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It’s for all you hot and bothered bottoms, “masc4masc” tops, sapphic sirens, dolls, bisexuals (yes, we know you exist), allies and everything beyond and in between, let’s get wet.

The Watering Hole is here to uplift and inform the LGBTQ+ community by sharing the most popular, noteworthy, and relevant stories shaping our world. From feel-good moments and queer success stories to critical political updates and cultural spotlights, this newsletter is your go-to source for staying connected, entertained, and empowered.

So many things are happening in the world of pop culture right now, it’s hard to keep track. Luckily you have me and I’ll pull together everything I think is important from the week and give you a lil’ debrief. Cool? Good. Let’s go.

I want to try “The Substance”

Movie of the year alert! I had the chance to see an advance screening of The Substance earlier this year, shortly after it premiered at Cannes Film Festival. Now that it’s out in theaters, I’ve seen it two more times. The word “gagged” doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt after watching this film. The last time I felt like this after a film was when I finished 2023 Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once. This movie has it all: comedy, horror, gore, campiness, drama, a Marvel-level action sequence, and probably the best acting performances of the year. I’m not even going to tell you anything about this movie other than you must watch! The last 20 minutes will have you like this 😀 or this 🥴—there’s no in-between.

Ryan Murphy’s Menendez Brothers Series Has Us All Saying “Why?”

Netflix just dropped their latest Ryan Murphy Monsters series, and… well, the vibes are a little off. People are side-eyeing the show for throwing in an incest subplot with the brothers, and it feels more like shock value than substance. I get it, it’s a Ryan Murphy production—there’s bound to be some unexplained homoerotic tension—but this? It’s giving ‘gay scene quota,’ and honestly, we could’ve done without it.

Anyway, if the actor that plays Lyle is reading this by any chance, give me a call. I just wanna… talk.

Joaquin Phoenix Bails on Todd Haynes’ New Gay Romance Film

I know this might be old news to some but I just have to touch on it. Joaquin Phoenix officially exited director Todd Haynes’ upcoming gay romance film. This came to a shock to everyone, especially the people on set who were expecting his arrival just five days later. Yeah, I know…FIVE days before filming was about to kick off, Joaquin got cold feet and bailed. His last-minute exit left the entire crew without jobs and the producers and investors with empty pockets and nothing to show for their money. This just rubs me the wrong way and pisses me off. Aww poor Joaquin 🥲, scared of a little gay sex scene? Grow up.

“Chappell Roan speaks on...” GIRL, STOP.

Miss Roan has been in the news a lot lately for voicing her opinions on her troubles with fan interactions, which caused quite a stir. Some people are supporting her and some telling her this is the price she has to pay with fame. From this experience, and the intense backlash she got, I thought she would’ve learned to kind of keep her mouth shut when it comes to sensitive topics, but let’s fast forward to today. Chappell uploaded a video clarifying her stance on the election after people were clamoring at her to finally endorse a candidate. This video made it even worse for her, I fear. Chappell, c’mon girl. Yes, I know our government is fucked, but one party advocates for gay conversion therapy and one does not so...

Far-Right Republican Banned on Instagram - Don’t Speak, Valentina!

Grotesque far-right conservative Valentina Gomez just got kicked off Instagram, and I’m hosting a party to celebrate! For those not in the loop, she’s been spreading some seriously problematic shit, and Meta finally pulled the plug. This beast was doubling down on anti-gay and slur-filled posts, and I’m honestly shocked it took her this long to get banned. Good riddance, bitch.

Ugh! Can We Get a Break?!

Maybe we need fewer Ryan Murphy true-crime shows and more action on making these numbers drop—for real, this time. The FBI reports a sharp increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the U.S., coinciding with a tragic incident in NYC where a Grindr date ended in a fatal altercation, raising concerns over the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals. See people this is why I deleted Grindr and plan to never redownload again. I’m not in the mood to be murdered, yet.

New Gay Owned Restaurant in NYC!

Prominent chef, Denevin Miranda, opened the doors to his new restaurant, Alessa, and is expected to become a popular dining spot! The grand opening was last week and the guest list included some icons like Honey Balenciaga, Yves Mathieu East, Jae Gurley, and Ian Michael Crumm. I was NOT invited, but whatever, it’s chill…Seriously though, congratulations to Denevin and I’m so excited to visit as soon as I go through my six packages of chicken fried rice from Trader Joe’s.

Heartstopper is a Dichotomy.

Love it or hate it, season three of the hit LGBTQ+ Netflix show, Heartstopper, will be available to stream on October 3. Personally, I have a complicated relationship with this show. On one hand, it makes me giddy to watch a gay high school romance play out. On the other hand, it makes me want to die because I’ve never experienced gay love in my teen years (or in my adult years 😀). After I watched the first season, I went into a month long depressive episode… Can’t wait for season three! Which is reportedly going to be a lot different compared to the past seasons. Are we finally going to see Nick and Charlie do something besides kiss? Apparently so, as the stars of the show talked to press about shooting sex scenes for seven hours. The actors have to be in love in real life, right?

I once saw Joe Locke (he plays Charlie) at Washington Square Park in NYC over the summer and I awkwardly tried to get his attention but he had AirPods in and did not even look up from his phone. So embarrassing, I had to flee the park shortly after.

Meet Cooper Koch: Your Next Celebrity Crush

Cooper Koch plays Erik Menendez in Monsters I think we will be seeing a lot more of him in the near future. Besides being extremely hot and sexy, Cooper has been an openly gay actor since the start of his career. Coming from a creative family, Cooper is the grandson of Hawk Koch, a former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (yes, he’s a nepo-baby ☹️). He’s also known for keeping his personal life super private. This man does not even have an Instagram I can gawk at, rude. He had some previous roles in queer-focused projects like They/Them and Swallowed but, his performance in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix will definitely jump start the rest of his career.

Other Hotties

• Looks like the internet’s thirst for Benson Boone’s bare chest, Shawn Mendes jamming with the boys, and Jack Schlossberg’s unexpected milkshake moment just proves one thing: hot guys doing random stuff will always break the internet—and we’re all here for it.

• TikToker @fr00dle shared his iconic dance to Diet Pepsi by Addison Rae at the Madison Square Garden show of Charli XCX and Troye Sivans SWEAT Tour.

• RHONY just dropped their new taglines, and we’re living for the news that Black queer model and art curator, Racquel Chevremont, is joining the cast. Her iconic tagline? “Just like a painting, you’ll need a couple of looks to figure me out.” OKAY DIVA—let’s dive into all your layers and get to know the masterpiece that you are!

This Apple is Rotten Right to the Core

By now we all have seen the viral video of this random girl interrupting the creator of the viral Apple dance at the NYC stop of Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s SWEAT Tour. This video is so fucking funny, and wouldn’t be cemented in gay history if she didn’t do that. I’m just imagining her waking up the next morning, hungover as fuck and watching that video. Anyways, Kelley Heyer, the creator of the Apple dance asked us not to send this girl hate, and I have to agree - we’ve all had dumbass drunken moments.

That’s a Wrap, Folks!

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week’s chaotic gay agenda. Whether you’re gagging over The Substance, side-eyeing Ryan Murphy’s creative choices, or crying over Nick and Charlie’s slow-burn romance, I hope you’re feeling entertained, informed, and maybe just a little unhinged (in a good way).

Keep your eyes peeled for next week’s updates, and don’t forget to stay hydrated and, as always, just a little bit horny. 🌈💦

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