Stonewall Gazette

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette


I'd always enjoyed watching female impersonator Charles Pierce perform his Bette Davis routine. Pierce had wit and good comedic timing (see him perform in a video at the end of this post). Imagine my surprise when I came across the entertaining video, The Battle of the Bette Davis Impersonators, from J. D. Doyle, the curator of Queer Music Heritage!

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette


Legendary TV actress Valerie Harper was recently a guest on The Meredith Vieira Show. Harper shares how a positive attitude has helped her overcome cancer, three years after doctors had said she only had months to live.
WATCH VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO: Britney Spears & Joe Jonas on "Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris"


The variety series "Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris" aired on NBC from September to November, 2015. After eight episodes it was cancelled.

Here's a fun clip from Sept 2015 featuring Britney Spears. In a segment called "Voices in Your Head" Neil has Britney pretend to interview people for a job as her bodyguard. In the control booth, Neil prompts Britney (via earpiece) what to say and do! Britney's a good sport and is up to the challenge as the key prankster. Also in on the fun, is everybody's second favorite Jonas Brother: Joe Jonas. Enjoy!

WATCH VIDEO: Britney Spears & Joe Jonas on "Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris"  

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette


Who was Gladys Bentley? 

In the video below, LGBT Snapshots delves into the life and career of the acclaimed jazz performer from her early beginnings in a life of poverty to her new life as a drag king performer in 1930's Harlem Renaissance. Chad, the host of LGBT Snapshots shares, "audiences adored her bawdy rewrites of contemporary popular songs."

Afterward, watch Gladys Bentley perform on the TV show "You Bet Your Life" with host, Groucho Marx. Enjoy!

We often wonder if there is such a thing as "gaydar" and now there is! I had never heard of the GaydarGun before today. It was created by Bret Ray. His brother Terry Ray and Larry LaFond produced an award-winning short comedy film, GAYDAR. In the film, they needed a device to determine if a person was gay or not, thus the Gaydar Gun was born.

Growing up in Hollywood with famous parents was the topic of this 1990 episode of "The Sally Jessy Raphael Show". The children of Hollywood legends interviewed were: Griffin O'Neal (son of actor Ryan O'Neal and the late actress Joanna Moore), Katie Wagner (daughter of actor Robert Wagner and actress Marion Marshall), China Kantner (daughter of rock singer Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane/Starship and the late guitarist Paul Kantner, co-founder of the rock band, Jefferson Airplane) and Terry McQueen (daughter of actor Steve McQueen and actress Neile Adams). Sadly, Terry McQueen passed away at age 38 from the effects of respiratory failure in March 1998.

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette


In May 2016, TV legend Cloris Leachman celebrated her 90th birthday! Leachman has won 8 Primetime Emmy Awards and 1 Daytime Emmy Award during her long career in television. She was always stealing the scene as the intrusive Phyllis (pictured above), on the classic 1970's comedy, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". 

Many gay men (me included!) took notice of sexy actor Gilles Marini when he appeared as Dante in the 2008 comedy film, "Sex and The City". Based on the TV show of the same name it was a world-wide smash hit and made over $400 million at the box office. With his career in full swing Marini went on to play Luc on ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” and even did a stint on Season 8 of "Dancing with the Stars" where he was the runner-up.

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette


It was a year ago this month that TV host, producer and actor Paul Ryan (pictured at left) died from leukemia at the age 69. Ryan, hosted the Here TV series, "Legends From Here." It featured interviews with many of the biggest names in Hollywood such as Rock Hudson and Shelley Winters.

Wow! This is quite the 90's time capsule! Rock icon (and all around witty diva) Elton John was a guest on the Emmy award-winning The Rosie O'Donnell Show and the two gossip about such stars as: Tom Cruise, Barbra Streisand and Michael Jackson! Also, Elton John shares with Rosie the origin story behind his classic song, "Daniel." Many people have wondered if "Daniel" was a love song about two men. Watch the video to find out more, enjoy!

Award-winning singer Mary Chapin Carpenter appeared on many talk shows back in the 1990's. One stop was The Rosie O'Donnell Show when she was out promoting a new children's book she wrote called, Dreamland: A Lullaby. I forgot how much I love Mary's music! Watch the fun interview with Rosie followed by two of Mary Chapin Carpenter's most popular singles!

Hunky animal trainer Dave Salmoni was on the Fran Drescher talk show back in 2010. Naturally, Fran was able to get Dave to flex his muscles! Watch the fun interview.