Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (February 29, 2008)

WHEN DID BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN GET SO HOT?
When David Kohan and the out Max Mutchnick's pilot about their friendship and writing careers didn't get picked up last spring, I was disappointed for a lot of reasons. But the fact it featured Brian Austin Green as the gay half of the writing duo wasn't part of my disappointment.

Well, after watching Green's recent stint on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, you can officially call me disappointed. Green, thirty four-years old, has grown into a very handsome man. Maybe that isn't a surprise for a lot of folks, but I only remember him from his Beverly Hill 90210 days when he did less than nothing for me.

Green circa early 90's, 2005, and 2008 on The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Well, he does something for me these days! All I can say is now that their revamped pilot has been picked I hope Max and David reconsider casting Austin in the gay role.

I BEG TO DIFFER. NOW PLEASE DON'T HURT ME
I know it's hard to believe, but we had three whole days of Nuke on As the World Turns this week. But even with the fellows taking a higher profile this week, a lot of folks still aren't happy with the show. First things first — yes, they should just show Luke and Noah kissing and are clearly caving into to pressure to not have them kiss (at least on the lips). And, yes, the writing and the fight scenes were pretty clunky this week (hello, low-budget soap opera here!). BUT I do feel I have to speak up in defense of the show.

This week we not only again saw Luke and Noah being really affectionate with each other (holding hands, kisses on foreheads, declarations of devotion), but we saw the two gay guys give us as good as they got when attacked by a pair of frat boys. Recall it was just last year that General Hospital gave us a very lame gay-bashing storyline before dumping their gay character altogether.

We're also witnessing Ameera, an Iraqi girl, come to terms with a same-sex relationship while pointing out things wouldn't go so well for Nuke in her country. Tastes great — and educational, too!

All I'm saying is that this stuff is pretty darn gay. But if you're really fed up with ATWT, I guess you could watch another daytime soap...except, of course, there are no other gay male soap opera characters. On prime time television, there is Alaskan hair-stylist Terri on Men in Trees. Of course, his relationship lasted just two episodes, had zero kisses, and now he's just comic relief. I guess Ugly Betty will be back in a couple of months. Of course, Marc's love interest, Cliff, only appeared a handful of times and very likely won't be back.

Then there is Desperate Housewives' gay couple and Andrew, though I don't know of too many folks happy with those piffling storylines. Dirt is back Sunday, but don't hold your breath for what bisexual Leo Spiller gets up to. You could try NBC, CBS, and FOX — if only their scripted dramas had any regular gay characters at all.

I don't mean to be too snarky, but despite it's flaws, other than Torchwood and Brothers & Sisters, I really can't think of any U.S. programs that are currently doing as much as As the World Turns when it comes to gay storylines. (Which isn't to say we shouldn't keep up pressure with petitions like this one.)

Do we deserve better? Absolutely! Does it make sense to excoriate ATWT for not being perfect? I'm not so sure. I can't think of where else we can see two guys snuggling like in the picture above. I'm just saying...