Latest news with #Gypsy
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
First-ever pornstar to be crowned Coney Island Queen Mermaid at parade
This year's Coney Island Mermaid Parade is going to be hot and steamy — and not just because of the sweltering temperatures. The annual fishy fete has announced they are crowning a porn star as this year's Queen Mermaid — which is a first for the quirky and beloved Brooklyn event in its nearly 50-year history. Blue movie actress Queenie — whose career accomplishments include an Adult Video News Award for Best Orgy — says she couldn't be happier to be the first of her profession to be leading the parade. Advertisement 7 Queenie will be the first pornstar to serve as the Coney Island Mermaid Queen. Michael Nagle 'I'm honored to be the first. Obviously, it's so important to have representation of sex workers. I know that porn stars are the most public of that, but I'm proud to be able to represent the pornstar/sex worker girly community in such a iconic and storied New York institution,' Queenie told The Post Thursday at her Bed-Stuy home. Queenie, who shed her given name years ago, was asked to be this year's Mermaid Queen last week, and will serve beside this year's King Neptune, Eugene Hütz, who is the frontman of the Gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello. Advertisement The adult film actress accepted the honor without any hesitation, noting the 'really iconic list of legends' who preceded her, which includes Queens Queen Latifah and Carol Razdiwill, and even the de Blasio kids. She'll storm the parade float Saturday in an elaborate crown and dress made by friends, with vibes she described as: 'shipwrecked seawench mermaid gladiatrix princess.' It wasn't until The Post told her she would be the first ever mattress actress to serve as the festivities' royalty that Queenie realized her presence would signify much more than fun. 7 Queenie won the award for Best New Starlet and Best Music in the same year. Michael Nagle Advertisement 'That's what New York is all about: the people who are misfits and come from wherever the f–k they're from all over the world, and they come here because they can be weird here and find other weird people and be creative and have this unbridled sense of curiosity and play. I feel like the Mermaid Parade really embodies that,' she said. Despite the parade's long history of being a progressive and open place, Queenie felt unsuprised that it took 43 years for a pornstar to serve as the festival's monarch. 'It's a really stigmatized industry and really insular and really kept apart from other industries,' she explained. 'But I also think it's really cool that I'm the first at this time now where a lot of our rights are coming under attack. Especially towards the adult community, it's become such a target of like freedom of expression and speech. So many states now are cracking down on porn,' she continued, referencing the dozens of states that have blocked X-rated sites like Pornhub in recent months. Advertisement 7 Queenie's career in the adult film industry 'stems from the curiosity,' she said. Michael Nagle 7 Her costume for the parade will give off 'shipwrecked seawench mermaid gladiatrix princess' vibes. Michael Nagle Queenie made her foray into the adult film industry back in 2022 after enjoying a decade in the New York City underground music scene as a club kid and part of her band 'Sateen.' 'I always see everything that I do as an extension of my creative self and doing adult films was something I was curious about,' Queenie said, adding that she was invested in 1980s-era Italian erotica films like that of Giovanni 'Tinto' Brass, and had dreams of becoming a modern day 'Tinto Brass girl.' 'It all stems from the curiosity and if I'm afraid of doing something, it's like a challenge to myself to do it and to explore it. So in that way, I consider it to be part of my artistic self. It's a performance art. And it's also a job.' Since then, Queenie has racked up numerous awards in the porn industry and for her music. 7 'Obviously, it's so important to have representation of sex workers,' said Queenie. Michael Nagle In 2024, she was named Best New Starlet and Best Music by the XMAs Awards and Adult Video News Awards, respectively. Advertisement This year, she defended her Best Music crown, while also racking up the title for Best Orgy. Plus, her experience in the adult film industry is giving her plenty of inspiration for her continuing music career — her newest single, 'Downfalling,' slated to be released next week, details the hate and shame lobbed in her direction, including from the very same people who view her videos. 'It's a drum and bass track with lots of fun harmonies and stuff about being a porn star. It's about getting weird DMs and wanting to push men down stairs,' she teased. The new song will mark a turn from Queenie's previous disco-house sound to fall under the pop umbrella and live in the same playlists that feature fellow former club kid Charli XCX, she said. Advertisement 7 Queenie will serve as parade royalty alongside Eugene Hütz, the frontman of the Gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello. Michael Nagle Her legendary history in the club scene is exactly why the parade organizers picked her for the royal gig. Her sex work was more of a plus. 'She's a very well-known underground act as far as first band Sateen — so filled with color,' Adam Rinn, Coney Island USA's new Artistic Director, told The Post. 'At the end of the day, being sex worker positive — we as an organization, we have no problem with that. We have absolutely no regrets. We're very excited about it.' Advertisement 7 Thousands are drawn to the annual Mermaid Parade every year. Michael Nagle for NY Post Queenie appeared unworried about potential naysayers who might wag their fingers at her trailblazing appearance, imploring them instead to 'be a bit more open-minded and try to embrace everyone.' 'This is a parade where freedom is the main centerpiece of why everyone is there. I have done my research and I know that there's a lot of nudity already there. So I feel like if you're bringing your kids to the Mermaid parade, you already know that,' Queenie said. 'Sex workers are people and artists and plumbers and so many things. It's a job that a lot of people have for part of their lives, and sometimes it's a whole career. I would also ask them to open their mind a little bit and have a little bit more compassion.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Anthony Joshua told next fight won't be against Tyson Fury
Joshua looks set to return to the ring before the end of the year - but his promoter has confirmed that his next opponent will not be the 'Gypsy King' Anthony Joshua will NOT be facing Tyson Fury next after boxing promoter laid out the Brit's plans for the rest of 2025. 'AJ' has not fought since suffering a brutal knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September. It seemed likely that the two Brits would go head-to-head in an immediate rematch, but Joshua sustained some minor injuries in their initial encounter, which forced him to take a brief break from boxing. Recently, Joshua underwent a successful operation on his elbow and is now targeting a return to action before the end of the year. Following Fury's defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December - many had hoped to see both Fury and Joshua clash in the ring this year. However, the 'Gypsy King' shocked the boxing world earlier this year after announcing his retirement. However, it now seems as if Joshua is now prepared to move on with his career, but still hopes to one day settle the score with Fury before calling it a day. In an interview with Sky Sports, when asked about the future of Joshua, Hearn replied: "Yeah, good, he had that operation recently... that elbow surgery, which went very well. You will see him return in October, November or December. "We're looking for that opponent in the top ten. Deontay Wilder I think fights next week. I know he is a name that has been mentioned. For AJ, like I said, 2026 I think could be his last year in the sport and it seemed to get headlined, but what else do you expect? That is three or four fights away. He cannot go on forever! "He is motivated. Physically feeling good now to return to camp and ready for one little last roll to this incredible career. Hopefully that involves a fight with Mr (Tyson) Fury. But after he is done parading his kilt around on Netflix, hopefully he joins us in the ring in 2026. It would be an incredible occasion for British boxing. But first thing is first, AJ will return during that period this year and obviously he must win and that performance will tell us a lot about the future of Anthony Joshua." With Joshua looking set to return later this year, Hearn recently revealed Dillian Whyte was initially their first choice of opponent. However, the boxing veteran now looks set to fight undefeated rising star Moses Itauma on August 16 in Saudi Arabia. The famous boxing promoter also name-dropped Jared Anderson and Deontay Wilder - who returns to the ring next week. While Hearn is very much open to a Joshua vs Wilder fight, he insists the Fury showdown "has" to happen. "I think if we do not make the Tyson Fury fight, it would be a shame. There is a potential that AJ could fight Deontay Wilder in October, November, December and then fight Tyson Fury and the he has got the full set in terms of every elite heavyweight of this generation he has faced in the ring," he added. "For me, the Tyson Fury fight has to happen. I think there is no excuse now why that fight should not happen. I think people are tired of hearing about it. Let's just get them in the ring. To see those two in the opposite corner would be an iconic moment for not just British boxing, but for British sport. Like I said, first thing is first, our comeback begins... October, November, December and then hopefully Mr Fury is ready to rumble in 2026."
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Tyson Fury spotted posing topless in Scots town as boxing legend chats with stunned locals
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TYSON FURY has fought in the world's biggest cities and the grandest stages. So a small Scottish town might not be where you'd expect to find him! Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Tyson Fury retired at the beginning of the year Credit: Getty 5 Fury has been spotted taking a stroll through a small Scottish town Credit: Instagram @tysonfury 5 He's also stayed at a caravan park in the north of Scotland Credit: FACEBOOK Fury, 36, is one of the greatest fighters of all time and held several world heavyweight championships during his storied career. The Gypsy King beat superstars such as Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder as he negotiated 35 professional fights without a single defeat. That maiden loss came at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk via split decision in May last year. The duo did battle again in a hotly anticipated rematch in December with Usyk once again the winner, this time via unanimous decision. In January this year, Fury announced his retirement from professional boxing - although not for the first time. While he might not be preparing to get back in the ring any time soon, Fury remains a very busy man. Fury stars in his own Netflix series, At Home with the Furys, which was a huge hit during its initial run in 2023. It features the boxing superstar and his family, including wife Paris and brother Tommy. It's coming back for a second series and it appears that's what has brought Fury to Scotland. He made it to the VERY north of the country, staying in a caravan park in John O'Groats. Alex Scott and Dermot O'Leary forced to apologise as Tyson Fury swears live on ITV during Soccer Aid coverage Sharing a couple of snaps of the boxing legend, John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site said: " We were delighted to host the one and only 'Gypsy King' Mr Tyson Fury and his family at the John O Groats Caravan and Camping Site!! "It was a pleasure to have them all stay with us!" He's also been spotted in Grantown-on-Spey, putting an extremely striking appearance! In a video posted on Instagram, Fury could be seen walking through the small town of just 2,500 people TOPLESS - and wearing a kilt. He also had a tartan tie around his neck, despite the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt. Stunned locals could be seen approaching the Gypsy King, rather unsurprisingly shocked to see the superstar taking a stroll through the town. Excited punters could be seen running up to Fury with their phones desperate for a selfie, with the former champ only too happy to oblige as he stopped to pose for a snap. Fury tagged Netflix in the post and was with a camera crew, so it certainly appears he's been in the north of Scotland filming content for the upcoming second series of his show. He made an appearance at Soccer Aid over the weekend too. 5 Fury greeted locals in Grantown-on-Spey Credit: Instagram @tysonfury 5 The boxing great made an appearance at Soccer Aid on Sunday night Credit: PA Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Pee-wee as Himself': Director Matt Wolf on exploring the duality of Paul Reubens and earning his trust — ‘It was a constant struggle'
When Matt Wolf took on the daunting task of creating a documentary about the enigmatic Paul Reubens, the man behind the flamboyant and charming Pee-wee Herman, the filmmaker never could have imagined just how deeply layered the story would be. Now, in Wolf's Pee-wee as Himself, audiences are given an unprecedented look at a fiercely private artist whose boundary-pushing creativity and resilience impacted an entire generation. The two-part HBO documentary introduces viewers to Reubens in an unexpected way: as an eccentric figure claiming to have been born in 1938 on the banks of the Mississippi River. It's humor that cuts straight to the core of who Reubens was, but also hints at the complicated man behind the bowtie. Wolf admits that the opening moments of a documentary often come together through trial and error: "Oh, I don't know. You just try stuff out and it sticks and we probably tried that immediately as the first thing and it stuck. I mean, it's funny." More from GoldDerby 'Gypsy' and 'Just in Time' producer Tom Kirdahy on serving a 'social and cultural need' through creative work TV Visual Effects supervisor roundtable: 'Black Mirror,' 'The Boys,' 'The Wheel of Time' 'The Wheel of Time' VFX supervisor Andy Scrase: 'I always think of visual effects as the magic of filmmaking' For Wolf, getting a chance to tell Reubens' story required more than just persistence — it required fate. 'People, when you make documentaries, ask who's your dream subject? And mine always was Paul,' Wolf tells Gold Derby. After several unsuccessful attempts to connect with the famously private Reubens, a serendipitous sequence of events involving the Safdie brothers [Benny and Josh], who were at one point rumored to be working on an autobiographical Pee-wee film, ultimately led to Reubens reaching out to Wolf through producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff. From the outset, however, trust was a challenge. Reubens, known for his intense control over his public image, was reluctant to relinquish that same control for the film. "It was hard. It was a constant struggle of trying to earn Paul's trust, but to also accept that there were limits to how much he was willing to trust somebody," Wolf explains. Reubens' fraught history with the media, where he felt his personal story was often misrepresented, left him wary. "I empathized with where he was coming from," Wolf continues, "but trust is a foundation of what we do as documentary filmmakers. ... And Paul was somebody incapable of taking a leap of faith." Over the course of hundreds of hours of conversations, the two worked to find a middle ground, even as Wolf recognized that Reubens would never completely let his guard down. Courtesy of HBO Unbeknownst to Wolf and the crew, Reubens was privately battling cancer while filming the documentary. "I was scheduled to complete a final interview with Paul the week after he died," Wolf shares. "I found out that Paul died on Instagram, the day he died, along with everybody else." The reveal added an even deeper emotional weight to the production. Despite this devastating blow, Wolf pressed on, knowing Reubens wanted the documentary to move forward, giving his blessing in their final conversations. 'I read the 1,500-page transcript of our interview right after [he passed],' Wolf recounts. 'I wanted to rise to the occasion and do justice under these extraordinary circumstances.' The film explores the duality that defined Reubens' career: Pee-wee Herman, the irrepressible, childlike alter ego, and Paul Reubens, the man behind the magic. It's a balancing act few have undertaken successfully, as Wolf points out: 'Somebody else who's in the film that's done that a bit is Elvira, Cassandra Peterson. But it's a small club of people who live as their alter ego. And Paul was kind of the most visible member of that club.' Reubens made a conscious choice to keep Pee-wee a separate entity, a concept born out of both creative and personal motivations. "He wanted people to believe that Pee-wee Herman was a real person,' Wolf explains, 'but on a deeper level, Paul was very protective of his privacy and anonymity." HBO/Pee-wee Herman Productions, Inc. As the documentary delves into Reubens' life before Pee-wee, it reveals the formative influences that shaped not only the character but the artist himself. From his art school days at CalArts to performing as an openly gay man before retreating into the closet for his career, Reubens' trajectory captures the struggles and compromises of a queer artist in the entertainment industry of the 1980s. "He chose to go into the closet to focus on his career,' Wolf notes. 'It was a personal but also pragmatic decision, knowing that in the early 1980s, an openly gay man would not be able to rise in the entertainment industry." Reubens' rejection from Saturday Night Live became the catalyst for Pee-wee Herman's creation. "I think that rejection really kind of emboldened Paul to take matters into his own hands," Wolf observes. From a midnight play at the Groundlings to the cult success of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Reubens carved out a path that was quintessentially his own. HBO/Pee-wee Herman Productions, Inc. Collaborating with now-iconic director Tim Burton on his feature debut, Reubens enjoyed a type of creative freedom and naïveté in Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Wolf reflects on Burton's experience making the film: 'You're just kind of putting it all out there. And I think there was something very naive about the making of Pee-wee's Big Adventure that allowed it to be very pure." His subsequent Saturday morning show, Pee-wee's Playhouse, broke barriers with its artistic vision and diverse cast. 'In some ways, people recognize that the show was revolutionary,' Wolf says. 'But to watch in more specific detail the types of things that they accomplished and the ambition of it, it will be undeniable how singular it was as a cultural phenomenon.' The documentary doesn't shy away from the controversy that derailed Reubens' career. The incident in an adult movie theater — and subsequent false allegations of child pornography — forever altered public perception. Wolf describes the impacts of that time: "Paul was in a state of shock for a number of years and it had a profound impact on his life... But thankfully we were able to see him in his full breadth of talents as a character actor." Reubens' ability to persevere and work through those challenges is a testament to his resilience. "[He] was a resilient person," Wolf emphasizes. "I didn't see him as a victim. I think he proved over and over again that he could overcome hardship and kind of put his work first." For decades, Pee-wee and Paul existed as two separate beings, a distinction even immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Pee-wee Herman has a star — Paul Reubens does not. Wolf hopes that his documentary helps fuse these two sides of the same coin. "Paul Reubens created Pee-wee Herman," Wolf reminded us. 'Now that Paul has passed away ... I hope people can respect and appreciate the artist that was always there within, behind, and alongside his creation.' Pee-wee as Himself is currently streaming on Max. Best of GoldDerby TV Visual Effects supervisor roundtable: 'Black Mirror,' 'The Boys,' 'The Wheel of Time' 'The Wheel of Time' VFX supervisor Andy Scrase: 'I always think of visual effects as the magic of filmmaking' 'The Boys' VFX supervisor Stephan Fleet explains why a one-minute shot 'took about 17 hours' to make Click here to read the full article.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Barbra Streisand 'can't remember' if she had sex with Hollywood legend
Barbra Streisand 'can't remember' if she ever had sex with Hollywood actor Warren Beatty. In a recent interview, the A Star is Born icon, 83, was asked about an anecdote from her 2023 autobiography, My Name Is Barbra, in which she described a fling with the Dick Tracy actor. In response, Barbra explained that she still has no idea if she slept with Warren. 'I know I slept in the bed with him, but I can't remember if we actually had penetration,' she told The New Yorker. 'I swear to God, I can't. There are certain things I block out.' And despite their romantic involvement in the past, Barbra insisted she's 'still friends' with the Bonnie and Clyde star. 'But I know we're still friends. Every year on my birthday, he calls me and we have a wonderful talk about our lives, our children, and so forth. So we're still friends. I met him when I was fifteen years old, and he was twenty-one, I think,' the 83-year-old smiled. Barbra has been married to James Brolin since 1998, while Warren, 88, wed Annette Bening in 1992. James and Barbra – who both have children from previous relationships – married after they met on a blind date at a dinner party in 1996. 'I can't tell you how lucky I am that this would happen to me so late in life,' James said in his wedding speech. 'Every night is a new adventure. Sleeping is a waste of time. I can't wait to see her again in the morning.' At the bash – attended by the likes of John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Quincy Jones and Sydney Pollack – Barbra serenaded James with two new songs. Elsewhere in the conversation, the Evergreen hitmaker shut down a report suggesting she's set to return to Broadway for a revival of Gypsy. 'Oh, my God! But why would I ever do anything on the stage again like that? I mean, it was horrifying. I loved the rehearsal process. I loved learning every day and experimenting,' she said. Talking about her autobiography, Barbra also discussed growing up without a father after he died when she was a baby, and her mother failed to fill in the blanks. Her mother, Barbra suspects, was jealous of her fame. Through writing the book, Barbra's view of her mother changed from anger to sadness that she never fulfilled her own dreams of being a singer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
