Commentary

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

THIS MONTH MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE Stonewall riots, which are widely considered to be the birth of the modern gay rights movement. Fed up with discrimination and repeated raids on their bar, patrons of the Stonewall Inn confronted police officers and took to the streets in downtown New York City, supported by their neighbors. The hope was that LGBTQ Americans could publicly express their identity without being harassed or even arrested.

So what does that have to do with Entertainment Weekly?
Since its founding in 1990, EW has been a champion of the LGBTQ movement. During the height of the AIDS epidemic, the magazine published tributes and photos of every entertainer and executive who died from complications related to the disease. Throughout the years, stars such as Arrow’s Colton Haynes and Grey’s Anatomy’s Jake Borelli have used EW as a trusted vehicle to publicly come out and share their stories. In 2015, we started publishing an annual LGBTQ issue. It’s been incredibly well received by you as well as the industry: Our 2017 cover featuring RuPaul won an award from the American Society of Magazine Editors.

What’s inside the issue?
We gathered six LGBTQ trailblazers—Anderson Cooper, Wilson Cruz, Melissa Etheridge, Neil Patrick Harris, Janet Mock, and Ruby Rose—to talk about their coming-out experiences and their trials (and victories!) in Hollywood. Each received his or her own cover (see page 2). Elsewhere, we revisit the fiercest lewks of RuPaul’s Drag Race, talk to the cast and crew of Longtime Companion—the first mainstream movie to address the AIDS crisis—and drink with Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy, who chats about the sudden popularity of his ridiculously funny sitcom.

What’s the best lesbian bondage thriller ever?
So glad you asked! That would be Bound. And on page 50, we rewatch the film—the directorial debut of the Wachowskis—with its stars, Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon.

Who should I thank if I enjoyed the issue?
All kudos should be directed toward Patrick Gomez, one of our supremely talented senior editors, who can be reached on Twitter @PatrickGomezLA. His fingerprints and hard work are all over this issue.

Most important, how’s your dog doing?
Great, thanks! Since he moved to L.A. last year, he has come out as a polyamorous bisexual and has taken two lovers (no lie!)—one of whom is a real b—-.

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

WHENEVER SOMEONE ASKS ME TO NAME MY FAVORITE movie, I become super queasy. I know I’m supposed to respond, “Citizen Kane,” or “Godfather II,” but the truth of the matter is that it’s When Harry Met Sally…—a film that brings me endless bliss.

I have the same physiological response to the question “What’s your favorite movie ending?” “Casablanca,” I’ll say with all the enthusiasm of someone ordering a fruit plate for dessert. But actually, it’s My Best Friend’s Wedding. When George (Rupert Everett) reassures Jules (Julia Roberts), “Maybe there won’t be marriage. Maybe there won’t be sex. But by God, there’ll be dancing,” I melt. It’s a resolution that’s unexpected, yet reassuring and heartwarming. Moreover, the idea that people could fi nd happiness with platonic love was a novel one in 1997. (Remember, this was pre–Will & Grace.)

So if you love My Best Friend’s Wedding and romantic comedies as much as I do, this issue is our Valentine’s Day gift to you—one that has been a few years in the making. Nothing in pop culture excites me more than learning the behind-the-scenes nuggets of my favorite films: the whatifs, the alternate endings, and the near casting choices. So we turned our Hollywood’s Greatest Untold Stories franchise loose on the rom-com genre to answer questions like: Who was supposed to play Blane in Pretty in Pink? And what were the original endings to When Harry Met Sally… and Serendipity?

If you enjoy this issue, please send to Features Editor Clarissa Cruz, who lovingly assembled it; Senior Editor Brittany Kaplan, who put together these fabulous cast reunions; Photo Editor Natalie Gialluca, who organized these luscious shoots; and Senior Art Director Faith Stafford, whose design handiwork is on every one of these pages.

Lastly, we were heartbroken and appalled over the vicious attack against Empire star Jussie Smollett, a wonderful human being and a terrifically talented actor and singer. If you are interested in supporting Jussie or learning more about a cause that is dear to him, please join me in contributing to the Black AIDS Institute at blackaids.org, or you can text “JUSSIE” to 41444.

Heck, it’s Valentine’s Day,
let’s just say:
Love,

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

HOPE YOU HAD A TERRIFIC SUMMER. I HAVE ABOUT 38 percent fewer brain cells than when you last heard from me because I spent the past few weeks binging Love Island the ridiculously addictive British reality dating show that’s now streaming on Hulu. (We’re getting our own version on CBS next year. I’m counting the days.) Not all my pop culture consumption this summer depleted my gray matter. I also enjoyed:

• Trial & Error: Lady, Killer, which will definitely appear on my list of top 10 shows at the end of the year. If you loved the humor of Parks and Recreation, The Office, or Arrested Development, I promise you’ll adore this gem on NBC.
• HBO’s media-dynasty drama Succession—Kieran may be my new favorite Culkin.
• Younger on TV Land, which is finally ditching its initial conceit of a woman lying about her age to become the addictive romantic comedy we all hoped it would be.
• The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai’s intertwined stories about a group of gay men facing AIDS in 1980s Chicago and a mother’s search for her daughter in modern-day Paris.
• Dan + Shay’s “Keeping Score” featuring Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande’s “No Tears Left to Cry,” and Maroon 5 and Cardi B’s collaboration “Girls Like You” all helped me drown out “The Middle”—which clung to me all summer like a cheap cologne.
• Crazy Rich Asians. Disclaimer: Henry Goldblatt and Henry Golding are not the same person, as much as I wish we were.
• Also, this admission should/ will get me fired, but I kinda, sorta, okay, really liked Book Club. Does that make me a 65-year-old woman? Possibly.

Looking ahead to the fall, we have two upcoming events I want to tell you about.

First, you can expect to see plenty of on-the-ground reporting from the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 6–16. In the past few HENRY GOLDBLATT years, the event has emerged as the unofficial kickoff to Oscar season. This year will be no exception as A Star Is Born; Ben Is Back, a family drama with Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges; and If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to Moonlight, will all be screening there. We’ll be hosting a photo studio with our sister publication People, so check out our social feeds and EW.com during the festival for interviews with the stars of these films, exclusive videos and photos, reviews, and more.

Then in October we’re helping New York Comic Con launch a new space called The Studio @ NYCC, where you’ll be able to watch intimate conversations between EW editors and some of your favorite stars and superheroes. Best part is that you don’t need a New York Comic Con badge to attend these events. Tickets are available to everyone at newyorkcomiccon.com, and watch EW.com for programming announcements.

That’s it from me. I’m going to try to go earn back those brain cells—that is, after I watch the remaining three seasons of Love Island. (JK, but not really.)

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

WE INTERRUPT YOUR FERVENT SPECULATION OVER who bit Beyoncé (Kelly Rowland? LeToya Luckett?) to bring you one of my favorite issues of the year: our 2018 edition of Hollywood’s Greatest Untold Stories. The centerpiece is a reunion of the cast of Dawson’s Creek, who gathered to celebrate the landmark show’s 20th anniversary. The group and creator Kevin Williamson share their favorite memories of fictional Capeside, talk about signing autographs for the first time—and explain Katherine Heigl’s tangential connection to the series. As you might imagine, the organization of these reunions is intense and time-consuming; this labor of love was delivered by Senior Editor of Talent & Events Brittany Kaplan with an assist from Senior Writer Tim Stack. The magazine’s coverage is just the beginning. Watch EW.com and our social feeds for related videos, quizzes, galleries, and reflections from the cast—all part of #CreekWeek. (Yes, Regina George, I’m trying to make #CreekWeek happen.) In addition, we hope you’ll check out our TV special Entertainment Weekly Cast Reunions: Dawson’s Creek, streaming now on PeopleTV.com and on the PeopleTV app (which you can download at your friendly neighborhood app store). If you like our collector’s covers (pictured, right), you can buy the set at your local Barnes & Noble or order them at backissues.ew.com.

Elsewhere, this issue is a treasure trove of Hollywood what-ifs, alternate endings, and backstories. EW’s new Senior TV Editor, Patrick Gomez, asked Will & Grace’s Megan Mullally how she gave Karen Walker that sky-high voice (hint: It involves Christine Baranski). Critic Darren Franich lived out my teenage fantasy by reuniting the cast of my second-favorite movie from 1989, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. His most triumphant oral history of the franchise is on page 18. (Spoiler alert: The guys are hoping for a third installment.) Staff Writer Samantha Highfill watched Legally Blonde with its screenwriters and two of its stars and discovered the dirty joke that was cut, who passed on the film, and the original—rejected—ending. Special thanks to Executive Editor Carla Sosenko, who lovingly assembled this issue.

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

I WAS TRYING TO SKILLFULLY WEAVE together all of the info I need to convey to you this week, but I found it to be as excruciating as trying to build a house out of sawdust and toothpaste. So let’s all pretend I said something eloquent and witty and dive into what’s going on at EW HQ.

In early June, we sponsored an LGBTQ Pride Month kickoff event in Los Angeles with the folks of GLSEN, who do amazing work in support of LGBTQ youth. For more information on the organization or to learn how to get involved, head to glsen.org.

Then many of us went on to Austin for the ATX Television Festival. This is our third year sponsoring the event, and if you’re a fan of TV (or queso!), I can’t recommend it enough. It’s four days of nirvana—with screenings and panel discussions with your favorite stars—capped off with a Texas-size reunion of a beloved series. This year’s cosponsored by the Syfy network—featured the cast of Battlestar Galactica. (Yes, they want a revival.)

When I asked the millennials around the office who should be on the cover of our annual LGBTQ issue, their answer was unanimous: RuPaul. I gotta admit that I was a little surprised given that Ru has been a pop culture fixture since the early ’90s. But a new generation has discovered his awesomeness thanks to RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has seen a surge in popularity this 10 EW.COM JUNE 23, 2017 season. Telling RuPaul’s story allowed us to recount the evolution of the LGBTQ movement in New York City and Hollywood, which staff writer Marc Snetiker skillfully does on page 24. Want some sexy nostalgia with your issue? Then turn to page 38, where we reunite the beautiful cast of The L Word, the beloved Showtime series that aired from 2004 to ’09. (Yes, they want a revival too!) Special thanks to EW staffers Bill Keith, Kevin O’Donnell, Nick Maslow, Jennie Chang, Natalie Gialluca, Stacey Pittman, and Brittany Kaplan for their hard work on this issue, as well as to Maybelline New York for their generous support.

If you want to see more of the Battlestar Galactica and L Word reunions, head over to our streaming network, PEN (People/ Entertainment Weekly Network), where you can watch the casts reminisce about their series. Don’t have PEN? That’s easily fixable. Just download it from your friendly neighborhood app store.

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

I TURNED 25 shortly after moving to New York City, and to mark my birthday I threw my first “sophisticated” party (Triscuits and wine coolers) and prayed that Eric, a crunchy recent grad from Bard College, would pay me an iota of attention. (Hi, Eric, if you’re out there!) EW is celebrating its 25th in a slightly more dignified manner:

• We’ve rounded up some terrific movie and TV cast reunions this year, lovingly assembled by our senior West Coast editor Danielle Nussbaum with the help of news director Gina McIntyre. In fact, if you’re a fan of The WB TV network circa 1999, I suggest you drop everything you’re doing and turn to page 18 immediately.
• Contributing editor Erik Jackson led a team that pored over pretty much every back issue of EW to unearth a treasure trove of classic articles and trivia about our 25 years.
• The Shaw Report as well as the former writers of What to Watch are back for guest appearances!
• Jennie Chang, our brilliant managing art director who designed the issue, even dug up the font we used in our original issues.

Of course, our anniversary will continue far beyond these pages. Be sure to head over to EW.com for behind-the-scenes video of many of our reunions, as well as amazing photo outtakes. And if you live in the NYC metropolitan area, please stop by our first-ever EW Fest on Saturday, Oct. 24—a daylong celebration of the very best in pop culture, presented by sponsor LG OLED TV. Events include: a discussion with The X-Files creator Chris Carter; an appearance by Aziz Ansari, who’ll chat about his new Netflix series; and an evening with Tina Fey. Get tickets and more information at ew.com/ewfest. If you don’t live in the area, you can check out highlights on EW.com or EW Radio on SiriusXM Channel 105. Most important, though, I wanted to turn this space over to the incredibly talented editors who preceded me, because we all owe them thanks for making EW the brand it is today. I’ve asked them to recall their favorite and least favorite covers of their tenure; of course, I want to hear about yours, too, so feel free to tweet me @HenryGoldblatt.

This article first appeared in Entertainment Weekly.

Dear friends of EW,
I am going to cede this space to the handsome guy on the left who actually did the majority of the work on the issue. Here are Andy’s thoughts after spending some time at the helm.

FIRST TIME I WAS FEATURED IN EW
There was a picture of Bette Midler’s opening night at Radio City, and I was in the background of the photo. I was a producer at CBS News at the time, and I was like, “Oh my God, I am in Entertainment Weekly.

BEST PART OF EDITING EW
Coming up with stories and pitching you guys. I’ve always been fascinated by magazines. I love that I got to write the John Mayer piece myself and to interview Madonna. (I’ve never interviewed her!) The issue is representative of a lot of my passions— now it’s a memento.

WORST PART OF EDITING EW
Getting words cut. I’m still fighting for a few lines from the Madonna interview! [Real editor’s note: Relax, Andy! You can check out some extras on EW.com in the next few days.]

THE HOUSEWIFE EW MOST RESEMBLES
Carole Radziwill (The Real Housewives of New York City), because she’s interested in a lot, she’s a writer and well-rounded. [Real editor’s note: We love Carole, but we’ve always thought of ourselves as a Lisa Vanderpump with NeNe rising.]

WHAT MY DOG, WACHA, THINKS OF THIS ISSUE
If I leave it in the wrong place, he might rip it up.

FINAL GRADE
Oh my God, I’d give myself an A! I mean, I would be surprised if you didn’t ask me to do it again. This is a killer issue.

REAL EDITOR’S FINAL WORDS
Andy’s absolutely right. From his interview with Madonna to his chat with Connie Britton and Taraji P. Henson, I’m really proud of all of his efforts. Special thanks also go to: senior editor Kevin O’Donnell, who brainstormed many of these ideas and packaged the issue in such an expert fashion; senior writer Tim Stack, who wrote the excellent profile of Andy; senior associate photo editor Natalie Gialluca, who arranged Andy’s terrific photo shoot (check out some awesome outtakes at facebook.com/entertainmentweekly); and deputy design director Keir Novesky, who made the whole thing look so damned good.