The eternally youthful looking John Cameron Mitchell turns 45 today, and the out actor/writer/director deserves showers of Gummi Barens, Necco Wafers and Sugar Daddies for creating two of the biggest cult hits of the decade.

In 1998, he wrote (along with composer Stephen Trask) and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, an Off-Broadway musical about Hedwig, an East German transgender rock musician chasing after an ex-lover who plagiarized her songs. In 2001, he directed the feature film version of the play, reprising his role as Hedwig. There have been many film musicals this decade, but none of them even come close to fitting into Hedwig's Dorothy Hamill 'do.

Not one to rest on his laurels, his next film would be a major departure, and cause major controversy.

In 2006, he released Shortbus (you can read our review over here), a sexually explicit comedy drama starring many ... um ... flexible actors. John said he was trying to employ sex in "new, cinematic ways", and as to the film's use of unsimulated sex, here's what he said:

In the old days, when you couldn't show sex on film, directors like Hitchcock had metaphors for sex (trains going into tunnels, etc). When you can show more realistic sex, the sex itself can be a metaphor for other parts of the character's lives. The way people express themselves sexually can tell you a lot about who they are. Some people ask me, 'Couldn't you have told the same story without the explicitness?'. They don't ask whether I could've done Hedwig without the songs. Why not be allowed to use every paint in the paintbox?

After two of the most compelling projects of the decade, it appears that John is taking a break from filmmaking. Hopefully, it won't last too long, because we need his creativity and originality. After the break, you can see one of the greatest scenes from Hedwig, which involves a young and precocious Hansel, Armed Forces Radio, and an oven playhouse.

Neil Patrick Harris and boyfriend David Burtka at the Harold and Kumar premiere

It was a big gay night out for the casts and guests of upcoming comedy Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and Broadway's A Catered Affair. Enjoy!

Neil Patrick Harris and Harold and Kumar co-star Kal Penn

Out actor B.D. Wong at the A Catered Affair opening

More pics after the jump!

The new fall TV season is upon us which means there's a new line-up of shows to discover. However, only a third of those shows will get a second season and, unfortunately, some will be worthy of a second (or third or fourth). As a fan of "Brilliant but Canceled" shows myself, here are a few shows that included gay characters and deserved a longer run.

My So-Called Life (ABC)

A teen drama that managed to find the fine line between exploring teen angst without letting their characters come off as shallow and self-obsessed, My So-Called Life managed to realistically explore issues teens faced, especially with gay teen Ricky Vasquez, memorably played by Wilson Cruz. Despite a loyal fanbase, the show struggled against Mad About You and a freshman Friends on Thursday nights and ABC canceled the series. Reruns on MTV, however, helped the show find an even larger audience.

Action! (Fox)

A cynical and bitter view of Hollywood, Action focused on Peter Dragon, a selfish and mean-spirited movie producer fighting to maintain his clout after his latest film bombs. Peter heaped abuse on his gay assistant Stuart (played by out actor Jack Plotnick) while repeatedly losing power games against Bobby Gianopolis, a gay mogul whose generous endowment would mesmerize Peter. One of Action's many memorable episodes came when Peter has sex with a closeted star (played by Richard Burgi) in order to convince him to stay closeted. The series also featured Fab Filippo, who'd later play Justin's violinist boyfrined on Queer as Folk, as a drug addicted young star.