The Advocate has an interesting interview with out newsman Thomas Roberts about his career since leaving CNN, and the difficulties openly gay newspeople have in the business.

Of course, a lot of what is covered was already thoroughly examined in our own two-part, GLAAD award-winning article from a year ago, "Gay Newsmen - A Clearer Picture". But there are some new insights from Thomas, who since leaving CNN was hired and then let go from the tabloid show The Insider. He also had to endure his own scandal when nude pictures surfaced that were allegedly of the former Headline News anchor. After intensely examining said photos, I still can't say conclusively that they are of him, but for the record, he denies it:

“I never put inappropriate pictures of myself on a public website,” he says by way of explanation. “For me it was really hurtful, for Patrick (his boyfriend) and I it was terribly painful, and I’m sure anyone reading this will realize that what happened was something that we needed to deal with on a personal level. And we’ve dealt with it -- we’ve closed the book on that issue and moved on.”

He also talks about his own coming out process, and the lengths that he had to go to keep his sexuality hidden when he was trying to establish himself in the news business:

Roberts too was skittish early in his career. For one thing, he wasn’t out at all. “I didn’t know how best to deal with that professionally, or personally for that matter,” he says, as flies buzz around us and the occasional dog trots by. “I thought it would be a roadblock -- or a brick wall -- to advancement.” So whenever he arrived in a new market, like San Diego or Lincoln, Neb., “I would automatically date a girl and have everyone at the station see it. We’d date for a little while and then I’d break up with them or do something to make them break up with me.” Later, when his friends would offer to set him up with another girl, Roberts would say he was “too hurt.” “That would get me out of the whole meet-my-sister thing.”

The article also looks at other out newspeople (most of who whom were profiled in our article), including newly out Jane Velez Mitchell, who regularly goes toe to toe with Nancy Grace, and most interestingly, a closeted anchor named "Jake" who talks about taking the first small steps toward coming out.

By the way, if you were thinking of perhaps including Roberts in your Hot 100 votes, we've included a beefcakier shot of the handsome newsman after the jump. 

We're thrilled to feature a very special episode of the Gay Agenda video blog featuring Kerry Eleveld, the writer and news editor from The Advocate who conducted the much-hyped interview with Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama that ran today.

In today's vlog, John Polly (Jennifer Vanasco is traveling and couldn't join) sits down with Eleveld to discuss how the interview came about, the different ways in which Obama and Hillary Clinton have connected with gay voters, and just how big of a "rock star" persona Obama really has face-to-face. (Hint: A big one.)

Check it out after the jump!

While nothing can bring gay teen Lawrence “Larry” King back to life, his murder at the hands of a fellow junior high student brought to light the mostly ignored subject of the violent bullying often endured by kids who don’t fit in at school. Given that gender expression and sexual orientation were key elements that made Larry different from his peers, it makes perfect sense for The Advocate to address the story at length, which it does in its April 8 cover story by Neal Broverman, "Who’s to Blame?”

What at first seems like a broad rhetorical question on the cover unfortunately takes a literal turn as the writer searches high and low for scapegoats other than Larry's murderer, including the group home where Larry lived, LGBT advocates, “society,” and even Larry himself.

Casa Pacifica, the group home for abused, neglected, and emotionally troubled children where Larry lived, is blamed for somehow being a safe haven where he was “encouraged to dress as he pleased and live as the person he wanted to be.”

Broverman states that ”(i)t may be beyond the capacity of kids to reconcile a tolerant atmosphere like Casa Pacifica with the xenophobic, conformist nature of school.”

LGBT advocates, particularly the National Center for Lesbian Rights, are also blamed for their “Know Your Rights Guide” and “Queer and Trans Youth in California Foster Care Have Rights!” pamphlet, provided to all LGBT children at the Larry’s foster care facility. The author highlights many of these rights, like safe bathrooms and “the right for kids to wear clothes and hairstyles that fit their gender identity.”

These rights, and even “an illustration of a teenager in overalls and high heels” (pictured above) in one of the guides, are presented as dangerous freedoms taken “to heart in the last weeks of (Larry’s) life.”

Does anyone believe that an illustration and exposure to legal rights are responsible for Larry’s death?

The "Big Gay Following" feature over at The Advocate can be a hit-or-miss affair. Sometimes the subjects (straight entertainers with considerable gay fanbases) seem uncomfortable with the line of questioning, sometimes they aren't very entertaining subjects, and sometimes I'm left wondering who on earth the gay fans of this person are in the first place, and how I can contact them to stop. (Yes, Nick Carter fans, that means you.)

But the latest BGF victim is a doozy: Family Guy and American Dad creator, showtune enthusiast and equal-opportunity offense artist Seth MacFarlane.

I'm a big fan of The Family Guy, which regularly tosses gay jokes into its caustic and hilarious mix without ever seeming mean-spirited. And MacFarlane's brilliant interview makes it clear that he's a big supporter of gay marriage rights (as evidenced by ant episode in which Brian's gay cousin visits with his boyfriend) and reveals that deranged, matricidal, football-headed rugrat Stewie is probably gay.

A few choice excerpts:

• On gay marriage: "A couple of years prior I had teamed up to write a pilot with two writers, both of whom were gay. One of them said that when he travels through the Midwest with his partner they have to go through this fucking dog and pony act when they stop at a hotel and the guy behind the counter says, “You want one room or two?” They have this charade where they’ll say to each other, “Is one room OK with you?” “Yeah, I’m cool with that if you are.” “Yeah, no big deal, we’ll just take one.” That was one of many conversations I had with them where I thought to myself, Why is it that Johnny Spaghetti Stain in fucking Georgia can knock a woman up, legally be married to her, and then beat the shit out of her, but these two intelligent, sophisticated writers who have been together for 20 years can’t get married? It’s infuriating and idiotic."

• On the Parents Television Council: "They’re literally terrible human beings. I’ve read their newsletter, I’ve visited their website, and they’re just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values—I mean, I’m an atheist, so what do I know?—they spend their entire day hating people. They can all suck my dick as far as I’m concerned."

• On which character the gays like best: "Generally they respond to Stewie, because he’s arguably the most complex character. He originally began as this diabolical villain, but then we delved into the idea of his confused sexuality. We all feel that Stewie is almost certainly gay, and he’s in the process of figuring it out for himself. We haven’t ever really locked into it because we get a lot of good jokes from both sides, but we treat him oftentimes as if we were writing a gay character."

• On which gay celebrity he would save from a burning house party: "John Travolta. But if he’s not there for some reason, how about David Hyde Pierce? I’m acquainted with him and he’s a good man. And if we ever did a Family Guy Broadway musical, we would need him to play Stewie."

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.

• L.A. Times critic and "awards insider" Tom O'Neil made the bizarre suggestion that the film The Kite Runner should have been acknowledged by the GLAAD Media Awards nominating committee for featuring an adolescent male rape. (The character grows up to be a pedophile who molests both male and female children.) I saw the film and sorry - this "gay subtext" is neither gay nor subtext. Discuss.

• Michelangelo Signorile will be hosting a live Gay Presidential Caucus on his Sirius OutQ radio show this week. While the promise of "representatives and supporters" of Clinton, Obama and Edwards leaves me wondering just what the quality of the participants will be (I mean, the guy who sells hotdogs outside of the Time Warner Center could qualify as a "supporter", right?), it should definitely be worth checking out.

• Kathy Griffin (whom we just saw perform in New York, report forthcoming) did end up making the cover of The Advocate, despite telling Jimmy Kimmel that she wasn't sure she'd rate.

• Above: Out producer/director Paris Barclay (pictured with Steven Soderberg) was among the guests at the SAG Awards last night.

• Alright, this Zabruder-type deconstruction of a moment from last night's SAG Awards where John Travolta may or may not have checked out Viggo Mortensen is totally unfair. It's also going to quickly become the most popular animated avatar at Daddies4Travolta.com.

• Towleroad has a look at a rather haunting portrait of Heath Ledger that the late star had commissioned shortly before his death.

• The Advocate coverboy for its 1000th issue is Lance Bass. Stories from the year-end wrap-up include the 2007 Sissy Awards (by AfterElton.com contributor Alonso Duralde), an interview with Melissa Etheredge and a meditation on the Republican bathroom sex boom. UPDATE: Since our initial post, the mag has added the "*But he loves you anyway", to the cover, lest we think that we had gotten on Lance's bad side. We're still 5 x5!

• Nothing really new or exciting here, but Matthew Rhys recently did an interview where he talked about Brothers & Sisters and his upcoming movie.

• Cyndi Lauper will headline Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2008. I went back in 2001 and while I had hands-down the best time of my whole life, the biggest performer we got was Sheena Easton. Denied!

• John Barrowman says he'll be returning to the stage next year, as performing for a live audience trumps performing with large rubber-headed aliens. And here's a blog account of his ongoing Aladdin rehearsals. (pic above)

• Celeb stylist Robert Bloch asks, "Why Do Celebrities Get So Crazy?" We ask "Why is Robert Bloch writing for ABC News?"

• Isaiah Washington showed up at the Grey's Anatomy writer's strike picket party. Kathering Heigl (there with castmate T.R. Knight) makes it clear that she didn't send him an invite.

The current issue of The Advocate has an interview with Jason Bateman conducted by Brandon Voss. In the interview for their Big Gay Following feature, Bateman discusses his gay following, some of his gay roles and his relationships with gay men (no, not those kind!).

Regarding his short-lived sitcom, Some of My Best Friends (a show I wish lasted longer) where Bateman played a gay man, he suspects the problem was being on the wrong network: 

There are certain networks that are better for liberal fare, and CBS, at least at the time, was not leading in that race as far as their audience and demographic. If it had been on NBC, on a more liberal night -- like a Thursday -- it probably would’ve had a better shot. Will & Grace was certainly having a good time there. 

I remember thinking at the time that CBS seemed unsure about what to do with the series. It spent a long time in development and when it finally debuted, I had a hard time finding it on the schedule every week.

Bateman also reflects on another gay character, Captain Reggie on the "Gays in Space" sketch on Saturday Night Live, which played to gay stereotypes: 

Jason Bateman: That was a lot of fun, though. With that type of burlesque sketch comedy, one wants to take any character to the utmost extreme, cliché, and offensive place you possibly can... 

Brando Voss: Trust me, I know some Reggies. 

Jason Bateman: I know a few too -- and they’re some of my best friends... I’ve been surrounded by the best and the worst of the gay community. But I’ve always said that I’ve never met a dumb gay guy. You’ve got to be smart and insightful to know what’s going on with you and then live by it. It takes a lot of balls to walk proudly as a gay man, especially outside of the more liberal cities like Los Angeles and New York. 

He also makes a note about rumors about his sexual orientation which he attributes to his comfort with gay men, including a tendency to flirt with gay men. 

I’m so flirtatious with gay men anyway. They usually have great senses of humor, so I just get my flirt on, and they’re probably not enjoying my humor as much as I’m enjoying theirs... I do enjoy my time around homosexual men, to the point where people have thought I’m gay for years. I had to get myself a wife just to prove otherwise. 

I guess that's one tactful way to talk your way out of a gay rumor. As we saw when Enrique Iglesias serenaded a gay man at G-A-Y, we're still not used to seeing straight men being comfortable around gay men. So Bateman's "I just enjoy your company" manages to address the rumors without suggesting any offense at being perceived as gay... or adding a patronizing "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

Bateman also offers a teaser when Voss suggests that his gayest project was an Ice Capades special Bateman hosted with Alyssa Milano: 

Oh, no, there’s more, Brandon. You need to search deeper. 

Okay, this calls for some digging. Somebody's got to still have a box of saved mailings from the Jason Bateman fan club. It sounds like there's some undiscovered gem of so-bad-it's-good in his history.

As always, that's just a sample of the goodness found in the full interview, so check it out.

• First off, we're hope we didn't alarm anyone who popped in today during our early-morning site upgrade and saw the notice that our flying monkeys may have escaped. We're working hard to serve YOU better, dear readers! (Said flying monkeys are back in stir.)

• Gay fave Mary J. Blige's cover interview for the new Advocate is pretty interesting: she notes that most of her fans are gay, then adds, "“I believe that at the end of the day, it’s the honesty that draws [the gay community] in. And the honest thing is, who am I to have anything to say about anyone? Because I’m such a mess myself.”

• Scott Caan caught on tape calling a celebustalker photog a "faggot". Crap, does this mean I'm going to have to boycott ... wait, what is Scott Cann doing these days again?

• The London residence of Verlaine and Rimbaud (whose affair was documented in the Leo DiCaprio film Total Eclipse) to be made into a museum.

• Gay hockey parenting comedy Breakfast With Scot opens Friday in Canada. Will it cause controversy? Computer says "no"...

For its new issue, The Advocate turns its attention to the "Coolest Straight People" of 2007, with Cate Blanchett (who plays a mean Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes' I'm Not There) topping the list and nabbing the cover. The list also includes rapper Common, political blogstar Arianna Huffington, columnist Frank Rich, outspoken potential first lady Elizabeth Edwards, gay rights activist Aaron Toleos, and environmentalist Phillippe Cousteau.

The issue also features an article on gays in the GOP, a holiday gift guide, a profile of Jennifer Jason Leigh, a Christopher Rice column calling out wannabe divas, and more. It hits shelves next week.

Good morning, folks. I found this delicious image in my inbox this morning and had to share it with you: it's the cover for the new issue of The Advocate, which asks if the gayest holiday around has been hijacked by fratboys and gang-bangers. The issue also includes an interview with out Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller, a piece on riding out the financial doldrums, and much more ... and it's coming your way October 23rd.

Halloween is my favorite holiday of all by far, but even I haven't been to the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade in a decade and this year am going to a Guitar Hero party, which is just about the straightest Halloween event I've ever heard of. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

What do you folks think? Has Halloween lost its fairy magic?