AfterElton Briefs: Honoring 25 gay Australians, Michael Douglas is still Liberace, and more!

Stephen Gately and husband Andy Cowles at the 60th birthday party for Christopher Biggens (Getty)

Following this 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.

• Out Boyzone singer Stephen Gately and his too-hot-for-words husband Andy Cowles were among the guests at the sixtieth birthday party for out UK TV personality Christopher Biggens. It's too bad Andy didn't star as Stephen's love interest in the terrific Boyzone music video for "Better".

• It looks like that Liberace biopic helmed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh is going forward after all, with the still inexplicable casting of Michael Douglas in the title role. The film will focus on his later years, with Matt Damon playing "companion" Scott Thorson, who famously sued the flamboyant entertainer for palimony.

• SameSame.com announced their annual list of the Twenty-Five Most Influential Gay And Lesbian Australians last night and there were some familiar names mentioned, including singer Sam Sparro, actress Portia de Rossi, and a certain adorable Olympic diver.

• Above you can see a pic of the colorful dragon millipede as it opens up to the Weekly World News about being the world's first openly gay insect. In the interview he proudly exclaims "I’m here! I’m queer! I’m a Desmoxytes purpurosea! Get used to it!”, but seriously ... didn't we all kinda suspect?

• Finally, the here! network will be airing the 15th Annual Out 100 Awards on Friday, January 2nd. The ceremony was filmed on November 14th with honorees including newswoman Rachel Maddow, Milk director Gus Van Sant, Broadway babe Cheyenne Jackson and somehow ... singer Katy Perry.

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

This guy!