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Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (April 10, 2009)
— L Word co-creators Michele Abbott and Kathy Greenberg in an interview with AfterEllen.com BETTER OFF VERONICA Yes, I love this show, and yes, I want you to love it, too, damnit — all my favorite shows keep getting canceled! Plus, there's that whole lesbian visibility thing. In this scene, Veronica explains to a group of unhappy black employees who are protesting a new motion sensor system that only sees white people how she, too, has faced discrimination: I think this episode represents the first time I've ever heard the phrase "institutionalized racism" used in a broadcast TV comedy before (Veronica's decided the company's "on the wrong side of this issue"). I love a show that can make you think about race, lesbians, electronics, and the trials and tribulations of the beautiful people, all in one episode.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
There are four out lesbians — Ruthie, Aneesa, Rachel and Brooke — on this season of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Duel II. Cartman and Jimmy guested on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on South Park this week — watch the clip here, but don't expect the cartoon version of Ellen to sound or even act anything like the Ellen. I guess they thought just giving her short hair and a tie was enough. Rachel Maddow finally broke down and bought a TV. Former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell wants to be an honorary lesbian. The fourth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise offers some gratuitous girl-on-girl kissing. Cat Cora's wife, Jennifer, gave birth to their third child, Thatcher Julius Cora, on April 4. Who Am I?, Cambodia's first lesbian film (with requisite tragic ending), is a surprise hit. Here! has announced that the fourth season of Dante's Cove will return this fall. Fans of AMC's Bianca and Reese are auctioning off items as an anti-Prop 8 fundraiser starting today. Amy Poehler says Shane McKutcheon is the most important gay person in her life. The L Word creator and executive producer Ilene Chaiken and L Word star Jennifer Beals will take part in The New York Times discussion series Times Talk on April 20 in New York City. Le Tigre has announced plans for a new DVD. Erin Daniels (The L Word) made an appearance on CSI, reuniting with her former soup chef, Lauren Lee Smith. Another well-intentioned but clueless straight TV critic creates a list of her 10 favorite LGBT characters because "there are more gay and lesbian characters on TV right now than ever before." The only lesbian on her list who is actually on TV right now? Grey's Anatomy's Arizona Robbons, who is the only lesbian on TV right now. Why? Because there are actually fewer lesbian characters on TV than there have been in 10 years or so. But thanks for trying. (Thanks to Linda for the tip!) Brunch With Bridget will be taking this Sunday off for spring break. Bridget McManus will be back with a new episode the following Sunday, April 19. Voting is now open for the 2009 AfterEllen.com Hot 100! You have two weeks to submit your nominations for the overall list, and the three supplementary lists we've introduced this year (hottest women of color, women over 40, and out women). Have fun! — by Sarah Warn That's it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at afterellentips@gmail.com. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Better Off Ted
I frakkin love this show!! It's hilarious...and Veronica is just, well, she's...let me say this with a quote;
"Well, I'm different then other women Ted. And by different, I mean better" ...ROFL :D
And it doesn't hurt that Portia is a hotty either...and it also doesn't hurt that there's total subtext between Veronica & Linda (What!? I see it, doesn't mean everyone else has too :P )
Portia totally made my Hot 100 list this year. Woot!!
"I know you're lonely. I think you need someone to want you. Well, I do want you. So be brave, and want me back."
Hollyoaks News
Otalia
Yes smoldering hot glances were exchanged this week on Guiding Light, but everybody should defenitely watch next week. No spoilers here, just some really awesomely great advice that watching will NOT let anybody down. Guiding Light is the ONLY show that seems to be sticking to their guns, so lets support them peoples!
Oh and that clip from Better of Ted had me in stitches. Ill defenitely be checking it out now :D
twitter breakups
Also I read in the paper more details about Lindsay Lohan's breakup where she said a lot of things on twitter about her now ex being a cheat etc.. http://www.thevine.com.au/entertainment/articles/lindsay-lohan-breaks-up...
"All of which makes us wonder, how did they do it in the olden days? Hire a skywriting plane?" - lol @ nj.com
"my door is always open to
"my door is always open to you... please close the door on your way out" HAHAHA!
def watch OTALIA next week!
dinah coverage
Lauren Lappin
I loved the interview with Olympian Softball player Lauren Lappin. I have been a fan of her since before she came out and starting speaking about her sexuality. I'm still playing school softball and it is amazing to have such a high figure in sports say so many positive things about being a lesbian athlete.
Now all they have to do is reinstate softball into the Olympics. Give all us young athletes the chance to achieve our dreams as well.
"I don't know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everyone" -Unknown
Better off Ted is so funny!
Vermont????
I am really surprised and disappointed that AfterEllen didn't mention anything about the legalization of gay marriage in Vermont this past week. Granted this is an entertainment site, but honestly ... it's sort of important news for our community. I know that civil unions have been legal in the state for several years, but the news is still pretty significant considering it was the first state to legalize gay marriage without a court order AND the legislature overturrned the governor's subsequent veto.
Instead on the day this happened, AfterEllen was covering Lindsay and Samantha's break-up.
Vermont
I twittered to AfterEllen.com followers about the ruling the day it happened, and we have headlines from 365gay.com displayed right on the homepage that announce news like the win in Vermont (which it did all day the day of the ruling). There was more than one forum topic about it, and it was covered in the RachelWatch blog post this week when she talked about it on her show.
So complaining that we "didn't mention anything about the legalization of gay marriage in Vermont this past week" just isn't true. But more importantly: AfterEllen.com is an entertainment site. There are plenty of other LGBT news sites (and frankly, mainstream news sites, who have all covered the Vermont ruling extensively) you can visit to read about these rulings from people who cover this kind of thing in-depth. Complaining that an entertainment site is not covering politics is like complaining that your dentist won't give you an ear exam: pointless.
I understand
that AfterEllen is an entertainment site (as I mentioned in my initial comment), and I see that I was mistaken about there being no mention of Vermont. Although to be fair, I don't Twitter and I wasn't even aware of the 365gay.com link (had to go back and search the homepage just to find it). It also is true that AfterEllen has in the past covered news items, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage in California, Prop 8, the election, etc. In addition, the various vlogs cover everything from gaming to sports to politics to parenting and relationships. I know that in the past there have been little mentions of news items at the end of the B.L.W.E. It's not like I'm coming out of left field to suggest that such important news items be mentioned, because they have been in the past. Both Perez Hilton and Michael K. at Dlisted covered Iowa and Vermont, although they are certainly not news sites. My point is, I shouldn't be made to feel stupid or out of line for expressing my opinion.
Sarah, I have been a loyal reader of AfterEllen for a number of years and have never offered a single criticism of the site before, and after this I probably won't offer one ever again. I have no problem with you pointing out they ways in which I was wrong (in fact, I'm glad to see that I was), but what felt like a dig at the end of your response was unnecessary. I was just simply sharing my feelings. I wouldn't think that you would want to discourage readers from sharing their thoughts, even if those thoughts are critical or -- as the case may be -- incorrect. I would expect for responses to readers' comments to be respectful, as I know that I (and mostly everyone else) have the utmost respect and admiration for you.
I agree with what you have said here, beija-me—
As disappointed as I have been by these types of exchanges on this site, I still feel AE can be of much value to our community, especially our younger ladies—so many of whom have found a support system here that certainly didn’t exist for my generation at their age. These days, I’m more drawn to certain posters’ comments than I am the article writing (just aging out of the demographic, I suppose), but there is still much good content here. I strongly suspect that the required pace of the writing and need for constant refreshment of content has resulted in some writer burn-out, resulting in these less-than-professional responses at times, which isn’t said to excuse such behaviors, but only to offer a possible explanation. Still, you can’t allow yourself to be bullied into silence because someone you respect and admire behaves meanly towards you. If you allow for that to happen, you diminish yourself for many because of one, which you should never allow. Your words meant something to me today and no doubt to others as well: keep commenting.
Clarification
I didn't mean to imply you're stupid, or to single you out. But your comment was the fifth or sixth complaint I've received this week about the site not covering politics/activism (see the comments on this post), and just one of the many we get every week from people complaining we haven't covered something that we have (without taking the time to see if that's actually true).
If I made you feel singled out, I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention. But the tone of your comment and the Lindsay/Sam dig you made at the end implied our priorities were out of whack, when in fact, we were doing exactly what the site is meant to do — cover entertainment news (see this lengthy comment I left earlier in the week for more explanation of that).
Unfortunately, your comment is part of a larger pattern of readers making complaints without doing their homework about the topic, or understanding the site's purpose, or giving us the benefit of the doubt. Frankly, I'm just getting exhausted by it, and that's probably being reflected in some of my replies to these complaints.
I want readers to share feedback, criticism, etc. but only if they've actually read the site to make sure what they're claiming is missing hasn't actually been covered on the site (googling "afterellen" and the name/topic works too); or are wording their complaint/question in a way that at least gives us the benefit of the doubt and doesn't assume we have bad intentions or are slacking off in some way. It's very easy on the internet, because most people are anonymous, to make accusations and criticisms without doing the leg work you would do in real life before criticizing something, and that seems to be happening more and more on this site (and probably elsewhere, but I only have time to deal with AfterEllen.com). Legitimate complaints/mistakes made or pointed out in a constructive way, I am happy to admit to and correct, as I did on the L Word quiz just yesterday.)
I appreciate that you've been a loyal reader of the site, and it's totally fine for you and anyone else to raise issues or questions, you just need to make them constructive and do your homework first, as you would surely do offline before making a complaint.
You're So right
www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com
Now I feel bad. You're right Sarah. Pop Culture News wheels the younger crowd in and mostly newer crowd who don't know a whole lot about the site. It's all about keeping things in check. I know i'll do the same too when commenting. I know this conversation wasn't directly towards me but I wanted to add my feelings b/c I've been critiical of the site.
Thanks for keeping us posted about what's on TV...maybe I'll break down like Ms.Maddow and buy a tv. I feel like I'm missing out on the good shows like BOT.
This picture is actress Paula Patton, the R&B/Soul RobinThicke's wife. She played in Deja Vu,Idelwild and Rush Hour 3. So it's not me.
Hehe, the Jarlie pic on the
Hehe, the Jarlie pic on the 1st page. Kinda looks like Joey is about to smash Charlie's head onto a table or something.
Knock some sense into the woman :P
Los Hombres De Paco
There was no new episode this week. Antenna3 ran a movie instead. The new season returns this Wednesday with an all new episode. Quick recaps and (later in the week) more detailed translations/recaps of the episodes are usually posted within the week at The Pepa & Silvia International Community on LJ. :-)
And I really really hope Better off Ted stays on the air. Portia is AMAZING in it.
Better Off Ted
Love, love, love this show. I've been telling everyone about it, even my mom is watching it now :)
Crystal Chappell (Olivia)
Crystal Chappell (Olivia) said in an interview with Michael Fairman, "The truest true love story I have ever told." CC has been on several soap operas and in the biz for many years. I think this quote says something about Otalia.
Otalia is the best on television. Even Doris has blossomed from the one-dimensional unlikeable character to being a supportive lesbian friend for Olivia. How many one-dimensional characters are allowed to blossom once their homosexuality is revealed?
I am so looking foward to P&G finding Guiding Light a new home.
Music Video
1 and 2
1. Eminem's line abt Ellen and Portia makes me imagine him turning up on Ellen's show and her opening line being "So, Eminem, do you REALLY wanna know?!" and that makes me giggle.
2. After reading that interview, I'm really glad it is Esther Anderson playing the character they chose to live out this storyline on Home and Away. She seems very grounded and real. Plus, she's HOT :)
I think its unfair that
I think its unfair that women of color get a separate category when many of them can and I'm sure will be on the general list. It certainly would be considered racist if it was proposed to have a special category with just white women.
well...
I thought the same thing too when I first noticed the new categories, but then I thought about how many people complained last year to Sarah about there not being enough woman of color on the list... though I'm just assuming, I think she (and all the others working on this) are just trying to make everyone happy, coming up with some solutions to the angry mobs.
yawn
lmao
that's what I was trying to say only you did it better and in two words.
Portia
Agreed
Her best work so far, I think...
www.myspace.com/carolconti
Eminem..
Although I don't agree with him being so rude about Sam Ronson
Legendary Misstep?
Ha! Eminem