Tom Cruise taped an episode of "The View" today (airing Friday)and was asked by Barbara Walters about the death of Jett Travolta, the son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston. He also addresses some of the reports about Scientology etc. I feel so badly for the Travoltas. Can't imagine anything worse.

Today's episode was heavy on Luke and Noah as Casey and Allie scheme to get them back together by luring them to the hospital then locking them onto the roof! Egads. The boys rehash New Year's Eve and Luke kissing Brian. Says Luke: "I knew he wanted me. I wasn't so sure with you."

And back and forth etc.

Really, does Noah expect LKuke not to look for sexy lips elsewhere when he won't put out? C'mon! I'm not even convinced Noah is even gay. A guy his age should be lookig for action everywhere and anywhere if I recall correctly.

Anyway, Lucinda remains absolutely livid with her grandson and with Brian and Elizabeth Hubbard's performance remains Emmy-worthy. My only quibble is there was no Brian (Laurence Lau) in this episode. Please tell me we have not seen the last of him!

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today identified the worst anti-gay and anti-transgender voices of 2008. Most of the names are not a surprise but I'm in favor of this kind of a list and putting a spotlight on it. People should certainly be held accountable for their hurtful and sometimes hateful words. As I read abvout these people, I feel absolute disgust.
Said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano: (pictured, right). "Unfortunately, anti-gay activists and media pundits continued to make outrageous claims about our community, and many media outlets persisted in using problematic and defamatory language that affects the way that people view the LGBT community. That's why now, more than ever, we need to capitalize on our community's momentum, make our voices heard and work towards more fair, accurate and inclusive representations of our lives."

Hee are the worst anti-LGBT voices in 2008 and examples of their defamation: (GLAAD does not list them in any particular order but I have put them in my own order):

Jim Quinn (Host, The War Room With Quinn & Rose, Clear Channel)
During the November 6 broadcast of the nationally syndicated radio program "The War Room" with Quinn & Rose, co-host Jim Quinn made highly offensive and ignorant statements including "[G]ay marriage doesn't produce anything that the state has an interest in. Gay sex produces AIDS, which the state doesn't have - or should have an interest in. They should charge homosexuals more for their health insurance than they charge the rest of us." Despite numerous complaints from GLAAD's Call to Action, Clear Channel refused to issue an apology and has not disciplined Quinn for his disgusting and unacceptable remarks.

Pastor Rick Warren
Warren has a history of using the media as a platform to spread divisive anti-gay rhetoric. He spread inaccuracies about Proposition 8, saying that it would "prevent him from getting up on the pulpit and speaking out against same-sex marriage." He also participated in a video interview with The Wall Street Journal on December 18 where he said that marriage for gay and lesbian couples was the equivalent of "having a brother and sister be together," "an older guy marrying a child" and "one guy having multiple wives." After President-elect Obama chose Warren to lead the invocation at the Presidential inauguration, GLAAD distributed instances of Warren's anti-gay defamation on glaadBLOG as a resource for journalists and bloggers.

James Dobson (Founder, Focus on the Family)
The founder of anti-gay organization Focus on the Family appeared on an episode of CNN Headline News and made false claims about Proposition 8, including that if the proposition failed, there would be a "spate of lawsuit against churches" and "all textbooks would have to be republished" and "everything in schools will change." Still, The Museum of Broadcast Communications chose to honor Dobson by inducting Focus on the Family into the Radio Hall of Fame. GLAAD produced a viral video to raise awareness of Dobson's attacks on the LGBT community and released a Call to Action against the Museum for honoring Dobson's lies and distortions aimed to hurt and marginalize LGBT people.

Laura Ingraham (Host, The Laura Ingraham Show)
Transgender people were repeatedly used as punching bags by Fox News Channel and guest Laura Ingraham, even as violence and harassment against transgender people continued with disturbing frequency throughout 2008. While guest hosting Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor on February 8, Ingraham interrupted a guest by saying that a transgender conference was "killing the culture." Earlier this year on The O'Reilly Factor, she questioned how parents of a transgender youth "aren't embarrassed" by their child, and most recently, on December 11, she alluded that being gay is a "bad choice" when discussing a Newsweek feature on marriage for same-sex couples.

Greg Gutfeld (Host, Red Eye, FOX News Channel)
FOX News Channel's late-night show Red Eye continued to feature sophomoric jabs at LGBT people, according to GLAAD. On May 20, host Greg Gutfeld and his guests grossly misrepresented serious medical concerns faced by transgender youth and laughed as one of his guests referred to transition as "turning a hole into a pole." Gutfeld also criticized Ellen DeGeneres for announcing her upcoming wedding saying she should "shut the hell up about it."

Bill O'Reilly (Host, The O'Reilly Factor, FOX News Channel)
He led a one-sided and inaccurate discussion of marriage equality on May 15 with Fox News Channel's Megyn Kelly, who compared marriage for same-sex couples with polygamy and incest. Earlier this year, O'Reilly said Americans don't want to see "homosexual behavior legitimized" in reference to Whoopi Goldberg briefly kissing Katy Perry on The View on July 31. He also criticized Heinz for a TV commercial that included a kiss between two men on June 20. Then last month, he referred to the staff of the Los Angeles Times as "pinheads" for endorsing the Day Without a Gay protest against Proposition 8.

California's Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign
GLAAD states that the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign filled the airwaves with deliberately misleading commercials about Prop. 8 that relied on scare tactics and inflammatory lies. Among them: the defeat of Proposition 8 would mean changes in schools and churches.
Representative Sally Kern (R-OK)
Kern made headlines in March after telling a group of supporters that "the homosexual agenda is destroying our nation" in a gathering of Republicans outside the Capitol. She went on to say that the gay community is "the death knell in this country" and "the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism."

John Gibson (Host, The John Gibson Show, FOX News Radio)
He was responsible for making made several tasteless, juvenile anti-gay jokes on his program. GLAAD first issued a Call to Action after he mocked the passing of actor Heath Ledger by making anti-gay jokes about his role in "Brokeback Mountain" on Fox News Radio's "The John Gibson Show." As a result of the response by GLAAD's members, Gibson apologized for these remarks, but continued using anti-gay jokes on May 2. During a clip of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, who is openly gay, Gibson cut to an audio clip of someone saying, "Oh, lesbians! Yummy!"

New York Post
The paper continued its long history of sensationalistic treatment of LGBT people and issues with two highly problematic headlines. On January 25, the tabloid printed the headline "Evil Lesbian Mom Left Toddler to Die Slow Death: DA," despite the fact that such a gratuitous description would not have been used were the subject straight. On February 7, the paper dehumanized the transgender community by publishing the egregious headline "Axis of She-Vil" and sub-headline, "Death to Gays But Free Ops For Irani Trannies."

Sean Delonas (Cartoonist, New York Post)Delonas, who has been the subject of three GLAAD Calls to Action, continued juvenile treatments of LGBT issues in an editorial cartoon that ran after openly gay actor George Takei announced his upcoming marriage to his partner in California. Delonas drew crew members from Star Trek, which Takei appeared on as Sulu, looking on in disbelief as Takei exchanged nuptials with a man. One character was drawn saying "Totally Illogical, Captain." GLAAD placed a Call to Action to demand that the New York Post stop printing such immature items on their editorial pages.

Here is a LINK to GLAAD's report.

I know there are tons of awards being announced these days but trust me, this is a biggie: Gus Van Sant is among the five nominees for the 2009 Directors Guild of America Award - often a precursor to the Oscar for the winner.

Van Sant's competition: Christopher Nolan for "The Dark Knight," Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire," David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon."

There does not seem to be a clear front-runner yet. All the films are excellent.

The DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally been one of the industry's most accurate barometers for who will win the Best Director Academy Award; only six times since the DGA Awards began in 1948 has the Feature Film winner not gone on to win the corresponding Academy Award:

Hollywood really is big enough for two actresses named Vanessa Williams.

There is the Vanessa who stars in "Ugly Betty" and the Vanessa who was just nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her performance opposite Heather Locklear in the Lifetime movie "Flirting With Forty."

"I've been dealing with this for 20 years and even before that, I went to elementary school with a girl named Vanesaa Williams," said the upbeat actress who is best known for her roles on Showtime's old "Soul Food" series and as a regular during the first season of "Melrose Place."

"Sometimes it stings a little bit when some designer calls and they say, 'We meant the other one!'" she said. "There's enough room and opportunity for both of us. We have so much in common and she's got nothing against me and I have nothing against her."

Amazingly, the two Vanessas have never met face-to-face. But they may get the chance at the Feb. 12 Image Awards ceremony since the other Williams, the one who was once Miss America, is nominated for her role in Betty.

"Flirting" was compared to "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" since Locklear's character mirrored that of Angela Bassett's in that movie. Both were unhappily single and went on vacation and fell in love with a much-younger man.

Whoopi Goldberg played Bassett's best friend in "Stella" and Williams was Locklear's BFF in the movie.

"It was so 'Stella!'" said Williams who got along swimmingly with Locklear and had no inkling that the actress was struggling with personal problems. Shortly after the shoot, Locklear checked into a clinic to deal with depression and later was arrested on a DUI charge that was recently dropped.

"Heather is a wonderful person and colleague and a consumate professional," she said. "I was so surprised to hear what happened to her after the movie. She was never late, we spent time in her trailer catching up on life and it was such a shock that she got ill."

Williams recently had a recurring role on NBC's "Knight Rider" and has a role in the upcoming Eddie Murphy comedy "Imagine That."

"I really feel that I've grown and am literally on top of my game," she said. "I'm very very optimistic and poised for more and more opportunities."

I had promised four parts of my series on publicist Howard Bragman and his terrific new book "Where's My Fifteen Minutes?" but wasn't quite ready until today!

Howard is an openly gay man. How open? Let him tell you: "I'm so far out of the closet, the only thing I have left to confess is that I'm lactose intolerant."

Being gay himself has given him a special insight and he also brings relationships with the GLBT community.

"I grew up fat, Jewish and gay in Flint, Michigan. I'm an empathetic character. I empathize with the underdog. I understand. My biggest fault is my heart gets tied in with my clients too much."

Bragman and I discussed why it can be so important for people who are gay to come out: "Coming out of the closet is a metaphor for living an honest life or dealing with your secrets before your secrets deal with you. We live in a very transparent society and we live in a society where the truth will seek its own level. In this world of camera phones and blogs and Googles and people at hospitals trading information to the tabloids and waiters and valet parkers sharing information. The truth is going to get out there. It's better to get out your truth on your terms than wait to be surprised by The National Enquirer. In almost every case of people who have come out, they've been happier after, their careers have blossomed after. Some of these people weren't going to get magazine covers but all of a sudden, they get magazine covers. They get national attention, they get on People magazine, they get on 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'Extra.' It really changes the dynamic and calls attention to them. I'm not suggesting it as a career move, I am suggesting it for your life."

Howard and I also talked about the good old days including when worked with Frank Sinatra in 1987 when he, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. were set to do a Rat Pack reunion tour. But after a few concerts, Bragman explained, "Frank and Dean got in a little fight and Liza (Minnelli) replaced (Martin)."

But he'll never forget a moment that happened at Chasen's, the now closed legendary eatery and he was assigned to look after Sinatra, Martin and Davis at a press conference announcing the tour.

"There was all kinds of security and rope lines and paparazzi out there clamouring for this picture and Sammy Davis Jr. says: "Let's put our arms around each other and give them a smile for old times sake. And Frank says, 'I'd like to break their (f-word) necks.' Then during the press conference, I'll never forget, one of the journalists said: "You know Mr. Sinatra, you guys aren't kids anymore. What makes you think you guys are going to sell out these big arenas." He said: "I'll be there. The fans will be there." And he was right. They sold out all over the country."

"I'm really lucky because when I first came to LA, I got to work with Ginger Rogers and Jimmy Stewart and did events with Bob Hope. I met the old guard before they passed away. Those were huge stars to me. I really feel lucky that I have that historical context to put things in."

Read the other parts of the Bragman series:
-- Publicist Howard Bragman dishes in new book "Where's My Fifteen Minutes?"
-- Howard Bragman's connection to "Bewitched" stars Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick Sargent
-- Bragman on Isaiah Washington during his embattled days "Grey's Anatomy"
--

Kathy Griffin is basking in the glow of her New Year's Eve potty mouth during a visit to Jimmy Kimmel who told her that her off-color remark while co-hosting CNN's coverage with Anderson Cooper was "depending on your time zone either the last greatest TV moment of 2008 or the first great TV moment of 2009."

Kathy is gleeful about all the Internet buzz created by the incident and says Anderson texted her the next day: "There are tanks lining up for a ground invasion in Gaza and you're the top story on Drudge Report. Wow."

Some other choice bits from the clips:

Kimmel to Kathy: "Dick Clark has hosted New Year's Eve for 40 years and he's never said that word and his name is Dick!"

Kathy eplaining herself: "I was just trying to do anything I could to make (Anderson) laugh. I thought my microphone was off (yeah, sujre). I thought it would be funny to try and shock Anderson Cooper."

Her 88-year-old mother's post-NYE rant: "How could you do that to my Anderson? He's a Vanderbilt for God's sake...You've shamed the family again!" Says Kathy: "My mom was inconsolable. It took TWO boxes of wine to get her off that ledge."

Since I'm interviewing Neil Sedeka this afternoon, did some research on Youtube of his old hits. The best-known, obviously is this one: "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." Here he is singing it on a TV show in 1966.

I'm embarrassed that I'm so excited about this. But I am!

Woody Allen? What has he ever done?

The Writers Guild of America original screenplay prize should go to Dustin Lance Black for "Milk." Both men were among the nominees announced today for the prestigious prize. Also nominated are Tom McCarthy for "The Visitor" and Robert Siegel for "The Wrestler."

In the best adapted screenplay, the nominees are Joel and Ethan Coen for "Burn After Reading" (They won last year for "No Country for Old Men"), "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," screenplay by Eric Roth, "The Dark Knight," screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, "Doubt," screenplay by John Patrick Shanley based on his play; "Frost/Nixon," screenplay by Peter Morgan based on his play; and "Slumdog Millionaire," screenplay by Simon Beaufoy.

There were 255 films eligible for nomination in the categories of original screenplay (155) and adapted screenplay (100). The awards will be presented Feb. 7 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.

It's so cool to have the wildly funny and talented Wanda Sykes out as lesbian. She came out during the campaign to defeat Prop. 8. On the CBS sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine," Wanda plays Barb, the best friend of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' title character. The two women got married earlier this season so Barb could share Christine's benefits.

Now that's friendship!

So where am I going to with this? This is all my lead-up to letting you know that Wanda was nominated for an NAACP Image Award today in the best supporting actress category. Her competition is Keshia Knight Pulliam ("Tyler Perry's House of Payne":), Tisha Campbell-Martin ("Rita Rocks"), Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty") and Wendy Raquel Robinson ("The Game").

Wanda has two previous Image Awards nominations for her performance on "Curb Your Enthusiasam."

Scanned the wires to find some coverage of the Palm Springs International Film Festival's Awards gala that took place last night. I had a spot reserved on the red carpet and a ticket for the dinner but other obligations intervened and I was unable to make the trip from LA to the desert. It was one of my favorite events last year and I stayed for several days.

Things did not work out this year but I do plan to return with a vengeance in 2010!!!

Anyway, it was a star-studded affair hosted by Mary Hart and among those in attendance were Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Stiller, Anne Hathaway, Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates and Donald Sutherland.

The press-shy Sean Penn recieved the Desert Palm Achievement Award and at this point would seem to be the front-runner for the Oscar for his performance in "Milk." That means plenty of awards ceremonies and red carpets for the star who is also up for the Golden Globe and SAG awards.

He was asked to sum up his red carpet experience on his way into the festival and said simply: "It's loud!"

He also said the festival and his award "Ireally just brings awareness to a film that everyone really worked hard on and everybody just loved working on ...Other than that, I think everyone is really just looking forward to having that first cocktail tonight."

The handsome and now bearded Josh Brolin was on hand to present the Sonny Bono Visionary Award to his "Milk" director Gus Van Sant. Since Brolin also starred as our current president in "W," "Hail to the Chief" was played as he took ther stage.

Anyway, in presenting the award to Van Sant, Brolin said of the director: "He seems to get inside behavior, and he's been a huge inspiration of mine. I've always wanted to work with him, but that seemed pretty grim after The Goonies."

Brolin may be plenty serious in many of his roles, but at award shows, he is a riot.

The cover story on Brad Pitt in the new W magainze is really good. Read the whole thing. Seems like a real happy guy, loves Angelina and the kids, sticks up for Jen and best of all, is still sticking up for the gays:

"People who are against gay marriage do not understand the very freedoms that they themselves are enjoying. What if someone said, 'Sorry, no Christianity here? No Judaism. Certainly no Mormons.' No one would stand for that, and I wouldn't allow anyone to say that either. I'd fight them in the same way."

Back to posting and all is right with the world. Spent the morning at the Beverly Hilton covering the announcement of the nominations for the 40th NAACP Image Awards.

I've written a piece for tomorrow's paper but for the blog, wanted to focus on the nominations for "Noah's Arc" Jumping the Broom." It was nominated for Outstanding Independent Motion POicture and will compete with "Ballast," "Rachel Getting Married" (huh?), "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Visitor."

Also, Patrik-Ian Polk, the movie's writer and director and creator of the "Noah's Arc" franchise, was nominated along with co-writer John R. Gordon for outstanding writing in a motion picture. They will compete with the writers of "Cadillac Records," "The Secret Lives of Bees," "Rachel Getting Married" and "A Raisen in the Sun."

And guess who I ran into at the nominations press conference:"Noah's Arc" cast member Jason Steed who plays pop star Baby Gat in the movie and the series who has the serious hots for Noah - even during his wedding weekend!

"I'm so excited," he said. "It's great. It's come a long way and now been nominated for best indie and now we just gotta win."

He's looking forward to the film's release on DVD next month: "The DVD is probably where it's going to be really exploding. It's the kind of movie that did really well through word of mouth so the fans are really supportive. If there had been more money behind it and more promotion (for the theatrical release) it would have done even better. It's a movie for everyone to see and should not have just been in selected cities. It should not have been put in a box."

What my friend Lorna (a huge Richard Gere fan) and me (majorly in love with Daniel Craig) wanna know is how could these two glorious men get together in St. Barts and not invite us? We gladly would have dropped everything and joined them!

Oh well. Maybe next year guys?

Call us.

Oh, this takes ya back. Lionel Richie before Nicole, Michael Jackson when he was still, well, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen at his hottest, Paul Simon with most of his hair, a pre-facelifted Kenny Rogers, and an oh-so-young Cyndi Lauper. This is the video for "We Are the World" with proceeds going to USA for Africa. Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Huey Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Bob Dylan, Dionne Warwick, Ray Charles Steve Perry, Darryl Hall and John Oates, James Ingram, Al Jareau, and Kim Carnes also participated. In fact, there were so many stars there to record the song that Bette Midler, in her post-"The Rose" career lull, was not even given a solo part. Imagine that, the Divine one relegated to background vocals with Latoya Jackson!

Jade and her big mouth. She and Lucinda get into an argument and she blurts out: "At least I don't have a gay husband!" Somehow, I just did not think this was how that was gonna play out. I predicted Lucinda's hubby Brian beginning a torrid affair with her grandson Luke and the carnage to just be catastrophic.

Lucinda (the great Elizabeth Hubbard) gave an Emmy-worthy performance today when confronting Brian (Laurence Lau): "I'm supposed to enter into this pact of denial? ... Our marriage is a lie! ...All the while I was dreaming about having sex with my husband, my new husband was dreaming about having sex with my grandson!"

Brian told Lucinda that he has had "these feelings all my life, it's part of who I am...I hope we can get past this."

Lucinda asks: 'Are ypou bisexual?"
Brian responds: "I don't like to use labels...I thought I had it under control, that I could deal with it."

Once Brian admits that yes, at the very moment, he is still attracted to Luke, Lucinda gives him his walking papers calmly saying: "Pack your stuiff. Get out. Go."

I love Lucinda's line whenb Lily says: "I know this is a shock."
Lucinda: "A shock? This is a catastrophe!"

Back to Luke (Van Hansis). Even though Lucinda has tossed Brian out, I don't for a minute believe it is the last we have seen of him. He and Luke had a close moment before Jade and her big mouth and when they shook hands, the sexual tension was palpable. Luke even defended Brian to Lily: "He's not a bad guy. He's a really good person except when it comes to sexuality. He's really messed up."

Hansis is a wonderful actor as is Lau and with the Luke and Noah storyline getting about as boring as watching paint dry, how exciting it would be to have Luke and Brian try and make a go of it. You'd have Noah's jealousy, mom and dad's disapproval; and best of all, Lucinda's fury.

Oh, the drama to come.

It's rare that I read an interview and it just pulls me right out of my bad mood. I've been a bitter pill here in the newsroom and after reading this refreshing interview with Chris Evans on Advocate.com by Brandon Voss, I just feel all peppy and ready to start singing. Okay, maybe I'll just hum.

But why? Why was it so good? Because Evans, the hunky star of the "Fantastic Four" movies who we really took notice of in "Cellular" and "Not Another Teen Movie" just comes off as a great guy! Just a very good attitude about life and, like most straight guys, his man crush is Brad Pitt.

Here are some excerpts:

On his gay fan base: "I was well aware of that. I remember my mother saying, "Chris, do you know you're #2 on some gay list [AfterElton.com's Hot 100]. Brad Pitt is #12!" I was like, "What?!" I couldn't believe it.

On playing a gay role: "I really wanted to be a part of Milk, but I lost out to James Franco. I guess if you've got to lose, he's the guy to lose to. I did a movie called Fierce People where I played a sociopath who wasn't gay, but he does rape a teenage boy. You come to find out he didn't do it for sexual reasons; he just did it because he could. He really was a sick character."

On no longer posing shirtless for photo shoots: "I couldn't care less, and I don't think it makes one lick of difference. But I hired my publicist for her professional opinion, and she seems to think it's a mistake.
I have no problem taking my shirt off for a role if the part calls for it, but my publicist says, "When you're promoting yourself, being you, there's a way to keep it as classy as possible. Greasing yourself up and stripping down may not be the best way to do it." To some degree, she may have a point. But at the end of the day, it didn't bother me then and it doesn't bother me now. Maybe I dropped to #8 [on the AfterElton.com list] because I haven't had enough shirtless photo shoots lately. I'm blaming my publicist. [Laughs]"

On his gay brother Scott: Yes, I do have a gay brother. I'm down with the gays. ... He came out to all of us very slowly. His first year at NYU, he came out to our mother and our sister, and then he came out to me a little later. I was driving him back to New York City for school. We spent the whole day together, got to the city, had some beers in my hotel room, got into a really great talk, and he came out. I was so glad that he did. That's got to be a difficult transition, but I come from the most liberal household you have ever heard of. And for some reason, gay men are just drawn to my mother. She's a cool chick. I think, like, six men have come out to her. I guess they just feel so comfortable with her, and before you know it, they're coming out of the closet. I think my mother was praying for us to be gay, so at least she got one of us."

On Prop. 8: "It's mindboggling and appalling that human beings are being denied civil rights in this country. But time will heal all. I have to believe that in 10 years we won't be having this conversation. We'll be having another one, because we'll always find someone to persecute.

I have certain rules about this blog and Lindsay Lohan: I try to ignore her. I think she's a talented girl but there's just too much drama in her life which is better covered on places like TMZ.com.

But Lindsay actually took to the web to deny rumors that she and girlfriend Samantha Ronson have broken up: Little piece of true information: we did not break up!," she posts on her blog. "access hollywood, extra, et, every tabloid, page six...AND every gossip website. Get your stories straight please. It's really annoying to have all of your friends emailing you saying, I saw, I read, etc....NOT TRUE."

I guess that settles that! how about going out and finding a good movie role now Lindsay? You really were so good in "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday."

Met Christopher Atkins at the Glendale Galleria Starbucks this morning to talk about then ("Blue Lagoon," "Dallas," "The Pirate Movie" "Night of Heaven") and now (MTV's "Confessions of a Teen Idol").

Chris, now 47 and the father of two college kids, has never stopped acting with more than 50 movie roles under his belt. I'll have a full column on Chris in a few days but wanted to share exclusively with Out In Hollywood readers what he had to say about his huge gay fan base.

Chris famously went full-frontal in "Blue Lagoon" when he wasn't wearing the famous loincloth that was pretty much his entire wardrobe in that classic film that cast him opposite Brooke Shields. Countless times over the years, he has been told by gay men who were teens at the time that the movie - and his nudity - helped them realize they were gay!

Here's a clip to help you remember:

The actor, who by the way is still real cute, estimates that "90 percent of my fan base is a gay fan base" which is fine with him.

"I'm actually very lucky in that respect because I am able to have that crossover so I have both straight and gay fans," he said. "The 80s was a big time for the gay movement and here came a movie where it was male nudity being prominant rather than female nudity and so [I] became sort of an iconic poster child at that time. To me, it was kind of flattering. America is the most prudish country on the face of the Earth. If that movie was made in France, it would be a G-rated movie."

Gay fans obviously know that Chris wore very little as a male stripper in the feature "Night of Heaven" opposite Lesley-Ann Warren and was often in a speedo during his season-long stint on "Dallas" as the much-younger lover of Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray). Atkins once got a memo asking him to stop stuffing his speedo. Obviously, whoever sent it had not see "Blue Lagoon." Here's a clip from "Dallas."

So, was it hard for Chris to shake off the pin-up image post-"Lagoon"?

"I had to show my ass in more movies than you can imagine," he said. "I kept saying there has to be a time when they say, 'Please keep your clothes on!' And I think I'm there (laughs).

Will have more from Christopher Atkins and his Sunday night reality show in a few days!

Josh Brolin gets friendly with his "Milk" co-star Sean Penn at the New York Film Critics Circle gala Monday night. "Milk" was named best picture.

If Brolin is kissing Penn on the cheek this early in the awards season, they might be full-on making out by the time the Academy Awards take place next month!