Arts & Entertainment
Anthony Rapp speaks out on aftermath since Kevin Spacey allegations
the actor says he was surprised by the response
(Photo via Wikimedia Commons.)
Anthony Rapp opened up about why he chose to go public with his sexual misconduct allegation against Kevin Spacey in an interview with Attitude magazine, his first since he originally shared his story with BuzzFeed last year.
Rapp says he chose to come forward with his allegation after witnessing numerous women share their stories of sexual harassment in the industry.
“In this moment, with what’s happened, it’s become clear that people can be believed and that it can have an impact,” Rapp says. “The entire apparatus that kept people silent and also kept [those guilty of harassment] safe is being dismantled.”
The actor told BuzzFeed that when he was 14 years old Kevin Spacey, who was 26 at the time, made a sexual advance on him at a party. His story sparked an onslaught of numerous sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey who apologized for his behavior. Spacey also used his apology to publicly come out as gay. The allegations led to Spacey being fired from his hit Netflix series “House of Cards” and his removal from the cast of the film “All the Money in the World.”
Rapp says the public’s response was unexpected for him.
“I was surprised that it [was] met with a positive or meaningful response,” Rapp, who says he consulted a lawyer before speaking with BuzzFeed, remarks. “I was incredibly moved by the supportive responses from so many people in my life. I’m hopeful that it will continue to have a positive effect in the future.”
The actor continued on that he hopes to empower other victims of sexual harassment to speak out on their experiences.
“There are so many different shades and degrees of this kind of behavior and these kinds of situations, but the most insidious to me is when it’s an abuse of power,” Rapp says. “No matter what, I would urge anybody to stay safe, take care of themselves and each other and to get help and support when they need it.”
“There is no such thing as truly being alone, which is what I hope this moment demonstrates, that there is strength in numbers,” he adds. “I did it to stand on the shoulders of all that I was witnessing around me. I was hopeful that sharing my story would have an impact.’
Rapp has also been breaking down barriers in his own career. His character Lieutenant Paul Stamets and Doctor Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) on “Star Trek: Discovery” shared the Star Trek universe’s first same-sex kiss.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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