AfterElton Briefs: Alan Ball defends "Towelhead", anti-gay protesters hit Denver, and more!

Rene Fris at the Shear Genius finale party
(for as much as we pick on him, boyfriend can take a mean photo)

In a continued effort to bring you all that is important in the world of gay entertainment and ensure that you are being spoon-fed images of gorgeous, commoditized manflesh, we present the newly-minted AfterElton Briefs. Following the usual assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.

• Gay Six Feet Under mastermind Alan Ball is taking some heat for the title of his feature directorial debut, Towelhead, and points to his experience being at the receiving end of anti-gay language to support the title. Naturally, the critics reply, "Hey, that's my dog," force Ball to smoke crack, and threaten to set him on fire.

• Brit comedian Steve Coogan (of Hamlet 2 and Tropic Thunder) is introducing a new character to his live stand-up set: a gay rent-boy who has had his name legally changed to Keanu Reeves. Says Coogan, "He has very, very modern hair, wears low-cut jeans and scarves and he stares and tries to look pale and interesting. He's normally on something and is a compulsive liar." It's like he KNOWS me!

• Hurricane Gus may eradicate gay New Orleans party Southern Decadence for the second time in three years. Maybe they should rename it Southern Wetness and just roll with it?

• Above, from our newsy sib site, 365Gay: Protesters marched through Denver shouting and carrying anti-gay banners. In the end, police arrested two people.

• And this is just kind of cute: a straight men's guide to getting hit on by gay guys. Favorite line: "The reason that we're looking at you like that is because we're judging you."

And today's Briefs are brought to you by...

This guy!