Criminally adorable out actor Adamo Ruggiero (Degrassi) at the 8th Annual Trevor Project Gala in NYC 

(Photo: Andrew Walker/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.

• The 8th Annual Trevor Project Gala in NYC drew celebs like Sandra Bernhard, Idina Menzel, Rosie Perez, Alan Cumming, Michael Urie, George Takei, Lisa Lampanelli, Gideon Glick, Adamo Ruggiero, and more. The organization helps gay and questioning youth who are at risk of suicide.

• Logoonline is running a feature on the 50 Best Gay Bars in America. #3 Happens to be in my neighborhood (no, I had no part in making the list!) and I couldn't agree more with the kind words about Garry, Metropolitan's chipper tapper. Congrats!

• Starting Thursday, the London Eye will be illuminated in rainbow colors to celebrate London Pride.

• Looks like I'm not the only person incensed about Madonna's $200 ticket price.

• And, of course, any John Waters interview is a good John Waters interview. Enjoy.

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Gay Pride month is in full swing, and two of the largest celebrations happened this past weekend. The California Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling helped San Francisco's parade achieve record numbers, and New York City's parade had an estimated turnout of over a million!

In this episode, Daniel takes a look at how the parade has evolved in its span of nearly forty years. From fashion defiance to glad handing politicians, Daniel covers the history and the etiquette of these gay celebrations and figures out how we can keep the pride in Gay Pride.

Watch it all after the break!

Governor David Paterson shows his Pride
(Photo: James Estrin, NYTimes)

It was a heck of a day here in NYC yesterday for the 39th Annual Gay Pride March, with a dozen or so impressive thunderstorms soaking the revelers but doing little to dampen the spirits of the reported million plus people who turned out for the celebration. My favorite moment of the day was when, after the skies opened up the first time, the gay gospel float in front of us switched their music to "It's Raining Men".

Although I didn't see him personally, the most significant member of the parade was likely Governor David Paterson, who walked the first half, becoming what is believed to be the first New York Governor to march in Gay Pride. Paterson noted to the NY Times that he's been walking in the parade since 1976 with friends, although this year he realizes it has a special significance, given his orders to county agencies earlier this year to recognize same sex marriages performed in states where such unions are legal.

The legally blind Governor had apparently undergone an eye surgery only the day before and was told by his doctors that he shouldn't march, but that didn't stop him from attending the parade and voicing his support of gay rights. I warned Andy that if we saw Paterson I was going to go into a screaming fit (I'm quite a fan), so maybe it's a good thing he didn't make it all the way downtown.

Was this Pride weekend in your hometown? Feel free to drop any stories, pics, and what-not in the comments!

Candis Cayne and Cyndi Lauper at the NewNowNext Awards (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.

• Cyndi Lauper's latest video, for her dance track "Into the Nightlife", was directed by Lauper herself ... at gay dance club Splash in New York City. Seriously. You can check it out over here. (And be on the lookout for a cameo by Colton Ford!)

• We reported back in September about the in-the-works Brokeback Mountain opera, and today we've gotten word that it will premiere in 2013 as a part of the New York City Opera's season. Charles Wuorinen is composing the opera.

• Worst. Stocking. Stuffer. Ever.: Heath Ledger "Joker" action figures are fetching a pretty penny on eBay, and rumors say that Mattel is scrambling to redesign the figure (to be less Ledger-y, one would assume) before The Dark Knight comes out.

Olivia Newton John shows her Pride in Los Angeles

(Photo: Getty Images)

• Olivia Newton John, Kimberley Locke, and Leeza Gibbons (yes, I just said "Leeza Gibbons") were among the entertainers at yesterday's Gay Pride festivities in Los Angeles.

• The L.A. Times has a preview of what's in store for this Sunday's Tony Awards, including presenters and performances, including the cast of Xanadu's chosen number, "Don't Walk Away". (And no, they're not going to turn into cartoon birds during the number. Though that would be awesome.)

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You only need to be halfway paying attention to be aware that Bill O'Reilly reporting on LGBT issues hasn't exactly been the fairest you'll find on cable news. The anchor of Fox News' most-watched program certainly has hit our radar plenty of times for his atrocious handling of gay issues and, San Francisco Pride has decided it was worth calling out.

SF Pride president Mikayla Connell appeared on The O'Reilly Factor to present O'Reilly with the award. "Now what's the beef? What did I do to offend you and your group?" he asks. Well, Bill-O, how much time do you have? Our own Christie Keith did a pretty thorough review of your record and it's hard not to say that you've been working hard for such an "honor".

Bill-O's attempts at defending himself are pathetically hilarious. When Connell points out a story claiming that lesbian gangs are terrorizing the nation, forcibly recruiting members into homosexuality and wielding pink pistols -- a report that was completely wrong. O'Reilly puts the blame on guest Rod Wheeler, claims the report was made "six years ago, five years ago" (the story aired in June 2007, though to be fair to Bill-O, after spending a year watching his audience shrink while Keith Olbermann maybe June 2007 feels like "six years, five years" ago to him) and dismisses the issue by declaring that the story was corrected, something that only happened after it started a blogswarm over how factually misguided the report was.

When Connell points to his coverage of the California Supreme Court's recent ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, he also points a finger to the guest (because it's not like he or his producers have a clue to what points his guests are likely to make when they're booked to appear), eventually prompting Connell to ask, "You're not going to take responsibility for your show?"

Instead, he suggests, the real problem is the negative coverage he gave to San Francisco gays and city leaders for a time when the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence "invaded" a Catholic church, an incident so horrifying that the pastor gave them communion without a second glance. (As a former Bay Area resident, I should note that despite the outrageous appearnce and name the Sisters are an amazing force in the community, raising funds for local non-profit organizations.) He tells Connell "The way you're coming off here is 'Any criticism of anything gay is bashing.'" Bill-O tries to push Connell about the "transgender transvestite nuns who invaded the church" demanding to know if she found it acceptable.

You can watch the full video of Connell giving the award to O'Reilly here.

Anyone who says that gay men coming out in Hollywood doesn't make a difference should take a look at the coverage that this week's symbolic commitment ceremony in Los Angeles got in the mainstream entertainment press. T.R. Knight's star wattage (and, subsequently, Jay Leno's) attracted a great deal of attention to the event, which was co-hosted by Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew and tireless supporter of gay rights.

This pic of T.R. and boyfriend Mark Cornelsen holding hands and looking all sincere is really, really sweet. Although that guy behind them looks like he's doing a Jerry Lewis impression! 

Here's Access Hollywood's coverage, here's Entertainment Tonight's, and here's Extra's. Keep it comin'!

Thanks to Lee for the tips!

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been to a single gay pride event. And, due to my being in elementary school at the time, I never got to truly take advantage of living in the 80s, in all their gnarly, neon-colored glory.

But luckily for people like me, AfterElton reader Alan Light was kind (and brave) enough to share his extensive collection of photos of Los Angeles Pride from that period (the years 1987 , '88, '90, '91, '93, and '95 to be specific) and they're fabulous. If these photos teach us anything, it's that even gay men were not immune to terrible 80s fashion. Judging from these photos, the official uniform of gay pride was moussed hair, short shorts, and a fanny pack.

I wonder if it says something about our culture that while the look of the spectators has evolved over the years, the parade itself hasn't changed a bit. We've included a few more choice snaps after the break.

Gay people as a whole were exhausted by the routine police raids on gay bars in New York City. On June 28th at approximately 1:20am the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Village, and chaos ensued with many LGBT people fighting back. This raid would bring over 2,000 LGBT people to the streets of the Village demanding respect, equal treatment and freedom. As legend goes the crowd began chanting, “Gay Power!”, inspired by the “Black Power” movement of the ‘60’s, and proceeded to fight the police by throwing beer bottles and garbage cans.

The night would be full of beatings and bloodshed, however, the following evening everyone returned to the bars, not knowing their resiliency would be the catalyst for the gay rights movement. Now, thirty-eight years later, LGBT people have made incredible advances from holding political office to being a force in media to gaining ground in terms of equal rights. As Diana Ross once said, “I’ve fought all my life to get here and I’m not going anywhere!”

Since the riots occurred they have been the subject of the 1995 gay romantic drama Stonewall and have appeared as a reference as a cultural milestone in other gay films and movies dealing with civil rights.

Here's to everyone who stood their ground on that night, and all who have been standing it since.

Check out the short clip below for a fun song telling the history of Stonewall, as performed by Varla Jean Merman (Girls Will Be Girls).

CNN.com is currently offering a look at LGBT America, with reports on gay issues and struggles from a number of perspectives. Some of the highlights include a page summarizing the current Presidential candidates' stance on same-sex marriage, a gallery looking at highlights in gay representation in entertainment as well as a map that gives a state-by-state view of each state's hate crime and legal view of same-sex marriage.

The site is also asking for viewers to send in videos, e-mails and photos on a variety of queer topics such as coming out, acceptance and community. Viewer submissions will be posted to the website and also air during CNN Newsroom segments.

The news network is also giving some very detailed coverage to gay issues tomorrow. American Morning will look at the battle between Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller, a former couple who entered into a Civil Union in Vermont and conceived a child using artificial insemination. After the two broke up, Miller retreated to Virginia, became involved with a conservative church, declared herself heterosexual and tried to deny her ex-wife access to their child. (I remember learning about this case in an essay claiming this as an example of how gay marriage was weakening "traditional" marriage... because, uhm, well the writer just said it was.)

The Situation Room looks at how anti-gay marriage initiatives have been used to manipulate elections. Can we get one of those wonderfully curmudgeonly rants from Jack Cafferty with that?

Paula Zahn Now, meanwhile, will take a look at Trinidad, Colorado, which has been dubbed "the sex change capitol of the world," profiling a transsexual doctor who performs five operations each week. Later, the program will take some time to talk with representatives of the ex-gay movement. Having cringed at Zahn's panel moderation abilities in the past, I think I'll take a pass here.

Afterwards, Anderson Cooper 360 also looks at ex-gays. From the sounds of it, this report takes a broader look at the topic with a variety of guests representing different perspectives. In addition to an ex-gay representative, the program will talk with a former ex-gay who does not believe in the program as well as the family of a gay teen who is reluctantly participating in an ex-gay program.

Just last night the site ran a balanced article on gay adoption under the "Uncovering America: Fighting for Acceptance" banner that also hit the site's main page. If it's an indication of the quality of the coverage to come, we're in for some thoughtful and visibility-boosting discussions.

Another Pride celebration come and gone, and all we're left with is these fabulous pics of gay folks out there enjoying themselves and each other. Your turn to enjoy these snaps from NYC, San Francisco, and Jerusalem...