Top Chef judge Ted Allen (photo by Jason Smith)

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 radio personality named Dan Watson has launched the first gay commerclal radio show in Melbourne, called "The Stick Shift". I'm guessing the automotive metaphors stop there.

• As though Tom Cruise didn't hate us enough already: The American Psychoanalytic Association officially supports same-sex marriage.

• Gay Top Chef judge (and AfterElton.com fave) Ted Allen on Hillary Clinton's rumored love of hot peppers: "We don't need Hillary having to run to the can every 20 minutes ... I'd go easy on the Scotch bonnets if I were her."

• Voice gossip Michael Musto chatted up John Waters at the preview of the new Cry-Baby musical, and Waters revealed that his last Daily Show appearance prompted a call from ice-show producers who took his "Hairspray on Ice" joke seriously.

• A reader directed us to this interesting clip that shows what happened when a radio host asked American Idol's Danny Noriega if he is gay: Apparently, the AI people cut off the call. (Warning, the host uses some very NSFW language to make his point) (t/y Outrageous Orator!)

• "I'm lovin' it in a way that dare not speak its name": An officer from McDonald's Corporation joins the Board of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

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

Eric Bana isn't gay, but we like him anyway
(In Berlin to promote The Other Boleyn Girl)

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 Berlin Film Fest has awarded its gay "Teddy" awards, with The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (about a Filipino "ladyboy" prostitute who fancies himself the Queen of France) taking top prize.

• Michael Musto has found the gayest page in the Manhattan phone book. And yes, I'd listen to Ian McKellen read it aloud.

• AfterElton reader Not_so_Witty tipped us off to EW Online's gay-inclusive list of the best couples in pop culture, which includes Ennis and Jack from Brokeback Mountain as well as superheroes Midnighter and Apollo.

• Jimmy Kimmel has a nice rapport with Lance Bass, no? Well, if his girlfriend is getting up to no good with Matt Damon, I think it's Jimmy's turn to cut loose!

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

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

Brazilian model and frequent taxicab occupant Pedro Andrade

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.

• Did you know that the folks over at Project Rungay are doing comic strips based on the current season? FEEEEEAZZ!

• I'd forgotten about this, but thankfully Michael Musto brought back my hazy late-night memory in full: former Lance Bass companion, underwear model Pedro Andrade, has a gig hosting an NYC "about town" segment that's being played in taxicabs here in the city. (Note: repeatedly screaming at the image on the screen to "take it off, already!" has no effect.)

• Towleroad has some photos from the retrofying of the Castro currently underway for Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic.

• While we're on the topic, Sean Penn and James Franco (who play Harvey Milk and his lover Scott Smith, respectively) reportedly wanted to live together in preparation for their roles, but schedules did not permit. So much for authenticity! Next thing you know Tom Cruise won't REALLY save the world to prepare for his next Mission: Impossible movie.

• The UK is warming up for Gay History Month, which features regional events ranging from an Oscar Wilde exhibit (with contributions from Jeffrey's Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen) to a "gay ghost hunt."

• Barrowmania! continues, with these naughty outtakes from his Out Magazine interview. Yeah, like the interview itself wasn't naughty enough!
• In discussing his upcoming book, Stephen Colbert lays down his thoughts on gayness: "I'm 100% heterosexual because I'm only attracted to women, and when I am attracted to gay men, I get very angry. That's how I know I'm not gay."
• Out Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (remember how we fawned over him before Barrowmania! took hold? How fickle we are!) is among the fabulous talent who will be participating in the Celeb Autobiography: In Their Own Words comedy benefit (for The Actor's Fund) in NYC. Fellow gay actor Jack Plotnick, Kristen Johnston, Jackie Hoffman, Mary Testa and more join him.

• Gay former footballer Dave Kopay (who came out after he retired) just gifted a million smackers to the University of Washington's LGBT center.
• Remember club kids? Remember BEFORE club kids? I know, it's like "pre-Velcro" or something. But here's an awesome clip of a 1988 NYC downtown scene recording session of an AIDS benefit track spearheaded by a baby-faced Michael Musto and featuring some of the greats of the scene, including my own personal hero James St. James. I'm getting nostalgic for a time I was never around for in the first place ... ain't the Internet grand?
• For you Greek fans: Michael Ausiello has some spoilers for next week's finale, including a little on what happens with Calvin, the show's gay character.

A very interesting article ran recently in More magazine about Jodie Foster (whose new movie, The Brave One, looks like a marginally classier Ms. 45), including an interview that felt kind of like a "glass closet" version of "Who's on First?":

Let's talk about your ring.
This one? [Proffers left hand] It's Tiffany, an eternity ring.
You're wearing it on your wedding ring finger.
I am. I've always worn a ring. Even taking photos. Even on magazine covers. I don't take it off.
Don't you think wearing a ring like that raises questions?
Well, but that's my life. ... My life is my life. I'm not going to change my life for anybody. I just don't talk about my dad, my health, who I voted for or what I think of the death penalty because that would be trivializing my life, selling it for a magazine. I don't have any problems with anybody reporting on my life. It's just that I'm not going to bring my family into that. The number-one reason for that is: Why would I invite — encourage — more people to sit outside my door and wait for my children to go to school? I don't have any desire to participate in it.

While Jodie goes further than most gay-but-not-gay celebs in discussing-but-not-discussing her sexuality, it's still a fascinating balancing act, and one that's becoming increasingly less appreciated. Our sister site, AfterEllen.com, noted the oddness in the fact that while Foster wears a wedding ring and her children share her partner's last name, Foster won't actually say that she's married or has a partner.

Or as Michael Musto notes in his recent column (note: corrected from original post):

"Speaking of gay problems, for years we've given Jodie Foster kudos for at least never saying, "I'm straight, world." But by now her weird closet dance has gotten too ugly for TV, with her giving interviews about how she craves privacy, though she'll then press into elaborate detail about what it's like as the parent of two wonderful, growing boys. (The single parent, the way she tells it. When a tape recorder's on, her partner stays invisible and unspeakable.) In More magazine, Jodie explains, "I just don't talk about my health, my dad, who I voted for, or what I think of the death penalty, because that would be trivializing my life, selling it for a magazine." So lesbianism is so dirty it even stays off the list of taboo subjects. That's closeted!"

it's interesting that there aren't any partnered men on the whole "glass closet" list that are in the same boat as Foster when it comes to keeping a family out of the discussion (most are single or not nearly as high in profile, and none have children, to my knowledge). I guess it's a lot easier to hide a single person in the closet with you than a whole clan; will the continued rise in same-sex families with children "up the ante" in terms of gay celebs who want both a family and their "privacy"?

Today New York Magazine leaked the upcoming cover of Out magazine which features the cover story The 50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America. This is hardly the first such list (see our list of Powerful Gay Men in Hollywood), but what makes it so interesting is that not everyone on the list is out. Probably most notable for gay men is the inclusion of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. Also making list are Jodie Foster, Chi Chi LaRue, a whole slew of journos over at the New York Times, and, sigh, Perez Hilton who clocks in at number seventeen. (Check outside for plagues of locusts, the seven horsemen, and other signs of the Apocalypse.)

I have to wonder if this doesn't mark a significant turning point in whether celebrities can live in the closet. Out is simply ignoring the question of whether or not Cooper or Foster are gay and discussing them in the same breath as Barney Frank and David Geffen. By putting them on the list, Out says they are the gay and that's the end of the discussion. That's a very interesting notion indeed and it will be fascinating to see if the mainstream media follows suit.

(Click on read more to find out if Out outed anyone else!)