Just a few months after coming out as a gay man to the press, Degrassi: The Next Generation star Adamo Ruggiero has a new gig: he'll be hosting a talent show on the youth-oriented network YTV this summer. The Next Star will show six kids attending a "star school", eventually giving the audience the chance to determine the winner.

Last year we were impressed to see the BBC make openly gay and bawdy-tongued John Barrowman the host of a kid-focused program (with kids as contestants and meant for a general audience) and here we have YTV making an openly gay man the host of a show squarely aimed at young viewers.

True, Ruggiero seems like a much easier sell as he is already familiar with kids from playing gay Marco on the immensely popular Degrassi, and not ... say, a horny time-traveler who sleeps with his staff. But much like with The Kids are All Right we can't imagine a US net putting an openly gay man front and center on a family program like this. And so much for coming out killing your career, huh? Go Canada!

Recently out actor Adamo Ruggiero continues his tour of gay media outlets with an interview in Out magazine.

Ruggiero talks about how growing up in Toronto (where there's no paparazzi) made it easier for him to come to terms with his sexual orientation, since he wasn't scrutinized the way many young celebrities are ... but it probably also helped that Degrassi's most devoted fans were kept at bay by an international border:

What’s funny about our show is that in this one particular case it’s the opposite: Americans love this Canadian show, but we don’t. And they are obsessed -- the Customs people tell us whenever kids come through they always ask where the cast lives!

Hm, I didn't realize you could make customs an accessory to your stalking like that.

Ruggiero reveals a sense of humor when it comes to fans debating his sexual orientation before his coming out:

Straight! Can you believe that? People believe what they want to believe, and that happens mostly in America. Here in Canada, we just see human beings for the most part. So, I’m sure me coming out is going to make some waves down south. With the small amount of celebrity I’ve had in my life, knowing that, how can I believe that Britney Spears is pregnant for third time when they think I’m straight?

That just leaves me imagining Ruggiero anonymously leaving a few of those "Oh, please, who didn't know already?" comments I saw in some stories covering his coming out.

He also discusses his future on Degrassi saying he's not sure when he'll leave the series, though it's bound to happen sooner or later as the characters age. I remember that when this season started, this was expected to be the last season for Marco and other characters his age. It sounds like that's been put off for now, which makes me happy since the newer characters on Degrassi have yet to really grab me. Ruggiero also says he'd like to work behind the scenes in the future. Oh, Adamo, don't tell us you'll be depriving us from seeing this adorable visage in the future:

Is that a zipper tie? Everything does come back into style eventually!

That's just a sampler of what he talks about, be sure to check out the full interview.

In a bit of is-it-luck-or-just-good-planning, this week's Degrassi two-parter (appropriately titled "Pride") focuses on Ruggiero's character, Marco. From the looks of the previews, this episode finds Marco facing money trouble because he's been spending so much time with a guy (a new boyfriend?) who lives an expensive lifestyle. His financial situation is desperate enough for him to consider prostituting himself:

I'm feeling a bit mixed on the plot. I mean, this is Degrassi so the show will handle the topic responsibly, but when I saw the preview, my first thought was "Didn't they have a gay character so strapped for cash they sold their body last season when Alex became a stripper?" Is Degrassi getting a bit repetitive with its gay characters?

Among the various post-strike coverage, I found an AP article that looks at US networks adapting UK series. While I was familiar with most of what the article had to say, it certainly got my attention when it asked, "So can an Americanized version of Torchwood be far behind?" Of course, that got me thinking -- who would I cast in an Americanized Torchwood?

I guess I should add a disclaimer that I'm playing this exercise from a fantasy world where a network that adapts Torchwood for US audiences would be run by it-getters who realize their audience is a queer and queer-friendly one and will, hopefully, cast for that audience.

Captain Jack Harkness

Captain Jack is the toughest character to re-cast. That's partly because it's hard to imagine anyone but John Barrowman in the role, but also because it's a particularly demanding one. Jack is smart, dashing, charming ... oh, yeah, and irresistibly hot to boot. Jack can wear his arrogance on his sleeve and make it seem cute, but he also bears the burden of trying to guide humanity through the key period that is the 21st century.

Cheyenne Jackson comes to mind as one performer who can handle all those qualities. Judging from what I've seen of him from clips of Xanadu: On Broadway and on The [title of show] Show he can certainly play Jack's humorous side and I've been thinking Jackson is due to be cast in an action hero role. Besides, considering how breakthrough the character is, I like the idea of having another openly gay actor in the role.

Another out actor that comes to mind for the role is Robert Gant who also can deliver a mix of looks, charm and humor. I haven't seen Gant in any action-oriented roles, so his upcoming spy movie Kiss Me Deadly will give us a clue. However, as much as I like the idea of having an openly gay actor in the role, I can also see Nathan Fillion playing Captain Jack with a lot of the same qualities he brought to Firefly as Captain Mal Reynolds.

Of course, the biggest problem with adapting Torchwood -- its connection to the Doctor Who franchise -- is condensed in the character of Jack Harkness. In this Torchwood is Jack still a reformed time-traveling con artist? Is there another Doctor out there in the universe of the Americanized Torchwood?

Gwen Cooper

Gwen is supposed to be an everywoman character who the audience can identify with -- fallible and not an expert like the rest of the Torchwood team. She's supposed to bring a perspective that doesn't come easy to the rest of the crew, a quality not as tangible as Tosh's computer expertise or Owen's medical training. Who can make Gwen's failings a relatable quality rather than a reason for irritation? Dipping once again into the pool of actors from Joss Whedon shows, I can imagine Amber Benson adding a touch of vulnerability that'd get us wanting to see her learn from her mistakes and from being around Captain Jack.

On the other hand, instead of tempering Gwen's tendency to screw up with vulnerability, I could see Katie Finneran playing to Gwen's willful side. We saw her play an FBI agent on The Inside and on Wonderfalls she made her character's failings as part of her complexity. Similarly, I can see Clea DuVall bring a dynamic where Gwen's mistakes make her seem less incompetent and more like someone still in training. (Work with me, here, I'm trying to like Gwen.)

"Are you ready for some football?"

Superbowl Sunday is upon us and while many American’s will be gorging themselves on junk food and a wicked ale while cheering on the Patriots or the Giants, I’ve always been one to avoid the telecast at all costs.  As you can imagine, living in Boston makes it difficult to turn your nose up at the hysteria this town creates for their golden boys the Red Sox and the Patriots but I do my best at shunning the big Tom Brady shaped elephant in the room by hunkering down with the hundreds of other television channels at my disposal.

If you’re a huge football fan, Sunday night is your Oscars.  Sit back with a beer and enjoy watching the burly men ram and pound each other as sweat pours from their heaving chests in glorious HD.  If you’re simply into watching hotties like Tom Brady, Eli Manning, or Amani Toomer - all the power to you; hell, if you just like saying tight end and wide receiver – have a field day because this is your night. It’s Superbowl Sunday!

But if you’re looking for some alternatives to the biggest football game of the year I’ve got the rundown of the best (and worst) in counter programming to help you plan accordingly.  Call your best gays, gal pals, or your grandmother; bust out the wine or sparkling cider, the cheese platter, the crudités and get ready to cheer on your right to choose...

THE MUST LIST:

FOX’s Superbowl Pre-Show with Ryan Seacrest
Airs on FOX
I know what you’re thinking, why would I watch the pre-show if I don’t plan on watching the main attraction?  Well I have a few words for you!  Paula. Abdul. Acting Crazy Singing. Live. For. Reals.  Straight up, the American Idol judge will be performing her new single “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” and I can think of nothing better than watching her lip-sync her way out of that bag of crazy.  As an added bonus, Randy “Have I told you that I was in Journey, Dawg?” Jackson will be performing with her.  Train wreck!

Puppy Bowl IV
Airs: 3:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. (Animal Planet)
If you like your action a little furry and with leather studded collars this is the show for you!  Animal Planet’s pawsitively genius Puppy Bowl returns for a fourth year with way too much cuddly cuteness for one person to handle.  This show makes putting balls in your mouth and chasing tail a sporting event!  Not to be outdone by Tom Petty, this Half-Time Show features its own band of Heartbreakers… kitties, kitties, and more kitties! 

Much, much more after the break...

Great news from our Friendly Neighborhood to the North: 21-year-old actor Adamo Ruggiero, who is wrapping up a 6-year stint as beloved gay teenager Marco del Rossi on critical and fan fave Degrassi: The Next Generation, has come out as a gay man in a candid interview to a Canadian Internet video site.

Echoing the coming out of Wilson Cruz, the US's first gay primetime teen on My So Called Life, Ruggiero decided that after serving as a role model to youths for years as Marco, his going public with his sexuality was a no-brainer. 

He notes:

"I thought, you know, I was learning and I learned and what better way to kind of share my knowledge than right now."

Ruggiero also speaks about the parallels between Marco's journey and his own, whether or not he was afraid of being forcibly outed by the gossip press, and much much more in this thoughtful interview. He's also Italian, so he talks with his hands a lot, which is adorable:

We've been big fans of Ruggiero and Marco for a while now, and posted some great pics of him a while back - check 'em out! You can find more of our coverage of Degrassi's gay character over here.

Big love to Ruggiero for the courage to speak openly about his sexuality and to continuing to be an inspiration to young gay people by living his life authentically and with pride.