Britney Spears makes her second appearance on "How I Met Your Mother" tonight and The Hollywood Reporter says in today's edition that she might be back for a third guest spot!

Britney's character of Abby, a receptionist obsessed with an uninterested Ted, has rebounded into the arms of Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) Here is a scene:

This seems like a win-win situation for Britney and for the show which now seems certain of a fourth season. Ratings have been way up since her first appearance and she has shown that despite the very public troubles she has had in recent years, she clearly seems to be on the road back.

The show's co-creator Craig Thomas told The Reporter that Monday's episode was written to leave the door open for the pop singer to make a return appearance next season: "She was better than the first time and I think the fans will enjoy it because her return answers a larger mystery set up earlier in the series. So there's a good plot reason why she's there. And when people watch Britney's second appearance on the show they'll see that the door is still open for her to come back."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poor Jenny from Brooklyn, she didn't even know she was the beard for the dashing Asher Hornsby who, in setting her straight says: "Do you really think someone like me would date someone like you?"

But in the end, Asher is outed by the boy he was seen kissing earlier in the day: Eric Van Der Woodsen who bursts into an East Side party and tells all. He may have attempted suicide earlier this season, but this kid has found himself and is out and proud! I love it. I've grabbed what I could off of YouTube but can't find the climactic party scene and the heart-to-heart Eric has with his mom. I'll post them later when they surface.

The episode was good until the end when we find out the show's heroine, Serena, killed someone. Huh? Seems kinda jump the sharkish to me.

Stay tuned!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Grey's Anatomy" has never been gay enough for my taste but I'm overlooked its rampant heterosexuality because not only does it star opnely gay T.R. Knight, but the eye candy also includes Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane. I once considered Isaiah Washington eye candy until...oh nevermind.

I've been so caught up in the Scotty and Kevin lovefest on "Brothers & Sisters" that I forgot to post about "Grey's" which I did happen to catch this week after "Ugly Betty." And I sure didn't see this storyline coming: Callie (Sara Ramirez) has been cheered out of her post-George funk by the friendship of Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) who she laughs in hallways with, drinks wine with etc. I didn't think much of it until Addison (Kate Walsh) made a much-welcomed return to the show for one episode and flat-out asked Callie: "Are you speaking the vaginia monologues now?"

The episode seemed to be setting up that Erica is a lesbian but what about Callie? Will she be up for this? At the mere suggestion, she went straight over to McSteamy at the watering hole and suggested they leave together.

Hmmm. I like it.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Britney Spears will make her second appearance on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" May 12, Her first guest spot back in March gave the sitcom boffo ratings so no doubt this one will too.

Britney, who seems far better these days thankfully, will again play Abby - a receptionist who had a mad crush on Ted. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is on the outs with Ted so he and Abby team up to make him jealous. They go on some kind of date, even dressing alike for it, and flaunt their "relationship" in his face.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tonight's the night!

Eric Van Der Woodsen (Connor Paolo) is set to reveal that he is gay on "Gossip Girl" which airs on the CW (check your local listings). And not just that, he is also spotted making out with a cute guy name Asher (Jesse Swenson). The problem: Asher is the new boyfriend of Jenny (Taylor Momsen). Jenny;s brother, Dan, is dating Eric's sister, Serena.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After spending much of the first season mostly making fun of Betty and scheming with his boss Wilhelmina, Marc (Michael Urie) will have plenty of reason to be a nicer person during the second season of "Ugly Betty." Marc will get involved with Cliff, a young photographer at MODE magazine. Cliff will be portrayed by David Blue/ His previous credits include guest spots on "Veronica Mars," "Scrubs," and "Dirt."
Patti LuPone, who played Marc's unaccepting mother during an episode last season, will return for at least another appearabce. "Betty" not only has the openly gay character of Marc, but also transgendered female Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) and Betty's nephew Justin who is a little diva in the making.
Love it!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just found this out via Towleroad.com...the acclaimed "Forever Blue" episode of the CBS drama "Cold Case" about two police officers in love in the 60s, is being re-broadcast at 9 p.m. on Sunday night...right after "Big Brother 8.": My evening is set! Here is a clip from the much buzzed-about episide which has been compared to "Brokeback Mountain."
u

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, this is delicious.
One half of the gay couple moving into the neighborhood on "Desperate Housewives" happens to be the ridiculously handsome and very talented Tuc Watkins (pictured, left) who I have been a huge fan of since his role as a gay television executive for two seasons of the late, great Showtime series "Beggars and Choosers."
TV Guide.com reports that Watkins' other half on the show will be played by the very appealing Kevin Rahm who joined the cast of "Judging Amy" for several seasons after Dan Futterman departed. I love these selections.
TV Guide describes the characters this way:Watkins will play Bob, described as a country mouse who leaves the big city for greener (and quieter) pastures. Rahm is his bitchy partner, Lee.
I assume Lee will be the one who clashes with neighbor Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher).
Watkins is a wonderful talent and very good at comedy as evidenced by his long run, on and off, on "One Life to Live" where he played the cad David Vickers who was a wonderful match for the show's reigning bitch Dorian (Robin Strasser). He has also played gay on other ocassions besides "Beggars" including iin the indie fave "I Think I Do..." and on an episode of the since-cancelled CBS drama "Family Law"
I've met hkm twice while out and about and both times, he could not have been nicer....or hotter!

Related posts:
Gay Couple Moving onto Wisteria Lane
Lost memories of celeb cell phone encounters

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just spoke with sources at ABC. The story about David Beckham and Robbie Williams playing a gay couple on "Desperate Housewives" is, as I suspected, bogus.
This "report" was all over the blogs this morning so I shared it but was skeptical about it. I wrote exclusively last week about the gay couple that "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry planned to have move onto Wisteria Lane. During our conversation, Cherry said he had not began casting the parts but now there are bizarre reports that the new gay couple is going to be Robbie Williams and David Beckham.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Sounded too bizarre and I was determined to get the real story. Even the "quote" from Cherry sounded fake: "David and Robbie are perfect to star as the new neighbors' best friends; the gorgeous, eccentric couple flown over from Blighty (Britain),"Cherry is quoted as saying."We haven't had that kind of wow for the wives since Jesse Metcalfe left and we want it to cause such a stir when they turn out to be together. David's keen, but though the obvious choice was to work with Tom Cruise, we wanted someone who matches him in height and well, Britishness, so Robbie is the one. They're both funny, game for a laugh and ridiculously macho, so it should work wonderfully... the English are pitch-perfect for sending themselves up."
Will keep ya posted on the REAL casting of the gay couple.

Related post: Exclusive: Gay Couple Moving onto Wisteria Lane

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I wish I could say this is my scoop but I'm trying to have a rare vacation day today (posts will return to regular levels tomorrow) but these belong to Chicago Tribune television critic Maureen Ryan who paid a visit to the set of "Ugly Betty" and came back with all kinds of goodies. I offer you a sampling...

STOP READING HERE if you want to be kept in suspense!
Betty has a possible new love interest even though Henry (adorable Christopher Gorham) comes back to work at Mode...Santos, shot in a convenience store robbery, does not die...Wihelmina's assistant Marc (Michael Urie) gets a romance this season and the great Patti LuPone will return as Marc's formidable mother. She might finally be coming around to accepting that her son is gay. Well, she BETTER, she's Patti LuPone for god's sake...the gays made her!
Urie will also have scenes with Betty's nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato) who becomes an intern at Mode and is one of several managed by Marc.
For those of you who really loved the Season 1 scenes between Marc and Betty's nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato), there's more good stuff to come: Early in Season 2, Justin is one of several Mode interns Marc has to manage.
"I spent the whole morning screaming and yelling at them," Urie tells Ryan of a recent day of filming. "They didn't get the right kind of bendy straws for a Shakira photo shoot. It was such funny stuff."

I. Can't. Wait.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's some big news: While trying to get Marc Cherry to reveal what he will be doing with gay teen character Andrew Van De Kamp on the upcoming season of "Desperate Housewives," he shared this bombshell: a male gay couple in moving onto Wisteria Lane!
"We're going to have the first male desperate housewives," Cherry said to me and a few other reporters at the ABC Press Tour party. "They will move into the old Applewhite house and one of the gay men will just have a fractious, hateful relationship with Teri Hatcher. We just started writing the episodes so I probably won't start casting for another few weeks."
One of the gay men will lock horns with next-door neighbor Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) and could be her new nemesis fior awhile now that Edie (Nicolletee Sheridan) is all gaga over Carlos. [I'm assuming Edie didn't REALLY hang herself in the season finale, of course].
"I just decided to have them move onto the street and have as many issues as any other couple. And Susan wants to be so politically correct and show how open-minded she is and she puts her foot in her mouth instantly and it goes downhill from there. I'm basing it a little bit on my relationship with my neighbors."
When I asked Hatcher was asked about Susan clashing with one of the gay men she assured that it is: "not over being gay!"
The new gay pair means Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) won't be getting a new boyfriend anytime soon although Cherry says he will be involved in one of the early plotlines involving Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and her bout with cancer.
Pyfrom, who turns 21 next month, has been on the show since the start going from rebellious teen to gay sociopath to glorified extra.
"That's the crazy thing about this. You kind of go into blindly not knowing what you are going to be doing," he told me. "I always like to do more, whether that involve me having to kiss another guy or whatever it doesn't matter. I love being able to become something in a character."
There has been speculation over whether Andrew might dabble with bisexuality. Cherry isn't sayng and Pyfrom says he hasn't been told one way or another. But the straight actor wouldn't mind very much.
"It would be nice if I could get a nice, hot 19 year old girl on there that I could full around with but you know what? I know they'll choose something great whether he goes bi or not, they'll make it interesting. Whatever they throw at me, I'm willing to take."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Wayne Brady is just THE MAN today. He was a terrific guest on "The View" this morning and tonight, be sure to catch him on a repeat of a classic episode of "How I Met Your Mother." As you know, Barney, played by out actor Neil Patrick Harris, is a real skirtchaser. Wayne plays his brother (they have different fathers...duh) who is the gay version of Barney...a real dudechaser who finally decides to settle down. Barney is not happy about it.
The show will air in its new time slot of 9:3o tonight on CBS.

Earlier related post: A Brilliant Gay-themed Episode of 'How I Met Your Mother"

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It would be really cool to start doing weekly "Desperate Housewives" recaps next fall when the show begins its fourth season. But it won't happen unless Andrew Van de Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom) re-emerges as a prominant gay character again. To have him be one of the most interesting characters for two seasons then reduce him to glorified extra is puzzling and certainly not unnoticed. I am staying with the show, for now, because it's still entertaining but the season finale last night, in which Andrew had maybe two or three LINES, is one reason why I am wavering.
I gotta say, the return of Andrew's mother, Bree, was a breath of fresh air because Marcia Cross plays one of the most delicious characters on television. And thank GOD Mike (James Denton) and Susan (Teri Hatcher) finally tied the knot after three seasons of on-again and off-again.
I hope next season brings them some fun storylines and less melodrama because these two actors have terrific chemistry and could be a real delight pratfalling their way through life for awhile.
The addition of Polly Bergen as Lynette's mother is genius! She storms in and says: "Where the HELL do you get off having cancer and not telling me about it?" And she just goes off from there. It seems that we will be seeing her next season as Lynette begins chemo etc. This is a much better role for the wonderful Bergen who was last seen as the the president's mother on "Commander In Chief."
But c'mon. Edie tries to kill herself over CARLOS? Pul-eeze. That was lame. As is Gabby marrying this ambitious politician who is just using her for the Latino vote. Is she really that stupid? I just hope that Gabby will turn the tables and manipulate herself into all kinds of payoff. But her having an affair with ex-hubby Carlos? I'd rather watch grass grow.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pardon me while I lose my composure.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, breathe Greg...breathe.
I just read that CBS has cancelled one of my favorite little comedies: "The Class." It is tragic! Does winning the People's Choice Award for favorite new comedy mean nothing???
I enjoyed this show so much and really felt like it had its best days ahead. The ratings were not through the roof but they were solid. But CBS, unlike NBC, does not have to renew its marginal hits since it has fewer holes on its schedule to plug. Adorable Jason Ritter was such a delight on this show and I will miss him and his perfect hair. The rest of the cast was talented, attractive and had terrific comic timing. The show had a gay character, Sean, who had a hunky boyfriend at the start of the season then didn't anymore which was disappointing.
And then there was the absolutely delicious comic creation that was Perry Pearl, the gayest "straight" man on the face of the Earth. Sam Harris, best known for his powerhouse singing, was a blast in this part and I loved doing recaps of this show each week - especially the parts involving Perry.
At least CBS renewed a couple of its other Monday night comedies that I also think are first-rate: "The New Adventures of the Old Christine" and "How I Met Your Mother" starring the out actor Neil Patrick Harris, among others.

Earlier posts::
THE CLASS DISMISSED FOR NOW

PERRY PEARL: WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE!

A NEW RELATIONSHIP ON THE CLASS

A VERY GAY THANKSGIVING ON THE CLASS

IN THE CLOSET ON THE CLASS

A KISS ON THE CLASS

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I saw "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry working the press line at Saturday night's GLAAD Awards, I was ready to let him have it. I've been bitching for several months now about how the character of Andrew Van de Kamp has gone from a sexually active gay teenager (whose a bit of a sociopath!) to this sweet Wally Cleaver kid.
But before I could get to Marc, I chatted up Andrew Van de Kamp himself, Shawn Pyfrom!
Greg: It's like Andrew has had a lobotomy or something. We want evil Andrew back.
Shawn: Well, he was out on the streets for a little while but I don't think it's completely out of him. I suppose it's still in there waiting to come out. I think it's just sort of laying low right now.
Greg: Has Andrew really forgiven his mom? I mean, he actually went to bed with her boyfriend!
Shawn: I know, I did some nasty stuff (laughs). As far as the way I've been playing it, I've made it as though he has somewhat forgiven his mother [who dropped him off in the middle of nowhere after Andrew seduced the boyfriend]
and grown up a little bit from being out in the streets. I'm just going off as much as I know so hopefully, they won't they don't throw something out there that would completely contradict that."
Then it was time to talk to Marc Cherry...
Greg: I want to know what's happening with Andrew. We're not seeing him as much anymore. Is he still gay? Is he still evil?
Marc: This is a guy who was kicked out of the house by his mother last season and had some rough experiences and now he's becoming a functioning member of the family. We're seeing him. He's working with Tom and Lynette in their restaurant and he gets his little jibes in. What I really worked on this year was seeing him as a member of the family and it wasn't his gayness that came first, it was him as a son trying to re-establish his relationship with Bree. So this has been a year more about trying to get Bree and Andrew together as a family...and I'm sure something really awful is going to happen next year."
Greg: so is Andrew going to have a boyfriend or a date or something?
Marc: I would imagine that there will be some sort of relatonship for Andrew in the future, yes.
Greg: What about having him get involved with someone at [Tom and Lynette's] pizza joint?
Marc: Yeah, it could happen. There's some cute people there.
Sounds good to me!
Just for kicks, I also saw Andrea Bowen who plays Andrew's neighbor Julie Meyer on the show and asked her what she thought of Andrew's love life: "I want him to have a boyfriend! I want Justin (Ryan Carnes) to come back on the show. I am so proud to be on a show that portrays gay characters and is very open about it. So, I root for Andrew, I'm right there."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After watching "Desperate Housewives" last night, I was set to write a scathing post about what is happening to my favorite sociopathic gay teenager: Andrew Van De Kamp, played so wonderfully by Sean Pyfrom. You remember Andrew don't you? He's the kid who kissed the cute boy in the pool during season one and slept with his mother's boyfriend last season. Well, last night, he was on-screen for all of maybe two minutes as part of the crew working at Lynette and Tom's pizza parlor. There was another cute guy there and I thought, "Why not have him and Andrew hook up?" Give Andrew SOMETHING to do.
Quite frankly, it is pissing me off that the show's only gay character has been relegated to glorified extra. If I didn't enjoy the rest of the characters so much I'd boycott it! Anyway, Mr.GuyTVBlog apparently feels the same way that I do. Check out his tirade!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This would be funny if it weren't so annoying.
One of the castaways on ABC's "Lost" was revealed to be gay in this week's episode: Boone, portrayed by the very pretty Ian Somerhalder. Just one little problem: Boone was killed off in the first season! And during that initial season, which remains the show's best, the only attraction Boone seemed to have was toward his stepsister Shannon! And it is through Shannon, in a flashback sequence, that we learn about Boone's sexuality. In the scene, the step-siblings are in the airport and she rips on him for hitting on every cute guy he sees. At least show us him hitting on a cute guy...give us SOMETHING!
What a ripoff. Maybe the show has plans to have more flashbacks with Boone making out with Jack (Matthew Fox) or Sawyer (Josh Halloway). I'd forgive them anything if we had that. But since neither Sawyer or Jack are gay (that we know of!), that ain't gonna happen. If I were a gay guy trapped on that island, i don't know how you don't fall for Jack.
I was ticked when Ian was killed off because he's been on my radar ever since he was on a long-ago and short-lived WB drama "Young Americans." He fell in love with a girl who was pretending to be a guy so she could attend the all-boy boarding school and he started to think he might be gay because of his strong attraction to this guy...who was really a girl.
And Ian showed in the indie gem "Rules of Attraction" that he isn't afraid to play gay or do a same-sex love scene. His kiss with co-star James Van Der Beek was semi-hot but even hotter was a sexy dance he did on the bed in his hotel room with another guy whose name I don't remember. But he was really gay in "Rules" and went after who and what he wanted.
Anyway, I'm pretty much off "Lost" this season anyway but if I hear they are going to explore this gay angle a bit more via-flashbacks, I'd be back in the fold.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It's always a happy day when you have reason to post a picture of Robert Gant. And if he happens to be shirtless in that picture, all the better! Gant, who came out publicly while a cast member of Showtime's "Queer As Folk," is going to appear in tonight's episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in an episode that involves a string of showgirl murders, according to Brian's Blog on AterElton.com.
Gant, who co-stars with Chad Allen and Judith light in the indie feature "Save Me" which was featured at Sundance a few months ago, is one of those truly talented and nice people who you root for to have great success.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'd love to see more regular gay characters on network television because let's face it, Kevin Walker can't carry the load for everyone and I'm not even so sure Andrew Van De Kamp is still gay we see so little of him. But one recent trend that has been good to see is how a growing number of series are producing gay-themed episodes. In the past seven days alone, there has been gay characters as guest stars on three different shows: "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "The Wedding Bells" and "The Winner."
Last night's episode of the new sitcom "The Winner" (pictured above) had star Rob Corddry becoming friends with a recently-single (and rather hunky) gay man whom he refuses to believe is gay because the guy likes football, among other "straight" things. Two nights earlier on "The Wedding Bells" featured Stephen Guarino (pictured, left) as a flamboyant groom who everyone is sure is gay.
I've already written about the "Old Christine" episode that aired on Monday so click HERE to read that but in a nutshell, Charles Esten (pictured, right) guested as Christine's former brother-in-law who is coming to terms with being gay. Esten was so funny (and gorgeous) that I want him to have a recurring role!
AfterElton.com explores this topic in its BLOG today and I recommend reading their take.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm still catching up on TV shows after my all-to-brief vacation. Monday night marked the welcome return of the very, very funny Julia Louis-Dreyfus sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine." I have loved this show since its premiere last year and it remains FUNNY.
The first show that aired on Monday was a repeat but I had never seen it before Old Christine's ex-hubby Richard (his new girlfriend is known as new Christine to avoid confusion) has a really hot brother named Joe who is played by Charles Esten. Joe is struggling with being gay but realizes, after kissing his former sister-in-law Christine, that he is indeed gay! He's not ready to come out to big bro but old Christine, always the blabber mouth, spills it. A series of lies and misunderstandings follow and it is all very funny. New Christine even blurts out that she was briefly a lesbian while in college.
TV Guide, in its weekly "Cheers and Jeers" column, gives a cheer to Esten "for his witty turn as Julia Louis-Dreyfus' ambiguously gay ex-brother-in-law." The magazine notes that Esten is an alum of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" and "is one of those rare actors who's equallyg funny AND handsome."
So here's my idea: why not have him show up on a regular basis to stir things up? Maybe he can hook up with Christine's brother who's not gay but sure seems like he should be!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So it was pay raise time over at "Grey's Anatomy" which has had almost as much drama off-screen lately as it has on-screen. Ellen Pompeo, who plays the title character on the show, will now make nearly $200,000 per episode. SAG winner Chandra Wilson, a far more talented actress in my opinion, was given a raise to about $125,000 per show - the same amount that James T. Pickens Jr., who plays the chief of staff on the show, will be getting. Hottie Justin Chambers and openly gay T.R. Knight are close to new signing new pacts for the same amount as Wilson and Pickens.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, terms of the new deal are retroactive, going back to the first episode of this season. There are 22 episodes in a season. You guys do the math. I'm figuring they are making a lotta cash!
The contract status for Isaiah Washington was not clear. It has been rumored that he might continue on the show without a raise in light of the recent controversy surrounding his use of a homophobic slur, but his communication with the show's producer, ABC TV Studio, has been kept under wraps.
Yet to close new deals are Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl. Details on Heigl's stalled contract renegotiations were leaked to the media late last month making it clear that she was not happy with whatever bump she was being offered. Apparently the supporting players headed into the renegotiation process as a group that quickly dissolved, leading to individual contract talks between each cast member and the studio. Clearly they are not as tight a group as the cast of "Friends" which always, without fail, negotiated as a group, and got so rich that even if none of them ever have another hit, they are more than set for life.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shortly after Isaiah Washington won the NCAAP Award last Friday for best actor in a drama series, Entertainment Weekly tracked him down to ask whether he'll be back at Seattle Grace next season.
''I don't know the facts of what's going on,' the actor said, cryptically.
Washington's future employment has been endlessly debated since the f-word incident involving co-star T.R. Knight
and is comment to EW seems to cast doubt on whether he'll return for season 4. Tthe studio says he's not going anywhere as does his newly-hired publicist Howard Bragman who says ''we are going to do our business in private, not in the press,'' adding, ''I'm looking at the bigger picture. I will not let [the f-word incident] define him. He will not let it define him.''
Washington was also asked about a "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off that would star Kate Walsh as well as Taye Diggs and Tim Daly: He said: ''I don't know when it came about — or why. They don't tell me anything!'

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The season finale of "The Class" left me feeling flat! You would think the creative forces behind this promising show would want to end their first (and hopefully not last) season with a bang. Instead, it all ended kinda blah. The one brief ray of sunshine? A brief return of Perry Pearl! I love this guy! I don't care if he's gay or straight, he's such a wit and brilliantly played by the underused Sam Harris.
After Nicole's husband Yonk has had a heart attack (just before she was to leave him for Duncan) and is in the hospital, the gang is in the hospital waiting room looking grim. In flounces perky Perry. He checks in on Nicole and says: "I don't know how you're holding up in this light?" Then he takes one look at Nicole's obnoxious, complete slob of a stepdaughter (the running joke was that she kept eating vending machine food the entire episode) and says ever so sarcastically: "It's like Audrey Hepburn is back among us."
Meanwhile, Kyle (Sean Maguire) is planning for the return of his boyfriend Aaron who has been in Chile. He walks into Ethan's apartment with a bouquet for Aaron and says: "There's nothing like two guys hugging at the airport with flowers to freak the old people out."
So at episode's end, do we get to see a reunion of the happy couple and once again gaze upon the beautiful Chrisitian de la Fuente who played the role for half the season? Uh no. (the photo is from an long ago episode) We get to see the back of some random actor's head with hair similar to de la Fuente's! He coulda been hugging someone from the studio audience for God's sake.
Anyway, lame ending to the season but overall, "The Class" gets a passing grade from me...for now.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So tonight brings the first season of "The Class" to a close. All I have to say is, there had BETTER be a second season of this sweet and funny show. I think Jason Ritter has gotten more confident and funny as the season has progressed and reminds me of his dad, John Ritter, during the physical comedy bits.
I have been disappointed though that Kyle (Sean Maguire) started the season with a hunky boyfriend (Christian de la Fuente pictured at right) but the boyfriend went missing around November. I hear he will re-appear fleetingly in tonight's episode.
If I have some trepidation about "The Class" returning, there's good reason. Last year, CBS cancelled the very good "Out of Practice" which starred Stockard Channing and Henry Winkler among others and had a terrific lesbian character who was attractive, confident and had a real love life. I do know thaT "The Class" has had better ratings than "Practice" did but I do believe "Practice" was a top 25 show. Channing was Emmy nominated for her role. Instread, we get a stupid sitcom with David Spade and another season of "King of Queens."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I saw Brian Austin Green several months back on the red carpet at the DVD release for "Beverly Hills 90210." he playfully smooched former co-star Jason Priestly for photogs. Now I realize he was just rehearsing! According to The Hollywoodwood Reporter, Green will play a gay man in a new comedy pilot from the creators of "Will & Grace." The untitled CBS project, from David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, is about two friends and writing partners, one straight and one gay (Green), and the women working with them (Jessica Capshaw, Vanessa Lengies). The project is loosely based on Kohan and Mutchnick's friendship.
Green proved he had terrific comic chops co-starring on ABC's comedy "Freddie." He was the funniest thing about that show, kinda like Barney on "How I Met Your Mother." Trivia: Did you know that Brian played Donna Mills son on "Knots Landing"? I did!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

By this time, we pretty much know that there is no ratings backlash toward "Grey's Anatomy" resulting from ABC's decision to keep Isaiah Washington on the show after his homophobic remarks directed at co-star T.R. Knight. Still, it's pretty astonishing that ratings have actually been going UP. The show kept up its torrid pace durings sweeps, handily beating "CSI" head-to-head and giving ABC the win Thursday in the adults 18-49 demographic. "Anatomy" averaged 25.6 million in the adults 18-49, according to preliminary estimates released Friday by Nielsen Media Research. That continues its strong streak recently atop last week's 25.2 million viewers which was the highest demo ratings since the September premiere.

It's been two weeks of cliffhangers. Last week, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) falls into the ocean while trying to save a man's life. She is discovered by her true love Dr. McDreamy (Petrick Dempsey) but it might be too late. She looked dead at the end of Thursday's episode.
Now, I know the show is named after her and Meredith is a key character but I say kill her off! She gets on my nerves! I mean, when Valerie Harper was fired from her sitcom "Valerie" in the late 80s, CBS temporarily renamed the show "Valerie's Family" before settling on "The Hogan Family."
Let's say Meredith Grey does kick the bucket. What do you think the show should be called??
I'm thinking "McDreamy's Anatomy."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was such a touching scene on "Desperate Housewives" last night. Poor Bree Van de Kamp (an obviously very pregnant Marcia Cross) wakes up in the hospital after falling from a ladder and there is her angelic son Andrew, comforting her and telling her it's going to be all rigjht.
This is the kid who, at the end of last season, she dumped on the side of a road! This is the scheming kid who blackmailed his mother, who let his boyfriend sleep over just to tick off Bree, and who, driving recklessly, ran over neighbor Carlos' mother with his car. He was so much FUN!
Andrew must have been such a blast for actor Shawn Pyfrom to play. Now, if he has any lines at all, he's a little angel...as if he's become something of a Stepford son! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. As his sister Danielle said in last night's episode: "I liked you better when you were a psychopath!"
Me too...
Some other thoughts on the latest installment of DH: this was really the "Dixie Carter Show" and the woman who played the lovely Julia Sugarbaker for so long on "Designing Women" showed us how evil and murderous a character she can be. In a flashback scene, her character of Gloria kills her son's mistress. He walks in on the bloody scene. She looks at him, holding a wrench and says very matter-of-fact: "It was self defense. What's done is done." As the two prepare to bury her, Gloria grabs a pair of pliers and starts yanking out her teeth: 'You don't want her to be identified by her dental records do you?" she asks her incredulous son. Fast-forward to the present: Gloria laces Bree's soup with sleeping pills then tries to drown her in the bath tub. When Andrew tries to stop her, she knocks him out with her cane. Son Orsen, hospitalized after falling off the roof of a hospital, finally bounds in to save Bree from his mother who then promptly has a stroke.
The final scene is of mother and son at the hospital when Orsen says to Gloria with barely contained glee: 'Good news mother. The doctor says your stroke has left you completely paralyzed."
It was just delicious!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"...make Chicken Piccata!"
Oh, I love it. The deliciously flamoyant Perry Pearl (played by Sam Harris) returned to the CBS sitcom "The Class" on Monday night and brightened up things considerably. The actress who plays the wife of the seems-so-gay-but-is-straight Perry has left the show but writers found a way to incorporate Perry into the Valentine's Day episode. He shows up to Nicole's house for an interior decorating job and gets snowed in along with Duncan who is Nicole's high school boyfriend and now contractor. Perry insists on making a Valentine's Day dinner. "This is my holiday," he said. "This and Thanksgiving and Christmas and the Academy Awards!" When Perry flounces out of the kitchen holding some Pears Flambe, he says: "At our house, it's not Valentine's Day unless there's something flaming!"
I had been wondering if Perry would end up coming out as gay but now I have no idea since Monday's episode indicated that he and his wife has a rather robust sex life: "We have a highly sexual relationship all the time - but throw in Cupid and some roses and it's SING OUT LOUISE!"
I was encouraged a bit that Kyle, whose boyfriend has been absent from the show since like, November, at least got to talk to him on the phone to acknowledge his existence: "Oh God, I miss you so much," he said.
So do we!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

He doesn't talk about his personal life but his professional life is fair game. This item was in Marylin Beck's column that I thought I'd share: "How I Met Your Mother" regular Neil Patrick Harris says his character, Barney, on the CBS sitcom is becoming an homage to the late John Ritter — who was also a master at physical comedy. "I've suddenly become Jack Tripper," says Harris, referring to Ritter's character on the '80s series, "Three's Company." "I begged them for pratfalls, and I'm getting them. We've got some really, strangely funny things coming up." Harris admits since the addition of the more physical comedy, "I took some headers … I bruised my legs up a lot recently because I couldn't move my legs in the episode we were doing, so I was doing wacky walk for a while." He adds, "I can hurt myself, but if I laugh at myself when I watch the DVD, then it's all right. It's all for the sake of comedy, and the bruises heal."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Unless a post-gayhab Isaiah Washington pops off again (hey, you never know), it seems that it is back to business on "Grey's Anatomy." My guess is that we might see his role minimized ever-so-slightly from here on end but I base that on nothing but a hunch. At any rate, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the medical drama-soap opera had its highest demo rating since its September premiere carried ABC to a primetime win Thursday even as the premiere of "Survivor" came out ahead of ABC's "Ugly Betty" and NBC's sitcoms at 8 p.m. The demo win means most viewers between the ages of 18-49, the group advertisers most covet since, I guess, people 50 and over don't spend money? They've never seen my mother at the mall!
"Grey's Anatomy" averaged 24.9 million viewers and a 10.7 rating/25 share in adults 18-49; it was its highest rating in the demo since its premiere in September. That came in ahead of "CSI" (22.3 million, 6.8/16) at 9 p.m.
"Survivor" won at 8 p.m. with 15.9 million viewers and a 5.8/15; it was the lowest premiere ever for a "Survivor" and down 17% from last year's "Survivor: Panama" and down 11% from "Survivor: Island" in the fall. "Ugly Betty" (14.3 million, 4.7/12) wasn't any slouch either, riding high after its Golden Globes and SAG wins. It remained even with its demo performance last week, which was the highest rating since it premiered in September.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I haven't been keeping up with the FOX sitcom "The War at Home" but I sure am glad someone at AfterElton.com is as the sitcom continues to portray the journey of Kenny (Rami Malek) who was kicked out of his house after coming out to his parents and comes to live with the family of his best friend. The gruff family patriarch Dave (Michael Rappaport) would seem an unlilkely source of support for Kenny but he does what Kenny's parents, and any parent of a gay kid, should do: he parents him.
This week's episode had Kenny going out on a date and Dave has a talk with him about safer sex. He does so because wifeVicky (Anita Barone) , when realizes Kenny has a boyfriend, insists Dave talk with him about safe sex because she’d “…like to keep him from getting AIDS.�
Dave starts off talking about how comic books come wrapped in plastic for their protection (hint, hint). Things proceeded to considerably more detail as Dave attempts to demonstrate how gay sex works with a very funny montage of hand gestures. He then explains that all men are animals so when you get two men together it’s different than regular sex “…where there is some girl there to say no to everything.�
AfterElton reports that next week "Dave steps up to the plate when Kenny and his new boyfriend Dylan are told they can’t attend the school’s Sadie Hawkin’s dance. No doubt Dave will fumble and say some foolish things, but it will be in service of doing the right thing, and I, for one, can’t ask for much more than that."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was just lamenting a few days ago about how Perry Pearl, the gayest "straight' man on television, had disappeared from the CBS sitcom "The Class" along with Kyle's boyfriend. Well, Kyle's boyfriend is still MIA but Perry, played with much hilarity by Sam Harris. will be featured on Monday night's show. According to TellyNelly (see my blogroll for a link), while redecorating their spacious pad, Perry ends up stuck at Yonk and Nicole’s home and makes the most of the storm by cooking an elaborate meal for Duncan and Nicole.  Meanwhile, Kat and Kyle get stuck at Ethan's apartment.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last season, the wonderful teenage sociopath Andrew Van de Camp (Shawn Pyfrom) had lots to do on "Desperate Housewives" including blackmailing his mother Bree. Andrew also spent some time with his boyfriend locking lips and more.
Those were the days...
This season, Andrew has been reduced to glorified extra. In the last original episode, I think he literally had maybe one line. He was sitting on the sofa eating chips and tells his mother that his stepfather had gone across the street. Couldn't Andrew have been sitting on that sofa with his boyfriend? I am stunned by his being put on the back burner this way and very disappointed given that the show's creator, Marc Cherry, is a gay man who took great pride in revealing that Andrew is gay after the show had become a blockbuster. This way Cherry did not have to run it by the network and face possibly interference.
But given that the network is ABC, and that a show on that network, "Brothers & Sisters," has the most fully-realized gay character in all of television (Kevin Walker played by Matthew Rhys), I doubt it would be much of a problem.
Then we have the CBS sitcom "The Class" which I still like but liked a lot more when the gay character on the show, Kyle (played by Sean Maguire) was actually in scenes with his boyfriend. The boyfriend has been absent for several episodes as Kyle becomes closer pals with the straight Ethan (Jason Ritter). Also absent from the show has been openly gay actor Sam Harris who was showcased each week as Perry Pearl, the gayest straight man ever. Some people had trouble with Harris' character who seemed so obviously gay to everyone but himself and his high-strung wife. But I personally thought Harris was hilarious in the role.
And perhaps most disappointing of all is what happened this season on NBC's 'Heroes." I don't watch the show but followed a controversy that was well-reported on AfterElton.com. The character of Zach, best friend of the regenerating cheerleader Claire, was originally gay but was quietly changed.
Show creator Tim Kring has said in an interview before the show's debut that Zach, played by Thomas Dekkar, is gay. AfterElton said that Dekkar's management insisted the character of Zach not be gay. Kring later told the Web site that indeed, the character was changed from gay to straight but said the change occurred only because of the needs of the story.
"I am very sorry this has caused concern for the readers of your website. It was certainly not our intention to confuse the issue of Zach's character being gay," Kring wrote in an e-mail. "We have too much respect for our audience to do that intentionally. However, it has simply become too complicated behind the scenes to push this issue further with this particular character. We apologize for misleading the audience, and wish that we could have handled things better on our end. But making a TV show is often a very imprecise business."
When these gay characters fade from prominence and instead we get homophobic ad campaigns for Snickers bars during the Super Bowl, it is concerning and a reminder of how far gays still have to go on network television.
For now, Kevin Walker is carrying the flag for all of us.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Network television officially gets another gay teen tonight when Kenny (Rami Malek) comes out to his friend Larry on Fox's "The War at Home," according to Advocate.com.
“I think it’s great that we're doing this on this show, which reaches so many people around the country, the way The Laramie Project did,� says Malek, 24 and straight, referring to the HBO adaptation of the acclaimed play about Matthew Shepard. “The fear of being ostracized and shunned by friends and family, that’s something young gay men and women will always have to deal with.�
I've never seen this show but it's always great to see a kid coming out on TV because, the truth is, kids are coming out every day and it's a real big step. On "War," Larry encourages Kenny to come out to his parents who don’t take the news well and kick him out of the house. Of course, we know this happens and each time, it is appalling that a parent would ever do this to their child whether gay or pregnant. It's called unconditional love for a reason.
But on tonight's "War," there is a wonderful thing that happens: the loving but cranky Gold family steps to the plate and takes Kenny in.
"The War at Home," which airs at 8:30 PM. tonight, was created by out writer Rob Lotterstein, a former writer for "Will & Grace" and "Ellen," "The War at Home" has mined queer situations for laughs before—the middle Gold son is a straight kid who adores musical theater.
Eventually Kenny's dad manages to persuade Kenny’s family to accept him for who he is.
“Several episodes from now Dave’s going to figure out a way to get this family reunited and get them to put away their prejudices and to accept their kid because it’s their kid,� Lotterstein says. “I don't know how he’s going to do it, because I haven't written it yet, but he will!�
I hope a lot of kids who are struggling with their identity will watch the show over the course of this storytline.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 5:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just noticed this in The Hollywood Reporter: ABC has given the green light to the drama pilot "Football Wives," based on the popular British primetime soap "Footballers' Wives" which airs on BBC America in the U.S.
Hooray! I love this show for many reasons (the delicious character of Tanya Turner (Zoe Lucker) being the biggest one!)But here's a few queer reasons to cheer: the character of Noah Alexander (Marcel McCalla), introduced in season three, is gay. Not only is he gay, but he fancies the team's David Beckham-ish captain, Conrad Gates (Ben Price). Conrad is married and is carrying in various affairs with women but being the open-minded guy that he is, he also has an affair with Noah!
So here, the deal. How gay will the U.S. version, centered around the NFL instead of pro soccer, be? Football is such a homophobic sport so it will be interesting to see if the show will have a character like Noah and allow the captain to be bisexual.
There is reason to be optimistic though. Openly gay director Bryan Singer ("Superman Returns" and the first two "X-Men" movies) has come on board to potentially direct the project, which revolves around women whose lives are transformed when they marry NFL superstars. I also like the fact that the show is being produced by Touchstone TV for ABC which is behind hit primetime soaps "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and promising new entries to the genre "Ugly Betty" and "Brothers & Sisters." All but "Grey's" have significant gay characters (provided Andrew gets utilized again on 'Housewives').
Openly-gay writer-director Marco Pennette penned the pilot script and is one of the executive producers.
I. Can't. Wait!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The handsome Eric Mabius has found well-deserved success in one of this fall's breakout hits: ABC's "Ugly Betty." He plays Betty's in-over-his-head boss at a high-fashion magazine. Mabius first got our attention as a buffed-out stud in the indie fave "Welcome to my Dollhouse" then played gay in "Cruel Intentions" opposite Joshua Jackson (pictured below). He was on "The L Word" and "The OC" before landing the gig on "Betty" and is featured as a star with a "Big Gay Following" in the next issue of The Advocate. Here is some of what this guy has to say about his gay fans and gay roles.
On playing gay in "Cruel Intentions" all those years ago: "Listen, I went to Sarah Lawrence [College]. I went to high school in Amherst [Mass.], and nearby Northhampton has the largest lesbian population on the Eastern seaboard. So I've been user-gay friendly for a while (laughs).
On gay fan mail: "I was touched during spring break this past year - some of the soldiers in Iraq got their spring vacation, and I was out to dinner in Hollywood. Quite a few soldiers came up to me, obviously some gay and some lesbian, telling me how the DVDs of "The L Word" got them through their tours."
On the latently gay character of Betty's nephew on Ugly Betty: "I've seen some negative response to that character specifically. There are comments about "warping" the youth of today or that it's "immoral." Nobody's making him anything other than who he is. Hopefully, in a year or two that will just be a bump in the road, and there won't be any more of it. It won't be about pointing out ethnicity or orientation; it'll just be part of the fabric. And that's why the show is so good."

From where I stand, you're so good too Eric!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

"Ugly Betty" executive producer/showrunner Jim Parriott has left the new hit series and is being replaced by Marco Pennette, the openly gay talent who has created/co-created and executive produced such series as the comedies "Caroline in the City," "All About the Andersons," "I'm With Her" and "Crumbs" as well as the light drama "Inconceivable."

The show is already terrific and I think Pennette will only make it better, particularly anything connected to the gay characters. It's also great to see Pennette land on a show that is already a hit. I interviwed him last year for The Advocate's fall season preview when he had two shows with prominent gay characters on the fall schedule: the NBC fertility clinic drama "Inconceivable" and the very funny ABC comedy "Crumbs" that starred Fred Savage as a closeted gay man and Jane Curtain and William Devane as his parents. I loved this show and still have the preview screeners from it. It's rare a reporter keeps preview screeners but this show was worth hanging on to.

Anyway, during our interview for The Advocate, Marco told me the most hilarious story. It was about how he was outed, in front of his parents, on the red carpet of the People's Choice Awards. He was there for "Caroline in the City" and a friend, unaware that he was not yet out to his parents, asked how things were going with his new boyfriend!

Classic!

Pennette has been serving as a consulting producer on the show. He now will executive produce alongside the pilot's writer Silvio Horta, Ben Silverman, Salma Hayek, Jose Tamez and James Hayman. "Betty" stars America Ferrera as not-so-attractive but intelligent and sweet Betty Suarez, who works at a fashion magazine. The show co-stars Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Alan Dale and the recently added Rebecca Romijn.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I urge you to read a terrific round-table discussion on the state of gays on television on AfterElton.com which includes thoughts from the site's editor, Michael Jensen, Bryan Fuller, producer of NBC's "Heroes," actor Jack Plotnick, and GLAAD Media Director Damon Romine.
I have excerpted comments made by Damon (pictured, right) because of his overall view but the conversation between the four principals is quite compelling.
Says Romine: "There’s been kind of a lot of anticipation this year, from all the visibility from "Brokeback Mountain" and "Transamerica" and a lot of discussion about [gay people’s] lives on TV with the election and all. If you look at the numbers of scripted characters on TV, though, LGBT characters only represent 1.3 percent of all characters currently on broadcast networks. That’s pretty low and not representative of us at all.
There is "Brothers & Sisters," however, which is telling an incredible and inclusive story, especially in comparison to what else is on. And there’s "The Class," which has a leading gay character. And gay characters are fairly well-represented on unscripted shows. As far as gay and lesbian youth, there’s been improvement, with shows like" Desperate Housewives" and "The War at Home" and "South of Nowhere," which features two teenaged lesbian characters.

Even on daytime television, on shows like "General Hospital" and "All My Children," the gay characters are members of the family. … In all the 50 years [of daytime soap operas], this is the first time that they’ve included gay characters [as] core members of the central family. [Editors note: All My Children just introduced a transgender character on the show.] Now that that’s happened, it will be hard to get rid of them.
Usually with gay characters on soap operas, they’d have their story lines around for a week or two, and then they’d go away. Bianca on "All My Children" is the daughter and one of the main characters on the show now. Of all the people on the show, she’s kind of considered the moral compass. And when you have a gay character and make her the moral compass, that’s really important."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We won't be seeing a new episode of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" until Dec. 10 but news about some future plot twists are leaking out involving Kevin (Matthew Rhys). A lot of us were so bummed that things didn't work out with Scotty but hey, it seems like an on-the-market Kevin could be lots of fun. Michael Jensen reports on his AfterElton. com blog that Jason Lewis has been cast as Kevin’s new love interest. The sexy Lewis, best-known for playing Samantha's season six boyfriend Smith on "Sex in the City," is going to play Chad, a closeted soap opera star.
Talk about perfect casting. Could Lewis look any more like a soap opera star? Kevin and Lewis will meet at an exercise boot camp and their relationship will run for at least four episodes starting in February. (Ratings sweeps time!)
But Kevin is also supposed to get involved with someone he meets through his sister Kitty (Calista Flockhart). It's supposed to be a big plot twist so there is growing speculation that his love interest could be Rob Lowe's new U.S. senator character.
I'm all for that!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sam Harris' Perry Pearl, the gayest-straight-man-ever, did not appear on Monday night's episode of CBS' "The Class" but one of the real gay characters on this often-funny sitcom, Kyle ( Sean Maguire), shared some terrific scenes with Ethan (Jason Ritter). I think this friendship between a straight man and a gay man could really invigorate the show which has suffered from its large cast not interacting enough with each other.

So Ethan (he doesn't know Kyle is gay) shows up at Kyle's apartment to pick him up for a raquetball came and sees a picture of Kyle's boyfriend.
Ethan: Is that your brother?
Kyle: It's my partner.
Ethan: Oh, your business partner?
Kyle: My PARTNER partner.
Ethan: Oh! That's fanTAStic! It's fine...it's...REGULAR.

So with that out of the way, they become involved in the episode's plot where one of their friends has crashed into a liquor store (he lost control of the car when a bee flew in the window). and their comic chemistry was very fresh and welcomed. So hopefully Ethan will hang out with Kyle and his boyfriend in future episodes and maybe he'll even get to interact some with Perry Pearl!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At a time when I feel frustrated by the discrimination against gays not being allowed to get married in 49 states (unlike the thoughtful Pam Anderson or Britney Spears) or frustrated that gays are still not able to openly serve in the military, I find solace in the unlikeliest of places: Monday night's episode of the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."
I hope a lot of the teens, or anyone, who are struggling with being gay and feeling good about themselves saw this episode. Not only was in wickedly funny and touching, but it was absolutely devoid of homophobia. And trust me, it was a VERY gay episode. The characters were just all very evolved and a view of how much better off we'd all be if people would get rid of their hang-ups.

The CLASSIC episode of "Mother" featured a very funny Wayne Brady as the gay brother of Neil Patrick Harris' womanizing Barney character and focused on Barney's reluctance to accept the fact that his brother is...in a RELATIONSHIP! Barney's friends clue in before he does when the group hits a gay bar and the usually very "social" James starts turning down every hot guy in the place who approaches him: "He's too in shape," he says of one. "He'll spend all night talking about his level of body fat."
But Barney remains in denial and insists his brother is still a swinging bachelor despite such tell-tale relationships signs as "he's a little sleepy and he hasn't had sex with anyone in a bathroom stall and he's texting!"

They have different fathers, obviously, but are two peas in a pod in terms of personality and attitude. They had been each other's wingman on the single's scene forever and even scored a brother and sister once. I loved the sequence that showed all their different tag-team pick-up techniques. for example, James offends a woman by coming on too strong and she is rescued by Barney who sweeps in and says something like, "Is this guy bothering you?" They even scored a brother and sister once which James describes as "she was a little bit country, he was a litle bit WAY into black guys!" Suffice it to say, James is the homosexual version of Barney's aggressive heterosexual character and Brady is a delight in the part.

Once Barney learns of his brother's marriage plans, he tries to get him hooked up at the bar, approaching potential hook-ups and telling them to ply his brolther "with a few dirty martinis" and he'd be all theirs. But Barney is stopped cold when James tells him he's in love with Tom and they are getting married.
Barney: 'I don't support this!"
James: "Gay marriage?"
Barney: "Not the gay part! Marriage!"

Barney explains: "Here’s my thing. If gay guys start getting married, then suddenly the whole world’s gonna be doing it. That’s how it works. They start something, then six months later, everyone follows…Gay marriage is going to cause single life as we know it to die out. Think of how the American family will be strengthened."

As an aside, I found some silly of the interactions between Barney's straight guy friends Ted (Josh Radnor) and Marshall (Jason Segel) being hit on by men at the gay club hysterical. Says Marshall to one admirer: "I'm flattered and objectively, you're a very attractive man."
Adds Ted: "I'm straight too but I appreciate your time and you appreciating my body."
But later, after a not-so-cute guy walks up and puts his arm around both of them and says: "Look at me, in the middle of a yummy sandwich!" Ted complains: "It's never the hot ones - it's always the losers. Bums me out!"

Barney's anti-marriage campaign ends though when his brother tells him that he and Tom are going to adopt a baby. Barney immediately changes his attitude and Harris is so good in this moment of conveying his love for his brother.
The episode flash-forwards to a year later and the wedding reception with uncle Barney having a heart-to-heart with his baby nephew: "Just because you're being raised by married people doesn't mean you have to choose that lifestyle...I am going to teach you how to live!"

Also at the wedding reception, you can see two men dancing together, two women dancing together, a man and a woman dancing together. It's all just there, everyone being who they are. And it's on at 8 p.m. on network prime time. I love it! Kudos to CBS and especially to the show's creative team. Mostly, kudos to heterosexual Wayne Brady for his terrific performance as a gay man and to the openly gay Neil Patrick Harris, for his continually convincing performance as a heterosexual man!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anything that has to do with the character of Barney on "How I Met Your Mother" is bound to be pretty damned funny but this may top all: on tonight's episode of the popular CBS sitcom, real-life heterosexual Wayne Brady is going to play the gay brother of raging on-screen heterosexual Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris - a gay man in real-life.
Yes, one is also black and the other white and I have no idea if that will be explained but I get the feeling it will be pretty funny.
Here is what I know about the plot: Barney is already struggling with the fact that all of his friends have settled into the boring state of "coupledom." Then his number one wingman, his gay, black brother James, arrives on the scene. James is bacsically a gay version of Barney, always on the prowl. But he's found a guy and is settling down which further causes Barney to confont being a bachelor on his own.
Word has it that Brady could return for future guest spots. I imagine they would only make an already good show even better!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So how was your Thanksgiving? That piece of pecan pie right before watching "Ugly Betty" just about put me over the edge last night. (burp.) I'll have to write quick if I am to make my emergency liposuction appointment this afternoon....And speaking of "Ugly Betty," I hadn't seen much of it but my sister is hooked and got me to watch it with her after dinner as we looked at each other and wondered, once again, "Why did we EAT so much?" So "Betty" is the bomb! Love her. As Betty, America Ferrera has one of the most appealing characters in prime-time and as an evil bitch who works at her magazine, Vanessa L. Williams is a HOOT! As far as eye candy, no need to look any further than Eric Mabius who plays the editor of the magazine where Betty works. Love the show.
And how about this? Her young nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato), more interested in fashion and design than in football and skateboards, is being encouraged by his mother (Ana Ortiz) and grandfather (Tony Plana) to just be who he is. This episode featured his flaky, absentee father trying to turn him into a "man" by getting him to put down the crafts and go out and play some ball. Mom just says NO: "We let him be who he is." Amen! I hope he finds a little boyfriend too but no unchaparoned dates until high school. I think the development of this kid could be more revolutionary than anything else going on in network television right now when it comes to gay characters...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

Isaiah Washington was on the red carpet at the American Music Awards last night. You THINK I wanted to talk to him? "Isaiah! Isaiah! A word?" He walks over, accompanied by his lovely wife and a nervous publicist.
In case you've been hiding under a rock, Washington and his "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Patrick Dempsey had a verbal and physical altercation on the set of the show last month when Washington told Dempsey he wasn't his little "faggot" like another one of their cast members. Speculation grew over who he was talking about. Then, a few days later, co-star T.R. Knight released a statement to People.com saying that in light of all the questions swirling about, he wanted to confirm that he is gay.

Washington issued an apology shortly after. Knight has not said anything more nor has Dempsey. So I asked the actor about it and here is our exchange:

ME: Is everything back to normal on the set? Your publicist is saying, 'Don't ask!'
ISAIAH: (laughs). Everything was back to normal four weeks ago five minutes after it happened but the media chose to do what they felt they had to do. Patrick and I look at it now and say, 'Wow. Great. Now we know we're the number one show in America (laughs).
ME: How are things between you and T.R. Knight? (the publicist is now making a violent finger across the neck sign, eyes bugged out. She wants to kill me).
ISAIAH: T.R. is fine. T.R. wasn't even on the set when we had the argument, he was nowhere around.
ME: You guys had a great on-screen relationship.
ISAIAH: We still do, we still do. I don't know what it's going to take for the media or the people to start believing otherwise. The media is going to have to start writing some positive things all over again. My family on 'Grey's Anatomy,' we spend a lot of hours together and we're happy, our producers are happy, ABC is happy and if they weren't, I wouldn't be on the set, that's the bottom line.
ME: Are you proud of T.R. and the way he did handle the situation with his statement?
ISAIAH: T.R., the thing about T.R., is T.R. has been gay for a long time (laughs). I think it was a mere coincidence that it came out the way it came out. But we all love T.R. We all know who T.R. is and T.R. knows who T.R. is trust me, T.R. would never be a victim or victimized by anyone under any circumstances and if I saw it or heard it, i would be the first one jumping into the fray to make sure he would be protected from something like that. That's my family, that's all i can say to that.
ME: You publicist is mad at me but thank you for talking to me about that.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 8:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Lance Bass considers himself be a S.A.G. (Straight Acting Gay) so after watching tonight's episode of CBS' "The Class," I would have to say that Perry Pearl (Sam Harris) is a G.A.S. (Gay Acting Straight).

I want to be offended by all the laughs that are had at the expense of this flamoyantly funny character who is married with a child (who he named Oprah Liza Pearl) but who everyone seems to think is gay. (I wonder why?) I want to be offended because it's just such a cheap joke and besides, it is cruel to laugh at the flamboyant kid on the playground and all of that. But darn it, I just can't help but howl with laughter each week.

I guess I'm kinda cheap. But I feel real bad about it. Well, sorta bad about it.

This week, Perry and his wife Holly Ellenbogen-Pearl (Lucy Punch) are hosting Thanksgiving dinner for her parents and Polly's high school ex-boyfriend Kyle (Sean MaGuire) who comes with HIS boyfriend Aaron (Cristian de la Fuente). Perry greets the men and proudly announces: "I made two different turkeys, four pies, and this sweater didn't knit ITSELF!" Polly's parents then show up and Kyle says to Aaron: "You know how they say all women marry their fathers?" And in walks her prissy father Robert Michael Morris, the gayest straight man since, well, Perry Pearl.

The two men are in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Says Perry to the boys: "He's a doll, I love him. But just between you and me, could he BE any gayer?" Later, the dad says to the boys: "Is it just me or is Perry a little light in the loafers?"

Obviously the show can get away with this because the people laughing behind Perry's back are the two gay men themselves who just can't stop snickering. When Holly sees them to the door and says, "I hope it wasn't awkward for you guys - you know, being the only gay people [at dinner]."
Replies Kyle: "You know, it didn't feel that way."

Good grief, Sam Harris is so damned funny as Perry, just so happy to be Perry. I do wonder where the show is going to go with his character though. Even I am going to start to feel conflicted about laughing at him (I hope!) but probably not for at least the rest of this season!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Out actor Alec Mapa was hilarious and endearing on tonight's episode of "Desperate Housewives." And thank God. With Andrew strengely relegated to glorified extra sitting at the dinner table in the past three or four episodes (that has GOT to change), at least we had the magnificant Mapa this week as Gaby's sassy personal shopper Vern. He invites the floundering Gaby to speak to his modeling class for young girls. She arrives with an attitude and he says to her: "These mothers have refinanced their trailers to pay for this so for God's sake, when you make your entrance...sparkle!"
When Gaby walks out and sees a group of overweight or unkept girls, she snarls to Vern: "It's going to take a miracle to turn these mutts into show dogs!" Vern tells her: "Please Gabrielle, be their moses."
It was terrific to see Gaby (Eva Longoria) have something else to do other than fight with Carlos and sit around pouting. she soon realizes that she feels fulfilled working with the girls and wants to continue. She makes a speech at the end that shows a humbled, more human side of Gaby. Maybe she'll be less of a cartoon from now on.
As for Alec Mapa's Vern,. I hope we'll be seeing more of him in the weeks to come!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since I have gotten bored with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and stopped watching weeks ago, I was unaware of the gay storyline being played out in the last few episodes. But I was reading AfterElton.com's Michael Jensen weekly column "Best. Gay. Week. Ever." and he writes: " What I most appreciated was the show's stance that just because you're anti-gay bias is Bible-based, it doesn't mean you're not a homophobe. (I can already hear Jerry Falwell, Pat Roberston, etc. hyperventilating.)

In the show's opening scene, Matt (Matthew Perry) is confronted by Harriett (played by out actress Sarah Paulson) who demands to know if he really thinks she is a homophobe because she believes the Bible condemns gays. He says “Yep� and when she asks what's wrong with civil unions instead of marriage he interrupts her by saying, “There is no way to get to the end of that sentence without saying homosexual love is less than heterosexual love…� And it's not some half-hearted defense either. Matt is ticked about this issue, even taking the Democrats to task for what he perceives as their pandering. You go, Chandler !"

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CBS is ordering more episodes of "The Class" which is great news. The Monday night sitcom needs to trim some of its characters (let's start with the married woman and the carpenter, pu-leeeze) but there is lots to like:
The show has a happy gay couple who are quite appealing and they have a lot of interaction with a married couple that includes Perry Pearl, a husband (Sam Harris) who hilariously fits many gay stereotypes: he named his daughter Oprah Liza Pearl and dressed her up as Audrey Hepburn from "Breakfast at Tiffanys." I wonder what direction they will take Harris' character of Perry Pearl who also clearly seems attracted to men.
And even though his character is straight, I think Jason Ritter is showing himself to be a wonderful comic actor who would make his late father, John Riktter, very proud. Anyway, the network is still hammering out whether or not to order a full season but at any rate, it has committed to enough episodes to allow the show to continue to build an even bigger audience.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'd be watching anyway but how terrific is it that the dazzling Dixie Carter is beginning a seven-episode stint on "Desperate Housewives" tonight? She'll always be Julia Sugarbaker to me but after meeting her at the "Desinging Women" reunion a few weeks ago, i gotta say, Dixie as herself is pretty damned cool!
But she won't be herself on "Housewives" with a gray wig and decidedly "de-glam" for the role of Bree's new scary mother-in-law!
I have a story in today's entertainment section of the Los Angeles Daily News about her role on the show. If you don't get the paper delivered at home (you must subscribe!) then click onto DailyNews.com.

At any rate, here are a few excerpts from the article just in case:

"Housewives" creator and head writer, openly gay Marc Cherry (right), was Carter's personal assistant during her days on "Designing Women." "He was handling my personal business and picked up my underwear at Neiman (Marcus) sometimes," Carter remembers, laughing.

Good thing Cherry remembers her fondly. Tonight, Carter appears in the first of at least seven episodes as the mysterious Orson Hodge's (Kyle MacLachlan) mother and Bree Van De Camp-Hodge's (Marcia Cross) mother-in law. She is going to make Bree's first annoying mother-in-law from her marraige to Rex (Shirley Knight) look like a saint. Gloria Hodge knows all of her son's secrets (and apparently there are many) and is expected to make life quite difficult for the clean-freak newlyweds (pictured, left).

"Marc was very memorable, a very memorable young man," says the actress. "He was always observing. We knew he was a writer. He never got upset with a really kind of goofy household that Mr. (Hal) Holbrook (her husband of 22 years) and I somehow rock along with. He never got upset with the zaniness of our life."

Carter's part of Gloria Hodge is a far cry from her signature role as the outspoken and stylish Julia Sugarbaker, who could annihilate anyone with words.

"Marc called me, and it was really exciting," Carter recalls. "He said, 'I have something nice for you to do if you are willing to de-glam. The woman is older and needs to be gray and not made up.' I said, 'OK, fine, I'll do it.' The part is quite wonderful...I'm a bad mama. I like to hit the liquor cabinet, and they don't like having me there on Wisteria Lane.""

"It's a very heady atmosphere," she says of her new gig. "When you drive onto the lot, your little heart beats faster and you're singing 'Hooray for Hollywood!' "

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let me say first off that this picture of Dr. Mark McSteamy (Eric Dane) on the right has absolutely nothing to do with last night's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" or why it was the gayest episode of the series ever. But I posted it because I haven't watched the show in a few weeks (no, I don't have TiVo...GASP!) and this is the first week that I really got it: McSteamy is HOT! Not just physically, but in the way that he is an unapologetic tramp! He wants to sleep with everybody and makes no bones about it. I say it will be difficult for Meredith or anyone to resist his charms. Anywayh. McSteamy and Meredith treat a patient who is set for a male-to-female sex change operation (with the support of the woman who married him as a man) but complications arise when the paitent is diagnosed with breast cancer caused by the hormones she had been taking. Best chance for survival: stop taking the hormones and revert back to a man. "She'll go back to being an unhappy man with a penis," McSteamy tells Meredith. "Just like millions of us."
This episode was a real departure because most of the male doctors (McSteamy excepted) go on a fishing trip and also along are Joe the bartender and his partner of 10 years, Walter! Cool!
How all the hunky docs (plus the hospital chief) get the same day off, I do not know. For those of us aware of the big on-set fight between Patrick Dempsey and Isaiah Washington that resulted in T.R. Knight coming out, the fishing trip was a chance to see how these actors interact on screen. Washington and Knight had a scene together as did Washington and Dempsey and all seemed normal between their characters.

The brawl in the episode was between Knight's Geroge O'Malley and Alex. But it was only an open-handed fight because they are surgeons and no matter how pissed off they are at each other, they can't damage the hands! Walter ends up getting knocked down in the fracas and cutting his head. He says to Joe: "Next time, we're NOT going camping with straight guys."
Anyway, Chief Webber does not know that Joe and Walter are a couple and wants to sleep in their tent with them. When he finally realizes they want to be alone and are gay, he starts blurting out funny things to show he's cool with it: "Wonderful!" "Man love!" "Beautiful!" "My cousin is gay!"
Later, the chief is fishing next to Joe and asks how long he and Walter have been together.
"Ten years. We're thinking about kids," Joe says. "I can't imagine my life without him."
Later, Chief Webber tells Derrick (Dempsey): "They're a happy couple...I miss my wife."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In the span of just a few weeks, both Neil Patrick Harris and T.R. Knight came out as gay men. They did it with little fuss and have gone on with their lives and busy acting careers. But they are hardly the first. I found this slideshow of out celebrities today and invite you to check it out!

Click on the It's Good To Be Gay SLIDESHOW!!!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, it's about time.

Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington has finally issued an apologyf or his behavior during an on-set argument with costar Patrick Dempsey. After Washington and Dempsey, 40, clashed on Oct. 9, reports surfaced that Washington had used a homophobic slur during the fracas. Then on Oct. 19, their costar T.R. Knight disclosed to PEOPLE that he is gay.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, the same venue Knight used to make his announcement, Washington said:
"I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set. Both are beneath my own personal standards. … I have nothing but respect for my coworkers … and have apologized personally to everyone involved."

There had been reports that Washington's job was in jeopardy and that be might be replaced by former ER star Eriq La Salle. Show creator Shonda Rhimes, who has put together one of the most racially diverse casts of any show ever on television, told PEOPLE that Washington was not being fired or replaced.

"I found (those rumors) not only ridiculous but offensive that we would consider replacing a member of our family," Rhimes says. "And also the (idea) that one black man was interchangeable with another seemed disturbing to me...We have a group of people who are more of a family than anything else. We have our fun days, and we have our days when people are tired and the work is hard."

On Tuesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Grey's costar Katherine Heigl played down the incident, calling it "some scuffle … There was a little burst of testosterone in the room, and then within five minutes ... they were totally fine." So what actually happened between Washington and Dempsey? A set source says that when Knight, 33, was late to film a scene, a debate ensued between Dempsey and Washington, with Dempsey insisting on waiting for Knight before starting the scene. The argument quickly intensified, and the source says that yes, the alleged slur was used, but Knight was not present at the time.

"Isaiah was running his mouth off," says the source. "Isaiah verbally attacked Patrick – he tore into him. Patrick's voice escalated and he did tell Isaiah to 'f– off, (but) that was as heated as Patrick got."

Rhimes tells PEOPLE that Dempsey and Washington "are fine" – as are Washington and Knight. "They've had conversations," she says. "They did a really great scene together the other day." The whole affair, she says, "was four and a half seconds of one day in three years. I feel like we've already moved on."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Officially, I have some issues about making comedy out of a situation that involves a clearly closeted gay man married to a seemingly clueless woman - especially when that couple has a young daughter. No, I'm not talking about a sitcom based on Jim McGreevey's life! I'm talking about Sam Harris' hilariously flamboyant character, Perry Pearl, on the CBS Monday night comedy "The Class." So, while I officially have concerns about the storyline, I forgot about them tonight because I was too busy laughing my ass off.
In this Halloween-themed episode (A yummy Jason Ritter in a Superman costume is reason enough to tune in!), Perry dresses his daughter up as Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly (with sunglasses and little black dress) in "Breakfast at Tiffanys." His wife, Holly, thinks she's dressed up as a blind girl and the daughter confesses: "I don't get it." Daddy Perry replies: "You don't have to get it, you just have to SELL it!"

Later in the same scene, the TV reporter wife finds out she is in contention for a weekend anchor slot against a rival who Perry describes as "the one with the big boobs." His wife asks: "You noticed?" Perry reassures her: "Oh honey relax, you know I'm an ass man!"

Disaster strikes when Holly, while on the air doing a piece about a petting zoo, impales a fluffy little white rabbit named Q-tip with her high heel spike on live television. It's on the Internet worldwide within minutes under the title: "Can I see this bunny in a size 8?"

Later, their firends, gay couple Kyle and Aaron rush over to comfort Holly while still in their costumes: a cowboy and a pirate, respectively. Perry gives the sexy Aaron's Johnny Depp-like pirate costume a flirty once over, smiles, and says, "Ahoy!"

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After just checking Google News and seeing that there are well over 400 different news stories out there about "Grey's Anatomy" co-star T.J. Knight releasing a brief statement that he is a gay man, I realized that this story is becoming more compelling than an episode of the show itself!

First of all, without viewers knowing it, Knight has been proving for more than two seasons now that a gay actor can convincingly play a straight man. In addition to his unrequited love for Meredith Grey on the show, Knight's George O'Malley character has been involved in a relationship with the character played by the sensational Sara Ramirez, a Tony winner last year for "Spamalot." She and Knight even appeared together on this year's Tony telecast as presenters and were funny and adorable together.

Secondly, I wonder what the ramifications will be for Isaiah Washington who allegedly made an anti-gay slur against Knight during an argument on the set with co-star Patrick Dempsey. So far, we only have the National Enquirer reporting the slur (not exactly a reliable source) with the show's producers only confirming there was a disagreement and that everyone had moved on. But how? There are those, myself included, who believe that if indeed Washington refered to Knight as a "faggot" in the workplace, as was reported, then he should be disciplined. This should not be tolerated in any workplace. And because the resulting brouhaha led Knight to feel that he had to come out publicly, I believe Washington should make a major public apology. There's no excuse for that kind of stuff - ever.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Remember the days when two men in bed on "thirtysomething" had advertisers fleeing the late-80s, early-90s touchy-feely drama? Times have changed, thankfully, and hopefully will continue to do so. This was proven on Monday night when CBS aired its new sitcom "The Class" and it contained a same-gender kiss between Kyle (Sean Maguire) and his gorgeous boyfriend, Aaron (Cristián de la Fuente). No one pulled ads.

CBS describes the show as "a comedy about a group of 20-somethings inextricably bound together by having been in the same third grade class. Two decades later, their lives intersect once again, giving them the uncommon opportunity to learn how everyone turned out and to rebuild old friendships."

The show has plenty of talented and attractive actors including the adorable Jason Ritter and openly gay performer Sam Harris who is best known for his fantastic singing on Broadway and in concerts. In "Class," the very handsome Sam plays Perry Pearl, a very gay-seeming "straight" guy married to one of the classmates. Whenever he is in a scene, be prepared to laugh. He even named his daughter Oprah because, he explains, "I'm a fan." Word has it that Perry may be coming out later in the season! His poor wife! She had her heart broken in high school by Kyle when he turned out gay and now Perry.

The show airs Monday nights on CBS at 8:30.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Welcome out of the professional closet T.R. Knight, one of the stars of "Grey's Anatomy."

What a classy guy. There has been all kinds of speculation in recent weeks about his sexuality so instead of making a big deal out of it, he released the following statement to PEOPLE today: "I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there. While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."

Knight, 33, plays the unassuming Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama who has had unrequited love for Meredith Grey on the show which is a ratings blockbuster on Thursday nights. But it has been in the headlines in recent days because of a brawl that erupted last week between Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey on the set. Washington allegedly referred to T.R. Knight with several derogatory slurs.

Knight is a Minneapolis native, he began his career in that city's famed Guthrie Theater. I think he is going to find that he is coming out to a big warm hug. My hunch is that Grey's Anatomy is going to have record ratings tonight.

In honor of T.J.'s very welcome disclosure, he has been added to the Out in Hollywood Photo Gallery of Out Heroes.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last summer's surprise hit "The Devil Wears Prada" is being developed into a weekly TV show! I'm curious to see if this small-screen adpatation of a hit feature film will soar in the way that "MASH" did or tank like "Baby Boom" did, despite the presence of Kate Jackson.

It will ALL depend on who dares to take on Meryl Streep's role as the perfectly icy and demanding fashion magazine editor. With plum parts in "Prada," "Adaptation," "Angels in America," "Prairie Home Companion," and "The Hours," Meryl in recent years has added more gloriously rich performances to her unprecedented resume which includes a record 13 Academy Award nominations (two wins) as well as two Emmy Awards. It will take an actress with the right chops and aura to take over her part in "Prada."

Here are a few of my suggestions and just imagine them saying things like a curt "That's all" and an annoyed, "DO move at a glacial pace, you know how I LOVE that."

Glenn Close: She did her first series ("The Shield") not long ago and got nominated for an Emmy. But she's doubtful since she left after just one season to go back to Broadway (she's won three Tonys) and still has plenty of choice roles to choose from.

Helen Mirren: She'd never do it but can't you just see it? She would bring so much with a part like that. At any rate, she will be too busy collecting awards, including the Oscar, for her performance in "The Queen."

Patti Lupone: My favorite Broadway diva also developed a television following during her four seasons on ABC's "Life Goes On." This would be a role she could really go to town with. After all, she's played Evita Peron, Norma Desmond AND Maria Callas on stage. She can do anything.

Since it's a fantasy that Glenn, Helen or Patti would bite, two more realistic choices:

Sela Ward: The two-time Emmy winner ('Sisters" "Once and Again") is a wonderful actress who deserves a meatier part than the one she played on "House" last season.

Morgan Fairchild: She's kinda perfect! Old Navy commercials aside, she's been playing variations of this part for 30 years! And she does wear clothes awfully well.

Anyone have any other suggestions???

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

He's baaack. Gay teen Andrew Van De Kamp returned to Wisteria Lane at the end of Sunday night's episode. Good thing, the show needs him. His return was handled a little clumsily though. Bree, who seems to not have given him a thought for more than half a year as she marries a man who may or may not be a wife-killer, sees a homeless Andrew on television being interviewed for a story on homeless people. Wham! She gets hit with a case of guilt for dumping him on the side of the road all those months ago. Where did she think he was? Club Med? I'm losing my patience with Bree.
And we better find out if hubby offed his first wife or not soon or i might start some kind of letter writing campaign. On the plus side, Mike the plumber finally wakes up from his coma. But when will we find out why Bree's new husband ran him over with such a vengeance?

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caught the "ER" episode Thursday night with John Mahoney as a drag queen fighting the family of his lover who is hovering near death. Mahoney, best known for his role as the conservative ex-cop dad of Niles and "Frasier" Crane on the long-running NBC series, was just terrific. He tries to stay in the background as his partner's estranged family, which hasn't seen the ill man in many years, are trying to decide his fate. What a nightmare. This episode alone should have same-gender couples everywhere getting their paperwork in order if they haven't already. Anyway, after they keep trying to shove him aside, Mahoney's character finally screams to his partner's homophobic family: "I love him! I love him!" The episode didn't have a happy ending but Mahoney's does go on stage that night, in drag, in honor of his comatose lover. And here's the shock: he wasn't such a bad looking older woman. He looked a bit like Tallula Bankhead in her later years!

But, I'll tell you what was really touching: the scene between Mahoney and new "ER" leading man John Stamos (a very, very welcome addition to this still vital show) at the end of the episode. Mahoney is telling Stamos about how happy he is when he is up on stage, selling a song in drag. Stamos then says to him: 'You make me want to be a drag queen."
I don't think even Geroge Clooney could have played that scene better.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Mahoney has a role on tonight's "ER" that is a dramatic deparfure from his best-known part as Marftin Crane, the father of the fussy Niles and "Frazier" Crane. He plays an aging drag queen on the medical drama whose partner is still in the closet. The partner is brought to the hospital with congestive heart failure. He's not only coping with the partner's health crisis, but he is forced to fight his family to keep him alive. The episode illustrates how vulnerable gay couples are legally since they cannot be legally married in almost all U.S. states. It's a reminder of how important it is to legalize a committed relationship as much as possible with such things as domestic partnerships and power of attorney etc.

As for Mahoney, he has played gay before, most notabely on the memorable indie "The Broken Hearts Club" where he was a restaurant owner and coach of a gay softball team that included characters played by Zach Braff, Timothy Olyphant and Dean Cain.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was rather unfortunate that his character ends up dying in surgery but it sure was terrific seeing Peter Paige on "Grey's Anatomy" tonight. He plays a patient with a brain tumor who, because of the location of the tumor, is compelled to speak his mind, with total honesty. at all times.

When Dr. McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) leaves the room, for example, Peter turns to Meredith and asks if they are sleeping together. Then he says, "He's hot. I would totally have sex with him if I could." He later says to Christina (Sandra Oh); "If I had a boyfriend, i would not be as uptight as you are." And his last line was a killer: "I'm having surgery and only my fat sister Ruth is here with me."

Paige has been busy since "Queer as Folk" came to an end last year after five seasons on Showtime. His role as the flamboyant and effeminate Emmett Honeycutt hasn't typecast him at all judging from his very different performance on "Grey's." He also had a recurring role last season on the WB series "Related" and wrote, produced and starred in the indie film "Say Uncle" which screened at Outfest in 2005 and was recently released on DVD.

There was another gay moment on "Grey's" tonight and that involved Joe, the bartender at the watering hole near the hospital where everyone goes to decompress or break-up or hook-up or throw-up. Addison, Dr. McDreamy's wife, is on a bender and asks Joe if he thinks she's hot. He says: "You're attractive, but have a boyfriend."

Who knew?

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I feel a little bit like I'm cheating on my girl crush, Rosario Dawson, but I gotta rave about another one of the women I love: Sarah Paulson of NBC's new show "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." I first saw her in the Renee Zellweger-Ewan McGregor spoof of 50s sex comedies,"Down With Love," and was immediately smitten - perhaps in the same way Rosie O. is smitten with Tommy Cruise.

What I did not know until the Tony Awards last year was that Paulson is a lesbian and in a committed relationship with the mega-talented Cherry Jones who reprises her Tony-winning role in "Doubt" in Los Angeles this fall. Paulson gave Jones a huge smooch on the lips before her partner took the stage to accept her second award for best actress in a Broadway play.

Paulson, 31, made her off-Broadway debut at 12 in a production of "Amerlia Agai. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts then made her Broadway debut in the production of Wendy Wasserstein's Tony Award-winning play "The Sisters Rosensweig" in 1993.

She landed her first leading TV role in the short-lived CBS supernatural drama "American Gothic" which had a cult following then starred in another short-lived television gem, "Leap of Faith" before landing a role in the popular Showtime series "Deadwood." In features, she played played Diane Keaton's lesbian daughter in "The Other Sister" as well as in the Mel Gibson comedy "What Womern Want," and co-starred with Jones in the indie film "Swimmers."

On "Studio 60" plays Harriet, a Christian woman open-minded, self-confidant, and funny, she’s strong in her faith, but openly rejects the bigotry and extremism espoused by Christian fundamentalists.

The terrific Website AfterEllen.com has named Paulson as one of the 10 Most Appealing Women on TV. Check out their complete list which also includes Rosie and Christina Oh, among others.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'll have to admit upfront that I didn't see it but in surfing around this morning, it seems that a lot of folks are pleased with the way "The Office" handled the episode "Gay Witch Hunt" last night. The show's gay paper supply accountant (portrayed by Oscar Nunez) was unintentionally outed on the episode. As a way of showing their acceptance, the characters played by Steve Carell and Raimm Wilson kissed him on the lips!

Check out a clip by clicking HERE.

And here is a snjippet of a review posted on AfterElton.com: "Humor often allows touchy subjects to be addressed in ways that get past viewers' protective walls. Last night's episode probably did more to educate viewers on why the use of the word 'fag' is inappropriate than a year's worth of well-intentioned public service announcements could ever do. But "The Office" went one better. Oscar was never the butt of the show's jokes—that was usually his ignorant, homophobic co-workers who think gay people wear dresses, who giggle uncontrollably at the thought someone is gay, or gullibly believe that 'gaydar' is a product to be ordered online."

Since Oscar (the actor and the character have the same first name) is one of only slightly more than a handful of gay characters on a broadcast network show this fall, it will be interesting to see how is character is handled in future episodes.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ran into "Desperate Housewives" creator and head writer Marc Cherry(pictured, right) this morning at a rally being held by the Writers Guild of America at Pan Pacific Park. He was there in support of some serious issues but couldn't have been nicer when I badgered him afterward for some info about what is going to become of gay teen Andrew Van De Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom, below) whose looney tunes mom Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) dumped him off on the side of a highway late last season then checked herself into the nuthouse.
"Andrew will be back in the third episode with an interesting backstory of what he did in the time he was away from home," Cherry said. "I''ve always been a little surprised that, to young people, Andrew is something of a role model which is a little appalling to me because he's something of a sociopath!"
Bree has been less-than-enthused about her son being gay - something he has delighted in torturing her with. Her reaction when Andrew came out to her in season one was "I'd still love you even if you were a murderer" was from Cherry's own life!) But Cherry expects mother and son to reach some new level of understanding and Andrew is expected to move back into the family home on Wisteria Lane.
It's a good thing Andrew is returning to the "Housewives" fold because according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) annual study released last month, he along with Dr. Kerry Weaver on the long-running “ER� on NBC, are the only regular gay or lesbian character on a returning broadcast network show this fall other than a closeted accountant named Oscar on NBC’s “The Office.�

Of the new network shows, the ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters� features a gay man as a supporting character, the CBS comedy “The Class� has one of the only gay leading characters on any show, the ABC comedy “Help Me Help You� (pictured, right) features a closeted gay man, and MyNetworkTV’s “Fashion House� has two gay supporting characters.

"It's always a struggle," said Cherry, who didn't tell ABC that Andrew would turn out to be gay until after "Housewives" was established as a break-out hit. "There are ebbs and flows and hopefully this is just a slight dip."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

If you caught the series premiere of "The Class" Monday, you would have seen that the new CBS sitcom has one of the few gay characters (as a lead character) on network television. He's Kyle Lando, played by straight actor Sean Maguire. The sweet-natured and cultured is a teacher who is one of the eight people reunited when one of their third-grade classmates (Jason Ritter) throws a party to mark the day he met his fiancee, which was the first day of first grade.

Maguire told AfterElton.com this week that he is grateful for the opportunity to add some much-needed diversity to the fall lineup. “I think it's important to see that kind of diversity,� he says Maguire. “You don't have to be gay or black or whatever minority to appreciate seeing a character on TV who's that minority. It's nice to see the real world reflected in what we watch for entertainment.�Maguire starred in the three-year run of UPN's Eve as Donovan Brink. According to the actor, he performed that character with tha idea that he might actually be gay but the show limited him Brink to being, at best, just metrosexual.

And, get this, Kyle actually has a stable relationship with boyfriend Aaron (Cristián de la Fuente): something that took Will Truman on "Will & Grace" more than seven seasons to do.

I'll give you even more reasons to watch this show, which has received mostly strong reviews from crtiics: The very appealing (and straight) Ritter - who played gay in the indie film "Happy Endings" last year with a great kissing scene - and the presence of openly gay performer Sam Harris, one of the best singers in show business. Harris won the male vocalist competition more than two decades on the very first season of "Star Search" and looks even more handsome now.
Ironically, Harris plays a "straight" man who is married to the woman who has her heart broken by Kyle in high school. Harris' character, Perry Pearl, is immaculately dressed and fits a lot of gay stereotypes which suggests he might be in some deep denial but we'll have to see how it plays out. Harris (pictured, left) says Perry defies expectations about what is expected behavior for gay and straight men. “It's nice to have this presence on TV, but you have to ask what they are saying about gay people when you see it.�

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Checked out an advance screener of ABC's new Ted Danson sitcom "Help Me Help You" mainly because it is one of the few new shows on the broadcast networks that actually has a gay character. In "Help Me," the gay man is Jonathan, played by a very funny Jim Rash (second from left in photo above). Jonathan is part of the self-obsessed people in group therapy run by Danson's character, a therapist who is something of an icon among his fellow therapists and the author of several psychotherapy text books. But people don't know is he's probably more screwed up than his clients.

Danson is funny in the part and has terrific chemistry with guest star Jane Kaczmarek who plays his estranged wife. I hope Kaczmarek will make a lot of appearances because she and Danson are so good together. The therapy group clients are played by Charlie Finn, Suzy Nakamura, Darlene Hunt and Jere Burns.

As for Rash's character, in a perfect world I'd love to see more well-adjusted gay characters on television but I'm hopeful he will get there. We've all probably known someone who is clearly just so gay but seems to be the last person to know it. That's Jonathan. He'll cop to being a "metrosexual" but nothing more and his attempts to butch it up by lowering his voice and pretending to be interested in basketball are a scream.

If Rash looks familiar, you may recognize him from his recurring roles on "That '70s Show" and "Reno 911!," as well as guest starring roles on "Will & Grace," "Less than Perfect," "According to Jim," "The Practice," "Becker," "CSI" and "Navy NCIS." He has also co-starred on "Cybill" and "Tracey Takes On," and was a series regular on "Thanks," "Katie Joplin" and "The Naked Truth." His feature film credits include "Sky High," "Minority Report," "Simone," "Slackers," "One Hour Photo" and "Auto Motives." His two most recent films, "Smiley Face" and "Reno 911!: The Movie," are due to be released in 2007.

"Help Me" will premiere on ABC on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We know there won't be very many gay characters on any of the broadcast network shows this fall so over the next few weeks, we'll spotlight the few that there are. First up: Sean Maguire, who plays gay 20-something Kyle Lando on the CBS sitcom "The Class" about a group of third-grade classmates who reunite years later.

"All the other characters are in a state of crisis," Maguire says in the current issue of "Out" magazine. "Me and my boyfriend have a happy, solid relationship. That's what I think is cool because it's a more honext portrayal of the gay fans I have."

Maguire, straight off-screen, is from a London suburb and racked up several acting credits including a part of the classic British show "EastEnders." Of his on-screen boyfriend, portrayed by Cristian de la Fuente, Maguire said: "(He) is really handsome. So by comparison, I decided I'm just going to be the quirky, funny one."

The show was created by real-life partners David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik who said of Maguire: "It was important to us that Kyle be this endearing, funny guy who anyone would want to spend time with. We totally found that in Sean."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you want to see gay characters on television this fall, you better turn to cable.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released its annual study today, “Where We Are On TV,� reported exclusively in my story in today's Daily News.
If not for scheming teen Andrew Van De Camp (pictured above with boyfriend) on ABC’s megahit “Desperate Housewives� and Dr. Kerry Weaver on the long-running “ER� on NBC, the only regular gay or lesbian character on a returning broadcast network show this fall would be a closeted accountant named Oscar on NBC’s “The Office.�

Of all the series regulars on the networks’ 2006-07 prime-time schedules, there are only the returning three as well as six on new shows - all in supporting roles. That makes for only 1.3 percent of all the regular characters on
scripted network shows during a year when portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters have gotten unprecedented exposure in such films as “Brokeback Mountain,� “Capote,� and “Transamerica.�

GLAAD analyzed the 95 comedies and dramas announced for the new season by CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, The CW and MyNetworkTV. Of the 679 lead or supporting characters on those shows, there are eight gay male characters and one lesbian. There are an additional five semi-regular gay or lesbian characters but no bisexual or transgendered characters on any of the shows.

Of the new network shows set to bow in the coming months, the ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters� features a gay man as a supporting character, the CBS comedy “The Class� has one of the only gay leading
characters on any show, the ABC comedy “Help Me Help You� (pictured, right) features a closeted gay man, and MyNetworkTV’s “Fashion House� has two gay supporting characters.�

Last fall, the networks had 10 regulars including Andrew, representing 1.4 percent of all characters on television as well as six recurring characters. The end of the eight-year run of “Will & Grace� meant the elimination of two of broadcast television’s highest-profile gay men: Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes).

Cable is a different story completely with 25 series regulars gay or lesbian in addition to many recurring characters on such shows as “The Sopranos,� “The L Word,� “The Wire,� “South of Nowhere,� “Degrassi: The Next Generation� and “Rescue Me.� The addition of MTV’s Logo channel and its drama “Noah’s Arc� has helped numbers with a cast exclusively featuring gay African-American characters while the LGBT digital cable channel here! TV has the soap opera “Dante’s Cove� that centers around gay and lesbian relationships.

Cliick HERE to read the entire GLAAD study!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters in broadcast networks!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters on cable!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)