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.

• The "inspiring", "family-friendly" movie Tru Loved, which tells the story of queer youths in high school, has been selected as the opening night film of this year's Newfest and will play LA's Outfest as well. The flick stars Bruce Vilanch, Jasmine Guy, Alec Mapa, Cynda Williams, Jane Lynch, and more.

• Gay wizard lovers rejoice! Sir Ian McKellen has said that he will be playing Galdalf in the Hobbit films for recently-signed director Guillermo del Toro.

• Actor Jason Lewis (who played Kevin's closeted boyfriend on Brothers & Sisters and will soon be seen as Samantha's mancandy in the Sex and the City movie) chatted about playing gay at the recent Los Angeles GLAAD awards ceremony.

• James Franco isn't afraid to cry on camera, and he isn't afraid to show you how he does it (above). I wonder what kind of "sense memory" he'll utilize when he plays Harvey Milk's lover, Scott Smith, in Milk? (Warning, a little NSFW language in the clip)

• Check out these snaps from the recent Easter Bonnet competition (a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS), featuring out stars David Hyde Pierce, Harvey Fierstein, and Project Runway fave Chris March.

And today's Briefs are brought to you by...

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.

• James Franco may be stripping for Milk. I like how, when asked if there will be sex scenes in the film, the source says, "these were gay men in the 70's." I also like how this opens up a whole new world of Hobgoblin references.

• Tom Andersen, the out singer/songwriter best known for the AIDS song "Yard Sale", will perform this coming Wednesday at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble as a part of their "Any Wednesday" free concert series. For more on the artist and performance details, check out his website.

• The good news: they have identified the remains of Edward II's reputed gay lover, Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger, in an abbey graveyard. The bad news: he was a notorious villain who was stabbed, hanged, castrated, disembowelled, and drawn and quartered.

• Just in case you have never seen the brief but hilarious "gay-off" moment between John Barrowman and Simon Amstell on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, here it is...

• The Whitest Kids U Know are "Totally Gay for America". Unfortunately, their show is still "Totally Too Stupid for Words".

• Gay auteur Pedro Almodovar will be tackling the story of Spanish poet Marcos Ana, a communist who was imprisoned for 23 years by Franco's regime (not James Franco, Ferdinand) and who upon release instantly fell for a prostitute who found him so charming that she didn't charge him for his celebratory transaction. It's a tale as old and beloved as Heidi of the Mountains, no?

More pics have popped up on the Net of the in-progress filming of Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic (gotta love crowd scenes with lots of shutterbug opps), including first pics of James Franco (who plays Scott Smith, lover to Sean Penn's Milk) and Emile Hirsch (who plays activist Cleve Jones). Lots more pics over on this flikr site, and likely oodles more to come.

Penn and Franco

Emile Hirsch 

Sean Penn as Harvey Milk