A GROOM had to dress up as Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice at his wedding – after joking about getting married in a costume.

Matt Dennison, 54, dropped the light-hearted suggestion after proposing to Jane Austen fan Amy, 59

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His henna artist fiancée loved the idea and professional violinist Matt panicked.

He said: “Since we decided to have a low-key wedding, I said, ‘Why don’t we dress up and have some fun?’ I was joking, but she said, “That’s a really good idea.” I thought, ‘What have I done?’.”

They originally planned to go to Tudor, but Matt would reject the idea of ​​tights and codpiece. The Pride and Prejudice-style day then took shape with the groom fully embracing the role played by Colin Firth in the 1995 TV series.

Matt looked dashing in a rented white shirt, tie, vest, trousers, tailcoat, driving boots and top hat.

Bride Amy walked down the aisle like an Austen heroine – in a green empire dress and faux fur stole, with her red locks updo.

The couple married at Tudor House and Garden in Southampton before celebrating at a nearby pub.

Matt now thinks more people should get dressed up and get married.

He said: “It felt a bit like I was in the Jane Austen era, it could have been a few centuries back. The only thing we didn’t do was arrive on a horse, but I suggested we get one.

‘I don’t know if I would give Colin Firth a run for his money, but he did Nice to dress up – and I didn’t have to worry about buying a suit.”

Amy said of their wedding last April: “It was quite fun to look in the mirror and see me transform from a 21st century woman to a woman of that era.”

Of her gown, she added: “I first saw it in the fancy dress shop and hoped it would fit. It’s almost like it was meant to be that way.”

An iconic waterlogged shirt worn by Colin Firth in the 1995 drama Pride and Prejudice has sold for an eye-watering sum at auction.

Many will remember the scene where the actor, who played Fitzwilliam Darcy, walked through dripping wet fields after a dip in the lake.

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Oscar winner Firth starred opposite Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in the TV series adaptation of the classic novel Pride and prejudices.

In a memorable scene where the shirt was front and centre, Miss Bennet was surprised to find Mr Darcy wet and not properly dressed when she visited him at his estate, Pemberley.

Firth’s costume was donated by a costume house founded by Oscar and Bafta-winning designer John Bright in 1965, Cosprop, to raise money for the arts education charity, The Bright Foundation.

The shirt sold at auction yesterday for a whopping £20,000, beating its estimate of £7,000 to £10,000.

In total, the auction, organized by Kerry Taylor Auctions in London, raised £285,300.

Bright said: “My life’s work has been costume design for film, TV and theater and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to follow this path.

“It is my firm belief that art and creativity can build happier and healthier children and enable young people to reach their full potential.”

Other notable pieces sold at the auction include a vintage 1950s Christian Dior taffeta ball gown, worn by Madonna in 1996’s Evita, for £40,000, and Johnny Depp’s Sleepy Hollow costume for £24,000 .

There were also numerous other costumes on display worn by the likes of Julie Andrews, Jude Law, Tom Hardy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judi Dench, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Taylor and Renee Zellweger. .

A new batch of items has now been added to the online-only portion of the auction, which runs until March 10.

Hollywood actor Johnny Depp donated an original untitled work of art, dated 2023.

It is made with acrylic paint, Liquitex paint marker and fineliner and is signed.

He said: ‘Unfortunately, too many young, emerging artists do not have access to the right resources and opportunities needed to hone their craft.

“I hope my artwork will help provide those tools in a way that will best enable them to succeed.”

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By MailOnline Reporter

Published: 12:28 EST, February 29, 2024 | Updated: 12:30 EST, February 29, 2024

FORMULA ONE has taken action after team members were ordered by security staff to remove the Pride Flag from their backpacks.

Airport-style checks are underway at Bahrain’s international circuit, with some F1 staff prevented from taking their equipment onto the track – or told it would be confiscated.

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A complaint was made to the sport’s bosses and the circuit’s owners, who say they have now dealt with the “isolated incident”.

F1 has been openly criticized for racing in the Middle East due to well-publicized human rights issues.

And while homosexuality is legal in Bahrain, other rights are limited or not recognized.

Bahrain will host the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this Sunday, March 3.

And last year, British MPs called on the sport to launch an independent investigation into the link between the Grand Prix and human rights abuses.

However, F1 chiefs say they are committed to helping change and undertaking projects to improve economic, social and cultural benefits in the countries in which they race.

An F1 spokesperson said: “This was an isolated incident which was contrary to the policy of F1 and the organizer of the event in Bahrain.

“It was immediately addressed and resolved.

“As a sport, we and our partners proactively celebrate diversity and inclusion.

“And we have supported everyone in our community to raise awareness of the values ​​we all share.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Bahrain International Circuit added: “BIC, the host of the Bahrain Grand Prix, welcomes everyone to its venue and opposes all forms of discrimination.

“This isolated incident is being investigated and appropriate action will be taken.”

Pregnant Rhian Sugden looked ethereal in a sparkling dress with her husband Oliver Mellor at the Gaydio Pride Awards 2024 Hilton hotel in Manchester on Friday.

The glamor model, 37, cradled her blossoming baby bump in the silver sleeveless dress.

The Celebrity Big Brother star added even more glamor to her look with a set of gold jewelery including bracelets and rings.

She carried a chic shoulder bag as she posed on the purple carpet, her golden locks styled in flawless waves.

Rhian looked radiant and jovial as she smiled ahead of the ceremony, which recognizes and celebrates the efforts made to improve LGBTQ+ life in Britain.

Former Coronation Street star Oliver, 43, looked smart in an all-black look as he beamed against his wife.

The couple – who first had a romantic relationship in 2013 and later tied the knot in 2018 – are now expecting their first child together.

Rhian was joined on the glitzy purple carpet by a bevy of celeb guests including Strictly favorite Layton Williams, Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, Paul Burrell, Dr Ranj Singh and MAFS star Ella Morgan.

The chic ceremony was hosted by Gaydio's breakfast show hosts Paris & Dave, and featured stunning performances from BRIT Award nominee Jazzy, Caity Baser, Talia Mar, Tia Kofi and Ginger Johnson.

Fourteen awards were presented during the star-studded evening, including Outstanding Entertainment Contribution to actor and Strictly star Layton Williams.

Brit Award winner Becky Hill was proudly named Music Artist of the Year at the event, being praised for her mission to normalize queerness through her music.

The singer said: 'Many thanks to Gaydio for this wonderful Music Artist of the Year award and for all the support over the years.

Since coming out as queer, I have tried to put queerness at the center of everything I do; touring with some incredible drag acts, while putting the trans and drag community at the forefront of my live shows.

Becky ended by saying, “Support like this really means the world – thank you so much for Artist of the Year!”

UK Black Pride co-founder Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah (Lady Phyll) won the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Hastings won Grassroots Pride of the Year and Bristol Pride was named Pride Organization of the Year.

Emily Waldron from Liverpool, founder of @Emz_Crafts_, was named LGBTQ+ Young Business Person of the Year.

The trans teen advocate donates all profits to Pride events in the region or to Truk United matches where she plays football.

Award-winning activist, campaigner and Drag Queen Lucky Roy Singh won LGBTQ+ Influencer of the Year, while Alice-Louise Wallace won Volunteer of the Year for her work with Crawley LGBT+.

Venue or Event of the Year went to Manchester lesbian bar Vanilla, and Charity of the Year was awarded to Opening Doors, the UK's largest charity for LGBTQ+ people over 50.

The LGBTQ+ Enterprise Award was given to Pop'n'Olly, Britain's leading LGBT+ educational resource, and LGBT+ Network NHS Blood and Transplant won Pride Network of the Year.

Meanwhile, The Transmanian Devils took home the LGBTQ+ Club or Sports Team of the Year for their work in promoting inclusivity in sport for LGBTQ+ athletes in Manchester and beyond.

The Hilton LGBTQ+ Champion award went to Richard Finn, General Manager of Hilton Cambridge City Centre.

Speaking about the awards ceremony, Gaydio director Ian Wallace said: “Last night was the Gaydio Pride Awards 2024 with Hilton, an evening dedicated to recognizing and showcasing the incredible achievements of the LGBTQ+ community across the country.

“We loved celebrating all the amazing nominees and winners who have made a huge impact on LGBTQ+ lives this year and beyond! We can't wait to do it all again next year.'

Gaydio is the UK's LGBTQ+ station, home to Gaydio Breakfast with Paris and Dave and strives to be the place for the UK's LGBTQ+ community.

Padma Subrahmanyam, India's finest classical dancer, has been awarded Padma Vibhushan for her contribution in the field of dance.

After being awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Subrahmanyam has now been conferred the Padma Vibhushan, one of the highest civilian honors in India. She is an eminent Bharatnatyam dancer whose ghungroos have wooed people all over the world. She is an Indian classical dancer, scholar and choreographer who has made significant contributions to the field of Bharatanatyam.

Who is Padma Subrahmanyam?

Padma Subrahmanyam was born on February 4, 1943 in Madras (now Chennai), India. She was born into a family with a strong artistic background. Her mother, Meenakshi, was a skilled dancer, and her father, K. Subrahmanyam, was a renowned scholar of Indian art and culture. Under the guidance of her parents, Padma started learning Bharatanatyam at a young age.

She has honed her skills in both the Pandanallur and Vazhuvoor styles of Bharatanatyam. Over the years she has developed her own distinctive style, combining traditional elements with innovative techniques and expressions.

Padma Subrahmanyam is credited with several important contributions in the field of Bharatanatyam. She has explored and revived many forgotten elements of the dance form, including ancient temple sculptures and inscriptions that provide insight into the original techniques and aesthetics of Bharatanatyam. She has also developed a unique system of dance notation called the 'Sapta Talas' which facilitates the preservation and transmission of dance compositions.

She has a Ph.D. in dance and has authored numerous research articles and publications on Indian classical dance. She has served as professor and head of the Department of Indian Music at the University of Madras, and has lectured and conducted workshops worldwide on dance and related topics.

She has also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Kalaimamani Award and the Natya Kala Acharya Award, among others.

Padma Subhramanyam Leet as Prime Minister over Sengol

Padma Subrahmanyam's dedication, expertise and artistic vision have played a crucial role in the preservation, promotion and evolution of Bharatanatyam. She continues to inspire generations of dancers and scholars with her passion and contributions to Indian classical dance.

Sitting picturesquely in the foothills of the hiking and skiing mecca of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder isn’t known as America’s fittest city for nothing.

Intimidatingly hale and hearty, it’s a place where bars and restaurants are dead by 9pm so locals can fit in an early morning ski or mountain-bike climb before work.

It sits at 5,430ft above sea level so endurance athletes from all over the world come to train here. Boulder’s social calendar is packed with a daunting series of strenuous events including an annual 10km road race that attracts 50,000 runners, a plunge into an iced-over lake and a ‘Tube To Work Day’ in which commuters hurtle down the rapids of a river clinging to car tyre inner tubes.

And then there’s the annual Halloween Dash, when residents run naked down the city’s main street in front of cheering crowds wearing nothing but a hollowed-out pumpkin on their head. Anywhere else the locals might be just a little self-conscious but not Boulder, where many people are only too happy to show off their athletic physique.

Which makes it so extraordinary that Colorado, America’s slimmest state, where Boulder is situated, is set to become the first state in the US for 50 years to ban ‘fat phobia’ by law. And it is not alone in its aims to legislate in this way. Across America, politicians have been planning laws to add a person’s weight to the list of characteristics such as race, age, religion and sexual orientation that are protected from discrimination.

Urged on by ‘fat pride’ groups which have sometimes served as official advisers, several other states are considering similar laws, including New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey.

Meanwhile, cities across the country have already started passing laws aimed at preventing discrimination against the fat – San Francisco, Washington DC and, as of last month, New York City, among them.

As the case of super-fit Colorado shows, the drive for fat acceptance is more about ideology than health.

Conservative states such as West Virginia and Kentucky, with the worst obesity problems in the country, are having no truck with such laws. But staunchly Democrat Colorado, woke to its core, sees itself as one of the most progressive beacons in the US. In 2014, it became the first state to legalise ‘recreational’ cannabis.

In fact, in almost all cases it is Left-wing cities and states that are pandering to the ‘anti-fattist’ lobby with new legislation – and very often the same ones that have tried to decriminalise drug use with disastrous consequences in terms of increased addiction rates and crime.

Health experts warn that the new legal protections could further fuel the appalling problems of obesity in the US caused by sugared drinks, highly processed junk food and sedentary lifestyles by normalising the condition.

As with Black Lives Matter and MeToo, new battles in the culture wars invariably start in the US and then inevitably spread to the UK.

Indeed, the battle against fatphobia is already taking hold in Britain. In 2018, London-based Danish comedian and fat acceptance campaigner Sofie Hagen accused Cancer Research UK of ‘fat-shaming’ after it had the temerity to run a campaign raising awareness that obesity is the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.

‘How the f***ing f*** is this OK?’ she wailed on social media, demanding the adverts be withdrawn.

Describing dieting as ‘dangerous’, she insisted it ‘has been proved time and time again to be one of the worst things you can do to your body’. The charity countered that only 15 per cent of people know about obesity’s link with cancer and its campaign was based on scientific evidence.

In America, some 42 per cent of adults are now technically obese (compared to around 30 per cent or so in Britain). The percentage of US children who are obese has quadrupled since the 1960s and now stands at around one in five.

The result of all this obesity is crushing health problems – drastically increased rates of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer – as well as a huge estimated annual medical cost of nearly $173 billion (£138 billion) in 2019.

Black and Latino people are disproportionately affected with half of adult African-Americans obese – which perhaps helps explain why Left-leaning politicians are so desperate to accommodate the anti-fattist lobby.

Intriguingly, the US fat acceptance movement has a long history. In 1967, 500 people staged a ‘fat-in’ in New York’s Central Park to protest against bias, where they ate, and burnt diet books and photos of notoriously skinny model Twiggy.

The same year, a writer called Llewelyn ‘Lew’ Louderback wrote an article in the Saturday Evening Post under the headline ‘More people should be fat’.

In 1969, Michigan became the first US state to ban workplace weight discrimination, followed by Washington state which classified obesity as a disability which could not be used as grounds for refusing to employ people.

But in the intervening years, nothing much changed with regard to obesity legislation – although campaign groups such as Fatties Against Fascism and the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance were emboldened by a controversial 2013 vote by the influential American Medical Association to designate obesity a disease.

But now things have changed. And many fear the consequences of the flurry of new laws – which, of course, appear deeply compassionate on paper – could be disastrous both for health and for business.

They warn that weight discrimination laws could not only end up fuelling obesity but open the floodgates to endless and often frivolous lawsuits against employers and businesses.

An employer who fails to give an oversized employee a sufficiently big desk or a restaurant that makes the mistake of seating a calorie-challenged diner at a cosy booth table could find themselves being sued. In the Big Apple – if such a nickname is still permissible – the new law introduced last month bans employers and businesses from discriminating against fat people in employment, housing and access to ‘public accommodations’ such as shops, hotels, schools and recreation facilities. It allows for limited exemptions, such as the police and fire department, when someone’s weight could hamper their ability to do their job.

Kathryn Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, a business advocacy group which fought the new law, said anything like theatres that don’t have wide enough seats or taxis without extra-long seat belts could now be considered ‘discrimination… and require costly modification’. She also pointed out that there was no evidence that overweight people faced discrimination in the city anyway.

Joe Borelli, the Republican leader on New York’s City Council, said he was worried the new law would ’empower people to sue anyone and everything’. And in a telling dig at the body acceptance movement’s claims to be fighting against oppression, he added: ‘I’m overweight, but I’m not a victim. No one should feel bad for me except for my struggling shirt buttons.’

An indication of the kind of law suits and discrimination claims that could soon face businesses and public services came from the evidence given by fat acceptance campaigners to New York politicians when they were considering the new legislation. Victoria Abraham, 22, who boasts 122,000 followers on Instagram where she calls herself ‘Fat Fab Feminist’, said she had trouble with subway turnstiles that were too narrow while desks at New York University were too small.

Tracy Cox, a soprano at the city’s Metropolitan Opera, testified that she’d experienced body shaming in her career and that, in her job, ‘a fat singer is the rare and remarkable exception’.

She said work colleagues had ‘countless times’ encouraged her to develop an eating disorder or have surgery. Some parts of the US are refusing to give way to the fat rights lobby. The Supreme Court of Texas, the 18th-fattest state, ruled in June that the morbidly obese weren’t covered by its anti-discrimination law, saying that ‘excessive weight is a physical characteristic, not a disability’.

The ruling followed a lawsuit brought by a 28-stone A&E doctor who claimed she had been illegally sacked from her job over concerns she could not stand long enough to treat patients.

However, fat acceptance campaigners feel the momentum is going their way. These activists, many of whom reject the medical evidence of the health risks, have become more aggressive in promoting fat people as victims of oppression and denouncing anything that sounds like criticism of being overweight as a personal attack and even a hate crime.

Decrying obesity is even racist, some say. Academic Hailey Otis claims that, historically, fat phobia boiled down to racism.

‘White people tended to be thin, or at least that was kind of the common perception, and people of colour were larger and therefore less civilised,’ she says. Dr Otis grew up in Colorado and says she experienced ‘a lot of judgment’ from people there because they didn’t consider her to be healthy. ‘Fitness-and-health culture is a… coded way of still excluding fat people and enforcing stigma against them.’

It is this politicisation of obesity, making it an identity issue, that has fuelled the new legislation among liberal states such as Colorado which actually has the lowest US obesity rate of 25 per cent.

There, state lawmakers are working on two weight discrimination bills for next year’s legislative session that together would ban discrimination by employers and housing providers as well as ‘weight-based’ bullying in schools.

One proposal is to include weight in a stringent new anti-discrimination law which Coloradan law firms have warned could allow people to sue their employers simply because a colleague made a ‘disparaging’ remark.

The legislation is going ahead despite the fact that a comprehensive study by Colorado University earlier this year found that a staggering one in six deaths in the US is related to excess weight or obesity, and these conditions boosted the risk of dying by anything from 22 to 91 per cent.

‘Studies have likely underestimated the mortality consequences of living in a country where cheap, unhealthy food has grown increasingly accessible, and sedentary lifestyles are the norm,’ said Professor Ryan Masters, who led the research. ‘This study and others are beginning to expose the true toll of this public health crisis.’

Meanwhile in Boulder, a city so liberal that the pedestrian crossings are marked out with the rainbow colours of inclusion, The Mail on Sunday found a surprising lack of sympathy for giving new protections to the dangerously overweight.

Autumn Gooseff, 21, says she has a medical condition that makes her vulnerable to diabetes so weight control is a serious issue for her. ‘I work out six days a week, do spin classes, and go hiking with friends at weekends,’ she said. ‘There’s a very big difference between those who are overweight and have a healthy lifestyle, and those who don’t care and try to find excuses or blame others.’

Shop manager Isaac McCarty, 29, was one of many locals surprised to hear that Colorado of all states felt it needed to protect the obese.

He admitted that although he has a close friend who really does have no control over his weight, he feared anti-discrimination laws might discourage those who could benefit from trying to lose weight.

‘I think we might be doing a disservice to people who are overweight if we’re accommodating them in making poor health choices that are within their control,’ he said. ‘My main goal in life is to love people – but there are boundaries to that.’

The day Luke Prokop shook the hockey world by coming out, he needed to get away.

And stop looking at his constantly buzzing phone.

It was July 21, 2021, and the right-shot defenseman had just become the first openly gay hockey player under an NHL contract. The Nashville Predators’ No. 73 pick in the 2020 draft was just 19 years old and hadn’t even turned pro yet. He didn’t know how it would impact his future. His nerves were fried.

But one text message was impossible to ignore. He didn’t recognize the number but certainly knew the name.

“Hey, it’s Auston Matthews. I wanted to congratulate you. I look forward to sharing the ice with you someday.”

Prokop was blown away. The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar wasn’t the most famous person to reach out — that honor goes to Elton John — but the fact that so many NHLers, including one of the league’s best and most powerful players, were offering support meant a lot.

Now 21, Prokop still hasn’t taken the NHL ice, but on Wednesday he took a step forward, being recalled by the Predators’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. He could become the first openly gay player to appear in an AHL game Friday night for the Admirals in Rockford.

As difficult as the decision to come out was, Prokop told The Athletic in an extended conversation recently that he’s been mentally and physically freed by it. He doesn’t have to hide. He can be himself, on and off the ice. Heck, he can even date.

“It’s been massive,” he said.

Teammates and fans have welcomed him in his journey toward the NHL so far, from Calgary, Edmonton and Seattle of the junior WHL to, most recently, Atlanta of the ECHL. They treated him like he was any other player.

Not that there’s not room to grow. Prokop figured more players would come out after he did. They haven’t, not that he would rush anyone’s decision on that. He’s also been disappointed by the developments over the past few years with the NHL’s inclusion efforts, including the Pride tape “debacle.”

He can only control his own actions, though, and doesn’t regret his decision.

“I’d like to think I’m a realistic person,” Prokop said. “I know hockey is not going to be forever. As much as (when I came out) I would have loved to keep playing, I was OK with not playing any more if it didn’t work out — just being able to live my life the way I wanted, to be myself.

“But now, I don’t want to stop playing. It was definitely nerve-wracking. You never know what the reaction is going to be inside hockey, outside hockey, because no one has done it before. We kind of went out on a limb and hoped for the best. It’s been way more positive than we thought it’d be. You’re going to have some keyboard warriors, which there were a few, but I was expecting more.

“I did not expect the amount of support I got from NHL players. That was really cool.”

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The Matthews text and Elton John phone call the morning after were memorable, with the gay rock legend welcoming him to the community and offering his email address if Prokop ever needed anything.

Prokop found even more comfort in a moment that came a few days later — the first time he played hockey since his announcement. It was a four-on-four league in Edmonton at Meadows Rec Center, a place where pros and NHLers competed and kept in shape during the offseason.

Prokop was on a team with Colton and Kirby Dach. The other team had Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart and the Boston Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk. During warmups, Prokop found himself near mid-ice. The first guy to approach him was DeBrusk. The two had met previously through mutual friends. DeBrusk tapped Prokop’s shin pads with his stick.

“Congrats,” he told him. “I’m really happy for you. If you need anything, let me know.”

“I didn’t know what the reaction would be,” Prokop said. “So that meant a lot.”

Prokop was returning that year to the Calgary Hitmen (WHL), the junior team he had played for the previous four seasons. But there had been a lot of turnover on the roster and, of course, a lot had changed for Prokop. So he decided to address the team in its first meeting in training camp.

“Everyone knows what I did last summer,” he told his team. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. There might be a lot of media asking you for an interview. If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do them. If you have any questions for me, come ask me. I’m an open book. I just don’t want you guys to feel uncomfortable.”

In that dressing room, Prokop had heard plenty of the uncomfortable language that’s not uncommon for any locker room. He even admitted using it. He didn’t want to out himself. He wanted to act straight, be “one of the guys.”

“I heard it, but it wasn’t all the time,” he said. “I also took it from the perspective that these guys don’t know any better. It’s hockey language. It’s how guys talk. They don’t mean it in a harmful way. They use the word ‘gay’ as a filler at the end of a sentence to make something stupid. ‘Well, that’s so gay.’ I wasn’t comfortable with it, but I used it myself. I didn’t want to seem like I was out of the mix.

“Some guys texted me (after I came out), ‘F—, sorry if I said anything to offend you when we played.’ I’d just say, ‘Guys, you had no idea.’ The lesson is you don’t know what everyone is going through. The words you say do matter. Make sure you think before you speak. It’s a silly rule you learn in kindergarten. It applies to life when you’re 22 or 35 and never goes away.

“The way hockey is going with the language, guys are naturally changing their language. I’ve heard a change in language on every team I’ve been on.”

Prokop said that season was the best of his career, both from a production standpoint and a personal one. He was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings early in the season and had 10 goals and 33 points in 55 games for them, helping them win the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup and advance to the Memorial Cup.

Luke Pierce, then an assistant coach for Edmonton and now the head coach, said the staff and management had discussions with the leadership group before acquiring Prokop — making sure they were comfortable with it, feeling out whether their room could handle the attention. Pierce said he asked one of the captains, Blues prospect Jake Neighbours, for his perspective. Neighbours had known Prokop since they were 10 or 11, growing up playing in spring tournaments together. He told Pierce and the staff there would be “zero issue” and he’d be a great addition.

Neighbours said nothing really changed, that Prokop “fit right in” to the team. Pierce at first wondered if players would have any issue with rooming assignments on the road, but nobody blinked. Pierce noted that Prokop would joke about situations and even opened up about his boyfriend coming to visit.

“He put everybody at ease,” Pierce said. “I often tell people, if the outside world could see how the group of men interacted, it would be just a tremendous inspiration on how we should treat everybody.”

Pierce and Prokop pointed out how this generation is more comfortable and equipped to handle LGBTQ+ inclusion issues. Everyone seems to know someone, be friends with someone, or be related to someone in the community.

“I just don’t think guys really care anymore,” Prokop said. “They might be nervous as they have this stereotype version of what a gay guy might look like, sound like, act like. Like me, coming to a team, they think I’ll act a certain way, look a certain way, but they’ll realize three minutes into talking to me that I’m not that.

“Hockey is part of me. It’s who I am. Guys totally forget (about me being gay) when I’m at the rink. They’re not afraid to ask questions. But other than that, it never really comes up. That’s how I wanted it to be. I wanted them to know, but we can all go out and play. I never wanted to be a distraction.”

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The NHL’s decisions around Pride jerseys and stick tape weren’t a distraction, Prokop said, but he has gotten frustrated about it.

He understood the issue over wearing sweaters during warmups — “jerseys weren’t really their choice” — but lamented that the fact the focus was on the handful of players who refused to wear them and not all the others who did. The NHL’s initial banning of Pride stick tape, then its reversal, was a whole other topic.

“To take away choices from players was really confusing,” Prokop said. “Some of them don’t really care. For some, it was near and dear to their heart. To take it away was mind-boggling. From the players’ side, the support was there. Zach Hyman talked about it, Travis Dermott. I like what they did. They didn’t make a big deal about it before — they just did it. Let fans see the rest, and it’ll take care of itself. There’s a massive amount of support from players in the NHL.”

What do the Pride tape and sweaters mean for someone in the LGBTQ+ community?

Prokop didn’t recall noticing them growing up going to Oilers games. He never got to see someone who was gay using Pride tape on the TV screen. He had to deal with it himself — “jump over those barriers without any help.” But Prokop continued pursuing his hockey career whereas “a lot of people don’t feel comfortable pursuing their career without that exposure, without feeling like they’re being seen.”

“I think with the Pride tape stuff, they were trying to show support for their older fans,” Prokop said of the NHL. “The fans that have been watching hockey for 40-50 years. That’s not how you grow the game. You want to get the younger generation, put these guys in the best situation to promote the game. Sometimes I don’t think the NHL does that the correct way. The Pride tape is one example.”

Prokop has been part of two Pride nights since he came out, one with the Edmonton Oil Kings and another with Seattle. The Oil Kings staff approached him after not having that event on their promotional calendar. They planned it in two weeks and it was a big hit, with around 8,000 fans in attendance.

“Some guys told me it was the most impactful game they’d been in during their career,” Prokop said. “They said they didn’t realize how many Queer fans they had. I don’t think they realize how much my community watches hockey, plays hockey and cares about hockey.

The Seattle Pride night was fan-driven, which made it unique. Thunderbirds fans noticed that other rival teams had a special night for Pride and made a push for their own, making bracelets and T-shirts. Prokop told teammates they didn’t have to wear the stick tape — he knows how superstitious hockey players are. They all wore some, for him.

“I always look at the perspective, the other side of Pride nights — why do you have them if no one on the team is gay?” Prokop said. “The point is that it’s for the fans. For me, it means a lot to play in them to show my community and be a representative on the ice.”

While education is important, Prokop said any real change in the NHL when it comes to inclusion will start with other players coming out. He’s not putting any timeline or pressure on that. He didn’t have one. But that’s when players in the league will see a different perspective, get more comfortable with it.

“Otherwise, it’s always going to be a story,” Prokop said. “I also can see why guys don’t want to come out. Especially in the NHL. They’ve been very successful, so why change? I kind of saw that from the perspective when the whole Pride jersey story came out. My phone was blowing up. I don’t think guys want to have to deal with that. There was a responsibility for me to talk about these topics. I don’t think guys want to do that. I can see it from that side, why they don’t want to come out.

“I don’t think anything is going to change unless someone else does. Someone else will step up. It’s only a matter of time. I thought there’d maybe be two, three of us by now. But it hasn’t happened. But I know there’s going to be someone else soon. It’s math. There’s what, 700 players in the league? There’s definitely a few more.”

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While there have been some derogatory comments coming from the stands on a few occasions, Prokop has been encouraged there have been none from opposing players.

“Zero,” he said.

Most of the feedback he’s received, even on social media, has been positive. And it’s not just the comments like Matthews’ that stick with him. Two high schoolers in Seattle, Kaitlin and Jo, reached out to him over Instagram. They are part of the LGBTQ+ community and were struggling.

“Like everyone, they just wanted someone to talk to,” Prokop said.

Part of Prokop’s pregame routine is usually to hang by the bench and listen to music. On many occasions, Kaitlin and Jo would come by and the three of them would just chat for 10, 12 minutes. They’re the fans that Prokop saw every game above the tunnel on his way to the dressing room. They’ve stayed in touch. Prokop even did a Zoom meeting with their high school class last month. “They have a special place in my heart,” he said.

When, and if, Prokop makes his NHL debut, he says he’ll have a special secret plan for them.

Whether Prokop lives his NHL dream remains to be seen. He’s praised the Predators for their support from the first time he did a group video call with the staff. Former NHLer Mark Borowiecki, now a development coach, has been someone Prokop has leaned on often, not only for on-ice advice but for help getting through things mentally.

Scott Nichol, the Predators’ assistant GM, likes Prokop’s potential.

“Big right-shot defensemen that can skate, move the puck. They don’t grow on trees,” he said. “He just needs to polish up his game in some areas in the defensive zone. He’s got the tools. He’s got the skating ability. It’s just patience and embrace the process.”

Prokop is grateful for his support group, from his parents, Al and Nicole, to his brother, Josh, and sister, Alanna. He’s kept in touch with Heather Lefebvre, who is a specialist in hockey engagement and alumni relations with the Oilers Entertainment Group. They talk almost every day. What sticks out to Lefebvre is how young Prokop was when he came out (19), and while he wears this “trailblazer” cap, he’s still standing alone.

“I think this generation is more ready for it than past generations, for sure,” Lefebvre said. “It says a lot to me that nobody else has come out in the year and a half since he has. He’s the only openly gay player under NHL contract, but he’s not the only gay player under NHL contract.

“That’s where I think we have work to do. Is it great that he’s been accepted and can do his thing? Yes. But he looks at the positives, which makes me really happy for him. But that doesn’t mean there’s no negative.”

Prokop takes the positives in his off-ice life, too. He lives with Alanna in the offseason back home in Edmonton. He’s found teammates to share in his hobbies, like golf (he plays 40 to 50 rounds a year). He loves to read, from biographies to sci-fi. He watches basketball more than hockey and has more than 25 jerseys. He cooks. He got into puzzles during the pandemic and is bullish about doing them on his own.

Prokop also feels comfortable getting out there on the dating scene and not having to hide it from teammates.

“Obviously, the lifestyle of a hockey player is tough for some people,” he said. “I’m trying to find the right person to connect with. I’m a softie, a romantic guy. I love love. I’m always on the lookout for that right person to spend the rest of my life with.”

Prokop doesn’t see the label of being the first openly gay player under NHL contract as a weight. It’s more of a responsibility. He has a platform and wants to use it. He’s realistic, “dreaming about winning the community service award more than the Norris Trophy.”

Making the AHL jump or someday the NHL jump won’t define him.

“One of my main goals when I came out is that if I could have an impact on one person outside of my family and friends in my lifetime, I’ve done my job,” he said. “I think I’ve done that and more. And I want to continue to do that.”

(Top photo courtesy of Oilers Entertainment Group)

Andie MacDowell has always looked younger than her years.

And the former model was at it again on Thursday as she beamed on the red carpet of the 18th annual L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Celebration.

The event took place at the trendy NeueHouse Hollywood.

The 65-year-old mother of three matched her silver locks with her chic gray three-piece suit which added extra shine. She also wore a neck-length black blouse and a tie while clutching a clutch bag.

Also at the event were Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King, Camila Cabello and Helen Mirren, who also represent L’Oréal.

Andie has won rave reviews for keeping her hair silver and not dying it black again. Two years ago she told Vogue that she was happy with the look.

“I’ve never felt so powerful,” she said. ‘I feel more honest. I feel like I’m not pretending. It feels like I’m embracing where I am. I feel really comfortable. And in many ways I think it’s more noticeable on my face. I just feel like it suits me.”

Last month she looked nothing short of sensational as she hit the catwalk at the L’Oréal show during Paris Fashion Week.

The actress showed off her midriff in a black bra and leather suit as she walked the star-studded catwalk alongside a host of other famous faces.

Andie put on a show of age in the ensemble as she gave the younger models a run for their money during the prestigious showcase.

The Maid star styled her all-black look with a pair of sky-high platform heels, while wearing no other accessories.

She wore dramatic gothic makeup, including a smoky eye and nude lip, while her naturally curly locks were worn loose.

With the Eiffel Tower as a suitably dramatic backdrop, celebrity brand ambassadors gathered in the French capital for the Walk Your Worth show – a powerful celebration of womanhood.

Andie put on an energetic show as she waved her arms in the air and walked down the runway.

She was joined by fellow ambassadors Eva Longoria and Cindy Bruna as the group held hands during the show’s finale.

Kendall Jenner, Dame Helen Mirren and Elle Fanning were also among the A-listers who walked for the brand.

Viola Davis and Bollywood legend Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also made welcome appearances.

Kendall, 27, accentuated her slim physique in an elegant silver dress and inevitably claimed the spotlight as the event got underway.

With metallic colors proving to be a dominant theme on the evening, Dame Helen, 78, matched the American model in her own flowing silver dress – complete with tastefully cinched waist.

Meanwhile, actress Elle, 25, turned heads in a plunging gold evening dress with a semi-sheer detail.

Andie, the star of Four Weddings And A Funeral, bucked the trend and opted for a cool black PVC jacket over a matching bralette and high-waisted PVC trousers.

The actress, 65, completed her catwalk look with a pair of chunky silver heels, while dramatic make-up drew further attention to her subtly proportioned facial features.

Indian actress Aishwarya, 49, was on hand to co-host Sunday’s event, and she was suitably dressed for the occasion in a heavily embellished gold dress with flared overlays.

Eva, 48, was also on hand to add some extra glamor to the catwalk, and the Latina star looked stunning in a sheer layered dress as she joined her fellow ambassadors.