Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (April 20, 2007)

AND THE WINNER IS … GREY'S ANATOMY?
The most frustrating thing coming out of last weekend's Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards ceremony in Los Angeles had to be the headlines resulting from Grey's Anatomy winning an award for Outstanding Individual Episode. Do a Google search with the terms "GLAAD" and " Grey's Anatomy," and you get a slew of headlines declaring "Grey's Anatomy Honored by GLAAD"; "Grey's Anatomy Wins GLAAD Award"; and my personal favorite, "Grey's Wins Pro-Gay Award."

That's right; the show with Isaiah Washington, the anti-gay epithet-hurling actor, and Shonda Rhimes, the series creator who found time to be incensed over talk of replacing Washington but didn't have diddly to say over the whole controversy, snagged a "pro-gay" award. I bet Mel Gibson wishes he'd gone after us instead of women and Jews.

Gee, why do you think GLAAD has a teensy image problem in the GLBT community?

The episode that won for the doctor drama was "Where the Boys Are" and involved a camping trip where Joe the bartender (according to IMDb, Joe doesn't even get a last name, and he's not listed on ABC's Grey's Anatomy site) brings his partner Walter on a fishing trip with the other doctors.

Once there, we learn that Joe and Walter are considering having kids, but the couple really seems to be present just so Dr. Webber (James T. Pickens) can show he is tolerant of gays. The two gay characters are further used as props when Walter is gashed across the forehead during a fight between two of the other doctors, and Dr. Burke (Isaiah Washington ) then gets to show he is recovering his surgical skills by stitching up Walter. That's some character development for ol' Joe and Walter. In fact, give someone an award for that! (You can read the whole scintillating synopsis here.)

To be fair, it's not like there were other great episodes on other shows that could be honored, say, like Cold Case's amazing "Forever Blue" episode, or E.R.'s touching episode with John Mahoney, "Somebody to Love," or The Office's hilarious "Gay Witch Hunt" episode.

I hope there is some aspect to what GLAAD is doing that isn't obvious to the rest of us. I've always said that much of what GLAAD successfully does is done behind the scenes, and perhaps that is the case here. Or maybe they wanted to recognize T.R. Knight for coming out under difficult circumstances with such grace. But if so, give him the award — or explain why they honored Grey's Anatomy, because what GLAAD did sure seems to be letting the show off very lightly.

Speaking of the GLAAD Awards, via Logoonline.com (who owns AfterElton.com) we've got some great new interview clips from the show. Here is Brothers & Sisters' creator Jon Robin Baitz talking about his show (which thankfully took home the Outstanding Drama Award), and Matthew Rhys talking (in his adorable Welsh accent) about his role as Kevin Walker.

Here is Michael Urie of Ugly Bettydiscussing his role as the gay Marc St. James, as well as whether or not it's getting easier for actors to play gay and, most interestingly, if it's easier for gay actors like Neil Patrick Harris and T.R. Knight to come out. I especially love the quote where Urie says, "No one is really ultimately going to care — except the press." Yeah, right.

Speaking of T.R., here he is chatting about his life this past year. He truly is modest, self-effacing, and a wonderful representative for the GLBT community.

By the way, if you'd like to see all the gay glamour for yourself, Logo will be airing the whole glitzy shebang this Saturday night at 9 p.m. EST/PST.