is that my child is happy.”  Happy Pride!

Billy is back from his latest European jaunt.  For reasons unknown, these trips never go smoothly.  But here’s a new one.  After we taxied out to the runway, our pilot got word from a plane behind us – we had a flat tire!!  Come on – really??  A swarthy, hairy Eastern European rushed out to our plane lickety-split, jacked us up, changed the tire, and waved us on our way.  Thanks, Olga.  Yes, that bleached-blonde, buff-bod babe is on the Bulgarian Olympic Team.  She excels in the shot put.  I’m not exactly sure where she puts her shot – don’t ask, don’t tell, I always say.  When you’re built like Olga, you probably put it anywhere you’d like!

Colton Underwood and hubby Jordan C. Brown have announced that they are expecting their first child.  I guess I should have figured this out when Colton started a podcast called Daddyhood.  Sure, he’d put on a few pounds, but I didn’t think he was actually showing!  Turns out the road to fatherhood has not been smooth.  “Right away, my husband gets his results back for his sperm count and he had incredible, great numbers.  And I got mine back and all my sperm was dead.”  Hold on a minute – is Colton saying that he is filled head to toe with dead, useless sperm?  Rather than be tasteless (so to speak), I’ll simply send my congratulations and move on.

NBCUniversal is still dealing with the lawsuit from former Real Housewife of New York Leah McSweeney.  They have asked the suit to be tossed out of court for being “threadbare”.  “While Plaintiff attempts to overwhelm with a 654-page complaint, even a cursory review of her allegations reveals that many concern matters entirely irrelevant to her claims and most are devoid of any factual or legal support, speculative, misleading, and/or demonstrably false.”  Their conclusions are based on an internal investigation (done by a third party) in which neither McSweeney nor any of the other individuals cited in the complaint were interviewed.  Just due to that reason, McSweeney’s attorneys say they deserve their day in court.  Watch what happens…live.

Our Ask Billy question really gave me an education.  Robbie in Saint Louis writes, “I read that Nick Fuentes was streaming gay porn on his phone.  Is he gay?”

First I had to figure out who Nick Fuentes is.  Apparently he’s a famous Holocaust denier – a group of people I admittedly don’t keep up with.  Last week, visitors to his Twitter/X account found he was streaming gay porn!  Very quickly, Fuentes claimed it was the work of a pro-Israeli group.  “My proprietary livestreaming site was hacked after my stream went offline by someone claiming to be IDF Unit 8200.  The hacker took credit by [watermarking] the porn and leaving messages on the back end.”  Well, if you’re gonna leave a message on gay porn, the back end is a good place to start.  IDF Unit 8200 is a known intelligence unit that specializes in cyber warfare – although they usually claim responsibility for their attacks, and thus far have remained mum on the Fuentes situation.  Someone who hasn’t been silent is disgraced former congressman George Santos.  “For the love of god!  GAYPERS JUST ACCEPT THAT YOUR ZADDY FUENTS IS A HOMO!”

When we’re quoting George Santos twice, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  Looking back to Honest Abe, I must confess I’ve always had an affinity for our beloved 16^th president, but not for any of his positions – legal or otherwise.  It’s because his birthday is February 12^th – the day before mine (to say nothing of a few years earlier).  This statue clearly demonstrates we have much more in common than I thought, as you’ll see on www.BillyMasters.com, the site you can read for less than a penny.  While I continue to frolic the continent, I am always available to answer your questions.  Just drop a note to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before Sebastian Stan plays me in a biopic!  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

A statue called The Young Lincoln can be seen in the rotunda of the Los Angeles Spring Street Courthouse, and it’s getting quite a bit of renewed attention.  It’s an odd resurgence for a statue unveiled in 1941 and paid for by the Federal Works Agency.  It is eight feet tall and made of Indiana limestone.  The sculptor, James Lee Hansen, won the commission and was paid about $7K (roughly $125K by today’s standards).  It depicts a young Lincoln barefoot and shirtless with a well-defined physique, wearing jeans and with a thumb in one of the belt loops.  I’ve always thought this was the strapping young lawyer during those four years he lived with Joshua Speed, with whom he also shared a double bed.  While I cannot confirm that as the inspiration, the artist has left us some insight.  When asked why he had Lincoln half-naked, he said, “From a sculpturing standpoint, it’s better to show the body without any clothes.  That’s why I left ‘em off.”  At the time of the unveiling, some claimed the torso bore a striking resemblance to Hansen himself.  Modern critics have called it everything from pornographic to the embodiment of Gavin Newsom.  But only Kimberly Guilfoyle knows for sure.

Speaking of politicians (and this is an awkward transition, no matter how you slice it), I’ve successfully avoided writing about disgraced former representative George Santos.  I didn’t even tell you when he started doing Cameo videos as his drag persona Kitara.  But I can now reveal that he’s married to Matheus “Matt” Gerard.  The most surprising part of this story is not that they met on Grindr (which he admits is “pretty sad”) – it’s that they got married way back in 2021!  Funny how nobody unearthed that piece of dish when they were investigating him.

Pope Francis recently sat down with 60 Minutes.  Let that sink in – the pope is doing primetime.  Not only that, but he spoke to a female journalist.  This ain’t your parents’ pope, that’s for sure.  During his chat with Norah O’Donnell, she reminded him that he previously said, “Homosexuality is not a crime.”  He agreed, adding, “No, it is a human condition.”  He also reiterated that while he was in favor of priests blessing people in same-sex marriages, he does not endorse priests blessing same-sex marriages – it’s a fine line makes much more sense in Latin!  He clarified his stance by saying, “To bless a homosexual-type union, however, goes against the given right, against the law of the church.  But to bless each person?  Why not?  The blessing is for all.”  That pope – he’s being awfully careful with his words.  And that’s because he doesn’t want to be referred to as The Late Pope!

On May 29^th, Still Working 9 to 5 will have a long-delayed Hollywood premiere at the Renberg Theatre at The LGBT Center and be presented under the aegis of the ERA Coalition Forward.  This documentary shines a spotlight on the plight of women in the workplace at the time of the film 9 to 5, as well as where things stand today with the long-gestating Equal Rights Amendment.  The film was directed and produced by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane (who, with his brother Larry Lane, are the official twins of BillyMasters.com).  At the premiere, the ERA Coalition Trailblazer Award will be presented to stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in person – Dolly Parton will accept via video.  Also expected to attend are Rosie O’Donnell, Kathy Griffin, Alyssa Milano, Donna Mills, Maxine Waters and, oh yes, CHER!  Get tix and details at ERACoalition.org.

“If it’s not gratuitous nudity, I’m down for it.  If it makes sense,
and it’s authentic, and true to the character
and the scene given circumstances, then I’m 100% in.”  
– Taylor Zakhar Perez shares his thoughts on film nudity.  Perhaps we’ll see more than just his ass in the
Red, White & Royal Blue sequel.  Sure, he’s nude in a group shower scene in HBO’s Minx, but that
mass of pubic hair clearly indicates that it’s a prosthetic.  But it’s still worth seeing on BillyMasters.com.

I can neither confirm nor deny my presence at the Cannes Film Festival.  I can confirm that I am in a city dripping in wealth where the English language is regularly butchered.  But that could mean I’m in Las Vegas.  I can confirm that I am overseas – in Europe, actually.  And I have been embroiled in a number of international affairs.  But enough about my sex life.

One of the hits of Cannes has been The Apprentice – a film about the early days of Donald Trump and his mentor, Roy Cohn.  One would think sexy Sebastian Stan – who recently played rocker Tommy Lee – was miscast.  And yet, Stan eerily embodies the young Trump who, it should be acknowledged, was somewhat of a looker in his youth.  The audience gave the flick an eleven-minute standing ovation – although I can tell you from personal experience that most people at Cannes get up quickly to beat the crowds out.  The former El Presidente is trying to get the film banned in the US – and the producers have been sent a cease and desist letter and threatened with legal action…because Trump has been so lucky in court.  The producers claim it is “fair and balanced” – although one wonders how to confirm The Donald getting liposuction (the alleged rape of wife Ivana was documented in her 1990 divorce deposition).  This may all be a moot point because no distributor has gobbled up the flick, despite producers hoping for a pre-election US release.  Rumor has it the film may turn up on a streaming service.

Speaking of rumors, Cate Blanchett is also at Cannes with a film called Rumours, about seven world leaders facing untold challenges whilst getting lost in the woods.  When asked about the project, Cate said, “It’s not trying to be an important film with a message.”  How refreshing.  She added, “I think if you try to make sense of this movie, you’ll feel like you’re losing your mind.”  I have a pill for that!

This week’s Ask Billy question comes from Freddie in Las Vegas: “Cher has said she wouldn’t go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after being snubbed for so many years.  Now she’s being inducted – what will happen?”

She’ll do what countless artists before her have done.  She’ll swallow her pride, come off as a hypocrite, and show up.  But you are correct – she told Kelly Clarkson, “I wouldn’t be in it now if they gave me a million dollars…I’m never going to change my mind.  They can go you-know-what themselves.”  Note that she said she wouldn’t be in it – she never said she wouldn’t go.  Maybe she’s gonna go, pull a Littlefeather and turn it down.  Maybe she’ll do that while wearing the Half Breed outfit!  Wouldn’t that be fabulous?  But, I suspect she’ll simply go, make a caustic comment about it, and say she’s only there for Sonny.  And for the fans.  And perhaps she is.

When Cher really wishes she could turn back time, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  I was recently in Fort Lauderdale for the annual Fleet Week – when thousands of sailors flood our seaside city.  You know what was missing?  The Fleet!  And me, sitting on a crate of Fleet!  At least I was sitting on something!  For the first time since 1990, South Florida’s Fleet Week was moved to Miami due to the Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro – who must be a straight guy.  “As a Cuban-American, I feel very much at home in Miami,” said Del Toro.  You know where I feel very much at home?  Asleep under a pile of sailors!  At least there’s loads of seamen on www.BillyMasters.com, the site that will never leave you in dry dock.  I’m out of the country for the next few weeks, but I’m always just a mouse-click away.  Drop a note to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before that film of the Sunset Boulevard musical finally gets made…with Faye playing Norma!  Until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

I’m on the record as being Team Sharon when it comes to the hit job done to Mrs. O on The Talk.  Although I continue to believe she was ambushed by “good friend” Sheryl Underwood on the soon-to-be-shuttered talker, Osbourne revealed to Sage Steele that she reached out to her former colleague shortly after the incident.  “I apologized to her.  I didn’t want to because I felt I didn’t do anything wrong.  But my kid said to me, ‘Just apologize to her.  Maybe you’re wrong and she read you wrong or something.  Just in case, apologize.’  And I did.  I apologized to her.  I called her.  She wouldn’t pick up my calls.  And then she lied and said I never apologized.  I have it all documented on my phone.  You can never say that anymore because your ass is busted.”

You’d have to be a fool to fuck with Judge Judy.  She’s filed a lawsuit against the owner of the National Enquirer and In Touch for defamation.  “When you fabricate stories about me in order to make money for yourselves with no regard for the truth or the reputation I’ve spent a lifetime cultivating, it’s going to cost you.  When you’ve done it multiple times, it’s unconscionable and will be expensive.  It has to be expensive so that you will stop.”  The suit stems from a story in the April 10^th edition of In Touch about Lyle and Erik Menendez seeking a new trial for the 1989 murder of their parents.  The story cites a juror named Judi Zamos.  However, the rag inexplicably identified her as Judith Sheindlin!  “Judge Sheindlin has never gone by the name Judi Zamos, nor was she an alternate juror in the Menendez trial.”  I ask you, in what world would Judge Judy be selected as a juror for the Menendez trial?  And we’re just hearing about it now?  I’d be more inclined to believe that a juror was an alien!  Judy contacted the publication and got them to remove her from the article.  However, it still shows up in internet searches and was part of a front-page story in the April 22^nd edition of the National Enquirer, hence the suit.  Stay tuned.

Spacey aside, this week’s column is devoted to divas.  Well, I suppose Kevin qualifies…in his own way.  Much of the entertainment business’ collective eyes were on the Cannes Film Festival.  Front and center were two of our favorite divas – one alive, and one deceased.  You may not believe this, but Faye Dunaway is the living one.  As the subject of her own documentary, FAYE, she came off as credible and sympathetic.  I know – there’s a lot of that going around!  Laurent Bouzereau has made films about Roman Polanski and William Friedkin – so Faye must have been a walk in the park!  Still, she has the ability to surprise people.  Like she pulled a bipolar diagnosis out of her ass.  Not a surprising diagnosis, to be sure, but certainly the revelation was designed to elicit sympathy.  “I don’t mean to make an excuse about it, I am still responsible for my actions,” says a contrite Dunaway.  Her strapping son Liam adds, “If she wasn’t in so much pain, would she have been that good?  You have to take the good with the bad.”  You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and then you have the facts of life.

Then there’s Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away 14 years ago and still feels as relevant as ever – more so than Miss Dunaway.  Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is based on 40 hours of in-depth audiotaped interviews Liz did in 1964 with Richard Meryman – the same person who did the last interview with Marilyn Monroe.  These tapes were used for an autobiography Meryman worked on with Taylor.  They provide the backbone of a detailed look at Taylor’s life – at least up until 1964.  The flick is well-assembled by director Nanette Burstein (who worked with the Widow Meryman, who found the tapes), who previously worked on the docs about Hillary Clinton and Robert Evans.  Like the Faye and Spacey films, this will turn up on HBO Max.

Sometimes good things happen to bad people.  Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  And then there’s Kevin Spacey – who, by all accounts, is not a particularly good person.  And, if one believes in karma, Channel 4 in the UK doing an exposé about his misdeeds (none of which appear to be illegal, according to lawyers) was a bad thing for a bad person.  But karma’s a funny thing, and this bad thing has turned into a good thing for Mr. Spacey.  As previously stated, I came away from Spacey Unmasked feeling almost sympathetic for the thespian.  Apparently I wasn’t alone.  A number of his colleagues came away with the same impression once the doc aired on HBO Max.  Sharon Stone said, “I can’t wait to see Kevin back at work.  He is a genius.”  Liam Neeson chimed in saying, “Personally speaking, our industry needs him and misses him greatly.”  F. Murray Abraham came out and called the men featured in the doc “vultures”.  Stephen Fry summed it up best.  “To continue to harass and hound him, to devote a whole documentary to accusations that simply do not add up to crimes…how can that be considered proportionate and justified?  Unless I’m missing something, I think he has paid the price.”

This week’s Ask Billy question comes from Mark in San Francisco: “I just saw Red, White & Royal Blue and really liked it.  Both guys were so hot, so I was wondering what you know about them.”

So many questions about an old topic.  But, I’m game.  Nicholas Galitzine, who played the Prince of England, can currently be seen on the big screen in The Idea of You romancing Anne Hathaway, and on the small screen in Mary & George (on Starz) romancing the King of England!  He’s straight, and he feels guilty about playing so many gay roles.  “I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether I’m taking up someone’s space, and perhaps guilt.”  To that, I say balderdash – not that I’m sure what that even means.  Then there is Taylor Zakhar Perez, who played the son of the President of the United States (an inexplicably cast Uma Thurman).  He doesn’t like to talk about his sex life, which is typically code for being gay.  He’s rumored to be married to techie Garrett Gerson – but you didn’t hear it from me.  By the by, Red, White & Royal Blue was so popular, Amazon Prime has ordered a sequel.  I’m told most of the people from both in front of and behind the camera will return – including Matthew López (of The Inheritance fame), who directed and penned the script based on the book by Casey McQuiston.  Some photos of the lads can be found on BillyMasters.com.

Meanwhile, the famed Cannes Film Festival is about to start.  One of the more interesting films is a documentary about Faye Dunaway called (not surprisingly), Faye.  It is also produced (not surprisingly) by Faye Dunaway – which I suspect means you won’t learn much about Miss Dunaway.  You’ll recall the last time someone attempted to do a televised biography about her, he was the recipient of numerous lengthy phone messages – all of which you can hear on BillyMasters.com.  I’m sure this project (which will air on HBO Max later this year) will have lots about her two films with Johnny Depp and the wonderful Marlon Brando.  And being in Cannes is always a good career move.  Shortly after she landed, it was announced she was cast in Jonathan Baker’s supernatural love story called Fate, which will costar Andrew McCarthy and Harvey Keitel.  And she was even very slyly spoofed on SNL this week, as you can also see on our website.

Elsewhere in Cannes, a deal was made for a film about an older gay couple.  Out Late is about a romance between a blue-collar widower and a retired dancer, played by Ron Perlman and Rupert Everett, respectively.  The producer says, “Romcoms are back in force.  What a gift to have Rupert Everett returning to that genre after the classic My Best Friend’s Wedding.”  To me, it sounds more like Grumpy Old Queens.

The Eurovision Song Contest just crowned Switzerland the 2024 winner.  The competition never took off here in the States the way it does in…well, Europe!  It’s kinda like a cross between American Idol and The Gong Show.  Each country submits a song and singer, which often includes some sort of costume, nationalistic dance, and a healthy helping of kitsch.  You won’t be surprised to hear that it also attracts a very gay audience.  How gay?  During the live semifinals from Sweden, co-host Petra Mede was explaining how easy it is to use the official app.  While she was holding one “random” audience member’s phone, we heard what may have been an unfamiliar sound to Petra – but what we all recognized as the notification from Grindr.  And then another.  And then another!  As the notifications kept coming, Petra said, “OK, I’ll just give you the phone back.  It seems like you’re having a wonderful week here in Malmö!”  I don’t know if the Eurovision app is easy, but the owner of that phone sure is!  It all seemed a bit staged to moi…or however you say it in Swedish.  You can watch the clip on BillyMasters.com.

I just watched Spacey Unmasked, the documentary from UK Channel 4 (it hits HBO Max later this week).  I had a strange and unexpected reaction to the accusations – I was mostly sympathetic to Spacey.  The men featured fell into one of two categories.  There are some who were minding their own business and found themselves the recipient of some aggressive sexual act (i.e. Anthony Rapp).  But most of them were young actors asking Kevin for career help, or writers who wanted Kevin to produce their movie.  In those cases, Spacey simply offered tit for tat – well, more tat than tit.  While many of these men felt uncomfortable, they kept going back.  Why?  One guy came right out and said after his “encounter”, he was gonna use it as “leverage – you’re gonna help me make my career”.  I’m not blaming them.  It’s natural to think someone who is ahead might help you…especially if you give them head!  I can’t tell you how many guys I’ve slept with who I had little interest in.  But they paid for dinner, or bought me drinks, or just wore me down.  Nobody pulled out a gun or threatened me.  As Spacey points out, despite the numerous legal cases brought against him, he has always prevailed.  We’ll see how that works out since a new civil suit has been filed against Kevin in the UK.  That trial is not expected to take place until early 2025.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a few other interesting details.  Ruari Cannon had a role opposite Kim Cattrall in Sweet Bird of Youth at the Old Vic.  I found his account particularly credible and painful.  Andy, who had an encounter with Kevin at the Public Theatre in 1981, finds it suspect that Spacey has not made any statement about the gay community or how it feels to live as an out gay man.  I can answer that one – Spacey is not a member of the gay community and does not live as an out gay man.  There are all different kinds of gay people, Andy.  Then there’s Greg, who went to high school with Kevin and claims to have been the recipient of some unwanted sexual aggression while driving in his car.  For someone who claims to be straight, he took an inordinate number of photos of a young Kevin Spacey, who at the time was still Kevin Fowler.  And speaking of Fowlers, there’s Kevin’s brother Randall Fowler, who claims to have been repeatedly raped by their father.  Not that this is germane to the story, but today Randy bears a striking resemblance to a latter-day Jeanne Cooper!

I’m rarely accused of being coy, but our Ask Billy question from Howie in Dallas accuses me of holding out on you.  “You wrote about all of those Olympic divers on OnlyFans, but never told us about all those nudes of Matthew Mitcham.  How come?”

The truth?  I had no idea.  Really, I never heard of this until I got your note, Howie.  But, since you pointed me in the right direction, OMG.  Talk about explicit.  I thought I might find some tame, artistic nudes.  Maybe a flaccid penis flopping about.  I didn’t expect to see him getting jerked off to completion, or having things shoved up his…well, you know.  And if you wanna see, check out BillyMasters.com.

When I’m being coy, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  We’re uncovering Mitcham, Channel 4 is unmasking Spacey.  The only way to keep up with it all is to check out www.BillyMasters.com, the site that never takes a vacation.  If you have a question, send it off to Billy@BillyMasters.com and I promise to get back to you before I go on Ozempic!  To my fellow Albanians, Krishti u Ngjall.  To the Greeks, Christos Anesti.  And to everyone else, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

A whole load of people in the UK are suing Grindr.  They claim the hookup site has been sharing some sensitive information with people.  “Such as?” I hear you asking me in an almost telepathic way.  You know how people say it’s responsible to share things with potential partners like your HIV status and when you were last tested?  Grindr seemingly does the responsible thing and has users answer such questions on their profile.  But, according to this suit, that information is being shared with third parties.  Who are these third parties?  I’m not sure about that – I tend to avoid large groups of horny gay men…except during High Holy Days!  Perfect timing, n’est çe pas?

UK’s Channel 4 will air a documentary called Spacey Unmasked just after this column comes out.  When asked to comment on what possible revelations there could be, Kevin told openly gay journalist Dan Wootton, “I’ve got nothing left to hide.”  To prove his point, Spacey allowed himself to be asked about each and every incident in the doc – and his recollections make for fascinating viewing.  BTW, the first incident allegedly happened in 1976.  Talk about your Bicentennial Minutes!  We’ll link to the video on our website.  As to the doc itself, stay tuned…

Some people speak without thinking.  Take Darren Criss.  At the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, he was asked how he felt about playing gay on Glee.  “Fucking awesome.  It was a narrative that I really cared deeply about.  I have been so culturally queer my whole life.  Not because I’m trying, you know, actually, I was gonna say, not because I’m trying to be cool.  But I’m gonna erase that because I am trying to be cool.  The things in my life that I have tried to emulate, learn from, and be inspired by are 100 percent queer as fuck.  It was in the queer communities that I’ve found people that I idolize, that I want to learn something from.  And I’d say that’s a gross generalization, that’s a lot of things and a lot of people.  But I grew up in San Francisco in the ‘90s.  I watched men die.  There was an awareness of the gay experience that was not a foreign concept to me.  So it was a narrative that I cared deeply about.”  I’m not sure what he’s rambling on about, but I still don’t think he’s ever sucked a dick.

I don’t think Daniel Radcliffe has sucked a dick, either.  But he doesn’t seem to be a dick.  When asked to comment on JK Rowling’s somewhat anti-trans comments, he answered thoughtfully.  “It makes me really sad, ultimately, because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.  I’d worked with The Trevor Project for 12 years and it would have seemed like, I don’t know, immense cowardice to me to not say something.  I wanted to try and help people that have been negatively affected by the comments.  And to say that if those are Jo’s views, then they are not the views of everybody associated with the Potter franchise.”

“I used to really want Henry Cavill.  I think he’s so hot. 
But I met him and he was so awkward.”  
– Tiffany Haddish explains why she wouldn’t sleep with Cavill.  That’s the beauty of
being a gay man – we don’t care about stuff like that!

Some people should stay away from technology.  Like Barbra Streisand.  She was at sitting home, eating some cake, probably with a judicious dollop of coffee ice cream on top.  She’s scrolling through Instagram on some tablet or perhaps her Jitterbug.  She comes upon a photo of Melissa McCarthy and Adam Shankman.  Her first thought might have been, “I should fix him up with my son!”  So she makes a public comment: “Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?”  I am absolutely certain Babs truly thought, “I wanna give that big girl a compliment because she looks good.”  Others think that maybe Streisand thought she was sending a private message.  Both scenarios could be true.  But many are outraged she’d make such a comment.  To those people, I ask a simple question: did you ever watch Golden Girls?  Women of a certain age often speak without a filter.  McCarthy took the high road and released a video showing her reading a Streisand fan magazine.  She puts it down and says, “The takeaway?  Barbra Streisand knows I exist.  She reached out to me, and she thought I looked good.  I win the day!”  Classy.

Then there’s Roger Bart.  The talented thespian was recently got a Tony nomination for his role as Doc in the musical Back to the Future.  Someone named Michelle Tweeted, “No offense to him, but how in the world did Roger Bart get a Tony nomination for Back to the Future?”  Bart responded, “Hey Michelle.  No offense to you.  But that may be one of the single rudests texts I’ve ever read.  GFY.”  For those of you don’t know, GFY is a polite way of saying “go fuck yourself”.  Not every response has to be classy.  Sometimes catty works.

Pauly Shore’s attempt at career resuscitation is still chugging along.  You may recall that he campaigned to play Richard Simmons in a big-screen biopic.  He even starred in a short film called The Court Jester as proof of concept.  The only thing it proved to me is Pauly should get his eyes done before he ever appears on film again.  Well, it also proved that not everyone is built for Dolphin shorts – but that’s another story.  Nonetheless, Pauly has convinced the folks at The Wolper Organization that he’s the guy for the job.  A script is being written by Jordan Allen-Dutton, who is best known for his writing of Robot Chicken.  Not sure I see the connection.  It should be noted that Simmons has not only refused to endorse either project, he’s actually spoken out against them.

I never thought I’d say this, but Angelyne is back!  The blonde bombshell of Hollywood billboard fame is once again hovering above Santa Monica Boulevard.  A new billboard just went up promoting her album Driven to Fantasy, which was first released in 1987.  This new issue will also come out on pink vinyl – which makes me think she found some crates in a storage unit somewhere near Cahuenga.  Should you be in the WeHo area, Angie will be signing copies on May 4^th at the Pleasure Chest from 5-7PM.  I’d make a joke, but even I’m not that cheap.

Speaking of singers, let’s fit in a quick Ask Billy question.  Ron from Detroit says, “I thought of you when I saw Jenifer Lewis on The Masked Singer.  Did you know it was her?  She looked and sounded great.”

Did I know?  Of course I knew.  I’m surprised everyone didn’t know – that voice is pretty distinctive.  This was taped months ago, and Jenifer had a great time doing it.  It was definitely fun to watch, so I’m glad you enjoyed it.

When I’m proving that I can keep a secret, we’ve definitely come to the end of yet another column.  Here’s something that’s not a secret – I’m not happy when The View is in repeats.  I know those ladies need a break, but it throws off my whole day.  Happily, there’s always fresh dish on www.BillyMasters.com, the site that never takes a vacation.  If you have a question, send it off to Billy@BillyMasters.com and promise to get back to you before I get kicked out of showbiz for being too mean, old, and gay!  So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.

News about shows hitting Provincetown this summer continues to trickle in.  I was delighted to hear that my pal John McDaniel will be spending some time in Ptown this summer.  He’ll have his hands in a number of shows at both the Post Office Café and Cabaret and Town Hall.  People like Kate Baldwin, Max Clayton, Alice Ripley, Nicholas Rodriguez and Liz Callaway will join him at the Cabaret, while Betty Buckley and Darren Criss will play Town Hall.  Check out PostOfficeCafe.net for more details.

The Post Office will also host many of my pals for various shows throughout the season.  Judy Gold will have you laughing all summer long.  Branden & James will be there July 12 and 13, and John Hill peddles his wares August 16.  A full schedule and tickets can be found at PostOfficeCafe.net.

Nicolas King and Billy Stritch will also be at the Post Office on August 9 and 10.  I was reminded of this when I spent time with Nicolas and Seth Sikes in Boston last week.  Collectively they’re known as The New Belters, and they brought their new MGM show to Boston’s Club Café – and it was terrific.  Clever arrangements of classic tunes and some rare gems sung by two consumate showmen.  As usual, this duo delivers great vocals, witty banter, and they ain’t so bad to look at!  They really do evoke a bygone era that I definitely enjoyed visiting for 90 minutes.  And, did I mention they ain’t bad to look at?  Check them out if they come to your locale – or in Ptown or Fire Island or, basically, any place gays congregate.

During a recent trip to NYC, I asked my usual sources for tickets to the off-Broadway hit, Oh, Mary! – Cole Escola’s play about that laugh riot, Mary Todd Lincoln.  Not only did all of the official avenues fail to secure a single ticket, even my unofficial sources came up dry…I hate when that happens!  So I was delighted to hear that this well-received queer venture will transfer to Broadway this summer.  But then I thought about how daunting it is for a small-ish off-Broadway show to successfully transfer from a 299-seat theatre to one seating 950.  Adding to my concern is the fact that the play is a slim 80 minutes.  Now, I like my theatre like I like my men – in and out and in the dark.  But at Broadway prices, one might feel short-changed…which is never good.