Category Archives: LGBTQ+

The announcement sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry: Ellen DeGeneres was ending her wildly popular television show after nineteen years of entertaining and giving her unique gift of humor, wit, and kindness to a world that wasn’t always appreciative of it. Her very public coming-out in the 90’s (that ‘Time’ magazine cover story and bold proclamation of ‘Yep, I’m gay!’ was a formative part of my own coming out – and likely countless others) was as celebrated as it was momentous. It moved the cultural stigma that was still afflicting the world, even as it seemingly harmed her sitcom career. The courage it took to do that should not be underestimated or forgotten, and if that was all she ever did she would have left an impressive legacy. Luckily for us, that was only the beginning, and she has since go on to host some of the biggest entertainment gigs that exist, and then establishing a hit show that put the LGBTQIA community on full, unfussy display every week-day. There was glory in that, and it’s something that we will all miss. She earns her first Dazzler of the Day in the hopes that she embarks on the next chapter of her journey with all the hilarious gusto and dazzle she’s given us so far. 

Leave it to Skip to get me back into RuPaul’s Drag Race – a show which I haven’t seen since the epic third season of Manila versus Raja. This year I was addicted, and the final four proved a competitive feast for the eyes, ears, and soul. While Symone was a well-deserving winner this past season, Rosé was consistently a powerhouse performer – a more-than-triple threat on all entertainment fields, and by the end it felt like she was so continuously excellent, even her great performances ran the danger of feeling underwhelming. I always hate when that happens – when a person of talent is regularly good at what they do that it reaches the point where it’s expected, and maintaining excellence is never appreciated as a more dramatic trajectory of those who starts from somewhere else. There’s a certain tragedy to that, but I’m certain Rosé will continue leaving a legacy in the drag world, and as such she gets this crown as Dazzler of the Day.

Coming out as bisexual is still very much a brave act, especially in the entertainment world, so whenever someone takes such a courageous step, I’m all for encouragement and support. This is Ronen Rubinstein, and he’s our Dazzler of the Day for taking that step. Rubinstein has appeared in ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ and looks to be adding plenty to that list in the near future. 

The iconic audacity.

The irrefutable ferocity.

The gorgeous fabulosity.

This whole Dazzler of the Day feature was tailor-made for the likes of Billy Porter, who has been dazzling audiences for decades, and only seems to get better with age. It’s not just about his red-carpet envelope-busting appearances, or his impressively inspirational refusal to be anyone other than his authentic self, it’s about that superlative talent – the voice, the moves, the sheer star quality he brings to every project that’s fortunate enough to enjoy his involvement. Larger-than-life, he also manages to find that universal thread of humanity in his work, that essence of a genuine, compassionate soul which transforms every performance into a piece of art and a way of connecting us to each other. Witness previous posts here and here and especially here, when I got to see him onstage for the first time, check out his lengthy link tree of admirable causes, and embrace his ongoing reign as Dazzler of All the Days.