Tony winners David Hyde Pierce are and Sara Ramirez are all smiles at this morning's announcement

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 other day we mentioned that Neil Patrick Harris and Rosie O'Donnell would be among the celebrity guests on the upcoming primetime Million Dollar Password. Here's a rather hilarious interview with NPH behind-the-scenes, compete with another excellent Regis impression.

• Hiding in Hip Hop author Terrance Dean will be reading from the tell-most book this week in NYC, and taking Q&A. Check out AfterElton.com contributor Clay Cane's site for details.

• Hey Freak Show fans: Check out this kinda hilarious video of author James St. James reading from his brilliant young adult novel along with several other Lambda Literary Award nominees at A Different Light bookstore, hosted by Christopher Rice.

• In case you missed it, Neil Patrick Harris wound up in bed with Britney last night ... so that we don't have to. Thanks for taking one for the team, NPH!

• Apparently actor Mike Epps is famous enough to be stalked and harassed into a verbal and physical altercation by the bottom-feeders at TMZ. Epps regrettably stoops the their level by calling one of the paps "a fag, homosexual". 

• RADAR takes Joel Derfner, the author of Swish, to the Hello Kitty store and out for ice cream. Given that the rest of the book's title is "My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever", I'm guessing "Swish" isn't a basketball reference?

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

Gay musician Dan Gillespie Sells and his band The Feeling rock Radio 1's Big Weekend in the UK

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 password is ... gay!" CBS is running six primetime eps of Million Dollar Password with host Regis Philbin over the summer, with celebrity guests including Neil Patrick Harris, Rosie O'Donnell, and more.

• Sad: John Barrowman's dog Lewis died last week, after twelve happy years with John and Scott.

• There's a comedy show about off-duty superheroes called No Heroics in the works for British TV, and an eagle-eyed reader tipped us off that one of the heroes is gay. The character's name is Time Bomb, and he's played by James Lance. (t/y Ben Weldon!)

• Above, adorable gay actor Eric Millegan dishes to Michael Ausiello about the fate of his character (Zach) in the much-hyped Bones finale. Good news: he doesn't die. Bad news: he becomes well-acquainted with hospital pudding.

• Speculation abounds regarding the blind-item-outed figures in the forthcoming Hiding in Hip Hop gay tell-all.

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

You didn't think we'd go into Mother's Day weekend without paying tribute to those wacky ladies (real and otherwise) that gave birth to our fabulousness, did you?  If you can't surprise your Mom with Sunday brunch or a T-shirt with your face on it, be sure to call her/them and express your love and gratitude for raising such a fierce child. 

It is, after all, Mother's Day so just remember, kiddies ... without Mothers there'd be no frakkers; without Mamas there'd be no Mia's, and the most important lesson of all: those lovely ladies that brought you into this world can take you out just as easily (sorry, I had to), so celebrate them!

Sit back and relax as I honor some of my favorite real-life Moms, as well as those from television and movies that represent the good, the bad and the ugly of memorable mamas.

THE NEWBIE
Lily Van der Woodsen (Gossip Girl)

Gossip Girl's Lily Van der Woodsen is a complex character who wants to be a better woman, Mother and lover than her upper crust gal pals and family will allow and I currently heart her. Sure Lily will marry any Tom, Dick or Bart for their money and she'll go to great lengths to save face amongst the Upper East Side elite and yes, she had a mini-meltdown when evil Georgina outed her son Eric at the dinner table but she came around in the end! Kelly Rutherford has taken what could have been a one-note rich bitch and made her a woman to root for. PFLAG will never be the same.

THE SEMI-OLD PRO
Nora Walker (Brothers & Sisters)

Nora Walker meddles and occasionally messes with her children's lives but she's always best friend and supporter to her gay son Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) on ABC's Brothers & Sisters.  Sally Field is a powerful presence on screen and she can dominate the drama like no one else but she always let's her character live and breathe the world of her children (often to a fault) and she's really embraced Kevin's relationship and soon to be marriage to Scotty (played by Luke MacFarlane).  Nora could teach Lily a thing or two about patience and acceptance.

THE TRUE OLD PRO
Debbie Novotny (Queer as Folk - US)

Debbie (or PFLAG The Clown as my friend Armando likes to call her) could school all other Mother's on how to support your gay child and every fey friend that makes up his/her gay gang.  She's been crazy involved in her son Michael's (played by the adorable Hal Sparks) social and sex life so if you have questions on which gay clubs to haunt or which lube works best she's your go-to-gal.  Debbie does the gays proud and I salute her efforts and enthusiasm in grounding the sometimes outrageous Queer as Folk.

THE LEGEND
Anne Bancroft (Torch Song Trilogy's Ma Beckoff | Home For The Holiday's Adele Larson )

Anne Bancroft played two of the most memorable Gay Movie Moms from two of my favorite films with gay characters. In the classic Torch Song Trilogy she was the conflicted, confused, and sometimes pain in the ass Ma to Harvey Fierstein's Arnold Beckoff. In the end she realized that no matter how you raise them, sometimes kids really do "come that way."  In Jodie Foster's Home For The Holidays, she was the Mom most in need of a Silkwood shower and a neurotic nag to her gay son Tommy (Robert Downey Jr.) but she was never anything but amazing.  Rest In Peace Anne Bancroft (1931-2005).

THE ASS KICKER
Sandra Gangel (Beautiful Thing)

Sandra's the kind of woman that's not afraid to stand up to an abusive Father, knock out a whacked out Mama Cass lovin' neighbor, and encourage her gay son to make his own kind of music. Linda Henry's multi-layered performance in Beautiful Thing has always forced me to stand up and cheer.  She's funny, intense, and ruthless but encouraging and nurturing to not only her gay son Jamie but his teenaged lover Ste.  The final scene of the film is one of endless hope and utopia made even more amazing by Sandra's fearless efforts to accept her son.

Matthew Montgomery joins the Canvas

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 Kids in the Hall (of course featuring the irrepressible Scott Thompson) are going back on tour, and from the looks of this promo video, they haven't lost their edge.

• Speaking of Scott Thompson, a film that we mentioned a while back that he's starring in has a new castmember: out actor Matthew Montgomery (Long-Term Relationship) has signed on as Thompson's partner in the upcoming gay movie Shifting the Canvas. Trick's JP Pitoc stars as a gay artist navigating the bohemia that is NYC's Williamsburg neighborhood.

• Gay author Augusten Burroughs has released a chapter of his new memoir, A Wolf at the Table, on his website, complete with four songs (Tegan & Sara! Ingrid Michaelson!) to help set the mood as you read. (the book streets April 29)

• Above is the first glimpse we've had of John Barrowman's hosting gig on the new UK game show The Kids Are Alright, which is kind of like Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, only with a much better title. Oh, and an openly gay host.

• The folks at Media Matters are going all-out in their campaign against Bill O'Reilly, and you can join them. Couldn't happen to a better guy.

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

Cultural Institution Sir Ian McKellen

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.

• A Conversation with Sir Ian has been nominated for a 2008 Webby Award, under the "Cultural Institutions" category. I don't know that I'd put the man out to pasture just yet with that designation, but I suppose we've all probably been called worse things.

• I don't know if anyone has been catching EW's America's Next Top Doll webseries, but this week's makeover episode is just crazy enough reason to start tuning in. (I particularly like the mermaid's makeover, where they cut off her fins so she can be "where the people are".)

• Is He Who Blogs Behind the Rows really cleaning up his act? We'll believe it when the shocking footage of him rescuing a kitten out of a tree surfaces on TMZ.

• Why is Harvey Fierstein serenading Kathie Lee Gifford? Or is MadTV syndicating sketches to The Today Show now?

• Dan Savage, the outspoken gay writer behind Savage Love (I started reading him way back when it was called "Hey, Faggot") and the brilliant Skipping Towards Gomorrah, has lost his mother. His column today is a heartfelt remembrance of her, and our sympathies are with him and his family.

• Jerry Mitchell (whom we recently interviewed about Step It Up & Dance) is publishing a photo-filled book this summer about his other campfest, Broadway Bares, the strip-show that has raised a heck of a lot of money for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. The racy cover can be found after the break.

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

Open the pod bay door, HAL.

Arthur C. Clarke, one of the most prolific and respected science fiction writers, has died at the age of 90. Confined to a wheelchair from post-polio syndrome for the last two decades, he died after experiencing breathing problems at his home in Sri Lanka. He's most famous for writing the novel and co-writing the screenplay to the most famous sci-fi film of all time, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Rumours about Clarke's sexuality followed him throughout his career, and unfortunately, he either refused to address them, or when he was asked directly if he was gay, he replied "No, merely cheerful". It may be a while before we find out the truth. His "Clarkives", a collection of manuscripts and personal memoirs will be released ... in fifty years. If he was gay, there are going to be debates for years to come about whether he should have come out, or whether it can be forgiven considering the time he grew up in. Thoughts?

Over yonder, you can see a clip from 2001, featuring that heavenly body known as Keir Dullea.

Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears is telling Tales

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.

• It looks like that rumored Tales of the City musical we mentioned a few months back has become a beautiful reality. The "large-scale" show, based on the first of Armistead Maupin's classic books, will hit the Great White Way in the 2009 season courtesy of Avenue Q bookwriter Jeff Whitty and Scissor Sisters' Jason Sellards (better known as Jake Shears) and John Garden.

• GLAAD has teamed with the gayest non-gay net out there, Bravo, to air the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards later this year. This marks the first time the awards will be broadcast on a fully distributed national cable channel.

• The gays like John Krasisnski, and he likes them right back.

• The Lambda Literary Foundation announced the nominees for its awards recognizing excellence in gay books, and our own Brent Hartinger is among the nominees for his young adult double-novella, Split Screen (in the Bisexual category). Congrats, Brent!

• Hey, Pushing Daisies fans! Our own Dan is out at the Paley Fest and has lots of fun updates on the show (including pics of out creator Bryan Fuller and the delightful cast) over on his site, The Pie Maker.

• The Advertising Standards Authority rejected the 54 complaints filed against the UK "Some people are gay. Get over it!" anti-bullying campaign. Good for them. Because they really do need to get over it.

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

Finding a gay-friendly hotel just got a little easier with the launch this week of Attitude Hotels. They will give their stamp of approval to lodgings around the world based on various criteria: 

"Each Attitude Hotel has been selected, inspected and recommended for its charm, style, central location, innovation, creativity and “gay natural” feeling. This distinguishes them from the major franchise hotel chains, all of which try to be more or less “gay friendly” and look more or less the same. Many of our hotels cannot be found on generic reservation web sites. By booking one of Attitude hotels, you not only experience local gay and lesbian culture and character. Your choice of lodging helps maintain variety and diversity! This can only add to the pleasure of your traveling experience."

They have three different pricing categories: Attitude Premium, Attitude Comfort, and Attitude Value. Of course, if you have finances like me, you'll just have to wait for Attitude Fleabag Motel With Stained Bedspread And Gunshots In The Next Room.

So far, The Royal Palms and Flamingo Inn in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida are the only hotels in the U.S. they've given their recommendation to, but they're working to add more.

Btw, before you leave for one of these hotels, make sure you pack Attitude's handy dandy Gay Translator.

"Fun and totally explicit, this phrasebook for gay men looking for love and/or sex in any of seven languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Czech, and English for foreigners) features a ground-breaking "zebra-format" that allows speakers of any of these languages to communicate with equal ease, covering everything from "What's your sign?" to "I wish I'd never met you" -- with a long, steamy stop in the bedroom".

Gay writer Scott Heim's first novel, Mysterious Skin, established him as a powerful voice in queer literature in 1995, and the film adaptation (directed by New Queer Cinema vanguard Gregg Araki and starring AfterElton Hot 100 vet Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a stark, image-shattering performance) brought the author's moody meditation on small-town alienation to a broader audience.

Fittingly enough, Heim's upcoming novel, We Disappear, has been given a "trailer" of sorts to give curious readers a feel for what the book is all about.

The book is called a "psychological thriller about obsession, addiction, and loss." So ... you know, you might want to wait until after breakfast if you can't handle that kind of atmosphere on an empty stomach.

We Disappear hits shelves February 26th and is available for pre-order. Learn more about Heim at his website. If you haven't seen Mysterious Skin check out the trailer below (and NetFlix it!).