This year is already off to a decidedly weird start in the pop culture realm.
The first major awards show of the year—the usually boozy Golden Globes—were handed out at a private ceremony this weekend after the broadcast was cancelled amidst allegations that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which runs the awards, is unethical and lacks diversity.
Still, the awards managed to capture some attention on social media Sunday, partly because of the official Twitter account’s bizarre tone when tweeting out the winners.
Let’s all let that chaotic energy carry us into the new year. As always, we’re back this week with “The Buzz,” recapping the key moments of queer and trans pop culture.
From the Golden Globes to hot new TV shows and Cardi B’s thoughts on homophobes, here’s what you missed this week in queer pop culture.
→Finally! In a huge win for trans representation, Pose star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama this weekend, becoming the first openly trans woman to bring home a statuette.
The awards went ahead without a public ceremony or broadcast this year after much turmoil within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association over how it selects nominees and winners. But that didn’t stop Rodriguez from getting to mark the emotional moment in an Instagram Live acceptance speech.
“This is for the LGBTQAI, Black, Latina, Asian, the many multi beautiful colours of the rainbow around the freaking world. This is not just for me, this is for y’all,” she said. “There are going to be so many young individuals—young, talented, thriving individuals—that are going to be able to trail in and storm in through the door. This is for y’all.”
In 2021, Rodriguez was nominated for the Best Actress in a Drama at the Emmys, but didn’t win. She and her Pose castmates have long spoken out about the lack of recognition the show has received, particularly for its wide roster of trans women of colour. Winning the Golden Globe marks a huge step.
“To my young LGBTQAI babies: WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars,” Rodriguez wrote on social media following her win.
→Liv Hewson and Jasmin Savoy Brown are podcasting for Netflix now. You may remember Hewson from Netflix’s underappreciated Santa Clarita Diet, while Savoy Brown stars in this month’s Scream remake. And, of course, the pair play extremely root-for-able queer couple Van and Taissa on the breakout Showtime series Yellowjackets.
Their new Netflix podcast is billed as “an entertaining and honest look into the lives of LGBTQ+ creatives at the top of their field.” While that probably means a pile of Netflix PR, I have to admit I will take anything from these two budding stars.
→Speaking of Yellowjackets, the watercooler series has blown up in recent weeks. Ahead of this week’s season finale, production finally released that banger of a theme song for streaming.
→Jeopardy’s Amy Schneider has joined the $1-million club. The trans trailblazer’s 28th consecutive victory on the quiz show last week made her just the fourth person to crack that winnings number. And she just keeps on going!
→The final season of Search Party, now streaming on HBO Max, is VERY queer and VERY horny, stars Alia Shawkat and John Early told Them.
“In the world of the show, it feels like all the characters have been presented through that queer lens,” Shawkat, who is bisexual, said.
→Being the first openly gay person in something usually means a domino effect of more firsts. And after an absolute nailbiter of a finale game on Sunday night, the Las Vegas Raiders are headed to the NFL playoffs, which means defensive end Carl Nassib is set to be the first openly gay player to play in the NFL playoffs. Could he be the first openly gay player in the Super Bowl? Well, the Raiders aren’t great this year, so it’s a stretch. But anything could happen!
→Euphoria is back for its second season—one that comes with an earnest content warning from star Zendaya: there’s going to be some heavy shit (though the show is going to have to work hard to one-up the first season).
→The official Twitter account of Pabst Blue Ribbon—my choice of beer at many a concert in my early 20s—tragically deleted an iconic Tweet last week about eating ass.
→Sad queers rejoice! Julien Baker, Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen are touring together this summer.
→According to Number One Ally Cardi B, homophobes are “just ugly.”
Cardi B—thank you.
→Aubrey Plaza is checking into season 2 of The White Lotus, the HBO series which instantly became a gay cult classic.
→The queer and trans leading men of 9-11 Lonestar spoke to NBC Out about the show’s new season and working as out men in Hollywood playing out characters.
→Michelle Visage says there’s no such thing as too much Drag Race, and that anyone who complains about Drag Race “fatigue” is “short-sighted.
“We fought so long and hard to get queer programming on TV, and Drag Race has kind of blazed that trail in many ways. Not the only ways. I’m not taking all the credit, don’t get me wrong,” she said in an interview forDigital Spy. “But I don’t think there could ever be enough. I think we always have to love and support our queer artists.”
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