4th Of July: A Spontaneous Holiday Soirée

With Alicee visiting from Florida, we spent dayz trying to figure out what to do for the 4th of July... since Macy's, for the fourth year in a row, insisted on hosting its annual fireworks spectacular over the Hudson instead of the east side of New York, the way it was for more than three decades. Fuckers...

At last, we agreed that we kinda sorta didn't give a flip about the madness of the fireworks. Can you imagine traveling to join tens of thousands in 90+ degree heat, just to watch 30 minutes of the same ole... only to make that same trip back with tens of thousands of flop-soaked sweaty, stinky New Yorkers? Not so fun, right?

So instead, in the eleventh hour, we called the other July 4th orphans we knew: Leonard and his friend Thomas, Ayhan, Donna and her pal Ty. Suddenly, we were hosting a party, something I've had a good bit of experience doing over the years. With a quick sweep to straighten up the apartment, a couple stops to the grocery and liquor store for supplies, NOW it felt like a holiday. Whiz, bang, pop! A good time was had by all. So bite me, Macy's! *

Tinatin & Timothy Graphenreed Debut "W-E" Before NYC Audience

Tinatin's theatrical show W-E, a collaboration with acclaimed Broadway veteran Timothy Graphenreed, debuted before a live audience Monday at New York's Triad Theater. The room was packed for the premiere, as I gently wept over and over... What a wonder my girl is. *

'Magic Mike' Delivers... I'd Grade It 'Ooh La La'

Score!! The first movie of 2012 I've seen in a theater was as much fun as I'd hoped. Magic Mike delivers tons of A&A (abs and ass), with sexy dance routines and more than enough gratuitous physical male beauty. It's about time the playing field was equalized, huh?

As expected, the "plot" about Channing Tatum and his love interest was a needless distraction... and I remain dumbfounded at just how wholly unappealing female lead Cody Horn is. Amid so much machismo, it was distracting to have to gaze at her horse face in every other scene. Of course, it all makes sense when you discover that Horn's father is chairman of Walt Disney Studios and was previously president of Warner Bros. Hello, nepotism.

Ah, but the scintillating charms of easy on the eyes Matthew McConaughey, a surprsingly beautiful Alex Pettyfer, pretty boy Matt Bomer, handsome Channing, smoking Adam Rodriguez... and of course my man Joe Manganiello, which all made up for such a slight distraction. The flick is indeed fun, sexy and effectively delivered, so you don't feel like you contributed cash for a soft porn extravaganza that is as dim-witted as a Nicki Minaj song. Good times! *

Happy July 4th From The Smoking Nun!

William Levy: A Day At The Beach

'Magic Mike': Who's The Fairest One Of All?

Today's the day! At last, I will see all the hot goodness of Magic Mike for myself. 2:25 p.m. matinee, with pal Aliceee. Hoping that theater is all ours! *
(Photos: Homorazzi)

Sunday Tea At The Kimberly Hotel With Sylvia Tosun

Sunday afternoon, a gaggle of pepes gathered for Sylvia Tosun's release party for her Sea To Sun label act Sted-E & Hybrid Heights' new album. The venue: The rooftop deck at the Kimberly Hotel in Midtown East. Drink special: Sea To Sun Breeze! Perfect way to beat the heat. *

Fun with iPhone apps!

New Celine Dion!!!!! First French Single 'Parler à Mon Pére'

A first listen to Celine Dion's upcoming French single "Parler à Mon Pére (Talk To My Father)" from her forthcoming new French CD, out November 5th. At long, long last! Thanks, Marky!! *

Anderson Cooper FINALLY Comes Out Publicly

Jeez... at last. After last week's Entertainment Weekly cover story about the ease with which public figures can now come out, as usual, Anderson Cooper was glaringly left out of the crowd... as if anyone had any doubts. But at last, the newsman has decided to come the hell out of the closet (publicly), via Andrew Sullivan in The Daily Beast.

And yes sir, it still matters. As Sullivan writes: "The visibility of gay people is one of the core means for our equality." So in an email to Sullivan, Cooper wrote: "Even though my job puts me in the public eye, I have tried to maintain some level of privacy in my life. But I've also wanted to retain some privacy for professional reasons.

"Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I've found myself in dangerous places. For safety, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people’s stories, not my own.

"I've always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. I’ve stuck to those principles for my entire professional career, even when I’ve been directly asked 'the gay question.' Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle.

"It’s become clear that by remaining silent for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something—something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.

"I’ve also been reminded that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible. I believe there is value in making clear where I stand. The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud." *

The Hills Are Alive... With A New TV Live Version Of 'Sound Of Music'

Inspired idea or blasphemy? The timeless Sound of Music, which has forever been one of my favorite things, is going to be aired live on NBC, in an attempt to bring the 1965 Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer film to a new generation.

The net has enlisted Smash producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (who turned Broadway hits Chicago and Hairspray into film musicals) to create a "television event," with a new cast of actors singing live—no pre-recorded music or lip-syncing.

"It isn’t our intention to produce a remake of the movie version of The Sound of Music," says Zadan. "What we want to do, instead, is to give audiences a completely fresh experience of this great Tony Award-winning stage musical in the form of a classic television event, combined with the spontaneity of a live performance."

The new live adaptation will be based on the 1959 Broadway show—not the film. No air date is set, although casting has begun. *

Tom Cruise & Katy Holmes Call It Splitsville

Apparently, Katy Holmes has decided it's no longer worth any amount of $$ to play Tom Cruise's third wifey while he hides out in the closet... Or perhaps Cruise and John Travolta are about to announce their imminent nuptials. In any case, TMZ is reporting that the mismatched pair is divorcing, after five years of unholy matrimony.

Holmes is the one that filed for divorce, not surprisingly. Her attorney released a statement that her primary concern remains her daughter’s best interest blah, blah, blah"—after Tommy threatened to send the kid to Scientology Boot Camp. Katie has a 6-year-old daughter Suri, that is alleged to have been spawned via Tomcat.

Cruise was previously married to Nicole Kidman and Mimi Rogers. Curiously, the New York Daily News reports that all three of his wives called it quits at the age of 33. More importantly, Katie and Cat have a prenup worth $275 million. They haven’t been seen together in public since February and Holmes attended no Rock Of Ages premieres, which Cruise stars in. *

Alex Pettyfer Covers U.K. 'Men's Health'

Just in time for the release of Magic Mike, co-star Alex Pettyfer reveals his beefy bod on the cover of Men's Health U.K., with some rather suggestive pics inside. Man, I haven't seen the flick yet, but I'm gonna gonna gonna before the week is out... *