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2022 was good for a lot of things — in the music world, artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny and more had blockbuster years worthy of recognition. But when it came to the continued fight for LGBTQ rights, 2022 proved to be more of a backslide. In the United States alone, queer and trans folks spent the year working tirelessly against more than 300 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures (including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care for young people), threats towards gender diverse kids and their families, a fatal shooting at a gay nightclub, and countless more tragedies and setbacks. Around the world, people struggled to support the biggest sporting event in the world being held in a country where being queer is a crime, while anti-LGBTQ sentiment and hate crimes continued to rise around the world.
Despite the onslaught of negative sentiment and oppressive ideals, queer artists showed up to represent and support their community in 2022. The methods they employed through their albums were often varied — some aimed for sheer escapism, creating new sonic worlds for their fans to luxuriate in; others looked their circumstances dead in the eye, using their music to channel the rage they felt at a world that was seemingly set against them. Either way, LGBTQ artists made their voices heard through some of their best works to date in 2022.
So, which of those albums stood out among the rest? Below, check out Billboard‘s picks for the 20 best albums by LGBTQ artists released in 2022:
Julie Andrews is sharing her thoughts on a potential role in the third Princess Diaries.
In an interview with Access Hollywood on Tuesday (Dec. 6), The Sound of Music actress addressed if she would appear in a chapter in one of her first public comments since the project was announced as being in development. In the first two films, Andrews played Queen Clarisse Renaldi, the grandmother of Anne Hathaway’s character, Mia Thermopolis.
“I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible. It was talked about very shortly after two [The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement] came out, but it’s now how many years since then? And I am that much older and Annie the princess, or queen, is so much older. And I am not sure where it would float or run,” Andrews said. “In terms of us doing it, I doubt that now.”
In November, The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Aadrita Mukerji is writing a script for a new installment of Princess Diaries for Disney. According to sources, the movie is a continuation of the series of films that Anne Hathaway starred in rather than a reboot.
THR reported that sources say Hathaway does not have a deal to return to the franchise but hope she would return if the film moves forward. In the past, the Les Misérables actress has shared her support publicly for a third film.
This isn’t the first time Andrews has expressed her thoughts about returning to the Princess Diaries franchise. In 2019, during a visit to Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the Mary Poppins star responded to rumors surrounding the potential film, saying, “The truth is I haven’t heard. There’s been talk about it for quite awhile.”
More recently, in June 2022, Andrews spoke to THR ahead of receiving the AFI Life Achievement Award, calling her return a “lovely thought.”
But when asked if she would want to revisit the franchise, she said, “I think it would be too late to do it now. There was talk of a sequel many, many years ago. But I don’t think it ever came to pass. And Garry then did leave us. [Marshall died in 2016.] [For] especially me, it’s too far down the line now to go back to it.”
For the new film, Debra Martin Chase is returning to produce after working on the first two Princess Diaries. Melissa Stack, the screenwriter for The Other Woman and Godmothered, is executive producing.
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
Succession‘s Kieran Culkin and Only Murders in the Building‘s Selena Gomez popped into the latest episode of Saturday Night Live for a Father of the Bride reunion.
Steve Martin and Martin Short both hosted the Dec. 10 show, which saw the comedic duo reprise their iconic characters, George Banks and wedding planner Franck Eggelhoffer, respectively, in a bit that riffed on the film and franchise sequels.
Culkin returned as a grown Matty Banks, while SNL castmembers took the family’s other various roles, including Chloe Fineman impersonating Diane Keaton in her role of mother Nina Banks and Heidi Gardner as the titular bride Annie, originally played by Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Bowen Yang also starred in the sketch, appearing as Howard Weinstein, second-in-command to Short’s Eggelhoffer — a role originated by BD Wong.
Returning to 24 Maple Dr., the Banks family is gearing up for yet another wedding for Annie, who is now 52 in Father of the Bride: Part 8. The imagined sequel follows Annie “three decades and seven divorces later,” as she opens her heart to the potential of marriage yet again.
In typical fashion, Martin’s George is dragging his feet, though this time it might be easier to understand why. “Annie, what makes you think I can afford another Nancy Meyers-style wedding?” he gasped. “I’m financially drained!”
“But daddy, I’m your little girl,” Gardner’s Annie whines before Martin snaps back, “You’re 52! Your mom started driving Lyft to pay for your last wedding.”
It’s quickly revealed that a shrimp tower and performances by Nicki Minaj were included in previous weddings, ceremonies orchestrated by none other than Yang’s Weinstein and Short’s Eggelhoffer, who is still using his signature and unintelligible accent.
“That’s right, Martin Short is back as the beloved wedding planner Franck doing an accent that I think is still OK,” the sketch’s voiceover says. “Let’s all agree it’s still OK.”
Culkin and Gomez make their appearances soon after, with the Succession star’s voiceover introduction hilariously acknowledging that audiences likely forgot the actor was in the film, but that it’s OK. “Did you forget that Kieran Culkin is in this movie? So did we, and so did he. But he was, and now he’s on Succession, so good for him.”
Gomez, who crashed Martin and Short’s monologue earlier in the night, ultimately makes an appearance as Annie’s wedding performer. “How much is she gonna cost me,” Martin asks before Gomez casually responds “$1.8 million easy.”
But it’s a price Martin’s George is willing to pay for his “little girl — my menopausal little girl,” he joked.
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
MEXICO CITY — For some fans, going to Bad Bunny’s Estadio Azteca show Friday night in Mexico City was a dream come true. But for others, it turned into a nightmare after they became victims of a scam, with Ticketmaster Mexico canceling their tickets at the entrance to the show saying they were fake and a throng of angry fans at the door demanding to go inside.
Dozens of people who had arrived hours and some days earlier — coming from different places in Mexico and the U.S. — were not able to get inside Bunny’s fist night in Mexico City, which also marks the end of his tour.
Valeria Carrillo, a young fan who came from the seaside town of Isla Mujeres and said she had paid over 9.000 Mexican pesos (some $455), was one of the unlucky ones. She stood in line since early in the morning to be one of the first to get inside the stadium. She couldn’t.
“I didn’t come all the way from Isla Mujeres to have this happen to me!” she told Billboard Español, in tears.
Some desperate fans climbed over the main gates of the stadium trying to get inside but were blocked by security.
In a press release posted Saturday, Ticketmaster Mexico admitted that “the issues with access were the result of an unprecedented number of fake tickets, which led to a not normal agglomeration of people and an intermittent operation of our system.
“The above generated confusion and complicated the entrance to the stadium, with the unfortunate consequence that people with legitimate tickets were denied access,” added the release.
Mexico’s Federal Attorney for the Mexican Consumer (PROFECO) said it had opened an investigation and asked those who had been affected to present their complaint on a website provided by the institution. By Friday evening, PROFECO said in the same release that only seven people had submitted complaints, but more were expected.
On its end, Ticketmaster said it would refund ticket-holders who hadn’t been able to get into the venue and would also provide additional compensation of “no less than 20% of the price paid for the ticket, in accordance with the terms of article 92 Bis of the Federal Law of Consumer Protection, which states that right when a service is deficient or is not rendered.”
Issues with tickets delayed the show for nearly 60 minutes. Originally scheduled for 9 p.m., it started at 10 p.m. But once the lights went out, it was party time. Benito Ocasio Martínez took the stage in front of 85,000 attendees, with a slew of special guests that included Bomba Estéreo for “Ojitos Lindos,” Chencho Corleone for “Me Porto Bonito,” Mora for “Una vez” and Jowell & Randy, with whom he sang “Safaera.” Bunny finally brought up his friend and fellow hitmaker Jhayco for “Tarot.”
One of the highlights of the evening came when the Puerto Rican star paid homage to the late Mexican music idol Juan Gabriel by sampling his hit “Querida,” and later, when performing “Yo No Me Visto Así,” which also references “Querida” and Juan Gabriel in its lyrics.
For Bunny’s second Mexico City show on Saturday, PROFECO had personnel at the entrance to the stadium beginning early in the afternoon, and there were reports on social media of fans with fake tickets being turned away.
Steve Martin and Martin Short brought their A-game to their joint Saturday Night Live opening monologue, reading each other eulogies and surprising viewers with an appearance from their Only Murders in the Building co-star Selena Gomez.
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Before diving into each other’s eulogies, the comedians took a second to reminisce about their past SNL hosting gigs, with the Dec. 10 episode being Martin’s 16th time hosting the show and Short’s third.
“You see, we are like Harry and Meghan,” Short said, referring to Netflix’s new docuseries from the couple. “No one’s rooting for us, but you’ll tune in to watch anyway.” Martin then went on to joke about how working with Short for him is like watching the World Cup: He just can’t get into it.
When Short told Martin he adores working with him and wishes they could do it forever, Martin said Short can’t because he won’t live forever.
“It’s sad because you won’t be able to hear the wonderful things I’m going to say at your memorial,” Martin told Short. “So, I thought why wait? So, what I did was I wrote up your eulogy so you can hear it now.” Short quipped back that he did the same.
“I will always be haunted by Marty’s last words: Tesla autopilot engage,” Martin said in his eulogy for Short.
“I learned so much from Steve,” Short said. “For example, he taught me that you don’t need to restrict the urinal to just number one.”
Throughout the opening monologue, the co-stars and touring partners threw playful shade at each other.
“Even at the end, Marty had a wonderful girlfriend smart, beautiful and so realistic,” Martin said. “He was always sexually active — as long as there were batteries in the house. He was taken away from us too soon, but sadly, not before he played Jack Frost in Santa Clause 3.”
Watch the opening monologue below:
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
NBC announced Saturday (Dec. 10) that Lizzo will step in for previously announced performers Yeah Yeah Yeahs on next weekend’s Saturday Night Live as the final musical guest of 2022. When she joins host Austin Butler on the Dec. 17 episode, it will mark the third time the pop-rap star has performed on the show.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced on their socials that they had to cancel because guitarist Nick Zinner is still recovering after contracting pneumonia last month. In addition to SNL, the band also pulled out of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas festival in Los Angeles on Saturday.
“As many of our fans know Nick has had pneumonia over the past month and it’s been an up and down recovery process,” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ statement reads. “The band’s top priority is supporting Nick through a full recovery, as a result we had to pull out from our engagements of KROQ’s Acoustic Christmas and Saturday Night Live.
“YYYs have enjoyed the incredible highs of being supported on KROQ and the huge honor of being chosen to close out SNL’s 2022, we are deeply thankful and expectedly heartbroken we cannot rise to these occasions,” the statement continues. “It’s been a tough week, and it’s been a tough year on the health front for us alongside so many artists who are committed to connecting with audiences amidst a pandemic. We send our love to our fans and supporters, thank you for your understanding and well wishes, it means the world to us. Wishing you a healthy and happy rest of 2022, we’re looking forward to a strong return in 2023. Much love, Karen, Nick, and Brian.”
Find the Twitter announcements below.
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Will Smith wants to ensure that anyone with Internet access can stream his passion project, Emancipation, for free on Apple TV+.
The Antoine Fuqua-directed film, chronicling the harrowing freedom journey of a Black man who escaped slavery in Louisiana, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday (Dec. 9).
“I’ve been reading a lot of the comments and I see a lot of people saying they don’t have Apple TV+,” Smith said in an Instagram video posted Thursday. “That’s unacceptable to me.”
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The 54-year-old actor reached out to Apple and secured a streaming deal for new and returning subscribers to watch the film for free.
Emancipation is inspired by a true story of “Peter,” best known from a series of photos taken by medical examiners in the Union Army in 1863. One of the images, “The Scourged Back,” captures the sheer brutality and inhumanity of slavery, showing Peter’s – whose real name was Gordon – welted back riddled with keloids from the severe beatings handed down by slave masters.
The images were published in Harper’s Weekly on July 4, 1863, and are said to have helped galvanize the abolitionist movement.
Ben Foster, Mustafa Shakir, Steven Ogg, Charmaine Bingwa, Imani Pullum, Michael Luwoye, Gilbert Owuor and Aaron Clifton Morris star in the film written by William N. Collage.
Producers include Smith, Jon Mone, Joey McFarland and Todd Black. Chris Brigham, Fuqua, James Lassiter, Heather Washington, Cliff Roberts, Glen Basner and Scott Greenberg are executive producers.
Emancipation made its theatrical debut on Dec. 2. Read on for details on how to stream the movie for free.
How to Watch ‘Emancipation’ for Free on Apple TV+
Right now, new and returning customers can enjoy a free trial to Apple TV+ for the first week. That means you can stream Emancipation and anything else on the platform without paying anything up front. To redeem Smith’s offer visit apple.co/willgift.
Apple TV+ is $6.99 a month after the free trial ends but there are multiple ways to save on your streaming bill and extend the free trial for up to a year.
For starters, subscribers can get Apple TV+ included free for three months with the purchase of an eligible Apple device or save with Apple One, which bundles Apple TV+ with up to five other services for one low price.
Apple TV+
$6.99/month after free 7-day trial
T-Mobile and Sprint offer a year free subscription to Apple TV+ with select wireless plans and Best Buy has a deal offering three months of free Apple TV+.
Enjoy Apple Originals such as Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Severance, Carpoole Karaoke: The Series, The Problem with John Stewart, Bad Sisters, The Shrink Next Door, Pachinko, Central Park, They Call Me Magic and The Greatest Beer Run Ever, along with holiday releases like Spirited and A Charlie Brown Christmas and lots more on Apple TV+.
Watch the Emancipation trailer below.
The Nat King Cole Trio recorded “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” back in 1946 and turned it into a Christmas classic, one year after it was written by Bob Well and Mel Torme. The song is also commonly subtitled as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” due to its opening lyrics.
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Multiple arrangements of the song have been recorded throughout the years, but the most notable version has to be Cole’s, which includes the warm sounds of a small string section. The lyrics are filled with warm Christmas feelings and sweet holiday imagery, including: “Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe/ Help to make the season bright…Yuletide carols being sung by a choir/ And folks dressed up like Eskimos.”
The popular Christmas song has been covered by many artists, including Christina Aguilera for her 2000 album, My Kind of Christmas, and Michael Bublé on his Let it Snow EP.
Check out the full lyrics below to get in the Christmas spirit.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fireJack Frost nipping at your noseYuletide carols being sung by a choirAnd folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoeHelp to make the season brightTiny tots with their eyes all aglowWill find it hard to sleep tonightThey know that Santa’s on his wayHe’s loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleighAnd every mother’s child is gonna spyTo see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so I’m offering this simple phraseTo kids from one to ninety-twoAlthough it’s been said many times, many waysMerry Christmas to you
And so I’m offering this simple phraseTo kids from one to ninety-twoAlthough it’s been said many times, many waysMerry Christmas to you
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells
Follow along with the lyrics to Andy William’ 1963 holiday hit.
The opening electric guitar riff followed by the steady beat of jingle bells marks the opening of Bobby Helms’ classic hit “Jingle Bell Rock.” The 1957 track makes reference to other similar-sounding songs, including “Rock Around the Clock” and the original “Jingle Bells.”
Helms’ tune made it to the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016, where it peaked at No. 29. It then peaked at No. 3 in 2020. The song, which has a country swing to it, has been covered by many artists in Nashville throughout the years, including George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton.
Check out the lyrics and stream the song below to get into the jingle bell rock groove.
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rockJingle bells swing and jingle bells ringSnowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of funNow the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rockJingle bells chime in jingle bell timeDancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell SquareIn the frosty air
What a bright time, it’s the right timeTo rock the night awayJingle bell time is a swell timeTo go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feetJingle around the clockMix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feetThat’s the jingle bell rock
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rockJingle bell chime in jingle bell timeDancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell SquareIn the frosty air
What a bright time, it’s the right timeTo rock the night awayJingle bell time is a swell timeTo go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feetJingle around the clockMix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feetThat’s the jingle bellThat’s the jingle bellThat’s the jingle bell rock
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joseph Beal, James Boothe