Recently in Ugly Betty Category

It brings tears to my eyes when I think about what Judith Light has meant to the LGBT community for so many years. She's given us more than her love - she's given her time and her name to countless causes.

I'll never forget a few summers back at Outfest when she was participating in an "Ugly Betty" panel and when they introduced her, the ovation was long and heartfelt and dwarfed the applause for America Fererra, Vanessa Williams or any of the show's other stars.

She is a woman who was horrfied by the AIDS epidemic and the government's lack of action when people, including her friends, were dying. She was one of the first celebrities, way back in the early 80s, to step-up and help to raise money and awareness.

"I've been part of the really dark days," Judith told me at the Ribbon of Hope event back in 2007. "How it feels now is it feels mildly better but it's not enough. I know that people are working really hard to make it be different and that's what we have to keep doing ...[HIV/AIDS is) out there and it's not over."

I love what Judith said at another awards show earlier that year about gay people: "You are my teachers, you are my role models. You risk everything to be authentic. Do you know how rare that is in this culture? ...People who are out and who are willing to risk in order to lead."

Love ya Judith!

This is a terrific message to have out there. "Ugly Betty" Thanks to America Ferrera, Ana Ortiz and Tony Plana for their words. Says Plana in the video: "It's bad law...and it's unfair."

Well said.

Related posts:
-- Tony Plana of "Ugly Betty" talks about on-screen grandson, Justin...
-- My night with the Ugly Betty gang...

This is such a wonderful way to reach Spanish-language households, Starting today, the NO on Prop 8 campaign launched a television ad featuring America Ferrera, Tony Plana and Ana Ortiz (pictured with co-star Mark Indelicante) of "Ulgy Betty" on Spanish language television stations throughout California.

Ferrera: "Voting no on Prop 8 is not just about gay rights. It's about preserving the integrity of equal rights in this country. This is not about being gay or straight, it's about being American. Vote no on Prop 8."

Plana: "Family is very important to Latinos. Prop 8 discriminates against families and everything we stand for. I encourage all Californians to vote NO on this divisive and unfair proposition."

Ortiz: "Like all Americans, Latinos have family members and friends who are gay and deserve the same rights all of us have. Prop 8 would take away those rights and that's why we urge all Californians to vote NO."

I just love this arrangement of photos on the A Socialite's Life site where there are many more photos of "Ugly Betty" cast members posted and a write-up of last night's kick-off party in NYC.

Lindsay Lohan was once ignored by this blog but hey, she's apparently a lesbian now so she gets some mentions these days. Then there are the divine Vanessa Williams, the adorable Mark Indelicante, and the heart and soul of the show, America Ferrera.

But best of all, and most delish, is the blue-eyed Eric Mabius who is one of my major prime-time crushes. (It seems I have crush categories: newsman crushes, tennis player crushes etc)

I'm a little bummed that the charming and talented Christopher Gorham would not be returning to "Ugly Betty" as a regular this fall. He had proposed marriage to Betty in the season finale - the same episode where another suitor with less baggage (Chris' character, Henry, just had a child with another woman) asked her to take off with him to Italy.

Betty chose Italy.

"The show got us together then had to think of ways to keep us apart," Chris told TV Guide's William Keck.

But Keck reports that Chris has landed on his feet with a role on the CBS show "Harper's Island" which is a mid-season replacement series. He plays a dashing groom named Henry Dunn whose friends gather on an island for the wedding. They start getting killed, one by one.

Gorham is never at a loss for work with such series as "Popular," "Medical Investigation" and "Out Of Practice" on his resume. The problem is, they are all very good shows that don't seem to last long enough. "Betty" was the exception and now he's off it.

Whatever. I'd watch him in anything.

"Ugly Betty" star Michael Urie!
His character of Marc St. James is one of the most delicious gay portrayals ever on television. He's campy, bitchy and scheming but shows us just enough heart and vulnerability to make us care. Marc has been dating a photographer (David Blue) and came out to his anit-gay mother played by Broadway legend Patti LuPone. But he's most fun in his scenes with his two bitches: Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams) and Amanda (Becki Newton).

Update: I forgot to mention this: Michael turns 28!

Lindsay Lohan's appearance was just a cameo - about less than a minute. Good thing. I can go an entire year without seeing her over-exposed face again. And Naomi Campbell guesting and doing a cell phone joke? Why hire this rage-a-holic and make fun of her abusive ways. I hope she uses her "Ugly Betty" paycheck to get some counseling.

The very funny Alec Mapa had more screen time than the two of those crazies put together and he was great! I hope we will see more of his Suzuki St. Pierre character next seasob. It's a real good fit for the show!

Other observations: Kudos to Vanessa Williams for a terrific performance week after week of evil Wilhelmina Slater. She has developed the most delicious character. The writing is terrific but Vanessa serves up every morsel perfectly. Emmy voters, mark your ballots!

So Hilda (Ana Ortiz) finds out that the hot coach (Eddie Cibrian) she's dating is married. We can't label him a cad just yet because he seemed so genuinely tormented about it all. So we will reserve judgment for now. Wlould probably be even harder on him if he wasn't so damned good looking. Bastard! Anyway, Hilda initially tries to break it off but by the end of the finale, she was making out with him. Who can blame her?

Then there's poor Betty. Two cutie pie guys want her love and it all comes to a head at a softball game. Henry (the adorable Christopher Gorham) shows up and wants to get married and move to Tuscon. Gio, the impossibly cute and very sweet sandwich guy (Freddy Rodriguez) wants Betty to go with him to Italy so they can have their first date there.

I love, love love Henry and Betty together. But I hope when season three begins in the fall, Betty is doing the mambo italiano.

Most of the attention has been focused on Lindsay Lohan's appearance on the season finale of "Ugly Betty" on Thursday. I could care less about Lohan...she's beyond annoying! But Alec Mapa I care about. He will be making another one of hios appearances as TV gossip personality Suzuki St. Pierre. Alec also has a recurring role as Eva Longoria's pal on "Desperate Housewives" so let's hope both shows make use of his talents in the fall.

Alec is a hoot!

Let's face it, I don't give a rat's (expletive) about Lindsay Lohan guest-starring on the season finale of "Ugly Betty" as a former classmate of Betty's who used to torment her and resurfaces in her life. But seeing how a few spots on "How I Met Your Mother" have done wonders for Britney Spears, I can understand why Lohan wants the gig.

I'm far more interested in someone who is guesting on tomorrow night's episode: hunky Eddie Cibrian who is a potential love interest for Hilda (Ana Ortiz). Now THAT will boost ratings! He plays Justin's PE teacher and Hilda goes to the school to confront him about her son's failing gym grade.

I told the adorable Christopher Gorham at the GLAAD Media Awards that the gay blogs - including this one - went nuts over the photos of him in his underwear during a fantasy sequence on "Ugly Betty."

So, does he know that he such a sex symbol to gay men? He laughed and said he did not know that but remarked, "It's great!"

But the whole sexy thing, that he's heard: "I have to say, when I found out that I was one of the sexiest men alive last year in People, that was awfully surprising. It's made for lots of jokes around the house. My wife is totally sick of it but I still think it's funny."

It's been so great to have "Ugly Betty" back on the air with original episodes. But fans of the show who are rooting for our heroine Betty (America Ferrera) to end up happily ever after with her endearingly nerdy boyfriend Henry ( Gorham) better wake up and smell the coffee. Henry's ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child and he's being a stand-up guy about it. But he really, truly loves Betty.
"It's a mess," Christopher said. "Oh my God Greg, it's a hot mess. It is my baby, we know that. That is tough."

He wouldn't tell me what was next for the ill-fated lovers but hints: "There's a big cliffhanger that involves me in the season finale."

Christopher, 33, is mighty happy to be in a hit show after starring in such quality, but unfortunately short-lived, shows as "Popular," "Out of Practice," "Jake 2.0" and Oddessy 5." But "Betty" is a big Thursday night hit and will begin filming its third season at the end of June.

"I really like what we're doing coming back with this last bit of season two and then going
into season three thematically because they're really bringing the show back to Betty," he said.

"I felt like it got a little crazy in the beginning of the second season, there were a
lot of storylines. So we're really boiling that down in these last five episodes, everything
is coming back to Betty which is where everything should be centered. I think the show is
going to be better and also, it's coming back to being the more of the family show that it was in season one."

This is pretty shocking. Rebecca Romijn, who has done a solid job as transgender magazine editor Alexis Mead on "Ugly Betty" will be reduced to a recurring character when the show returns for its third season next fall.

In an interview with the New York Post over the weekend, Rebecca said: "They made a tremendous amount of changes, especially with the writing staff [during the writer's strike], and while I know I'll be coming back next season, with all the changes, I'm not sure they can take care of my character they way they have been. So I'll be leaving, back in a recurring capacity, but it's time for me to leave and find something else."

"Ugly Betty" won the GLAAD Award for outstanding television comedy Saturday night.

"Ugly Betty," one of the best shows on television and certainly one of the most gay-inclusive, returns with a batch of brand-new episodes beginning this Thursday. To mark the occasion some cast members, led by Becki Newton and Michael Urie, headline the first-ever "Ugly Betty" Video Podcast.

Enjoy!

Ya know, it wasn't until I came across these photos that I realized how much I have missed "Ugly Betty" which returns to the airwaves with new episodes on April 24. We've had to put up with a lot of reality show CRAP over the last 3-4 months so the thought of new episodes of smart shows like "Betty," "Brothers & Sisters," "Desperate Housewives" and "Gossip Girl" just makes my mouth water.

Also making my mouth water is Betty's true love, Harry (Christopher Gorham) who ooks to be bringing Betty some flowers for her 24th birthday. But we see in the preview clip below that, as always, things get complicated.

Two more reasons to love "Ugly Betty" is the wonderfully sickening relationship between Mark (Michael Urie) and evil Willhelmina (Vanessa Williams).

And I'm so glad to see my fave Judith Light looking all powerful and glamorous in this photo with her on-screen daughter played by Rebecca Romijn.

Gee, I wonder why everyone is getting so excited about Hilda's new boyfriend on "Ugly Betty"?

He's being played by Eddie Cibrian that's why! Eddie wears a shirt about as often as Matthew McConauhay and all I have to say is that Ana Ortiz, who plays Hilda, won't have trouble acting like she's into this guy!

This is chilling, especially for those of us who often attend events in Hollywood. Actor David Blue, who we've recently gotten to know as Cliff on "Ugly Betty" - a photographer who is dating Michael Urie's character of Marc. St. James - was mugged at gunpoint in the heart of Hollywood after leaving a wrap party for season 2 of "Ugly Betty."

Here is his blog entry about the scary incident:

"Sorry to be a downer
,
I went to a wonderful wrap party for season 2 of UGLY BETTY tonight. It was a blast, full of cast, crew, producers, writers, etc. I had a lot of fun with America, Michael and a bunch of other nice people. In fact, even after working on the show for so long, I had somehow never gotten pictures of myself with any of the people I've worked with. So, tonight I took a lot of pictures and had a great time.

Then, walking back to my friends' car, about a block away from the party, two men jumped out of their car and held a gun to my face and stole my wallet and my friends' purse/camera/phone. They drove away and I've spent the past 2 hours talking with the police and my credit card companies.

There's a sad part of me that is just happy that I got away alive and that my friend wasn't hurt. There's another sad part of me that is happy they got me and not America Ferrera, Michael Urie, Judith Light or anybody else at the party with WAY more money than myself.

There's another sad part of me that is so angry that I just want to see these people put behind bars as soon as possible. You see, though I've been lucky to recur on two different shows, I'm still far from financially stable. I don't have any money for these people to steal. Hopefully, I was able to catch my credit cards before they got anything. [In fact, all my companies say they tried to spend some money on ALL of them in the past 20 minutes at a single gas station but were denied because I cancelled them so fast.] But now I have no money for food, supplies or anything for a week. It's sad how quickly your life can be affected... and even more sad how angry a few people's SAD choices can affect people's lives so morosely.

It bothers me that this was Hollywood. I've lived in New York, Astoria, Queens, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, Texas, all over... and this crap happened in the heart of Hollywood near a MAJOR intersection. I'm just glad we were smart enough to hand over our money so quickly. Because I can tell you, even with a gun in my face, my first reaction was to nail this guy in the face with as many punches as I could muster... but instead I looked at my female friend and realized it'd be better to hand over my wallet and call the police.

Be careful kids. And let's hope these guys get caught before they do too much damage. The police told us that this has happened a few times in the past few weeks. And on top of that, as we were in their car, we heard a radio call saying another mugging happened with the same description...about 30 minutes after ours.

_david"

If anyone is wondering why writers are so important to what we watch on television, you need look no further than last night's classic episode of "Ugly Betty." There were so many delicious lines from start to finish that I could barely scribble them all down - plus I was laughing at the same time.The episode, "Bananas for Betty," will be the last we will see in 2007. Three more episodes have been shot so we will see them sometime next year and unless the strike is resolved soon and everyone goes back to work, that will be it for the sophomore season of this inspired show.

I gotta start with the Betty White storyline. The Golden Girl played herself and she was shoved to the ground by Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) while trying to get a cab on a rainy night. "I'm Wilhelmina Slater and I don't get wet!" she says as she flings some money at Betty and the cab takes off.

Someone recorded the whole thing with a cellphone and it ends up all over the news. Wilhelmina: "Obviously I didn't know it was Betty White - I thought it was just some old lady in the rain!" she tells Marc who has been trying to rehab her tattered public image. Earlier that day he had her doing a series of good deeds ("Trust me lady, I can make you into Mother Teresa - with better boobs."

Cut to Betty White in the hospital talking to TV reporter Suzuki St. Pierre (Alec Mapa): "I stopped to sign a few autographs and almost bled out on the sidewalk." Betty says she loves her fans "except for the sickos who keep writing lesbian fiction about me and Bea Arthur!"
Before the cameras roll, Betty White checks her make-up and complains: "Oh terrific, I'm going on TV with whore eyes!"

Betty White calls Wilhemina saying she forgives her. Wilhelmina wants her to do it on camera to restore her public image. So she shows up to the hospital ready to make nice. Betty turns on her: "I'm sorry honey, this feud is huge and I'm gonna milk it till it's dry!"

But she's a TV legend, she doesn't need the publicity. Betty cracks: "Are you kidding? The 'Golden Girls' money went right into the nickel slots!"

There were two other storylines going on including Daniel (Eric Mabius) and Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) battling for control of the magazine. It ended up in a silly paint ball fight but intially, they are fighting over their late father's desk chair and Daniel says to his transexual sister: "Why are you so strong? Did they give you super strength when they installed your vagina?"

OK, before I get into the Harry and Betty on a date stuff, one more line. It was one from the English dress designer (name escapes me right now) who said to Betty Suarez when they were talking about the movie "27 Dresses" which stars Katherine Heigl and James Marsden (in some not-so-subtle movie product placement):
"I love James Marsden. I want to bake him naked and eat him for dessert!"

Get in line honey!

And finally, Betty (America Fererra) and Henry (Christopher Gorham). Love them! Already posted video of their date scene that has Betty trying to eat an ice cream sundae off of Henry's stomach. It's a disaster: "My belly button's frozen!" Henry says before the ice cream gets all over Betty's glasses.

Later, Henry tries to fix the sink in Hilda's new salon and ends up drenched forcing him - lucky for us - to wear a way too-tight T-shirt belonging to Justin. "Can I really rock this look?" Henry asks Justin of the midriff baring look. Anyway, the sandwich guy (Freddy Rodriguez) who has the hots for Betty asks Hilda out and they end up at a dance club with Henry and Betty. Henry ends up catching on fire (really) and it looks to be a disaster until he returns, wearing a wife-beater T-shirts, and proceeds to dance like he was John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever."

It was, hot!

Gee, are the "Ugly Betty" writers looking for ways to get Christopher Gorham out of his shirt??? I certainly hope so. In Thursday's episode, his character of Henry and girlfriend Betty (America Fererra) get a little wild and she makes an ice cream sundae on his stomach then attempts to eat it off of him. The results are hilarious.

Here is a clip:

All you have to do is look at Christopher Gorham to see that he is a total babe. But as the nerdy Henry on "Ugly Betty," his good looks are someone obscured by the glasses and sweater vests etc. But a fantasy scene a few weeks back had him in nothing but his underwear and it revealed his hunk within. It even landed him in People Magazine's sexiest men alive issue.

Gorham said that post underwear scene, "one of the producers came up to me and said, 'I have to be honest with you. I thought they digitally put your head on someone else's body.' That's how surprised people were. Now everybody's coming up to me for exercise and diet tips."

As well they should!