It’s April, 2011, and the thought of Lindsay Lohan “bouncing back” into the great career she once had is hard to imagine. In fact, with all the constant media coverage -- her stints in rehab, arrests, dysfunctional family -- most Lohan defenders have abandoned hope. But maybe Howard Stern hasn't. On his April 4th Sirius/XM radio show, Stern conveyed an extremely touching and insightful commentary of Lohan. Talking to co-host Robin Quivers and guest George Takei, Stern recounted sitting behind Lohan at a screening of Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Source Code” this past weekend. Stern had an interesting vantage point of Lohan... Continue reading

Belinda Carlisle's new memoir, "Lips Unsealed," is a page-turner to say the least. Read my latest interview with the legendary pop star at BlogHer.com by clicking on the links below. Belinda Carlisle Interview: Part 1 Belinda Carlisle Interview: Part 2 Continue reading

During a recent dinner interview with Cloris Leachman to discuss her new book and her new clothing line, Cloris agreed to play a quick game of "Who would you rather sleep with?" Below is the full excerpt. Would you be interested in playing "Who would you rather sleep with?" What is that? It's easy. I name two celebrities and you have to choose which one you'd sleep with -- [Interrupts]: It wouldn't be Meryl Streep. I love her, but I would never sleep with a smoker! [Laughs]. Well wait! I have to name the two people to choose from first.... Continue reading

Sprawled on one of the many plush, red couches in the back of a Park City restaurant, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello chatted with PlanetOut's Director of Content Jenny Stewart about their film, "Strangers with Candy." They also played a friendly game of "Who would you rather...?" which is not be missed. Amy: Where are you from? I'm from PlanetOut and Gay.com. Stephen [in a British accent]: Why hello! Amy: Gay, gay, gay, gay, gay gay, gay! Yup -- we're gay. Is this your first time at Sundance? Are you exhausted? Amy: Well, I've seen the catalog before,... Continue reading

She's mocked Sharon Stone live on stage during an AIDS fundraiser -- with Stone in the audience. She's pointed out to Howard Stern how ugly Ethan Hawke's gotten ("have you seen his gnarly teeth?"). She's even spread rumors about universally adored child star Dakota Fanning entering rehab while working the red carpet. Nobody's as fearless at ripping into celebs as comedienne Kathy Griffin -- and that's why we love her. But what happens when Griffin runs into a star she's just shredded onstage at the local supermarket? What do they say? Is she ever threatened with legal action? And where... Continue reading

Everyone remembers “Monster’s Ball” as the movie that won Halle Berry her weepy Oscar and got her mauled by Adrian Brody during her acceptance speech. Because of the enormous success it brought Berry, Billy Bob Thornton’s work in it is often overlooked. And it’s a shame, really, because it must have been hard for him to, …you know…have to act like he was in love with a black woman. And those sex scenes! There really should be a special award for actors like him who have to suffer for their art like that. Now, before you start writing letters to... Continue reading

Erroneously written off as a homophobe by some, Howard Stern is actually a supporter of gay performers and gay rights. Rosie O'Donnell did his show this week, which was a shocker to some, given their less-than-friendly history. But it turns out that Howard and Rosie really like each other. And it was definitely the single most revealing interview Rosie's ever done... As they chatted, Howard got Rosie to dish about everything from how old she was when she first had sex to whether she has ever thought about a celebrity while masturbating. As for the celebrity Rosie thinks about when... Continue reading

If Tina Fey wrote it, you know it's going to be funny. She revived "Saturday Night Live" when she took over as head writer, created instant-cult-fave comedy "Mean Girls" from a self-help book, and killed on "Weekend Update" (with one hilarious recurring bit involving Gay Hitler). Now, she's the creator/executive producer/star -- and, yes, writer -- of "30 Rock," one of the funniest sitcoms in years.And she doesn't just look good on paper: Fey delivers in person. Her best work combines the scathing with the silly -- the thinking person's screwball. In a recent "30 Rock" episode, Fey's character, Liz,... Continue reading

If musicians were only as dynamic in Q&A's as they are on record, then music interviews would remain as unforgettable as classic albums. But those are few and far between. During one recent interview with a world-renowned pop star, I asked a simple question: "What part of the creative process do you enjoy most when making a new album?" Granted, the question was a bit cliche, but hardcore music fans tend to be interested in those kinds of things. After three minutes of silence, I thought we'd been disconnected. "Are you still there?" I asked. "Yes," she responded. Another minute... Continue reading

Here’s the story: A year after “The Brady Bunch” went off the air, Maureen ("Marcia") McCormick went to a Laurel Canyon party with her boyfriend, where she encountered, for the first time, cocaine. She tried it. Nothing happened. She did a second line. Nothing happened. When she snorted the third line, she felt so euphoric and "sane" that she became hopelessly addicted for the next six years. And I mean hopelessly: McCormick became known as "Hoover" in certain circles -- and one night, she was so desperate for cocaine she let a man film her having sex. (Don't worry, we'll... Continue reading

By Jenny Stewart, PlanetOut You’ve had the fantasyas a teen: You’re in a room with your favorite rock star -- someone whose every hit you know by heart, whose voice made you close your bedroom door and turn the music up as you hold a hairbrush up to your mouth as a microphone and sing along with them. In the dream they’ll share their most intimate thoughts with you. For me, that singer was Linda Ronstadt, who cut me to the quick with her heartbreaking “Different Drum,” roused me with her sexy, soulful “You’re No Good,” and, at 14, made... Continue reading

Interview by Jenny Stewart, Editorial Director, PlanetOut Inc. Back in the 1980's Kim Deal was the quintessential cool alt-rock chick. She was a female bassist in one of the best, smartest bands around -- the Pixies -- but she always seemed accessible. You could imagine sitting around with her in a bar drinking pitchers of beer, being goofy, singing along to the bad songs that came up on the jukebox. After the Pixies disbanded, Deal became a real star in her own right in the early 90's when she launched her own band, The Breeders. Seeing The Breeders play live... Continue reading

While young celebrities are often eager to spill their dirty laundry in sordid bios, actors of Cloris Leachman's generation have tended to stuff their secrets in locked and closely-guarded hampers that'll travel well with them into eternity. But in her new book, "Cloris: My Autobiography," Leachman reveals so much that you almost have to read it twice to let all the juicy stuff sink in. What makes Leachman's book even more interesting is that she reveals things that have never even been rumored, much less written about. (Side note: Leachman wrote the book with Hollywood impresario George Englund, her on-again/off-... Continue reading

By Jenny Stewart, PlanetOut Director of Content When we discovered that Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs (“Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian”) and alt-rock vocalist Matthew Sweet were banding together for now the second of two covers albums we weren't too surprised. Longtime friends and collaborators, Hoffs and Sweet have guested on each other's albums and shows for years, and you might even remember their work with Mike Myers as part of Austin Powers’ on-screen band Ming Tea in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" and "Austin Powers in Goldmember." Taking the name Sid 'n Susie (Sweet's first name is Sidney),... Continue reading

When Belinda Carlisle described the effects of Quaaludes and made fun of Janis Ian during our recent interview, I felt like an innocent freshman in the girls' bathroom in high school, listening to a cool senior talking about her crazy weekend. We all know how that ended: After a decade-long crazy weekend, Belinda cleaned up her act, had a successful solo career, and is now living happily in France with her husband and 15-year-old son. She still tours with the Go-Gos, but her new album, "Voila" -- her first solo effort in over 10 years -- is a polished, sexy... Continue reading

Belinda Carlisle was the voice of the '80s -- from her cheerful Go-Go's megahit "We Got the Beat" opening the iconic "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in 1982 to the truly inspiring solo hit "Mad About You" in 1986. Since then, Carlisle has left her party-girl days behind her, built a successful solo career spanning over two decades, and started a new family when she married Morgan Mason, son of late actor James Mason. (The two also had a son together, James, who's now 16.) But if there's one '80s trait still intact, it's Carlisle's distinctive L.A. accent. She may... Continue reading

By Jenny Stewart, PlanetOut Editorial Director I have a question for all the lesbians out there. Why is it that we never make eye contact with each other in public? Whether out grocery shopping, jogging, at the gym, at Starbucks or most of all – inside a lesbian bar or club – we always avert our eyes. Ok – what's going on? Do lesbians have a fear of eye contact? Now with gay men, we know that it’s all about the smoldering stare. One look and boom – no hello is necessary. Clearly, when it comes to the mating habits... Continue reading

By Jenny Stewart, PlanetOut Editorial Director Last week, I wrote an Op-ed piece titled, "Are Lesbians Afraid to Look at Each Other?" for PlanetOut. I focused on the topic of lesbians who refuse to make eye contact with each other in public. I wanted to know more, so I solicited your feedback: Was I the only person who experienced or even noticed this? Was this strictly a San Francisco phenomenon? Or was this common among women in every city around the world? Why are lesbians -- and even women in general -- not looking at each other? To be honest,... Continue reading

Something funny happened the other day that I wanted to share. I was on my lunch hour, paying for takeout at a nearby deli and the always friendly cashier was making small talk with me as she usually does. But this time, she got more up close and personal, and the conversation went something like this: Cashier: Are you excited for the weekend? Me: Totally! I am so glad it's Friday. Cashier: What are you going to do? Me: I really don't know yet, but I think I'm just going to play it by ear. Cashier: Do you have kids?... Continue reading

Ask 10 people what word comes to mind when they think of Susan Sarandon, and you'll get 10 different answers: fearless, political, talented, formidable, nurturing, smart, down-to-earth. Sexy? Always. It's her contradictions that make her such a powerful presence on screen. She's played the ingénue opposite sweet transvestites in the cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." She's been the object of Catherine Deneuve's lesbian lust in the '80s vampire flick "The Hunger." She was the no-nonsense half of a duo of women road warriors in "Thelma and Louise." She's even been a nun, though a tough and tenacious one,... Continue reading

As reported a few months back on PlanetOut, the famed radio personality is proving very gay friendly these past few years. On Stern's Sirius Satellite radio broadcast today, he took on basketball star Tim Hardaway's shocking anti-gay statements in classic Stern fashion. "Tim Hardaway's got to be the dumbest guy in basketball, I mean, you just don't go around and say this kind of shit. What is he, fucking nuts? He doesn't know what's going on in the world?" Later, after playing the full audio of Hardaway's shocking diatribe, which included his saying, "I don't like gay people and I... Continue reading

We've always loved Martha Stewart for her control freakiness which -- let's face it -- is downright drag diva-esque. But after her recent appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius Satellite radio show, we now adore her: It was arguably the most entertaining, honest, sexy and absolutely fascinating interviews of her -- and his -- career. Stewart visited Stern to promote the one-year anniversary of her own Sirius Satellite show, and the seemingly opposite pair got along so well during their 40-minute talk that, by interview's end, each promised to have the other over for dinner. Stewart answered every question Stern dared... Continue reading

For the past year, I've been reporting on Howard Stern's Sirius Satellite radio show -- and as both a fan and a journalist, I've provided a gay perspective of the show from all angles, the good and the bad. Well, make way for the ugly. A recent on-air clash between popular cast member Artie Lange and show employee "High Pitch" Mike devolved into a vicious, epithet-strewn fight that left both studio members and listeners confused about Lange's true feelings toward gays. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Lange is a hugely successful comic/actor with a fanatical blue-collar fan... Continue reading

As we've written about several times Howard Stern is one of the most gay-friendly celebs anywhere, but is Shane from "The L Word" his lesbian kryptonite? Howard (along with his on-air crew, Robin, Fred, Gary and Artie) spent close to half an hour on Tuesday's show discussing Stern's fiance Beth's crush on Shane from "The L Word." As always on the show, the discussion was hilarious, insightful and downright fascinating. Beth's crush on a girl seemed bothersome to Howard, and the fact that the crush seemed to be getting more and more intense a mere two weeks after the couple... Continue reading