Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (May 16, 2008)

I am very saddened by the news of Michael'e mother! I hope Michael is surrounded by his family and friends in this moment of grief. My deepest condolences. May he find peace.

[Dennis, thank you for the link on heart attack symptoms for women]

About the forgotten rings in B&S I agree, that it was a weird thing to add into Kevin and Scotty's celebration, but it made me smile still, that they then 'borrowed' the rings of two men, Tommy and Robert, no less.

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R.I.P. - Heath Ledger [1979 - 2008]

Michael will be in my thoughts. I can't even imagine.

...interesting you mention dunkin donuts being low in lgbt consumership or whatever it was you said...the dunkin donuts I go to is okay...though I had one incident where a friend (he worked there btw at the time) said "god, this place is full of queers.." and when i said "HUH?" he said "you know...fags...it's gross" and I said "oh geez, it's not like they're demanding sexual favors from you. get over it" and he said he had trouble serving them and it made him feel sick. I just replied "well, I don't blame you. denial would make me pretty sick as well." :-P

I find it a bit interesting that quite a few people were bothered with kevin and scotty's wedding/ceremony/whatever the hell people wanna call it...with that said, I think kitty not knowing what to call it was pretty spot on...i mean, i personally feel there are all these different terms and not even I know what to "really" call it. In the beginning of the episode, kevin did mention it wasn't "married" but committed...so eh...i think the writers were showing the confusion for some. "I now pronounce you officially committed" - - UM, NO.

the ring bit was a bit weird. I think it may of been added for humor, but eh. whatever.

 Congrats to all gay Californians. when gay marriage is allowed in VA, I shall look outside to see if indeed hell has frozen over. :-P

My sincerest condolences on the loss of your mother, Michael.

Dennis... you did a great job on your first BGWE.

Let's hope that in the past 8 years, many of those 61% of Californians have come to better understand that marriage equality for gays does not adversely affect "traditional marriage" at all. And I'd like to think that some of those California State Supreme Court justices were watching this past week's episode of Brothers & Sisters... Who knows? Maybe Kevin & Scotty's nuptials helped to put a face on what gay marriage really means.

take care of yourself, michael.

as for Sheena easton, that idiots' comments infuriate me.

"we have a very young funky audience"...yeah, who wouldn't know a true icon when they hear it. just go back to worshiping your dial-a-divas like that plastic monstrosity Beyonce.

and Dennis, Dennis, Dennis.."diminished white bread celebrities"?....ET TU? To compare her to the likes of Kirk Cameron and Kathie lee Gifford? What has she done to deserve that? Sheena has been playing gay festivals for YEARS!

SHEENA RULES!

...other than that...great job, Dennis! ;)

visit my personal blog!...NOW!

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

My heart goes out to Michael and his family. This sort of thing is never easy. I lost my mother fifteen years ago, and the pain is ever present. However, I take comfort in the knowledge that part of her is with me wherever I go. This is a good time to be with friends.

I lost both my parents as a very young adult. I hope your mother's journey is a peaceful one. In a different way, she will always walk with you.

Sincerest condolences to Michael.

 

 

Re: Kevin & Scotty's wedding, I had the feeling that TPTB went in the direction of downplaying the wedding either b/c they got a little gun shy OR b/c it was purposefully done in order to show the discrepancy b/t a domestic partnership & a marriage.  Unfortunately, the episode was so full of needless junk that B&S really missed out on a golden opportunity to educate (or better educate) the public.

 

Very sorry for your loss.

Condolences, Michael. You are in my thoughts.

 

Dennis-- good job on the column!

Only thing that bothered me was the Nigel/Simon Cowell comparison, Nigel was Simon Cowell-ish before Simon was! He was a judge on the first UK talent thingy, I think it was called Popstars, Hearsay won, he was known as Nasty Nigel. Unlike Piers Morgan, who desperately wants to be Simon Cowell and seems to have actually found a second career in impersonating him badly.

I can't believe you liked Tilda Swinton's hair in tLtWatW, it was the thing that I most hated about that movie!

Isn't Kathie Lee Gifford only looking to play in gay bathouses so when her down low husband, Frank, and son, Cody, play out their Daddy show they will have an opening act?

 

The Sickest Puppy

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

As a sort of footnote to the more important news this week, I have just learned from USA Today that John Phillip Law has died in Los Angeles. Filmgoers will remember him for a number of roles, most memorably that of Pygar, the Angel in "Barbarella," but he also appeared in "Hurry Sundown," "The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming," "The Golden Age of Sinbad," and "The Hawaiians." He also starred with Marisa Mell in the camp classic "Diabolik," which was lovingly parodied on "Mystery Science Theatre 3000," but I will always remember him as the object of Rod Steiger's closeted lust in "The Sergeant," which was a controversial film in its day (the storyline is a variant on Lawrence's "The Prussian Officer") but which seems pretty tame by contemporary standards. Law was a handsome actor who never made it big in Hollywood, but he was still appearing in features such as "CQ" as recently as 2001.

We are so sorry for your loss,Michael.

I`m so happy you mentioned So You Think You Dance,definitely my favourite reality show of all time.I started watching during the middle of Season 1,got hooked right away,and have followed through every single season.Although none of my most favourite had won,they all came pretty close[lacey in Season 3,travis & natalie in Season 2,etc.] But I must admit I do have my problem with it.Like somebody had already mention on this site(I forget whom,Michael maybe?)NONE of the contestants has officially come out yet,despite all the rumors and pictures of some of the cute boys kissing their "boyfriends",or some posting in tight dress and high heels,with butt hanging out.Which of course leads me to question,since the show shares some same producers with American Idol,and is also on FOX,could it be possible that the contestants were asked to tone down their "person life" a bit?If that`s the case,I will not be happy about it.But I guess we will never know,cause Nigel refused to be interviewed by Afterelton. There used to be an openly gay choreographer & guest judge on season 1,sadly I can`t remember his name.At one point he did even wear a T-shirt with "Be Proud" or something on it.But he jumped to other shows and didn`t return for Season 2.I can`t help but wonder could it be that he disagreed with the things going on?And some of the famous guest judges are openly gay in last season I think.

since gay marriage is legal now in California,maybe Brothers & Sisters could get Kevin & Scotty marry each other all over again in the next season?Come on,that`s at least what they deserves.I wouldn`t call the ceremony in Season 2 finale a "wedding",everything is just way too casual.Maybe the writers can get it right this time.Anybody with me?

So sorry to hear of your loss.

Good job, Dennis, though I agree with Snicks re: Sheena Easton--the woman is fabu.

 

 

 

Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/

Sad about John Philip Law. No cause of death announced as yet. His house on Miller Drive here in L.A. was QUITE the scene back in the late 60's. He was going with Barbara Parkins then.

Also, I wanted to add that I disagree re: Cheyenne Jackson being passed over for a Tony nomination. I genuinely feel that all five actors nominated deserve their position on the list more than he would. Though, don't get me wrong, he's very talented and seems like a very approachable guy. On the other hand, I'm extremely glad that Kerry Butler earned a nomination. She won't win (I'd say it'll go either to LuPone or Russell), but she single-handedly carries that show in many ways, given that the original movie was essentially a vehicle for Olivia Newton-John, in the role that Kerry's taken over.

Please except my sympathy over the loss of your mother - I hope you can find some comfort from the people here at AE - your other family. You are definitely in our thoughts. Here is a big cyber hug for you. Peace. FB

and condolences. I'm so sorry to hear that for you.

Dennis: Thank you for the excellent article. Great effort and result!

...my thoughts are with you.

My deepest sympathies to Michael. I am so sorry for your loss.

And to Dennis, thank you for posting the information on heart symptoms for women. That is very important to know.

On the issue of the B&S wedding, I do agree that it was "sillified" more than was warranted. I was okay with the semi-formal dress. It is nice to mark the significance of the event with a formal celebration, but weddings don't have to be formal to be meaningful. However, forgetting the rings was too silly. I had to completely block that moment from my mind in order to appreciate the episode properly.

I am very sorry to hear what happened to Michaels mum and he has my best wishes. On a slightly happier note, I love SYTYCD and think it is the best dancing show on TV. Its gonna take a year after the new season is finished in America for it to reach where i live, so please dont ruin anything for me!

Don't we already have one?

My deepest sympathies to Michael on the loss of his beloved mother. I can't imagine such a sudden loss. You are in my thoughts.

I have to agree with others about forgetting the rings at Scotty and Kevin's wedding, it was unecessary and quite silly. And although it was really lovely to see this wedding between Scotty and Kevin televised, it did seemed a bit watered down and rushed.

Congratulations to California's decision and to all the gay couples who will now be allowed to get married. Ive been married to my husband for many years, and i'm glad gay couples will now have that equal opportunity in California. Let's hope this starts to spread from state to state.

Whenever other straight married couples say to me that marriage should be between a man and a women, and that by gay couples being allowed to marry it will destroy the institution of marriage, I always ask how will two men or women marrying have an effect on their marriage? and up to now I haven't gotten an answer...why...because there is no answer. Two blokes down the block getting married doesn't have any effect whatsoever on me or my husbands marriage, or any other married couple for that matter.

Dennis - great job filling in here!

Michael - my condolences to you and your family!

Entertainment stuff - As I already said somewhere, I loved the B&S season finale... still felt a tad rushed and can't beleive they forgot the rings - otherwise totally loved it and can't wait for next season!

California - that's just amazing! As I live in Minnesota, I'm just hoping the rest of the US eventually wises up and gives us marriage...my boyfriend and I have been engaged for 6 years now! 8)

An AE posting had mentioned about those irritating medicine commercial and someone had said they were very lucrative if you could land them and then mentioned how hot the guy on the Valtrex commercial is - the one who is with his "girlfriend" or "wife" portraying a user of the medication. I believe that hottie is Adrian Armas, the gay actor who was featured in Instinct magazine awhile back and appeared in Showboy as the hot dancer in a very sexy scene who teaches Christian a dance lesson.

Here's the URL to a Dockers commercial he was in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDio5rabma0

The one thing that really hit me about gay marriage coverage throughout the various media is that news outlets kept mentioning the 1948 California Supreme Court ruling getting rid of their interracial marriage ban 19 years before the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision getting rid of the remainder of such laws as though the California action was groundbreaking.

What they failed to research is that 9 states got rid of their interracial bans before California did. For example, Iowa got rid of their ban in 1851, which is 97 years before California did and 116 years before the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Also, California's court upheld segregation in 1874 in Ward v. Flood 48 Cal. 36 while Iowa's court struck down segregation ten years earlier in 1864, 90 years before the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education finally ended the remaining segregation laws.

I don't think most Americans including the press actually know American history. I think many selectively idealize and romanticize pieces of it.

It's so hard to lose a beloved one, and I never know what to do or say to make it easier. :-((((

Germans loving David Hasselhoff??? eek!!!! Starlight Express? Yes, okay, even though I never understood the hype about it it still runs in Germany (for more then 20 years now I think), but Mr 'I've been looking for freedom'? Come on, give us at least some credits. How can anybody who's not living in the 80s anymore like him? At least the germans I know hope to never hear (of/from) him again.

Michael, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I wish you all the love and support you need during this period of grief.

And Dennis - great first kick at the can! I loved the coment on how hot the gay kiss in Grey's would have been if they'd both been alive! I thought Sheena had long since disapeared into the murk of hetero subhurbia. What a surprise that she's re-emerging. And I too can't abide that smug Nigel and his thinly veiled homophobia on 'So you think you can dance'.

Looking forward to more of your contributions.

And here's another condolence on your loss; you're in my thoughts, and I hope you're doing okay. I'm lucky enough that my mum is still with us, but it really threw me five years ago, when my grandmother died (who was really like a second mother, and whom I had been helping to take care of for several years). Even now I still occasionally have these dreams where she's still living, and when I awake it's still a shock... But things do get better in time; again, hope you're doing well...

I'm like a superhero, with no powers or motivation...

Cheyenne may have been snubbed (boo!) by the Tonys, but he is nominated for Broadway.com's Audience Award.

Click here to vote.

- Kirby, moviedearest.blogspot.com

I am deeply sorry to hear about such tragic news about Micheal's mother. :( Thank you Dennis for the special link. On a happy note you did a brilliant job on this week column. This formula (rotating writer) worked very on AfterEllen and I'm very impress to see your unique perspective on the gay media. It's different than what we usually have on Fridays but in a positive way because diversity is good. I'm looking forward to read your next BGWE.

I applaud Dennis for mentioning James McAvoy! I adore that man...he's gorgeous! I'm also a huge fan of Eddie Cibrian, who I watched avidly (along with William Fichtner) on Invasion. He was smokin' on that as well. Randomly, I MISS OZ! And I really miss Beecher/Keller!

Future epitaph: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

I lost my mom less than 3 years ago, and I still think of her every day. Best wishes to you during this sad time. Great job with BGWE--really liked Lee Tergesen's comments. Very gutsy of him. (Also the fact that he took his role on "Desperate Housewives" after "Oz" shows that he's definitely not afraid of typecasting.) I've always admired he and Meloni for being as up-front as they were about those roles, and for being unafraid to be seen being affectionate with each other in public at events and such. (Some actors who play lovers avoid each other once the arc runs its course.)