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.

• Mary-Kate Olsen can breathe easy. (Well, as easy as her cute little pug nose will allow). Though she recently received a subpoena from the DEA over Heath Ledger's drug overdose, the case itself was closed yesterday which means she won't have to tell the feds under oath what she might know about how (and from who) Ledger procured the Oxycontin and Vicodin which, in combination with other prescribed medications in his system, killed him. 

• Is it possible to be brilliant and insanely stupid at the same time? Back in 2001 gay gossip blogger Patrick Ian Henn (a.k.a. "Boy About Town") pretended he'd lost his domestic partner in the 9-11 tragedy and managed to collect almost $70,000 in charitable aid from the Red Cross and other organizations. When it was found out that he really didn't need the money to bury his entirely fictional partner he was slapped with a twelve-year prison sentence.
  

He spent two years behind bars in a Florida prison but was released on probation on the condition that he repay part of his ill-gotten gains. Like that was gonna happen! Take it from me, bloggers are notorious flight risks. Of course Patrrick skipped town. When the authorities finally caught up with him he was celebrity blogging in Long Beach, CA.  That's right, celebrity blogging in Long Beach!  Me, I'd take a Florida prison over that gig any day. Anyhoo, the guy has been extradited back to Florida. I think this guy's story is just crazy enough to make a good movie. 

• The U.S. Census Bureau plans on treating gay couples married legally in Massachusetts and California as "unmarried couples" for purposes of the 2010 census. Grrr! HRC and other gay rights groups are gearing up for a fight.

• The current issue of OUT magazine has an article by Michael J. Gross which likens the gay online dating website Manhunt.net to the perfect weapon for destroying gay culture. A bomb which works "to intensify our isolation, exaggerate our propensity to objectify each other, and persuade us to objectify ourselves – by encouraging us to believe that our purpose is to look good and have lots of sex.”  Ouch. Manhunt founders Larry Basile and Jonathan Crutchley probably weren't aware of author Gross's story angle when they agreed to be interviewed for the article.
  

• Mr. T showed up on Bill O'Reilly's show last night to defend his participation in that recent Snickers ad, the one which had him launching Snickers bars with a gatling gun at a male power walker.  He seemed to feel that pulling the ad was a slur on his character. Favorite T quote: "I have been 'pitying the fool' for 28 years now, Bill, and it's never personal." Good to know. You can check out the entire segment here.

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

This guy....