Out actor and current Broadway It-Boy Ben Daniels at last night's Theatre World Awards

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.

• Shia LaBeouf's publicist spoke to E!'s Marc Malkin, expressing regret for the "faggot" video and saying that the actor is "embarrassed" that it was made public. Considering the bulk of the video consists of the clearly drunk underage actor begging to be slapped in the face, I would hope that's an understatement.

• TV Guide grabbed Neil Patrick Harris and his How I Met Your Mother co-stars for one-on-one video chats this week. Here's Neil's.

• Forget the Joker dolls, the really ambitious bidder can get a hold of one of Heath Ledger's chairs from the Brokeback Mountain set. (Flannel, tobacco stains, and crushing sense of loss sold separately.)

Out actor B.D. Wong, also at the Theaatre Wold Awards

• You may have heard that Dwayne Johnson and Steve Carell share a smooch (for laughs, of course) in the upcoming Get Smart movie. You may not have heard that The Rock "smells like strawberry shortcake" or that the actors (both of whom have played gay before) are going out of their way to point out that the kiss was no big deal.

• What is it with weathermen and on-air catastrophes? I mean, first the cockroach guy, and now this poor fella gets called a pedophile?

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Laura Linney and out Tony nominee Ben Daniels (Photo: Sara Krulwich for the NY Times)

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.

• If it weren't on video, I wouldn't believe it: an old clip of Anderson Cooper reporting from Chelsea BDSM shop The Noose. (Now that's what I call "Headline Noose"! Bah-dum-bum.)

• We're not the only ones who find it interesting that As the World Turns is the only soap to post an increase in young viewers in the months since the Nuke storyline was introduced - The New York Times does, too.

• The Times also profiled gay actor Ben Daniels (Beautiful Thing), who recently snagged a Tony nomination for his breakout performance in Les Liaisons Dangereuses opposite Laura Linney. Though the sexuality of his character is center-stage, the piece fails to mention that the actor has been out since forever.

• here! Tunes (the music publishing arm of the gay television network) has announced their debut release for their first signed artist, NYC musician Stewart Lewis. To hear some samples of his pop/folk melodies, check out Lewis's Myspace page, and look for the album, in formation, in early June.

• Out in Hollywood has compiled some notable (and heartwarming) responses from celebs and such to repeal of the California same-sex marriage ban. My favorite has to be Governor Terminator's comment: "I will respect the court's decision." Brings a tear!

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This morning out actor David Hyde Pierce (who won a Tony last year for Curtains) and Grey's Anatomy's Sara Ramirez (who won a Tony herself alongside Pierce in Spamalot a few years ago) announced the Tony nominations for 2008.

Best Musical: Xanadu, aka Gayness on Skates, was nominated (also for Best Book), as well as gay-pedigreed Cry-Baby (Cry-Baby also snagged a nom for Best Score and Best Book).

Best Actor in a Play: Out actor Ben Daniels (Beautiful Thing) was nominated for his brilliant (and revealing!) performance in Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Best Actress in a Musical: Xanadu's Kerry Butler was nominated, as was Faith Prince for the gay-themed A Catered Affair.

Featured Actor in a Play: Out actor Raul Esparza (Pushing Daisies) was nominated for The Homecoming. And gay-fave actor Bobby Cannevale (Will & Grace) was nominated for Mauritius.

Featured Actor in a Musical: Out actor Robin De Jesus (Camp) was nominated for In the Heights.

Best Choreography: Xanadu and Cry-Baby were both nominated.

And gay composer Stephen Sondheim will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award (deservedly!). 

Of course, the big disappointment is that multiple-threat hunk Cheyenne Jackson wasn't nominated for Best Actor for his short-short-filling turn in Xanadu. Sigh. Well, we know we still haven't seen the best of him (at least, I know I haven't!). Congrats to all the nominees! The Tony Awards will be handed out on June 15th, and you can check out the full list on noms after the break!

Ben Daniels probably isn't a name that rings familiar to most American audiences, but the Olivier Award winning actor is a pretty big deal in his native U.K. He's also a big deal (or should be) to us 'mos as he's been a successful out actor for ages. Playbill just announced that us Yanks will soon have the chance to see Daniel's in person when he takes on the role of Valmont opposite Laura Linney in The Roundabout Theater's revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Glenn Close and John Malkovich fans might be most familiar with the play thanks to the fantastic Stephen Frear's 1988 film adaptation.

I first remember seeing Daniel's in one of my favorite gay movies Beautiful Thing where he played Tony, the love interest to gay boy Jamie's mom. It's silly of me, but Daniel's was so convincing in the role of a totally cool and accepting slacker that when I first heard he was gay, I kept having a hard time believing it.

American audiences most recently had the chance to see Daniel's in BBC America's thriller The State Within where he played gay. The production opens May 1st and I'm definitely looking forward to catching Mr. Daniels! (Oh, and catching Laura Linney will be fantastic, too.)