• Hunky UK rugby player and gay icon Ben Cohen (above left, promoting testicular cancer awareness) has a write-up in the Guardian Unlimited. Apparently not everyone loves him as much as the gays, but says Ben:

Some people are really homophobic but my auntie's a lesbian and it really doesn't bother me. We're in the 21st century. They're happy and that's what it's all about. You're only on this earth once, you only get one shot at it.

• CNN edits out gay general's question during YouTube debate because rumors of a Hillary tie. Media Matters says "bwak-bwak-bwak". I guess Republican candidates should only get questions about which are cuter: kittens or puppies?

• Greg Hernandez of Out in Hollywood chats with Work Out's hunky (naturally!) trainer Greg Plitt.

• Plus in this week's BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER! Ian McKellen is a bear, steaming kisses, and more!

• Michael Stipe presented at last week's MTV Europe Awards. Awards are so much more elegant over there, no?

• If you're near a computer tonight and curious as to what's going down at the Out 100 Awards, be sure to check in here on the blog, as I'll be Twittering live from the event! (That's sort of like liveblogging, only more bird-like ... and with pants.)

• Best Week Ever gets to the heart of why Chuck & Larry is so disappointing: it feels like it's being narrated by the 13-year-old kids sitting behind you ... and on DVD, that's really creepy.

• Big ups to Joe.My.God. for winning the 2007 Best LGBT Blog Weblog Award!

• Did Ellen cross a picket line at the writers' strike?

• Be sure to study up on all the latest in Michael's Best.Gay.Week.Ever. column, and have a great weekend!

Well the weekend is finally upon us--phew!--but we couldn't go without leaving you a few final items.

• Jackie Chan's gay mobster movie is being remade by the folks who brought us The Bourne Identity. What? Naturally, he's a flamboyant mobster.
  
• By two-to-one, TVGuide.com readers think ABC was right to fire Isaiah Washington.
  
• Enrique Iglesias doesn't just sing to gay guys. He does vaguely gay-friendly commercials with them. You can see it after the jump!
• Do you live on the East Coast? Can you write? Are you just dying to see your name on this page as a blogger? Now is your chance! We're looking for someone on the East Coast to join our blogging staff. If that describes you, drop us an email at editor@afterelton.com. Well, what are you waiting for?

This week's BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER is ready for your perusal. I've got the inside story on which of your favorite shows and actors are being considered for Emmy nominations. There is lots to cheer about, but so far it appears neither Matthew Rhys from Brothers & Sisters nor Mark Indelicato from Ugly Betty have put themselves in the running. Let's hop to it, boys! For those of you pining for Noah's Arc you should check out JengoTV.com which features their series The Closet. Bravos' Work Out reached the end of the season, but there is a special reunion ep next week. Looks Jesse has a few word's about Jackie's relationship with the heretofore straight Rebecca. I've also got some fun new photos of the very flashy Eurovision contest which even now has Europe it's grip!

Before I sign off, here are a couple of other items of interest.

• This review describes Scott Weiland of "Velvet Revolver's" outfit as "gay cop" drag. Kinda hard to argue, no?

• Some folks advised T.R. Knight to not come out! Say it isn't so! (Boy, it must have been a slow day at People!)
• Brad "I Love the F word" Garrett will be back with a second season of 'Til Death. Thanks so much FOX!
• Maybe Garrett with like a helping of fagotini!
  

Well, the AfterElton crack team of Flying Monkeys are just plum worn out after the switch over from the old, boring AfterElton to the NEW, IMPROVED, CAN-YOU-BELIEVE-HOW-SNAZZY-IT-IS AfterElton. I don't mean to overstate the case, but you wouldn't believe how the other blogs are suddenly hitting on us! That stud Towleroad has been casting come hither looks at us all week while Queerty keeps goosing us every time we pass by--as if we're that easy. And while Boi from Troy is definitely hot, we're just too far apart philosophically to ever make that work.

So tomorrow we're headed out with the handsome and sophisticated, yet down-to-earth Kenneth in the 212. That's how we see ourself after all!

But as always, I leave you with this week's BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER column. This week I chat about how disappointed I'm becoming in As The World Turns for how it's handling gay teen Luke's (Van Hansis) storyline. My frustration only grew with today's episode which was once again 100% Luke-free. One of the things that made me so optimistic when Luke came out was that he was part of the Snyder clan, the show's central family. I figured there was no way he could just disappear. Wrong! Even though the rest of his family appears every week, Luke is nowhere to be found. It's as if the writers just can't figure out what to do with Luke if his character isn't coming out or being discriminated against. Because you know that's pretty much all us 'mos do.

I know Greg Berlanti and Jon Robin Baitz from Brothers & Sisters would consider it slumming, but perhaps they could give ATWT's writers some pointers on how to actually include a gay character on a drama. Oy! Speaking of gay teens, Doogie Howser Neil Patrick Harris acquitted himself admirably on Regis and Kathy Ripa (or whatever the hell her name is). And may I just say, Neil looks mighty fine in a suit.

Where was I? Oh, that's right--the column. I discuss the feud going on between here! and GLAAD, the good, the bad, and the ugly on The Amazing Race. The good is Oswald and Danny, while the bad and the ugly is Eric. Then there is a bunch of stuff about what's on TV next week.

Speaking of next week, it's a New York week for me, so I probably won't be on the blog as much. But we've enticed Dennis Ayers, our beloved B&S recapper, back for the week. Be sure to show him some love (but not as much love as you show me. I am the jealous type after all and wouldn't want to have arrange a Flying Monkey accident for Dennis).

I want to leave with you a couple of extra treats so here you go! First a picture from an upcoming episode of B&S of Kevin's (Matthew Rhys) new love interest played by Eric Winter.

Gosh, he's looking a little weathered, isn't he? Just kidding. That's Nora's (Sally Field) new love interest played by Peter Coyote. Here is Eric in character looking very fine indeed.

All we need now is for Kevin to come plant a big smacker on him!

Finally, for those who don't want to shell out $9 to see 300 , here is a clip (via Towleroad) so you can see what all the fuss is about. Frankly, I just don't get it. Oh, gotta run! Kenneth in the 212 is at the door!