Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
June 1, 2012

The Art of Dexter

Dexter fans have to wait another four months for the new season to begin but have a chance to wet their appetites with a new show at the La Luz de Jesus Gallery. The Los Feliz art exhibitor will unveil End Time Vision, a stunning new display by artist and illustrator Dave Lebow. Though the name might not be familiar, his paintings were prominently seen in the last season of Dexter as works done by Colin Hank's mass murderer character who was trying to bring on the end of days. Lebow's colorful fantasy versions of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Angel of Death, The Whore of Babylon and others can be viewed through July 1st. In other Dexter news, Jason Gedrick, recently of HBO's short lived series Luck, joins the series upcoming 7th season. Gedrick will play the manager of a Miami gentleman's club which is connected to a murder. Isn't that how NBC started the failed The Playboy Club last year? Another new cast member is Thor star Ray Stevenson who portrays a Russian Mob boss. The 6'4" actor will appear in next year's Thor 2 and Billy Bob Thornton's 60's-set family drama Jayne Mansfield's Car. Joining Stevenson are John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Duvall and Tippi Hedren.

Double hunk alert. The Avengers star Chris Hemsworth joins The Rock Dwayne Johnson in Arabian Nights. The fantasy pairs the characters of Aladdin and Sinbad in a live action adventure to save Princess Scheherazade. The project will be directed by Chuck Russell who previously directed Johnson in The Scorpion King. Balancing his resume of genre films, Johnson will costar with Tyler Perry in his comedy Take My Wife. The plot has Perry grooming a guy to be the perfect husband for his ex in order to avoid paying alimony.

Brideshead Revisited star Ben Wishaw plays a new, younger #Q in the next James Bond film Skyfall opening November 9th. Daniel Craig returns as 007 and Dame Judi Dentch is back as M. Doesn't the guy work with anybody named after a vowel? This time M16 comes under attack and it involves something from M's past. The spy thriller continues the tradition of a big name casting with Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney for Jarhead director Sam Mendes.

Celebrating what would have been the 90th birthday of Marilyn Monroe, Playboy magazine presents the Marilyn Monroe Film Festival kicking off June 1st at the world famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The week long event will feature an evening of the blond bombshell's classics through June 7th. Also debuting June 1st, the Hollywood Museum in the former Max Factor building on North Highland will unveil a new exhibit featuring numerous Marilyn memorabilia running through September 2nd. The Norma Jean celebration will continue next year when NBC brings back a second season of the series Smash and it's storyline about bringing a Marilyn musical to Broadway. The second season will be lighter a number of cast members including the Jamie Cepero (Ellis), Raza Jaffrey (Karen's Fiance Dev), Brian D'Arcy James (Julia's husband Frank) and Will Chase (Julia's former lover Michael). Personally I will miss Jaffrey who unfortunately was given only one opportunity to show his amazing voice and the gorgeous Cepero who was impressive with a potentially cartoonish role.

Take that North Carolina and homophobes everywhere. Here comes your chance to actually learn some truth about Homosexuals. Like they would be reading this. Sunday June 3rd, Oprah Winfrey's Next Chapter on the ratings-challenged OWN will feature an 'at-home' interview featuring Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka. If you have any friends or family who are ignorant on Gay issues, make sure they watch this episode. Observing this charming and dedicated couple with their family will show others why hypocritical religions have no place in determining who a heart chooses.

CBS programming publication Watch magazine has a wonderful article on Outfest's Legacy Project in this month's issue. A delightful surprise to see it's extensive coverage of the project's past success preserving such ground breaking LGBT films as Parting Glances, Word is Out and Choosing Children. Thanks to CBS owned Showtime networks sponsorship, the Legacy Project has amassed a collection of over 18,000 films.

Ironic or perfect timing. In the wake of Courtney Love's recent performance at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center's An Evening with Women comes the June 5th DVD release of Hit So Hard: The Life & Near Death Story of Drummer Patty Schemel. This harrowing look at the out Gay drummer of Love's band Hole, shows the highs and lows of a woman trapped in a world of addiction. Released by Well Go USA, Inc. the DVD features segments from Schemel's own home movies and interviews with Gina Schock (the Go-Gos), Debbi Peterson (The Bangles) and Nina Gordon (Veruca Salt.) Another DVD being released June 5th is Private Romeo, director Alan Brown's (The Book of Love) updated version of Romeo and Juliet set in a military academy. In retrospect, since young men played women's roles in Shakespeare's time, this Gay version could be considered a - revival. The film features Gossip Girl vet Matt Doyle and Men In Black III's Charlie Barnett.

On June 4th, Jane Lynch hosts Backstage At The Geffen with honoree, former Glee guest star Carol Burnett, at the Geffen Playhouse. On the following night, June 5th, Oxygen begins season two of the talent competition series The Glee Project. The debut episode will feature a guest appearance by Glee star Lea Michele. This year cast features substantial diversity including Charlie who has ADHD, Mario, a blind singer/songwriter, Transgender Tyler and Ali who's in a wheel chair and seemingly a shoe-in, or wheel-in, for Artie's girlfriend.

You only have until June 10th to catch the impressive production of Deathtrap at Village at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center on McCadden. Laughs, thrills, frights and something from which most theatrical productions benefit, one naked blond hunk. Who says the Mark Taper Forum has a monopoly on good drama in this town?

Bravo brings back another season of the long overdue Million Dollar Listing, (the original LA version) on June 6th. Can't wait to find out if Josh Flagg is still with his boyfriend and what equally hot hunk Madison Hildebrand is dating. Which reminds me, Madison once graced the cover of Playgirl magazine and Million Dollar Listing NY's Fredrick Eklund use to do Gay porn under the name of Tag Eriksson. I'm sensing a theme here. Also on June 6th, TV Land offers the Hot In Cleveland season finale with two special guest stars. David Spade and Regis Philbin play competing fashion stylists. David Spade? What, my favorite stylist Brad Goreski wasn't available? I'm still waiting for word as to a second season of It's A Brad, Brad World. Seriously, I've watched that show's season finale at least ten times since it originally aired. I'm moved to tears every time I see Brad's reaction to boyfriend, Gary's surprise production of backyard Les Miz at their anniversary party. I need to get me a "Gary." I envy Queer As Folk vet Peter Paige, who was missed at An Evening with Women, for being there.

The June 8th release of the Alien prequel Prometheus features Sean Harris who gives a disturbing performance as the Gay assassin Micheletto on Showtime's The Borgias. Other cast members with Gay-centric resumes include The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert vet Guy Pearce and Angels in America's Patrick Wilson.

The updated version of the series Dallas debuts on TNT June 13. Playing the adult children of Jr. and Bobby are Desperate Housewives vets Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe. Now there's two hunks that can make any one's oil rig geyser.

If you haven't already set your DVR's, don't forget the new season of HBO's True Blood begins June 10th. Fans are extra excited to see Oz vet Christopher Meloni join the cast as well as the return of Out actor Denis O'Hare as Russell Edington. He'll show the mob a thing or two on how to survive a concrete Jacuzzi.

For the latest in production, casting and release news, follow my Twitter account #Greyagenda

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