From Gay to Straight...

We just read about Eric McCormack's concerns about being typecast as a gay man after his eight years as fussy Will Truman on "Will & Grace." He should be heartened by the fact that two other talented actors who played gay on a series for several years are now the straight leads on new drama series that premiered on Fox in the last two weeks.

Kerr Smith, who played gay high school then college student Jack McPhee on "Dawson's Creek" for five seasons and averaged about one same-sex smooch per season. He is now playing passionate and cocky defense attorney Tom Nicholson on "Justice." I watched last night because the current issue of TV Guide actually singles Smith out and gives him one of their "Jeers" for what they say is bad acting. I disagree with them completely! He was just fine in the role although it is tough for anyone to play opposite a sensational Victor Garber who has found the role of a lifetime as an arrogant media-savvy law firm head.

Smith has never stopped working since "Dawson's" went off the air in 2003 as one of the lead's in last season's NBC drama "E-Ring" and also had a recurring role on "Charmed."

Meanwhile, "Queer as Folk" standout Gale Harold is playing FBI agent Graham Kelton on Fox's "Vanished" and his character is worlds away from Brian Kinney on "Q as F." On that racy Showtime series that ended its five-year run last year, Harold had about one sex scene per episode with his Brian Kinney being something of the town stud. Seeing him in such a different kind of role on "Vanished" shows me just how good an actor he is.

I think both shows are worth checking out and I am impressed by these straight actors who took on gay roles, played them for all they were worth, and now have moved on to other roles.

So much for being typecast!