GEORGE MAHARIS DIES AT 94: Variety reports that Route 66 actor George Maharis died on Wednesday (May 24th) in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 94. His friend, Marc Bahan, announced the news of his passing on Facebook Saturday (May 27th), writing that he was “above all a great guy who would do anything for anyone. My dear friend, you will be terribly missed.” Maharis was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Buz in Route 66. He also appeared in films such as Sylvia, The Satan Bug, and The Happening and on shows such as The Most Deadly Game, Fantasy Island, Murder She Wrote, and The Bionic Woman. He was one of the first male celebrities to pose nude for Playgirl as well.
‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ MAKEUP ARTIST RESPONDS TO BACKLASH: Peter King, the makeup artist who helped transform Melissa McCarthy into Ursula for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, responded to the criticism he’s received in a recent interview with Insider. This comes after members of the LGBTQ+ community spoke out to express disappointment that a queer makeup artist wasn’t hired, since the character was inspired by the drag queen Divine. RuPaul’s Drag Race star Kerri Colby wrote on Twitter that King’s makeup for Ursula is “absolutely why we should hire up and coming queer artists with a pulse on the present and a vision for the future more often.” King responded to the backlash by telling the outlet, “I find that very offensive. Why can’t I do as good a job as a queer makeup artist?” He added, “That’s ridiculous. That’s trying to claim it and that’s fine, if that’s what they wanna do, but don’t put people down because they’re not what they want it to be.”