Trish Bendix's blog

This week, the ladies of Cherry Bomb welcome their friend and producer/director Mel Robertson to the couches to talk about the pitfalls and positives of dating someone who's still in the closet. Mel lets us in on the details for her upcoming film, Queens of the World, a coming of age, lesbian love story within the world of women’s professional soccer.

And the surprise question of the week: What if a straight girl has a crush on you? Do you try to bring her to the other side of the fence?

Watch previous episodes of Cherry Bomb and check out the official Cherry Bomb MySpace page. Keep up to date with the women of Cherry Bomb by subscribing to their monthly newsletter.

Law & Order is famous for ripping its storylines from headlines, so no celebrity is safe. The show is now casting for an episode based on the recent David Letterman scandal, in which he publicly announced that he had relationships with several women working on his show and was being blackmailed by one of the women's new boyfriend.

But this is the intriguing part: The show is going to make the TV host character female, so it'll be a lesbian-based plot. Also, the faux show will be more like The View than a late night talk program, which can only make things more interesting. Perhaps Whoopi Goldberg is available?

E! News reports that the female host (named Vanessa Carville) will be a "well-known celebrity talk-show host, married with children" that has had “a series of short-lived affairs with some of the employees on the show and up until now has managed to keep them off the radar.”

After a two week hiatus, Michelle comes back in full on rant mode, devoting the entire video to Maine voters rejecting a law allowing same-sex couples to marry. More importantly, she wants to know your thoughts and feelings on the vote.

Learn out more about Michelle at MySpace.com/anythingsarcastic, follow her on Twitter and check back next Friday for another episode of Really?! REALLY?!

In this week's 3 Minute Conversations, Lauren talks to friend and fellow vlogger Tatum de Roeck about how to keep things spicy in a relationship.

Check back for a new episode next month. In the mean time, learn more about the series and the people who make it happen at 3minuteconversations.com.

This is part of an ongoing series of Jane's World comic strips posted every Thursday on AfterEllen.com.

For more Jane's World, visit PaigeBraddock.com, and read our previous Jane's World blog posts.

Take a walk with Jennie and musician and actress Lexie Shine. Lexie discusses her writing process and how it differs from acting. She also talks about her recent theatrical performance in Provincetown with Queer as Folk's Michelle Clunie and the equality song they're writing together.

And, of course, something we've all always wanted to know the answer to: Why do musicians have such good luck with the ladies?

For more info on Lexie or to hear her music check out lexieshine.com or reverbnation.com/lexieshine and, as always, for Jennie's touring schedule and hysterical out takes from today's vlog go to jenniemcnulty.com.

Thanks to @lindsaydp1 for pointing us in the direction of a great new interview with Jessica Capshaw, where she dishes on Arizona and her relationship on Grey's Anatomy with Sara Ramirez's Callie.

Here's an excerpt in which she tells TVGuide.com about Arizona's sexuality, her intimate future with Callie and if a wedding could be coming up for them.

TVGuide.com: What's in store for the future of Callie and Arizona's relationship?

Jessica Capshaw: This season has been about cementing a very mature and grounded relationship and taking it forward. This is a drama, of course; there will be conflict, but for the time being, they're enjoying being in a relationship that seems stable.

Kristen Stewart used the words "I'm a lesbian" in an interview and, of course, it gets taken out of context.

Here are some of the headlines about this statement:

"Kristen Stewart's Lesbian Confession" Blackbook Magazine
"Twilight star Kristen Stewart on dating Robert Pattinson: 'We are. We aren't. I'm a lesbian." Telegraph
"Lesbian Kristen Stewart" Contact Music

Ironically, this is what Kristen was hinting at in her original interview when she made this statement. In response to constantly being asked about dating Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, she said she'd rather keep something to herself because no matter what she says, the press is going to run with it. And, it appears she was right.

This week, Dana and Helen of Mombian.com bring you up to date on Scholastic's refusal to carry a book with lesbian moms at its book fairs. The company has now made a step in the right direction, but is it enough?

They also discuss Preacher's Sons, a great new documentary showing five years in the lives of two gay dads and the five sons they adopt from California's foster care system. Plus: If you think lesbian parenting is funny, you don't know enough about wombats.

Check back every Thursday for a new episode.

Actress Natalie Portman posed for the cover of the winter issue for V magazine, and was asked about her new role in the film Black Swan, which began shooting in New York City this month. Up until this point, we've known little about the film, other than Natalie and Mila Kunis play rival ballerinas who end up bedding one another.

From V:

It's a pretty serious sex scene, and a lesbian one at that. Portman, however, insists “it’s not raunchy—it’s extreme.”

She used to avoid roles like this, at first turning down 1999’s Anywhere But Here because of a nude scene. (It was excised to get her back on board.)

On this week's episode, the Gay Girls Who Game take a look at one of the years hottest: "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" for PS3.

There's also a fun review of "Brutal Legend" for Xbox 360 and PS3, and Bunny returns with review scores. Plus, there's a shout out to Sarah Warn.

Read more game reviews at lesbiangamers.com.

Pop singer Shontelle recently took 12 random questions from the site Neon Limelight, and one of them was, of course, "Who is your girl crush?"

The 24-year-old singer, whose single "T-Shirt" was a hit over the summer, answered with a laugh:

Like if I had to be lesbian for a day, who would be my chick? Hmmm. Who do I think is just so hot? That’s hard. It would be a toss up between Alicia Keys and freakin' — shoot. I hope Brad Pitt doesn’t get mad. Angelina Jolie is so hot.

It would probably be Alicia, because, you know what, she’s musical. We would just sit there and talk about songs. And then she could just play the piano for me and I would just cry and sit there. She wouldn’t even have to touch me. I would just be like I love you. I’m in love.

This week, Emily and I give props to Charlize Theron for being so girl-friendly and get psyched for the opening of Precious this Friday.

Also, we're scared of Eva Green's lesbian stalker film, Cracks, and hopeful for 90210's gay storyline. Plus, the news of a new celesbian couple.

Check back next week for another episode of Gal Pals. Add Trish and Emily on Facebook and follow Trish and Emily on Twitter.

Last week, True Blood creator Alan Ball talked with The Advocate about future gay characters on the hit HBO series. The show has already featured a handful of queer characters, including Vampire Queen Sophie-Ann (Evan Rachel Wood, her lover Hadley (Lindsey Haun), the fabulous fry cook/drug dealer Lafayette and season 1's Eddie.

Ball said:

We'll be meeting the vampire king of Mississippi and his long, long-term companion — and by long-term I mean really long-term — Talbot. I think Lafayette may meet a love interest, and certainly Pam, who works with Eric, she's certainly got a lesbian vibe — I don't know that that's all she is, but she certainly does seem to appreciate the women.

Pam is played by Kristin Bauer, who serves as Eric's wingwoman at the vampire bar, Fangtasia. Her interests included fancy pumps, showing no mercy and now, apparently, the bar maid, Ginger.

61-year-old Terri White has come a long way — even in the matter of one year. In a New York Times profile of the actress/singer, currently starring in "Finian's Rainbow" on Broadway, the details of her homelessness and career struggles are written as an uplifting story of her coming into success and happiness. And alongside the article ran a photo of Terri smooching her partner Donna Barnett backstage.

The Times writes:

In the summer of 2008, Ms. White, 61, could not make rent. She was evicted from her apartment of 14 years, after a breakup with a longtime girlfriend. She could not work. She also could not find a way to ask for help. For three months, when she was not crashing on a friend’s couch, she slept in Washington Square Park.

Even though Terri had performed with the likes of Liza Minelli and Glenn Close, she still hit rough times, sleeping on park benches and trying to find regular gigs. When a friend invited her down to Florida for a visit, however, her luck seemed to change:

In Florida, she met Donna Barnett, a stately 62-year-old jewelry designer — and, like Ms. White, a cigarette fiend, a fan of road trips and musicals and Maker’s Mark. The two fell in love, and moved in together. When the call came for an audition for an Encores! concert performance of “Finian’s Rainbow” (a predecessor to the Broadway production), Ms. Barnett paid her airfare back to New York.

After weeks of auditions, Terri landed the leading role. Girlfriends — they're always good for something!

To U-Haul or not to U-Haul: that’s the question! In this episode of Lesbian Love, Jessica and Lacey talk about the crucial steps that go into that all encompassing decision.

For more on Lacey and Jessica, visit their blog and check back every Monday for a new episode.

AfterEllen.com reader Marcia tipped us off that Brazil's Next Top Model lesbian contesant Giovahnna Ziegler was voted off last week. Judges Fernanda Motta, Carlos Pazeto, Dudu Bert holini, Erika Palomino and Duda Molinos thought Giovahnna didn't make the cut after the latest challenge on the show's third cycle.

In her exit interview, 18-year-old Giovahnna said (roughly translated):

I'm a subversive a little arrogant lesbian tagger. My dream was to replace Kate Moss, but I will try something else for now, otherwise join the Federal Police force.

All ready for Dyke March

To keep up with Giovahnna, you can follow her on Twitter, which you may have to translate, if you don't speak Portuguese.

On this episode of From the Cheap Seats, Becca and Michelle cover their favorite teams in EuroLeague Basketball including the Spartak of Russia and Avenida of Spain. Of course, they discuss their favorite WNBA players oversees and the best way to get news and updates from them. (Hint: it involves using 140 characters or less.)

FC Spartak Moscow

Also, the girls talk about the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival movies that are a must see for basketball fans with a special shout out to their favorite sports writer.

This is a vlog by fans for fans, so please leave plenty of comments, questions, rants and raves, or anything else that comes to mind. And check back next weekend for another episode!

How out can you be in your community? The vloggers discuss being gay in a conservative area or in places that are generally not accepting of an openly gay lifestyle, and staying true to yourself while being safe at the same time.

Meghan Hall from The Sweet Adventures of Nat and Meg join in to talk about her experiences on being gay in the South.

Watch previous episodes of Cherry Bomb and check out the official Cherry Bomb MySpace page. Keep up to date with the women of Cherry Bomb by subscribing to their monthly newsletter.

In this clip from The Big Gay Sketch Show on Logo, Julie Goldman plays a housewife whose doorbell won't stop ringing. At first, it's cute — but then it gets creepy.

In this episode, Lauren speaks to club promoter and friend Dawnita Moore about first date protocol.

Stay tuned for another episode of 3 Minute Conversations next Thursday. For more information about the series and the peeps who make it happen, go to 3minuteconversations.com.

This is part of an ongoing series of Jane's World comic strips posted every Thursday on AfterEllen.com.

For more Jane's World, visit PaigeBraddock.com, and read our previous Jane's World blog posts.

This week, Dana of Mombian.com vlogs solo, since Helen is away on business. She talks about seeing "Harry Potter: The Exhibition" with her son and reading the first book with him.

She also discusses Scholastic's request that an author change the lesbian moms of a character into a mom and a dad, the reaction from around the internet, and the company's response.

Check back every Thursday for a new episode.

Although Precious has yet to open nationwide, the movie's star Gabourey Sidibe has become America's newest sweetheart, with Oscar buzz for her performance in the film about abuse, sexual violence and both sexuality and race issues. After such a heavy film (her first, in fact), Sidibe is in talks to join the cast of a new Showtime series about cancer.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Sidibe is negotiating with the network to play a student of Laura Linney's character, Cathy, who is dealing with a diagnosis of cancer while maintaining a positive outlook on life. The show is called The C Word, and sounds nothing like The L Word, other than in name and that there is some cancer involved. (R.I.P. Dana!)

Darlene Hunt is the writer of the show, and her previous work includes episodes of 90210, Good Morning, Miami and Will and Grace. So despite sounding like a series that could be less than uplifting, it appears that The C Word will be a well-written, female-centric dark comedy series. Sounds like Showtime to me.

In the first episode of Lesbian Love, girlfriends Jessica Clark and Lacey Stone delve into the forbidden relationship topic of finding another woman attractive ("She’s hot, right?")

The women talk candidly about what it feels like, what it means, and how to behave when another woman creates a little controversy in a relationship’s dynamic.

For more on Lacey and Jessica, visit their blog and check back every Monday for a new episode.