Patrick Dempsey is about as handsome a guy as there is and he handles his stardom well. It's also nice to know that he's appreciative of his gay fans as we learn in the Q&A with Brandon Voss in The Advocate. Patrick is the subject of an upcoming "Big Gay Following" feature. Here are some excerpts:

Do you have a Rupert Everett-like gay best friend?
[Laughs] He's not like Rupert Everett, but yeah, I definitely do. He's a good guy, but it took him a long time to really get out of the closet. Everyone around him knew, and then when he finally came to terms with it and said, "Yeah, I'm gay," we were like, "Finally! Good for you." You could see the release in him where he wasn't having to pretend anymore and was becoming his own person.

We're not talking about T.R., are we?
No, no, no. It's somebody else.

<Your character (in "Made of Honor") often gets mistaken for gay, which also happens to your character in 1989's "Loverboy." Has that happened to you in real life?
Sometimes now, yeah. I try not to read the blogs, but it seems everybody's convinced I'm gay -- especially since Versace. But the great thing with sexuality and being gay is that there's really no stereotype anymore.

At 17, you dropped out of high school to play David in a San Francisco production of Torch Song Trilogy. Did you or your parents have concerns about your taking a gay part so early in your career?
No, not at all. Doing theater, the gay community was always incredibly kind to me -- never aggressive or predatory, always supportive and nurturing. That was the great thing about being a part of that show. Especially being so young, there was a lot of concern only because I was out there on my own and I'd never been in the big city before, but everybody looked after me.

Have you been aware of your gay following since your breakout success in 1987's Can't Buy Me Love?
Yeah, there was some stuff that [celebrity photographer] Greg Gorman and I shot that sort of opened things up, and everybody was telling me about that. It's good fun. It's flattering.
Did you or your agents have any hesitations before accepting a three-episode arc as Will's sportscaster boyfriend on Will & Grace, your first major foray into TV?
No. When I sat down and talked with the show's creators, they were like, "Here's what we want to try to do," and I was like, "Yeah, I'm in for that." It was fun. I loved that character, and certainly that role and being on that show helped turn things around for me profoundly.

Opposite another straight actor, Eric McCormack, was it challenging to make a gay romance appear believable?
No, because you just play a relationship -- two people attracted to each other. You just trust that and don't worry about it. The situation reveals that you're gay; you don't have to play gay to be gay.

As a Versace model, not to mention all the shirtless scenes you have in Made of Honor, do you feel pressure to constantly hit the gym?
Yeah, I work out, but I'm not fanatical about it. I'm not the kind of guy who can be completely cut-up; I just want to stay in shape and be healthy and lean. But there's always the pressure of having the perfect male body. At the same time, I've got way too much going on to worry about it. You just have to go, "Here's my body," and hope people like it.

On People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" list, you came in second to Matt Damon in 2007, George Clooney in 2006, and Matthew McConaughey in 2005. How's it feel to be that close to the title for three years?
At least I'm consistently in the top two. And I've been there longer than the other guys, so that's fine.

Which male celebrity do you find sexy?
Johnny Depp, certainly, without question. There's just something about his individuality, his humility, and his sense of style. He's also immensely talented and intelligent, and that's all very sexy.

What's the oddest thing you've done with your character's action figure from Disney's Enchanted?
It's not so much what I have done but what my friends have done with the doll -- and then sent pictures of to my cell phone. They've put the doll in various sexual positions with other dolls -- with Barbie and Ken.

Here is a LINK to the entire interview...

When I saw Cynthia Nixon talk about her girlfriend Christine Marinoni on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" a few weeks ago, I was touched by her obvious love for this woman. But in the blogosphere, all I ever read is disparaging remarks about Christine's appearance. It is ridiculous. She's not a Hollywood star, so don't expect her to look like Halle Berry or Charleze Theron or even Cynthia.

I wish people would stop that kind of garbage and celebrate the same-sex love, a couple who is high-profile and showing the world that doesn't want to give us equal rights that gay people aren't all shallow and want to be in relationships.

Had to get that off my chest. Now on to the news. Cynthia, in London for the premiere of "Sex and the City," told The Mirror that she would love to marry Christine: "It's something my girlfriend is interested in and it was not something my boyfriend ever was. I think that to get married to her would be a little act of rebellion. It's like if you've never had the vote and then you get it you're going to run out there and vote."

She also said that she's never been in love with a woman before, , "I had been with men all my life and I had never met a woman I had fallen in love with before. But when I did, it didn't seem so strange. I don't define myself. I'm just a woman in love with another woman."

I think they make a beautiful couple...

The thing I liked about Star Jones' soon-to-be ex-husband Al Reynolds is that we never heard from him. Her, we hear from and it ain't always pretty. Al used his MySpace page yesterday to write about how his life has become a living hell, or something like that. I'm just gonna post it in its entirety and be done with it:

Dear Friends: If you think you are having a tough day, may I propose you walk in my shoes for a few hours. In my mind, it feels like "Dump on Al Month." And I'm not having fun yet. I have been called a gigolo, a freeloader, unemployed, a sham and many other things that don't bear repeating. People on television, radio and the Internet have spoken disparagingly of my life, my sexuality, my career and my integrity. The media has barraged me (at my home), my friends, my family (including my 79 year old mother), my college classmates, my students and my professional colleagues. Yet, despite this intense level of provocation, I have said nothing. My publicist has put out a one sentence statement: "We're taking the high road." And we have and will continue on that path.

What I want people to know is that I am not the caricature portrayed by the media. I am complex, contradictory and capable of great intelligence but also remarkable stupidity. In other words, I am a human being. To me, labels are for clothes, not people. So ... please don't try to define me; don't try to categorize me; and most of all, don't label me. Instead, JUST GET TO KNOW ME. And if you see me, just call me Al.

He's going to make that happen as he begins what appears to be some kind of get to know Al Reynolds media tour (Do we HAVE to?) He is booked to appear on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show next Thursday. The TV Guide listings says: Al Reynolds (Star Jones' husband).

OK, the three well-deserving finalists, David Cook, Syesha Mercado and David Archuleta all gave solid performances but Cook rose above the other two - so much so that if he does not win the entire competition next week it won't really matter.

David Cook, this guy is a star. I loved his version of Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" because I've loved that song forever and it also gave us a chance to enjoy Cook's softer, more quiet side. David followed with Switchfoot's "Dare You To Move" which he picked. It was nice to see him rock and roll after the slow first song but it's not like I'd want to hear the song again.
The judges were lukewarm on that one but Simon and Paula (and strangely not Randy) loved his finale: Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" chosen by producers who did him a big favor and he delivered. When he is on the stage, there is just that feeling that he belongs there and that he'll be there for a long time in big arenas and other venues. He's a lock for the final.

When it comes to the other two finalists, I actually think it was a draw on a night that they sang a song they themselves chose, one a judge chose and a third chosen by producers. Syesha got bagged on the most - even by Paula - and I think unfairly. She gave three different performances and showed much more flair and personality than Archuleta who, of course, vocally is in a league all his own.

Randy thought Syesha did an "amazing" job on the song her chose for her: Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" and the other two judges were complimentary. But that's as good as it got for her. After she sang her pick, the Peggy Lee classic, "Fever," Simon called it a "rather lame cabaret performance," and said she would "probably regret that decision tomorrow." If she regrets the third song, it's not her fault. Producers chose Gia Farrell's "Hit Me Up" but the judges all agreed that it was not the strong finish she would have hoped for. Why let the producers pick a song then? Let the performer choose two so their fate can be in their own hands. BTW, I think Syesha did a nice job with the song, very upbeat and her confidence on stage really helped sell it.

David Archuleta did a nice, subdued performance of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" which was pretty. Paula, who called the performance "pure and stunning," picked it so we could see him do something different but I'm not sure she did him a huge favor. Simon's take: "It was very good. No surprises. [It was] a bit predictable, [which is] not really a criticism." David followed that with Chris Brown's "With You" which he picked himself. He was just fine but I understand what Simon was talking about when he said: "It was a little bit like a chihuahua trying to be a tiger in so much as it's not really you. I thought it was all a bit awkward." His final song, picked by producers, was "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg. He did a really good job with a song perfectly suited for his vocals and one that gave him plenty of opportunities to look into the camera with those big brown eyes. Randy and Paula loved it but Simon's comment, I think, should have been aimed at the producers: "I think you sang the song very well, however I thought the song and the lyrics were absolutely horrible. ... It was so gooey, it's something you choose for, like, a 90-year-old and you're 17 years old. Having said that, I do think you've done enough to get into the finals."
In closing, I gotta say that "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul seemed to have had a brain transplant tonight: she was on point, very clear, spoke in complete sentences, and didn't love every single performance. Who WAS that woman? Maybe she read a scathing Entertainment Weekly article that suggested five ways to improve "Idol" which has suffered from sagging ratings. One of them: can Paula and fellow judge Randy Jackson! I don't necessarily agree with that but when Simon Cowell's opinion is the only one the contestants really care about, it makes the other two kind or irrevlevant.

Has it really been 25 years since Jennifer Beals put on that torn sweatshirt and became a huge star in "Flashdance"? You can't tell by looking at the beautiful face of the 44-year-old actress who currently stars on Showtime's "The L Word."

Jennifer plays Ivy League educated lesbian Bette Porter on the series which is set to begin shooting its sixth and final season which will air in 2009.

"It's bittersweet," Jennifer said of the landmark show's impending end. "But I think the most important thing is that we've been telling these stories of these women in Los Angeles. What I hope mis when the show is off the air, that someone will continue to tell stories from the lesbian community in one way or another."
Jennifer, married to Ken Dixon and the mother of a 2-year-old daughter, has appeared in more than 50 movies including "Devil in a Blue Dress," "The Bride," "The Twilight of the Golds" and "The Anniversary Party." But her only previous experience with series television was way back in 1992 when she co-starred with Lisa Hartman and Drew Barrymore on the CBS summer series "2000 Malibu Road."

She didn't seem to too pleased that I mentioned "Malibu" but it was good fun as I recall.

"It's very, very different," Jennifer said of working on the two series. "This is a completely different animal. Working at Showtime and working with (series creator) Ilene Chaiken, it's been such a real pleasure. And I've also had a really great character to play - a very rich character to play."

Jennifer had just completed a film with Kevin Kline called "Joueuse" before preparing for the final season of "L Word." Still a student at Yale when she made the big studio film "Flashdance," the actress has enjoyed some of her best roles in independent films in addition to "L Word."

"It's really about the role and it's about the story," she said. "I'll go wherever the good story is."

I really knew nothing about the CBS.com reality casting series "In Turn" until I got a note today from GLAAD's Damon Romine telling me about the episode posted above: our "As the World Turns" guys Van Hansis (Luke) and Jake Silbermann (Noah), give some advice on how to lip-lock convincingly for the camera.

The remaining six contestants, three men and three women, prepare for their screen test in this episode 7 which involves their first on-screen kiss. What's cool is that only one pairing for the screen test is male-female.

Here is a link to GLAAD's cool blog CineQueer...

...trust me, I know how. I had those lips when I woke up in the middle of the night and they were HUGE.

Only I wasn't born with those lips - as I'm sure Lisa Rinna was - I got them a more painful way: an allegic reaction! The lips were double their usual size, red spots everywhere, right eyelid swelling, and welts and bumps everywhere.

Went to see my Dr. McDreamy at the Pacific Oaks Medical Group in Beverly Hills (really, he's THAT cute) and he was kind enough not to make fun of my lips. (I had worn a baseball cap hoping it might take some of the attention off of the lips). McDreamy just gave me a shot and a perscription and here I am, about an hour later, feeling a little itchy still but already better with the lip deflating to its usual size,

McDreamy was able to help me get to the bottom of it pretty quickly: I used a cheapo laundry detergent that I had never used before because it had been under my kitchen sink forever and I didn't want to run to the store to buy my usual brands Surf or Gain.

I won't make that mistake again! Now here's the real question: WHY does Lisa Rinna want her lips to look that way?

I just never would have predicted this: Neil Patrick Harris, in character as the womanizing Barney on CBS's "How I Met Your Mother," ends up in bed with Britney Spears! Well, Britney's character at least.

I'm all for it. I like that we are able to see for ourselves that Britney seems to be back from the abyss and I'd much rather see her play a crazy chick on TV than be one in real life.

And finally, it's always a treat to have NPH without a shirt on!

Here's a scene from last night's show>

So, I wrote a real tear-jerker of a letter to the folks at "Extreme Makeover" and I won a re-designed blog! But I didn't get sent to Disney World or someplace cool like that while the rehab took place. In fact, it happened Monday afternoon and thanks to Steve Rosenberg of the DailyNews.com team for re-formatting everything with so much care. You'll find a search box that works now, the most recent comments up in the left column, some ads (we gotta pay the bills!) and now I have more room for my posts with photos the size of billboards! OK, well, maybe not that big.

For my part, I spent several hours on Monday updating the archives and creating some new categories. When we started having technical problems with the blogs last year that made the whole process terminally slow, I stopped putting things in categories because it took forever. But now things are much speedier and the archives are up-to-date from March on and I plan to finish the rest of the months by week's end.

Then it's back to what I love best: creating content for this blog for all of you to enjoy!

The trailers for "Mamma Mia" have me so excited to see Meryl Streep headline a full-fledged musical for the first time. But this will not mark the first time Meryl has sung on the big screen. A few years back, she did several tunes in "A Prairie Home Companion" but my favorites are from the 1990 gem "Postcards from the Edge." Meryl does a sweet version of Ray Charles' "You Don't Know Me" early on (posted below) then ends the movie with this soaring performance of "I'm Checkin' Out" (above).

Enjoy!

...Beatrice Arthur, who turns 86 today!

All that cheesecake she ate with Rue McClanahan, Betty White and Estelle Getty on "The Golden Girls" must have really helped because the Tony winner ("Mame) and two-time Emmy winner ("Maude" and "Golden Girls") is still going strong. She sure has superb comedy timing and, she can also carry a tune!

The last time I went to Disneyland with my niece and nephew, by nephew got really scared of a cast member dressed up as The Mad Hatter. He dug Mickey, Minnie, Pluto but the man with the big nose and the big hat? Scary.

I have no doubt my nephew, who's now six, would have been just as scared had he been at the London premiere of "Sex and the City" where Sarah Jessica Parker decided to wear a potted plant on her pretty head.

Is she getting fashion tips from Hedda Hopper?

At first glance, this may look like some gratuitous beefcake shot designed to drive up this site's hits. Nothing could be further from the truth! I post this beautiful picture of actor Sean Faris because it is part of The Everyman Campaign run by The Institute of Cancer Research to raise awareness of, and funds for research into, male cancer.

I interviewed Sean, the star of the recent film "Never Back Down," a few months back. He was fully-clothed then! Here is a LINK.

Britney Spears makes her second appearance on "How I Met Your Mother" tonight and The Hollywood Reporter says in today's edition that she might be back for a third guest spot!

Britney's character of Abby, a receptionist obsessed with an uninterested Ted, has rebounded into the arms of Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) Here is a scene:

This seems like a win-win situation for Britney and for the show which now seems certain of a fourth season. Ratings have been way up since her first appearance and she has shown that despite the very public troubles she has had in recent years, she clearly seems to be on the road back.

The show's co-creator Craig Thomas told The Reporter that Monday's episode was written to leave the door open for the pop singer to make a return appearance next season: "She was better than the first time and I think the fans will enjoy it because her return answers a larger mystery set up earlier in the series. So there's a good plot reason why she's there. And when people watch Britney's second appearance on the show they'll see that the door is still open for her to come back."

"Brothers & Sisters" may have ended its second season on Sunday night but it left viewers with enough cliffhangers to mull over all summer long. One of the most intriguing involves the potential romance of Justin (Dave Annable) and Rebecca (Emily VanCamp), who he thought was his half-sister.

I gotta wonder if the writers of the show decided to make Rebecca not blood-related to the Walker clan after noticing the obvious on-screen chemistry between the two enormously attractive co-stars. They met in the middle of the show's first season when Rebecca was revealed to be the love child of the late family partriarch.

"We were both certainly aware that there was (chemistry)," Emily told me recently. "Because we were two people who had just met as well, just like these characters. It's not far-fetched that this might happen."

The two temporary siblngs had bonded from the start and you have to wonder if the writers changed the direction of Rebecca's storyline to allow for a romance.

"It's not incestious, we do find out she wasn't a Walker," Dave said, a bit defensively. "But just because she's not doesn't mean they're going to be romantically involved. Our show revolves around the family dealing with these bigger issues and obviously this is a big issue. Whichever way it goes, I think it's gonna be a lot of drama to be had."

I suggest to Emily that one way for Rebecca to become a Walker again is to marry Justin. She's already thought of that: "I know, I hope so! I want to be a Walker again so they better marry us, I'm telling you."

Dave's character could use a happy ending. He has been through drug problems, being seruously wounded in the Iraq War then getting hooked on prescription drugs while recovering from his leg injury. But in the season's later episodes, Justin is surfing again and showing far more flashes of his trademark humor.

"I was given some well-written stuff and I did the best I could and I hope that in the future there's more good stuff," Dave said. "But yeah, it's sort of nice to (have Justin) having some fun and hanging out and get a crush on your half sister."

The actor's character still lives at home with his mom, Nora (Sally Field): "Eventually I'd like Justin to get a job and move out of Nora's house but you know what, I get to work with Sally Field more so you can't really complain about that. It kinda of rocks, I gotta be honest. It's kind of amazing as an actor to look across at Sally every day. I wouldn't change anything, it's fantastic."

Patrick Dempsey, whose big-screen comedy "Made of Honor" finished in fourth place this weekend, seems to be everywhere these days...and I love it! Is there a man more perfectly suited for the cover of Men's Vogue than "Grey's Anatomy's" Dr. McDreamy?

While "Enchanted" made Patrick a movie star again, just for kicks you should rent "Loverboy" and see how adorable and funny he was as a young star in the late-80s. Kate Jackson of "Charlie's Angels" played his mother! Here's the trailer:

Talk about uncomfortable interviews. My "chat" with Ron Rifkin at the GLAAD Awards last month was a prickly affair for some reason. I could not engage the man who plays uncle Saul on "Brothers & Sisters" during our brief chat but will share with you what was said. I wouldn't bother with it at all but the character came out to the entire Walker clan last night after Scotty and Kevin's wedding leading Justin (Dave Annable) to say: "This is the gayest week of my life!"

Here is our very strange chat:

Q.Good to see you, I;'ve seen you a few times now.
A. Yes.
Q. I've seen some photos of the commitment ceremony between Scotty and Kevin. People are really touched that that's gonna happen. Since we're at the GLAAD Awards here, what are your thoughts about it?
A. Well, yes. How can we not be moved by it? It's time.
Q. And what about your character...
A. What about my character?
Q. What's happening with him?
A. Well, I think he comes out.
Q. Is he gonna come out?
A. Yes, I think he does.
Q. This is a man of a different generation. How do you feel it's been portrayed?
A. "I think it's wonderful that on network television, we have a man of a certain age who's conflicted about his sexuality, who comes from a generation that hid things like that. And we're able to watch television at 10 o'clock on Sunday night in our houses and see this guy struggle with this and hopefully come out on the right end."
Q. How is it for you as an actor? Are you enjoying it creatively?
A. I'm thrilled to be here.
Q. And how about being at the GLAAD Awards?
A. How great is that? Yeah, we're thrilled to be here.

Gee, coulda fooled me.

The images of Kevin and Scotty on "Brothers & Sisters" exchanging vows on "Brothers & Sisters" Sunday were powerful ones. Two young men, in love, being united on prime time television and becoming a family. I loved it.

But there was so much more that went on that had me feeling all kinds of emotions.

In the first alone scene between Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) and Kevin's mom Nora (Sally Field), he thanks her for helping with the ceremony and she said: "I should be thanking you for making Kevin so happy - and, I get another son."

Contrasting Nora are Scotty's parents who decline to attend. He tells Kevin (Matthew Rhys): "I'm tired of banging my head against that particular wall - there's nothing I can do about it." Kevin and his brothers road trip it to Arizona in a last ditch effort to get the parents to reconsider. The mom says she loves Scotty but "don't expect us to sit there and rub our noses in this present wedding."

Scotty's dad won't dare go against his wife but as Kevin leaves, he does something that showed exactly where his heart is: he handed Kevin a box with a pair of cuff links inside. He wore them when he got married and promised Scotty he could wear them on his wedding day. It's a beautiful moment when Kevin hands Scotty the box which we learn he had made for his dad in 7th grade shop class.

Kevin had wanted a no-frills ceremony but Nora went ahead and gussied things up anyway and there were flowers EVERYWHERE. When Kevin protests, his mother tells him: "You and Scotty deserve this night to be as romantic and memorable as anyone else's." Kevin softens and hugs his mom.

Here are some scenes from the show. The ceremony is in the second clip...

Tonight's the night! ABC, 10 p.m., Kevin and Scotty commit to each other before their families (except Scotty's parents) and friends. To get you up to speed on this great TV romance, here are some of my favorite scenes between two of my favorite TV characters - ever:

The early days (Scotty was far more flamboyant then, and just as cute!)

Making up and making out in the kitchen...

Post lobster dinner kiss...

Making up...and making out in the car...

and finally...the proposal...

Mark my words: Novak Djokovic is going to be the number one tennis player in the world by the end of the year. He won the Rome Masters tournament on Sunday, his third victory of the year. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the two players ranked above him, have suffered some uncharacteristic losses and their nearly four-year grip on the top two spots appears to be slipping.

After his win, he cknowledged he is a contender to become No. 1: "I hope so. But I don't want to think about No. 1 yet. I know a lot of people will start talking now about me being one of the best players. Let's see. I'm taking it as it comes."

I have not seen this yet but wanted to give the David Decoteau film, "House of Usher" a shout out because here! TV finally sent me some images from the film which premiered on the .premium gay television network Friday as well as in theaters.

The movie is loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe classic short story, The Fall of the House of Usher. Here's a synopsis: Victor Reynolds (Michael Cardelle) receives a desperate letter from his childhood friend and first love, Roderick Usher (Frank Mentier). Roderick, a notorious recluse, has not left the grounds of his hilltop mansion in many years. He is in bad health and he needs Victor's love and care to survive. However, after a series of bizarre and spooky events, Victor realizes that both his friend and the house have a dark past that no one has lived to uncover.

And if that doesn't get your attention, the photo below will!