Identifying With Adam
Ariel Schrag's latest novel, Adam, tells the story of awkward 17-year-old Adam who finds himself staying with his lesbian sister in the summer of 2006. Through his sister, Adam is thrust into the wild lesbian subculture and mistaken for a trans man. Out now on paperback, this compelling novel is perfect for the beach or park. (Mariner Books, out now)
Revisiting the Past
After a hilarious first season of drunkenly recounting historical events, Comedy Central's Drunk History is back for a second season. This season will feature Courteney Cox, Charlie Day, Laura Dern, Tony Hale, and Casey Wilson as the actors tasked with reenacting the often-inaccurate accounts of the past. (Comedy Central, July 1)
Baiting Kathy
Bridesmaids breakout star, Melissa McCarthy, is back in theaters with Tammy. Paired with Susan Sarandon, the two play daughter and grandmother who set out to escape the misery of home life. Along the way, they bump into Kathy Bates who shines as Sarandon's lesbian cousin while throwing the best damn lesbian Fourth of July celebration we've ever seen. (Warner Bros., July 2)
Turning On the Lights
Discovering the Spirit of Minor White
Nearly 25 years have passed since Minor White's work was last seen at the Museum of Modern Art. The postwar photographer's stunning images will be on display in a new exhibition, Manifestations of the Spirit, at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Covering five decades of work, the museum will display 160 images, including the complete the series featuring White's student and model Tom Murphy. (J. Paul Getty Museum, July 8 - October 19)
Exploring Gay Voices
While Alexander Skarsgard says goodbye to True Blood, his brother Bill is returning to TV with season 2 of Hemlock Grove. The campy Netflix original series falls into the territory of being "so bad it's good" but the return of Famke Janssen is enough to make us bite. (Netflix, July 11)
Mastering the Art of Sex
Following a stellar first season, Masters of Sex returns to Showtime on July 13. For human sexuality researchers Dr. William Master and Virginia Johnson, it looks like they take things from the lab to the bedroom for more hands-on experiments. Joining the fun this season is Sarah Silverman and Keke Palmer. (Showtime, July 13)
Directing Franco
As James Franco continues his journey of putting his hand in everything, he will direct the play, The Long Shrift, which tells the story of Richard Singer, who was accused of rape and thrown in jail. The play will run in New York City at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater from July 13 to August 23. Attention for the show will likely depend on Franco's Instagram antics. (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, July 13)
Standing in the Bleachers
Jack Antonoff's side project, Bleachers, will release Strange Desire, its first full-length album since first debuting at South by Southwest in March. The album promises to be a mix of catchy pop rock influenced by The Cure, Cutting Crew, the Killers and his main gig, .fun. (RCA Records, July 15)
