Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
Andrew J. Stillman is a freelance writer and yoga instructor exploring the world. Check him out at andrewjstillman.com or follow him @andrewjstillman on all the things.
We're totally obsessed with Netflix's 'Bridgerton' for um...the plot! Yeah. The plot.
Instagram
Okay, you caught us. Yes, Shondaland's latest smash series is a deliciously messy period drama filled to the brim with characters of color that takes place in Regency-era England's elite social scene and narrated Gossip Girl style by Oscar-winning screen icon Julie Andrews, but we'd be totally lying to your face if we didn't say we also enjoy watching the show for the um...eye candy.
Yes, we're shameless. No, we don't care.
Scroll down to meet the heartthrobs that have us unabashedly binge-watching Bridgerton on Netflix. (And give these lads a follow on Insta while you're at it! Trust us, your timelines need it.)
The world of Steven Universe is making another triumphant return with a new series!
Steven Universe was a game-changer for LGBTQ+ representation in animation during its 2013-2019 run. It gave us queer-coded aliens, gender-nonconforming characters, and canon sapphic relationships on Cartoon Network.
Even after the show ended, it lived on through a 2019 TV movie and a follow-up epilogue series, Steven Universe Future. And now, we're making way for Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars. This latest follow-up series was announced as being in development during the Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network showcase at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week.
Here's what we know so far.
What is 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars' about?
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The new series will follow Lars Barriga, the once-sullen donut shop teen turned pink-hued space outlaw. After being resurrected by Steven’s healing powers in the original series, Lars took to the stars with a crew of misfit Gems known as the Off Colors. In the new series, the eternal teenager and his crew “smuggle contraband, evade the authorities, and uncover the darkest secrets of the fallen Gem Empire.”
Who will appear in 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars'?
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Lars and his Off Color Gems are the only confirmed characters in the upcoming series, which is still in development. Any fans itching to know whether Steven, the Gems from the original series, or any other fan favorite characters will make an appearance will just have to keep their fingers crossed for the time being.
Who's behind 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars'?
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Rebecca Sugar, who created Steven Universe, is back on board for Lars of the Stars. She and husband/long-time collaborator Ian Jones-Quartey have taken the helm for this new series — something Jones-Quartey was thrilled to confirm via social media following the announcement.
Is there a release date for 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars'?
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As Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars is still in the early stages of development, we don't have a release date as of yet. But if and when it does make its way to audiences, it's expected to premiere on Prime Video.
With all the anti-gay and anti-Pride rhetoric happening, at least Cartoon Network (CN) isn't backing down from their allyship.
We may be seeing pullbacks from major corporations like Target, but CN posted a carousel of images of fan-inspired artwork from their queer characters that showed their support of LGBTQ+ identities.
Captioned “You are an EXPERIENCE!” with a Pride flag, they went on to say, “Pride is a reminder to live bravely in your authenticity - use your voice, stand up for others, and spread love.” They closed it with a heart in each color of the flag.
This, of course, sent some people into a tailspin in the comments section, but the animated network didn’t hold back from scolding people for their homophobic and pearl clutching responses.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
Most of the negative comments revolve around how people feel like their “childhood is gone” and complaining about how CN has turned woke.
In return, CN has responded with various reactions that revolve around how it doesn’t seem like any of these people have grown up.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
After a wave of hatred, CN commented that “some of yall need to rewatch some episodes and it shows,” which further upset the haters but elevated its support from non-bigots, as well.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
They further trolled people by saying, “Watching comments be mad about characters from a show that aired 15 years ago” after people initially blew up about the post.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
It wasn’t only the hatred they responded to, either. Some users have called out the homophobia and hate crimes that have seen an uptick this year. One user said they were happy that “at least CN is here for us,” to which they responded, “always.”
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
The network’s willingness to stand up for what they believe in—and the backbone they have not to back down when confronted—has left users calling for a “raise and extra vacation days” for the people who run the account.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
Their responses, for their part, have also largely turned around the conversation in lieu of more support than anger. One user commented that they “came here to fight with someone” but found a “surprising lack of negative comments now,” which also helps move the conversation forward in a more positive light.
Instagram.com/cartoonnetworkofficial
All in all, it’s nice to know that some companies still stand with us in the face of the unknown. It’s even better that they’re not willing to bend the knee and stray from who they are and what they believe.
Here’s to hoping more companies have a spine like this, and that the conversation becomes more positive and inclusive as it has in this comment section.
Sapphics, are you paying attention? You are going to want to know this: A new independent streaming series starring Lili Reinhart and Cooper Raiff is headed our way!
On Monday, Deadline broke the news that streaming service MUBI acquired the rights to Hal & Harper, an eight-episode show centered around the titular codependent siblings, played by Reinhart and Raiff. Raiff also created, wrote, and directed the show.
The series premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, earning rave reviews from viewers who appreciated both the heart and the comedy at the core of the show. Notably, both Reinhart and Raiff also play the much younger versions of themselves in childhood flashbacks, adding a Pen15-like quality to those sequences.
If that wasn't enough to have us looking forward to Hal & Harper, it's also got a stacked cast that includes some queer faves. Mark Ruffalo plays their father, Betty Gilpin plays his girlfriend, and Bottoms' Havana Rose Liu plays the girl Hal is interested in.
Oh, and did we mention Harper has a girlfriend? The Sex Lives of College Girls star Alyah Chanelle Scott tackles that role, while Addison Timlin plays the coworker Harper is crushing on.
MUBI has had a hand in distributing several well-received queer films in recent years, including Shiva Baby, Knife + Heart, and Benedetta. Hal & Harper is one of a few series they have coming up, with the acquisition being praised by those hoping independent TV is a viable way forward.
"MUBI is the perfect home for our very specific family show. They’re a singular platform that understands the art they’re putting out," Raiff toldDeadline. "I am in awe of what they’ve done recently, and am excited to be a part of the family."
And if you're still on the fence about the whole thing, we'll just leave this here:
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Hal & Harper will premiere on MUBI sometime this fall.
From left: Love Island contestants Sherif Lanre, Yulissa Escobar, and Ollie Williams
ITV; Peacock
Love Island USA is back on our TV screens with 10 new sexy singles competing to find “love” and win $100,000, but it’s already off to a rocky start as one sexy single was kicked off for a controversial reason.
The series is known for being messy, but we’re only two episodes into the seventh season of the popular reality series, hosted once again by bisexual queen Ariana Madix, and contestant Yulissa Escobar has already been unceremoniously removed from the villa in Fiji.
In episode 2, after participating in a kissing challenge and getting ready for bed, Escobar was missing the next morning, with the narrator Iain Stirling announcing that, “Yulissa has left the villa” without any explanation.
Yulissa Escobar
ITV
Although Peacock didn’t provide a reason for her exit when Decider reached out for comment, shortly before her departure, TMZ resurfaced a clip of Escobar using the N-word multiple times during a past podcast appearance where she was talking about her dating life.
But not only was she caught using racial slurs, but Love Island fans have been critical of Escobar for other videos and social media posts that show she’s a Trump supporter.
“I lost about 600 followers just because I’m a Trump supporter. Everybody’s entitled to their own fucking opinion,” Escobar said in a video she posted to X (formerly Twitter).
Escobar’s exit may be shocking, but she is far from the only sexy single to get the boot because of controversial behavior.
Ollie Williams (Season 6)
Ollie Williams
ITV
Ollie Williams was on the sixth sixth season of the UK’s Love Island but chose to leave the villa after just three days, admitting that he was missing his ex. But before his abrupt exit, photos of Williams posing with hunted animals surfaced online and fans had already started demand he be banned from coming on the show at. Viewers claimed his exit was staged because he left before even taking the time to out on a shirt or shoes.
He also landed in hot water after he introduced himself on the show that he is the heir to an estate in Cornwall, Lanhydrock and would one day “take on the titles and the estate” that belong to his father, but it later came out that all of that may be a fiction, the BBC reported.
Malia Arkian (Season 2)
Malia Arkian
ITV
Love Island star Malia Arkian broke a record for fasted exit in the show’s history after leaving 20 minutes into the first episode of season 2. Arkian got into a fight with fellow Love Islander Kady over Scott, who they both were into.
Malia claimed Kady poured a drink down her leg and then the two women got into a huge argument which ended with Arkian shouting, “Shut up you b*tch,” before allegedly shoving Kady.
“Security removed me after an altercation with Kady,” Arkian told Closer. "I met with the producers, where we watched the footage back and there was a report conducted. I then went to a hotel with my chaperone, where I stayed for 24 hours, with no contact with anyone.”
Sherif Lanre (Season 5)
Sherif Lanre
ITV
When Sherif Lanre was kicked off of Love Island season 5, wild rumors spread that he had been asked to leave for breaking rules, with fans guessing that his behavior had been inappropriate or that he got into a fight with a fellow contestant. But the truth is that he was asked to leave after he accidentally kicked a fellow contestant Molly-Mae Hague while the two were playfighting and then jokingly called the move a “c***-punt."
Lanre told the press that he was woken up the next morning and was told he’d be leaving the show. “I know I have been stupid and let myself down, but I was not being malicious,” he told The Sun. “This has been blown out of all proportion and I have been made to look like a terrible person when I am not.”
Is a reality TV show even good if there isn't some controversy?
Paris Hilton needs no introduction as the entrepreneur, reality star, DJ, and literal mother continues to slay as her empire grows by the year.
Despite her very packed schedule, the sliving superstar always makes time to entertain and give back to the LGBTQ+ community.
After performing an electric set at the OUTLOUD Festival to kick off Pride Month, Hilton is now gearing up for a once-in-a-lifetime set at the WorldPride Music Festival in Washington, D.C.
"This means so much to me! It's such an honor to be in D.C. for WorldPride with people celebrating from all around the world. I think it's so important for everyone to live their truth and celebrate love. The energy is another level," Hilton tells PRIDE.
Hilton is not only serving looks and bringing pop star realness to Pride festivals this June.
The performer is also teaming up with Rainbow Railroad to help LGBTQ+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Hilton and her nonprofit, 11:11 Media Impact, are donating $11 for every video created on TikTok and Instagram using her Infinite Icon remixes (up to $111,111) during Pride Month.
"It really is a dream come true! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world every day. I've done so many iconic things in my life, but the thing I am most proud of is passing my bill in federal legislation to protect children from abuse. That is what I hope I'm remembered for... for using my voice to help others and to change and save people's lives."
Although many people in the queer community may be a bit fearful to show their Pride this year, Hilton encourages everyone to stay strong despite adversity.
"I love you all! I'm so proud to stand with you and to celebrate you this whole Pride Month and every month of the year. You should be there to celebrate with people who love you. I can't wait to be there with you all."
It's safe to say Hilton may be more booked and busy than ever. However, the star is still manifesting a guest judge appearance on a future season of RuPaul's Drag Race.
"My team has been in contact with them! We're just trying to figure out a date that works. I love the show, I love the queens. I can't wait to do it!"
Fans can keep up with Paris Hilton by following her on Instagram here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.
