AfterElton Briefs: Barrowman's big birthday gig, Franco and Penn's "uncomfortable" kiss, and more!

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.

• A former Playgirl editor asks, "How much did the perception that Playgirl was a 'gay' magazine contribute to its demise?" I don't know ... but I do know that I have a copy of the Playgirl Workout VHS pictured on the first page of the essay and it's hilaaaaaaaarious.

• John Barrowman will be hosting Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's star-studded 60th birthday gala, which gives me hope that my dreams of his hosting my 34th bar crawl and pizza jamboree may still be alive. (Free Dippin' Sticks, John!)

• Does anyone else find the suggestion that straight couples who add a message promoting marriage equality to their wedding vows are somehow being insulting to be completely ludicrous?

• Does here! TV think that running a series that profiles gay porn stars like Jason Ridge (pictured above) and Nick Capra is going to get anyone to tune in? Puh-LEEZE ... [Scrambles to find remote]

• It's amusing that of all of the nice things James Franco has said regarding his role in Milk throughout his recent Pineapple Express publicity, the headlines that keep popping up are all about how "uncomfortable" he was kissing Sean Penn. Um ... wouldn't you be? The guy scares the bejeezus out of me!

• New York Post gossip Liz Smith weighs in on Milk in the best way she knows how: with a rambling, near-coherent discussion of who she knows in the cast, led by an out-of-context quote from Keanu Reeves. Still got it!

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

Oh, why the heck not ... more Jason Ridge!