Billy Masters 02.20.25

"I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man."

— Elon Musk. I believe he said that during "Bring Your Kid to Work Day."


I'm more than a little annoyed at my beloved Google. They've caved to pressure from our new federal government and renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. BUT (there's always a but), it will only be named that when you are in the United States. Anywhere else, it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico. Admittedly, this is not a big deal, right? Who cares? I thought that way...until I discovered that Google has also eliminated Gay Pride Month from their calendars...along with Hispanic Heritage Month, Women's History Month and Holocaust Remembrance Day. I hear that Black History Month was also on the list—but they felt it was better to wait until after it's over! They're all heart.

Because he's known for his discerning taste, El Presidente has taken over the Kennedy Center as chairman of the board. The previous CEO, David M. Rubinstein, held the position since 2010. That means he was chairman through both Democratic and Republican administrations. One of El's first decisions was to cancel the national tour of "Finn"—a children's musical shepherded through the Kennedy Center. While the Center's spokesperson says the tour cancellation was "a purely financial decision", I think not. "Finn" is a musical about a young shark who "wants to let out his inner fish"—and I think we all know what that means. In case it wasn't clear, the team behind the show said, "At its heart it has a universal message of love and acceptance." Well, we can't have that! They added, "The fact that that extends to sparkly boys seems to be controversial."

Last week, Guy Pearce and Adrien Brody were at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and both received the Cinema Vanguard Award. During a panel discussion, Pearce was asked about "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert". "We made the film in '93, it came out in '94 and coming off the back of the AIDS epidemic, homophobia was just off the charts through that period. And people were starting to speak up. People were starting to feel braver about stepping forward and acknowledging and speaking up about who they are. 'Priscilla' really enabled a voice for a lot of people, which is one of the things that we've been told this past 30 years." When asked about the oft-rumored sequel, he said, "We're putting together a script, what the idea might be, and if we all feel that it's worthwhile, and then we'll do it. I think Hugo and I and Terence are certainly into it, and Steph (writer/director Stephan Elliott) and Hugo and I are having lots of chats about what we might do. So we're excited about it, but we won't do it unless it feels right. We don't want to ruin the original one." Fingers crossed.

Sometimes you can go home again...and sometimes you can't. After years of bad recasts and inactivity, "Project Runway" is returning to the air, now as part of the Disney family on Freeform. Lo and behold, they've lured back Heidi Klum. But in a surprising move, Tim Gunn won't join her...and it wasn't his decision. When Klum texted Tim to ask how his contract looked, he said what contract? Tim says, "I called my agent and he knew things were going on, but he contacted the executive producer of this new show, and they said, 'We don't want him.' And my agent said, 'Well, he's done 19 seasons of 'Runway', 16 with Heidi. The two of them won an Emmy together as hosts, and now you're going to separate them?' And they said yes. So I wasn't asked back." Well, that's not completely true. He was asked to make a cameo in one episode. He shot back, "What do I do? Wave from a bus as the designers are going into Mood? Heidi comes to see me at the retirement home and we play croquet? So no thank you. And as Heidi would say, you're either in or you're out. And I'm out. So I wasn't asked to join."

Someone who is trying to get out is Wendy Williams. As you know, Wendy's been in a memory unit of a NYC care facility which she describes as a prison. Of course, that is where people with dementia and Alzheimer's are placed, and Wendy was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia—which she's vehemently disputed during a recent media blitz. Due to these lucid appearances, a new medical evaluation has been scheduled. In fact, by the time you read this, that will have already taken place (by a doctor her legal team hand-picked). She also filed papers with the court asking that her guardianship be dissolved. Stay tuned.

Back in 2023, Sean Hayes won a Best Actor Tony for "Good Night, Oscar", in which he played actor, pianist and raconteur Oscar Levant. The show closed in August of 2023. If you missed it, have no fear. It's just been announced that Hayes will bring the show to London's Barbican Theatre—thus making his West End debut. It's a limited seven-week run starting on July 31st and ending on September 21st. So book your trip now.

This made me look something up. I remembered George Clooney announcing that he would be making his Broadway debut in a play adaptation of his film "Good Night and Good Luck". I wondered what ever happened to that. Well, turns out the show is opening on April 3rd at the Winter Garden Theatre. His Edward R. Murrow will allegedly only run for two months. But something tells me that could be extended.

Last week, Joy Behar debuted her latest oeuvre, "My First Ex-Husband" (the title was the idea of Behar's second husband), based on discussions she had with dozens of divorced women. She distilled their stories into eight monologues delivered onstage by four women in black. It's a performance style that has worked well for shows like "The Vagina Monologues" and "Love, Loss and What I Wore". Similarly, her cast will rotate every four weeks. The opening night company featured Behar alongside bestie Susie Essman, Tovah Feldshuh and Adrienne C. Moore. The next cast will kick off February 26th and includes some of our favorites—Susan Lucci, Judy Gold, Cathy Moriarty and Tonya Pinkins. It plays at the MMAC Theatre in NYC.

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have signed with Apple TV+ for an "untitled brothers comedy series". The show is a fictionalized version of their lives—they are playing McConaughey and Harrelson as if they were brothers. But it's the next name which caught my eye. The fabulous Holland Taylor will play Matthew's mother, "Ma Mac". If they're looking for a title, might I suggest, "Two and a Half Bosom Buddies"?

This week's "Ask Billy" question really took me back. Sam in Las Vegas writes, "I read that Tom Chase is making a comeback. Is it true?"

Gay porn legend Tom Chase got into gay porn in the 1990s, primarily working with Falcon. At the time, he called himself "the Wally Cleaver of porn". In 2004, he announced his retirement. Two years later, he returned—somewhat scruffier and more in the daddy vibe. He landed at Colt Studios and was bigger than ever (so to speak). He retired again around 2009. Recently he gave an interview to explain what he's been up to. He's a personal trainer, married to his best friend, and living in Oregon. He said, "I am adjusting to getting older. I am letting go of needing my butt to be as firm as a basketball, and I am allowing myself to crease and wrinkle and be ok about it." I'll have to ask him how he did that! As to gay porn, he started an OnlyFans page last year (he filmed a scene with Johnny Hazzard). However, he's open to a full-scale porn return. He says he'd like to work for Raging Stallion—"any studio that focuses on older, senior muscle guys will interest me". He looks at his life in three stages—but phrases it like one of those SAT word questions. "The first half of my career lasted 15 years. Then I took 15 years off to grow up and get happy. I want the second half of my career to be just as long—15 years, finishing at the age of 75." So how old is Tom now? You'll get more visual clues on BillyMasters.com.

When Chase is showing off his beaver, it's definitely time to end yet another column. These few days in Fort Lauderdale were just what I needed to recharge. If you need to warm up, check out www.BillyMasters.com—the site that's both naughty and nice. If you have a question for me, send it along to [email protected] and I promise to get back to you before Trump becomes a pescatarian! Until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.