January 2007 Archives

A few days after I met Dave Koz at a red carpet event in late November, a package arrived in the mail. Inside was his new CD, "At the Movies" along with a nice note from Dave! I am just now getting around to giving the CD an overdue mention but my timing is excellent because it was just released this week! I have so much respect for Dave, who came out publicly a few years ago, and great admiration for his talent as a world-reknowned saxophonist.
The CD has 12 timeless themes from classic films starting with "Over the Rainbow" which starts with Judy Garland's vocals set to Dave's sax. Barry Manilow does "Moon River" and while Audrey Hepburn's will always be my favorite (from 'Breakfast at Tiffany's"), Barry and Dave team up for a nice version of a wonderful song.
Eleven of the songs were Oscar winners or nominees and four of them appear in the Top 10 of the American Film Institute's list of 100 Top Movie Songs. They include Vanessa Williams singing on "The Way We Were," Johnny Mathis on "The Shadow Of Your Smile," the Oscar-winning song from the Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton film "The Sandpiper," Anita Baker doing "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" and it's Donna Summer doing a shimmering version of "A Whole New World."
Koz is a multi-Grammy Award nominee Koz, has two Gold albums and ten Top 5 hits to his credit.
"I'm happiest in a darkened theater with a tub of popcorn, a soda, a great movie and a friend," he says on his Web site. "I love that feeling of being transported to a moment in time. You get to turn off your own life and just disappear into this other world."
To read my interview witrh Dave Koz from a few months ago, click HERE. For more informartion and a listen, click onto Dave's Website today!

First "Casino Royale" and now this! John Cameron Mitchell's VERY sexuallyt explicit film "Shortbus" will be released on DVD March 13. The film revolves around a salon of the Gertrude Stein model from the early 1900s, where artists, writers, musicians, and intellectuals converged to share their works and discuss new ideas in art and politics. Mitchell's version attracts an updated assortment of regulars culled from New York's burlesque and gay performing arts communities—or, as he says, the kinds of people who belonged on the "short bus" for gifted and challenged children in elementary school.
Though the cast includes actors with varying backgrounds and sexual orientations, the thing connecting them is their humorous and frustrating explorations of sexual relationships. One character, a sex therapist (Sook-Yin Lee, pictured at right), has never herself experienced an orgasm. A gay couple is thinking about opening up their relationship to include other lovers.
Be prepared: in the sex scenes, the actors are REALLY having sex with each other. The film had an NC-17 rating when it played in theaters last fall.
Here are some of the DVD extras: Deleted scenes (They must be some doozies!) with commentary from Mitchell and the cast, movie commentary, theatrical trailer, and the featurette: "How to Shoot Sex: A Docu-Primer."

Here is part of a Q & A that Jennifer Aniston had with People magazine about her guest appearance on the season finale of FX's "Dirt" and, unfortunately, it seems that things won't be getting as steamy as we thought...or hoped!
PEOPLE: You guest-star on the season finale of Dirt as a lesbian. What was it like working with Courteney again? JENNIFER: We had a ball. It was completely fun. I forgot just how much fun we have together in the work world.
PEOPLE: So what about that kiss between you and Courteney? It was touted as a passionate lip-lock.
JENNIFER: It's a good-bye kiss. I don't honestly think people want to see Rachel and Monica have at it.
PEOPLE: Did you two laugh when it became such a big deal?
JENNIFER: Of course! I think I won a bet. I told Courteney, "How many days will it take to come out? 'Lesbian kiss! Lip-lock!' " It was a record: about a week.

The coming of age movie "Wild Tigers I Have Known" has been acquired for distribution by IFC Entertainment for its First Take label. The film, written, directed and produced by Cam Archer is about a 13-year-old boy (Malcom Stumpf) who develops a crush another boy (Max Paradise).
Well WHO hasn't had THAT happen?
The movie is executive produced by Gus Van Sant and Scott Rudin and is set for theatrical release at the end of February and will be available via On Demand on Comcast as well as Cablevision, a corporate sibling of IFC.

Premium gay television network here! will begin a national marketing campaign with a month-long outdoor advertising campaign in the West 14th Street station at Eighth Avenue, located in one of the most densely populated gay and lesbian neighborhoods in the country known as Chelsea. The subway campaign, which begins tomorrow, Feb. 1, will unveil and focus on “1-888-HERE-NOW�, a national toll-free number aimed at building subscribers in key major markets across the country.
"The campaign was designed to demonstrate our commitment to continue building subscribers in 2007 regardless of what cable system covers a particular consumer’s location," says here! founder and CEO Paul Colichman. " Now that here! is broadly available, we are creating an easy and highly visible way for consumers to join other gay and lesbian Americans who have already subscribed to our authentic and groundbreaking programming.�
here! is the first gay and lesbian company to participate in CBS Outdoor’s “Station Domination� advertising program which involves “dominating� every available media space at the 14th Street subway terminal. It joins past Fortune 500 advertisers such as Budweiser, Johnson & Johnson, Delta Airlines, Apple, NBC, Starbucks, Target and American Express who have previously participated in the “Station Domination� program.
The 1-888-HERE-NOW campaign will rollout over the next 6-8 months in the top 25 major markets utilizing print and online in addition to outdoor media.

I'm sure Barbara Walters has had her moments of wishing Meredith Vierra has never taken that job at "The Today Show" and she might even miss Star Jones a wee bit. That's because when she hired Rosie O'Donnell to be the new moderator on "The View," Walters hired the most formidable co-host she has ever dealt with in the show's 10-year history.
But, according to the latest daytime ratings from Nielsen Media Research, the ABC talk show has drawn the biggest audience in its nearly 10-year history. Itaveraged 4.2 million viewers for the week of Jan. 15-19. The previous high, of 4.1 million, was posted nearly three years ago. Overall, ABC said, View viewership is up 15 percent this season.
The running feud Rosie had with Donald Trump may have caused backstage tenstion between Walters and O'Donnell, but it helped ratrings. And Rosie has not become a shrinking violet post-Trump: she indicated that she believes Paula Abdul was driniking during auditions and media interviews for "American Idol" and, the day after the State of the Union Address, called for the impeachment of President Bush!
You go, girl!

This sounds very promising: Logo has announced that its eagerly awaited six episode sketch comedy series, "The Big Gay Sketch Show," will make its debut April 24. It features a cast of eight up-and-coming comedic actors in a show that features a combination of traditional and music-based sketches, pop culture parodies and recurring characters, all from a unique LGBT perspective. 
The cast includes: Erica Ash, Dion Flynn, Julie Goldman, Stephen Guarino, Jonny McGovern (pictured above), Kate McKinnon, Nicol Paone and Michael Serrato.
The show is produced by Oh Really? Productions and, get this, among the executive producers are Rosie O'Donnell. I sure hope that means she'll be making a guest appearance. Rosie may be controversial, but she is also VERY funny. And the series' director is Amanda Bearse, who came out as a lesbian years ago while appearing on "Married With Children" as a very horny Marcy. Who wouldn't be horny when married to the very handsome Ted McGinley.

In addition to airing on Logo’s 24/7 television channel, LOGOonline.com will offer a slew of features including bonus sketches, outtakes, cast crew interviews, photos and each episode of the series will be available for download on iTunes via instant release.

I. Can't. Wait. "Casino Royale," out on DVD March 13, is already the number one movie on Amazon.com's hot sellers list based on pre-sale orders alone. The Bond movie, marking the debut of sizzling Daniel Craig as the sexiest 007 to date, is still playing in just over 1,600 theaters. Its U.S. gross is $165.3 million to date and more than double that internationally. The two-disc DVD has some extras including "Becoming Bond,": an intimate look at how Daniel Craig stepped into the role of the 6th James Bond. and "James Bond: For Real," an Inside look at action and stunts of film.
Sounds like a winner!

Oh, if only I could be a fly on the wall tomorrow.
That is when Isaiah Washington is due back on the set of "Grey's Anatomy." His absence from Sunday night's Screen Actor's Guild (where the series won for outstanding drama ensemble and Chandra Wilson outstanding lead actress) seemed to me to leave everyone a bit more relaxed than they might have been otherwise. I never saw T.R. Knight smile though, maybe I missed it.
So, USA Today reports that Washington has been released from the treatment facility he entered last week foir counseling over his use of a gay slur aimed at Knight then repeated at the Golden Globe Awards as he denied ever saying it in the first place.
Now he is supposed to continue outpatient treatment.
By the way, "Grey's Anatomy" was the third most-watched show of last week, finishing behind only the two episodes of "American Idol." The controversy has not hurt the ratings one bit and viewers, like me, will be watching to see if any of the scenes with Washington and Knight, Washington and Katherine Heigl or Washington and Patrick Dempsey seem a little strained.

Anyone who loves Lucy as much as I do was saddened to hear about the death a few days ago of Bob Carroll Jr. who worked with writing partner Madelyn Pugh Davis for more than 60 years on virtually all of Lucille Ball's shows - including every episode of "I Love Lucy." He was 87.
When you think of how well the dialogue of "I Love Lucy" episodes has held up and how funny they still are more than 50 years later, it is criminal that Carroll and Davis only received two Emmy Nominations for writing on the show.
But in 1992, the Writers’ Guild of America awarded them with its Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Achievement.
TV Week's Tom Gilbert interviewed Davis on Monday: "We had the same sense of humor. We really never argued about anything. People always ask where we got our ideas because we turned out so many scripts. We never liked to do off-color stuff. And we never used topical humor-thank God for that; we had no way of knowing we were going to last for 50 years."
She added about the partnership, "I think Bob was funnier than I am. I was the more of the driver-and I did the typing."
Carroll and and Pugh (her name then) were writing for comedian Steve Allen’s radio show in the 1940s when they heard Ball was hiring for her show, “My Favorite Husband.� They were so anxious to write for the series that they paid Steve Allen to write his own show one week so they could submit a spec script for Lucy.
Needless to say, the script was accepted. They stayed with the program for the remainder of its 2-1/2 year run, then moved to TV with Miss Ball, collaborating with Jess Oppenheimer on the "I Love Lucy" pilot and then turning out scripts for 39 episodes a season. Together they also created "The Lucy Show" and "The Mothers-in-Law" which starred Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard. Other TV credits include scripts for "Here’s Lucy," "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour," the Lucille Ball-Henry Fonda movie "Yours, Mine, and Ours," among many other credits - some 400 television programs and 500 radio shows in all.
After one of my articles about "I Love Lucy" ran in the Daily News last fall, I got an email from Bob Carroll's daughter, Christina, who pointed out that I had not mentioned her father and Davis in it. She wrote in part: "Is the show's enduring appeal not due to the clever verbal gymnastics of the writers? What are any scripts without words?"
We then began trading emails and there was hope that I would be able to interview her father and Davis to coincide with the 55th anniversary of the airing of the first episode of "I Love Lucy" which aired Oct. 8, 1951. "As you may calculate, they are both in their eighties, but I can let them know what you'd like to do. We'll have to see," Christina wrote.
The interview didn't happen but Christina Carroll did leave me with one nuggest of "I Love Lucy" trivia that I never would have thought to include in a quiz I put together for our front page. One of my answers had the famous red head's REAL hair color as being "mousy brown." Bob Carroll's daughter corrected me: "By the way, for the record (and should you personally come upon another Lucy quiz), Lucy's hair color was, more precisely: "mucklededun", a mousy brown. "Mucklededun" was an expression of my grandmother's to describe a dishwater brown haircolor. Her son, later in life, wrote it into an episode of "I Love Lucy."
I've posted about Lucy on this blog before. Click to see "Oh How We Still Love Lucy" and "I Love Lucy Movie: An Update."

It's soooooo good to have newly-crowned Australian Open champ Serena Williams back at the top of the tennis world after two years of limited play. She was asked about her fitness after her win over Maria Sharapova and, thank God, spoke her mind: "I'm definitely in better shape than I get credit for. Just because I have large bosoms and I have a big ass. I swear my waist is 29-30 inches. I swear I have the smallest waist. And just because I have those two 'assets' it looks like I'm not fit. I was just in the locker room staring at my body and I'm like, 'Am I not fit? Am I really not fit? Or is it just because I have all these extra assets that I look not fit.' I think if I were not to eat for two years I still wouldn't be a size 2. No matter how slim I am, I always have this [points] and that [points]. We're living in a Mary-Kate Olsen world. I'm just not built that way. I'm bootylicious and that's how it's always going to be."

You all don't know this because you read what I type, you don't SEE me typing. It can be a scary thing. I type with two fingers, I type fast and I type hard. Always have, always will. The more focused I am, the faster and louder I type. This did not go unnoticed by New York Times culture reporter and media columnist David Carr, whose "The Carpetbagger" is a seasonal blog that covers all things Oscar -- the news, the nonsense, and the players that drive the campaign.

Here is some of what Carr, who refers to himself on his blog as "the Bagger," wrote about encountering me at the past few awards shows:
"At the Globes, the Bagger sat next to this guy who opened up file after file on his laptop and kept going all night long, every once in a while piping up to ask a question. A few of us sitting by him watched him pound away and asked, “Who is that guy?� Turns out it’s Greg Hernandez from the Los Angeles Daily News and, well, the dude likes typing.
At the SAG awards, the Bagger, when he saw he would be sitting close to this blogging bot decided to sit elsewhere. The Bagger lived-blogged here and there, but nothing like the amazing output of Mr. Hernandez, who likes to bring his readers results on a schedule that’s closer to live television than publishing."

Here is a LINK to the Carpetbagger site and a DIRECT LINK to the item about me and my terrifying typing.

I swear, I'm not just looking for an excuse to post a picture of the very handsome San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. But this one from "Bike to Work Day" last spring is a pretty good one, huh? I interviewed this charismatic man a few summers ago at the Outfest Film Festival and he was so thoughtful in his answers. He was there in support of a documentary that told the story of the same-sex marriages that took place in San Francisco after he ordered city clerks to issue same-sex marriage licenses and became a gay icon in the process.
I wanted to share with you some of an interview Newsom did with Reuters while he was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Newsom says that the gay-nup move may have hindered his own political growth: "I’ve basically written myself off of any prospects of running for any different office, and I certainly won’t be appointed by any administration or special councils because I’m a time bomb and too controversial. And I’m not just saying for Republicans. One of the three Democrats you mentioned as presidential candidates [Obama, Clinton, Gore] God as my witness, will not be photographed with me, will not be in the same room as me, even though I’ve done fundraisers for that particular person not once but twice, because of this issue."

On VP Dick Cheney's reaction to Wolfie Blitzer's questions last week about his pregnanrt lesbian daughter, Mary:
"The Vice President of the United States has a daughter who happens to be in love with another woman, and happens to want to raise a family. Those are fundamental questions that are being debated across this country... Wolf Blitzer was right to ask and Dick Cheney was wrong not to have the dignity to respond in a human way, and the dignity to respond in kind why he continues to advance discriminatory policies that are hurting, not uniting this country."

USA Today has an interesting article on the cover of its life section that I read thisx morning over a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats (I am addicted to those suckers). Writer William Keck touches on some of the same material as I did in my article "In Today's Hollywood, More Gays Out of the Closet" earlier this month but delves further into the issue of playing gay and what impact that can have on an actor's career.
Former "Melrose Place" star Grant Show (pictured above on "Melrose") admits in the article that he worried a bit about what impact playing a cloested gay movie star on FX's "Dirt" would have on his career - a career that had been laregly off the radar since the end of the FOX sudser. Show, who is straight, took a week to contemplate whether to accept the "Dirt" role, which includes graphic scenes.
"There are a lot of prejudices still in this town, which is kind of what this role is about," Show says. "The perception could be the negative things, like 'he kissed a guy.' All that weird stupid (stuff). Or it could be a good thing for your career to take a risk like this." Show had previously played a gay baseball player who chose to remain closeted on HBO's Arli$$, that role did not require him to perform such intimate acts.
"I've never kissed a man like this before, and I had to decide if I was completely comfortable with that," Show says. He decided to go ahead and "to (expletive) do it — fully! I hope this isn't offensive, but I've kissed a lot of (actresses) whom I didn't want to kiss in scenes. It was pretty much exactly like kissing a woman I didn't want to kiss. It was work."
Show, who auditioned unsuccessfully for a gay role on "Brothers & Sisters," tells the paper he "absolutely" would not have been hired to play Melrose Place's Jake Hanson had he been a gay actor who was out. He has gay actor friends who choose to remain in the closet, fearing for their careers.
Matthew Rhys and Jason Lewis, who are playing out a similar storyline on "Brothers & Sisters" (Lewis plays a closeted soap star involved with Rhys' character) declined to be interviewed by USA Today but the show's openly gay executive producers Jon Robin Baitz and Greg Berlanti did speak. Baitz says that "because we live in this world and know people who live with that crisis daily — how will their livelihoods be affected? — it definitely spurred our desire to talk about how sexually free people are."

Definitely an interesting read. I'm glad to see this topic being written about!

Miguel Marquez called last week as he was preparing to depart for Bahgdad where he will spend roughly a month reporting for ABC News. We met at the holiday party thrown by the LA chapter of the National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Assn. last month and I, of course, asked him to give an interview to Out In Hollywood about his job as a Los Angeles-based national correspondent for the network and about being an openly gay man in the television news business.
"It's very important for people to know you can be gay and do anythng you want to in the world," he says. "We tend to discount how important it is to have role models when we live in cities where being gay is so accepted. To me, what I strive for is to be comfortable out without putting it in people's faces. As a reporter, I’m there to be fly on the wall and kind of absorb the story."
While he is in Bahgdad, Marquez is reporting for "ABC World News," "Good Morning America," "Nightline," ABC.com, ABC radio and for Canada's CBC. This is his fifth ("or maybe sixth") trip to Iraq since joining ABC in 2005 from CNN where he was also an L.A.-based correspondent.
"ABC was willing to put me overseas. I was there about 4-5 months when they called and I went. By the time I got there, it was already pretty much this tightrope situation that we're in now. Now I’m one of the people who they ask to go. There’s a list of correspondents who are willing to go and I’m one of the dumb ones [laughs]. It's my first war zone. My background is in politics."
But sometimes, politics comes to Bahgdad as they did when Secretary of State Condi Rice came for a visit during Marquez's watch: "It was her second visit to Baghdad. That is the biggest person I’ve ever interviewed. It was very stressful,. in the Green Zone in the U.S. Embassy compound."
Marquez, 39, came out as a gay man even before he entered television news. He was working in Washingtion D.C. as a legislative assistant for Bill Richardson, then a congressman from New Mexico's third district. (Marquez grew up in the small town of Santa Rosa, New Mexico).
"When I did it, I was only sorry I hadn't done it earlier," he says of coming out. “ABC has been very, very great. It's so comfortable here and CNN was also very comfortable with the whole gay thing. Every media company that l've worked with has been fine."
Marquez left Washington and politics behind to try his luck at producing television documentaries. He attended Columbia Journalism School and right out of school, got hired for a plum job on WNBC in New York, the station that launched Matt Lauer's career. But Marquez knew he was too green and barely kept his head above water during the year he was there. He then spent three years working at the FOX affiliate in Pheonix, Ariz. before CNN hired him.
He hasn't looked back.
"It's great to be on a big story," he says. "I really got bit by the bug."
Marquez has only given the rare interviews about himself ("I don't know how important it is to do tons") but has great respect for CNN Headline News' Thomas Roberts who got all kinds of attention last fall when he participated in a panel discussion at the NLGJA conference in Miami about being a gay anchor. Roberts was already out but the appearance made him far more public. In addition, Roberts had been on the enws for speaking out at the trial of a priest who had molested him as a child.
"He had a much different situation being much higher profile with that trial," Marquez says. "He’s comfortably out. He wasn't hiding. At the convention, there was a lot of coverage. It was the brave thing to do his part, to pursue that [case against the priest]. That put him in an awkward position to cover the news and become the news."
But being in television news these days requires a lot more than just doing television. Marquez has been a prolific presence on ABC.com, the network's webcast, and he's enthusiastic about it: “I try to do as much as possible ABC.com. It’s fun to do. ABC .com is very aggressive now. They want us filing for the Internet as much as possible. With television, you are often frustrated you don't get three-quarters of what you found on the air. It's a different animal now. I've shot my own pieces, I've blogged."

Well, from one reporter/blogger to another...THANK YOU!!!

I will again be a guest on Now in LA's Marty Keegan's "Hollywood Babble On" show at 1:30 p.m. or so TUESDAY, JAN. 30. Marty, just back from the Sundance Film Festival, will mostly likely ask me about last night's Screen Actors Guild Awards but you never know where the conversation will go. It's always lots of fun for me and hopefully the audience. I hope some of you will tune in. You can even email comments and questions as we chat. Here is the link for you to listen in: : http://www.nowinla.com/

I don't think there has been an in-depth interview with Matthew Rhys who plays the openly gay attorney Kevin Walker on my favorite show, ABC's "Brothers & Sisters." But AfterElton.com was able to score one and I wanted to provide you with some excerpts:

Does it surprise hom that his character is such a standout on American television? "Um, in a way, yes. Because that particular comment I've heard a couple of times, and it has made me think that in this day and age you would expect a higher degree of exposure for gay characters."
On having two gay executive producers, Jon Robin Baitz and Greg Berlanti: "Robbie [Baitz] says that often he finds it very easy to write for Kevin as opposed to other characters. And Robbie was adamant from the start that he didn't want any whiff of stereotype or anything like that. Not to make [Kevin] any exception to anyone else in any way. Just an absolutely normal part of the family."
On Kevin's problems: "With regards to the commitment issues, I think they were careful with that because they didn't want to give him specifically gay problems. And commitment-phobia, you know is a human and universal flaw. So I was happy about that character trait. There are elements of that aspect of Kevin that I can relate to [laughs]. Especially in your 20s. In your 30s, things do change."

He was surprised at how much Kevin's relationship with Scotty struck a cord with viewers: "The reaction was very big, especially when Scotty and I broke up. We had a lot of reaction to that. I was surprised by how much of a chord it had struck, but I was very happy."

On Kevin's new relationship with a closeted soap star (played by Jason Lewis): "I like the fact that they've gone for another universal theme in that you don't necessarily fall for those people who are right for you, or you don't choose the people you fall for. And with that comes conflict, obviously, then drama, which makes it all the more entertaining to see. … It's like with Scotty. For Kevin, Scotty wasn't what he'd have picked ordinarily, and the same has happened with Chad, and I think that's a part of his makeup. He goes for people who are unavailable or not necessarily the right people for him."

On the public scrutiny for playing a gay role: "I was a little shocked at the reaction of the press at the beginning. A lot of the questions were, you know, "Was it a problem for you to play gay roles?" Or "Were you concerned about getting typecast?" You know, I was a little confused as to why I was getting [questioned]. I thought we'd passed those times, really. So that was a little bit of a shock. "

On kissing another man on screen: "I don't think it's ever really problematic. I just think if you're fortunate enough to be confident and secure in yourself, and you know it's a role you play, I don't see where the problem lies, really. Actually, my first theater job was a gay part with a lot of kissing it in it. So, I wouldn't say it was a hurdle really, but I got over that really early on. You realize there's nothing to it."

On hiding his Welsh accent to play California boy Kevin Walker: "I still have to put the hours in on the accent. It still manages to flip me and throw me. But we get a dialect coach that puts all our words down on a CD for us, so I'm continually working on it. It's the rhythm and the cadence and the intonation rather than the actual sound that is always tripping me up. And the emphasis on all the wrong words that make you stick out sometimes."

After a day plagued by a breakdown in our blogging system, I'm so happy to be able to resume posting with this item! Brian Juergens reports on AfterElton.com blog today that Ryan Reynolds, the wonderfully talented and wonderfully HOT Ryan Reynolds, plays gay in one of his three roles in "The Nines" which recently screened at Sundance. The movie is three stories with the same actors playing different roles in each. In Story 2, Reynolds plays a gay television executive and apparently treats fans to a pretty hot shower scene. The film is written and directed by John August who wrote "Go."
Reynolds has a huge gay fan following but unless I'm wrong, the gayest he ever got on screen was the cameo in the "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" movie. And in "Buying the Cow," in which he wears precious little in a scene where he thinks he's slept with a man after waking up next to him.
Anyway, cannot wait to see "The Nines."
P.S. The pic I posted has nothing to do with "The Nines." But it's lovely, don't ya think? It's an Out In Hollywood policy to post shirtless pics of Ryan Reynolds whenever possible - as long as there's a news hook!

Wanda Sykes is one of the funniest women on the planet, so full of funny observations. I love her as a stand-up and as an actress. I just noticed this exchange between her and Ellen DeGeneres on the TMZ.com site making fun of the Isaiah Washington flap:
Comedienne Wanda Sykes joked to Ellen DeGeneres that African-Americans have "overcome" -- now that they are the ones dishing out bigoted comments instead of receiving them!
Sykes, guesting on Friday's episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," made fun of the fact that Isaiah Washington was going to "rehab" after his homophobic comments about "Grey's Anatomy" co-star T.R. Knight. "Gay rehab? That sounds like traffic school. You should be able to do that online."
After opining on the irony of the whole situation, Sykes joked, "Maybe gay is the new black now."

I dunno. Maybe it's for good, maybe not. These crazy kids. I almost posted about this last week but wanted to wait and see if it stuck. Apparently it has since Lance has confirmed it to People.com: We broke up last week," Bass tells People. "But we're really good friends. Nothing bad at all – nothing bad at all to say."
The couple had announced in early December that they were splitting though trying to work on their relationship. "We remain the best of friends," they told People in an exclusive statement Dec. 4. "Please respect our privacy as we try to work things out during this difficult time."

Hi everyone...
Have not been able to blog all day due to a system meltdown! I think it's back up so new postings to come soon! Thanks foir your patience...
- greg

These are a compilation of some of my red carpet blogging from last night...Enjoy!!!

Oh, what I've been through. Total techical nightmare that required me to dictate my red carpet ramblings to a very patient Armando Hernandez who I work with. He was great! Now I'm in a dimly lit deadline room (cannot see a bloody thing!) getting ready for this thing to get going!

Before leaving the red carpet, in one eyeful, I saw Mary Tyler Moore getting ohotgraphed by te throngs of photogs, Megan Mullally standing nearby beaming. Maybe she didn't want to do that damned talk show anymore anyway! And Julie Andrews is a few feet away from Mary. It's a a "Thoroughly Modern Millie" reunion! All they need is Carol Channing!
Some Grey's Anatomy stars like Sara Ramirez and Katherine Heigl did interviews but Ellen Pompeo just posed for pics as far as I could see and Sandra Oh and Patrick Depmsey sailed by fan and press. T.R. Knight is here tho! Good for him. No sign of Isaiah Washington, he's still in "gayhab."
OK, show is starting!!!

Here is some of the barely coherent things I dictated to my colleague, Armando Hernandez (no relation) as I stood near the entrance of the red carpet: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher just walked in, sending the bleacher crowd in to a frenzy. But that was nothing compared to the reception for nominee Jennifer Hudson of "Dreamgirls." Hudson is wearing a vintage plum-colored gown and showing lots of cleavage, she waves to the fans and just missed runnning into Mirren at the ET booth by a fraction of a second...Also causing excitment was super couple Warren Beatty - and his wife Annette Benning, nominee tonight....
Just arriving are Eddie Murphy, Leo DiCaprio, Helen Mirren, all oscar-nominees....Marcia Gay Harden just walked by me, teetering on gold pumps. I hope she doesn't fall when she walks on the red carpet...
"Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera - who's is looking more like "Gorgeous Betty" in an Emerald-green gown...fans in the bleachers go nuts...Steve Carell and Greg Kinnear just walked by. They were two feet away from me and didn't bother to say hello. They are OFF my Christmas card list!
And some stuff that never even made it onto the blog earlier today: One of the first stars to arrive was Sean Pyfrom of "Desperate Housewives" which was nominated for best comedy enemble. He has gotten so cute! I can say that, he's 20 now. He is with his youngish-looking mother and they hurry over to the TV Guide booth for a live interview with that awful Melissa Rivers. I'm not one to be catty, but her hair looks like it was styled with an egg beater. She asks Sean a buncha dumb question but does not ask why the hell his gay character has been completely merginalized this season.
I then climb into the bleachers and start gabbing with fans and security people and it's a blast. We see Mariska Hargitay...sooooo beautiful, then we see Shirley Jones and her biggest fan, Marfty Ingles...There's Justn Kirk from "Weeds," Edie Falco from "Sopranos," Eric Nabius from "Ugly Betty."
"I've loved him since 'Welcome to My Dollhouse," one of the bleacher fans tells me.
We all agree that Kyle McLaughlin has amazing hair.

I leave the bleachers and go back to the entrace on the red carpet. Suddenly, there she is: Mary Tyler Moore! She looks sensational. I worship MTM. She must be pushing 70 now...Remember when her and Rhoda used to just eat salad for dinner on their show. They really did need more protein.

This was my favorite moment of the the SAG Awards when out walked onto the stage, each individually introdiced, the cast of the classic "Mary Tyler Moore Show." They were given a warm and well-deserved standing ovation. What. A. Cast! They were there to present the best comedy ensemble award and how appropriate since they set the standard for an ensemble.
When Mary announced "The Office" as the winner, star Steve Carell took the mic and said: "This is quite an honor having these people [resent this to us [applause]. I ws craning my neck, 'Oh my God! There she is!They're here! Oh my God!"
It was perfect!

You had to wonder, and I did, what would happen if "Grey's Anatomy" won any awards at the Screen Actiors Guild Awards tonight. I mean, who wasn't thinking about the whole Isaiah Washington debacle which was just two weeks ago?So when Chandra Wilson beat a very competitive field to win outstanding actress in a drama series, she kind of made everyone laugh when she refered to the absent Washington who entered some kind of rehab facility to deal with his issues.
"First of all, it's about those 10 cast members sitting over there," Wilson said, refering to her castmates, "And the other one in rehab."
I love how Wilson ended her speech: "Just to be able to take this thing home to my girls, in particular, and hold it in front of them and say, 'Look, with this skin and this nose, and this height, and these arms,' you know, 'I'm here!' Thank you Screen Actors Guild for taking me as I am."
It's too bad they didn't let Wilson speak again - or Patrick Dempsey, or T.R. Knight, or Sara Ramirez, or Sandra Oh, or ANYBODY else besides Ellen Pompeo- when the show's cast won for best drama series ensemble.
"We're honored to be in the company of all the felow nominees," she began.
Okay, so far so good. But instead of turning around and mentioning any of the stellar cast members behind her or talking about working through hard times or whatever, she says: "And i think because this category is ensemble, it;s worth mentioning the members of our cast that are not here."
She starts with Kate Walsh, who is actually standing right behind her! She means Kate Burton who hasn't been on the show for awhile now. "Help me...Isaiah Washington...I'm drawing a blank, please help me..."
To quote Katherine Heigl: Pompeo "should not speak in public. Period."

Just got home from the Shrine Auditorium where I was blogging live on the "On the Red Carpet" blog on DailyNews.com. But "Out In Hollywood" readers get a summary of the night and hopefully, with far fewer typos than in my live blogging where the idea is to post stuff as it happens.
Some of my favorite movies of the year did well with the cast of "Little Miss Sunshine" surprising absolutely everyone and winning the best ensemble award over the casts of "Dreamgirls," "Babel," "Bobby" and "the Departed." Just before I left the Shrine for the night, I watched cast members Steve Carell (who played a depressed gay man getting over a break-up in the film), Greg Kinnear (very cute), the adorable Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin doing an interview with one of the E! anchors around this little table. They looked tired!
Before and during the show you are in such a frenzy and once it's over, I felt kinda goofy in that punch-drunk way. So my colleague Sandra Bererra and I were sitting at a table in the press room when the service elevator opened and there stood Helen Mirren - someone else carrying her two SAG trophies - along with her husband, the director Taylor Hackford. I couldn't help but yell out: "Hey! Congratulations!" And I waved. Helen Mirren, very down to earth, waved back and shouted out "Thank you!" It was a funny moment. But apparently, i wasn't through being a reporter/blogger/fan for the night. Sandra and I pack up our laptops and are about to leave when the damned elevator opens again and damn if there isn't Jennifer Hudson and her group. I'm a madman. I yell out: "Hey! Can we ride down the elevator with Jennifer Hudson?" They say, "Sure!" So Sandra and I nudge our way in and I start gabbing with Effie.
ME: "Do you need to add a room to your house to put all these trophies?"
JENNIFER: [laughs]
SANDRA: Eyes roll back in head.
ME:"I've seen 'Dreamgirls' three times. I love the soundtrack." [Then I actually - oh my God - quietly start singing a few bars of "I'm Tellin You, I'm Not Going." Got caught up in the moment I guess. But Jennifer takes it all in stride.]
JENNIFER: "Do you have the regular CD or the special one with ALL the songs on it?"
ME: "I think I have the regular one." [I now realize I have the special one but I was momentarily blank because Effie was so nice, had her hand on my shoulder, was so sweet.]
JENNIFER: "Get the special one," she says as she is stepping out of the elevator and someone else carries her SAG trophy. "It's got a remix of "I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." Bye!"
ME: "Bye! Have fun tonight!"
SANDRA: You're such a fan."

The intrigue!
Will Helen Mirren continue her award season domination and win another trophy for "the Queen" or will "The Devil Wears Prada" star Meryl Streep win in an upset? Which movie will win for best ensemble? Is this the chance for "Dreamgirls" to shine to make up for its Oscar snub? Or will "Babel" become a firm Oscar front-runner if it wins the night's top prize. Last year's upset win for the cast of "Crash" over the cast of "Brokeback Mountain" was the first indication that "Brokeback" wasn't the Oscar shoo-in everyone had thought.
Will Forest Whitaker's nervous, mumbling speech at the Golden Globe Awards doom his chances for "The Last King of Scotland"? I saw "Blood Diamond" a few days ago and I'm now all about Leonardo DiCaprio, who is up for a total of three SAG Awards tonight.
Will the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" win the SAG award for best ensemble and if so, WHAT will happen backstage? And for God's sake, what will everyone be wearing???
The answer to these and other questions will start being answered around 3 p.m. today when I start blogging from the Shrine Auditorium, site of the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Go to Dailynews.com and the On the Red Carpet blog will be prominently featured on the home page. I'll try and bring you as many tidbits as I can before, during and after the show.
p.s. Here is a shot of Jake and Heath from last year's SAG Awards. I have to say, awards are fun but in the end, it really does come down to what the movie leaves you with. I can remember just about every moment of "Brokeback" and how I felt. I remember some of Ledger's scene so vividly: the throwing up when he leaves Jake the first time, the smelling of Jake's shirt after he dies, the frustration and conflict. Phillip Seymour Hoffman won all the top prizes last year for "Capote" and he was damned good. But Ledger's performance is the one that will stand the test of time as will "Brokeback" over "Crash." Often tmes, the true classics don't win the awards - and they don't need to.

Get back from breakfast and see this email from Marcellas Reynolds who I met last month at a National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Assn. Christmas party at East West Lounge in West Hollywood. We chatted a bit and he even bought a raffle ticket from me (I'm on the NLGJA board). I knew i had written some unkind things about his days on "Big Broither" but I didn't tell him that there, not during the holidays! But he's no fool, he just found the blog and wrote me the following:

"So I get to your site through my friend and blogmate, Clay's. I look @ your pic and realize we met at an event. I start reading through things you've written. Good. Funny. And then I get to things you said about me. It's not often you meet your detractors face to face. I was nice to you when we met. It's a bit unsettling to see that you weren't very nice about me in your coverage of Big Brother.
I find it interesting that this is the year that GLAAD chooses to nominate Big Brother. When I look @ the season I see cast mates who were homophobic. I see the only gay cast member to make the show willfully edited poorly. I see a lack of inclusion of gay cast members on a production scale. I also see a show I was not proud to be a part of.
I'll say this, I wasn't happy to be there. For me Big Brother All-Stars was a bad experience all around. Do I think I deserve a bit of latitude for that? I don't know. I do think that in the future you should try and be nicer about the House Guests. We are human. And on a show like Big Brother, that is so heavily edited for a desired outcome, viewers don't get the truest measure of who we are. And who knows? You may one day meet us."
M. Reynolds

From Greg to Marcellas: 1. Please don't throw a drink in my face next time we meet. 2. I'm sure you are a far more pleasant person than what was portrayed on television. 3. I feel terrible that you were edited so poorly. 4. Thanks for buying the raffle ticket!

To my readers: I sure hope I never run into Donald Trump!

hmmmmmm.
Janice Scott-Blanton, the author of "My Husband Is on the Down Low and I Know About It," filed a $250 million lawsuit claiming copyright infringement against Universal and the studios that financed and distributed "Brokeback Mountain," reports BlackNews.com.
Scott-Blanton claims there are over 50 substantial similarities between her novel and the Academy Award-winning film. An early bar scene in the movie reminded Scott-Blanton of a scene from her novel, but she chalked it up to coincidence until further scenes, including the first sexual encounter between Jack and Ennis, reminded her of her novel.  

In "Brokeback Mountain" Alma(Michelle Williams) confronts her husband Ennis (Heath Ledger) about his homosexual activity during Thanksgiving dinner and tells him she purposely wrote a note and put it on his fishing line for him but he never found it. According to Scott-Blanton, this scene is strikingly similar to a scene in her novel wherein her character Annette confronts her husband James about his homosexuality on their ninth anniversary. James tells her he wrote a confession in his journal purposely, knowing she was secretly reading it. Both scenes are set in a kitchen.
Scott-Blanton will argue in court that the film is strikingly similar to her novel in terms of characters, plot, themes, and sequence of events.

It's kind of surreal watching "Grey's Anatomy" now with all that has gone on off-screen due to Isaiah Washington's behavior and use of a gay slur toward T.R. Knight. But the facts are this: it's still one of the best shows on television and one of the most popular: ABC won the night Thursday in the 18-49 demo with a 5.3 rating/4.6 share thanks to a new "Grey's Anatomy," which averaged an 8.8/21 to win its 8-9 time period, and beat  "CSI" with an episode that featured two marriage proposals.Ironically, those two proposals came from the characters portrayed by Washington and Knight to their respective love interests on the show played by Sandra Oh and Sara Ramirez.

The episode saw George (Knight) mourn his father's death by embracing life — first by indulging in nonstop sex with Callie (Ramirez), then by sharing his feelings with her more honestly than ever before. "Every time I look at you, I feel better," he told her. Then came the kicker: "Marry me?"

George also shared a lovely scene with Izzie (Katherine Heigl, the only cast member to publicly rebuke Washington at the golden Globes and stand up for Knight) in which she realized George no longer needs her. "I have to let you go," she told him.
Also Thursday, when Cristina (Oh) discovered that a marathoner nearly died because he was so focused on winning, she abandoned her stalemate with Burke (Washington). "I'm in this for the long haul," she told him. Apparently, so is he: "Marry me," he replied.
Perhaps a wedding will take place after Washington gets out rehab for his issues, or "gayhab" as some have called it. It certainly looks as if he will not be fired from the show, not with ratings up, no sponsors pulling out, and the cast still doing stellar work.

My friend Henry predicted this result. Roger Federer captured his 10th Grand Slam singles title without dropping a set, finishing a dominating run through the Australian Open by beating Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4 in Sunday's final. Before the tournament began. I thought American Andy Roddick had the edge since he seemed hungry and maybe Federer was due to lose.
WRONG!
Federer improved his winning streak to a career-best 36 matches, became the first man in the Open era to twice win three straight majors and has won six of the last seven Grand Slam titles -- his only loss was in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal. It also was the first time that a champion went through a major without dropping a set since the 1980 French Open, when Bjorn Borg did it. The 25-year-old Federer now is within four of Pete Sampras' record 14 Grand Slam titles.
Congratulations to Roger Federer!!!

In the new issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine, the back page "The Final Cut" column by Mark Harris offers a very outspoken viewpoint of the entire "Grey's Anatomy" situation involving Isaiah Washington which he refers to as "the Official Entertainment Remorse Machine - the denial, then the half-baked small apology, then the more impressive, bigger, "I'm scared" apology with a side order of corporate rebuke, presumably followed by regret-soaked on-air interviews and a group hug."
"For get my skepicism, but I'm not a huge fan of apologies that come only after the evident threat to one's livelihood; I have difficulty believing that they spring spontaneously from a troubled soul...So at the risk of sounding uncharitable, let me hold off on accepting that apology for a moment...[and] mention a few regrets of my own:
- I'm sorry that the first time this happened, Shondra Rhimes, whose commitment to on-air diversity is evident, thought it was okay to write this off as a private affair rather than immediately let the offended fans of her show know how hateful she thought the epithet was.
- I'm sorry that T.R. Knight, the target of Washington's slur who came out following the incident, didn't have the instant, unqualified and loudly public support of every one of his colleagues.
- I'm sorry that ABC took half the TV season to remind itself that of it's corporate responsibility.
- I'm sorry that not a single sponsor of 'Grey's Anatomy' had the guts to speak up, even last week.
- I'm sorry that so many actors choose - and it is, whatever they tell themselves, a self-serving choice - to stay in the closet, since the more out actors there are, the less okay homophobia in entertainment becomes.
- I'm sorry that there aren't more gay characters on television: I don't want quotas or tokens, but I do think that shows like 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Lost' and 'Heroes,' which pride themselves on the variety of their ensembles, could expand their vision to better reflect their world, since series raning from 'The Office' to 'The Wire' have shown that it's not so hard.

On February 27, Elizabeth Taylor turns 75. For the last 20-plus years of that stupendously epic life, Miss Taylor has spent far more time raising money for and awareness about AIDS than making movies or getting married - two things that kept her quite busy during her first 55 years or so.
But hey, what movies! "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?" "Giant," "A Place in the Sun," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Suddenly Last Summer," "Raintree County," "Father of the Bride," "National Velvet," "Butterfield 8," "Taming of the Shew," and, of course, "Cleopatra." She won two Academy Awards (five nominations) and received a third Oscar for her humanitarian work in 1993.
And what husbands! Married eight times (egads), she took two trips to the alter with the love of her life, Richard Burton and was widowed by the other love of her life, Oscar-winning producer Mike Todd. She also married actor Michael Wilding, hotel heir Nicky Hilton, singer Eddie Fisher, Sen. John Warner. she gave up on the instituion after divorcing her last husband, Larry Fortensky, 12 years ago.
When AIDS began killing so many gay men, including her close friend and "Giant" co-star Rock Hudson, Taylor organized the first benefits for the disease and helped to found AMFAR. Always respectful of gay rights, she's been relentless in her advocacy and fundraising. I admire and appreciate Elizabeth Taylor greatly.
So in this current world of no-talent celebutantes featured on gossip mags week after week (yawn), how wonderful it is to have Interview magazine turn over virtually its entire February issue as a tribute to this wonderful actress and humanitarian.There are essays, many photos, words of love from fans and friends. Best of all, the issue includes a lengthy interview with Taylor conducted by the magazine's editor Ingrid Sischy. I wanted to share with you some of what she had to say about gay people and about her devotion to fighting AIDS in her own words:
"I didn't know what was going on with Rock, but I knew what was going on in the rest of the world. The artistic world seemed to be more devastatingly hit than other worlds, pehaps because there were more gay people there."
"If it weren't for homosexuals there would be no culture. We can trace that back thousands of years. So many of the great musisians, the great painters were homosexuals. Without their input it would be an entirely different, flat world. To see their heritage, what they had given to the world, desecrated with people saying, 'Oh, AIDS is probably what they deserve" or "It's probably God's way of weeding the dreadful people out," made me so irate. The idea that God would choose his children [to suffer] - his geniuses to whom he had given the talent to make it a different, more beautiful place for us mere mortals - made me so angry. I felt the unjustness of it, that nobody was doing anything, right here in the so-called center of our culture of motion pictures. It is pretty sad."
""The industry knew homosexuals were being hit hard, but instead of extending a loving hand and saying, 'You helped me get to where I am today, without you I wouldn't have made it," they turned their backs....I said, 'Who gives a goddamn about careers when the people, without whom we wouldn't have a career, are dying? People are suffering! "
"We wanted to make it known that you couldn't get it by touching someone, that it was alright to embrace, to kiss someone's face. It was not only okay, it was necessary - it was necessary for their lives. And for us, as human beings, it was necessary because we were becoming a race of animals with no hearts, no feelings."
She spoke up and used her clout when no one else of her fame would. And she keeps doing it, because people are still being infected by HIV every day, right here in L.A.

My copy of Instinct magazine arrived in the mail today and I found this little Q&A with Sean Maguire, who plays one of the gay characters on CBS' "The Class." I love how the show is having his character, Kyle, develop a closer friendship with Jason Ritter's character because they are very funny together. But this has resulted in far fewer scenes of Kyle and his hunky boyfriend Aaron (Cristian de la Fuente). Maguire decribes their on-screen relationship as 'showing that there are a lot of couples in relationships that don't have to be traditional male and female. They are guys who love each other and are in a nice, centered relationship."
Maguire, who is straight, says he and de la Fuente are close off-screen: "We get along great. He's a pilot and I'm training to fly. We play tennis together. We're almost like a real couple. We go out on man dates. We have a lot of common interests.
On how the show presents Kyle and Aaron's sexual relationship: "We're shooting the Valentine's Day episode and unfortunately Cristian's not in it. We have spoken affection, but it's down to the discretion of the producers. Hopefully, we'll see more of them together."
Well, let's HOPE so. I would hate tio see "The Class" become like "Desperate Housewives" and completely marginalize its gay characters.

Here are some pics of David Beckham unveiled earlier today that are part of a new Walt Disney campaign. Of course his tattoos are covered! Enjoy!

Was out in West Hollywood this afternoon having lunch, running errands then went to see "The Last King of Scotland" at the Sunset 5. Before I knew it, it was time for the Australian Open women's final between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. "Oh shit! I'm gonna miss it!" So, I duck into a bar on Santa Monica Boulevard called Trunks and a grumpy bartender let me change one of the television sets to ESPN. I wasn't there for long. Serena, whose ranking had actually dipped below 100 last year due to an injury-plagued year, beat the top-ranked Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. And she was wearing HUGE earings when she did it.
She dedicated this improbably victory to her late sister, Yetunde Price, who was tragically shot to death in Compton a few years back. So, Serena now seems top be back on the road to imortality. By winning her third Australian Open title, she now has eight "grand slam" titles in her collections (2 Wimbledons, 2 U.S. Opens and 1 French Open). She needs one more to match Monica Seles' haul then will only trial Billie Jean King (12), Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova (18 apiece), Steffi Graf (22) and Margaret Court (24).
Serena, who used to date director Brett Ratner, is a fun superstar because not only is she an awesome player, she also loves the limelight and has even done some acting on the side. And she makes no bones about how much she loves herself! Who can blame her?

I want to share this all with you. It's an essay written by GLAAD President Neil Guiliano for the "In Your Own Words" section of DavidMixner.com.

"Grey’s Anatomy, Mr. Washington, GLAAD and Me"
Someone called earlier this week after seeing me on CNN and asked if I had any idea a week ago that this situation with Isaiah Washington would become such a big story. I had to honestly answer: yes. I knew the minute I saw it.
Like many others, I could not believe what I heard when I tuned in to Access Hollywood on the day after the Golden Globe Awards.
Footage from the press room at the Golden Globes showed Washington, co-star of ABC's hit series Grey’s Anatomy, grabbing the microphone in response to a reporter's question about an on-set argument referencing castmate T.R. Knight last October. “No, I did not call T.R. a fa**ot," he said. "Never happened. Never happened.�
Like many others who saw the incident, my emotions went from shock to outrage in a nanosecond. To attempt to defend oneself using the same offensive word you had been accused of using in the first place is totally unacceptable and only makes matters worse.
Unlike others, as the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), it was important for me to move from rage to constructive engagement – requiring considerably more deliberate focus. Within minutes of seeing the clip and talking with my staff, both our immediate next steps and our longer-term objectives were clear. As the media advocacy and anti-defamation arm of the LGBT movement, GLAAD works to ensure fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media. Our responsibility to our mission and to the communities we serve was two-fold: to rise up, visibly challenge this incident in the media and create a national discussion about anti-gay slurs and bigotry, and to engage the individual responsible in our ongoing work to create public awareness and understanding about the destructive impact of anti-gay prejudice.

We initiated a high-profile media campaign to focus attention on this slur and the hurt it inflicts. We issued a statement condemning Washington's repeated use of the slur, demanded that he apologize, and requested an in-person meeting to discuss the situation. And we made it clear that an apology was necessary but not sufficient to repair the damage and Washington's relationship with our community. Washington would need to do more than stop being part of the problem; he had a responsibility to become an active part of the solution.
We also opened some backchannel communication with contacts close enough to the situation within the TV industry to have knowledge, and who could provide access to information that would otherwise be near impossible to obtain.
In the first few appearances and interviews following the release of our public statement, I reiterated our outrage and repeated my desire to meet with Washington face to face. Then, a week ago Thursday night, just 30 minutes prior to appearing live on the CNN Paula Zahn show while in the car on the way to the studio, we received word that Washington was about to release a statement apologizing and agreeing to meet with me. I read his statement on my blackberry as we pulled up to the Time Warner center in NYC. Clearly, the focus of the interview had just changed and I would need to refocus my messages as well.
On Monday, January 22, I sat down with Washington and GLSEN's Kevin Jennings in Los Angeles. Washington was genuine, apologized and said that the incidents are not what he is all about, not at all, and he didn’t know where that came from, but he was going to get help and find out because it was all so very wrong. He agreed to work with both organizations in the future to educate others to the hurt caused by anti-gay slurs and bigotry.
On Wednesday of this week, we learned that Isaiah has checked in to a behavioral center to deal with his issues. Sure, there is a PR effort underway of course, but from meeting with him, I believe his need for working through his issues is real and I am pleased he is getting the help he needs.
At the same time, it is important to note the strong bravery of T.R. Knight who has had to personally endure through this entire situation. Communication with him and his representatives indicates he is doing well and that is good to know.
The opinions about the entire affair are of a wide range with strong emotions. One thing we know: we must not soon forget this incident. There will be more media coverage of this unfortunate story, so GLAAD will stay engaged and continue the public education and awareness that will lead to changing hearts and minds.
But the story must evolve from that of one celebrity actor who greatly offended millions of people and his problems, to one of a society that needs to have an ongoing discussion about the use of anti-gay slurs and the anti-gay bigotry that still exists.
Yesterday on a lay-over while traveling from the west to east coast, a friend called to say his workplace lunchroom conversation was all about the incident, with people citing personal situations and examples of similar outbursts, now recognizing the real hurt, the denigrating and offensive nature, of such anti-gay language. He said people’s views changed, his peers had never had such a discussion.
It won’t make the front page or evening news, but that is the big story.

Here are the first pics I've been able to find of the forthcoming theatrical release "Shelter" which has Brad Rowe playing gay again for the first time since "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss." "Shelter" centers on Zach (Trevor Knight, pictured w/Rowe), in San Pedro, Calif. Zach gives up on his dream of art school in order to provide for his family. When his best friend's brother Shaun (Rowe) returns to town, Zach finds in him a friend and confidante. As Zach becomes increasingly attracted to Shaun, their casual surfing relationship turns into much more, setting off a chain of events forcing Zach to choose between continuing to put others first or fighting for what he wants for himself.
That's Rowe in the next shot below but I do not know who the bottom picture is of. But hey, he's in the movie so enjoy!

...for the eyes! Sunday's men's final (airing Saturday night in the US on ESPN) features world number one Roger Federer (pictured, above) against Fernando Gonzalez, the number 10-ranked player who has beaten top-ranked American James Blake, former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Lleyton Hewitt, reigning French Open champ Rafael Nadal, and German hunk Tommy Haas, among others, to make it to the title match.
Gonzalez (left) is a terrific player and very easy on the eyes. But so is Federer, who destroyed my pick, Andy Roddick, in the semifinals - just killed the kid. So here's what will happen Sunday: unless Federer gets hit by a truck, he will win the final in either three straight sets or, maybe, four sets. This will give him three Australian Open titles to add to his three-straight U.S. Open crowns and four-straight Wimbledon championships. That's 10 major titles overall. The all-time record is the 14 won by Pete Sampras. I think Federer is gonna blow right past that record in a few year's time. For context, such greats as Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl won eight major titles while John McEnroe won seven.
In closing, as much as i like Gonzalez, I was rooting for Tommy Haas to win their semifinal because, I'll admit it, he's so CUTE. So, I'll just post a little picture of Tommy here as a tribute to his strong tournament and wish him luck the rest of the season. Thumbs up Tommy!

Zach Braff is so adorable and is funnier than just about anyone in television each week on "Scrubs." The show seems to operate below the radar but it has done so for five seasons now. Braff first got my attention in "The Broken Hearts Club," a movie about a group of gay friends in West Hollywood.
The cast also included Dean Cain and Timothy Olyphant, the latter who Braff admits to having a "man crush" on. Who can blame him? The Advocate recently talked to Zach for its popular Big Gay Following feature and here are some highlights from an interview with a guy who's TV alter-ego married a gent in Vegas (granted, he was drunk), sang about his “guy love� for his buddy Christopher Turk (Donald Faison), and earned himself a Golden Globe nomination in the process.

Q. J.D.’s sexuality is often called into question on Scrubs. What’s the girliest thing about you?
I love Broadway musicals. My favorite has always been Les Misérables. But then I saw Idina Menzel sing in Wicked, A. and I almost cried, it was so beautiful. I get in the car sometimes and crank up a good musical.

Q. You and Donald’s character seem to be practically inseparable. Will they ever hook up?
A. I don’t think so. The funny thing about the Turk and J.D. thing is that there are so many guys who have these relationships with their best friends. [They] walk the line between hetero and homo and just dip their toes across it—you know what I mean? It’s not sexual, but they love each other as much as two guys can.

Q. So are you into the club scene?
A. Not really. I go out occasionally. But you never meet a girl you’re going to date for a long time at a club. I’ve realized the same thing about gay guys. I’m not Mr. Rage. I’ve been to Rage, by the way. I went for research—I know you’re laughing already; “research� for Broken Hearts Club. [Director] Greg Berlanti brought Dean Cain and me to the Abbey for drinks, and then we went to Rage. I’ll never forget this giant black guy who walked in. He looked like a bodyguard —must’ve been 6 foot 6, a huge, built guy. And he walked in, and I was like, Oh, my God, this guy’s in the wrong bar. He’s going to start a fight. I got all stressed-out. Once the guy made contact with his friends that he was meeting, he totally switched and went, “Hey, gir-r-rl!� It was just the ultimate articulation of you never know who’s gay and who’s not. It was actually a good lesson to learn.

Q. When it comes to homophobia, what bothers you the most?
A. Gay marriage is so obviously going to be something that’s going to happen eventually. These people who are against it are just wasting their time. I just think it’s preposterous that any two people who love each other can’t get married.

Q. How did you get to be so gay-friendly?
A. I grew up around gay people. I went to theater camp at a very young age, and a large percentage of the guys there were gay, both teachers and campers. I was surrounded by and loved people who were gay. It never really fazed me.

Q. If you were gay, what male celebrity would you have sex with?
A. I have a man-crush on Tim Olyphant [of Broken Hearts and Deadwood]. In fact, I saw him the other night, and I told him about my man-crush.

I know Ivana Trump was heartbroken when the Donald cheated on her then left her for another - much younger - woman (Marla Maples). But she rebounded beautifully ("Don't get maaaaad...get everything!") and is probably quite glad that she was with him before he got so completely gross in every way.
Here is her take on her ex's feud with Rosie O'Donnell which, thank God, appears to be pretty much over:
"Donald and Rosie, they're getting fantastic ratings, they're getting publicity, they're really using it as a marketing tool, not because they are enemies, and I understand that only too well. I was very diplomatic and at the end of the day, I said, 'You know, guys, just take the high road, it is so ridiculous.'"

p.s. Ivana, Rosie's ratings on "The View" are indeed fantastic but combover's on "The Apprentice," notsomuch.

Ellen DeGeneres turns 49 today!!! God bless ya!!! And thanks for being you...

Good thing I got to have a moment with Meryl Streep during the Golden Globe Awards last week because the greatest actress ever will be skipping Sunday's Screen Actor's Guild Awards where she is a nominee for best actress for "The Devil Wears Prada."
There are some who believe that Streep was so funny and gracious at the Globes where she won for best actress in a comedy that she may have enhanced her chances of winning the Oscar. Helen Mirren remains the heavy favorite and will likely win Sunday too but wouldn't that be cool?
So here's why Meryl will be missing the SAG Awards: she will be co-hosting, with Al Gore, the 10th annual benefit for Harvard Medical School∂s Center for Health and the Global Environment. She and the former veep will present the center's Global Citizen award to Prince Charles "for his outstanding commitment to sound environmental stewardship."
The event was planned a year ago, and Meryl felt she couldn't renege on her commitment in spite her nomination. "I am honored to be nominated and wish I could be there to celebrate with my fellow SAG members," she said in a statement Thursday.
We wish you could be too!

I am so glad I'm covering the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday. And here is the biggest reason: It was just announced that the cast of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," an old sitcom that I worship in the same way as I do "I Love Lucy," "Designing Women" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show," will be reunitng that night to present.
In addition to seven-time Emmy winner Moore, also present will be: former SAG President Ed Asner (Lou Grant) who has won six Emmys; Cloris Leachman, an Oscar winner, 8-time Emmy winner and 2007 SAG Award nominee for "Mrs. Harris"; four-time Emmy winner Valerie Harper ("Rhoda"), six-time Emmy winner Betty White (Sue Ann Nivens); and two performers who never won an Emmy but were crucial to the show: Gavin MacLeod (Murray Slauter) who went on to become captain on "The Love Boat" and Georgia Engel (Gorgette) who most recently had a recurring role on "Everybody Love Raymond." Ted Knight, who played anchorman Ted Baxter, has passed away.

They will present, of course, outstanding performance by an ensemble. Whoever wins, I hope they will look at the DVD sets of the show's first four seasons and see what chemistry is all about. I think the show was also one of the first to have a gay storyline- even if it was for just one episode. Phyllis is horrified that her brother seems to be dating her arch-rival Rhoda until at the end of the episode Rhoda tells her that they are not dating because "he's gay!"
Great stuff! Other favotite episodes include when perfect Mary was having a REALLY bad day and everything went wrong from catching a cold to having a weird hair bump. Then, of course, the best of all - ever: "Chuckles Bites the Dust."

I swear this is not an excuse just to post a few beefcake pictures of the hunky, funny and talented Ryan Reynolds. This is legitimate news and I resent the suggestion that I am being shallow. Ha! Anyway, here is the news about this big gay favorite: Reynolds was forced to undergo plastic surgery after badly gashing his face in a bathroom fall. The actor, in the middle of shooting a new movie in New York, passed out at home and woke up in a pool of blood.
Reynolds says, “I fainted for the first time in my life. I don’t know what happened. I was walking through the bathroom in my house, I went down, I smashed my head open, blood poured everywhere, and then I got plastic surgery to fix it. I’m an actor, we’re supposed to (get it) anyway… I’m having trouble breathing out of one of my nipples, so I’m gonna get my boobs done next.�
He's as funny as he is cute!

We reported a few days ago (why am I refering to myself as "we"?) that former "Survivor" castaway J.P. Calderon would be coming out on "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" show. By coming out as a day man, Calderon landed on the cover of the current issue of "Instinct" magazine.
I'm happy for him, really. But when average looking people come out, the only covers they get are blankets!

Just saw this on the Planet Gossip site which is part of E! Online: Don't look for Isaiah Washington to be appearing on Entourage anytime soon—at least not in scenes with Rex Lee, the openly gay actor who plays Lloyd on the hit HBO show.
"Just the fact that Isaiah would use that word, I don't think it's classy," Lee told Planet Gossip's Matt Donnelly last night at the Grey Goose La Poire party at L.A.'s Entourage house. "I think he's an asshole."
Even though his character is the target of many antigay slurs on the show, Lee assures us that Jeremy Piven & Co. are nothing like that in real life: "I think they're pretty classy guys."

Post_Donald Trump feud, you'd think that maybe Rosie might lie low for a bit, catch her breath. No chance! I was working from home this morning and had "The View" on and paused to watch hot topics. And during a discussion of last night's State of the Union address, Rosie went there: she called for the impeachment of President Bush!
"We've given you [Bush] 4 years and 3,000 American lives, enough sir."
"You know what I think the Congress should do, and I'm sure this will make me in some sort of celebrity feud or AOL poll, but someone, I believe, should call for the impeachment of George W. Bush, to let the world know."
Rosie went on to say, "I think we should do it so the world knows that the nation is not standing behind this President, these choices. That the nation, a democracy, feels differently than the man who is leading as if it were a dictatorship. And that "we" represent this country, he does not lead as a monarch."
Whether the call to impeach holds any water Rosie says it should be done anyway. "Even if he doesn't get impeached that we should call on it to tell the world that we are against his policy."
Elisabeth Hasselbeck was actually quite calm in her reaction and simply said: "It could be dangerous when you're in the middle of a war to call for the impeachment of your leader. You have to think about the long term affects."
Rosie responded by saying: "I'm saying that someone should stand up and say, when democracy was dying, I Senator said I am against this. To call for impeachment is a political statement from the people they represent. Is there some Senator brave enough to stand up and say it?"
I think Barbara Walters aged about 10 years during that segment alone.

I share with the back-and-forth that took place on today's edition of CNN's "The Situation Room" between host Wolf Blitzer and Dick Cheney involving the vice president's daughter, Mary, who is pregnant and in a commited relationship with a woman:

Q We're out of time, but a couple of issues I want to raise with you. Your daughter Mary, she's pregnant. All of us are happy. She's going to have a baby. You're going to have another grandchild. Some of the -- some critics, though, are suggesting, for example, a statement from someone representing Focus on the Family:

"Mary Cheney's pregnancy raises the question of what's best for children. Just because it's possible to conceive a child outside of the relationship of a married mother and father, doesn't mean it's best for the child."

Do you want to respond to that?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, I don't.

Q She's obviously a good daughter --

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I'm delighted -- I'm delighted I'm about to have a sixth grandchild, Wolf, and obviously think the world of both of my daughters and all of my grandchildren. And I think, frankly, you're out of line with that question.

Q I think all of us appreciate --

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I think you're out of -- I think you're out of line with that question.

Q -- your daughter. We like your daughters. Believe me, I'm very, very sympathetic to Liz and to Mary. I like them both. That was just a question that's come up and it's a responsible, fair question.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I just fundamentally disagree with your perspective.

I will again be a guest on Now in LA's Marty Keegan's "Hollywood Babble On" show a 1p.m. or so THURSDAY, JAN. 25. Marty will be live from the Sundance Film Festival and we will bve talking about this week's Academy Award nominations, the Isaiah Washington controversy and whatever topics come up. It's been really fun participating in this and I hope some of you will tune in. You can even email comments and questions as we chat. Here is the link for you to listen in: : http://www.nowinla.com/

We knew they were close, but now Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox Arquette are going to become REALLY CLOSE - on the screen anyway. The real-life best friends and longtime costars on "Friends" will share a kiss (and seemingly more) on the season finale of Cox's FX series "Dirt." According to TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello, the pals will play arch-enemy magazine editors. It will be Aniston's first television role since "Freiends" wrapped its 10 season run a few years ago.

For those of you closely following the "Grey's Anatomy" situation involving Isaiah Washington's use of the word "faggot" toward fellow cast member T.R. Knight, it appears that ABC is giving the actor the opportunity to work on his issues and enter counseling. I imagine it is to deal with anger issues. Many already consider this to be a face-saving and job-saving measure and question the sincereity of it all. At any rate, these are the latest statements released around lunchtime:

STATEMENT FROM Isaiah Washington:
“With the support of my family and friends, I have begun counseling. I regard this as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again. I appreciate the fact that I have been given this opportunity and I remain committed to transforming my negative actions into positive results, personally and professionally.�

The wonderfully snarky site Defamer.com is referring to the treatment as "going to gayhab."

Statement from Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of Grey's Anatomy:
"I speak for all the executive producers here at Grey's Anatomy when I say that Isaiah Washington's use of such a disturbing word was a shocking and dismaying event that insulted not only gays and lesbians everywhere but anyone who has ever struggled for respect in a world that is not always accepting of difference.
We’ve been working within the Grey’s family as well as with ABC and Touchstone Television to address the issue in a way that underscores the gravity of the situation while giving us all a foundation for healing. We applaud and encourage Isaiah's realization that he needs help and his subsequent choice to seek immediate treatment for his behavioral issues.
We appreciate the support the fans have always given our show, particularly during this stressful time. Creatively, we continue to strive to make the best television we can with the hope that our show reflects the talent, hard work and professionalism of our cast and crew. "

AfterElton.com editor Michael Jensen, who has done some stellar reporting and commentary on this situation, weighed in with this comment today: "Hmm, I guess Ms. Rhimes was so shocked and dismayed she wasn’t able to speak for months on end. Well, she was able to speak up if it was to imply the media were making things up (hi, Shonda!) or to decry the idea that Washington could simply be replaced with another black actor (definitely an offensive notion). So what do you think of Ms. Rhimes’ statement? Too little, too late? Or thanks, let’s move on now?
BTW, anyone else think the troops in Iraq have a better chance of coming home before the Superbowl than Isaiah does of losing his job now?"

This is shocking news. Doug Blasdell, a trainer on Bravo's reality series "Work Out," died over the weekend after an abrupt hospitalization. He was just 44 and was openly gay on the show.
"All of us at Bravo are deeply saddened by the terrible news of Doug Blasdell’s untimely passing," the network said in a statement. "He was an inspiring trainer, an exuberant colleague who made the gym a very fun place each and every day and was extraordinarily warm in all aspects of his life. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his many friends and colleagues at this very difficult time."
In July, AfterElton.com had a nice interview with Bladsell and I love this quote most of all: "It's a beautiful thing because it really focuses on being gay and the gay community in general. The people they picked represent our community very well. I mean, there's drama, of course. There is in any community. But the three of us give different examples of what it is to be gay. And none of it is negative."

OK, so he's not THE favorite to win but after posting my shameless gallery of hot tennis players now in the Australian Open semifinals, I checked out Andy Towle's blog (Towleroad.com) and darn it if he didn't have this beautiful "Sportrait" posted on his sight. i thought it would be a terrible thing not to share it with the readers of "Out In Hollywood."
G-day!

Bye-bye Rafael.
It's been fun posting pics of ya after each of your wins Down Under. But Chilean Fernando Gonzalez shattered Spanish hearthrob Rafael Nadal's Australian Open dreams with a dazzling 6-2 6-4 6-3 victory on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam for the first time.
As a man who loves tennis as well as handsome athletes, all is not lost. The four players remaining in the field are all certifiably hot! Gonzalez (pictured below, left), who I watched beat Marat Safin at the UCLA tourney last summer, is pretty easy on the eyes and an exceptional player.

Then there is Germany's Tommy Haas (pictured above, right) who is as talented as he is good looking. Gonzalez and Haas square off in one semifinal while the other features a coupla good lookin guys you may have heard of: world number one Roger Federer and American Andy Roddick.

I pick Roddick to win the whole thing because it just feels like this is his opportunity to step up. But Federer, already one of the all-time greats, could easily walk off with his 10th grand slam title on Sunday.
As for the women: GO SERENA!!!

Wow! I did niot see this coming at all. For fans of "Noah's Arc," Logo's flagship series about four African-American gay friends in Los Angeles, we have been waiting for word on the show's third season and things seemed to be up in the air. Even cast members had no idea.
This morning comes word that "Noah's Arc" will be made into a theatrical film set for release in 2008! It will be Logo's first big-screen effort.Currently in development, the film is expected to pick up after the show’s second season cliffhanger finale and will leave the door open for sequels, additional television seasons and specials.
Brian Graden, the openly gay president of Logo says: “Noah’s Arc has one of the most intensely loyal fan bases in television and we’re thrilled to harness the power of film to let Patrik-Ian Polk continue the story he has so skillfully woven. “Noah’s Arc" has so many dimensions and possibilities, so advancing to the feature film format is an exciting way to motivate our loyal fans and engage an even wider audience.�
"Noah’s Arc" premiered on Logo in October 2005, just months after the launch of the network and season two premiered in August 2006.  The show follows the lives and loves of four African-American gay men looking for love and signs of intelligent life in Los Angeles: Noah (Darryl Stephens), Chance (Doug Spearman), Alex (Rodney Chester) and Ricky (Christian Vincent).
Says Polk. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this little independent show in movie theatres!  Hats off to MTV Networks and Logo for believing in us enough to take Noah to that next level.�

Personally, I.Can't. Wait.

 

Brad Garrett, who won a few Emmys on "Everybody Loves Raymoind," was funny on that show but any time he opens his mouth and utters words not in the script, he makes a big jackass of himself. Here is his take on the Isaiah Washington gay slur controversy: "Should he be fired? for saying that word? Isaiah's got to come on my show. We open table reads with words like this."
Then, Herman Munster added: "Everything has gotten incredibly, ridiculously PC."
Thanks Herman, now go find Lily and scare some kids in the neighborhood.

And then there's the no-talent, big-mouthed, overly-plumped-lipped Rivers who has somehow managed to cash in on her mom's talent and fame for what seems like 20 years now. She's not funny, she's not smart, and she's not the least bit authentic. Anyway, she was asked her opinion and said: I believe in sensitivity and political correctness. On the other hand, I think we've gotten way too sensitive. I hate to see such a great cast...have to go through this."
Good God, I'm glad no one asked either of these geniuses about global warming or the war in Iraq. Can you imagine their answers?

I was quite pleased to see "Happy Feet" in the mix for best animated movie when Oscar nominations were announced this morning. I had just seen it Saturday afternoon in Huntington Beach when I took my niece and nephew to the movies (I love being uncle Greg). I knew the kids would love it but I didn't expect that I would love it just as much - but for different reasons....
The movie about a dancing penguin made to feel like an outcast would, of course, strike a cord with a gay man or anyone who spent their childhood on the outside looking in. The penguin loves to tap dance, despite everyone's condemnation of it, but at one point he tells his father: "Don't ask me to change dad. I don't want to."
I got to talk to the movie's director, George Miller, this morning as part of my Oscar coverage and I told him how moved I was by his movie.
“Stories or fables like ‘Happy Feet’ mean different things to different people,� he told me. “The central idea for me was: ‘It’s OK to be different. It’s a big thing I wanted to tell my kids. To not bend over backward to confirm to your peer group. Be your own person.�
I told him that I interpreted the message of tolerance as something that applied to my life as a gay man.
“That's fanstastic!": he said. "At one of the screenings, a guy in the media was gay and brought a date but they weren't a couple. When Mumble said that line ("Don't ask me to change...I don't want to"), they started holding hands. It's reasons like that why you are a storyteller."

He's now an Academy Award nominee and that is no small thing. Mark Wahlberg has become a bigger movie star each year over the past decade with such hits as "Boogie Nights" and "The Italian Job" and now in "The Departed" which earned him a best supporting actor nod today. His competition is Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine"), Jackie Earle Haley ("Little Children"), Djimon Hounsou ("Blood Diamond" and front-runner Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls"). So, I have a lot of respect for his transformation. But hey, let's get real. Don't ya kinda miss the underwear ads?

I dragged myself to Beverly Hills this morning to cover the Academy Award nominations and have a story posted for the Daily News online site by 7 a.m. I will be updating it throughout the morning but click HERE to read it. I've also been blogging on On the Red Carpet. But had to switch over to Out in Hollywood to really dish with you guys.
I'm pretty stunned that "Dreamgirls" was not nominated for best picture despite eight other nods. Also left off the list was openly gay director Bill Condon. Ouch! But Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy did get nominated as did three songs from the film.
And then there is my Meryl, the lovely Miss Streep. The legend, the goddess. (OK, I'll stop) Streep, who already held the record for most nominations in history with 13, earned her 14th today for the delicious "The Devil Wears Prada."
The fabulous "Little Miss Sunshine" got a best picture nomination and Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin were nominated in the supporting categories. Happy about that. Steve Carel, who played the gay uncle in the film, did not get a nomination.
Then there is Judi Dench's crazed lesbian role in "Notes on a Scandal." I gotta see it this weekend. It looks great.
OK, back to writing for the other blog. Will have more for you later.

This just in.
Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) today met with Grey's Anatomy co-star Isaiah Washington in Los Angeles. The three discussed Washington's uses of an anti-gay slur and laid the groundwork for an ongoing partnership to combat the prejudice and intolerance faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
At the beginning of the meeting – which came on the first day of GLSEN's annual No Name-Calling Week – Washington candidly acknowledged the harm he had caused by his repeated use of the epithet.
"Isaiah understands that he is going to be judged by more than just his apology," Giuliano said. "He knows that his future actions – including the genuine first step that today's meeting represents – will demonstrate his sincerity in becoming part of the solution to anti-gay bigotry. We welcome the opportunity to work with him in the coming months to help improve the cultural climate faced by LGBT people across this country."
Said Jennings: "GLSEN is thankful to ABC for arranging the meeting and hopeful that Isaiah Washington has come to a deeper understanding of the power of words, especially as we launch No Name-Calling Week in schools across the country," Jennings said. "As a parent himself, Isaiah Washington seemed to particularly appreciate the impact these words have on young people in schools and expressed an interest in becoming an ally in GLSEN 's effort to educate young people about the negative impact of name-calling and bullying."

GLAAD and GLSEN expect to meet with Washington again in the coming weeks to begin discussing and implementing possible public education initiatives.

- No word from Washington's new publicists or ABC.

Groan. I'll be at the Academy theater in Beverly Hills at 5 a.m. tomorrow to cover the Oscar nominations. But they do have a nice breakfast for you which is something at least! It's gonna be a crazy morning as I take calls from nominees, write a story for the Daily News and blog incrementally on On The Red Carpet. So click on the Red Carpet blog startiong about 7 a.m. for some Oscar blogging and if there are tons of typos it is because I am half asleep!
Have a good night all...I'm gonna call it a day and try and get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs.

ABC remains mum on Isaiah Washington's future on "Grey's Anatomy" but the actor is wasting no time in trying to turn-around his current public relations nightmare. He was scheduled to meet with Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network in Los Angeles this afternoon to discuss ways he can team with GLSEN to ensure America's youth understand the power of anti-gay slurs like the one Washington recently used to refer to fellow Grey's star T.R. Knight.

Washington was set to meet with GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings on what marks the beginning of GLSEN's No Name-Calling Week in schools nationwide.

GLSEN says it commends ABC and Washington for recognizing the harm of Washington's use of the word ''faggot'' and reaching out to GLSEN to turn an unfortunate situation into an opportunity to open a dialogue with America's youth. According to GLSEN's 2005 National School Climate Survey, 75 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students reported hearing derogatory remarks such as ''faggot'' or ''dyke'' frequently or often in school.

''We are encouraged by the apparent sincerity of Isaiah Washington's apology and his recognition of the power of a word that, like so many others, has no place in our society,'' says Jennings. ''We would like to thank Isaiah and ABC for reaching out to GLSEN in what hopefully will be an important step in the healing process for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and all those who were offended by the remarks.''

Next tour stop: a meeting this week with GLAAD.

Let you know about the GLAAD Media Awards movie and television nominees last night but wanted to mention a few other honors and nominations. First of all, I am so excited to see nominated in the best documentary category "Bille Jean King: Portrait of a Champion" which I reviewed for the blog back in July. It was such a superb show and allowed new generations to get to know this sports pioneer and appreciate all she has done for society. The HBO King doc is up against HBO's "All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise," BBC's "My Mums Used to be Men," Sundance Channel's "One Punk Under God," and IFC Films' "This Film is Not Yet Rated."
I'm rooting for Billie Jean who I've had the pleasure of interviewing several times on the phone and who I finally met last November at a charity event in Orange County (we are pictured at right). One thing about Billie Jean King: of all the famous people I have met over the years and greatly admired, she is one of the very few who was not a letdown. She was exactly what you'd hoped she'd be. She's in the moment, interested in you and in what is happening in the world. She is a very rare human and if you can catch the HBO documentary, you will see what I am talking about.
Billie Jean was once the doubles partner and later the coach of another tennis icon, Martina Navratilova who will be presented with GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the Los Angeles ceremony in April. Martina, who came out in the last 70s as a lesbian, is an outspoken gay rights activist in addition to being a remarkable athlete who was able to win the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship last September a month shy of her 50th birthday. In all, she won 167 singles titles (including nine at Wimbledon) and 178 doubles titles. Martina is the creator of the Rainbow Card, a credit card that allows users to donate to the LGBT community just by using the card.

Today marks a full week since "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington reignited a firestorm at the Golden Globe awards by inexplicibly grabbing a microphone backstage to announce to the press that "I never called T.R. (Knight0 a faggot." Knight went on Ellen DeGeneres' show two days later to say that, yeah, he did. Finally Thursday, ABC publicly scolded the actor and within hours, he had issued a lengthy apology and is scheduled to meet with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
On Friday, Washington hired a pair of publicists known for handling stars involved in crisis situations. But the actor's future remains up in the air as calls for his firing grow louder still.
The New York Times today published its first in-depth story on the controversy in today's paper with not much new information from my story in last Friday's LA Daily News. The NY Times, however, does quote an unnamed ABC executive who said that Washington's behavior "could be grounds for dismissal under [ABC parent company] Disney's corporate anti-discrimination policy." The Los Angeles Times also published its first significant piece on the situation deep in Saturday's Calendar section.

Meanwhile, "Grey's Anatomy" took home the best TV drama prize Saturday night at the Producers Guild of America Awards in Los Angeles. According to a report in today's edition of USA Today, show creator Shonda Rhimes, who has never been publicly critical of Washington's behavior, kept a low profile by skipping the red carpet and not posing for pictures backstage with her award. She told USA Today reporter William Keck: "I'm just here supporting my fellow producers on the show."
Patrick Dempsey, who scuffled with Washington on the set back in October over the incident, was on hand as a presenter at the PGAs but steered clear of the press.

Stay tuned!

At last. If you didn't see "Shock To The System: A Donald Strachey Mystery" in theaters or on here! TV, it is set to be released on DVD February 13.
"Out In Hollywood" 2006 Man of the Year Chad Allen stars with Morgan Fairchild and others in the second installment of the gay detective series. This installment focuses on a case that takes the gay detective (with a really handsome and smart bobyfriend, into the world of gay conversion therapy and gives us a chance to see deeper into Strachey's past. Special features include a touching documentary where Chad Allen, Judy Shepard and others participate in Soulforce's non-violent march protesting anti-gay group Focus on the Family in Colorado.

"Little Miss Sunshine" beat back Golden Globe winners "Dreamgirls" and "Babel" as well as fellow nominees "The Queen" and "The Departed" for its biggest win of award season Saturday at the 18th Annual Producers Guild of America Awards in Los Angeles.
To date, PGA Best Film winners, including "Titanic," "Schindler's List" and "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King", have gone on to claim Best Picture at the Oscars 11 out of 17 times.
But last year's PGA win for "Brokeback Mountain" meant nothing when "Crash" went on to take the best picture Oscar.

J.P. Calderon, star of "Survivor: Cook Islands," comes out to Instinct Magazine in an exclusive interview that lands him the cover of the publication’s February swimsuit issue. The interview with Instinct Editor In Chief Mike Wood took place as "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" crew followed the two of them around the set of the cover shoot. The first half of the two-part episode airs on Oxygen this Wednesday, at 10 p.m.

“It’s not every day somebody gets slapped in the face with a major magazine like Instinct, Janice Dickinson, her TV show,� says Calderon in the interview. “I think I’m just supposed to do this!� J.P. has now signed with Janice Dickinson’s agency. “It wasn’t until last year when my dad died that I did Survivor, I said yes to Janice Dickinson, to [Instinct]. I’m coming out and I’m living.�

Calderon (pictured above with openly-gay Survivor castmate Brad Virata) is a former Long Beach State men’s volleyball player (1997-98), and after graduating in 2000, served as assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team for five years and most recently head trainer for the all-girls Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball Club. He also has worked as a bartender at the Long Beach gay bar, The Silver Fox.

Well, well. Look who won another match at the Australian Open earlier today: Spain's hunky Rafael Nadal! Tennis hasn't had this sexy a player since the days of Patrick Rafter. But like Rafter, Nadal is also a champion and he survived a relentless challenge from Britain's Andy Murray, rallying twice from a set down to advance to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Murray's withering serve, winners from the baseline and crisp volleys repeatedly had Nadal off-balance. But the super-fit Spaniard had more left at the end of the four-hour match than the slender, 19-year-old Murray, winning 6-7 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
"It was very, very, very tough," Nadal said. "He is playing at an unbelievable level. All the time I was trying my best, trying to fight for every point. I needed one match like this against a big player."

I loved tonight's episode of "Brothers & Sisters," loved it.
It was Nora Walker's 60th birthday on tonight's episode of "Brothers & Sisters." And Nora, of course, is played by 60-year-old Sally Field who really shined tonight as the mother of the Walker clan and as the daugher of her very difficult mother, Ida (guest star Marion Ross). The birthday party was an utter disaster which made it all the more delicious to watch.
Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) who is catering gets the flu, Ida ruins the surprise by arriving early and telling Nora, "I'm here for your birthday party tonight," they have to hide all the booze in the closet because Justin (David Annabelle) is out of rehab for the day for the party, the wrong party package was ordered so there is a ridiculous Medieval theme and the state police are there because Kitty (Calista Flockhart) has invited the gorgeous Sen. McAllister (the gorgeous Rob Lowe). Then there is the sex tape of Sarah and her hubby that accidentally gets edited into Nora's birthday tribute. It happened in a perfectly plausible way. The sibling interactions and other family dynamics were so right on:
"Kitty's not doing anything for this party!" Kevin (Matthew Rhys) shouts into the phone at one point during the planning.

Ida to Kevin at the party: "Why are you still a bachelor? You just haven't found the right girl yet."
Later, Ida to Kevin: "You can't be gay! Justin maybe. But you? No!"
Kevin to siblings about grandma Ida: "She's nice to us but around mom she's Joan Crawford."
Kitty to Kevin: "You put the wine in the closet? Is your little boyfriend in there too?"
Senator McAllister says of the party: 'It was like dinner theater."
Lowe is becoming a nice part of the ensemble and I think what really made him click for me in this episode was that it was his first interaction with the Walker family. Since he's a Republican, the very liberal Nora is prepared to hate him but she ends up charmed by the man. Kevin, assuming the senator is homophobic introduces himself by saying, "I'm Kevin, the gay brother."

It was great. If you missed it, go to ABC.com and see in online for free for gosh sakes.

Oh! The gay moments. almost forgot. Ha! Kevin is still carrying on with closet case soap star Chad (Jason Lewis) and both of their scenes take place in Kevin's bedroom! Calm down, it was kind of a post-sex scene where chad is getting dressed (we see his abs for a sec) and, I believe it's the first time we see Kevin shirtless. It's a nice thing. Kevin looks very good shirtless. And while there is no big makeout scene, there are two nice soft kisses on the lips that were almost convincing. Kevin, after overhearing Chad tell someone who calls him that "I'm just at some friend's house, I'd love to shoot some hoops later." Kevin tells him that HE'S the one who is used to having the intimacy issues and letting people down. He's not so crazy about being on the receiving end of someone with issues.
The next episode of "Brothers & Sisters" doesn't come until Feb. 11 and it marks the return of the adorable Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) who runs into Kevin and Chad and Chad's girlfriend at a club. Here is a sneak peak:

In the GLAAD Media Awards television categories, announced Sunday evening from the Sundance film Festival, broadcast networks unexpectedly outpaced cable networks 18 nominations to 12. Such "Out In Hollywood" favorites as "Brothers & Sisters" and "Ugly Betty" getting nods as well as an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,� currently embroiled in controversy over an anti-gay slur said by cast member Isaiah Washington about openly-gay castmate T.R. Knight. So caught up are we in the off-screen drama in recent weeks, it's easy to forget that "Grey's" is really a terrific show!

Here are the nominees in the major categories:
Competing for best drama series overall were shows that all had prominent continuing gay storylines: “Brothers & Sisters,� “The L Word,� “Hex,� “The Sopranos,� and “South of Nowhere.�

“Grey’s� was nominated in the category of individual episode of a show without a regular gay character. It competes with episodes of “30 Rock,� “Cold Case,� “American Dad!� and “How I Met Your Mother.� The "Grey's" episode was the one that had all of the doctors going fishing together and on the trip were the gay bartender from the hospital watering hole and his boyfriend. The "Mother" episode guest-starred Wayne Brady as the gay brother of Neil Patrick Harris' straight character, Barney.

The shows up for outstanding comedy series are “Desperate Housewives,� “The Office,� “So NoTORIous,� and “Ugly Betty.� I dunno about "Housewives" which has relegated gay teen Andrew Van De Camp to glorified extra which seems so inexplicable and has lessened my enthusiasm for the show a full notch.

Outstanding reality program nominees all had gay participants or regulars so that would mean "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" gets a nod as well as "Project Runway" and "Work Out." Rounding out the category are CBS stalwarts "Big Brother: All Stars" *For Marcellas' particpation or Howie's?) and "The Amazing Race 10."

“These bold projects, images and voices have once again raised the bar for excellence in media representations of our lives,� says GLAAD President Neil Giuliano. “As we continue to fight against forces that threaten our progress toward equality, it’s gratifying to be able to celebrate the creative accomplishments of those who are committed to sharing the truth of our lives and our stories.�

The GLAAD awards honor mainstream media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. They will be broadcast on Logo, MTV Networks’ cable channel dedicated to gay programming, on April 21.

To see a YouTube video of the announcement with clips from nominees, click HERE.

GLAAD has just announced the nominees for its annual media awards and plenty of "Out In Hollywood" faves are among those that received nods

“Quinceanera� is among the outstanding film nominees that had limited release. The others are “The History Boys,� “Imagine Me & You,� “Shortbus� and “Summer Storm.�.
My pick? "Quinceanera"

"Little Miss Sunshine," “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,� "The Night Listener," “Running With Scissors� and “V for Vendetta� will compete for best wide release film.
My pick: "Little Miss Sunshine"

GLAAD announced the nominations Sunday evening at the Sundance Film Festival where “Quinceanera� won both the audience award and grand jury prize a year ago.

The winners will be announced in April!

With all the hoopla surrounding "Dreamgirls" (the film finished in third place over the weekend with $8.7 million and $78.1 million to date), it's curious that Diana Ross, the woman whose life and career the film is loosely based on told David Letterman a few days ago that she hasn't even seen the film yet. Actually, she should go ahead because Beyonce basically channels her in the musical performances and the character of Deena comes off far better than Ross has in books and Mary Wilson interviews about her time as lead singer of the Supremes.
I was a major fan of Ross for decades but have felt a little more cool toward her as she has come off as somewhat imperious in interviews and certainly was when I met her in the fall of 2005 at the DVD party for "Lady Sings the Blues."
But here's the thing: she's now 62 (looks amazing!) and she's not gonna change. And after listening to her new CD this morning, I realized that it doesn't really matter if she's an imperious diva: the biggest reason I loved Diana Ross is because I have ALWAYS loved the way she sings and the unique sound of her lovely voice. It's a voice that has been recording for more than 40 years now and it has held up remarkably well.
"I Love You" is Ross' first CD of new material since 1999 and it's so good to have her back with 14 new recordings. Some of the songs are covers and are terrific: with "More Today Than Yesterday" and "What About Love" being my favorites and "Take My Breath Away," "Always and Forver," and "You Are So Beautiful" also solid efforts. My favorite songs on this disc are "I Will" which I think is her best song in decades, and "To Be Loved" which is a glorious recording. I'm not sure if it is an old song recorded by someone else but Ross makes it her own.
So welcome back Miss Ross. I have missed your talent.

Happy Saturday. I'm off today but I've updated all of the categories on the blog so if you are a newer reader of "Out in Hollywood," check out what you've missed! Also, my blogroll has been updated and I've added some of my favorite sites like "Telly Nelly" (it is, a hoot!) and "Beantown Cuban" (great energy!) so check those out too!
Meanwhile, I continue my shameless Rafael Nadal fixation and post another picture of the Spanish hunk. He won his third-round match earlier today at the Australian Open 6-2 6-2 6-2 over Stanislas Wawrinka. I think Nadal is the sexiest most charismatic male player to come along in a long time and he has energized this sport that I so love. He is also a terrific contrast the the calm and cool (and very handsome) world number one Roger Federer.
"I played my best today for sure," said Nadal after equalling his previous best Australian Open performance. "I am very happy because if I keep playing like this, I have a chance for a win."
My pick for the tournament, however, is American Andy Roddick.

Don't you think things have been pretty heavy this week with all of the ugliness of the Isaiah Washington story? I'm heading out to West Hollywood for a martini and wanted to leave you all with something light and fun to launch you into your weekend: the kiss between Kevin and Chad from "Brothers & Sisters."
Here is a link to the YouTube clip courtesy of AfterElton.com.

I dunno, I think the kiss needs some work. Kevin and Scotty just seemed to kiss so much better. But practice makes perfect! A new episode of my favorite show will air this Sunday!

For those of you who miss Scotty, I found this nice compilation of Kevin and Scotty Moments on YouTube.

My front page piece on "Grey's Anatomy" in today's Daily News has prompted a lot of newsroom discussion about the use of the word "faggot" which we have used in print and online is covering the Isaiah Washington story. Some wondered why we would print the word when an equally offensive word like "nigger" is written as "the N word." That's a good question and not one I have an answer to at this point. I felt we should print it because it is jarring to see the word in all of its ugliness and without printing the word, how can we advance discussion about how offensive it is to gay people? I would love if in American society, "faggot" was routinely refered to as "the other F word" (unfortunately, "the F word" is already taken and we all know what word that signifies.).

Anyway, readers a weighed in on the subject and the overall controversy and I wanted to share with you some of their thoughts: D. Dupuis writes: I take issue with your statement that the slur used by Isaiah Washington has something to do with "political correctness" (as quoted below).
It's about BIGOTRY, as would be the case if Washington had been referred to as a "nigger."
"But the actor, now firmly in the center of a growing firestorm involving political correctness and professional behavior, changed course and issued a lengthy apology to Knight, his colleagues, the show's fans and "especially" the gay and lesbian community for his use of the word "faggot."

Another reader asks this question: How does this differ from the richards fiasco and why does he deserve 2 apologizes when everyone is ready to throw richards to the wolves for his ranting about blacks?

Lori writes: What I would like to know is how many times do you think that Mr. Knight or anyone else for that matter could get away with call Isaiah the "N" word? That man is a PIG, he deserves to be fired NOW!!! Or, maybe, for his punishment they could get him and Rosie O'Donell together for a little chat.

But Matthew Kleinsasser of Maui Hawaii writes: Come on guys, how about the other side. You covered the folks that are incensed by the use of a word. And you covered the guy that is trying to keep his public appearance as clean as possible. But, what about the 80 or so percent of the real people that are not incensed by the use of a word and do not hold personalities more responsible morally than they do each other. Why not include the third side from those of us that actually watch the show and actors? See if the silent majority judges them like the vocal minority does or, if we understand that it is a word and not a spear.

Then there is Larry, who seems to prefer that the issue not be covered at all: Greg, I'm deeply offended at your gay agenda as evidenced by a second article in the Daily News within a couple of weeks. It is clear that a small but vocal minority of people, with support of Hollywood and the news media, are attempting to legitimize homosexuality. No matter how much publicity you try to create, it is still a sexual perversion.

I'd love for the readers of OUT IN HOLLYWOOD to weight in. Send me your comments!

They say there is no such thing as bad puiblicity. How true in the case of "Grey's Anatomy." This week's episode turned in an above-average performance with 21.9 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Between the show's Golden Globe Award win Monday and the Isaiah Washington controversy that followed, the show has become a real water cooler topic. Still, "Grey's" barely managed to edge ratings stalwart "C.S.I."
I wonder if the extra eyeballs were curiosity about how the actors interact now that we are more aware than ever about the backstage drama. There was an intimate scene between Washington's Dr. Burke and T.J. Knight's George O'Malley that went off without a hitch. And, ironically, this episode was a real showcase for Knight whose on-screen father dies of cancer. It was a heartbreaker.

The UK's OK Magazine has exclusive pictures and an interview with John Barrowman and Scott Gill about their recent nuptials. Here is a taste of it with more to come in an update later.
Barrowman on relationships: "Relationships are work. We've had clashes but what I have learned from my parents is never go to bed angry...We are a couple who will get through any humps or bumps in the road. But we are not in an open relationship...If we ever split, we're rational. We'll talk about it. But I don't have as much money as Paul McCartney and I'm not married to a gold-digger."

TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, who has been on top of the Isaiah Washington-T.R. Knight controversy, was smart enough to catch up with Neil Patrick Harris at a CBS press tour event in Pasadena yesterday to ask his this out actor's thoughts on it:
Said Harris: “It’s disappointing. T.R. has proven himself to be an incredibly classy, dignified guy.�
The "How I Met Your Mother Star" told Ausiello that he was impressed with how Knight's co-star and close friend Katherine Heigl became te first "Grey's Anatomy" cast member to slam Washington for his behavior at the Golden Globe Awards on Monday.
Ausiello asked Harris what he thinks should happen to Washington now: “It’s impossible for me to make any comment about that because I wasn’t there when it happened.

Readers of Out in Hollywood were getting the breaking news on the Isaiah Washington-T.R. Knight story yesterday as it broke throughout the day. But I wasn't just blogging on this, I was working on a front-page story for today's Los Angeles Daily News on the controversy. Check it out at dailynews.com

Click HERE to see the Golden Globes moment that reignited the controversy.

Here is his statement:
“I apologize to T.R., my colleagues, the fans of the show and especially the lesbian and gay community for using a word that is unacceptable in any context or circumstance.  By repeating the word Monday night, I marred what should have been a perfect night for everyone who works on Grey’s Anatomy.  I can neither defend nor explain my behavior.  I can also no longer deny to myself that there are issues I obviously need to examine within my own soul, and I've asked for help. 
I know the power of words, especially those that demean.  I realize that by using one filled with disrespect I have hurt more than T.R. and my colleagues.   With one word, I’ve hurt everyone who has struggled for the respect so many of us take for granted.  I welcome the chance to meet with leaders of the gay and lesbian community to apologize in person and to talk about what I can do to heal the wounds I’ve opened.
T.R.’s courage throughout this entire episode speaks to his tremendous character.  I hold his talent, and T.R. as a person, in high esteem. I know a mere apology will not end this, and I intend to let my future actions prove my sincerity.�

UPDATE: 5:17 p.m.
GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano today released the following statement after having received a response from Isaiah Washington apologizing for his use of the word “faggot� on the set of Grey's Anatomy in October 2006 and at the 64th Annual Golden Globe® Awards on Jan. 15, 2007:

“We are encouraged by Isaiah Washington's statement today, and optimistic that it may mark a turning point in this deeply troubling situation. His acknowledgement of his actions -- and of the hurt and harm his actions have caused -- is an important first step toward healing his relationships with his castmates, his fans, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

“Mr. Washington has scheduled a meeting with us for early next week, and we look forward to exploring opportunities for moving forward together and healing some of the wounds of the past four months.�

ABC is now weighing in on the Golden Globe incident during which Isaiah Washington took the microphone backstage and said to the world press: "I did not call T.R. (Knight) a faggot. It never happened."
Knighjt said on Wednesday's "Ellen DeGeneres Show" that Washington had indeed referred to him by the gay slur and the now out actor added: "Everybody heard it."
Here is the ABC statement:
“We have a long standing policy to create and maintain respectful workplaces for all our employees. We dealt with the original situation in October, and thought the issue resolved. Therefore, we are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, that he himself deemed “unfortunate� in his previous public apology. We take this situation very seriously, and his actions are unacceptable and are being addressed.�

When covering the entertainment beat, sometimes really cool things happen unexpectedly. Wednesday was one of those days. I was invited to lunch by a new publicist friend, David, and he suggested we meet at Spago in Beverly Hills.
I must confess: I was still a Spago virgin.
So we walk in and are greeted by Wolfgang Puck himself who has been a longtime client of Davids and he stopped by our table later for a chat. We were seated at the table that was prefered by the late billionaire Marvin Davis, who ate a Spago several times a week. The hostess said, "The chair Mr. Davis used has been moved to another room." It was a special chair, very comfy.
I'm such an idiot. I blurt out:: "Oh, can you bring it in here for ME?
Dead silence.
Anyway, great meal (salmon) and David and I shared a few unbelievable desserts before we notice that sitting not too far away in a booth is...Sidney Poitier. THE Sidney Poitier. It was a biggest star sighting of the day, week and year - and that includes seeing just about every star in town at the Golden Globes a few days ago.
Today, things are back to normal though. I had a ham&cheese sandwich out of the vending machine and am swigging down a diet coke.
Well, it was fun to be part of the Spago crowd for a day.

As promised, another win for Spain's smoldering Rafael Nadal means another picture and update. He was made to work hard before finally outlasting Philipp Kohlschreiber in four sets in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday. But he managed to dig out a 7-5 6-3 4-6 6-2 victory in a match that lasted three-and-a-half hours.
"I feel very good, he was a very tough player and was returning very aggressively," second seed Nadal told the crowd after receiving a standing ovation.
Keep it going!!!

TV Guide has a rave review in its current issue (the one with "American Idol" judges on the cover) for the wonderful book, "Forgiving Troy" written by Thom Bierdz, a former soap star ("The Young and the Restless") who is now openly gay and has had to endure unimaginable family tragedies.
Here is the review by Michael Logan: "Thom Bierdz, the 80's soap opera sensation who played Phillip Chancellor on The Young and the Restless, has written Forgiving Troy (www.ThomBierdz.com) , a gut-punching memoir that chronicles his triumph over an unspeakable tragedy: In 1989, Bierdz's mentally-ill brother, Troy, beat their mother to death with a baseball bat. And there's so much more. Now openly gay and an acclaimed painter, Bierdz talks about his painful, closeted years on Y&R and how, when the acting dried up, he was forced to work at the Soap Opera Digest Awards, serving drinks to the very people with whom he once costarred. Chilling, hopeful, spiritual. You'll never read anything like it."

To read my previous item on Thom, click HERE.

This looks more sexy than scary. That means I will watch. here! , which brings us "Dante's Cove," has wrapped production of the first season of a new horror series, "The Lair," that will debut on the pay channel this spring. Six half-hour episodes have been filmed.
Set in a small coastal town, "The Lair" opens as the bodies of young nameless men are turning up dead with vicious wounds to their necks. A young journalist is investigating a series of mysterious John Doe murders. Clues to these crimes lead him directly to a private gentlemen’s club called The Lair, where the deepest, darkest desires are fulfilled. As he gets closer to solving the mystery, Thom finds himself ensnared in a blood thirsty coven of vampires.
The Lair stars Peter Stickles, who gathered a following this year from his work in the indie "Shortbus," as Damian, the leader of the coven of gay vampires, as well as newcomer David Moretti, who takes the lead as Thom.

Here's a movie I wanna see! It has been announced that Delta Burke and Leslie Jordan will star in the film version of the stage hit "Southern Baptist Sissies" which they toured in last year. The play is from producer-director Del Shores who is also responsible for the the cult hit "Sordid Lives" which Burke and Jordan also appeared in. Beth Grant also starred in "Sordid" and will appear in "Sissies" which is a dramatic portrayal of four boys' experiences growing up gay in the Baptist Church.
Del Shores Productions has partnered with Funny Boy Films to transform the stage production into a feature film.
Kirkland Tibbels of Funny Boy Films, Del Shores and Jason Dottley of Del Shores Productions will produce the film. Tibbels and Shores first began working together developing the upcoming half-hour television series based on "Sordid Lives" for MTV's LOGO channel.
"This is my most personal piece, my story," Shores said. "Because of the play, so many people have written me, telling me it's their story too and how deeply they were affected by it. So I'm very excited that the film is going to finally happen and will reach an even wider audience. "
Pre-production will begin in late February, with principal photography slated for the Spring. Shores will direct.
The play premiered at Los Angeles' Zephyr Theatre in 2000 and enjoyed a ten-month sold-out run. It has since has successful runs around the country.

AfterElton.com editor Michael Jensen has just posted a strong piece on his site about the Isaiah Washington-T.R. Knight situation, which escalated this week to unimagined levels after Washington said backstage at Monday's Golden Globe Awards that he did not call Knight "a faggot." Knight was on Ellen DeGeneres' show Wednesday and said that, yes, Washington had called him that name on-set.

Jensen asked Paris Barclay (pictured, above), the widely respected out director, producer, and a vice president of the Director's Guild of America, what action should be taken against Washington by ABC and by the show. Barclay did not mince words: “Here's what needs to happen: ABC, from Steve McPherson [ABC President] on down, need to condemn this kind of hate-speak, and Isaiah needs to be fired. It's just that simple. He needs to go. He's a homophobe and a liar, and no matter how important he may appear to be, there has to be a line on what behavior is acceptable both on the set and when representing the show to the press.�

When asked how he would've handled the situation, Barclay, currently working on FX's "Dirt" and CBS's "CSI." said: “We'd figure out a way to work out the contract issues, and write the actor out as quickly as possible. Actors with addiction problems have been let go unceremoniously -- this to me is much worse.�

Neither ABC or Washington's publicist had comment Wednesday.
Stay tuned. In the meantime, go over to AfterElton.com and read Jensen's strongly-worded article.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has been mum on the months-long controversy involving "Grey's Anatomy" co-stars Isaiaih Washington and T.R. Knight, a controversy Washington reignited backstage at the Golden Globe Awards Monday by denying that he ever called Knight a "faggot" as has been widely reported. Now that Knight himself has confirmed the incident with an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," GLAAD Executive Director Neil Guiliano states the following:

“When Isaiah Washington uses this kind of anti-gay slur–whether on set or in front of the press–it does more than create a hostile environment for his castmates and the crew of Grey’s Anatomy,� Giuliano said .�It also feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm’s way.�

“As Ellen pointed out in her discussion with T.R., this is a word that’s used to abuse kids on school playgrounds,� Giuliano said. “We also know that, tragically, this sometimes can be the last word people hear before they’re attacked, beaten and possibly even killed. Washington’s repeated use of it on-set and in the media is simply inexcusable.�

Giuliano said that GLAAD is contacting Washington’s representatives today to arrange a meeting with him. “We want to sit down with him and give him an opportunity to raise public awareness about the destructive impact of these kinds of anti-gay slurs. Over the past four months Washington has become part of a significant problem of anti-gay prejudice in this country. He has an opportunity now to be part of the solution."

Somehow, I don't see Washington showing up for any meetings with GLAAD anytime soon unless his job is threatened.

Good morning. I was wrong about the T.R. Knight appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" being taped before the explosive backstage fireworks at Monday's Golden Globe Awards involving his "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Isaiah Washington. Knigfht addresses this with Ellen and Washington comes off looking even worse than we thought. This transcript from Eurweb.com has Ellen asking him about the on-set incident in October when Washington refered to to Knight as a "faggot" which got leaked to the press and resulted in Knight coming out publicly:

To see a clip of the appearance, click HERE and check out what was posted today on YouTube.

Ellen: So here's the thing.  Some of you may know the story, some of you may
not know the story.
Ellen: How long ago did this happen?  
T.R.: Early October
Ellen: So Patrick Dempsey and Isaiah Washington are on the set.  A scene is
about to start and they start getting in a fight and words..
T.R: Not because I was late.
Ellen: And Isaiah Washington says what to Patrick Dempsey?
T.R: He referred to me as a faggot.
Ellen: As a faggot?
T.R: Yes
Ellen: So you're around the corner and hear this?
T.R: It's an awesome word isn't it? (joking)  
Ellen: It is.  It really is unbelievable. It's bad enough in school yards that happens but, grown men
T.R.: Everyone heard it.
Ellen: He said this horrible, hateful word and it puts you in this position because your weren't out and then everyone on the set is hearing this and then you …
T.R: I was under no delusions.. my friends on the set knew.  We talked about it.. they knew.  I was not under any delusion that they didn't know but I think publicly it's not my thing to like call up People Magazine and be like hey you want to know something about me?  You know, I think when it happened the incident) I've never been called it and you know you go through things in life and you lose friends when you go through the process whatever your journey is but I've never been called that to my face.  So, I think when that happened something shifted and it became bigger you know what I mean, then myself.  I look to people like you (Ellen) and it's April right almost ten years (when Ellen came out) to your bravery and others people's bravery and your just really grateful for that because I could've just let it slide and not said anything but it became important.
Ellen: And it became a thing in the press because of the fight
 T.R: To say something, It became important to make the statement…

---
On the recent Golden Globe incident
Ellen: And then the other night at the Golden Globes I guess Isaiah Washington starting up the whole thing up again which is kind of crazy…
T.R.: Yeah, he denied that he said it (faggot)..I don't know what to say…really about that.
Ellen: I don't either, other than it seems like at this point and time we should not say hateful words to one another and we should all learn…
Ellen: I just wish you continued success and that this is out of the way and that people stop saying hateful things to one another or just using that word is dangerous.
T.R.: It is and I don't know what to say about it but it's pretty bad..
Ellen: But I'm proud of you, you're a brave guy.
T.R.: But, thanks to you.. it was ten years ago... but it just made all the difference in the world..
Ellen: It was a different time and things are getting better.
T.R: I was recently watching some of your interviews from that time and it was just .. It was so..I'm losing me words and I apologize it's just very moving and it just meant so much.
Ellen: Well, what your doing is going to mean something to other people that are seeing that because you're an amazing guy, so I'm proud of you.

T.R._Knight

I know, some of us are put off a bit by actor Jason Lewis saying how scary it was to kiss another boy on "Brothers & Sisters" on Sunday - even if that boy happens to be as cute and wonderful as Matthew Rhys. But hey, let's try and put aside our disappointment and enjoy him for the eye candy that he is amd check out the kiss! Jason doesn't look so scared to me.
And here are some other images from Kevin Walker's budding romance with closet-case Chad Berry on my favorite show...

This is an Out in Hollywood special feature this month. Spanish tennis hunk Rafael Nadal is competing in the Australian Open and I thought it would be fun to keep you all informed of his progress which gives Greg an excuse to post a different picture of him each time. The more he wins, the more pics we'll see!
The second-seeded Nadal moved to the second round of the season's first major tournament with Tuesday's 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Robbie Kendrick. The reigning two-time French Open champion, Nadal dropped the first two sets to Kendrick in the second round at last year's Wimbledon before winning the match in five.
"I have a very difficult first set," Nadal said. "I have my chance, some break points in the first. ... It was important for me win the first tiebreak. After, the match (changed) a little bit. Was easy after."

I have a feeling this was taped before the latest fiasco involving Isiah "I did not call T.R. a faggot" Washington's outburst Monday backstage at the Golden Globes, but T.R. Knight (pictured w/McDreamy Patrick Dempsey) will appear on Wednesday's "Ellen DeGeneres Show." According to the show's Web site, Ellen has landed an exclusive interview with T.R. who has kept a low profile since coming out publicly last fall. The site states: "Grey's Anatomy star T.R. KNIGHT who sits down for his first one-on-one interview to discuss his choice to publicly come out and the factors that led him to make that decision. T.R. also talks about how his personal life is affected by being part of the most talked-about cast on television."
Cool. T.R. FINALLY SPEAKS!!!

So my colleague and awards show buddy Sandra Bererra and I are waiting outside the Beverly Hilton last night for a shuttle to take us back to our cars that are parked in Century City. We notice that a VERY curly-haired Will Ferrell is standing on the sidewalk with his wife waiting for his limo. I don't really know Will but I used to a little bit. It was back in 1990 or so and we were both part of a class that put on a weekly newscast on public television. I didn't think much of Will then because he was very quiet and seemed to take himself very seriously. But as he got famous on "SNL" about five or six years later, I dug up a VHS tape I had of one of our "Around and About Orange County News" shows and realized that I introduced one of his pieces when I was anchoring the program. It was on the water company or something. I mangled his name too! I had trouble with the W's and the L's. Try saying it fast three times.
I don't know where the heck the tape is now but I dug it out every so often in the 90s to show to friends. So when I saw him last night, I thought it would be fun to remind him of those days. "I'm glad to see you moved on to what you really wanted to do," I told him. He kind of chuckled but seemed really uptight. I can see why. People wanted to taKe his picture, someone else came up and said, "I worked on the crew" of some film or another. Ferrell kept calling for the limo service on the cell phone and clearly could not wait to get the hell outa there.
I guess I picked the wrong time to go down memory lane.

Everyone figures that "Dreamgirls" is based on the story of "The Supremes," the ultimate girl group of the 60s founded by childhood friends Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. Even though the movie is a fictionalized version of what went down with the group, stars Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson made no secret of who their inspirations were in shaping their characters.
"Absolutely Diana Ross was a huge inspiration," said Beyonce, whose character of Deena is very Ross-like. "Her music was always on, her movie posters on my wall. [Deena] is not exactly Diana Ross, it's not a movie of her life. But she was absolutely the inspiration."
Beyonce says she was nervous to meet Ross after the movie came out but said the meeting went fine. Ross has not commented on the film. But with her first new CD in many years due out next week, she no doubt will say SOMETHING about it. But, you never know. Ross has a way of saying a lot but not saying a lot and has rarely been very candid.
Hudson, winner of the best supporting actress Globe and the Oscar front-runner, said her characterization was indeed inspired by the late Ballard who, like Effie in the film, was replaced as lead singer then kicked out of the group. While Effie bounced back in the film, Ballard never did and died in poverty at the age of 32.
So, it was especially touching Monday night when Hudson ended her acceptance speech by saying: "I want to dedicate this award to a lady who never really got a fair chance. This award is for Florence Ballard. You will never be forgotten."

"Access Hollywood" caught up with "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl and she is taking a stand against her "Grey's" co-star Isaiah Washington after he used a homophobic slur in the Golden Globes press room on Monday night.
"I am not okay with it," Heigl told Access Hollywood's Shaun Robinson, referring to Washington's remarks.
In the Globes press room on Monday, Washington tried to set the record straight in regards to reports in October of an on-set incident that resulted from the alleged use of a homophobic slur toward co-star T.R. Knight
After a reporter questioned the validity of the on-set incident, Washington denied his involvement saying, "No, I did not call T.R. a faggot. Never happened, never happened."
In response to Washington's use of the slur when addressing the situation last night, Heigl spoke out. "I'm going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period. I'm sorry, that did not need to be said, I'm not okay with it," Katherine said.
When asked if she thought it was just an off-the-cuff remark, Heigl added, "I have no idea what it was, I just find it hurtful…I just feel like this is something that should be very much in house we need to deal with and it's among us and the cast and crew and among Shonda [Rimes, show creator] and the producers."
Heigl said that she hoped they work the situation out, making her loyalty to Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley on the hit show, clear. "I don't think [Washington] means it the way he comes off…But, T.R. is my best friend. I will throw down for that kid. I will beat you up. I will use every ounce of energy I have to take you down if you hurt his feelings," she said. When asked if she thought Knight was hurt by Washington's comments she added, "I don't see how you could not be under those circumstances. Drawing attention to it and saying the word again is just unnecessary."
After making his comments in the press room, Washington came straight to Access Hollywood's Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell to explain. "There is no way I could do anything so vile, and so horrible, not only to a castmate, but to a fellow human being," he insisted.
When asked what spurred his comments on the October incident Washington told Bush, "It's the truth. It did not happen. I was going to hire some other great shiny publicist, but you know what, God laid it on my heart to say it because it was so close. The reports were all wrong. It did not happen. I'm very disappointed that the New York Post actually wrote legitimately about something that was put in a tabloid about some angry person to get some validity to this, and then it just rippled."
I dunno. Washington oughta hire that publicist. He's just digging a bigger hole for himself. He lit a flame over it all over again by grabbing the mic backstage last night and saying what he did. He deserves whatever flak he is getting right now.

So, I've cut and pasted all of my ramblings from last night before the show started. Forgive the typos, I was going really fast and running all around. I have posted this picture of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie because, let's face it, they are STUNNING and really looked like the biggest movie stars in the world last night...

I've been strolling around seeing what I can see. No stars on the red carpet yet but I spotted some of the TV hosts. The great Joan Rivers and her annoying daughter/sidekick Mellissa Rivers made a grand entrance wearing mermaid-like dresses. (This picture is from last year. I'll find an updated one to sub out later) Joan has a pretty good figure for a 70-something woman. Mellissa was walking behind Joan on their way to the TV Giide booth...forever in her mother's shadow...
...Vanessa Minello just walked by me in the lobby of the hotel. Wow! She's a stunner and I think her boyfriend Nick Lachey came out on the winning end of that Jessica Simpson split. He's upgraded for sure! Spotted Lara Spencer of "The Insider" wearing a red gown, she always looks reliably good but never knockout like Vanessa....Saw some of the infotainment guys including Mark Steines of "Entertainment Tonight" who is so used to these things it's like a day at the park.And there was Mark McGrath in his tuxedo getting ready to go on for "Estra." He's a long ways from his days on Sugar Ray. What a transformation. I'd rather be a rock star tho...Pat O'Brien still looks rail-thin, as I noted last week from the People's Choice Awards. Somebody take this man to In-N-Out Burger before the show! He's gotta keep up his strength!
...I know that Matt Lauer and Al Roker are here from "The Today Shoiw" but they were not in their red carpet booth when I swung by...
That's all for now. Will write more in a bit although I think my access might get more limited.

I'm not credentiaed to be on the red carpet but from the lobby of the hotel, I have a pretty good view of who is coming and going so far. Zach Braff is the only nominee here so far. When ya show up early like that, EVERYONE interviews you so Zach iks very in-demand right now....There's Josh the intern from "The Tonight Show"! I'll bet he's gonna giggle his way through the night. He's a hoot!...Mark McGrath, I thought was co-hosting the "Extra" pre-show but now Mario Lopez is in the booth playing co-hist with the woman with the really big hair...I mean BIG hair....OK, Nancy O'Dell is walking to her booth. The queen has arrived. She looks regal in a black dress...she looks hot!...And there is the lovely Deborah Norville hosting for "Inside Edition." She looks great, kinda like Felicity Huffman. I chatted with her last year when I was doing the red carpet interviews. I sided with Jane Pauley all those years ago in the "Today Show" flap but now, I feel like Norville was in a no-win.
I'm hungry now. I wonder if they are serving food yet. All the press peeps are getting grumpy back here in the deadline room.

It's getting to be like the "Minority Report" at the hotel. Every time you go into a secure area, they scan your badge and your face pops up on their screen. It's like Tom Cruise's eyeballs in "Minority." So, Alec Baldwin just walked by me in the lobby. He looks very red. I don't know if he is sunburnt or if he is mad at someone. Ya never know...You can tell that "Lost" star Josh Holloway used to be a model. He is perfect in posing for the camera and very gracious and friendly in his interviews. His long flowing hair is perfect and he's got the ideal stubble. Who know rhat sulky Sawyer was such a ham!...I spotted the always friendly James Denton who is one of the more down-to-Earth TV stars around...I'm most excited about seeing Aaron Eckhart, a nominee for "Thank You for Smoking." He's always overlooked but he's here tonight and he looks like a real movie star...David Spade walked past real fast with people around him. I feel like saying to him, "and you are?????"...Peter Horton is here as one of the producers of "Grey's Anatomy" but he'll always be Gary from "Thirtysomething" to me! Remember when he died on the show? My roomate at the time was a wreck over it. He kept saying, "Gary died."
So, they have finally fed us! I may just watch the arrivals on the TV now because the lobby is getting awfully security-heavy.
Back in a bit....

I just saw Marty Scorsese! He's gonna win tonight for "The Departed." I know it....Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon are here with one of their kids I think. They are going on 20 years of marriage and seem as tight as ever....Speaking of couples, I spotted Nicollete Sheridan and Michael Bolton getting interviewed. When the HELL are they gonna get married? They've been engaged for about three decades now. Time to get hitched! I also spotted Robert Duvall getting interviewed standing next to Patricia Arquette who is quite beautiful...
I hate to be catty, but Vanessa Williams is here and her hair is huge. It's like Diana Ross on a windy day. It ain't a good thing. I'm a little frightened of that hair. So, I just got hurried along out of the lobby. They leave you alone as long as you keep moving but sheesh, I kept stopping to scribble down a note or two and they busted me!
I'm backstage now and they are inrterviewing Donald Trump! Arrrrrrrg! He is SO overexposed. I'm not sure if he got his hair done or if a squirrell died on his head. Watching on a monitor and eating a piece of cheese now. I see Forrest Whitaker on the monitor looking like a winner...Spielberg is here and oh, there is Jason Lee. I'll bet he wants to shave off that stinkin mustache.
McDreamy is now in the house (sigh). I just spotted Patrick Dempsey. Women and gay men are fainting as he makes his way by. There's nominee Mark Walhberg whose come a long ways from being on a billboard in his underwear.
Now it's time for the big stars to show up. I see Sean Combs, Justin Timberlake, Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith, Naomi Watts. There's Courtney Cox and David Arquette, awe....Cate Blanchett looks stunning. Will Farrell's hair is very big and curly, not unlike the woman from "Extra." OK. Jack Nicholson has just arrived with a really young blonde. I'd think he was a perv buit it's his 16-year-old daughter who is this year's Miss Golden Globe. She is the one who will hand the trophies to the winner.
As usual, Jada Pinkett Smith is one of the best-dressed women on the red carpet. Emilio Estevez has arrived. He looks three feet tall. Salma Hayek is causing a rukus because she is gorgeous... BRAD and ANGIE!!! They just walked in. They look like perfection. He's all blonde and moviestar like and she is beyond gorgeous. When they are not in Africa, they clean up goooooooood.
Brad is nominated tonight for "Babel" and actually won a Globe ages ago for "12 Monkeys" I think. Jolie, of course, has won a few incluidng one for "Girl...Interrupted."
OK, now it's Warren and Annette. Beatty is taking the Cecil B. Demille so we know they are winning something since Annette will likely lose in both her categories. Hillary Swank is here. She's got a flower in her hair. It looks kinds stupid. Joan Rivers is gonna make fun of her as soon as she turns her back.
Beyonce arrives behind Swank, they hug and air kiss. Renee Zellweger was here a minute ago doing her red carpet posing and preening. She's put on a few pounds though, looks better.
Jamie Foxx is here and justgave Sharon Stone a kiss. Sharon looks like an old-fashioned movie star tonight. But why is she hear with Dominick Dunne? I thought she was dating Christian Slater. Those tabloids...

And, even though I didn't see him on the red carpet (did see him backstage), here is a picture of Jamie Foxx arriving because I think he is an absolute fox(x)!!!

I'm kinda wiped out from last night but what a fun time it was. I'm going to cut and paste some of the highlights from the night from the Daily News On the Red Carpet blog which I was contributing to live all night. But if you don't want to scroll through it and re-live it all with me minute-by-minute, here is a truncated version of my very star-studded night from backstage (red carpet sightings in next post!)

Security is intense. I coukdn't even bring a brownie back to the deadline room from the dining room where, I'm not one to name drop, but I was chatting with Harry Smith of the CBS Morning Show. Al Rokker walked by but he was in a big rush. Didn;t even have time to say, "Hey Al, howz the weather." Anyway, i stuck the brownie in my pocket and am snacking on it now.
So...back to the show...
Jeremy Irons won best supporting actor in a TV movie for "Elizabeth I" to go along with the Emmy he won last fall for the role. "This is a nightmare," he says. Says he can't remember anyone's name He is thanking Helen Mirren. Says the movies was ignored in England and didn't get any attention until it was shown in the U.S.
God Bless America...

Best TV Actress drama: KRYA SEDGWICK!!!!! At last. Well-deserved for "The Closer." "It means so much for me. This show has been such an amazing gift....I'm just so grateful for all of it." She thanks "my one and only, my only one, Kevin (Bacon) and my kids."
She's got Kevin Bacon AND a Golden Globe.

I'm shameless.
Meryl Streep walked right by me in the interview room after taking questions and I couldn't help but say, "Congratulations." She stopped, turned, smiled and said, "Thank you."
I'd say we had a moment.
Here is some of what Meryl had to say backstage before our little moment:
On being emotional after winning: "I usually have a few drinks before my category comes up - so I was not really settled."
On her speech: "Did I speak for FOUR minutes? I hate people who do that!"
On landing the lead in "Mamma Mia" : "Vocally I'm not afraid but physically, there's a lot of dancing."
On post-show parties: "I hav e a 15 year old with me and I'm going to be watching everything she does."
A suck-up reporter, not me, tells Meryl how young and beautiful she looks. She says: You're so far in the back though!"

I was in the interview room when "Babel" won and it was a surreal expeirence. I rushed in and leaned against a wall and noticed that standing three feet away were Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson! I'm wondering what the heck they were doing there as the 'Grey's Anatomy" cast was on stage. Then I notice Eddie Murphy right behind me. He's so small! But he's cool. Very cool. When the producer Larry Marks and director Bill Condon show up, I realize they are there to talk about winning for best picture-musical or comedy.
Jennifer looks a little tired. Beyonce is energized calling it "a beautiful night."

Not only has "Ugly Betty" won best comedy series, but its star America Ferrera just won best actress in a comedy series over some heavy-hitters. She was so emotional and natural, choking back tears: "Oh my God! I'm so sorry I'm such a mess right now."
It is lovely to see. she said she is proud "to bring a new face to television...such a beautiful message about beauty being beyond what you see."
She then thanked her her "mommy" who she credits for "everything I've ever accomplished in this life."
Backstage, she said winning "was a very out of body experience...I was amazed to look out and see a roomful of people who I've been so inspired by. To be on that stage and be welcomed by that community...it was really, really wonderful."
She's emotional again and now surrounded backstage by the show's cast including Vanessa Williams with her big Diana Ross hair.
"There are millions and millkions of ugly bettys in our own lives that we love and cherish and we need to stop using that word.," Fererra said. "What we need to be tellihg our future generations is to expore their talents and to explore their intelligence....and truly make this world a better place."

I will again be a guest on Now in LA's Marty Keegan's "Hollywood Babble On" show around 12:15 p.m. or so today. Sorry fpr the short notice! I'll be talking with Marty about last night's Golden Globe awards...
Here is the link for you to listen in: : http://www.nowinla.com/

What was a triumphant moment for the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" at tonight's Golden Globe Awards (it won for best television drama) got real uncomfortable backstage. The entire cast was standing together and a reporter asked show creator Shondra Rhimes about the friction from last fall. Isaiah Washington and co-star Patrick Dempsey came to blows over co-star T.R. Knight being late to the set.
After reports that Washington had said to Dempsey that he was not "your little faggot like xxxxx" it was soon learned that he was referring to Knight who promptly issued a statement confirming that he is gay.
Knight, who was onstage Monday night, look mortified as Washington took the microphine from Rhimes and said: "No, I did not call T.R. a faggot. It never happened."
People in the room gasped.
Washington has never really explained what went down or apologized. He has simply said that all is well between he and his co-stars. But for him to handle the question this way, I think, shows that all is still not well.

Click HERE to read my earlier interview with Washington about Knight which took place at the American Music Awards.

Hi all. I'll be blogging from backstage at the Golden Globe Awards beginning this afternoon! I will make a few postings here but most will be at On the Red Carpet which is the Los Angeles Daily News' award show site. Just go to the paper's home page DailyNews.com and click onto the Red Carpet site! Now, I gotta go slip into my tuxedo and get on over there to the Beverly Hilton Hotel. I won't be on the red carpet myself this year but will be wandering around looking for tidbits to share and will treat you with my Golden Globe predictions before the show. Oh boy! So go to DailyNews.com then click "On the Red Carpet" starting around 2:30 p.m. or so.

From what I've read around the Internet so far this morning, it doesn't seem that "Brothers & Sisters" fans are too keen on Kevin's new love interest, Chad, because they don't think he's good enough for our Kev! He's a big closet case. But I think most, myself included, are willing to go with the storyline due to the hotness factor of the actors involved: Matthew Rhys as Kevin, and Jason Lewis as Chad.
But then Lewis goes and does something you just can't do anymore when you take on a gay role: he told TV's 'Extra" that he had trepidation about kissing another man on screen. So what does he want, a medal of courage for locking lips with another dude? Get over yourself.
AfterElton.com flagged down the interview and editor Michael Jensen had some harsh words for the actor: “It’s called acting, stupid!� Gay and lesbian thespians are often called upon to kiss members of the opposite sex onscreen, and you don’t hear them describing the prospect as “scary.� If you’re trying to turn off gay fans of Brothers & Sisters then you’re off to a great start."
Well said. And just for being such a dunce about it, I think writers should have Chad and Kevin kiss in every episode, just so Jason won't be so "scared" anymore.

When it comes to sexy tennis players, all the straight guys have the beautiful Maria Sharapova to fawn over and the lesbians have the beautiful Amelie Mauresmo to admire. But what about the gay guys? Since no male tennis player has ever come out of the closet, I suggest three to watch - strictly as eye candy - during the Australian Open which began earlier today: American Andy Roddick, Spain's Carlos Moya (former world number one) and reigning French Open champ Rafael Nadal.
Enjoy!!!

OK, I was just as stoked as anyone to see Kevin (Matthew Rhys) kiss the closet case soap star Chad (Jason Lewis) on tonight's episode of my favorite show. Chad, who claims to be straight, takes him up to a makeout spot on Muholland Drive after a Lakers game and Kevin calls him on the mixed signals. He says: "You're either gonna hack me into a million pieces or you're gonna kiss me." Then...they kiss.
Later, Kevin tells his siblings "It was like sleeping with a greek god," I happy for him. But when soap star's girlfriend returns to town and he's a little chilly to Kevin at the gym ("Oh, hi."), my heart sank. Been there, done that. And it sucks!
I want Kevin to date someone like Scotty who knows he's gay, not some closet case! Even if Jason Lewis is a beautiful closet case, his character is still the devil! And with Lewis extended from four to at least seven episodes of "Brothers & Sisters," this is gonna turn into a big soap opera. Maybe it'll be fun but I feel protective of Kevin and I hate to see him go down this road.
That said, I loved the scenes early in the episode when Kevin and Sarah are surfing the Internet trying to find clues as to whether Chad is gay. Kevin: "Too bad Justin's in rehab, he's got great gaydar!" Then he says, "Look! He brought his mom to the daytime Emmys. Oh look! He's got a bog!"
Kevin and Sarah start reading the blog and after seeing that he's got a pug named Lola and his favorite music is "all things Christina," Sarah looks at the hopeful Kevin and says, "You might be right."

I never saw "The History Boys" on Broadway but I kind of feel like I have. I saw the movie version of the Tony-award winning play on Saturday at the $3 theater at Beverly and Fairfax and found it to be quite good. With the play's cast inhabiting the same roles on-screen, it's almost as if they just filmed the play at the theater one night. The actors are so comfortable and so good in their roles. The play won six Tony Awards last June including best play, best actor (Richard Griffiths) and best featured actress (Frances de la Tour). Griffiths and de la Tour are both up for British Academy Awards for their roles in the film version. Since the movie is barely in theaters, you will probably have to wait for DVD to see it but it shouldn't lose a thing at home really.
Written by Alan Bennett, the story takes place in Cutlers' Grammar School, Sheffield, a fictional boys' grammar school in England that follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxbridge entrance examination. They are under the guidance of two teachers with dramatically contrasting styles: young and handsome Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore) who teaching method basically seeks to disguise the boys' ignorance in the hope of programming them for success, and othe old and troubled Hector (Griffiths) who wants to teach knowledge as it is.
The film is filled with wonderful dialogue delivered by a very talented cast who have made an effortless transition from stage to screen. My favorite scene is when Posner (Samuel Barnet) tells Hector that he thinks he is a homosexual and that he wouldn't not want to be. He's longing for the cocky Dakin (Dominic Cooper) who only has eyes for Irwin. The film touches on so many themes and i love the "Dead Poet's Society" moments and the interaction between the boys. They are all pretty blase and almost amused at Hector's groping them whenever he gives them a ride home on his motor bike. While he might be a brilliant teacher, he is a very troubled man.
I love the final scene when we leap forward in time and see what has become of this group of boys. It's the scene that probably won de la Tour the Tony.
Thumbs up for "The History Boys."

Well, this was something. Jake Gyllenhaal does one helluva Jennifer Hudson on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. It was so fun! How great of him to go for it and to be so unafraid to put himself out there like that as a performer. Well done! Good as he was, I still don't think Jennifer will have to worry about Jake stealing any of her parts...

I got a brand-new cell phone today. It's got it all - all the bells and whistles. But one thing it doesn't have, that my old and broken cell phone did have was pictures taken with the camera phone that I never bothered to download or whatever. There are pictures with friends and one with me meeting ABC newsman Sam Donaldson last spring and I'm bummed about those. But what is killing me is that the pictures I took with actor Tuc Watkins and model-actor Rusty Joiner are lost forever. I mean, look at them!
Rusty had a role in the Ben Stiller comedy "Dodgeball" but he's better known for his work as a model - calendars, fitness videos and about 100 magazine covers. More on him later.

Tuc had what I think was probably the best gay role on television - until Kevin Walker came along last fall on "Brothers & sisters" - during his two-year ron on the Showtime series "Beggars & Choosers." This absolute gem of a show was about the running of a fictional television network and it remains a cult classic for rabid fans like me. Watkins played development executive Malcom Laffley who, early on during season one, comes out on national television during a roundtable talk show. After that, Malcom was an out gay man who had crushes, dated, had family issues, and did his best to navigate all of the craziness around him at the network.
This is one of my favorite shows - ever. I don't know why it has never been released on DVD. It's so smart, and so clever, and it also stars Brian Kerwin as the network president, Charlotte Ross as a ruthless (but very funny) executive, William MacNamara as a quirky talent agent and a host of guest stars including Alexis Arquette, Bea Arthur, Valerie Harper, Beau Bridges, Anne Archer and on and on. It was GREAT stuff.
I had met Tuc a few years ago as I was waiting outside the Academy Theater in Beverly Hills waiting to get into the premiere of a Melanie Mayron-directed movie that never got released. Great party though. I turned around and Tuc was suddenly just there, standing next to me. "Tuc Watkins!" I was so excited and surprised. Tuc could not have been nicer and we chatted for a few minutes on the sidewalk. Then about a year ago, I was having lunch with my friend James as El Mirasol mexican restaurant in Palm Springs where there is usually a celeb or two ranging from Streisand to Manilow. On this day, we spotted Tuc and siome friends being seated and since we were on our way out, we said hello and James took a photo of me and Tuc with my cell phone.
Oh well, since we run into each other every few years, next time I'll get a photo and immediately have it emailed to wherever the Verizon dude told me to. Tuc is best known for his long-running role of David Vickers on "One Life to Live" which he left this fall but I think will reappear next month in a limited way. He left the show to do "Beggars" and movies like "The Mummy" and the gay indie "I Think I Do" which cast him as a gay soap star who wants to marry his boyfriend (Alexis Arquette, pictured above with Watkins). He also has a few scenes in the current release "The Good Shepard."
As for Rusty Joiner, our meeting was a real fluke. I was at a friend's birthday party at iCandy in West Hollywood sometime last year sitting at the bar sipping lemon drop martinits with my friend Michael. In strolled Rusty who looked really familiar. He was bartending at iCandy on some Saturday nights and we started chatting. I soon realized that I had bought his workout DVD a few weeks earlier at A Different Light bookstore. "Have you tried it?" he asked. "No," I said. "But, I've watched it!" We chatted more and Rusty told me he had posed for a photo that was in the current issue of The Advocate. You couldn't tell it was him because the photo, an entire page, was of his ABS! It was illustrating a controversial cover story on gay polygamy and the story was written by....ME! What a small world. Rusty made us several more lemon drop martinis and at some point Michael took some photos of Rusty and I.
Now, I only have the memories. But good ones they are.

Was so busy running around yesterday getting credentialed and doing a walk-through for Monday's Golden Globes that I missed some big news! Maybe you've read it elsewhere but I'm gonna put the official Out in Hollywood stamp on it: 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" will be gone from the airwaves after Bravo airs the remaining episodes of the show this summer. The last show aired will be the show's 100th episode.
I think the show featuring the Fab Five deserves so much credit for bringing straight men and gay men together and it did so with such humor and fun. Their presence on the airwaves has had such an impact on pop culture. Carson Kressley, obviously, is who made the show really work with his bigger-than-life personality, Kyan Douglas, the grooming dude, was the hunk with a heart, and the others complimented them well. Ted Allen the food guy was very self-assured and we all learned a lot about food from him and Jai Rodriguez the culture guy didn't ever have a really clear role much of the time but he made it work! And, of course, Thom Filicia, the decorator, who I wish would come over and help me with this Feng Shui thing I'm struggling with the last three weeks.
I wish them all the best and look forward to seeing the remaining episodes which have already been filmed.
In related news,. Bravo announced Friday that "Project Runway's" motto-spouting mentor Tim Gunn will host "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" in which he will personally shepherd one poor schlub's journey from fashionably awful to awesome. Using the book "Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style" (co-written with Kate Moloney) as a manual, Gunn will tutor everyday people on his style philosphy and how to "make it work" - from finding the right fit and revamping closets to proper grooming and selecting a fashion role model.
"I'm practically delirious that Bravo has given me this incredible opportunity and together, we vow to redefine "makeovers,"' Gunn said in a statement. "This series aims to be one-part education and two-parts fun, and you'll see me being a fashion therapist, not a svengali."
Not sure what this means for his future participation in "Project Runway." The press release was a little unclear and since it is Saturday morning and I gotta go get a new cell phone (dropped it in West Hollywood last night! Damned thing is broken!) I can't investigate this mystery.
But promise to keep ya posted.

Somewhere, someplace, there must be tapes of the short-lived NBC prime-time soap "Titans" which had Casper Van Dien and John Barrowman cast as brothers and the sons of Victoria Principal and Perry King. It was maybe fall of 2000 and I watched EVERY episode. The eye candy was just Off. The. Charts. It was so bad it was GOOD!
That doesn't really have anything to do with anything except that I thought about it while reading a profile of Van Dien in the new issue of "Out" magazine.
He is playing a gay assassin in the MyNetworkTV telenovela-esque drama "Watch Over Me." Even though the show co-stars Van Dien's real-life wife, Catherine Oxenberg, they are obviously not romantically involved in the plot. So, does his character have a romantic interest on the horizon?
"I can't give too much up," the actor tells the mag. "But there's definitely interest."
But his kids won't be seeing daddy's work on this show: "No way! I don't care if they see if my character is gay. But I'm killing people left and right and I don't want my kids seeing me as a killer."
Well, we wouldn't want THAT.
So, even though Van Dien grew in a military family and graduated military prep school, he said his family was pretty liberal and probably would not reacted negatively if their blond and studly son turned out to really be gay.
"My mother would have been disappointed in me if I judged someone based on their sexual orientation. If I had been gay, my mother wouldn't have cared."
In addition to his work on "Watch Over Me," Van Dien is also preparing to reprise his role as Johnny Rico is "Starship Troopers 3" and is hoping he will be joined by Neil Patrick Harris, one of his co-stars in the original film. The actor wondered what all of the hoopla was about when Harris came out publicly as a gay man: "Was that a surprise to people? I didn't know it was that much of a surprise. He's a great guy and he's a great talent."

When I saw T.R. Knight at this week's People's Choice Awards, he seemed to be uneasy in the media glare and I wondered what his relationship with Isiaiah Washington was like since the big fight with he and Patrick Dempsey that led to Knight coming out as a gay man.
Anyway, after watching this week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy," I gotta say - the media glare is certainly not affecting his work as George O'Malley on the show. He was amazing in an episode in which his father undergoes surgery for cancer going through an entire gamut of emotions and making you feel his anguish. His scenes with the sensational Sara Ramirez, his on-again, off-again love interest on the show, were very heartfelt.
Anyway, before T.R. started getting all this attention for being a gay man, he was a damned good actor with a lot of experience in his craft. And guess what, he's still a good actor - maybe even better now. He and Washington also shared a few scenes - just the two of them - and they were just fine, no strain visible.
Glad to see he's doing his job so well. If he ever craves more of the spotlight, I'm sure it will be there waiting for him.

Remember Brad Rowe? He's the very handsome actor who looks very much like Brad Pitt. Pitt has been a superstar since 1991's "Thelma and Louise" while Rowe has had to make due with steady work in television and movies. But gay men remember him well as the object of Sean Hayes' lust in "Billy's Big Hollywood Screen Kiss" which came out before Hayes went on to star in "Will & Grace" and began dodging questions about his sexuality.
Anyway, Rowe ended up being either bi or gay on the film and there was a scene in bed with he and Billy (Hayes) that i think a lot of us can relate to!
Rowe is playing gay again - hooray - in "Shelter," which centers on a young man, Zach (Trevor Knight, pictured below), in San Pedro, Calif. Zach gives up on his dream of art school in order to provide for his family, consisting of his aging father and his young nephew Cody, whose mother decided her priorities lie elsewhere.
When his best friend's brother Shaun returns to town, Zach finds in him a friend and confidante. As Zach becomes increasingly attracted to Shaun (Rowe), their casual surfing relationship turns into much more, setting off a chain of events forcing Zach to choose between continuing to put others first or fighting for what he wants for himself

I had never spoken to Marc Malkin until yesterday when he weighed in on my David Beckham is coming to LA story. But now I'm familiar with his Planet Gossip site and it is terrific. He has what he says is the first picture of Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer's wedding in London. Festivities included the couple's first skate on a rented ice rink. Cumming has said he would have preferred getting married in the U.S.

Read Marc's post on the wedding at Planet Gossp which is part of the E! Online site.

My guess is that there have been plenty of readers who think, "Why the hell does Greg keep going on and on about 'Dreamgirls'"? Well, you will get a chance to find out as the movie finally goes into wide release in 1,900 theaters in the U.S.
So fare, the movie has grossed $56.2 million domestically (as of Wednesday) and has earned all kinds of award show nominations. I think it's a shoo-in to reach at least $150 million. Three years ago, the musical "Chicago" went on to take in $170 million after it won the best picture Oscar. The movie is up for five Golden Globe awards on Monday and should win in some key categories and I think that could result in a nice box office boost as well.
So go see "Dreamgirls" this weekend and let me know what you think of it!

Yesterday was kind of a wacko day as I found myself knee deep in the David Beckham comes to LA story for the LA Daily News. My colleague and great friend Beth Barrett did most of the heavy lifting but I contributed some of the Hollywood stuff and got a funny quote from Trent Venegas of Pink is the New Blog who memorab;ly described Beckham this way:
"It's not so much that he's the best soccer player - he's very good - it's his whole charisma factor.He's very cool with being seen and going out. He always looks good and is dressed well. He's like the male Paris Hilton, but he has a job."

To read our entire piece, check out DailyNews.com.

Madonna made her first-ever live appearance on "The Today Show" this morning and among the topics she touched on were her good friend Rosie O'Donnell, embroiled in a nasty public feud with the ridiculous Donald Trump :"People are giving Rosie a hard time. I wish they'd stop. I don't think it's fair." Madonna said was on vacation when news of the public feud broke, and quickly emailed Rosie to get the real scoop.
She says that since O'Donnell is a standup comic, saying controversial things in monologues is par for the course. "I have a feeling that if every stand-up comic was penalized for saying politically incorrect or provocative things, I think they'd all be hung in the public square."
Click HERE to see the video, courtesy of TMZ.com.

Madonna also said she and Britney Spears have "drifted apart," joking, "we shared a kiss and I never saw her again. You see, that's how it goes in my life."
Later, host Meredith Viera jokingly invited Madonna to kiss her live on camera. "You can kiss me if you want.." Vieira says as the two walked outside. Madonna seemed to ignore the suggestion and it's not clear if Meredith wants to 'never see Madonna again!

Been buried doing stories today so not as much time to blog as I'd like. But, I have been meaning to link to a preview of gay-themed or gay-related films that will be screening at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah this month. And, I'm looking for some excuse to post a few pictures of Ryan Reynolds from the film that I came acress some time ago.
PlanetOut.com writes that there appears to be fewer LGBT-interest titles than in years past. They have compiled a list that includes films with LGBT themes, as well as several films by LGBT filmmakers which may not necessarily be gay-themed.
One of those movies is "The Nines" directed and writen by John August and starring Ryan Reynolds and Hope Davis. Sundance will be its world premiere. Here is a brief synopsis: A troubled actor, a television show runner, and an acclaimed video-game designer find their lives intertwining in mysterious and unsettling ways.
As we've already noted, another film screening is "Save Me" directed by Robert Cary. Co-written by Craig Chester ("Adam & Steve"), this exploration of the ex-gay movement follows a young man (out actor Chad Allen) who is forced into a Christian gay rehab center (run by gay fave Judith Light) where he falls in love with fellow homo (out actor Robert Gant). This project has been in development for years and is one of the most anticipated gay indies in this year's festival, PlanetOut writes.

Read the entire preview on PlanetOut.com.

The good news just keeps coming this morning. The world's most famous soccer playr, David Beckham, is going to be playing in Los Angeles for Major League Soccer's Galaxy!!! It's a five-year $248 million deal.
Beckham such a stylish man - the world's most famous meterosexual. He constantly changes his looks and somehow, he ends up looking terrific no matter what. He's married to Victoria Beckham, once better known as Posh Spice. I have a feeling there are going to be many more gay fans at Galaxy games from now on and I'm certainly one of 'em. My roomate at San Diego State was captain of the soccer team so I actually know about soccer - I'm not just there to ogle the guys. But, soccer players are always nice to ogle - no one has better legs than a soccer player.
Bravo Beckham!!!
Here is a statement released by Beckham: "This week Real Madrid asked me to make a decision regarding my future and the offer to extend my contract for a further two seasons. After discussing several options with my family and advisers to either stay here at Madrid or join other major British and European clubs, I have decided to join the Los Angeles Galaxy and play in the MLS from August this year. I would like to thank the supporters and people of Madrid who have made my family and I feel so welcome in my time here, making this an extremely difficult decision to make.
I have enjoyed my time in Spain enormously and I am extremely grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity to play for such a great team and their amazing fans. I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world's most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own. For the rest of this season I will continue to give 100% to my coach, team mates and fans as I believe Fabio Capello will bring this club and its supporters the success they truly deserve."

My copy of Daily Variety is just filled with news that should be of interest to readers of Out in Hollywood. The soundtrack to my favoirite movie musical, "Dreamgirls," has been out for several weeks but has finally climbed to the top of the nation's album charts - the first movie soundtrack to reach number one in four years. If you haven't seen thje movie yet, get the CD and enjoy such gems as Jennifer Hudson's "And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going" (It will blow your mind) and "I Am Changing" and Beyonce's power ballad "Listen." And there's lots more too!

It's not even my birthday and this news comes on the front page of Daily Variety: Meryl Streep is set to star in the big-screen adaptation of the stage-smash of "Mamma Mia," a musical built around the songs of Swedith pop group ABBA.
This sounds PERFECT!!!
Anyone who saw "A Prairie home Companion" knows that Miss Streep can really sing. I'm just surprised she hasn't done it more often in film. Before "Prairie," the last time she sanf was two songs in "Postcards from the Edge." This marks Streep's first-blown musical.
The story is about a bride-to-be who never met her father and was raised by a single mother (Streep). The daughter invites three likely paternal candidates to the wedding. The movie will include 22 ABBA songs including :"Dancing Queen" "Take A Chance on Me" and "Knowing Me Knowing You."
Anyway, the film will be directed by Phillyda Lloyd, who directed the original stage production in London as well as on Broadway. Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks are among the executive producers.
I. Can't. Wait.

Had so much fun last week that I will again be a guest on Now in LA's Marty Keegan's "Hollywood Babble On" show around 1 p.m. or so on Thursday, Jan. 11 (tomorrow!).
We willl be talking about last night's People's Choice Awards and this will be the first time I'll have been on the show when I didn't have to wake up at 5 a.m. to cover some kind of award show nominations.
Here is the link for you to listen in: : http://www.nowinla.com/
What's really fun about the whole thing is that you can log on during the chat and e-mail questions which pop up on the screen immediately. It's all very fluid and fun. If you're not signed up on the site yet, be sure to register before the show starts so you'll be all set!

Remember when the DVD of "Brokeback Mountain" came out last spring and how underwhelmed we all were by the lack of extras? Well, welcome to Hollywood! That bare-bones disc was just an appetizer for a two-disc "Special Collector’s Edition" of the landmark film to be released Jan. 23., Universal Studios Home Entertainment said Wednesday.

Among the new bonus features
- "A Groundbreaking Success" – In a new original documentary, Brokeback Mountain’s producers and cast talk about bringing this unusual story to the screen on their terms. The film also examines the phenomenal attention garnered by the movie, including the numerous parodies that the story inspired.

- "Music From the Mountain" – Composer Gustavo Santaolalla, who won an Oscar® for Brokeback Mountain’s emotional score, takes viewers into the sounds of the movie’s unforgettable music. Includes interviews with each of the featured artists, and a trip to the studio with the legendary Willie Nelson as he records his touching version of Bob Dylan’s "He Was a Friend of Mine."

- "On Being A Cowboy" – Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal discuss their preparations for the film, including rodeo and wrangling training. Exclusive on-set interviews with the film’s stunt coordinator are also featured.

- "{Directing From the Heart: Ang Lee" – Oscar-winning director Ang Lee is profiled in this intimate behind-the-scenes look at how he led the filmmaking team in bringing the absorbing story of Brokeback Mountain to life.

- "From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana" – The writers discuss bringing Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx’s visionary short story to the screen.

- "Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain" – This featurette follows the filmmaking process from start to finish and introduces the cast and crew who brought Brokeback Mountain to life through in-depth interviews, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and more.

Good God, I'm away from my computer for a few hours yesterday and miss an entire episode of the Rosie-Trump feud in which Barbara Walters has been dragged into by her "friend" Trump. First of all, Donald, what is a grown man doing going around blabbing whatever Walters allegedly told you about Rosie? You are like a bratty little tattle-tail on a playground and I am finding you increasingly revolting and ridiculous. As you may know, Trump senjt a letter to Rosie highlighting all the "lies" Barbara Walters was involved in etc.
Here is part of it: "Barbara called me from her vacation (I did not call her) in order to apologize for your behavior. " · "To be exact, she said that 'working with her is like living in hell' and, more pointedly, 'Donald never get into the mud with pigs' and, 'don't worry, she won't be here for long," · After running into Walters at Le Cirque and asking how "Rosie was doing," she "sarcastically rolled her eyes and said 'Donald, do you have to ruin my meal.'"
Barbara and Rosie reportedly had a dust-up in the make-up room on Monday because Rosie was miffed that Walters had not publicly called the comb-over bunny a liar. So, Barbara goes on the air Monday and does so.
That brings us to Wednesday's show: Rosie starts the roundtable by saying, "Well, he's at it again..." Everyone roars. Then Barbara Walters says "That poor, pathetic man. He just can't let go. We're moving on." She then high-fived Rosie and Joy and Elizabeth and they went on with the show.
To see the clip, click HERE.

So, Trump, who SERIOUSLY needs to get a life, immediately responds via letter: "Barbara Walters has taken the low road for the sake of her show rather than the sake of morality. She lied with Star Jones and now she has chosen to lie again. She refused to discuss my recent letter because she knows it's true -- and so does Rosie...Barbara has become a sad figurehead dominated by a third-rate comedian and I now wish she had not recently chosen me as one of the "10 Most Fascinating People."
Gawd, I bet she regrets it too...BIGTIME!

I don't think there was any group having more fun last night than the cast of CBS's "The Class" which was named favorite new comedy at the People's Choice Awards. The cast, headed by the adorable Jason Ritter, all seem to genuinely like each other as they did all of their red carpet interviews and picture posing as a group. They also gave each other a chance to talk with no one hogging the spotlight.
But let's face it, Jason is the star and his clowning around backstage reminded me so much of his late father, John Ritter. Anyway, there was a funny moment backstage when Sean Maguire (he plays gay man Kyle Lando on the show) was asked where the absent Christian de la Fuente (who plays his boyfriend Aaron) was. Joked Maguire in his natural British accent: "He's at home with the children where he should be. He's a wonderful man and a wonderful lover!"
My only disappointment was this: where was my favorite character, Perry Pearl? He's the gayest straight man ever and played by the great Sam Harris, an openly gay actor, singer and Broadway star. Sam, we want to see you at these events! You're the best!

Kind of a whirlwind day yesterday with little time to post. But, I'm back with a vengeance today! Was at the People's Choice Awards last night. My assignment was to blog from backstage (see the LA Daily News On the Red Carpet site) but I hovered around the red carpet as long as I could until showtime. Stood behind some guy from the E! channel who looks like a younger Mark Steines because all the celebs were coming over to him including just about every star from "Grey's Anatomy." Patrick Dempsey was THE man last night. Yeah, he's McDreamy - no doubt about it. I've never seen him in person and must say, the hair is amazing. It would be so nice to have more hair.
But, I digress.
Chandra Wilson, singled out last week with a Screen Actors Guild nomination for best actress, had a special glow about her in her first big appearance since the nod. I'm happy for her. Last year at the SAG awards, she was overshadowed by Sandra Oh and others but could not have been nicer as she stopped to talk to me and introduced me to her daughter. Standing next to her that night a year ago was T.R. Knight who I didn't even bother to talk to because I had spotted Mark Valley from "Bostoin Legal" and wanted to talk to HIM. Sheesh. Little did I know that T.R. would become such a big story when he confirmed via press release that he is gay. This came after Dempsey and co-star Isiah Washington had an on-set scuffle and Washington said he wasn't Dempsey's "little faggot" like someone else. Turned out he was referring to Knight.
So, a year later, T.R. still seems shell-shocked by all of the attention his coming out has brought and while he posed for a few pictures on the red carpet, he made a quick beeline past all of the television reporters as his co-stars preened and basked in the spotlight. He seems shy anyway but I felt badly that he seems to feel so uncomfortable now and avoids interviews. I can't even find any photos online today. Backstage, he stood off to the side (next to McSteamy Eric Dane) and said nothing as Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, Kate Waslsh and Sandra Oh talked about their fashion choices.
Then someone asked Sandra how it felt to be named to Mr. Blackwell's worst dressed list earlier in the day. She looked confused and finally said: 'I don't even know who that is."Good for her! She looked great and also was lovely at the SAG award nomination annoucements last week. I think Blackwell needs to maybe get some new eyeglasses and stop being such a bitch!

Ellen DeGeneres was so cute at the People's Choice Awards last night. When she was announced as the winner of the favorite talk show host award, she kissed girlfriend Portia de Rossi on the lips and took the stage. And during silly speech, the camera kept cutting to the beautiful Portia. It was sweet. Ellen didn't say anything sappy about the woman she loves while on stage, but backstage, she was asked what the secret is to their happy relationship:
"Finding the right person, finding someone that just clicks," Ellen said as Portia stood off to the side by the door.
She compared finding the right person to when you put together a jigsaw puzzle and there might be a piece that doesn't quite fit but you keep trying to force it to.
"You just have to find the right piece and I found the right piece," she said.
Then, ever the comedianne, she suddenly added: "That sounds dirty in a way."
Portia laughed, everyone laughed, and the two of them walked out together.

It's a nuts day with Directors Guild of America award nominations this morning and the People's Choice Awards late this afternoon. But I had to quickly post a little chat I had awhile ago with Bill Condon, the openly-gay director of "Dreamgirls." Bill got a much-deserved DGA nomination for his work on this hit musical which everyone knows I LOVED.
Bill is so down-to-Earth. I told him I had watched him on Charlie Rose's show last night and he asked, "How do you think it went?" I thought he was just fine. Then i asked him if he felt any special pride, being a gay man and being nominated for one of the biggest prizes in the movie business.
"I'm always thrilled to be identified as such," he said. "I joke that 'Dreamgirls' is the gayest movie i ever made (laughs). Part of the challenge is you were living up to the Broadway show and I felt I needed to live up to people
s memories of it. Gays and African-Americans are the two groups to whom the show meant the most to and who embraced it in such a personal way. It's the thing about being on the outside wanting to be accepted by the mainstream and not wanting to give up your authenticity."
As good as his movie is, and it is very, very good, Condon says he's quite sure the DGA prize will go to Marton Scorsese, director of "The Departed."
"Martin Scorsese is the great American director who is way overdue," he said. "I'm thrilled to be included with him and I'll be thrilled to stand and applaud for him."
Condon is a class act.

I'm getting a little sick of the whole thing myself but how could i not post this painting that Rosie did of the man who has made it a full-time job to insult her in every way for daring to speak her mind. Rosie hasn;t exactly been an angel in all of this as she refered to Trump as a "comb over bunny" yesterday on "The View." She also added: "I love when people say, 'You're fat' like you don't know."
Trump, having the maturity of a first-grader, of course had to respond: "I used the word 'slob,' I used the word 'degenerate,' and I used the words not very smart.' The word 'fat' played a very small role, if any, in my description."
Well, that clears that up Mr. Combover Bunny.
Meanwhile, Sunday's premiere of "The Apprentice" had its lowest season debut ever with just 9.1 million viewers. I obviously was not one of them. But, to be fair, going up against 'Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters" on ABC and "Cold Case" and "Without a Trace" on CBS is not gonna leave many viewers available - and certainly not to watch what's his face.

Tony winning actor Alan Cumming, who married Grant Shaffer's civil partnership ceremony in London yesterday, has this to say about the experience: "We'd like to thank everyone for their good wishes and messages of support—they mean a lot to us, not only as a celebration of our happiness but also a celebration that two men actually can get married and have the same civil rights as any straight couple. We really hope that soon gay people in America will be treated with the same respect as they are here in the U.K. America is really missing out. You know, the gays really know how to throw a party."

OK, so it isn't exactly the Oscars. But since the winners are tipped off in advance, the People's Choice Awards are always pretty star-studded. I'll be planted backstage where the winners will come after they talk to "Entertainment Tonight," "Extra," "Access Hollywood," "The Insider" AND "E!" Let's hope they still have some energy left!
I'll be blogging even before the show begins which is 5 p.m. PST. It doesn't air on the West Coast until 9 p.m. on CBS. I'll probably start posting sometime after 4 p.m. You can read my comments on On the Red Carpet which is the awards show blog of the LA Daily News.
Some of my memories from this show last year include sitting in the front row of the press room and asking Matthew McConahey a question just so I could tell my friend Eddie I had a conversation with him. I consider it a conversation if I ask a question, he answers and I say thank you. Right? Sandra Bullock was my favorite, so down-to-Earth and damned beautiful too.
I also got great views of such hotties as CSI's George Eads and Prison Break's Wentworth Miller when they came backstage after their shows won. Is there a more handsome actor on television than George Eads? I think not. He was sporting these bangs that I thought were really sexy.
Some stars were not as charming. Take Jason Lee. He ate a sandwich the entire time he was in the interview room. I'm sure he was hungry but good grief! Kelly Clarkson was a sweetie but lost her composure a little bit after being introduced to McConaughey in the hallway. Can't say I blame her.

Now here's a DVD set worth owning. Most people under the age of 30 probably only know Bea Arthur as one of the four "Golden Girls." But before her seven-year run in that classic show, Arthur spent six seasons playing the outspoken, controversial and completely liberal feminist Maude Findlay on the CBS comedy "Maude." To make the 35th anniversary of that show's 1972 debut, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced Monday that it will release the first season of "Maude" on DVD March 20.
\Maude was introduced as Edith Bunker's cousin on a few episodes of "All in the Family" and was such a smash that a show was quickly built around the character by Norman Lear. It it, Maude lived with her fourth husband Walter (William Macy) to whom she would famously say her trademark catchphrase, "God'll get you for that Walter."
I think the show was so ahead of its time and will be really interesting to see now. Provocative social issues were tackled with humor including women's liberation, pornography, political campaigning, race relations, and marijuana laws.  By far, the biggest controversy was raised by the two-part episode “Maude's Dilemma,� which featured the 47-year-old Maude discovering she’s pregnant, and, after much debate, deciding to have an abortion (the first show to ever have the lead character make that decision). 

Adrienne Barbeau plays Maude's knockout daughter, Carol and how's this: Rue McClanahan, who went on to star with Arthur in "Golden Girls," played her sidekick Vivian during the entire run of the show. The early seasons also feature Esther Rolle as Maude's maid, Florida Evans, whose character was spun-off to the show "Good Times."
Arthur was nominated for five Emmy Awards for the part - winning once. she might have had more trophies had she not had to go up against Mary Tyler Moore year after year.

So, a new dating show on Lifetime has a woman going out with three different men - one straight, one gay, and one in a relationship. She's gotta try and pick the single and straight guy in order to get a free trp with him. I watched the first episode awhile back and it was fine, nothing thrilling. I'd rather see a gay dating show, personally, and see how that goes. After all, we've got so many of those ElimiDATE shows on the air with some not-always very broight people.
AfterElton.com had a thoughtful piece on the new show exploring whether it is something that is good o0r bad for gays. To read it, click HERE.

Read a terrific Newsweek profiule by Allison Samuels over the weekend on Oprah Winfrey and her new academy in Africa. Allison reports the following about Gayle King's participation:

The academy is Oprah's vision, but she does have a not-so-silent partner: longtime buddy Gayle King. She's with Oprah everywhere in Africa, and Oprah relies on her advice. On everything. Every time a girl leaves the interview room, Oprah asks for Gayle's thoughts. When they sit for a fashion show of possible uniforms, Gayle suggests the pleated skirts be looser to accommodate the heavier girls; Oprah agrees. We all know that King is Oprah's BFF—their cross-country car trip last summer was one of the best "Oprah" features in years—but it's still something of a shock to see someone of Oprah's stature rely so heavily on someone else. Gayle really does seem like Oprah's other half. King says rumors of their being lovers used to bother them both—"It wasn't true, and it implied that Oprah was a liar"—but they're over it now. "Most people will be lucky if they get one good friend in their lifetime," King says. "Most don't even get that one friendship, so the friendship we have is foreign to them. What we have is a blessing."

King has her own theory as to why her friend has become obsessed with the school. "When I watched Oprah with those girls," she says, "I kept thinking she was meant to be a mother, and it would happen one way or another."

How cool is this? First Elton John ties the knot, then John Barrowman and now Alan Cumming! The Tony Award-winning Scottish actor and his American boyfriend of two years, illustrator Grant Shaffer, married today during a civil ceremony in London. Attending the nuptials were singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and actress Mary-Elizabeth Mastrantonio, according to Broadwayworld.com.

Cumming was on Broadway last year in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of The Three[enny Opera. He won a Tony in 1998 for for his role as the Emcee in Roundabout's Cabaret. Cumming, star of over forty films including X2, Spy Kids, Golden Eye, The Anniversary Party, Emma, and Titus, has also starred on Broadway in Noel Coward's Design for Living, and was recently in a West End revival of Bent.

Shaffer is an illustrator, having recently worked on the critically acclaimed Little Children. His other art department credits include Closer, Angels in America, Zoolander, and Meet the Parents.

Rosie O'Donnell, back on "The View" after a vacation, looked at the camera during thism morning's hot topics section and said: "Here's my oficial comment:" and made a funny face which seemed to say, "Donald is dirt." "Boy did I hit a nerv e with that guy!" Rosie said.
Click HERE to see the clip, courtesy of TMZ.com.
Barbara Walters, who had initially tried to remain somewhat neutral in the Rosie-Trump fracas, seems to be fed up with Trump running around to every news outlet saying that Barbara really "hates" Rosie and wishes she never hired her for the morning chatfest.Said Walters Monday: "Let me say definitively that everything that he says I say aboyt her is totally untrue."
I gotta think that Trump will keep his trap shut from now on about this battle which began when Rosie made fun of his hideous combover and chastised him for letting Miss USA off the hook after she was busted for being a drunk. Donald responded by calling Rosie "fat" a "slob" and a "mental midget" among other things.
Even his third wife wife, who can barely speak English and is about 100 years younger than her rich hubby, weighed in saying that Rosie "has issues."

Oh well, it looks like it's not gonna be Rob Lowe's Sen. Robert McCallister hooking up with Kevin (Matthew Rhys) on "Brothers & Sisters" as I had speculated and hoped for. Drat! I mean, a closeted Repujblican politician wouldn't be so far-fetched, right? But McCallister's character's brother is gay, it was revealed on Sunday night's episode - the first in a month - and I look forward to meeting this brother who the senator described as not only a gay man but "... a cute one too." Since Lowe's real-life brother, Chad Lowe, has snagged a role on "24," we can start speculating about what handsome actor will play the role of his on-screen brother.
Previews for next week's episode show the introduction of the super-sexy Jason Lewis who Kevin meets at the gym. He's a closeted actor who Kevin is likely to hook up with for at least four episodes. Sounds good to me!
Anyway, a solid episode of the show this week with some silly but funny stuff when Holly (Patricia Wettig) insists on having an office at the family business so Nora (Sally Field) insists she have one too. It got a little ridiculous though when Nora sent out an email suggesting everyone bring their dogs to work - and they do.

But what I cared the most about was Kevin's episode-long showdown with Kitty (Calista Flockhart) who is going to accept a job as the senator's communications director. Kevin is against it because this Republican senator voted against gay marriage.
"In 20 years, when I'm finally grown uop enough to sustain a commited relationship, I may want to get married," he tells Kitty and later adds: "There's not one thing that suggests he will do what's best for me...You want to work for someone who wants to strip me of my consistutional rights!""
Later, the senator explains to Kitty that gay marriage is "not an issue" for him but he needed to vote for the constitutional amendment banning it so he could get the support he needed for his education bill.
"I wouldn't do it again," he admits when Kitty points out the hypocricy of his vote. "I don't hate gay people."
I'm glad the issue was brought up and talked about and I have no doubt it will surface again as this show continues to tackle sensitive subjects on a regular basis and, i hope, makes a lot of people think.

Good morning. I've gotten so many notes and phone calls over yesterday's front-page piece on actors coming out in Hollywood. Very gratifying and thanks to all of those who took the time to connect. One woman left me a voicemail and was so impressed that the Daily News would put the story on the front page "and across the top of the page!" she said. I think that's pretty cool too.
Anyway, I'll be talking about the story and some other showbiz topics tonight on KABC talk radio which is at 790 AM on your radio dial. I'll be on a few minutes after 8 p.m. Mark Isler, whose show I last appeared on in November, is guest-hosting on "The Mike Walker Show." So listen in before ya watch "Brothers & Sisters" tonight!

And you thought I was hyping my stories yesterday. That was nothin! I didn't realize that the LA Daily News, my wonderful home base, was going to be running a story I finished a few weeks ago on today's front page. Major world events like Saddam's hanging, President Ford's death, reaching 3,000 troops dead in Iraq have kept the story on hold but here it is at last. Just go to our home page:LA Daily News and check it out!!!

Ah heck, here's the whole thing. I just did a cut and paste for ya and even added some pictures:

In Today's Hollywood, more gays out of the closet
BY GREG HERNANDEZ
Rock Hudson nearly went to his grave while still in the closet. Richard Chamberlain and Tab Hunter waited until they were nearly 70 to tiptoe out.
But recently, the hinges of Hollywood's closet door have been oiled with three high-profile performers coming out as gay men and several lesbians currently enjoying mainstream success on television.
What is most remarkable, entertainment industry observers say, has been the lack of backlash faced by "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris, "Grey's Anatomy" cast member T.R. Knight and former 'N Sync band member Lance Bass since they came out within months of each other during the second half of 2006.
"The general public is not freaking out about these actors coming out and they haven't stopped watching their shows," gay producer Paul Colichman ("Gods and Monsters") said recently. "Nobody really cares that much."
Leo Braudy, a cultural historian and author of "The Frenzy of the Renown: Fame and its History," said it was inevitable that gay performers would become less closeted just as in earlier generations when Jewish stars stopped aspiring to achieve WASP-ish personas.
"If you were Jewish, you frequently didn't make that obvious either," said Braudy, a professor at the University of Southern California. "The WASP identity was the default identity."
The heterosexual image has, for the most part, been the default identity for most actors. But with the same-sex marriage debate raging in America, gay images more prevalent in pop culture, and the blogosphere making secrets harder than ever to keep, mainstream Hollywood may be on the verge of relaxing its unwritten rules about trying to keep bankable performers in the closet.
"They are still trying to gauge what the audience reaction will be," Braudy said. "If someone is a great heartthrob, they may be a little leery of him or her coming out of the closet because they feel they may be losing a large chunk of the audience. But what is happening is that audiences are more and more able to distinguish between the person and the role."
The image issue does not appear to be as big a stumbling block for women. Out actress Sarah Paulson is up for a Golden Globe Award this month for her role on the NBC drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," while Jane Lynch, who was never in the closet, has a recurring role on ABC's "Boston Legal" and is featured in the current theatrical release "For Your Consideration."
Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres have also done pretty well for themselves since coming out, as has DeGeneres' life partner, Portia DeRossi of "Arrested Development."
While DeGeneres' coming out was a widely anticipated national event that landed her on the cover of Time magazine, only Bass got a national magazine cover (People) to whom he granted an interview after he was essentially outted by bloggers.
One of those blogs was PerezHilton.com, the wildly popular but very controversial site run by Mario Lavendeira, who calls the reluctance for some actors to come out publicly "internalized homophobia." He feels no obligation to not post items on the private lives of gay actors - closeted or not.
"It's a decidedly American concept that in America, it's still perceived that being gay is bad and that being gay and out in Hollywood will hurt your career," he said. "That's a false concept that I don't believe. I don't buy into it. I'm not going to perpetuate it because it's not true. I dare you to name one person who came out and their career went to the ---- after. If anything, it will help. All the comings-out have helped."
Colichman, the creator and CEO of the here! TV pay channel, which exclusively features gay and lesbian programming, agrees.
"Coming out and being gay may actually help some of these people who don't have careers," he said. "At least it's something to promote and you have an audience to start with. You can get work at one of the gay networks and have something to bring to the table instead of being another out-of-work actor in Los Angeles or New York.
"Most of these actors would love to have Sir Ian McKellen's career," Colichman added. "He has starred in family films and major commercials successes. It hasn't hurt him any."
McKellen, nominated for an Academy Award for his role as a gay filmmaker in "Gods & Monsters," has had major roles in both the "Lord of the Rings" and "X-Men" franchises.
"Brokeback Mountain," the 2006 Oscar-nominated love story between two ranch hands, showed that a gay-theme movie could be a box office hit, and the leads in the film - Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal - are straight actors who convincingly tackled explicit gay roles, complete with explicit love scenes.

Seth Abromovitch, co-editor of the popular Defamer blog, points to "Brokeback" as the catalyst for the increased interest in gay topics.
"Gay people are feeling bolder and just a little more proud of who they are," Abromovitch said. "Hollywood is the last battleground for that and it is finally falling. I think there is a built-in interest. The whole `Brokeback Mountain' thing, it wouldn't have become the huge cultural subject of last year if it was just interest from the gay community.
"There was something about the buttons it pushed as far as taking the classic Marlboro man image and turning it on its head. Whether it made straight people uncomfortable or made them feel great, whatever it was, it was an everyone phenomenon. I think it was a turning point."
The success of "Brokeback" has led other straight actors to play gay roles, including John Stamos, who starred in the recent TV movie "Wedding Wars" and twice kissed his character's boyfriend in the film. Stamos, currently starring on "ER," said he had no hesitation about taking the role.
"I knew the guy was in love with this man and he believed in gay rights, but I never thought of him as a gay guy," he said.
But on gay actors being out and going for straight roles, he understands their hesitancy.
"I feel people should come out when they are ready to come out," he said. "I think it's hard for actors sometimes to play straight roles when people know they're gay so I think it's up to them. If they feel they want to keep it quiet, then they should keep it quiet."
Even in this post-"Brokeback Mountain" age, many say the real test will be public acceptance of a gay actor as a leading man at the level of a Brad Pitt or a Leonardo DiCaprio.
Actor Alec Mapa, known for his comic roles in television and film, said being out was never an issue for him "but it would be completely different if I were Matthew McConaughey.'
"What? I was going to lose out on all the great roles for Asian males under 5 foot 5? The minute I came out, it was the first authentic thing I had to offer, the only authentic voice I had," Mapa said. "But I'm a character actor. The next frontier (is) if people will buy an out gay actor as a believable heterosexual romantic le