Now this is why I love the Internet. While I don't expect that I'll play Grand Theft Auto IV anytime soon, I am very interested in how well the game's gay-themed storylines are handled. And now, thanks to these handy video walkthroughs of the game, I can get a better feel for these storylines.

The first gay themed mission, titled "Out of the Closet", finds the game's protagonist, mobster Niko Bellic, tasked with assassinating a gay man named "French Tom" who owes money fo Brucie, Niko's boss (more or less). In order to lure French Tom out, Brucie posts a "men seeking men" personals ad for Niko, which Niko uses to plan a date with French Tom. At the date, Niko kills his target:

Initially I wasn't so thrilled with the mission. I could see that the game was trying to emphasize that French Tom is an unemployed, egotistical deadbeat and his sexual orientation has nothing to do with his murder, but it's still annoying to see what a stereotype he is and a part of me wonders if French Tom's effeminate qualities are supposed to make him more annoying and, therefore, add to the satisfaction of killing him.

But French Tom isn't the only gay character in the game. Meet him after the break...

April showers bring May flowers bring a (prescription)-drugged-up Angry Puppy. In between sneezes, Marc and Lee talk about the upcoming NewNowNext Awards, Matt Damon's quaint ideas regarding gaming and the last words you ever wanted to hear from John Barrowman.

Find out where to start reading about everyone's favorite bisexual, blue-collar warlock and where to see two early gay vampires in film. Also, Lee and Marc cover their usual geek shows: Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Doctor Who and Reaper.

Check it out after the break!

Our interest was certainly piqued when we heard that Niko Bellic, the protagonist of the latest Grand Theft Auto game (which arrives in stores tomorrow), might be gay. However, when I saw the screenshots that started the speculation, my cynical side started rising. Seeing things like "Job: Sugar Daddy" as well as what could be made out of the "About Me" section sounded like some immature jerk's idea of a joke about gay people.

After reading several (all glowing, unsurprisingly) reviews of GTA IV, I finally found a review that put the gay screen shot in context :

But Rockstar wisely... focused on a more engrossing aspect: interpersonal relationships. As you meet people, their contact info is added to your phone. Niko can ring them up to grab a bite, go bowling, shoot darts, get s***faced (good luck evading the fuzz while driving under the influence of the game's insane drunk-driving physics), or partake in any number of other activities. Stay on top of these relationships and they'll become friends with benefits. One nurse Niko dates, for instance, can heal him with over-the-phone medical advice...

All of Niko's crucial bonding moments happen during the missions anyway, which do an amazing job of integrating your contacts, their personalities, and the city's multimedia assault. One standout job, for example, has Niko posing as a homosexual Lothario on an online dating site to lure a gay thug to a rendezvous. Yep, the missions pack all of the hilarious writing the series is famous for, except now they occasionally offer the option to spare the lives of characters you've hunted down in hot pursuits -- decisions that affect the overall story.

Most likely, that screen shot is a joke about Niko's ideas about gay people. However, what's more intriguing is that GTA has a gay storyline. From what I can tell, the storyline starts with Niko being charged to kill a gay mobster (players can choose not to complete the mission) which lets Niko form a friendship with the gay man thereby gaining some sort in-game bonus for doing so -- similar to the nurse who can heal Niko over the phone.

In this week's episode, find out what Karl Lagerfeld is doing in Grand Theft Auto IV, what Jenna Jameson is doing in a comic book and what John Barrowman is doing on a game show with a bunch of kids.

Lee and Marc also review the latest episodes of Battlestar Galactica and Torchwood and give you an exciting preview of Torchwood's season finale. Last but not least, they list their ten favorite gay geeks.