Entertainment
Hard Rock Hotel New York introduces experiences for guests to “Love Out Loud” this June
Hard Rock Hotel New York continues to amplify their year-round commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — Hard Rock Hotel New York continues to amplify their year-round commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community with a dynamic line-up that hits all the right notes throughout June and beyond. From a one-of-a-kind suite designed by Grammy®-winning singer songwriter Kim Petras to a late-night gala in The Venue on Music Row hosted by New York icon Susanne Bartsch, there are many moments of creative expression and inclusivity to bring the entire community together in celebration of love and solidarity. The Hard Rock Heals Foundation® is at the heart of these unique partnerships and experiences uniting various philanthropic efforts around significant causes as the brand sustains their guiding principle to Love All – Serve All.
- Love Out Loud” Suite: Notable LGBTQIA+ figures have created special ‘Love Out Loud’ Suites at select Hard Rock Hotels around the world, and Hard Rock Hotel New York has teamed up with singer-songwriter, Kim Petras, to reimagine one Platinum suite with a Terrace. The artist’s personality shines throughout with her signature pink hue infused in the design, bespoke artwork, an interactive gaming area, and photo worthy creative touches. Play Kim’s Grammy®-winning music while indulging in her hospitality rider or soak in the city views from the fully outfitted and expansive outdoor terrace. Available now through July 9 for overnight stays, the “Love Out Loud” Suite starts at $1,200, plus tax, per night. In honor of this unique offering, Hard Rock is a proud sponsor of The Trevor Project – an organization making strides in advocacy, education, and crisis support for LGBTQIA+ youth. Hard Rock has contributed a $50,000 donation supporting their mission. To reserve the “Love Out Loud” Suite, email reservations@hrhnewyork.com or call the Hotel directly at +1 (212) 970-1200.
- Take Music to New Heights: Come Early, Stay Late is a nightlife event that steals the show on Thursdays at RT60 Rooftop Bar & Lounge with performances by acclaimed DJs and celebrity talent. June brings the Pride Edition of Come Early, Stay Late with a phenomenal roster from the LGBTQIA+ community including Quiana Parks, Timo Weiland, Lady Bunny, and Nina Sky.
- Pride Ball: Known as New York City’s patron saint of transformation and inclusion, Susanne Bartsch will be hosting an extravagant Pride Ball at The Venue on Music Row on Thursday, June 15 at 10:00 p.m. Known for the elaborate, eccentric parties she has thrown for decades, all are invited to come together and celebrate into the late hours of the night.
- “Love Out Loud” Moleskine Notebooks: Authentic storytelling is at the core of the collaboration between Hard Rock Hotels and Moleskine. The Limited-Edition “Love Out Loud” Moleskine notebook – celebrating individuality and creativity – is available for purchase in Rock Shop during Pride Month. All proceeds from each notebook will be donated to the OnePULSE Foundation, which was established to open minds and hearts following the Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Florida.
- Pride in the Community: Taking Pride to the streets, Hard Rock Hotel New York is partnering with Daniel Albanese, filmmaker of Out in The Streets, and visual artist David Puck, to create a striking mural that will be on display on the Lower East Side. Known for their colorful abstract portraits, Puck’s mural in partnership with Hard Rock Hotel New York, is inspired by Sasha Colby, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15. Their work can be seen on Houston and 2nd Avenue starting June 2.
To complement the opportunities for hotel guests and New Yorkers to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, Hard Rock Hotel New York will also host a series of private parties including a fashion-forward event with The Daily Front Row featuring a surprise musical performance, as well as an exclusive Artists Den Pride concert that will later air as part of season 5 in Summer 2023.
Photo and video assets for Hard Rock Hotel New York’s “Love Out Loud” Suite and supporting events and programming can be found here. For more information and reservations, please visit www.hardrockhotels.com/new-york, https://www.hardrockhotels.com/new-york/pride.aspx, or follow along at @hardrockhotelnyc.
About Hard Rock Hotel New York:
Taking center stage in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, Hard Rock Hotel New York graces the iconic skyline at 159 West 48th Street. The hotel features 446 exquisitely designed guest rooms and specialty suites, including the standout two-floor Rockstar Suite complete with a private 1,600 sq. ft. terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the city’s vibrant energy. Paying homage to the mecca of recording studios and music stores that once lined the block, the must-visit entertainment destination features a legendary memorabilia collection honoring musicians from and inspired by New York City. The show stopping event space, The Venue on Music Row plays host to A-list concerts, interviews and more, complemented by regular live and unplugged musical performances across the public spaces. Guests and locals are able to discover innovative culinary concepts including the upscale NYY Steak for fine dining, RT60 Rooftop bar and lounge offering expansive views from the 34th floor, and the brand’s signature Sessions Restaurant & Bar open day to night. In true Hard Rock style, the hotel offers an array of signature brand experiences and amenities including Rock Om® program fusing the practice of yoga with the rhythm of a custom DJ-curated soundtrack for on-demand in-room sessions, and the Sound of Your Stay® which allows guests to listen to Tracks® curated playlists by artists and musicians, Crosley record players available upon request with Wax®, or play a Fender guitar with Picks® in the privacy of their room. Additional Roxity® programming brings to life family attractions and entertainment while the Unleashed® pet program welcomes four legged friends. Guests are also invited to exchange the traditional city map for Soundtracks® interactive area guides which are curated by Hard Rock and musical artists to showcase the best of each destination. For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com/new-york.
About Hard Rock®:
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 290 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 87,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock Hotels has been honored by J.D. Power’s North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study as the number one brand in Outstanding Guest Satisfaction for two consecutive years, and among the top Upper Upscale Hotels for four consecutive years. HRI became the first privately-owned gaming company designated a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal in 2021, and has since been honored threefold. Hard Rock was also honored by Forbes among the World’s Best Employers, as well as Best Employers for Women, Diversity and New Grads and a Top Large Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment Industry. In the 2022 Global Gaming Awards, Hard Rock was named Land-Based Operator of the Year for the second time in four years. In 2021, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos received first place ranking in the Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey conducted by Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group for six of the last seven years. Hard Rock International currently holds investment grades from primary investment rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
SOURCE Hard Rock Hotel New York
https://stmdailynews.com/category/the-bridge/
Author
anime
Bible Anime Series in Development at Texas Studio With Global Faith-Based Ambitions
A Texas animation studio is developing a TV-MA Bible anime series, blending faith-based storytelling with cinematic anime for global streaming audiences.
Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
A Fort Worth animation company is betting that faith-based storytelling and anime can meet in a way that feels cinematic, serious, and built for modern streaming audiences.
History In Motion Studios has announced Shinjitsu Ugoki (Truth Movement), a TV-MA Bible anime series now in development. The Texas-based studio says the project is designed for mature audiences and will present biblical narratives through serialized storytelling, theological research, and character-driven drama.
The announcement places the studio at the intersection of two growing markets: faith-based entertainmentand the global anime industry. Rather than aiming for a traditional family format, the series is being positioned as a more intense, long-form production shaped by conflict, consequence, and spiritual tension.
History In Motion Studios is also using Unreal Engine as part of its production pipeline to support cinematic world-building and high-fidelity environments. Script development, early character design, and broader production planning are underway through 2026.
Founder Edith Alvarado said the studio sees a major opportunity in bringing biblical storytelling into anime.
“As audiences continue to seek meaningful, story-driven content, we believe there is significant opportunity within the anime format to engage biblical narratives with depth and seriousness,” Alvarado said. “The question isn’t whether biblical stories belong in anime, it’s why it took this long. We’re here to change that; Anime will know the story of Jesus.”
The women-led Christian studio operates out of Fort Worth, adding to the growing list of independent creative companies building outside traditional entertainment hubs. As of Q1 2026, the series remains in active development, with more partnership and expansion announcements expected later this year.
Related Links
Source: History In Motion Studios
STM Daily News’ Entertainment section delivers the latest on movies, television, music, pop culture, events, and industry buzz. From breaking news and trending stories to feature coverage and community-centered entertainment reporting, it keeps readers connected to what’s happening on screen, on stage, and beyond.
MINNEAPOLIS — The powerful new documentary Come Talk to ME is set to make its big-screen debut at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF), marking a significant milestone for the independently produced film centered on Parkinson’s disease, communication, and human connection.
The 2026 festival, running April 8–19, will feature more than 200 films from around the world. Come Talk to ME is scheduled for two screenings, including a meaningful premiere on April 11—World Parkinson’s Day—followed by a second showing on April 14. Both screenings will take place at the Main Cinema at Saint Anthony Main in Minneapolis.
A Story About Communication and Connection
Directed by Deacon Warner and produced by Jackie Hunt Christensen, the documentary follows Christensen, her husband Paul, and a close-knit group of friends living with Parkinson’s disease.
The film explores how communication evolves as the disease progresses, highlighting the creative and deeply human ways individuals maintain relationships—with family, friends, and healthcare providers—even as traditional speech becomes more challenging.
Christensen, diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 34, emphasizes that the film is ultimately about preserving connection:
“Having Parkinson’s does not mean that you stop loving, caring, and feeling… communication is everything.”
Innovative Use of AI Voice Technology
One of the film’s most groundbreaking elements is its use of AI-generated narration powered by ElevenLabs.
The filmmakers recreated Christensen’s voice using archival audio recorded shortly after her diagnosis in 2000. This AI-generated voice—nicknamed “JHC2K”—serves as the primary narrator, allowing Christensen to “speak” throughout the film in a way that would otherwise be difficult due to the progression of Parkinson’s.
Director Warner called the experience both innovative and deeply personal:
“To be part of [MSPIFF’s] rich history… while also utilizing cutting-edge AI technology to set us apart from other films is incredible.”
Festival Screenings and Accessibility
Come Talk to ME will screen twice during the festival:
- Saturday, April 11 (World Parkinson’s Day) – Early afternoon (time TBD)
- Tuesday, April 14 – Late afternoon (time TBD)
Ticket pricing:
- MSP Film Society Members: $11
- General Admission: $17 (+ online fee)
- Students: $10 (with ID)
In a move aligned with the film’s mission, the April 11 screening will offer free admission (donation-based) for individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease.
The venue also provides limited wheelchair seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
A Film Seeking Broader Impact
Beyond its festival debut, Come Talk to ME is actively seeking sponsors to expand its reach and impact. The filmmakers hope to bring the documentary to wider audiences, particularly within communities affected by Parkinson’s disease.
At its core, the film delivers a powerful message: even as physical abilities change, the need for connection—and the human drive to communicate—remains constant.
Why This Film Matters
As awareness of Parkinson’s disease continues to grow, Come Talk to ME stands out as both an emotional narrative and a technological milestone. By combining personal storytelling with AI innovation, the film offers a new way to understand life with Parkinson’s—and the enduring importance of being heard.
Source and Related Links
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) Official Site
- MSP Film Society Official Website
- World Parkinson’s Day – Official Information
- Parkinson’s Foundation – Resources & Support
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
- ElevenLabs – AI Voice Technology Platform
STM Daily News’ Entertainment section delivers the latest on movies, television, music, pop culture, events, and industry buzz. From breaking news and trending stories to feature coverage and community-centered entertainment reporting, it keeps readers connected to what’s happening on screen, on stage, and beyond.
Entertainment
‘Project Hail Mary’ demonstrates how intellectual humility can be a guiding force for scientists and astronauts
‘Project Hail Mary’ demonstrates how intellectual humility can be a guiding force for scientists and astronauts
Deana L. Weibel, Grand Valley State University
Early in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s science fiction blockbuster “Project Hail Mary,” middle school teacher Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, is tasked by an international coalition to uncover the biology of a strange microbe known as an “astrophage” that has been absorbing energy from an ever-dimming Sun.
Grace is a molecular biologist by training, but his controversial ideas and overconfident attitude have kept him out of academia. The viewer will see through flashbacks that as he’s matured, he’s developed a vital skill for solving the astrophage crisis: intellectual humility.
I’m an anthropologist who studies astronauts and space professionals to understand what space symbolizes to the people who experience it firsthand. Grace’s character in “Project Hail Mary” developed several of the traits that I’ve observed in the astronauts I’ve interviewed. These characteristics prove essential to success in high-stakes, uncertain situations. Warning: some plot points will be revealed ahead.
‘Project Hail Mary’ follows a middle school science teacher tasked with saving Earth from star-eating microbes.
Grace has been chosen as one of the first to study astrophage because of his Ph.D. dissertation on whether life can exist without water, a hot take in the world of science that, along with his rude response to peer reviewers, has gotten him banned from polite science conferences. The solar microbes eating the Sun seem to live without water, so Grace is the acknowledged expert.
Unfortunately, Grace can’t see into the mysterious, opaque little organisms until a dead one becomes translucent. Finally, Grace can see inside the microbe to study it, and he believes his hypothesis about life not needing water will be proven. However, chemical analysis reveals astrophage is made up of mostly water.
In a moment that undercuts both his expertise and his expectations, Grace is wrong. Crushed, he throws a tantrum, observed by a bemused assembly of international leaders.
What actually matters isn’t that Grace is wrong but what he does next. Only after Grace overcomes his frustration and need to be right is he able to move forward, returning to the problem with curiosity rather than defensiveness and the resolve to learn enough about astrophage to make saving the world a possibility.
Admitting what you don’t know
Perhaps the real hero of the story is not Ryland Grace himself but his intellectual humility. Intellectual humility, the admission of your own limited knowledge and a willingness to learn from others, sometimes seems to be undervalued, particularly by those in leadership positions.
People who are intellectually humble will say things like, “Tell me more,” or “I wish I had thought of that.” They don’t feel threatened when admitting vulnerability.
Some people, however, do feel threatened by the thought of admitting incomplete knowledge or appearing to have limitations. Instead of confessing what they don’t know, they may claim a kind of certainty that goes beyond their true expertise, shutting down further questioning. Intellectual humility, in contrast, encourages someone to remain engaged by highlighting how much they still have to learn.
Being contradicted by the facts can produce diverse reactions. For someone without intellectual humility, not knowing can feel like failure. It can lead to defensiveness, denial or a refusal to engage. With humility, however, not knowing is more interesting than scary. The defensiveness is gone, replaced by curiosity.
When Grace realizes his expectations about astrophage aren’t supported by scientific evidence, he goes from feeling sure to feeling unsure. Reality itself hasn’t changed, but Grace’s sense of reality shifts in an important way. He realizes that there is a great deal he still needs to learn about these microbes, without assumptions blocking new knowledge. His intellectual humility gives him a path forward, a way to reset and take in new information without shutting down.
Intellectual humility as a method
Ryland Grace is willing to learn, and this serves him well throughout the movie. His intellectual humility operates as a method, guiding how he approaches problems step by step.
For instance, once he realizes, to his dismay, that astrophage is made of water, Grace acknowledges this new truth. He doesn’t like it, but he accepts it. Moving forward, he avoids making assumptions about astrophage. Instead, he tests hypotheses using simple tools that have been cobbled together from items available in a big-box store.
His partner in this experiment is Carl, played by Lionel Boyce, who is there as a sort of half-“babysitter,” half-security guard, keeping an eye on Grace but also being irresistibly pulled into his scientific orbit.
Grace’s intellectual humility transforms Carl from a minder into a partner. Even though Carl isn’t a scientist himself, when Grace has to figure out how to make the lab’s astrophage experiment replicate the conditions causing the crisis in our solar system, it is Carl who suggests a solution.
Instead of being bothered that a nonscientist knew better than he did, Grace acknowledges the solution’s value, thanks Carl and uses Carl’s idea to reach a crucial discovery, proving himself to be open to ideas and feedback from others.
When Grace’s experiments struggle, he moves forward without defensiveness and instead displays increasing curiosity. His method of intellectual humility is to admit ignorance, test variables and revise working hypotheses based on new data, staying open to suggestions from others the whole time. To borrow a phrase from a different space story, “this is the way.”
Science fiction to real space exploration
Although “Project Hail Mary” is fictional, the attitude displayed by Ryland Grace is something I have seen in ethnographic interviews with astronauts and other space professionals, including engineers, astronomers and flight surgeons. Ethnography is a method of research, usually done in the long term, that combines interviews and participant observation.
When confronted with the reality of the universe – an enormous starry void we humans are only beginning to understand – scientists and space explorers are often stunned and humbled by the extent of their own ignorance. Although there are, without a doubt, less-than-humble people building rockets or going into space, intellectual humility is often a guiding force among many successful space researchers.
In my book, “The Ultraview Effect,” I trace the way a sense of cosmic awe can provoke feelings of humility and openness, which serve as catalysts for curiosity. This pattern, which I began to notice after an astronaut told me how seeing billions of stars with his own eyes made him realize how little he actually knew, is very similar to what Grace experiences in the movie.
Being open to awe and willing to be humbled by it isn’t weakness but strength. And in his embrace of intellectual humility, Grace lives up to his name.
Deana L. Weibel, Professor of Anthropology, Grand Valley State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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