Everything's Coming Up Kurt

Things are still busy and I'm trying to make time to catch up with most of my shows (I haven't been able to get to last week's LuRe episodes of As the World Turns just yet, for instance), but there is one series that I never fail to watch the night it airs. It should surprise no one that the show I'm talking about is Glee.

I really have to say that Mike O'Malley and Chris Colfer knocked it out of the park yet again in their final scene together on tonight's show. I can never get through one of their father/son moments without tears in my eyes! Don't bother voting, just send the Emmys to them now.

Kurt's insecurity over losing his dad because of his sexuality was very genuine, and I thought the show found the perfect balance between the humor of Kurt attempting to 'straighten up' and the very real emotions that were behind him feeling the need to do so. That's where Chris Colfer really shines, I think. I love his voice and he's incredibly funny, but he really kills me in the emotional scenes.

And how amazing was his rendition of 'Rose's Turn'?! One of my favorite Glee performances to date, I have to say. His butch attempt at doing Mellencamp's 'Pink Houses' in a deeper than normal voice wasn't bad at all, but it just wasn't Kurt. The minute the music for 'Rose's Turn' started, though, I gasped and clapped my hands in anticipatory glee (do you think moments like this could have something to do with why I'm still single?!).

I'm glad that Santana got to sing again in the episode, I really like her voice. I also really enjoyed there being more Puck tonight, too. Mark Salling pretty much rocks my world. The man just personifies hotness.

I did miss seeing Jonathan Groff's adorable mug as Jesse, though! (And by the way, how blind was I that I didn't see Finn's rendition of 'Jesse's Girl' coming from a mile away?)

Speaking of Jonathan, both Cheyenne Jackson and Michael Urie have joined Kristin Chenoweth in responding to Ramin Setoodeh's ridiculously homophobic Newsweek piece on gay actors being unable to successfully portray straight characters.

Michael Urie:

Look, I'm not from f*cking Vienna [He's playing a Viennese character currently on stage]. We're all actors, and the audiences get it. When I saw Sean Hayes in Promises, Promises, it was a full house and everyone was completely in love with him. And I saw it at a Wednesday matinee full of tourists. They've all seen Sean in Will & Grace, and they loved him and believed in his relationship with Kristin. It worked.

And to attack, to quote Ugly Betty, someone [like Groff] recently 'hatched from the gay egg' is unconscionable and he should strung be [up]. [Groff] made everyone want him in Spring Awakening. And Cheyenne was f*cking Elvis in All Shook Up. He was sexy and hot. He's always playing straight. And people buy tickets to see him. No straight critics accuse Sean Penn of not being able to play Harvey Milk or [criticize] Tom Hanks in Philadelphia.

Cheyenne responded with this:

''That's because when straight actors play gay, they're so 'brave.' Why is it so f*cking 'brave'? It's a part and he's a good actor. I hope we can get to the day where the best actor gets the part. End of story.''

I love that both guys are so quick to come to Jonathan Groff's defense in particular, since he is newly out and Setoodah seemed to take a special delight in ripping apart his ability to portray a straight character post-coming out (though apparently he was just fine at playing one successfully in Spring Awakening before he came out, which as Chenoweth pointed out is a pretty contradictory statement).

I think it's interesting that no one has really pointed out that if anything, it's the writing for Jesse that is making the character come across as something other than the stereotypical straight character. Jesse loves Sondheim, he refers to himself as a drama queen, he's in show choir and ballet, and he praises Olivia Newton John's 'Physical' for its groundbreaking depiction of sexual fluidity. None of that is about Jonathan Groff's personal life, that's the writer's take on the character!

Did it ever occur to Setoodah that the way Jonathan is playing the part likely has nothing to do with his own sexuality and everything to do with how he's being directed? I honestly think it would be surprising if the character of Jesse wasn't bisexual and I suspect Groff has been asked to portray him with that in mind.

What Setoodah is really saying is that no one would buy Groff as being attracted to women, and that's just ridiculous since there's plenty of chemistry between him and Lea Michele.

Anyway, next week is another Glee episode I've been waiting for with great anticipation. Three words: Neil. Patrick. Harris. Yes!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to watch Kurt's version of 'Rose's Turn' at least once more before bed.

It'sThat Time of Year Again

It's time again to vote for the AfterElton Hot 100! I can't believe a whole year has gone by already. I submitted my choices the other day, and this year some very hot celebrities (including more than one of my own nominees!) are sharing their picks with us.

Nicholas Rodriguez, the openly gay cutie who played Kyle's pre-Fish boyfriend Nick Chavez on One Life to Live last year and starred in the Washington D.C. production of Light in the Piazza last month, weighed in with his choices. Nicholas has pretty good taste in guys, I have to say, with the likes of Cheyenne Jackson, Hugh Dancy, and Jake Gyllenhaal on his list. I still don't get the Taylor Lautner thing, though! Even with an incredible body he doesn't do anything for me.

Today, Scott Evans (a.k.a. number one on my own Hot 100 list) shared his picks and as if it wasn't already enough that he's the hottest guy around, he won me over even further by leading off with the incredibly sexy Zachary Quinto. Just the thought of Scott and Zachary in the same room together is enough to make my pulse race!

Among others, such as out Olympic cutie Matthew Mitcham, Scott also chose Lee Pace and noted that he still can't believe Pushing Daises is gone! Wow, so Scott is beautiful, he has great taste in men, and now in TV shows! Where do I find a guy like that for myself?

Speaking of Lee Pace (whom I'd love to see on my TV screen again!), he made hottie Cheyenne Jackson's list as well. Cheyenne wrote that he'd met Lee at Promises, Promises, the new Broadway show that Lee's former Pushing Daisies co-star, Kristin Chenoweth is doing.

I love that Lee went to see Kristin in the show! Hey, is it too soon to start begging for a Pushing Daisies reunion movie?

John Amaechi, the out former NBA player, shared his top guys as well, and I really liked most of his choices. He, too, picked Zachary Quinto, and he threw in Neil Patrick Harris, John Barrowman, and two guys I wish I'd thought of when I was doing my own list: the smoldering Gael Garcia Bernal and Russell Tovey, the adorably sexy (and out!) British actor.

The list I found to have the most in common with mine, though, was that of Brad 'Cheeks' Bell. Cheeks is an Internet celeb who is also Adam Lambert's ex, and he chose Scott Evans, Brett Claywell, Michael Urie, Jamie Bamber, and Matthew Mitcham, among others. He also put Chris Colfer on his list, which I think is awesome! Chris isn't really my type, and yet I think when I'm watching him as Kurt I am sort of half in love with how funny and talented he is.

For the second year in a row, they're also taking nominations for the Hottest Out Gay/Bi Men poll, the Hottest Men of Color poll, and the Hottest Men over 50.

I can't wait to see the full lists! Go vote today (if you're a gay or bisexual man) and in the meantime, you can check out the first three years of the Hot 100 while you wait.

NYC Longing

There have been countless times when I've found myself wishing that I lived in or near New York City. There is just so much I'd love to see and do there- theater, music, museums, life!- and I've always told myself that one of these days I'd move there. My entire life (family, friends, etc) is based on the West Coast, though, so at this point I think I'll have to settle for being a tourist, if I can ever manage to actually save some money for a trip in this economy.

I wish I could be there a few days from now, though. Next Sunday night Michael Urie and Becki Newton (who of course play Marc and Amanda on Ugly Betty) will be doing a show together at Feinsteins at Loew's Regency called Becki and Michael IS Broadway.

The two of them are so hilarious together, I know it's going to be a fun night for those who are able to attend. I love the video from their appearance at last year's Broadway Backwards, where they performed 'Getting Married Today' from Company. There is also an amateur video on YouTube that I've watched at least three times of their very funny TV theme song performance from a 2008 show called Broadway Loves the 80's.

Which all adds up to me being a huge fan of these two and wishing I could be at this Sunday's show! Michael gave an interview to Theatre Mania which was mostly about his show The Temperamentals (which also sounds fantastic and like something I'd want to see!) and mentioned the show:

'TM: You're also doing this show at Feinstein's with your good friend and co-star Becki Newton, who plays Amanda on Ugly Betty. Can you tell us more about that?

MU: It's called Becki and Michael IS Broadway, and it's going to be hilarious. Early in the first season of Ugly Betty, Becki and I were asked to sing a song at a benefit and so dressed up like Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond and we sang "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." And we loved it so much, that we became addicted to it, and since then, we've done so many appearances together that we finally decided, let's just do our own show. It's sort of a like a cabaret show that you might see at Feinstein's, but it's also off-the-wall funny. I don't want to give it away, but there are versions of songs from shows like Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line and Gypsy that you haven't heard before. We're shamelessly attacking everything and anything musical theater. Hopefully, it will move to Broadway. Actually, I think it would be fun to do Becki and Michael IS Broadway Off-Broadway.'

Maybe it will become a regular show and I'll be able to see it when I finally get to NYC! I was hoping I could manage a trip this spring or summer to see Kristin Chenoweth in Promises, Promises, but now I'm hoping that the show will have a good long run so I have the chance to see Kristin in it later on.

As if Becki and Michael IS Broadway weren't tempting enough, the very next day is the latest edition of Broadway Backwards, the annual show benefitting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This is the show where the male performers sing the female parts, and vice versa. It always looks like such a fun time!

Well, maybe next year, though I seem to say that each year! Thank God for the bits and pieces that show up on YouTube!

Special Guest Star

There was a rumor flying around the Internet that Adam Lambert was going to be guest starring on Glee as a mentor character for Kurt. Lambert and Glee being two of my favorite things in the world, that would pretty much have made my day.

Adam himself dispelled the rumor on Twitter, though, and went on to say that he'd love to guest star on True Blood (which I haven't yet seen, though co-workers assure me that I must!), Weeds (never seen it), or Gossip Girl (of which I'm not a fan, unless Ed Westwick is kissing another guy).

These tweets lead to Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly coming up with his own dream guest starring role for Adam on Ugly Betty:

I’d cast Adam as a Trevor de l’Abdul, contestant on a Project Runway-esque show for aspiring fashion designers — where Vanessa L. Williams’ formidable editrix Wilhelmina Slater just so happens to be a judge/mentor. Things get complicated when Trevor hooks up with Willie’s gay-in-waiting Marc (Michael Urie) during a Mode-sponsored cocktail party for the contestants. The morning after, Marc can’t figure out if Trevor is just using him to court favor with Willie, while Willie herself gets fearful that if the Marc-Trevor dalliance goes public (thanks to that relentless dish-hound Suzuki St. Pierre!), she could get painted as a less-than-impartial judge. And it’s up to Betty to investigate whether the dashing young designer truly has the hots for her frenemy, or if he’s simply using every angle possible to take home first prize.

I have to say, I can't quite picture Adam on Glee, as much as I'd love to see him there, but Slezak's idea sounds really good to me! The de l’Abdul really made me laugh, and I could easily see this as an actual story on the show. I think Adam would be great in the role, camping it up and being fierce, and how cool would it be to see him working with Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie?

Michael has already tweeted that he'd be on board with the story, so all we need now is Adam. And, you know, the producers and writers of the show.

Ugly Betty is a show that I loved in its first season but have inexplicably only watched sporadically since. I never really made a decision to stop following the series, I just somehow lost track of it along the way. I have always meant to catch up with it on DVD and I'm sure I will at some point.

Slezak challenged the Adam fans to come up with their own dream guest roles for Lambert and I've been trying to imagine him on the various shows that I watch: a glampire on Supernatural, maybe, or a spoiled rock star who is a new client for Ella and Amanda's firm on Melrose Place. I even tried to fit him into How I Met Your Mother as a date of Robin's who turns out to be bisexual and interested in her ex/roommate Ted.

Nothing seemed as good as Slezak's idea, though. Unless, of course, Adam wants to commit to a recurring role on One Life to Live, where he can play Nick's new love interest, a singer that Rex has hired to perform at Ultra Violet on the occasional night when major recording artists aren't stopping by.

Or maybe things could get really interesting when a jilted Rex, dumped by Gigi and with no interest in Stacy, decides to explore his bisexual side, creating a steamy love triangle when Gigi decides she wants Rex back.

Now I'm suddenly picturing a Dynasty-esque catfight between Adam and Gigi in a lily pond on the Buchanan estate! How hot would that be?!

WTC View

If you're in NYC next Sunday, you may want to check out the reading of the play WTC View at Player's Theatre in Greenwich Village.

Michael Urie, who plays Marc on Ugly Betty and who originated the lead role in the play back in 2003 and starred in the film version a few years after that, will be reprising his character. Jason Tam, who plays Markko on One Life to Live and who completely blew me away with his audition for the role of Paul in the revival of A Chorus Line and who went on to win that role, will also be in the cast.

I saw the film version on DVD a couple of years back and I thought that Urie was very good in it. It revolves around a traumatized New Yorker trying to find a new roommate in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

I'd love to see what Jason Tam could do in this play, even in a reading. It looks like they're planning to mount a new stage production in 2011 as well, so maybe this weekend he'll be reading a role that he could end up playing in a full production.