Category Archives: Frank Ocean

Gays galore on Grammys

 Go here for a complete list of winners!

It was a pretty gay Grammys by most standards.

The Grammy Award. (Courtesy NARAS)

The Grammy Award. (Courtesy NARAS)

Early in the telecast, broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ 55th annual presentation, Elton John performed, Ellen DeGeneres made a show of ogling co-presenter Beyonce and Neil Patrick Harris quoted Katharine Hepburn in witty opening remarks.

The gay star of the night, though, was hip-hop newcomer Frank Ocean who won Grammys in the new category Best Urban Contemporary Album for his 2012 project “Channel Orange” and, in a joint award with Kanye West and Jay-Z, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “No Church in the Wild.” He was nominated in four other categories.

Melissa Etheridge, with hair raked back in a severe ponytail, was briefly seen in the audience a couple times. DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi were seen several times. Ellen, especially, was majorly getting down during the Bob Marley tribute.

Chris Brown allegedly assaults Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean, Chris Brown, R&B, music, gay news, Washington Blade

(left) Frank Ocean and Chris Brown were involved in an altercation at a Los Angeles recording studio on Sunday, according to sources. (Photo of Ocean by David Hwang; photo of Brown by Eva Rinaldi; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

According to several sources, out R&B singer Frank Ocean is considering pressing charges against fellow R&B artist, Chris Brown, after the troubled Brown allegedly punched Ocean during a fight Sunday night between two groups at a Los Angeles recording studio.

The fight involving six men began as an argument over a parking space at Westlake recording studio, according to celebrity gossip website, TMZ. Sources say that Ocean is accusing Brown of throwing the first punch in an altercation that began in the parking lot, and spilled over into the lobby of the recording studio, where video surveillance captured a destructive tussle between friends that were accompanying Brown and Ocean. Neither singers appear to throw any of the punches on the videotape. Staff at the studio called 911 when the fight moved indoors. Later Ocean posted an update to his Twitter account that he’d injured his finger in the brawl, which — according to the wording of the post — may affect a possible (but as yet unannounced) performance at the Grammy Awards.

Reuters confirms that Ocean is seeking to press charges against Brown over the fight.

Ocean “is desirous of prosecution in this incident,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore, according to Reuters.

Ocean also identified Chris Brown by name in a twitter update about the fight on Sunday.

“got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol. i only wish everest [Ocean's dog] was there.”

While Brown left the scene of the altercation when it was over, Ocean apparently stayed to speak to police, and, according to MTV, filed a battery report.

Ocean has been nominated for six Grammy awards, and his debut Channel Orange album has topped many 2012 critics’ favorites lists, leading many to speculate the singer — who came out of the closet just prior to the album’s release — will likely walk away well awarded at the end of the night.

Brown is currently on probation for an infamous 2009 assault on then-girlfriend pop-star Rihanna, as well as a 2012 assault on Canadian rapper Drake. Another battery charge could spell jail time for the troubled star.

Brown and Ocean have traded barbs in the past, with Brown reacting negatively to Ocean’s coming out in 2012, and allegedly sending family to attack Ocean in 2011 after the two engaged in an argument on the social networking website, Twitter, according to LGBT news and entertainment website, Towleroad. Chris Brown has been known to use anti-gay slurs liberally in the past.

Here Ocean performs “Bad Religion,” a song about falling in love with a man, on the Jimmy Fallon show days after coming out of the closet.

Year in review: Better late than never: Anderson Cooper comes out

Anderson Cooper, CNN, gay news, Washington Blade

Anderson Cooper (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A number of celebrities, politicians and other officials came out during 2012.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper publicly acknowledged being gay for the first time in a statement gay commentator Andrew Sullivan posted to his blog on July 2. Sam Champion, weather anchor for “Good Morning America,” announced on-air in October that he was engaged to his long-time partner, photographer Rubem Robierb. (The couple attended a Freedom to Marry fundraiser in Miami Beach, Fla., a few days later.)

Gay singer Ricky Martin was among those who applauded Puerto Rican boxer Orlando Cruz after he came out on Oct. 3. R&B singer Frank Ocean in July acknowledged his homosexuality, while Jamaican singer Diana King came out on her Facebook page in June. British singer Mika told Instinct Magazine in August he is gay.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Mike Fleck, a Republican who attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., earlier this month came out during an interview with a local newspaper. Stefany Hoyer Hemmer, daughter of House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.,) came out as a lesbian during an exclusive interview with the Washington Blade in June.

“My father, as you know, just came out in support of gay marriage,” she said. “The momentum in Maryland right now for the adoption of the gay marriage law is fast-paced. I’m 43 years of age, and I’ve been gay my whole life and I just figured this is a good time to lend my name to the cause.”

DC Comics in June announced the Green Lantern is gay as part of its effort to reinvigorate the “Earth 2” series.

Year in review: Gay is ‘The New Normal’

Adam Lambert, Tommy Joe Ratliff, marriage equality, gay marriage, same-sex marriage, 9:30 Club, music, Marylanders for Marriage Equality, gay news, Washington Blade

Adam Lambert (right) became the first openly gay musician to have an album debut atop the Billboard charts. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

By JIM FARMER

The old activist slogan “We are everywhere” proved true for arts and entertainment headlines in 2012. LGBT individuals and issues were omnipresent in the media this year, with very little controversy.

Here are some of the biggest moments from television, music and movies.

TV

Gay dads are “The New Normal.” NBC’s gay-themed sitcom has sharply divided audiences but it’s still kicking around. Bryan (openly gay Andrew Rannells) and David (Justin Bartha) are a gay couple who want a baby. Single mother Goldie (Georgia King) decides to become their surrogate, which doesn’t sit well with politically incorrect grandmother (Ellen Barkin). The series could come back for a second season, although let’s hope if it does it’s better written.

“Modern Family” stays way gay. Still TV’s funniest and most awarded sitcom — and possibly its gayest, now in its fourth season on ABC — “Modern Family” doesn’t skimp on the interplay between male couple Mitchell (openly gay Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), whose adopted young daughter has provided more comic fodder.

“American Horror Story” queers and scares. From Ryan Murphy of “Glee,” who’s gay, comes this scary, twisted series. Its fall/second season follow-up “Asylum” is more popular than its first, with plenty of gay and lesbian touches and out performers such as Zachary Quinto and Sarah Paulson.

“Partners” breaks up. Michael Urie, who’s gay, of “Ugly Betty” starred in this comedy as one half of a straight/gay best friend bromance. Louis (Urie) and Joe (David Krumholtz) are lifelong friends and now co-workers, but new people in their life (including Brandon Routh as Louis’ boyfriend) have changed the dynamics. Unfunny and forced, it has already been canned by CBS after a few months.

Music

Frank Ocean comes out. Hip hop/R&B artist Frank Ocean came out at the beginning of the year about falling in love with a man, though he does not like to label his sexual orientation, and got little to no flack for his announcement. In December he was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for “Channel Orange.”

Adam Lambert tops Billboard charts. Adam Lambert became the first openly gay musician to have an album debut atop the Billboard charts. Released in May, “Trespassing” had both ballads and his traditional dance-until-you-drop music.

Madonna delights LGBT fans. After a successful performance at the halftime show of the Super Bowl this year, Madonna’s long-awaited new album, “MDNA” dropped in March. The immortal one came to Washington and the audience was packed with LGBT fans.

Film

Enjoying “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” One of the year’s best films, this adaptation of the Stephen Chbosky novel about an outcast and the new crowd he falls in with was well cast, with Logan Lerman as the main character whose new best friend Patrick (Ezra Miller) is gay. The likes of Emma Watson, Dylan McDermott, Paul Rudd, Joan Cusack and Melanie Liskey shone, but Miller (who came out as queer earlier this year) was the standout.

“Pariah” brings visibility. Out director Dee Rees turned her acclaimed short film into a feature, detailing the coming out of 17-year-old, poetry-writing Alike, played wonderfully by newcomer Adepero Oduye.  Bold and beautifully shot, it is one of the few films with African-American lesbians.

“Keep the Lights On” wins raves. Ira Sachs’ heavy-hitting tale of a love affair between a filmmaker and young man with a drug problem started the year winning raves at Sundance and ended the year shocking many by getting a number of Independent Spirit Award nominations alongside some heavyweight motion pictures.

“Any Day Now” worth waiting for. Out actor Alan Cumming, in one of the finest performances of his career, stars as a gay man/drag queen by night in the ‘70s who tries to get custody of a teenager with Down Syndrome, who lives down the hall and whose mother is unfit. Based on a true story, it’s heartbreaking stuff.