What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “drink your juice, Shelby”? Sally Field fussing over Julia Roberts as M’Lynn and Shelby, respectively, in the 1989 Southern comedic tearjerker “Steel Magnolias,” of course.
The new remake, premiering at 9 p.m. Oct. 7 on Lifetime, unobtrusively updates the story and features a stellar cast of African-American actresses assuming the leads.
This version of “Steel Magnolias” is as much about sisterhood as it is about sistahood. Queen Latifah, who has developed into a natural actress, gives the performance of her career.
Queen Latifah, East Point Possums preview and more this week
“As JC Penney focuses on becoming America’s favorite store, we want to be a store for all Americans. In celebration of Father’s Day, we’re proud that our June book honors men from diverse backgrounds who all share the joy of fatherhood.”
— Joey Thomas, JC Penney media relations manager, on the inclusion of two gay dads in the department store’s new catalog. JC Penney previously outraged anti-gay groups by selecting Ellen DeGeneres as its new spokesperson and featuring a lesbian couple in its May catalog. (MyFox8.com, June 3)
“’Truth’ is our small chance to ask that you try and understand someone who lives their life in a way that is a little bit different from yours, even though all of our hearts are the same. We want to stop the hate and find understanding.”
— Music star Janet Jackson on why she is serving as executive director for “Truth,” a documentary about transgender people and their fight for equality. (Advocate.com, June 4)
“Being gay is fabulous...I have six new Facebook fan pages. And for every sponsor that falls out, I’ve gotten two more.”
—Fictional news anchor Shannon Love, a character played by Queen Latifah on the July 11 episode of the VH1 show “Single Ladies,” discussing the impact of coming out in the media. Queen Latifah, who is also executive producer of the show, which is set in Atlanta, has long been the subject of speculation about her own sexual orientation. (BET.com, July 13)
“Every sector of the New York’s travel and tourism industry will immediately benefit from the economic opportunities created by same-sex marriage.”
— New advertising campaign that adds a rainbow to the iconic “I love New York” logo to encourage same-sex couples to wed in the state, where gay marriage becomes legal July 24. (New York Daily News, July 15)