Anitta Named One of PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities of 2022

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Anitta is a vegan beauty queen…

The 29-year-old Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, businesswoman and TV presenter and Lenny Kravitz have been crowned this year’s Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities by PETA.

The annual award goes out to celebrities whose lifestyles inspire others to try veganism, which PETA states “saves the lives of nearly 200 animals a year; reduces their risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer; and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint.”

“With more than 65 million followers between them, Kravitz and Anitta are global superstars who are inspiring millions of people to go their way and let love rule by keeping animals off their plates,” said PETA’s senior VP Lisa Lange in a statement. “PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegans of 2022 are showing the world what it means to thrive on planet-protecting, plant-powered meals.”

Anitta first revealed to Billboard that she’d gone vegan in January of 2019 after watching the documentary Cowspiracy.

She’s the face of Future Farm, an international vegan meat brand based in her home country of Brazil, and has encouraged her fans to try out plant-based meat substitutions.

“Who has tasted plant meat?” she wrote on Instagram in May. “It’s like me: innovative, super hot, and good for the environment!”

Anitta and Kravitz now join a lineup of past winners such as Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak, Jhené Aiko and Leona Lewis.

Grag Queen Crowned Winner of Paramount+’s “Queen of the Universe”

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Grag Queen is officially a universal star…

The 26-year-old Brazilian drag performer, whose real name is Grégory Mohd, has been crowned the winner Paramount+’s drag singing competition series, Queen of the Universe.

Grag Queen, who hails from Canela, RS, Brazil, beat out fellow finalists Ada Vox and Aria B. Cassadine for the title and a $250,000 cash prize.

“It feels amazing! I can go to the medic. I don’t look at the prices anymore. I can give my mother and father a very good living. I just want us to be protected and healthy. I don’t really feel like a millionaire right now, but I get used to the good things very, very fast,” Grag Queen told Variety, adding that “a caramel wig that touches my ass” is also on the shopping list.

And, what’s next for Grag?

“I have my album already ready,” she tells Variety. “I really want to release that as soon as I can. I have English, Portuguese and Spanish songs. Maybe I’m going to come in January to L.A. to record some new songs in English and try to do some gigs. Maybe you guys are going to see me around.”

Comedian and interviewer Graham Norton hosted the show, which is from the creators of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The judges were Michelle Visage, Trixie Mattel, Leona Lewis and Vanessa Williams.

Mexico’s Regina Voce to Compete on Paramount+’s Drag Singing Competition “Queen of the Universe”

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Regina Voce is ready for global domination…

The Mexican drag queen is among the contestants set to compete on Paramount+’s upcoming drag singing competition series Queen of the Universe, which is executive-produced by RuPaul, the history-making, Emmy-winning host of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Hosted by Graham Norton, Queen of the Universe hails from the MTV Entertainment Studios and RuPaul’s Drag Race producers World of Wonder.

Inspired by international singing competitions, Queen of the Universe will follow the world’s most talented drag queens as they battle it out for global domination, countries go head to head spotlighting their top talent. Contestants hail from the U.S, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, India, China, France and more.

Regina Voce has more than 30 years of stage experience and is a former performer in Cirque Du Soleil. Regina now works as a vocal coach.

Brazil’s Grag Queen will also compete on the series…

The Brazilian bombshell grew up singing in church at an early age. She now finds herself belting to the masses on social media with 2 million TikTok fans, all of whom love her outrageous performances and over the top personality.

Each episode will feature the world’s fiercest queens as they debut a new musical performance in front of a live audience and the “Pop Diva Panel” of judges in the hopes of being crowned the “Queen of the Universe” and winning a $250,000 cash prize.

Queen of the Universe is set to debut exclusively on Paramount+ on Thursday, December2. Vanessa Williams, Michelle Visage, Leona Lewis and Drag Race alum Trixie Mattel are set to judge.

Pitbull to Perform at This Year’s CMT Awards

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Pitbull has gone country…

The 35-year-old Cuban American rap superstar will take the stage at this year’s CMT Awards.

Organizers of the fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances are aiming for big collaborative moments this year.

So Pitbull — who appeared on Keith Urban‘s “Sun Don’t Let Me Down” earlier this year — and Leona Lewis will join forces with Cassadee Pope during the show.

Meanwhile, Dierks Bentley will perform with Elle King (the two duet on Bentley’s new album), Fifth Harmony teams up with Cam, Billy Ray Cyrus with Cheap Trick, Blake Shelton with the Oak Ridge Boys, and Keith Urban with both Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris.

Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood will perform “Church Bells,” which she performed at the ACMs and the ACCAs in April.

The CMTs air Wednesday, June 8, at 8:00 pm EST.

Torres Among the Red-Hot Models at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection Show

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Gina Torres is always red-y to raise awareness about women’s heart health…

The 44-year-old Cuban American actress, who currently stars as Jessica Pearson on the USA Network’s popular legal series Suits, had fashionistas seeing red during the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection show in New York City.

The event, sponsored by the American Heart Association Go Red For Women campaign, kicked off New York Fashion Week Thursday night at the Lincoln Center.

In honor of American Heart Month, Torres, Bella Thorne and Victoria Justice joined other red-hot celebrities, including NeNe Leakes, Anika Noni Rose and Leona Lewis, to walk the runway in designer red frocks, all to raise money for the cause.

This year’s Red Dress Collection designers included Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Carmen Mark Valvo, Mark Zunino and Donna Karan.

Here’s a look at Torres, Thorne and Justice in their red dresses.

Gina Torres flaunts her curvas in an eye-catching Marchesa dress during The Heart Truth Red Dress show.

Bella Thorne dons a sleek Badgley Mischka dress in the Go Red For Women-The Heart Truth Red Dress runway show.

Victoria Justice strikes a pose in a flowery Oscar de la Renta dress in the Red Dress show.

Heart disease reportedly causes one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute. It’s estimated that 43-million women in the United States are affected by heart disease.

Here are some important facts about Latinas and heart disease:

Hispanic women are likely to develop heart disease 10 years earlier than Caucasian women.
Only 1 in 3 Hispanic women are aware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer
Only 3 in 10 Hispanic women say they have been informed that they are at a higher risk.

Dudamel to Participate in the London 2012 Festival

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

The London 2012 Summer Olympics may be 37 days away… But, Gustavo Dudamel will be getting people into the Olympic spirit this week.

On Thursday, June 21, the 31-year-old Venezuelan conductor will help kick off the London 2012 Festival, a cultural celebration across Britain tied to the Summer Olympics.

Dudamel, who won a Grammy this year for Best Orchestral Performance, will lead Venezuela’s Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar in a big open-air concert at Scotland’s Stirling Castle during the kick off event, which will include a fireworks display by Lake Windermere in northwest England.

The London 2012 Festival, which runs through September 9, will include 12,000 events and performances across the United Kingdom in celebration of the Summer and Paralympic Games. Organizers say there will be 10 million tickets for free and paid-for events in such fields as film, music, theater, fashion, dance and art.

Musical stars, including Jay-Z, Rihanna, David Guetta and Elton John, films from the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Mike Leigh and art from Yoko Ono and others will all be part of the festival, which is being described as “the biggest festival the U.K. has ever seen.”

With a budget of around £55 million ($86 million), the celebration is seen as a chance to showcase Britain’s cultural heritage and get the country in the Olympic spirit.

One of the most star-studded events of the London 2012 Festival will be a BBC Radio 1 show being dubbed the “biggest-ever free live music event.” The lineup for the June 23 and 24 extravaganza, which will feature six stages in the Hackney Marshes area of East London, includes Jay-Z, Rihanna, Flo Rida, David Guetta, Jessie J, Lana del Rey, Leona Lewis, Florence and the Machine and more.

Click here for a complete look at the London 2012 Festival.

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