With the news that Gossip Girl's gay dad will be appearing on the show soon, I've been thinking of other gay dads from TV and films. While there have been quite a few, here are nine that stick in memory:

Carson Ward
From: The OC

Talking about Gossip Girl's gay dad character can't help but bring to mind the gay father from another Josh Schwartz series, The O.C. Twelve episodes into the first season Carson Ward (Brian McNamara) is spotted by his son, Newport Beach bad boy Luke, kissing his business partner. The scandal that arises when he comes out hurts Luke's popularity in Newport Beach circles, setting up for him to move to Portland with his dad at the end of the first season.

Justin
From: Absolutely Fabulous

Justin was the second husband of Absolutely Fabulous's Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and the father of Saffron, the responsible, long-suffering daughter who had to deal with Edie's foolhardiness. Whenever they'd come around, Edie would trade some pointed barbs with Oliver, Justin's partner who refused to take Edie's self-centered nature gently.

Anthony Belrose
From: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

In the landmark 1994 film, we met Anthony and two other drag performers he traveled across Australia to perform at a casino in Alice Springs. As they reach their destination, we were surprised to learn that Anthony was married and had a young son

These 3 guys will be the support team for our Gay Male Athlete in the final event of the Stereotype Olympics (shot in front of the audience), cheering him on to win the "Gay" event. MUST BE WILLING TO WEAR SOME VERSION OF A SKIMPY CHEERLEADING OUTFIT.

I thought Thursday was supposed to be the day when the networks put the DVR into overdrive, not Wednesday? I think I'll still be watching shows I record today when the weekend comes around.

As the World Turns (CBS) 1:00 PM EDT
According to today's show description, "Luke can't suppress his feelings for Noah" and yesterday's preview promised the scene where their hands accidentally touch (like I said, adorably retro.) And it only took them two and a half weeks to get to this point. And remember to vote for the storyline, if you haven't already! Or even if you have.

Screened Out: Gay Images in Film (Turner Classic Movies) starting at 5:00 PM EDT
Comedies are featured tonight, including Doris Roberts in 1931's Manhattan Parade, Katherine Hepburn in 1935's Sylvia Scarlett, Cary Grant and Doris Day in 1962's Touch of Mink, Mel Brooks' 1963 classic The Producers as well as Lauren Bacall's 1957 film, Designing Women.

Screened Out: Gay Images in Film (Turner Classic Movies) starting at 5:00 PM EDT
Tonight's films cover the theme of "The Dark Side: Film Noir and Crime" including Suddenly, Last Summer (the Gore Vidal adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play), Marlon Brando in Reflections in a Golden Eye, Rita Hayworth in Gilda and ending with The Maltese Falcon.

Be sure to check out Queersighted.com, the official online partner, for more information on the month long event.

Hidden Palms (The CW) 8:00 PM EDT
I know there's a lot to dislike about this show but it works for me as light summer entertainment. What can I say, I also watched Windfall last year. So far, Leslie Jordan has been fairly prominent as Johnny's sponsor, Jessie Jo, which helps make Hidden Palms more watchable.

Top Chef (Bravo) 10:00 PM EDT
As someone who loves to cook, I've had a love/hate relationship with this show, but I'm getting excited about tonight's third season premiere. Ted Allen is joining the show as a judge. (Be sure to check out our interview with Allen.) He's judged the occasional Iron Chef America episode and really knows how to talk about a dish in a way that a television audience can almost taste it. Also, last week's reunion challenge had plenty of good cooking action.

If you're looking for someone to cheer for out of the gate, Ted named Dale (pictured to the right) as "someone that our community will come to know and love very well".

It’s Episode 2 and we’re only now getting the opening credits. I love opening credits! They’re so helpful at establishing the right mood and encapsulating the premise of the show, right? Well, Hidden Palms’ opening is … I think it’s some kind of homage to that old Chanel No. 5 “Share the Fantasy” commercial, except much less coherent. As far as I can make out, this is a show about people living in a nuclear testing facility that makes them spill martinis, prick their fingers, and turn into mutant paper doll monsters.

In other words, WTF?

Honestly, this show completely baffles me. I’ve never seen a show try so actively to prevent its viewers from actually enjoying it. And there is much to enjoy here. For one thing, it’s got a terrific cast, especially Gail O’Grady, a criminally underutilized Sharon Lawrence, and Michael Cassidy who is somehow even more adorable here than on The O.C., even though he’s now playing a smug jerkwad. He’s like a Muppet Baby version of a villain; instead of feeling creeped out by him, you just want to cuddle.

Plus, the show is dripping in Palm Tree Porn. I’m someone who watches Lost primarily to see Hawaii’s beaches, and Hidden Palms is similarly filled with lush money shots of Palm Springs, a location which accounts for the show’s obsession with swimming pools. Which is fine by me, since it creates opportunities for cute boys to take their shirts off.

Live with Regis and Kelly (Syndicated) Check local listings
Regis and Kelly are celebrating the upcoming Tony Awards by giving nominated shows show a national audience. Today, bisexual Broadway star Raúl Esparza makes an appearance performing with the cast of Company, a romantic comedy musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth.

Oprah Winfrey (Syndicated) Check local listings
Today's episode promises a meeting between a gay man and the skinhead who attacked him and left him for dead. This reminds me of the other reason why visibility is important -- the more visible we are, the more indefensible acts of violence like this become to the general populace.

As the World Turns (CBS) 1:00 PM EST
We hear that Noah Mayer, love interest to Luke Snyder and guypal to Maddie Coleman, makes another appearance today. Unfortunately, since Noah's storyline hasn't picked up momentum, confirmation is hard to find, but we can tell you what ATWT actors Van Hansis and Jake Silberman is doing today: they're filming scenes in Branson, MO, along with the rest of Oakdale's teens.

Screened Out: Gay Images in Film (Turner Classic Movies) starting at 5:00 PM EST
Tonight's films look at gay portrayals before the Hays Code required films to meet moral approval before being released. Tonight's films include Cecil B. Demille's The Sign of the Cross, an adaption of W. Somerset Maugham's Our Betters, and Wonder Bar.

Be sure to check out Queersighted.com, the official online partner, for more information on the month long event.

Hidden Palms (CW) 8:00PM EDT
Okay, we know that this show is pretty weak. But tonight there's a twist at the end that's kind of interesting, and the episode heavily features gay actor Leslie Jordan, who plays Jessie Jo, Johnnie's AA sponsor and kind of "fairy godmother". If you miss it, don't worry -- we'll have a recap up tomorrow.

Top Chef: 4 Star All Star (Bravo) 10:00 PM EST
Eight chefs from the first two seasons of Top Chef return to compete in a charity competition and serve their dishes to season three's chefs. Gay chef Dave Martin is one of the returning chefs. Unfortunately, Stephen and Tiffani are also back. For a sneak look at tonight's All Star show, go here. And we interviewed Top Chef's new judge, Queer Eye alum Ted Allen. Check back on Tuesday to see what he has to say about the new season and the sexual tension between him and co-judge Tom Colicchio.

It’s always a wonderful thing for a recapper when a TV show can do the work of snarking itself. The premiere episode of Hidden Palms helpfully offered a handy self-diagnosis when a character commented, “This place has a severe tonal problem.” And I couldn’t agree more, since I practically got whiplash as the show careened from creepy melodrama to campy soap to pretentious teen angst-fest.

Leave it to Kevin Williamson, the master of the self-referential quip (remember characters in Scream recapping horror movie rules?), to throw in a line of dialogue that reflects on his own writing. But then again, according to a recent New York Times profile of Williamson, ironic self-reference is no longer in fashion. So you won’t hear any characters on Hidden Palms say things like, “Hey, this is just like that episode of Dawson’s Creek - you know, the one where James Van Der Beek’s grotesquely ginormous head blots out the sun.” Nevertheless, Hidden Palms’ pop cultural references couldn’t be more obvious:

It's a busy night of television with two debuts and two finales. One could almost forget that Ugly Betty is on hiatus. Almost.

Hidden Palms (The CW) 8:00 PM EST
Kevin Williamson's newest television series debuts tonight -- check out our preview from last week for an idea of what to expect. This one looks like it has the potential to be a reliable source for light summer entertainment, so I'm glad my local CW affiliate just became available in HD. We'll be recapping this one on the blog, so check back tomorrow and each week after to discuss the new episodes!

The Next Best Thing (ABC) 8:00 PM EST
If you're not in the mood for a scripted drama, ABC's newest reality series is looking for celebrity impersonators. The previews show judge (and alleged comedian) Jeffrey Ross harassing a drag performer performing as Cher, but hopefully there will be other female impersonators who aren't treated as a punchline.

The Real World Denver: S*#! They Should've Known (MTV) 9:00 PM EST
The past season is reviewed, with previously unseen footage and a look back at the past season. Get a season's worth of binge drinking and drama in an hour (of course featuring gay housemate Davis, who had his fair share of both).

Shear Genius (Bravo) 10:00 PM EST
The season finale is here with gay stylist Anthony and lesbian competitor Daisy still in the running. If you're recording to this one, make sure to set this to go a couple minutes over since the repeat is scheduled to start at 11:01. And check back later here on the blog for a Two-Bite Interview with Anthony!

Kevin Williamson, the openly gay writer and producer who made serial killers talk about movie trivia and teens talk like philosophy professors, is now making something of a comeback with Hidden Palms, which begins airing on the CW on May 30.

It’s worth remembering that Williamson, in addition to Scream and Dawson’s Creek, was also the man behind such duds as Glory Days and Cursed, so set your expectation level accordingly. I’ve screened the original pilot, and if the retooled episode that actually airs sticks closely to it, I have to tell you I’m still not certain whether Palms is good watchable, bad watchable, or outright unwatchable.

In a recent New York Times profile, Williamson said the show is inspired by his experiences in the rich Palm Springs community where he lives part-time with his boyfriend of four years. “Palm Springs isn’t real,” he said. “You lift up the green grass and what’s underneath? A bunch of scorpions and rocks.” While Williamson’s comments indicate he’s envisioning a Twin Peaks-like exploration of a small town’s seedy underbelly, the show most closely resembles The O.C. with a campy hint of Desperate Housewives.

It basically follows Johnny, a troubled teen haunted by a family tragedy, as he moves into a ritzy new community where the privileged kids act out their angst to a funky pop soundtrack, while the grown-ups trade barbs and beds. There’s a hint of mystery, as well, as Johnny learns the teen who previously occupied his house has died, and the other kids in town know something but aren’t talking.

Considering that Williamson has also been responsible for queering up TV in welcome ways – Dawson’s Creek, after all, did feature TV’s first boy on boy romantic kiss – there’s also indication that Hidden Palms might make the summer a much gayer one for all.