Today's Entertainment

2 • June 24 - 30, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kyla Brewer TV Media A lot of television series offer viewers typical slice-of-life sto- ries, but TV also has the power to uplift, inspire and educate. One new drama is doing all three by explor- ing the history of the LGBTQ house ball subculture. In 1986 New York, LGBTQ per- formers face off in house ball com- petitions where they're judged on their outfits, attitude and dance skills in various categories in the new musical drama "Pose," airing Sunday, June 24, on FX. Set against a backdrop of the luxury Trump era, the show also explores the personal lives of the performers as they cele- brate finding a space where they are accepted for who they really are, while also coping with rejec- tion, discrimination, rivalries and more. "Pose" hails from modern-day TV dream team Ryan Murphy ("Glee") and Brad Falchuk ("Scream Queens"), along with up-and-coming writer Steven Canals ("Afeura," 2016). Mur- phy's commitment to supporting the community featured in the show is more than just lip service. In May, he an- nounced via Twitter that he would be donating all prof- its from the series to trans and LGBTQ charitable or- ganizations, and went on to explain his actions to Variety. "We've entered this era of television as advocacy, and I've seen the difference you can make in people's lives by showing up for them, caring for them, and helping them in any way that you can," Murphy said. He also revealed he plans to hit up his bosses at 20th Century Fox and FX for donations, hopes to hold fundraisers and is even considering setting up scholarships for LGBTQ youth. "Pose" isn't only groundbreak- ing for raising awareness about the LGBTQ community, but also be- cause the show boasts the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles. The show also fea- tures the largest recurring cast of LGBTQ actors ever for a scripted se- ries. All in all, the production has employed more than 100 trans per- formers and crew members. Rather than relying on big-name actors with no personal connection to the subject matter to draw viewers, "Pose" allows transgender per- formers to share a part of their community's history. The core cast includes sev- eral transgender women of color. Mj Rodriguez of "Nurse Jackie" and "Luke Cage" fame stars as Blanca Rodriguez, who leaves the House of Abundance to form her own house, House of Evangelista. Dominique Jackson ("Visible: The LGBTQ Caribbean Diaspora," 2018) plays Blanca's former house mother, Elektra Abundance. In 2016, thou- sands of TV viewers watched Jack- son in Oxygen's six-episode reality TV series "Strut," which chronicled the lives of transgender models. Always at Elektra's side is Lulu Abundance (Hailie Sahar, "Transpar- ent"), second-in-command at House Abundance. A dancer and singer, Sahar has also been crowned Miss L.A. Pride, and Queen U.S.A. Fashion fans may recognize trans cast member Indya Moore ("Satur- day Church," 2017), a model who's worked for Gucci and Dior. Moore portrays Angel, a streetwalker who begins to develop feelings for a client. Actress, businesswom- an and transgender rights advocate Angelica Ross ("Her Story") stars as Candy, a member of House Abundance, who can be sensitive about her appearance. Blanca's House of Evangelista serves as a surrogate family for LG- BTQ youth who've been rejected by their birth families. One of those family members is dancer Damon Richards, played by newcomer Ryan Jamaal Swain. Obie Award-winning actress and playwright Charlayne Woodard ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") takes on the role of prominent dance instructor Helena St. Rogers, who takes a keen inter- est in Damon and becomes his trusted confidante. A chance encounter with Damon leads streetwise Ricky (Dyllon Burn- side, "High Maintenance") to con- sider joining the house as well. Burnside rose to prominence thanks to his Broadway role in "Holler if Ya Hear Me," a musical in- spired by the music and lyrics of Tu- pac Shakur. Speaking of Broadway, Tony Award winner Billy Porter ("The Broken Hearts Club: A Ro- mantic Comedy," 2000) stars as Pray Tell, a grandfather figure who watches over all of the "children" who compete in the house balls. A veteran of the stage, Porter won his Tony for his portrayal of Lola in the musical "Kinky Boots," a role he originated in 2013. The cast also includes Even Pe- ters ("American Horror Story") and Kate Mara ("House of Cards") as affluent New Jersey couple Stan and Patty Bowes. As they are drawn into the glamour and intrigue of 1980s New York, Stan begins seeing Angel on the side. James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek") portrays Stan's kingpin boss, Matt Bromley. "Pose" marks the television series debut of Angel Bismark Curiel ("America Adrift," 2016), who plays risk-taker Lil Papi. Together, the cast, crew and writ- ers tell a story longing to be told as LGBTQ youth still struggle to find acceptance in many parts of the world. It isn't too late to jump on board as the series premieres its fourth episode, entitled "The Fe- ver." This week, Candy is criticized during a ball, which intensifies her feelings of insecurity about her ap- pearance. Meanwhile, Blanca is concerned that a medical scare could tear Damon and Ricky apart. But it isn't all gritty drama — the show celebrates LGBTQ culture with music, glamour and plenty of glitter. Don't miss this week's "Pose," airing Sunday, June 24, on FX. Ball culture goes mainstream in 'Pose' Cover Story this week Conan KFC announced it is running out of gravy. When they heard, people in Wisconsin rushed to the local Red Cross to donate. The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon Target just debuted a line of matching outfits for the entire family. It's part of their "Make Your Kids Even More Embarrassed to Be Seen with You" collection. The Late Late Show With James Corden AT&T announced that later this year, they will start selling a smartphone that will feature a holographic display that projects 3D images that can be seen from the sides and from behind. And even more exciting, you still won't get reception in your kitchen. Jimmy Kimmel Live This is that magical time of year when NBA players fly back and forth from Oakland to Cleveland like they're regional insurance salesmen. Late Night With Seth Meyers Officials at a South Carolina hotel are searching for people who threw carrots at an 11-foot alligator. Well, I'm not a detective, but have you tried looking in the alligator? Weekend Update With Colin Jost and Michael Che Police at Yale University interrogated a black graduate student after a white student reported her for sleeping in the common room. So if you're black and go to Yale, stay woke! 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