The Advocate has an interesting interview with out newsman Thomas Roberts about his career since leaving CNN, and the difficulties openly gay newspeople have in the business.

Of course, a lot of what is covered was already thoroughly examined in our own two-part, GLAAD award-winning article from a year ago, "Gay Newsmen - A Clearer Picture". But there are some new insights from Thomas, who since leaving CNN was hired and then let go from the tabloid show The Insider. He also had to endure his own scandal when nude pictures surfaced that were allegedly of the former Headline News anchor. After intensely examining said photos, I still can't say conclusively that they are of him, but for the record, he denies it:

“I never put inappropriate pictures of myself on a public website,” he says by way of explanation. “For me it was really hurtful, for Patrick (his boyfriend) and I it was terribly painful, and I’m sure anyone reading this will realize that what happened was something that we needed to deal with on a personal level. And we’ve dealt with it -- we’ve closed the book on that issue and moved on.”

He also talks about his own coming out process, and the lengths that he had to go to keep his sexuality hidden when he was trying to establish himself in the news business:

Roberts too was skittish early in his career. For one thing, he wasn’t out at all. “I didn’t know how best to deal with that professionally, or personally for that matter,” he says, as flies buzz around us and the occasional dog trots by. “I thought it would be a roadblock -- or a brick wall -- to advancement.” So whenever he arrived in a new market, like San Diego or Lincoln, Neb., “I would automatically date a girl and have everyone at the station see it. We’d date for a little while and then I’d break up with them or do something to make them break up with me.” Later, when his friends would offer to set him up with another girl, Roberts would say he was “too hurt.” “That would get me out of the whole meet-my-sister thing.”

The article also looks at other out newspeople (most of who whom were profiled in our article), including newly out Jane Velez Mitchell, who regularly goes toe to toe with Nancy Grace, and most interestingly, a closeted anchor named "Jake" who talks about taking the first small steps toward coming out.

By the way, if you were thinking of perhaps including Roberts in your Hot 100 votes, we've included a beefcakier shot of the handsome newsman after the jump. 

• Hunky UK rugby player and gay icon Ben Cohen (above left, promoting testicular cancer awareness) has a write-up in the Guardian Unlimited. Apparently not everyone loves him as much as the gays, but says Ben:

Some people are really homophobic but my auntie's a lesbian and it really doesn't bother me. We're in the 21st century. They're happy and that's what it's all about. You're only on this earth once, you only get one shot at it.

• CNN edits out gay general's question during YouTube debate because rumors of a Hillary tie. Media Matters says "bwak-bwak-bwak". I guess Republican candidates should only get questions about which are cuter: kittens or puppies?

• Greg Hernandez of Out in Hollywood chats with Work Out's hunky (naturally!) trainer Greg Plitt.

• Plus in this week's BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER! Ian McKellen is a bear, steaming kisses, and more!

• The LA Times' Tom O'Neil says Sweeney Todd is the movie to beat for 2007. Johnny Depp strikes again!

• SNL's Fred Armisen has had a long-running penpal relationship with John Waters that started when he was a kid. I thought he couldn't get any cooler than that brilliant Sam Waterson impression, but I was wrong.

• Someone's started a campaign to save Tucker Carlson's right-wing smugfest of a show? (Pause.) WAHAHAHAHAHA!

• I refuse to link directly to this hate group's website, but here's Towleroad's appropriately agog and thorough coverage of a new anti-gay marriage radio ad running in New Jersey. Lke the Garden State's reputation needs another hit?

• Brig. Gen. Keith Kerr was asked by CNN to explain his affiliations with Clinton's campaign and did so to a rather haughty John Roberts this morning. I like how Kerr thanks Roberts for "being so transparent" right at the end.

• Wayne Newton threatened to kick Johnny Carson's ass over gay jokes. You'd think the guy who sang "I'll be With You in Apple Blossom Time" would be more confident in his masculinity. Says Wayne:

Mr. Carson,' I said, 'I don't know what friend of yours I've killed, I don't know what child of yours I've hurt, I don't know what food I've taken out of your mouth... but these jokes about me will stop, and they'll stop now. Or I will kick your ass.'... Johnny Carson was a mean-spirited human being. There are people he has hurt that people will never know about. And, for some reason, at some point, he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me, and I refused to have it.

Keith Kerr, a 43-year military veteran and retired brigadier general was one of the ones chosen to ask a question in Wednesday nights CNN/YouTube debate. The only problem is that the Republican audience booed Kerr as they tried to shout him down during a follow-up. Classy, huh? Why should that surprise anyone. After all, it's Bush who let soldiers languish in horrendous conditions at the Walter Reed Hospital.

Kerr specifically asked the Republican candidates including Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Representative Duncan Hunter why "American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians?"

Romney, who was for gays in the military before he was against it, dodged the question when pressed by the debate's host Anderson Cooper. Romney said he'd have to consult with the military. Governor Mike Huckabee said, “People have a right to have whatever feelings, whatever attitudes they wish. But when their conduct could put at risk the morale or put at risk even the cohesion that Duncan Hunter spoke of, I think that’s what is at issue, and that’s why our policy is what it is.”

Huckabee referred to Hunter's convoluted response which was:

“And the reason for that, even though people point to the Israelis and point to the Brits and point to other people as having homosexuals serve, is that most Americans, most kids who leave that breakfast table and go out and serve in the military, make that corporate decision with their family, most of them are conservatives, and they have conservative values, and they have Judeo-Christian values. And to force those people to work in a small, tight unit with somebody who is openly homosexual, who goes against what they believe to be their principles -- and it is their principles -- is I think a disservice to them. And I agree with Colin Powell that it would be bad for unit cohesion.”

That makes sense since this isn't actually a Democracy or anything and the bigotry of a few should certainly trump the rights of minorities. Oy. You can see a clip of Kerr being interviewed after the jump.

One of the most welcome changes wrought by the gay movement is that these days we at least have some gay voices that can reach a mainstream audience and put forth a gay point of view. Case in point is author and gay activist Dan Savage who is a fantastic voice for our community. He recently appeared on CNN putting in context a large part of this story that has gone unreported — namely, why this behavior exists and who engages in it. His is also one of the few voices I've heard expressing the fact that most gay folks are as put off by this behavior as are straight people. When you've got ABC News writing articles with headline such as "Secret Signals: How Gay Men Cruise For Sex" the value of a voice like Dan's can't be underestimated. Here is the clip.

CNN: Uncovering America (CNN)
American Morning 6:00 AM EDT
The Situation Room 4:00 PM EDT
Paula Zahn Now 9:00 PM EDT
Anderson Cooper 360 10:00 PM EDT
CNN's extensive coverage of LGBT issues is scheduled for today with a number of shows making gay issues their focal story. Additionally, throughout the day, CNN will be highlighting user-submitted comments about the current gay experience in America.

Screened Out: Gay Images in Film (Turner Classic Movies) starting at 5:00 PM EDT
The special program concludes with more Code-Busting films. 1962's Advise and Consent reflects the first time a gay bar was depicted in film. The program concludes with 1968's The Killing of Sister George tells the tale of lesbians living in London and is intriguingly described as "similar to The Boys in the Band.

Queersighted.com, the official online partner of the month long event, is a good resource for more information.

Top Chef (Bravo) 11:00 PM EDT
I'm still surprised at how much the series has improved in this third seaason. This time around the food competition has been pretty compelling. If you gave up on Top Chef in its drama-heavy second season, the third season has nicely focused on the talent over the drama again ... and if you want more fun, be sure to check out Steven Frank's recap of the show.

Yesterday we mentioned CNN's "Uncovering America: Fighting for Acceptance" series, which aims to shed light on the continuing efforts of LGBT Americans toward achieving equal rights and acceptance. While the programming announced for the news channel seemed well-intentioned and for the most part promising (with perhaps a bit too much emphasis, as one reader pointed out, on the "ex-gay" phenomenon), the articles on CNN's website have so far been standouts.

Today's main story, which also ran on the site's traffic-heavy main page, boasts a headline of "Poll Majority: Gays' orientation can't change". In the opening lines the story makes clear the significance of the poll: for the first time in history, the majority of people polled on the issue of whether gays "choose" their sexuality said that they do not believe that sexuality is a choice. This group made up 56 percent of respondents, up from 45 percent in 2001 and 36 percent in 1998.

The poll also noted that those opposing gay civil unions or gay marriage were in the minority (43 percent), as were those opposing gay adoption (40 percent).

Are these whopping numbers? No -- and it's by no means a sign that work toward equal rights and for gay visibility is done. But it is an encouraging sign, both in the poll results themselves and in CNN's willingness to place the news front-and-center.