News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

Grey's Anatomy

T.R. and Mark spread their wings at the Butterfly Ball

 

T.R. Knight and his boyfriend Mark Cornelsen, who have been snapped here and there are various events and while mulling about Los Angeles, walked the red carpet the other night at the 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball with an assortment of other celebs. (The organization helps homeless and disadvantaged individuals become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.) It's great to see the gay fellas doing photo op duty just like any other Hollywood couple ... remember when gay celebs generally opted to keep their significant others off the press line? Yeah, like ... up until about last year.

A few more pics of Knight and Cornelsen and some of their pals (like Grey's co-stars Eric Dane and Katherine Heigl and Brothers & Sisters' Balthazar Getty) after the jump!

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Grey's gay tumor epidemic, "gay-friendly" turns desperate, Scotty & Kevin should have waited a month, and more!

Don't Ask, Don't Kiss: "Grey's Anatomy" goes gay with military smooch

Grey's Anatomy has long been a favorite of the gays thanks to out superstar T.R. Knight, but for this writer Grey's fell from Seattle Grace a long time ago. I'm fickle though, say "G.I. Joe's kissing another man" and my queer eyes are there!

I jumped at the chance to write about the military man-on-man action long teased, especially when I found out that Santiago from Friday Night Lights was going to be one of the hotties smooching one of my favorite Road Rulers.

Watching "The Becoming" was bittersweet for me; I had hoped to watch just this one episode and get out without being sucked back into the melodrama but knew it was risky. I was burnt to a crisp by Gizzie and Isaiah Washington so Grey's flatlined for me last season but I think I can move on unscathed ... which is more than I can say for our gay military boys at the center of the drama last night.

As the show opened I wondered how much of Meredith's selfish banter I'd have to endure before the reason for me tuning in popped up on screen. Thankfully it was within the first few minutes of the show that we were introduced to Darren Covington (FNL's Benny Ciaramello), the newest patient in McDreamy and Meredith's clinical trial of doom (the poor boy has a brain tumor).

Cue the stud in uniform named Todd Vernon (Road Ruler David Giuntoli) who was called in because he's Darren's "closest friend" and while things are looking bleak in the room, things are looking damn fine on my flatscreen! Two strapping young lads with a secret for some sexual healing; it's kinda hot...

Obviously Darren's upset that Todd showed up, seeing how he's being deployed in five days and all, but with only Meredith in the room Todd lets Darren know that he's not going anywhere and he makes his way to the bed and reassures his secret lover with a crazy intense stare that leads to one of the most sensual, emotional and damn near heart-breaking gay kisses I've ever seen on network television.

Do Tell! Ten of television's most memorable gay military men

In honor of tonight's Grey's Anatomy dealing with gay servicemembers, here's a sampling of gay military men on television. In researching this list, I was expecting to find stories to be either be recent (as the issue of gays in the military is a current topic) or to boom around 1993, when "Don't Ask Don't Tell" began, but the topic has popped up off and on throughout the years.

Take a look at some of the gay men we've seen serve their country on the small screen ...

Paul Dill
From: The Real World: New Orleans

By its ninth season, The Real World had its share of trainwreck personalities but still hadn't devolved into the parade of sexual promiscuity and inane arguments the show is today. At that point, it was still a show able to provoke discussion of social issues, as it did when gay housemate Danny Roberts introduced his boyfriend Paul to the nation. Paul was an US Army Ranger Captain at the time and, to protect him from a dishonorable discharge, the show blurred his face when he came to see Danny. After leaving the military, Paul appeared with Danny in an MTV special without hiding his identity. Danny and Paul have gone on to speak out about gay issues, especially the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.

Jeffrey Lindley
From: Melrose Place

In 1994, things were looking up for Melrose Place's gay resident Matt Fielding (Doug Savant) as he met Jeff, a guy who managed to stick around beyond the first date (Jeff Beghe). As with many Melrose Place guests, Jeff behaved oddly and eventually revealed that he was hiding a secret: he was a closeted Navy officer. Jeffrey was quickly transferred to the East Coast, breaking up him and Matt. He returned the next season, holding another topical secret ... that he was HIV positive.

Enos Fry
From: Futurama

In one of the irreverent animated comedy's most memorable stories, putting aluminum foil into a microwave sends the Planet Express crew back to Roswell, New Mexico in the 1950s. Fry is sternly warned not to do anything to do anything to change the future. Fry being Fry, that warning doesn't stop him from seeking out his grandfather, Enos Fry, whose life on base turns out to be fraught with dangers. In order to protect his eventual birth, Fry tries to protect him from harm. However, to Fry's horror, Enos confesses that he might be gay and is hesitant to follow through on his engagement to the woman who will be Fry's grandmother. Worried about taking himself out of history, he pushes Enos back in the closet, only to see him die in a freak accident. In true Futurama style, Fry makes up for it by becoming his own grandfather.

Reichen Lehmkuhl
From: The Amazing Race

In The Amazing Race's fourth season saw the show's second same-sex couple, Chip and Reichen, charge through the globe-spanning reality competition, eventually winning the big prize. Reichen was a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and served for five years, eventually reaching the rank of captain and being honorably discharged. While Riechen is best known nowadays for who he is dating or his TV roles (like a recent gig on Dante's Cove), he's also a spokesperson for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and raises money for the advocacy group.

Lots more after the jump!

"Grey's Anatomy" casts a high school leatherhead and "Road Rules" vet as its two gay soldiers

 

Ever-scooptastic Michael Ausiello has learned who will be playing the two gay soldiers who are set to share a steamy kiss on an upcoming episode of Grey's Anatomy: Benny Ciaramello (who plays Santiago on Friday Night Lights) and David Giuntoli (best known as a castmember of Road Rules: South Pacific).

It's good to see that Grey's is bringing a gay storyline to the screen (with a "very romantic kiss", even), especially given that they haven't done much in the way of gay inclusion since, oh, winning a GLAAD award for their "Where the Boys Are" episode forever ago. Huzzah to them.

AfterElton Briefs: Barrowman and Spacey defend their turfs, "Naomi and Ely" head for the screen, and more!

What, no unicorn? Neil Patrick Harris (we think?) in the first Dr. Horrible teaser

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.

  • Responding to Kevin Spacey's disparaging comments about the new reality show that looks to cast an upcoming UK production of Oliver!, judge John Barrowman says, "You know what, shut up!" Thank you, John. We've been wanting to say the same thing to him for years!
  • This week's How I Met Your Mother made a cute reference to star Neil Patrick Harris's career-launching role in Doogie Howser ... including that damned blue screen!
  • The gay-and-galpal novel Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List is being developed as a vehicle for Heroes' Hayden Panettiere. Let's just hope Ely fares better than her last gay BFF!

Australian Gladiator and gay-adjacent porn star Sam Brodie
  • Look! Our American Gladiators aren't the only ones with "gay porn pasts" (or as I prefer, "gay-adjacent porn pasts"): A recently-ousted Australian Gladiator has been uncovered as having posed for a gay website. Guess who's shocked? Nobody.
  • Michael Ausiello has some scoop on a gay kiss coming up in an upcoming Grey's Anatomy episode that deals with two gay soldiers: He notes, "Interested thesps must be Caucasian, hot and be comfortable sharing a 'very romantic kiss' with another dude."

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

AfterElton Briefs: "Angels in America" gets the fundies in a bunch, T.R. sings, and more!

"Single? Who, me?"

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.

  • Publicists, shmublicists! Lance Bass allegedly made a quick change on his Myspace page and saved us all a press conference about his relationship status. I'm loving this Internet thing!
  • Conservative Christians are all up in arms over Angels in America's being assigned to high school students, calling the play "racist 'gay' porn." You know, that "multiple Tony-winning, multiple Emmy-winning, multiple SAG-Award-winning, multiple Golden-Globe-winning, Pulitzer-effing-Prize-winning racist 'gay' porn."

  • Above I've posted a cute best-moments fanvid taken at the recent Good Medicine benefit for Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice crewmembers, including a snippet of T.R. Knight singing a song from Follies.
  • On a personal note, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone here at AfterElton.com, both behind the scenes and on the pages. This marks my one year anniversary of being on the editorial staff (Michael, that sting of regret will fade with time, I swear!) and it's been quite an adventure so far. I'm taking a few days off for my birthday but of course with Michael, Dennis, Brent, the Blogsketeers, our crackerjack writers and many wonderfully engaged readers keeping you entertained and informed, it probably won't even register. Thanks to all for your support, feedback, insight and humor, and for making the year the success that it has been!

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

Mark and Katherine play "bad cop" for T.R. Knight

 

This past weekend T.R. Knight performed in a benefit for Grey's Anatomy crew affected by the writers' strike and it looks like he got swept up in the glitz and glamour of the evening. From the looks of this video, Knight was enjoying the moment and signed autographs for as many people as he could, even as new boyfriend Mark Cornelsen and BFF Katherine Heigl tried to drag him away repeatedly (presumably to get backstage). Some sites are running this video saying that Katie is being controlling, but really, look at the smiles on their faces. It's totally cute. And hey, someone's gotta be "bad cop", right? (More pics like the one above over at A Socialite's Life.)

AfterElton Briefs: T.R. sings, Amy Sedaris gets bunny love, and more!

Matthew Rhys and Dave Annable in Madrid. Caliente!

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.

  • T.R. Knight will be among the Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice stars singing in a benefit to raise money for people who were out of work during the writers' strike. T.R., babe, we love ya ... but let's try one without the banjo, k?
  • At top, a few of the Walker sibs from Brothers & Sisters made an appearance in Madrid for Fox. They're just as cute in other time zones!
  • Finally, there's nothing gay about this, but the Dutch department store HEMA (which was my favorite thing about Amsterdam) has the coolest online store I've ever seen. Click on this and then just wait for about 30 seconds and you'll see what I mean ... absolutely brilliant.

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

AfterElton Briefs: Strike rumors, Billy Bean's ex-gay PSA, Project Runway's Elisa and more!


Out former baseballer Billy Bean

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.

  • Michael Ausiello is reporting that the Grey's Anatomy cast is being called back to the set following positive strike negotiations, and that other ABC gay-faves like Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters will likely follow suit. First-seasoners like Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money will likely not resume filming until summer.
  • I know that when I watch this PSA from gay former pro baseball player Billy Bean I'm supposed to be paying attention to the message that "ex-gay" ministries are a load of crap, but I can't help being distracted by how adorable he is. Does that make me a bad person?
  • People picked out actor Cheyenne Jackson to be their highlighted hottie of the week (much in the way they picked out author Perry Moore as their hot guy of the week a few months back). There's no mention of Jackson's sexuality in the blurb, but let's face it: the guy's hot six ways to Sunday, regardless of his sexuality.

Elisa Jimenez fashions: for the Earthbound puppet theatre enthusiast on the go
  • Project Runway's most recent lovable gift from a galaxy far, far away - Elisa Jimenez - recently showed at New York Fashion week. Unsurprisingly, she brought the crazy with her.
  • A man is alleging that gay UK radio presenter Nigel Wrench drugged and raped him at a New Year's Eve party last year, and told the courts as much. Wrench denies the accusations.

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