AfterElton Hot 100 vet David Beckham plays peek-a-boo at a Seoul press conference

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.

• Why did no one tell me that there was a new episode of Planet Unicorn?! In fine PU form, it's a Christmas episode ... in February. This is your brain on drugs, kids.

• This fella is liveblogging (kinda) the Pink Flight to Sydney Mardi Gras. The updates stopped when he got on the plane, so either he couldn't get online or he had one too many pink martinis and blacked out in the lavatory.

• Anderson Cooper covered the murder of gay teen Lawrence King on his show, but unfortunately the CNN podcast elected to cut that segment in favor of a singing kid in underwear.

• A big happy birthday to Elizabeth Taylor. The legendary actress and tireless AIDS research supporter turns 76 today. 
  

• I know this is awful, but this guy freaking out on Scare Tactics at the "genetically altered rat-boy" is still one of the funniest things ever to air on television.

• Vanessa Williams was given the HRC Equality Award over the weekend, and gave a lovely acceptance speech. Even better, it was presented to her by Becki Newton (Ugly Betty's wonderfully evil Amanda) and Nessie dropped some great UB references and told some great stories about her own growing up with gay colleagues and friends along the way.

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On February 23rd the Human Rights Campaign will hold their big annual NY fundraising dinner (“Gala 2008”), and they’ll be honoring the lovely Vanessa Williams with this year’s “Ally For Equality” Award.

I’m a big fan of Vanessa and certainly don’t begrudge her the honor, but it seems like the recipient of this annual HRC award is always a big name celebrity who’s appearance at the fundraiser helps to sell tickets. (Last year’s recipient was Matthew Broderick.)

Is it cynical of me to note that? How about one year they give it to some suburban housewife who tirelessly devotes her time to manning the phones at a gay youth crisis center?

Okay, okay, the tickets to this shindig run $400 and up so that may be unrealistic — but maybe at least they can give out two “Ally for Equality” awards? One for a straight celeb (to pack the house), and one for a straight private citizen — a previously unsung hero doing something amazing for the gay community. Just a thought.

There’s no doubt at least that Vanessa Williams is very gay-friendly. First, there’s her great work on the gay fabulous Ugly Betty. As far as I’m concerned, anyone connected with that show is an ally to the GLBT community. Then there’s a 2005 interview where she went on record in favor of gay marriage: