ENTERTAINMENT: Gale Harold will have recurring role on CW’s new “Hellcats” series as a sexy attorney

Via Greg in Hollywood:

Pop the champagne Gale Harold fans – and I know there are legions of you!

The star, who we loved as Brian on Queer as Folk and Jackson on Desperate Housewives, returns to television this fall in a recurring role on the new CW series Hellcats.

Executive producer Kevin Murphy mentioned this casually onstage during the Television Critics Assn. Summer Press Tour so when the Hellcats session ended, I made a beeline to him and asked for all the details!

Gale plays Memphis lawyer Julian Parish and the teacher of the show’s main character of Marti Perkins (Aly Michalka).

“He’s in a bunch of episodes but he’s not technically a regular,” Murphy said. “He plays Julian Parish who is sort of like James Woods in True Believer. He’s one of those lawyers who’s made a choice not to go for the big bucks. He works sort of in a storefront thing and the way he pays the bills is he teaches at the local university. And he used [the students] as free labor. They’re his paralegals, they do his legwork for him and he’s in the process of trying to get a three strikes law overturned.”

I asked Murphy what made him want to cast Gale and his answer showed what a big admirer he is of the actor: “Oh my God, I was such a fan of his on Queer As Folk. He has the ability to be really, really wicked smart and also just really kind of sexy and immersive, and his character, he pulls you in. He’s a seducer and I think all the great lawyers are seducers.”

A seducer huh? I wondered if he is going to be the straight version of Brian Kinney.

Replied Kevin: “He’s a guy who, he loves the sound of his own voice, he’s an arrogant dick with his heart in the right place. He basically puts his money where his mouth is.”

Then he added: “I didn’t say he was straight. … I didn’t say he wasn’t though.”

AfterElton.com editor Michael Jensen was standing with us and asked Murphy to clarify the sexuality of Gale’s character.

“Honestly, I haven’t decided, I’m not being coy,” Murphy said. “We’re not dealing with that part of him [yet]. I’m not trying to tease you. I’m open to anybody being anything is more my point.”

Well, let’s keep our fingers crossed!

FASHION: Modeling First: Mile-Long Runway

Models at Copenhagen’s Fashion Week will get a serious workout while doing their job: The record-breaking runway is one mile long. Helena Christensen will cut the ribbon Aug. 14 and 220 models will walk its length, Vogue reports. The “World’s Greatest Catwalk,” as it’s being called, should unseat the current Guinness Record holder, Thailand’s Pattaya International Fashion Week, which boasted a runway just 50 feet shorter.

"This Fashion show sounds spectacular, but how are they planning on taking care of the models?” wonders Amy Odell in New York. “Will rest stations hand out energy bars? Will people run alongside them, like at the Tour de France, and throw Gatorade at them?”

SOAP Q: Which One of the three “90210″ actors whose character might be Gay?

Via Greg in Hollywood:

We know that a male character is going to come out as gay during the next season of the CW’s 90210.

What we don’t know is who the character will be.

But it’s a safe bet that it will be one of three characters: Laim Court (Matt Lanter), Teddy Montgomery (Trevor Donovan) or Navid Shirazi (Michael Steger).

I chatted with all three actors at last night’s CW/CBS/Showtime party in Beverly Hills and point-black asked each of them if their character was the one.

The trio was too smart to let it slip!

“I do know. I, however, cannot say,” Matt said. “I guarantee you someone is watching over my back right now. It’s a big secret. They sent us all emails and made sure we were very aware that we were not to talk about that secret.”

But Matt did have some thoughtful things to say about the plot development: “I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s an issue that is becoming more and more real in schools today, people are coming out more and more. I think it’s something that teens deal with and it can be done in a real way.”

“However they do it, I hope it holds some weight and I hope it’s not just like a one episode on, one episode off kind of deal,” he added. “I hope it’s something that they take seriously and I think they’re going to. That’s the plan so we’ll see.”

Matt has not yet played a gay role but he said he does not have an objection to doing so: “I think you have to find the right project to do it. I don’t think it’s something that you want to take lightly. I think it’s something that if you’re going to tackle as an actor, that you’ve got to do it right. You’ve got to give it your all. What [Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal] did with Brokeback Mountain was I really think changing for the industry, I think it really was. They’re both regarded as tremendous actors and they got a lot of respect for that and I respect them for that too.”

Trevor would also be glad to play gay and is impressed so far by how the show is developing the storyline.

“It’s exciting because the way they’re explaining it, it’s going to be written in a way where it’s really going to focus on the struggle of coming to fruition of who he is – whoever he is,” he said. “To tell you the truth, I would be honored and flattered and excited if it was me. Because not only would it be a great opportunity to sort of display and showcase your acting chops, but it’s also a great opportunity to struggle of coming to that fruition, the realization.”

From what I understand, it’s going to be a process, it’s going to be an arc just like it is in real life, coming to terms with it and coming out,” Trevor added. “It’s a struggle and they really want to show that struggle. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I’m gay’ and show like the shock value of two guys kissing on network TV. They are going to write it intelligently and it’s going to be interesting.”

Regardless if Navid is the gay character, Michael will be playing gay on television anyway. He will guest on the Aug. 12 episode of HBO’s True Blood and his character is gay.

As for the 90210 plotline, he said: “I think it’s going to be interesting because last year they dealt with Adrianna [Jessica Lowndes] experimenting. This year it’s going to be on a much more serious level and it’s going to run a while arc of the show so it’s going to be much more compelling for audience members and they’re going to be shocked to find out.”

Okay, we’re heard from all three. I’m going to put my guess/prediction out there: Teddy Montgomery will be the character who comes out.

But whoever it is, it will be fun and, I hope, gratifying to watch.

CULTURE: Anne Rice Quits Christianity! Will she turn to the darkside?

Novelist Anne Rice has quit Christianity for the second time. The Interview With a Vampire author—who had renewed her Catholic faith in recent years and penned a spiritually-themed memoir—says that while her faith in Christ is still strong, she's been turned off Christianity by the church's attitudes on social issues, by Catholic sex scandals, and the excommunication of a nun who approved a life-saving abortion.

In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being a Christian," Rice wrote on her Facebook page. "I came to the conclusion that if I didn't make this declaration, I was going to lose my mind," she tells AP. Rice, who's currently working on her Songs of the Seraphim fiction series, says she has no plans to return to writing about vampires, although she's a big fan of True Blood and the Twilight movies.

CULTURE: Gilbert Comes Out OFFICIALLY!

After 8 years and two children with partner Allison Adler, Sara Gilbert has now officially come out of the closet, reports Entertainment Weekly. The Roseanne star says she doesn't believe her sexuality will be a problem on upcoming motherhood-focused talk show The Talk, which she is producing and co-hosting with Julie Chen, Leah Remini, Holly Robinson Peete, Sharon Osbourne, and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

"I'm not an expert on this, or I don’t analyze these things. I’m just sort of living my life. I plan to put my heart and soul into this show, and I plan to continue acting, and I don’t think it will be a problem," Gilbert said. "I don’t ever really think of things as out or in,” she added. “I just think I am who I am, and when topics come up that are appropriate, I’ll talk about them and share when it seems right.”

IDOL: Ellen Out, Kara Fired, Steven Tyler, J-Lo In

Ellen DeGeneres is off American Idol—and sources tell TMZ Kara DioGuardi is too, though not by choice. DioGuardi has reportedly been fired, and the show will return to its three-judge format...with Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler in talks to join the last remaining judge, Randy Jackson, reports Gossip Cop. All follow-up reports seem to agree Lopez is in, with one source telling People the deal is done and Lopez “is excited about it.”

Deadline notes that DeGeneres’ exit is no surprise, as she was complaining months ago that producers “couldn’t control Cowell,” an insider says, and was never accepted by the audience or other judges. The Los Angeles Times, which says it's unclear if the three-judge buzz is true, runs down the list of recent rumored judge candidates, including Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, and (though he’s the only one campaigning for himself) Perez Hilton.

POLITICS: Sherry Sherrod will NOT speak to FOX-Period.

Shirley Sherrod won't be talking to the folks at Fox News about the out-of-context video that got her fired. "I will not give Fox an interview, period," she told the National Association of Black Journalists yesterday. "They had their chance to get the truth, and they were not interested." Sherrod, who says she will sue Andrew Breitbart over the video, says the conservative commentator and the network deliberately portrayed her as a bigot, reports the Maynard Institute.

"I saw what Fox did and what Breitbart did. I knew it was racism, and nobody had to tell me that," she says. Click here to read more about Sherrod's firing and the political fallout. (And, to find out why Breitbart calls himself 'Public Enemy No.1, click here.)

OUTscene: Thank GLAAD It's Friday hits Seattle!

GLAAD’s national networking event series for young LGBT professionals in Seattle kicks off on Fri, July 30 at Lobby Bar! This is the ONLY stop in the Pacific NW!

Set in popular venues, TGIF events include complimentary ABSOLUT® VODKA cocktails, one-year GLAAD memberships, special guest hosts and nightly prize drawings as well as the opportunity to network and meet with like-minded professionals.(Come and meet MK in person!)

TGIF 2010 Seattle Series Passes are $35 and grant you access to this event as well as GLAAD's upcoming TGIF Seattle event on August 27!

For tickets or more information, visit: http://www.glaad.org/2010/tgif/seattle1

BEEFCAKE: “Gossip Girl” star Ed Westwick’s hairy chest!

Via Greg in Hollywood:

IDOL: Ellen DeGeneres out as “American Idol” judge!

Ellen DeGeneres has announced that she is leaving American Idol after just one season as a judge.

The popular singing competition, which also lost acerbic judge Simon Cowell at the end of last season, is suffering from declining ratings and some big changes are expected on the show.

Ellen is leaving despite a five year contract.

“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she said in a statement. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for.”

The Emmy winning star remains the host of her popular daily syndicated talk show. As the fourth judge replacing Paula Abdul, she never seemed to find her footing on the show.

"I … realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on Idol and I am very grateful for the year I had, I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

In the same statement, Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller said, “I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills. She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.”

Peter Rice, the FOX entertainment chairman, said: “We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of Idol. We were fortunate to receive the humor, energy and love for talent that she brought to the show.”

SOAP Q:Real Life Drama: Susan Lucci Working on Memoir

It’s a breakthrough for Susan Lucci. No, not a second Emmy. She has a book deal, according to AP.

It Books said Wednesday that the longtime star of ‘All My Children‘ has a memoir coming out next year.

Her book is currently untitled. It will cover her role as Erica Kane on the daytime soap and her years as a stage performer.

Of course, she’ll also talk about snagging an Emmy in 1999 after years of falling short.

It Books is an imprint of HarperCollins.

CULTURE: Zuckerberg Hates Privacy, So Gawker Invades His

Because Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg isn't a huge fan of others' privacy, Gawker is testing how he feels about his own. A photographer followed him around Silicon Valley for a week to give him the "paparazzi treatment," snapping photos of him hanging out with friends and family and, all in all, leading a surprisingly ordinary life. Click through to the link here to see the photos.

"If it feels a little naughty to take such a close look into Zuckerberg's life, remember that this is the executive who pushed the private information of Facebook's hundreds of millions of users progressively further into the public sphere," writes Ryan Tate. "Facebook's CEO doesn't seem too preoccupied about your privacy, or about ours. Likewise, we weren't bothered by the notion of tailing him around the Valley for a few days, or about sharing the experience with you. Enjoy."

ENTERTAINMENT: CBS Reacts To Bad GLAAD Grade By Adding Gay Characters!

CBS expects to make GLAAD a little less mad by upping its representation of GLBT characters.

“We’re not happy with ourselves,” CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler admitted Wednesday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, in the wake of CBS receiving its second consecutive “failing” grade from GLAAD.

“We’re adding a few characters to this season because we’re very disappointed in our track record,” Tassler said.

Among those additions: During ‘The Good Wife’s second season, viewers will meet Alicia’s brother, who is gay; on ‘Rules of Engagement,’ Jeff and Audrey’s surrogate mother will be a lesbian member of Jeff’s softball team; and the new sitcom ‘S#*! My Dad Says‘ will feature a recurring gay character played by Tim Bagley.

Speaking of ‘The Good Wife’ and possibly maybe sorta kinda gay characters, Tassler said that the sexuality of Emmy nominee Archie Panjabi’s won’t be explored much further in the new season’s early episodes: “We don’t want to spill the beans just yet.”

ISSUES: Vatican Raises Hell Over Short Skirts

The Vatican's Swiss Guards' strenuous crackdown on "immodest" dress in the wake of a host of shocking pedophile scandals against Catholic clerics has left tourists aghast. The flamboyantly clothed guards, in puffy gold-and-blue-striped uniforms and plumed head coverings, are pulling aside women in sleeveless tops or short skirts and men in shorts to tell them they're not dressed properly. Tourists have long been expected to dress modestly in St. Peter's Basilica, but the stricter dress code seems to have been extended suddenly throughout Vatican City.

The strictures also include Romans using the Vatican pharmacy, supermarket and post office, reports the Telegraph. "Given all the scandals the church has been involved in, what possible right can it have to be preaching about the morality of sleeveless dresses?" asked one outraged woman in her 70s.

POLITICS: Obama NOT invited to Chelsea's Wedding!

"You don't want two presidents at one wedding," President Obama quipped on The View when asked if he'd be at Chelsea Clinton's wedding this weekend. "All the Secret Service, guests going through" metal detectors, "all the gifts being torn apart." OK, the truth is the prez wasn't invited, he admitted when asked by Barbara Walters, MSNBC reports. "I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband," he said graciously.

The president said he completely agreed with the sentiment. "Sorry, y'all probably will not be getting invited to Sasha’s wedding or Malia’s wedding, either," he told the audience. Obama also explained why he chose to appear on The View ("I was trying to find a show that Michelle actually watched") and some of the "thorns" of his presidency: "Where do I begin?" he asked, before citing economic troubles, the BP oil spill, and the swine flu "pandemic." The show—the first appearance by a sitting president on a daytime talk show—airs today.

CULTURE: Old Spice Guy Lands Role in Aniston Flick

Isaiah Mustafa fans, here’s an early birthday present: The Old Spice “man your man could smell like” scored a role in a Jennifer Aniston flick and a guest spot on NBC’s Chuck. And he’s earned it: Sales of Old Spice products are up 107% from a month ago. “It's a smaller role,” but he’s still excited, Mustafa tells the Hollywood Reporter of his role in Horrible Bosses. “I'm playing a cop because I play these authoritative characters well.”

As for his TV stint, it’s part of his new talent agreement with NBC, meaning one day—if Mustafa gets his wish—you may see him on Saturday Night Live. For now, he’ll play a “goofy” CIA guy on Chuck. But a bit of sad news: Though there are a few months left in his contract with Old Spice, Mustafa says no more commercials are lined up. Watch his commercials here and here, or click here to take a look at his impressive YouTube campaign.

SOAP Q: Fans of Dr. Reid Alert! An excerpt from a “We Love soaps” interview w/Eric Sheffer Stevens

We Love Soaps, has begun posting a terrific interview with actor Eric Sheffer Stevens who has made As the World Turns worth watching in its final year.

The actor talks about his delicious character of Dr. Reid Oliver in this excerpt. I’ll highlight more as the week goes on:

We Love Soaps: Have you played a character like [Reid] before?
Eric Sheffer Stevens: I don’t think so.

We Love Soaps: So it’s not typecasting or anything?
Eric Sheffer Stevens: [Laughs] No. I’ve definitely not played anything like him, probably characteristics that he has have been shared with other people. But he’s definitely a unique character in my experience which is what made it so fun for me. It was really well-written and fun to do. I liked the way he didn’t know how to interact with people. His only way of dealing was to be sarcastic or to say something funny. They wrote really good stuff. All the eating stuff and talking with his mouth full all the time started out as their idea, but as it went on, any time there was food on set I would grab it and start shoving it in my face.

We Love Soaps: Reid had battles with Luke, but he was also battling with Bob. I thought that made it really interesting and unique because Bob is the pillar of society.
Eric Sheffer Stevens: Right. He started out more well-rounded maybe than they usually do because right away he didn’t just have the Luke and Noah storyline with the blindness, but he was clashing with Dr. Bob, which was really fun because I love Don [Hastings], that guy is amazing. I really admire him. And also right off the bat clashing with Trent-Henry. He had a foil to play off of instead of just being a third wheel in the Luke and Noah romance. It was really fun to do the stuff with Trent because he and I worked together six years ago. We did George Bernard Shaw’s “Misalliance” in Baltimore. He’s a great character actor. He’s just a great actor. He’s very inventive and comes up with really funny stuff to do. He does great “takes” and has a really solid background.

Patti LuPone returns to Broadway!

Broadway is always a little more special, not to mention exciting, whenever the great Patti LuPone is in a show.

Last seen in Gypsy, for which she won a well-deserved second Tony Award, Miss LuPone will be featured in the upcoming production of the new musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown based on the film by Pedro Almodovar.

The production will also star Brian Stokes Mitchell, de’Adre Aziza, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Mary Beth Peil and Sherie Rene Scott. The show is set in late 20th-century Madrid and tells the story of the intertwining lives of a group of women whose relationships with men lead to a tumultuous 48 hours of love, confusion and passion.

The book for the musical is by Jeffrey Lane with music and lyrics by David Yazbek. Bartlett Sher will direct the show which will begin previews Oct. 2 and open Nov. 4 at the Belasco Theatre, according to BroadwayWorld.com.

For LuPone, the show will be the latest in a stellar Broadway career dating back to the mid-70s when she received a Tony Award nomination for The Robber Bridegroom. She won her first Tony for Evita in 1980 and was nominated again in 1987 for Anything Goes and in 2005 for Sweeney Todd.

On the London stage, she created the role of Norma Desmond in the original production of Sunset Boulevard and won the Olivier Award for originating the role of Fantine in Les Miserables.

ENTERTAINMENT: Zac Efron Drops $2K on Vodka, Strippers

Guess their High School Musical days are over: Zac Efron and co-star Corbin Bleu racked up $2,000 in lap dances and vodka at a New York strip club Sunday night. “They were interacting a lot with the girls and reaching out and showering money on them,” a source tells the New York Post. “There were three girls who Zac and his friends particularly liked and they asked to do personal dances at their table.”

If Efron’s longtime girlfriend (and yet another HSM star) Vanessa Hudgens is upset at this news, perhaps it’ll make her feel better to know that “the girls were all slim pretty brunettes, a bit like Zac's girlfriend,” the source continues. A mysterious third male paid the entire bill, and a rep for Flashdancers Gentlemen’s Club confirms the group was in fact there. The source says they left at 3am. Click here to read about another HSM scandal.

Please convince me that that wasn't the idea of the Publicist to convince America that Efron is NOT Gay? Evidently the Vanessa Hudgens Beard story is losing some steam.

IDOL: Reject Sues Idol for Gay Discrimination

The American Idol reject who charged the stage during the show's 2010 finale says Idol producers encouraged his stunt, and is suing for $300 million for gay discrimination. Ian Benardo, a 2007 contestant, claims producers invited him back for the season finale, then pummeled him with "discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, insults and hostile and offensive comments" while pushing him to "act more faggy" for the May 26 finale, the New York Daily News reports.

How could he get MORE Faggy?

ISSUES: Crackpot lesbian theory is further proof that Elisabeth Hasselbeck AND Sherrri Sheperd are on CRACK!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck AND Sherri Sheperd are at it again with their totally uneducated opinons!

It’s not so much that Hasselbeck is a staunch Republican, it’s that she does not seem to have a fully formed mind. She has been known to parrot certain conservative talking points with utter conviction and just does not seem to me to be at the level of some of the other cohosts[not including Sherri Shepherd who is at Strike 2 after being Blasted by GLADD] on The View who seem to speak more from life experience. Let's hope they don't embarrass themselves with Obama tomorrow!

Anyway, Elisabeth once again went off on things she knows nothing about when the topic turned to women coming out later in life as lesbians. Hasselbeck thinks she knows why: Guys their age are going after younger women leaving these poor gals with no one but each other.

Uh, I don’t think that’s how it works but maybe Meredith Baxter can go on the show soon and talk some sense into this gal.

Joy Behar did a pretty good job of debunking this theory: “That’s ridiculous. I’m sorry.”

“Being gay is not just holding hands and walking through the tulips,” Joy added. “There are things people do sexually. I don’t think you suddenly wake up one day and say, ‘Oh, I wanted to do that.’ You wanted to do it, but you were just trapped in a system that has just said, ‘get married.’”

ISSUES: School Wants Student to Alter Religious View on Gays!

A graduate student says Augusta State University in Georgia has threatened to expel her unless she attends a remediation program designed to change her beliefs about homosexuality—and now she's suing. In her complaint, Jennifer Keeton, 24, says school officials informed her in May that she would be booted from her master's program in school counseling unless she completes the remediation program and alters her "central religious beliefs on human nature and conduct."

The suit says the remediation plan—which requires her to do additional reading and write papers—made note of Keeton's "disagreement in several class discussions and in written assignments with the gay and lesbian 'lifestyle,'" and her belief that those "lifestyles" are cases of identity confusion. "The faculty identifies Miss Keeton's views as indicative of her improper professional disposition to persons of such populations," the lawsuit states. The university tells Fox News it does not discriminate, but the "curriculum of the counseling education program states that counselors in training" must "follow the ACA Code of Ethics."


May all Universities take a stand against HATE!

BEEFCAKE:Will Enrique Iglesias fulfill his World Cup vow, Naked?

I don’t know about you, but I’d like Enrigue Iglesias to stop talking and start skiing – naked!

The sexy singer promised he’d water ski naked if Spain won the World Cup. Well, they did!

Even though he has yet to fulfill his promise, Enrique tells People.com that he has every intention of doing so: “I need to get my Brazilian wax before I do it. … Actually, I’m just waiting for a day off. A bet’s a bet.”

He added: “I used to do it in high school, so what’s the big deal?”

There have been rumors that the police [along with throngs of paparazzi no doubt!] will be patrolling for a fully-exposed Iglesias. He plans avoiding them by choosing a dark night to take the plunge in the Biscayne Bay.

“I never got arrested in high school for doing it,” he said while also wondering, “Can you really get arrested for skiing naked?”

Do IT!

SOAP Q: Is (James) Franco for Real?

“Can James Franco possibly be for real?” That's the question that consumes Sam Anderson’s extensive New York profile on the actor who is no longer just an actor: He’s enrolled in four graduate programs and planning to start a PhD program at Yale before he's even done with them; he publishes short stories and puts on art shows; and all the while he still has the time to appear in some seven movies coming out in the next year. And let’s not forget that General Hospital guest role.

Just Last week, Franco (on General hospital), kidnapped a baby, committed double homicide,  hosted an Art exhibition cross country, Faked his death, and gave the kidnapped baby to his own mother  (Played by James Franco's Real life mother)!

If he is for real, “Why is Franco doing it?” Anderson wonders. “Is he genuinely trying to improve himself or is he just messing with us?” Anderson talks to classmates, professors, colleagues, family, and friends, all of whom insist this is the real deal. “What does that even mean?” Franco himself asks, when told he’s rumored to be spreading himself too thin. “If the work is good, what does it matter? I’m doing it because I love it. Why not do as many things I love as I can?”

HEALTH: Working Out with “Real World: Brooklyn” alum Scott Herman!

Even before he was a member of the cast of Real World: Brooklyn, Scott Herman worked damned hard on his body.

Scott regularly posts workout videos and scores of appealing photos in an effort to inspire folks to workout with him. He has succeeded in amassing into a loyal following called the “Hermanation”

Below is one of Scott’s workouts as well as some pics from the Facebook page. Enjoy!

ISSUES: Party's Over for San Diego's Floating Drinkers

San Diego's city council has closed a loophole that allowed partygoers to dodge a ban on drinking on the beach by boozing just offshore instead. Wording in the original ban defined beach as land only, leading to "Floatopia" parties which saw thousands of people drinking on rafts and inner tubes just a few feet offshore, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The updated law now says "bathers" need to be one marine league—around 3.5 miles—offshore before they can drink alcohol. City leaders say the floating parties were a disaster waiting to happen, and even partygoers say the law probably isn't such a bad idea. "Unfortunately, it makes sense," a college student taking to his air mattress for a final few beers told the Wall Street Journal. "Floating? Drinking? That's just not going to work out."

POLITICS: Pentagon Looks at Manning's Role in Afghan Leak

Who could've given nearly 1 million classified Afghanistan war documents to WikiLeaks? The military is taking a close look at Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst already charged with leaking documents to the site. Manning (who is rumored to be pre-TRANS) would be a perfect suspect, except for one fact: He was stationed in Iraq and had no access to Afghanistan documents. Nonetheless, investigators are examining his computers to see if he could have hacked other military computers to gain the files, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Manning is more commonly linked to the leak of footage of the Iraq war released to the public as a video called "Collateral Murder", but he also boasted of having given WikiLeaks 260,000 diplomatic cables. Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, said there is "no allegation as far as we can determine" that the Afghanistan leak is "connected to Bradley Manning."

BEEFCAKE: "True Blood” hunk Joe Manganiello’s got it, flaunts it

Joe Manganiello, who is new to HBO’s True Blood as new werewolf Alcide has gotten so buff for his role (or maybe he was already that way?) that he will be featured in a photo spread in the next issue of Muscle & Body.

SOAP Q: Luke tries to help boyfriend Dr. Reid with his bedside manner!

Talk about elevating ridiculous material, They (and their viewers) are saddled with this ridiculous “make Reid be nice to people” storyline so he can be named chief of staff of the hospital.

We don’t get to see Luke and Reid together for a week and this is what we get?  STILL NO MORE KISSING OR EVEN SEX!  Good grief!

ISSUES: Elton John defies boycott of Arizona!

The Bitch continues his reign!

So what has the Rocket Man, who performed at Rush Limbaugh’s wedding recently, done now? He performed a sold-out concert at Tucson Arena, defying a boycott by other acts over Arizona’s controversial SB 1070 immigration law.

Here’s what Elton had to say to any would-be critics: “We are all very pleased to be playing in Arizona. I have read that some of the artists won’t come here. They are (expletive)wits! Let’s face it: I still play in California, and as a gay man I have no legal rights whatsoever. So what’s the (expletive) with these people?”

Why is he acting more and more Republican?

CULTURE: Fellow Inmates Sick of LiLo (Already)!

Inmates at a California women's prison are finding that being locked up with Lindsay Lohan is cruel and unusual punishment, according to a relative of one of Lohan's fellow prisoners. "All the inmates are sick of Lindsay," she tells People. Like if she even moves, they put the whole facility on lockdown. If they even want to bring her new clothes or bring her anything, they put the whole facility on lockdown. It happens all the time."

Jail officials, however, say Lohan isn't getting star treatment. "It's business as usual," a spokesman said. "Lindsay's getting no special treatment." Lohan—who was placed in isolation after being taunted by prisoners chanting "fire crotch" at her, according to the New York Daily News—may be freed as soon as today, less than a week into a sentence that was originally 90 days.

ENTERTAINMENT: Amanda Bynes:"Unretired?"

A month after stunning Hollywood and sparking questions about her mental stability with the news of her retirement, Amanda Bynes wants a do-over. "I've unretired," the 24-year-old on-again-off-again actress tweeted. She's a co-star of the buzzed-about high school comedy Easy A, notes People—and within minutes of "unretiring," Bynes was tweeting about the trailer.

FUNNY: Hey, Kids: Learn Geography From Sarah Palin!

Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at Sarah Palin’s latest grammar and geography screw-ups last week culminating in this brilliant Schoolhouse Rock parody, in which a cartoon Palin valiantly tries and fails to name all 50 states.

Kimmel also got in a choice shot before the video. “Here’s what I don’t understand about Sarah Palin supporters,” he said, “Every time she says something dumb, which is frequently, they say, ‘I like the fact that she’s a regular person and makes mistakes. … Which is fine, but why her? There are lots of people who say dumb things and didn’t go to an Ivy League school. Snooki, for example. Why not get behind Snooki?” Why not indeed. After all, Snooki's already taken up politics.

CULTURE: Chatroulette Goes After Flashers

Chatroulette seems to be getting serious about its penis problem. A new message on the site warns that those who flash minors will end up talking to the cops, reports NewTeeVee. “Broadcasting inappropriate content to minors is a violation of both US and UN law," it reads. "We are actively cooperating with law enforcement agencies."

Site founder Andrey Ternovskiy writes that "we’ve captured and saved thousands of IP addresses of alleged offenders, along with logs and screenshots which prove wrong behavior." Not that the site is going puritan. It recently introduced topical channels, notes NewTeeVee, and adult-themed ones are leading the way.

CULTURE: How to Dine Like a Gentleman

Looking to impress your future in-laws at a fancy dinner out? Follow John Mariani’s 39 steps for how to dine out like a gentleman, from Esquire:

•"A gentleman never has more than one cocktail before dinner."
•"A gentleman never takes more than one minute to decide on his meal."
•"A gentleman never drinks beer from a bottle at a restaurant."
•"A gentleman does not use sugar substitutes."
•"A gentleman does not drink water with a lime or lemon slice in it."
•"A gentleman never orders salad as a main course."
•"A gentleman should never dance at a Greek restaurant."
•"A gentleman never shakes a breadstick in the air to make a point."

For the complete list, click here.

I guess I have a lot to learn about being a gentleman!

LIST: America's 20 Gayest Cities (Seattle and Portland are in the Top 10!)

It might not shock you to discover that San Francisco has the largest concentration of gays and lesbians in America, but you might be a bit more surprised to learn that Columbus, Ohio, comes in at No. 16, ahead of Los Angeles (No. 18) and Miami (No. 20). The Daily Beast runs down the 20 cities with the highest proportion of same-sex couples:

•San Francisco: Ranks No. 1 with 12.4 same-sex couples per thousand households, 60% of which are men.

•Boston: No. 4, with 6.9 same-sex couples per thousand households. It also has the largest lesbian community in the nation—60% of those couples are women.

5. Seattle, WA
Same-sex couples per thousand households: 6.71
Seattle's gay culture dates back to the 1930s, when the Casino Pool Room in Pioneer Square opened up for gay clientele. The bar paid police protection fees to keep it from being raided. The Double Header—another gay bar that opened around the same time—claims to be Seattle's oldest gay bar still in business. Seattle's strong gay culture remains, too: It's the fifth-gayest city in the country. And it's the sixth-wealthiest in the country, with a median income of $34,293. Big-name companies like Amazon.com and Starbucks—and Microsoft, located in nearby Redmond—have headquarters there.

8. Portland, OR
Same-sex couples per thousand households: 5.85
Boasting both the first comprehensive plan to reduce carbon emissions and the highest number of strip clubs per capita, the quirky city of Portland, Oregon, also has the eighth-highest percentage of same-sex couples. A few of them, no doubt, are green-energy gurus and strippers.

9. San Diego, CA
Same-sex couples per thousand households: 5.76
San Diego is politically conservative and has a huge military population. Coincidentally (or not), it also has a sizeable gay population. We won't ask. Military discrimination in the city already appears to be bad enough

•New York: Doesn’t make the top 10—5.76 same-sex couples per thousand households gets it the No. 11 spot.

•Washington, DC: No. 15, with 5.28 same-sex couples per thousand households.

•Dallas: No. 19, with 4.88 same-sex couples per thousand households.

For the complete list, click here.

ENTERTAINMENT: Annual GLAAD TV report released: CW and ABC lead, CBS failing!

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released its fourth annual report charting LGBT visibility on television – both broadcast and cable and the results are, as always, both encouraging and discouraging.

Of the five broadcast networks, the CW has surged to the lead with a “good” ranking thanks to both scripted and reality programming. It’s America’s Next Top Model series has a gay catwalk expert, gay photo shoot editor, gay fashion editor as well as a transgender model and two lesbian models.

But scripted shows also are more inclusive starting with Gossip Girl which saw the expanded role of gay teen Eric Van der Woodson  and also had lead character Chuck Bass kiss a man in one episode to help his girlfriend Blair out of a jam. What was really hot was that Chuck indicated to Blair that it wasn’t the first time he had locked lips with a dude.

The now-canceled Melrose Place had a lesbian character as did 90210 where next season a major male character will come out of the closet. Also, on the One Tree Hill, the character of Josh came out as gay.

CW was able to surpass ABC, leader in previous years, because it has less hours of programming so its percentage of LGBT inclusion was higher. But ABC retained a “good” ranking and remains strong with several continuing, rich characters. (One Life to featured the first gay love scene, but fired the actors a few months later. When Adam Lambert was the AMA's kissing his Bass player, and simulated oral sex, ABC banned him from the netwotk).

Let’s start with gay married couple Mitchell and Cameron on the new comedy Modern Family which is a ratings hit and scored several Emmy nominations in key categories. The series kicked off with Mitchell and Cameron bringing home their newly adopted daughter and has remained an integral part of this breakout hit.

On Grey’s Anatomy, Calle and Arizona remain a lesbian couple and on Ugly Betty, Justin Suarez not only came out to his family, he also got his first boyfriend and had the support of older gay friend Marc.

Desperate Housewives brought back the character of Andrew Van de Kamp on a regular basis mid-season and continued to feature gay couple Bob and Lee who revealed they are trying to become parents. A lesbian relationship also began on Wisteria Lane with Dana Delaney’s character of Katherine in love with a stripper played by Julie Benz.

On Brothers & Sisters, Scotty and Kevin remained a solid couple and are trying to have a baby via surrogate while Kevin’s uncle Saul deals with not only coming out as a gay man at an older man, but with the knowledge that he is HIV positive.

Fox received an “adequate” ranking thanks to its breakout gay character of Kurt on Glee which earned actor Chris Colfer an Emmy nomination. After that, it can only point to having openly gay people as judges on its reality shows: Ellen DeGeneres on American Idol and Adam Shankman on So You Think You Can Dance.

NBC, the network that brought us Will & Grace but had not built on that legacy for several years, saw its LGBT inclusion improve from “poor” to “adequate” with a male gay nurse of Mercy, a gay paramedic on Trauma and the better-late-than-never revelation that Law & Order: SVU chracter Dr. Hwang (played by out actor BD Wong) is gay.

As far as CBS, which received a “failing” ranking, it is clear that LGBT visibility is simply not a priority when it comes to scripted shows. The network has more hit ensemble dramas than any other with the CSI and NCIS franchises as well as Criminal Minds and The Mentalist but not a single regular character is gay – not ONE. Ditto for its comedies which include Two and a Half Men, Big Bang Theory, Rules of Engagement and the now-canceled New Adventures of Old Christine. (As the world turns broke new ground with gay characters, but canceled it).

But CBS has featured gay contestants on its hit reality shows Amazing Race, Big Brother and Survivor.

GLAAD reviewed a total of 4,787.5 hours of primetime programming for inclusion of LGBT characters or issues on the five major networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) from June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010. GLAAD also examined 1,227.75 hours of original primetime programming on 10 highly-rated cable networks. Each hour was reviewed for on-screen LGBT representations. Based on the quantity, overall quality and diversity of these representations, a rating was assigned by GLAAD’s Entertainment Media Program to each network: Excellent, Good, Adequate, or Failing.

“When television networks share real stories of our community, audiences begin to see the common ground that we all share,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “Over the last year, viewers across the country celebrated the arrival of Mitchell and Cameron’s baby on ABC’s ‘Modern Family’, while teens and parents everywhere were moved by Kurt Hummel’s relationship with his father on Fox’s ‘Glee.’ These images and stories are being noticed by viewers, critics and Awards programs and we urge other networks to open their airwaves to such powerful and inclusive messages.”

While the networks could not finish any higher than “good,” GLAAD awarded its first “excellent” ranking ever to MTV [more on cable rankings tomorrow] Of MTV’s 207.5 hours of original primetime programming, 42% included LGBT-inclusive images that reflected the ethnic and racial diversity of the LGBT community as well as a strong cross-section of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“It is with great pride that GLAAD honors MTV with our highest mark of excellence in recognition of the network’s commitment to fair and accurate representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community,” said Barrios. “From their inception, MTV programs like ‘The Real World’ and ‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ have offered richly diverse portrayals of gay and transgender people that help Americans better understand and accept our community.”

In addition to MTV’s groundbreaking “Excellent” rating, five networks (ABC Family, HBO, Lifetime, Showtime and TNT) received “Good” ratings, marking the first time that a majority of cable networks received higher than an “Adequate” rating.

Here is a LINK to the full GLAAD Report.

OBIT: NPR Legend Daniel Schorr Dead at 93

Daniel Schorr, a veteran journalist who brought more than six decades of experience to his gig as senior news analyst for NPR, has died at age 93, NPR reports. Schorr served in intelligence during World War II, then stayed in Europe to cover the postwar reconstruction for the New York Times and Christian Science Monitor. That began a 20-year career as a foreign correspondent, which would later see him join Edward R. Murrow at CBS and reopen the network’s Moscow bureau.

In 1966, he was assigned to Washington, where he put himself at the center of countless major stories. He was on President Nixon’s “enemies list” and was once dubbed “Killer Schorr” by CIA director Richard Helms, after reporting on several assassinations. “He was sophisticated about the government and how it works,” says a colleague. “He was a damned vacuum cleaner, is what he was. “ Schorr earned a host of awards, including a Peabody for “a lifetime of uncompromising reporting of the highest integrity.”

FUNNY: Mel Gibson is Dating a Gay Man

SOAP Q: Say goodbye to NUKE/RUKE and say hello to much more of Mrs.Les Moonves?

So what will CBS replace As the World Turns with when it goes off the air in September? With a View-like talk show headed by Julie Chen! (The CBS whore!)

The Big Brother host and CBS Early Show co-host (and wife of CBS head honcho Les Moonves) will be joined on the weekday chatfest by Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, Leah Remini and Marissa Jaret Winokur.(six, not five!)

What do they all have in common? They are all mothers! (hello, all of the ladies of The view are mothers too!)

According to a CBS press release, “The co-hosts — moms with children ranging in age from infant to adult — will swap stories, challenge each other on issues and engage the studio audience and viewers at home about events in the headlines and their own homes through the lens of motherhood. Show segments will include guest interviews with entertainers and newsmakers, live remotes from the field and personal home footage shot by the co-hosts themselves.”

Daytime is in major trouble, if can't be original.

CULTURE: Alec Mapa Rocks it on “The View”!

Alec Mapa really rocked on this mornings' The View,,  most was old material but it can out fresh that got laughs from Whoopi and Elizabeth! I first met Alec at BC Pride in 2006, and again at the 2008 HRC dinner, Check out my recent interview BEFORE he was on 'The View' 

CULTURE: Spanish Footballer Cesc Fabregas Kisses Male Reporter

Spanish footballer, now World Cup champion Cesc Fabregas was asked by reporter Raul Gomez on Spain's TV show Caiga Quien Caiga if he would fulfill Gomez's dream of kissing a world champion.

Fabregas obliged.

CULTURE: Late Gay Porn Star Said 'Superman's' Reeve Was "A Great Lover"!

Via Star Pulse:

A late gay porn star has stunned Hollywood with allegations he bedded "Superman" star Christopher Reeve.

Cal Culver gave up the sordid details in an interview before he died in 1987 and now the lost chat has been unearthed and included in new book Hollywood Babylon Strikes Again.

Culver, who died of an AIDS-related illness, told the unnamed interviewer he met Reeve when both were auditioning for the same Broadway role in the mid-1970s.

In the chat, the porn star says, "Christopher was a great lover and I think I liberated him sexually. I didn't think he was gay but he seemed willing to try anything once. He was curious."

In the book extract, obtained by the Globe, Culver calls Reeve "the man of my dreams" and reveals the two men had a passionate affair that lasted for two months - until the future Superman learned his partner was a gay porn star, who performed under the name Casey Donovan.

Reeve died of heart failure in 2004, almost a decade after he was paralysed in a horse fall.
 

CULTURE: Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black goes from Milk to the “Barefoot Bandit”?

Ted Johnson has this scoop in Daily Variety: Dustin Lance Black has been set to pen the screenplay for 20th Century Fox’s film about infamous (NW bred) 18-year-old outlaw Colton Harris-Moore, a.k.a. the Barefoot Bandit.

The bandit was arrested on July 11 after evading capture for years during which he committed scores of crimes, mostly in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, including allegedly stealing at least five small aircraft, a boat and two cars, as well as burglarizing at least 100 private residences.

“It’s clear that there’s a reason the country has become so enamored with this story, and that is worthy of investigation,” Black told Variety. “Like any great outlaw story, it speaks to the social and political mood of a generation.”

David Gordon Green is in final talks to direct the film based on a book proposal, “Taking Flight: The Hunt for a Young Outlaw,” by Bob Friel who profiled Harris-Moore in the January edition of adventure magazine Outside.

Since winning the original screenplay Academy Award for Milk last year, Black wrote and directed the upcoming film What’s Wrong with Virginia? and recently wrote the screenplay for 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man.

Here's hoping Black makes Colton Gay!

ENTERTAINMENT: Julianne Hough: “I thought Ryan Seacrest was gay”

So singer-dancer Julianne Hough of Dancing With the Stars fame is dating American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.

No one is more surprised than she is it seems.

TMZ reports Julianne as admitting to friends at a dinner in North Carolina: “He was after me since I was 18 … he totally wasn’t my type … I thought he was gay. … After a few years, he was persistent … so I went out with him on a date and I realized how much I liked him.”

And I thought Hough was a self-proclaimed virgin with a capital V! (sorry Seacrest, not the best choice for a beard!)