T.R. Knight and his boyfriend Mark Cornelsen, who have been snapped here and there are various events and while mulling about Los Angeles, walked the red carpet the other night at the 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball with an assortment of other celebs. (The organization helps homeless and disadvantaged individuals become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.) It's great to see the gay fellas doing photo op duty just like any other Hollywood couple ... remember when gay celebs generally opted to keep their significant others off the press line? Yeah, like ... up until about last year.

A few more pics of Knight and Cornelsen and some of their pals (like Grey's co-stars Eric Dane and Katherine Heigl and Brothers & Sisters' Balthazar Getty) after the jump!

This past weekend T.R. Knight performed in a benefit for Grey's Anatomy crew affected by the writers' strike and it looks like he got swept up in the glitz and glamour of the evening. From the looks of this video, Knight was enjoying the moment and signed autographs for as many people as he could, even as new boyfriend Mark Cornelsen and BFF Katherine Heigl tried to drag him away repeatedly (presumably to get backstage). Some sites are running this video saying that Katie is being controlling, but really, look at the smiles on their faces. It's totally cute. And hey, someone's gotta be "bad cop", right? (More pics like the one above over at A Socialite's Life.)

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...

Dreamgirls' Deena Jones as a Broadway Bear

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.

• I'm just gonna go ahead and place my bet that the complete collection of Broadway Bears for this year's Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS auction is the best thing I'll see all day.

• Don't forget we're liveblogging the premiere of Big Brother 9. Why? Because it includes a gay and bisexual housemate chosen because they seem compatible. Ooohhhh...

• Hey, single NYC guys and fellas whose boyfriends don't mind your ogling Broadway's humpiest triple-threat on Valentine's Day: Cheyenne Jackson and the Xanadu kids will be performing live this Thursday at Macy's, and signing bare chests autographs after.

• GLAAD got the New York Daily News to change an insensitive and defamatory headline about a transgender murder victim. Yes, I'm talking about THAT New York Daily News. No, this isn't Opposite Day.

• A gripping photo of two Hungarian gay men waiting for medical help following anti-gay violence took second place in the 51st Annual World Press Photo contest's "Contemporary Issues" category.

• BFFs Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight were snapped smoking cigarettes behind a truck on a beautiful winter day. Loving the shoes and the arms. The cancer ... not so much.

• Out.com interviewed actor/director Bob Balaban, who directed the HBO movie Bernard and Doris. (Be sure to check out our interview with star Susan Sarandon and review of the film.) Anyone remember one of Balaban's feature directorial debut, the wonderfully creepy Parents?

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

On Friday Brian post about T.R. Knight appearing on Oprah as a surprise guest for his BFF Katherine Heigl. Now we've got the clip of T.R. serenading Katherine as he sings about beating her at Monopoly, how they're just like Oprah and Gayle, and even jokes about whether he can get married some day. And I especially love that last part.

There is no reason for a gay celebrity to be "gay, gay, gay" all the time, but I do appreciate out stars — like John Barrowman — who treat their sexuality as something perfectly normal that does come up in day-to-day conversation as opposed to those who come out once and barely ever speak of it again.

Check out the clip after the jump!

 
Hey, they said it! (Kevin from Brothers & Sisters)

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.

• If born-again wingnut Stephen Baldwin were president, he'd make it clear that gay marriage is "not acceptable". If I were president, I'd make it clear that Bio-Dome was "not acceptable". Come on, wasn't this guy in Threesome, Last Exit to Brooklyn and The Usual Suspects, and isn't his brother Billy currently doing wonders for queer visibility on Dirty Sexy Money?

• Although the above pic of Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) in a dunce cap is the best of the bunch, there are other pics from the upcoming Brothers & Sisters episode over here. 

• We mentioned Tim Gunn's appearance on Ellen in today's Queerview, and here's a video of the sit-down part of the silver charmer's visit. He really is just the coolest.

T.R. Knight at the 27 Dresses Premiere

• T.R. Knight looked dashing as ever at the premiere of BFF Katherine Heigl's new movie, 27 Dresses. Meanwhile, when asked how complicated his duties were as Heigl's bridesman, he replied, "I just stayed out of the way ... I'm not allowed to get married so I have no advice!" Churrrrrch!

• Lifetime's Carson Kressley-hosted new makeover show How to Look Good Naked broke the ratings record for reality premieres with the net's key demographic, so keep an eye out for more shows where gay men parade naked women around for fun. Kinda like Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency on opposite day!

• We know Brit soap Skins had some impressive gay content in its first season, so it's a shame that the otherwise amazing promo for season two that's after the jump doesn't feature any guy-guy stuff. (Note: it does feature lots of shirtless fellas and some gorgeous art direction.)

• 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.

• Christina Applegate checked out Xanadu on Broadway last week and posed for some snaps with hunky gay leading man Cheyenne Jackson. Side note: did anyone else see that Xanadu's hilarious Thanksgiving Day Parade performance got a mention on The Soup last week? Awesome.

• Hey Neil Patrick Harris fans: did you know he voiced the webslinging Peter Parker in the animated New Adventures of Spiderman series a few years back? If you'd like to check it out but don't want to buy the whole thing, they've released a 3-episode "best of" disc. Did someone say "stocking stuffer"?

• T.R. Knight BFF (and budding gay icon) Katherine Heigl set to star in gay director Robert Luketic's upcoming romantic comedy The Ugly Truth. Luketic has managed to work gay characters into Monster-In-Law and Legally Blonde, let's hope one pops up here, too.

• Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste (below, far right) chats with My Old Kentucky Blog.

• Speaking of Heigl, she's been selected by Barbara Walters as one of her 10 most fascinating people of the year. Chances are her friendship with T.R. Knight will come up in the interview. The creators of Myspace, Jennifer Hudson, and Justin Timberlake are among the other picks.

• A curious reader started a forum asking, "just what is the connection between gays and musicals, anyway?" Honestly, no idea ... but they're streaming full songs from the Sweeney Todd movie!

The nominees for the 34th Annual People's Choice Awards were announced last night, and among them is out actor Neil Patrick Harris, in the "Favorite Scene Stealing Star" category. He's up against Chandra Wilson of Grey's Anatomy and Richard Belzer of Law & Order: SVU. Needless to say, it would be awesome to have an out, proud actor win a popular vote like this one, so be sure to click the link at the bottom and cast your ballot! Here's a rundown of the other gay-significant noms...

Celebrities:
Gay-faves Sally Field and Katherine Heigl nabbed noms for "Favorite Female TV Star", Jodie Foster is nominated for "Favorite Female Action Star" and Queen Latifah and Drew Barrymore are nominated for "Favorite Leading Lady". Ellen, Whoopi, and Wanda Sykes make "Favorite Funny Female Star" the best category of the bunch, by far.

Television:
Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies, which both have gay creators, are up for "Favorite New Drama Series", and out producer Russell T Davies' Doctor Who is up for "Favorite Sci-Fi Series".

Movies:
Recently outed wizard Albus Dumbledore appears in "Favorite Movie Drama" nominee Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and homophobic pigfest Wild Hogs somehow made it into the "Favorite Movie Comedy" category. Likewise, homophobic yet sure-to-win 300 pops up in the "Favorite Action Movie" noms.

Afterthought: I find it interesting that 2 out of 3 "Favorite On-Screen Duo" noms are bromances (Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker and George Clooney/Brad Pitt) and the third, Tobey Maguire/Kirsten Dunst, acted more like they were going through a messy divorce than like lovers in Spiderman 3. Where's the romance?

For all the nominees - and more importantly, to vote yourself (go, NPH!) - head on over to the official website. The winners will be announced on January 8th in a broadcast hosted by Queen Latifah.