MEDIA & BOOKS/ CNN ANCHOR DON LEMON COMES OUT AS GAY: CNN anchor Don Lemon reveals in his new memoir, "Transparent," that he is gay. In an interview with The New York Times, Lemon said: "I think it would be great if everybody could be out. But it’s such a personal choice. People have to do it at their own speed. I respect that. I do have to say that the more people who come out, the better it is for everyone, certainly for the Tyler Clementis of the world". Clementis is the Rutgers University student who jumped off New York City's George Washington Bridge after a sexual encounter with another male in his dorm room was taped by fellow students and broadcast online. “I think if I had seen more people like me who are out and proud, it wouldn’t have taken me 45 years to say it, to walk in the truth,” Lemon said. Still, it wasn't easy for Lemon to open up about his sexuality. “I’m scared. I’m talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for," he said in the interviw. He notes there could be ramifications for his TV career, as well as race issues. “It’s quite different for an African-American male,” he said. “It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You’re taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away". The book is due to be published June 16.
Brad Pitt has launched Terrence Malick's long-awaited drama "The Tree of Life" at the Cannes Film Festival today in France. The publicity-shy director was nowhere to be seen after the film's debut press screening was greeted with a mixture of boos and applause. The film, set in 1950s America, revolves around the relationship between a father and son. It also stars Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. "The Tree of Life" is one of 20 films in the running for the Palme d'Or prize. The secrecy surrounding Malick's film, and the director's own aversion to interviews, has made "The Tree of Life" one of the most talked about films at the festival. Malick did not attend the post-screening press conference, leaving Pitt and co-star Chastain to face reporters. A Producer Sarah said Malick was "very shy" and Pitt defended his absence saying an "an artist should not have to be a salesman". Pitt plays a loving but stern father, with Penn the grown-up son Jack reflecting on the people and moments that shape his life. Early reviews were largely positive with Peter Bradshaw awarding the film 5 stars in The Guardian. Time Out London said the film "offers breathtaking imagery and even manages to survive an epic detour to the dawn of time, featuring the Big Bang, dinosaurs, meteors and all". The Hollywood Reporter said" "The Bottom Line: A unique film that will split opinions every which way, which Fox Searchlight can only hope will oblige people to see it for themselves". The film is Malick's 5th feature as a director. Malick famously took 20 years between making his 2nd film "Days of Heaven" in 1978 and "The Thin Red Line" in 1998. Malick's last film was "The New World" (2005) starring Colin Farrell.
Mary Murphy, a film and television actress best remembered for playing the wholesome small-town girl opposite Marlon Brando's rebellious motorcycle gang leader in "The Wild One," has died. She was 80. Murphy died of heart disease May 4 at her home in Beverly Hills. In "The Wild One," pictured, the 1953 film about 2 rival biker gangs that menace the citizens of a tiny California town, Murphy played Kathie, the daughter of the ineffectual local cop, who captures the attention
of Brando's tough guy, Johnny. Murphy was a package wrapper at Saks Fifth Avenue on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills when she was discovered in a nearby coffee shop by Paramount Pictures talent scout Milton Lewis and signed to a contract. 2 years of uncredited bit parts and small roles preceded Murphy's 1st starring role, in the 1953 movie "Main Street to Broadway." Murphy, who had a supporting role in the 1955 Humphrey Bogart movie "The Desperate Hours," had starring roles in "Beachhead," "A Man Alone," "Hells Island," "Sitting Bull," "The Mad Magician" and other 1950s films. She later made guest appearances on TV series including "Dr. Kildare," "The Fugitive" and "Ironside," appeared in a few TV movies and had a role in the 1972 Steve McQueen film "Junior Bonner". She is survived by her family.
TV/ FOX ANNOUNCES FALL SCHEDULE: Fox TV announced its fall schedule today in New York and in a surprising move, the net is canceling “America’s Most Wanted". The Saturday night show that has profiled criminals on the lam since 1988, and will be replacing it on the network’s regular schedule with reruns. Fox said it would do 4, 2 hour “America’s Most Wanted” specials next season, but it will no longer be a regular fixture on the network schedule. The network said it will introduce 8 new series next year. They include Simon Cowell’s talent show “The X Factor,” which was given time slots in the fall similar to “American Idol". Fox said it is excited about Cowell’s return, following his exit as an “American Idol” judge last year. “The X Factor” has Cowell, Paula Abdul, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Cheryl Cole as judges, and has 90 minutes in prime time on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Actress Zooey Deschanel will star in a new Fox comedy this fall tentatively titled “New Girl.” She plays a woman in her late 20s who moves in with three single guys after a bad breakup. Another new Fox comedy, “I Hate My Teenage Daughter,” features Jaime Pressly and Katie Finneran playing single moms to teen-age daughters, realizing the girls are exactly like the kids that once tormented them in high school. Fox’s new series also include the long-awaited debut of “Terra Nova,” pictured, Steven Spielberg’s drama that sends a futuristic family back to prehistoric times. The series was filmed in Australia and is filled with special effects. Former “24” star Keifer Sutherland has been signed to appear in the new drama “Touch,” as the father of a special needs child who also has special mental abilities. The show’s pilot hasn’t been filmed and it doesn’t yet have a slot in Fox’s schedule. Full details can be found on the nets website.
Although the CBS upfront presentation is not until later this week in New York, the most-watched network continues to add to its series orders for next season. The net has picked up "The 2-2," a show that revolves around 6 NYPD rookies who learn to balance their personal lives with working the streets of Manhattan. The ensemble cast includes Leelee Sobieski and Adam Goldberg. Robert De Niro, pictured, is on board as an executive producer. They also picked up the drama "Unforgettable," which centers on a NYPD detective who has the ability to remember everything. The show stars Poppy Montgomery, best known for her work in former CBS show "Without a Trace". And finally, CBS also picked up "How To Be A Gentleman," a buddy comedy based on the book by John Bridges that follows an unlikely friendship between a traditional, uptight columnist played by David Hornsby and his rough-around-the-edges friend and trainer, played by Kevin Dillon.
TV/ "BOSTON" ROB WINS "SURVIVOR": "Boston" Rob Mariano was named winner of "Survivor: Redemption Island" on Sunday night, live on CBS. Mariano beat fellow finalists Phillip Sheppard and Natalie Tenerelli to take home the $1 million prize. The "Survivor" alum dominated the game by winning 4 individual immunity challenges and controlling his tribe throughout the entire season. "For my money, in 22 seasons, that's as close to a perfect game as anyone has played," host Jeff Probst said during the live finale. Mariano also took home the $100,000 fan favorite award, with 40% of the vote. Mariano played the game a record 4 times, and he told the "Survivor: Redemption Island" jury that it would be his last. He met his now-wife, Amber Brkich, in 2003 when both were competing on "Survivor: All-Stars," which she went on to win over Mariano, who also was in the final two. "Survivor" is heading to the South Pacific next season. Similar to the just-ended "Survivor: Redemption Island," 2 previous players will be joining the cast of 16 newcomers. In addition, Season 23 will once again feature the polarizing "redemption island" twist, whereby eliminated players don't get sent home but instead to another area where they duel other eliminated contestants to have a chance at rejoining the game.
In a bid to protect jobs, the Broadway musicians’ union is waging an unusually aggressive, political-style campaign against the new musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” in hopes of undercutting the use of recorded music during live theatrical performances. Still angry over losing some guaranteed seats in orchestra pits during their 2003 contract negotiations with Broadway producers, leaders of local union of the American Federation of Musicians have chosen to make an example of “Priscilla” by objecting to its employment of only 9 musicians and use of some taped music. Union officials and the Broadway League, which represents producers, have chosen an arbitrator to consider the musicians’ complaint and are awaiting a date for the 1st meeting. The union has hired Ethan Geto, a veteran New York political operative who ran Howard Dean’s presidential campaign in the state, as a strategist to help frame its case to “Priscilla” producers and others on Broadway. They have created a splashy Web site and commissioned a poll of about 700 theatergoers this spring that found, not surprisingly, that people who have gone to musicals oppose replacing live musicians with recorded music.
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