GLAAD to Honor Ricky Martin & Kristin Chenoweth

Grammy award-winning singer Ricky Martin and Emmy- and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth will be honored at the 22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Martin will receive the Vito Russo Award, which is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for LGBT people, in New York on Saturday, March, 19th.

"Ricky coming out was a game changer for many gay and transgender Latino children, who for too long did not have many out gay people to look up to," said Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, in a statement released to the press. "Through his music, videos and interviews, Ricky has sent an important message that our community wants the same things all people do: an equal chance to raise our families and take care of our loved ones."

Chenoweth will receive the Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who have increased the visibility and understanding of LGBT people, in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 10th.

"When allies like Kristin take such powerful stands against antigay sentiments in the media, it sends an important message of equality," Barrios said. "It is a privilege to honor such a talented and conscientious advocate for fairness towards the LGBT community."

For more information on the awards, click here.

10 'Glee' Spoilers Revealed by the Creator Himself

When it comes to must-see TV, Glee is no Lost. While Lost writers went to famously great lengths to keep the smallest of details leaking from the show, Glee creator Ryan Murphy and the rest of the show's cast have been downright forthcoming with revelations from future episodes.

Based solely on what Ryan and the cast have told the press, here are 10 spoilers from the show's second season that may or may not come as a surprise.

1. Rachel and Finn are staying together (All Season)

Ryan Murphy says he wants to give fans what they want on this one. He explains that "they're united" in season two and "every other scene they're telling each other how much they love each other and kissing inappropriately in the hall." He also likes seeing them as leaders in the Glee group, but warns they will be tested.

“The thing about that is that Rachel did not sleep with Jesse,” Ryan said. “She lied that she did, but she didn’t go through with it. Finn did [go through with it], but the whole point of that was for a guy to say ‘I wish I had waited,’ as opposed to “Yeah!!” That discussion will certainly come up because [Rachel] does not know that, but that’s a whole episode right there. … When she finds out, what will she do?”

2. Britney Spears will start a 'sex riot' (Episode 2)

Glee fans know that the Britney Spears tribute episode is coming up for the second episode, but it sounds like Britney's arrival will play on some surging teen hormones.

Hilariously vapid cheerleader Brittany (Heather Morris) will finally get her first solo. Based on pictures Britney Spears herself posted to Twitter, the two will be recreating Britney's girl-on-girl action with Madonna in the video for "Me Against the Music." While it hasn't been confirmed, this may set things in motion for Brittany to come out as lesbian.

Jane Lynch previously told TV Week of the Britney episode: "Sue Sylvester is of the opinion that Britney Spears is basically the anti-Christ. How does she put it? 'A pop-culture provocateur and responsible for every out-of-control impulse ever created.' So she fears that if Britney Spears' music is played, it will create a sex riot — and it does."

3. Paging Dr. Stamos (Episode 2)

John Stamos will join the show as Emma's love interest in the second episode. He's a dentist and when Will brings him in to talk to the kids about dental hygiene (but really to get a better look at him), The doctor finds the Glee kids have been lax with their teeth. He ends up administering the anesthetic that makes the Britney Spears dream sequences possible.

Get used to John. He'll be wrecking Mr. Schuester's chances with Emma all season as he plays the hunky dentist. It turns out he used to be in a boy band and as an added bonus, he'll likely be wearing a mullet wig in the flashbacks.

4. 'Glee' gets religion (Episode 3)

In the third episode, the show will follow Mercedes (Amber Riley) to church with Kurt tagging along in choir robes. The episode is said to address the issue of teens questioning their faith. Cory Monteith says he's very excited for Finn to sing "Losing My Religion," but more importantly Mercedes gets a real solo.

5. Kurt + Sam 4ever (All Season)

Ryan Murphy, Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) and Jane Lynch have all confirmed that Kurt will find himself involved with a hunky new love interest in season two. Chord Overstreet made his debut as Sam Evans while singing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" in the shower on Tuesday night. He's said he hasn't seen a script pairing him with Kurt yet, but on Tuesday he had a bawdy bit of innuendo foreshadowing things to come.

Puck (remarking on the size of Sam's mouth): "How many tennis balls can you fit in that thing?"
Sam: "I don’t know — I’ve never had balls in my mouth. Have you?"

Ryan Murphy revealed an even bigger spoiler over the summer at Comic-Con: "I want [Kurt] to have a boyfriend and for them to be prom king and king. I think that’s something important to put out into the world."

6. There will be a Rocky Horror Picture Show tribute (Episode 5)

Ryan Murphy has confirmed that he'll be directing the season's fifth episode, a Halloween episode paying tribute to the campiest of campy musicals, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Says Ryan: "My favorite thing to do is to torture the boys and claim that I don’t know who’s wearing those gold lamé briefs because now they’re all on diets and are all in terror that I’m going to be the one to tell them that they’re the one to do it."

And yes, they will definitely do the "Time Warp."

7. Terri will make Will's life Hell

We haven't seen the end of Will's fiendish ex, Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig). Ryan Murphy says she'll be back to terrorize her estranged husband in the second season.

“We love writing for [Terri],” Ryan said. “I think what she needs to do is date somebody who would make Will puke green with jealousy. She needs to figure out who that person is – it’s not the school principal, for one. We’re making a very narrow list of candidates.”

8. Kristin Chenoweth is coming back... as a stripper

In the first season, Kristin Chenoweth played April Rhodes, a drunk with a heart of gold and the voice of an angel. This season she's confirmed to E! Online that April will be back, and she'll be trying to make ends meet by any means possible.

"I'm going back in two weeks to do Glee. I did hear April will be stripping and it made me nervous—made me not want to eat." Just don't expect any smooth moves on the stripper pole. Says Kristin: "I'm not going to practice it either because I don't think April would know how!"

9. Gwyneth Paltrow will sub for Mr. Schuester

Ryan Murphy has confirmed that Gwyneth Paltrow will be playing a teacher substituting for Mr. Schuester in two upcoming episodes. No word on whether or not she'll do any rap, but she can definitely sing.

"Gwyneth is a great singer. She's done it a little bit but I really want to show it off and show everyone how great she is," he said.

10. Javier Bardem will play a Spanish rock 'n' roll singer

According to Ryan, he found out Javier Bardem is a big fan of the show while the two were working together on Eat, Pray, Love. While Javier's guest spot has been reported and un-reported a couple of times so far, Ryan makes it sound like it's going to happen. And it turns out the whole thing was Javier's idea.

"Let me set the record straight - I didn't have to convince him, he begged!" Ryan said. "He loves the show and wants to play a crazy Spanish rock and roll singer so I'm going to do that."

Second Season of “Glee” Starts on September 21st

The second season of Glee is about two months away! The official premiere date is on September 21st.

Creator Ryan Murphy and the show’s writers shared that and other second season tidbits at an event Monday night at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills.

Emmy nominated for one of her two guest appearances on the show last season, Kristin Chenoweth will return! Also, Murphy has written a role for Oscar winner Javier Bardem.

Murphy was asked about the phenomenal success of the show which earned an astounding 19 Emmy nominations last week: “I feel very stunned that people got it in a big way… because I do think it’s a very unusual show and a very unusual tone…There’s never been a musical on television that has worked, so the fact that it is embraced as much as it has been is just amazing to me.”

New Release Tuesday!

Here are this week's new releases on Blu-Ray, DVD and CD including "Glee: The Music, Volume 3 - Showstoppers" featuring performances by the Glee cast with Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and Olivia Newton-John).



MOVIES
Extraordinary Measures
The Girl on the Tran
Invictus
The Messanger
The Spy Next Door
Valetine's Day
When You're Stranger: A Film About The Doors

MUSIC
The Black Keys - Brothers
Bo Bice - 3
Glee: The Music, Volume 3 - Showstoppers
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
Jimmy Buffet - Encores
Macy Gray - The Sellout
Moby - Wait For Me. Remixes!
The Rolling Stone - Exile On Main Street

TV SHOWS
The Barbara Stanwyck Show - Volume 2
California Dreams - 3rd Season
The Greatest American Hero - Complete Series
Hunter - 2nd Season
The Jeff Dunham Show - Complete Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent - 5th Year
30 Days - 3rd Season & Complete Series
21 Jump Street - 2nd Season

Cheyenne Jackson and Michael Urie Speak Out Against Newsweek Writer

An article by Newsweek writer Ramin Setoodeh with the point of view that openly gay actors cannot play straight convincingly, has prompted some big showbiz names to speak out publicly.

First Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth took the writer to task in a published rebuttal and now out stars Cheyenne Jackson and Michael Urie have also said their piece. AfterElton.com reports that the actors spoke out at a talkback event Monday night following a performance of Urie’s off-Broadway play The Tempermentals.

“It was very veiled self-loathing. Really upsetting,” Jackson said. “Everytime we go forward, some asshole like this takes us back a bit. I was really glad that Kristin Chenoweth wrote what she did [in defense of her Promises, Promises co-star Sean Hayes and other openly gay actors]. She sent it to me before it went out and about. I was very proud of her. For me to stand up and say, ‘F*ck you,’ that’s what you’d expect. But for someone like Kristin, she stands up for what she believes in and is very committed.”

Added Urie: “Cheyenne was f*cking Elvis in All Shook Up. He was sexy and hot. He’s always playing straight. And people buy tickets to see him. No straight critics accuse Sean Penn of not being able to play Harvey Milk or [criticize] Tom Hanks in Philadelphia.”

Update: Setoodeh is defending himself in a piece called Out of Focus in which he writes in part:

…What all this scrutiny seemed to miss was my essay’s point: if an actor of the stature of George Clooney came out of the closet today, would we still accept him as a heterosexual leading man? It’s hard to say, because no actor like that exists. I meant to open a debate—why is that? And what does it say about our notions about sexuality? For all the talk about progress in the gay community in Hollywood, has enough really changed? The answer seems obvious to me: no, it has not.

I realize this is a complicated subject matter, but the Internet sometimes has a way of oversimplfying things. My article became a straw man for homophobia and hurt in the world. If you were pro-gay, you were anti-NEWSWEEK. Chenoweth’s argument that gay youth need gay role models is true, but that’s not what I was talking about. I was sharing my honest impression about a play that I saw. If you don’t agree with me, I’m more than happy to hear opposing viewpoints. But I was hoping to start a dialogue that would be thoughtful—not to become a target for people who twisted my words. I’m not a conservative writer with an antigay agenda. I don’t hate gay people or myself.

Broadway's Kristin Chenoweth Attacks Newsweek Over 'Homophobic' Article

Actress Kristin Chenoweth has taken aim at Newsweek magazine after a popular columnist attacked her gay Promises, Promises co-star Sean Hayes for portraying a straight man on Broadway.

Ramin Setoodeh suggested the former Will & Grace star was "wooden and insincere" in an online article, titled Straight Jacket, about homosexuals playing it straight on Broadway.

Appalled by the piece, Chenoweth penned an open letter, defending a gay star's right to play any role, and posted it on several social network sites over the weekend.

She wrote, "I was shocked on many levels to see Newsweek publishing Ramin Setoodeh's horrendously homophobic Straight Jacket, which argues that gay actors are simply unfit to play straight.

"I'd normally keep silent on such matters and write such small-minded viewpoints off as perhaps a blip in common sense, but the offense I take to this article, and your decision to publish it, is not really even related to my profession or my work with Hayes.

"This article offends me because I am a human being, a woman and a Christian. For example, there was a time when Jewish actors had to change their names because anti-Semites thought no Jew could convincingly play Gentile.

"I know how much it means to young people struggling with their sexuality to see out & proud actors like Sean Hayes, (Glee star) Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Cynthia Nixon succeeding in their work without having to keep their sexuality a secret. I encourage Newsweek to embrace stories which promote acceptance, love, unity and singing and dancing for all!"

American Idol: Meet the Bank Robber Who Stole the Judges' Hearts

After rather unexciting auditions in Chicago, the Idol talent hunt moved on to Orlando, Florida, Wednesday night. The producers threw in lots of plugs for Disney, “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and so on. Maybe someday they’ll do auditions at Sesame Place.

Guest judge Kristin Chenoweth, who said judging Idol was harder than she thought, stayed only for the first day of tryouts, and maybe that’s just as well. Despite all her singing and stage experience, she seemed to spend a lot of time giggling and running around with Kara as if they were a couple of Powerpuff Girls.

Out of 10,000 performers, according to nightly Idol anchor Ryan Seacrest, 31 were chosen to advance to Hollywood. The clear standout of the night, both in vocals and biographical interest: Matt Lawrence, who robbed a bank with a BB gun when he was 15 and spent four years in jail. He tore into Ray LaMontagne’s “Trouble” with a rambling, dusty voice that Simon called “brilliant” and “authentic.” Kara predicted he’ll make it to the top 12.

Some other performers worth noting:

Born with a damaged nerve that affects one side of her mouth, Shelby Dressel sang a sultry “Turn Me On.”

Seth Rollins, an insurance adjustor with an autistic son, performed a quietly smooth “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Although that sort of soulfulness doesn’t always click in Hollywood.

Jay Stone’s beat-boxing version of the Beatles‘ “Come Together” was so intensely overdone it came close to a comedy routine, although his actual singing voice wasn’t bad at all. Only — please — cut the Blake Lewis stuff.

Bernadette and Amanda Desimone, sisters whose interplay was so cheerfully smooth they could have been cast in an ABC Family sitcom, were jointly given golden tickets. This always seems like such a cruel thing for the judges to do. Haven’t they seen Saving Private Ryan?

Cornelius Edwards, singing “Proud Mary,” concluded his audition by hitting the floor with a thudding split that shredded his pants. It wasn’t clear whether the judges were impressed by his voice or concerned for his well-being.

The hour started with a man named Theo Glinton draped in a gossamer scarf and with small, mirrored discs applied to his face (Should we thank Lady Gaga for that one?). He was over the top, but after being rejected by the judges he exited with dignity and graciousness. Jarrod Norrell, who pretty much demolished “Amazing Grace,” did not. Security had to take him out in handcuffs. At which point Simon turned to the judges and asked: “Yes or no?”

Oh, what will happen once Simon leaves?!

A Glee Romance: Will Emma and Will Couple Up?

Get ready for a full-blown Gleek-out! Not only are the stars of the FOX’s hit musical comedy singing about plot twists and guest stars — Olivia Newton-John! Idina Menzel! More Kristin Chenoweth! — the show’s launching a nationwide talent search to add gifted future stars to the cast.

FOX executives have revealed that in February, the network will begin scouring the country for undiscovered talent between, ages 16 to 26, to fill three new roles in the show’s newly announced season 2. The search will be documented in a multi-part reality special, which will culminate in the unveiling of the new cast members on Glee’s season premiere in the fall.

“We were going to do a nationwide search regardless,” FOX president Kevin Reilly told reporters Monday, noting that some of the original cast, like Chris Colfer, were discovered that way. “So we decided to let the audience in as a part of that. There will not be formal voting. The audience will not decide, but the audience will certainly participate. They will give us their opinions on who they want and who they like.”

READY FOR ROMANCE?

When Glee returns April 13th, will choir director Will (Matthew Morrison), who was distraught after discovering his wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) faked her pregnancy, be on a fast track to romance with guidance counselor Emma (Jayma Mays)?

Not so fast, says Mays, who attended FOX’s Winter TCA party. “[Series creator] Ryan Murphy said that it’s his job as a writer to keep us apart,” she says. “I was like, ‘Actually, you know what? That’s right and that makes sense.’ Otherwise people won’t have anything to root for. Practically speaking, Emma’s a smart girl and she’s a practical girl, and so she wouldn’t jump into a relationship with a man that’s technically not even separated.”

On the other side of the romantic triangle, Gilsig hints that she may be exploring Terri’s more vulnerable side — possibly through song. “I think it’s going to happen,” says Gilsig. “I never say it’s done until we’ve shot it. I want just a little softer side of Terri … We’ll let her have a life outside of this panic that she was in. [But] I don’t think she’s ever going to turn into Emma. I think she’ll always have an edge.”

Meanwhile, the show choir’s internal dramas will continue to heat up McKinley High. Dianna Agron said her ex-Cheerio character Quinn is “still pregnant and just focusing on moving past the ‘woe is me’ moments of being pregnant, so it’s fun again! She’s back to her old spunky ways and we’re learning so much more about all the characters, whether it be at home with their families or in the school.”

GUEST STARS GALORE

In addition to more of Chenoweth, who appeared earlier this season as former glee-club star April Rhodes, the cast is excited to be joined by Menzel and Newton-John. Of former Wicked star Menzel, Cory Monteith says, “I haven’t gotten to meet her yet but she’s around. I could sense her extremely talented presence somewhere on set today.” But will Menzel being playing the birth mother of Rachel, as has been speculated due to her strong resemblance to series star Lea Michele? “No, not Lea’s mom,” declares Gilsig cryptically. “It’s going to be interesting.”

And Jane Lynch reveals that the show’s arch villainess, Cheerios coach Sue Sylvester, will perform a duet with another amazing guest star: “I have two songs this season,” Lynch says. “One is ‘Let’s Get Physical’ with Olivia Newton-John.”

Lynch is already plotting out her first meeting with the iconic star of Grease. “I’m going to treat it just like how I treated working with Carol Burnett, which almost made me have an aneurysm,” she said. “You just go there and you relax and you don’t ask any questions and you try to be as normal as possible. Carol Burnett was so lovely. By the end of it, we were friends and she had told me a bunch of stories without me even asking, because I was like a crazy sycophant-type person. My plan is the same with Olivia Newton-John. I’m just going to be as normal as I can be.”