I love this Advocate interview with Jason Bateman who was the subject of the magazine's "Big Gay Following" feature. He has been on a real roll post "Arrested Development" with a standout comic performance in "The Kingdom" this fall and two new films currently out: "Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium" and "Juno." Here are some excerpts from his interview with writer Brandon Voss:

Q. When The Advocate last spoke to you in 2001 you were promoting your role as gay journalist Warren in the series Some of My Best Friends, which was then canceled after five episodes. What went wrong?

A. It wasn’t the show’s fault, and it certainly wasn’t my fault, Brandon. I kept thinking that perhaps it was on the wrong network and the wrong night. Those are legitimate excuses -- I don’t think they’re just things that help you get to sleep at night. There are certain networks that are better for liberal fare, and CBS, at least at the time, was not leading in that race as far as their audience and demographic. If it had been on NBC, on a more liberal night -- like a Thursday -- it probably would’ve had a better shot. Will & Grace was certainly having a good time there.

On gays in his life: "I know a few ...and they’re some of my best friends. Growing up in the entertainment industry, and also having a mother who was a flight attendant for 30 years, I’ve been surrounded by the best and the worst of the gay community. But I’ve always said that I’ve never met a dumb gay guy. You’ve got to be smart and insightful to know what’s going on with you and then live by it. It takes a lot of balls to walk proudly as a gay man, especially outside of the more liberal cities like Los Angeles and New York. So I’ve got a great deal of respect for the gay community. I think that it shows in my friend circle, and I’m really proud to be accepted by them.

Q. You respect our “balls,” but do you have any closeted peers?

A. Yes, but it’s become less and less. In this day and age, at least in this town, you’re not truly hip and popular until you’re out and in AA. So that’s encouraging a lot of those who were on the fence. One of my best friends and ex-roommates, a producer, finally came out a couple of years ago, and he’s never been happier. He’s stopped a lot of his abusive, self-destructive behavior because he’s been able to get this big weight off his shoulders.

Q. Have guys ever hit on you?

A. I don’t know if I’d be able to tell, only because I’m so flirtatious with gay men anyway. They usually have great senses of humor, so I just get my flirt on, and they’re probably not enjoying my humor as much as I’m enjoying theirs -- maybe all those laughs are just come-ons and I’m getting hit on the whole time. But I do enjoy my time around homosexual men, to the point where people have thought I’m gay for years. I had to get myself a wife just to prove otherwise.

Q. If you were gay, who’d be your type?

A. Oh, God, who am I gay for… Well, Will Arnett, the guy who played G.O.B. on Arrested Development. I’ve been trying to get in his pants since the pilot, and he’s just not giving it up. His wife, Amy Poehler, is safely on the East Coast, but if she ever wanders out here, I got something for her ass.

Q. Now that you’re 38, the industry thinks you’re sexy enough to play the husband of Jennifer Garner in Juno and of Charlize Theron in next year’s Hancock.

A. Yeah, that’s not bad. I’ll take that. But listen, it’s not without tireless work. I run like a Kenyan every morning, and I haven’t had a loaf of bread in my house since the late ’90s, OK? I do all of that and I still look like some fat-faced teenager.

Q. You must’ve been pretty comfortable with your body this past year to have done a nude locker room scene in The Ex and a scene wearing only ladies’ undergarments in Smokin’ Aces.

A. I was not happy about either one of those things. I was very fleshy for both. God, I wish we could do another take of those. Jesus, you should see me now. You could do laundry on my stomach!

For what it's worth, I really liked Jason in "The Hogan Family" when it was still called "Valerie." It starred Valerie Harper as his mother. She got fired in a contract dispute so they killed her off and temporarily changed the show to the strange title of "Valerie's Family" and hired Sandy Duncan as the aunt who moves in the help raise the brood.