• Folks in Australia think that the HRC's Coming Out Day YouTube campaign worked wonders for gay folks who are isolated from gay communities, as well as young people.

• Neil Patrick Harris is the force behind getting walking tour/scavenger hunt Accomplice NY expanded to Los Angeles after he and his friends had a blast at the event: "He’s super sharp and very in tune with what we do."

• Sad, sad news: John Barrowman and his husband Scott had to put their dog, Tiger, to sleep last week. Tiger appears with John on the cover of the new Pet Pawtraits Calendar, which raises money for sick animals in need of vet care.

• Who Wants to Put Their Foot in Their Mouth? Meredith Viera makes a lame Brokeback joke while interviewing Jake Gyllenhaal. Jake's a gentleman about it. (Final answer.)
  

The coming out scene is a staple of gay stories, as it's an important moment gay people experience repeatedly in their lives. In honor of National Coming Out Day, here's a few of my favorite coming out scenes.

Luke Snyder
From: As the World Turns

Right now, Van Hansis is breaking new ground as part of the first gay male romance on an American soap opera, but Luke Snyder's coming out was memorable as well for giving us so much nuance in his family's reaction. Holden had suspected Luke was gay for some time (his only concern being that Luke hadn't felt free to confide in him), while Lily felt betrayed at the idea of people in her family knowing things that she didn't. While Luke's parents were both inclined to be supportive of him, their reactions included a mix of emotions that made it one of the most memorable moments in recent memory for ATWT fans.

Steven Carter
From: Get Real

This mostly sweet teen romance climaxes when Steven comes out at his graduation ceremony. The heartfelt speech is bittersweet since Steven's boyfriend, John Dixon, remains firmly closeted, ensuring that the relationship cannot continue.

Marco DelRossi
From: Degrassi: The Next Generation

When Dylan couldn't stand being in a relationship with a closeted boyfriend any longer he broke up with Marco, leading to a rather sensitive scene where Marco's mother figures it all out from seeing her son heartbroken.

Jamie and Ste
From: Beautiful Thing

Beautiful Thing ended with the unforgettable image of Ste and Jamie slow dancing in the courtyard of their housing complex. As the camera pulls back, Cass Elliot's "Dream a Little Dream" plays and their neighbors react to the sight of the youths being so openly affectionate with each other.

To help celebrate National Coming Out Day, Brent and I shot a special episode of Two Gay Guys to mark the occasion. The idea for the vlog came about when Brent had a terrible nightmare about a world where rightwing fundies got their way and there were no gay people anywhere in the world!

Check out the vlog after the jump and be sure to have a great "National Coming Out Day" tomorrow. Especially if you're a U.S. Senator!

• Long-time friend of the gays Henry Rollins speaks out for gay marriage yet again: "... when you see the kind of hatred exacted at these people who can't help how they feel about men, it's sad. What if it was weird to be straight? What if someone said, "What's wrong with you?" for staring at a woman? I think if Bill and Tom want to get married, they should be able to in America. If someone has a problem with that, go on your way."

• Finally, eyewitness proof that gay men are boosting the continued success of So You Think You Can Dance? in all its forms. As though we needed proof.

• This NSFW outtake from Tom Ford's recent Out magazine cover shoot doesn't exactly make me eager to find out what his fragrance smells like...

• Naked for a Cause: Australian rugby and soccer players pose naked to raise money for breast cancer. Alright, I'll make it easier: Naked ... Australian ... soccer players.

• Okay, when I first saw this hit the wire I mistakenly thought the publication was satire paper The Onion, not The Orion ... and the headline didn't suggest otherwise: "Coming Out Month spurs LGBT film series addressing issues in homosexual community." Related: "Hispanic Heritage Month spurs film series addressing Hispanic heritage"