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.

• Insert "Gay Par-ee" joke HERE: Above, T.R. Knight and Katie Heigl take their BFF-ness international. What's French for "cute enough to spread on a croissant?"

• Another day, another headline-grabbing comment from always outspoken actor Rupert Everett, who discusses the "mindless drug addicts" and "party-grazing cows" that have dragged down Gay Pride.

• I complained about the ACTUAL gay content of this season's American Idol earlier today, and for those of you who disagreed, I happily present to you Defamer's celebration of the show's creeping gay-seeming apocalypse. You kids and your optimism!

• Check out eHarmony's list of 20 Movies that Make Men Cry, which - despite featuring a surprise Philadelphia - does not include Brokeback Mountain. I would suggest that they specify "Movies that Make STRAIGHT Men Cry", but it's a pointless distinction given how eHarmony doesn't think gay men exist. (t/y to Popcandy for finding!)

• There Wilby Birthday: He may be straight, but James Wilby stole many a gay heart when he starred as Maurice back in 1987. The actor turns 50 today.

• Finally, someone has created a Torchwood parody performed by falsetto-speaking Scottish sock-puppets. I know I'll sleep more easily knowing that's been taken care of.

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

• Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the 12 Gays of Christmas . It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

• Luke and Noah were named the #1 romantic couple of the year by DaytimeConfidential, who note, "even though they made headlines for being the first gay couple in daytime they are actually an honest to goodness romantic couple." We'll agree on the "goodness" part when we see them in bed together.

• Here's the lengthy interview with actor Rupert Everett that has been picked of its more sensational comments this week. Fun fact: the rest of the interview is just as audacious.

• The LA Times ran a piece on a gay couple's struggle to have a child, and the Family Research Council (whatever that means!) came out swinging at the very thought.

• By the way, you are more likely to own a pet than a straight person, and even more likely to treat it like a "member of the family" and buy presents for it (the pet, not the straight person). Oh, and also you are incapable of meaningful human interaction and your mother dresses you funny. Happy holidays!

Here's some disappointing news for fans of Rupert Everett and comics purists: the Italian series Dylan Dog, whose title character was modeled after the dashing gay British actor, will be making its way to screens with someone other than Everett in the lead role. Who will be filling his shoes?

Brandon Routh.

Yeah. "That Superman guy".

Granted, the fact that a studio has banked on a current superhero action movie star to play the lead in its new comics-based film is not entirely surprising. But it's a bummer. I mean, really -- if you were the physical inspiration for a character that is being translated for the screen and you don't get the part, there's something wrong with the way things work.

Interestingly, Everett has played a dark Italian existential horror hero before, in Michele Soavi's wonderful Cemetery Man (based on the Dellamorte Dellamore novel by Tiziano Scalvi, the same man who created Dylan Dog). In that movie Everett got to kick undead butt while looking smoking hot half-naked, and although he is surely a little longer in the tooth now I think he could still pull off this kind of role with ease and class.

• I can't say it any better than the poster's description: "Inmates of CPDRC Philippines dancing the Radio Gaga by the Queen." It's like Marat Sade, but with a beat you can dance to. (t/y Popcandy)
  
• Conan uses a clip from gay porn Feed the Bears without permission, and Cyberbears are doing a good job of pretending not to be thrilled about the best free PR they've ever had.
• Out actor Rupert Everett cheeky as ever in discussing gay parenting: "Oh God, I could never do that to a child. Can you imagine what it would be like, having your two dads coming to school speech days? And hearing those awful queeny rows while you are trying to get to sleep?"
• The Sarah Conner Chronicles' Thomas Dekker is still not answering the question in regards to Heroes and his character's straightification -- and really, at this point he's living large enough not to need to, I guess. I wonder what kind of FTD bouquet he sent Isaiah Washington to say "thanks for distracting the gay mafia with the f-bomb while I made a slippery escape"... would that be irises?
• Emmy-nominated gay actor Neil Patrick Harris talks about the honor and rates the nominated actresses in character as Barney: "Tina Fey is kind of dirty hot."

The British press is reporting that actor Rupert Everett (Shrek the Third) is looking for his own Prince Charming.

Everett, whose autobiographical tell-all Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins has just come out in paperback, told the Daily Mirror:

"I'd really like to be in a relationship ... Would you think about starting a campaign?"

Having just published a rakish autobiography full of affairs with famous men and infamous women, you hardly imagine Rupert can be stuck for attention.

"I'm just not very good at relationships," he says. "But I'd like to be in one."

He laughs an easy laugh and you see what Hugh Grant would be like with a personality. "Maybe people could write in and send a photo?"

Is he serious? Hard to say. He was quoted last month as considering visiting Kuwait so he could find a sexy oil tycoon lover, which apparently didn't work out. He also recently announced he was giving up flying, having opinions, and thinking. Which, depending on how pretty someone is, might make them the perfect boyfriend, but given Everett's long history as an opinionated jet setter, maybe not a good basis for a long term relationship.

The Mirror had more to ask...

• Friday's 20/20 report on the taboo of gay leading men wasn't exactly groundbreaking, but here are some quotes from Chad Allen and Rupert Everett from the piece.
  
• Nigel Owens (pictured), gay rugby ref scores a "try" by coming out in Wales prior to the "Rugby World Cup". This is pretty big news in the macho world of European rugby



• "That's so gay" is so not cool. Thankfully, it's getting more and more attention in the mainstream media.
  
• Ana Matronic of Scissor Sisters loves gay men because we "survive". I thought it was because I love women for their minds!
• Advice columnist Ask Amy has an all gay Saturday with advice for a bi guy who wants it all. She also printed this from a reader:

   

  Twenty years ago, I had a gay couple visiting me. One night during conversation, I asked them, "So, you guys have been together for a few years.What exactly do you do in bed?"

  Without missing a beat, one of the gentlemen very politely responded, "When I want you to know what I do in bed, I'll invite you."

  Well, that shut me up for good