AfterElton Briefs: Voting opens for "Design Star", James Franco "Howl"s, and more!

Allen Ginsberg and James Franco

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.

• Fresh off playing Harvey Milk's lover, Scott Smith, James Franco will play gay beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the upcoming biopic Howl. Franco notes that he plays the poet in his younger days, "before he went bald and gained weight."

• Ever classy (and press-savvy) out actor Neil Patrick Harris did Britney Spears a solid last week when he spoke highly of her on The View. He also acknowledged what Whoopi did for his career (they co-starred in Clara's Heart when he was knee-high to a grasshopper).

• Last week we reported that Nike had come under fire for its rather stupid "That Ain't Right" ads. Well, they're pulling some of them. Likewise the equally stupid Mr. T Snickers ad.

• I love RuPaul as much as the next guy, but isn't it a bit of a slow day when TMZ is stalking him out of drag and asking why there aren't more "famous transvestites"? Ru was, of course, all charm.

• I don't know who this vicious Debbie Schlussel woman is (did someone feed Ann Coulter after midnight?), but boy does she hate ABBA. Interesting that she condemns Mamma Mia! for being an instrument used by gay men to control women when there were no gay men involved in its making. I know, Debbie - who needs facts when you can just call people names instead?

• And don't forget to vote for Matt to win this season's Design Star! We have until Wednesday to root for Team Gay's lone survivor (you can vote up to five times a day via phone).

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

This guy!