Out actors Mario Cantone and Cheyenne Jackson at the recent amfAR gala (Photo: Getty)

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.

• Funny, when I think of John Barrowman making the "Music of the Night", it doesn't involve any masks, capes, or roses ... Barrowman rumored as lead in Phantom of the Opera stage sequel.

• I don't know about you, but I'd kill to see a Wham! movie. Heck, I saw Music and Lyrics because I thought it was the closest thing we'd ever get!

• Bad news for Dirt fans: It ain't coming back. Worse news for Dirt fans: You are Dirt fans. (Zing!)

• Does Top Chef daddy judge Tom Colicchio have a gay following? Um, does a bear flambe in the woods?. While we're on the topic, check out the adorable pic above of co-judge Ted Allen and his man, Barry Rice. Anyone else wondering if they play "Judges' Table" at home?

• Indiana Jones and the Insult of Doom: A video of hot young thing Shia LaBeouf — sorry, make that "drunk young thing" — goading a friend to slap him by calling him "faggot" has surfaced. Blech. Is it too late to kick him off the Hot 100?

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

There's a veritable smorgasboard of campy DVD titles out today that might be of interest
to you, or the perfect stocking stuffer for a friend or pet.

The FX series Dirt returns for its sophomore season in January and just in time for new viewers to catch up is this boxed set release of Season 1. The show itself was a bit uneven last year, but it did offer a few delights. Among them is Grant Show as a closeted movie star getting down and dirty with Leo Spiller (Will McCormack). The boy certainly has come a long way from Melrose Place.

Also out, you can finally get R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet R&B opera — all 22 chapters of it — on one DVD. Collectively the chapters tell the story of a one-night stand that sets off a chain of events "revealing a web of lies and deceit." Some of those lies involve certain characters "on the down low."

The front of the box says, "it's the big package," but that may not in fact be true. Kelly claims to have another 20 chapters written and yet to be released. Oh for goodness sake, come out of the closet already!

Are you a Zac Efron fan? Oh come on admit it. You know you are. Well you can see him gamely returning to the franchise that made him a teen heartthrob and breakout star in High School Musical 2: Extended Edition. And no doubt in a few months Disney will be releasing the "director's cut" of this cash cow franchise.

Of keener interest to me is the DVD release of a 1996 Lifetime original movie, Seduced by Madness...

The networks are scrambling to fill up their schedules in January now that they’ve nearly burned through what is in the can for regular scripted programming. Some of the shows that we devote a lot of bandwidth to here at AfterElton.com (Ugly Betty, Brothers & Sisters, and yes, maybe even ATWT) are at least temporarily going dark.

So what is going to be on the air for discerning viewers starting in January? It’s a motley assortment.

Here’s a short list of some of the highest profile January premieres:

• Torchwood (BBC America) January 26th
• Dirt (F/X) January 1st
• The Wire (HBO) January 6th
• The L Word (Showtime) January 6th
• American Idol (FOX) January 15th
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX) January 13th
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) January 11th
• One Tree Hill (CW) January 8th
• The Biggest Loser (NBC) January 8th
• The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition (NBC) January 3rd
• Flavor of Love (VH1) January 13th

We’re curious. Any of these float your boat? Or maybe something else not listed here will make it onto your TIVO season pass list?

We thought we’d ask you guys to let us know what upcoming new or returning show(s) you’re most interested in watching so we can devote some extra attention to them come January. Help us out by taking the quick poll!

One Thomas Cannon has just been discovered as the 18th century's Oscar Wilde, writing such inflammatory things about same-sex love he had to flee the country lest he lose his head

One of my least favorite shows from this past season--FX's Dirt--is coming back for a second season. Oh, joy. If you remember, Courtney Cox's character had a creepy gay or bi brother who got involved with a closeted action star, then tried to blackmail him or something. I've tried to block the whole thing out as the show is just that icky. I just pray the show doesn't bring back the gay brother or any other gay character. I do not want to to follow it!

FX also announced that Eddie Izzard's The Riches is coming back as well. That show features a cross-dressing adolescent apparently based on Izzard himself.

Here is a very funny bit lampooning "journalist" Perez Hilton. It may not be entirely safe for work.

In our interview with Sir Ian McKellen last year, he told us he hoped there would be a Magneto movie. Looks like it might be happening after all, but unfortunately without McKellen (or Patrick Stewart). Instead it will focus on Magneto and Dr. Xavier as youths. Out director Bryan Singer isn't involved so it's hard to know if new director David Goyer and writer Sheldon Turner will keep up the X-Men's gay subtext.

This is a rather interesting clip of Reichen Lehmkuhl being interviewed by another male model about why folks don't take them seriously as advocates. Frankly, I expected a lot of whining, but Reichen actually says he brought this on himself by being so willing to use body to get attention. Interesting stuff. Oh, and he sings a little, too. Not that he's going to win American Idol or anything.

I wanted to follow up on last night's triple-crown of gay television episodes. Here's a brief round-up, if anyone wants to discuss.

**Spoilery** and all that...

Dirt
Courtney Cox had a chaste kiss with Jennifer Aniston, blah blah blah. But the real disappointment was that it was revealed that Lucy's scary stalker was ... wait for it ... her gay brother! Yes, in a final attempt to ensure that we absolutely loathe this pathetic shadow of a man, the folks behind the show decided to reveal Leo (Will McCormack) -- who had already proved himself a total wuss by blatantly outing a lover out of petty revenge and then whining about the fallout -- as the person terrorizing Lucy. He was ticked at her for being evil (although he isn't one to talk) and was trying to teach her some sort of lesson. Let's hope this crapfest doesn't come back next season.

Law & Order SVU
In this case, the SVU stands for So Very Unbelievable. This week's gay preacher story had more red herrings than a Norwegian fishing boat. Wait -- it's the preacher! No -- it's his closeted gay son! But no, uh -- maybe it's the 85-pound daughter! In the end, the killer was exactly who everyone expected: Mrs. Peacock, in the confessional, with The Joy of Gay Sex.

Work Out
After an agonizing quarter-episode stretch of poorly-edited "tension", Jesse and Doug reconcile. And good for them. But more importantly ... fat people in bathing suits! Woo-hoo! This show's got everything.