Ask AfterEllen.com (Feb. 3, 2009)

Question: Anything interesting happening at the NAACP Image Awards later this month?

— Ann, Chicago, IL

Answer: In addition to enjoying the sight of so many fabulous women of color in the same room together, watching Halle Berry host the show (with Tyler Perry), and rooting for an out lesbian actress to win an award, there's one more reason I'm looking forward to watching the NAACP Image Awards next Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 8pm on Fox — no one from that John Adams mini-series is nominated for anything! (I love Laura Linney, but if I see her anywhere near that stage I'm going to throw something at the screen.)

Some of the films nominated this year including The Secret Life of Bees, Cadillac Records, Seven Pounds, and Miracle at St. Anne's. The TV mini-series The Raisin in the Sun is also nominated in multiple places, and actually has a chance of winning this time.

Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, and Everybody Hates Chris are nominated in multiple TV categories, as is Lincoln Heights — which won our 2008 Visibility Award for Best Special Lesbian Episode last season for its lesbian couple at the prom episode.

(More good Lincoln Heights news? ABC Family just picked up the family drama for a fourth season.)

The cast of Lincoln Heights

Some of the women nominated in the Outstanding Actress or Supporting Actress categories in film and TV include Queen Latifah, America Ferrera, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Rosario Dawson, Chandra Wilson, Vanessa Williams, Loretta Devine, Sanaa Lathan, Angela Bassett, Taraji P. Henson, and Dakota Fanning. (Yes, Dakota Fanning.)

Newly out lesbian Wanda Sykes has been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS), and Sonja Sohn is up for Best Supporting Actress for her role as lesbian detective Shakima Greggs in HBO's drama series The Wire.

Wanda Sykes (left) and Sonja Sohn

Some of the nominated books written by women include Maya Angelou's Letter to My Daughter; young adult novel Beacon Hill High by actress Monique (who stars in the lesbian-inclusive Sundance darling Push); Tananarive Due's supernatural thriller Blood Colony; outspoken gay-friendly children's activist Marian Wright Edelman's The Sea is So Wide and My Boat is so Small, which charts a course for the next generation; and Whoopi Goldberg and Deborah Underwood's children's book Sugar Plum Ballerinas #1: Plum Fantastic.

See the complete list of nominees here and tune in to Fox on Feb. 12 to find out who wins (go Wanda!). And when you have time, read Edelman's inspiring commencement speech to Muhlenberg college this last May, just because.

Question: When will Bitch Slap be released on DVD? Dying to see it!

— Rebecca, Sydney (Australia)

Answer: First the movie has to be released in theaters, and that didn't happen last month as originally advertised.

Last week, writer/producer/director Rick Jacobson explained the delay in production:

We hoped to have the film done by the New Year but always knew that was a big ask. This "little" film has over 700 visual effects (on par with the new Hulk movie) so we're at the mercy of the effects wizards. As much as we want to get 'er done. ...We don't want to rush it.

Gotta say, the film is looking and sounding really bad ass.

We’ve been approached by dozens of both domestic and foreign distributors so we’re not too worried about finding a home for the Slap. For us, it’s all about finding the right one who sees this film the way we do… in theaters.

We’re screening for distributors in the first couple weeks of February then having the cast and crew screening later in the month… After that, when the film goes public depends on the distributors. Sooner the better.

So, no definitive answer yet, but I'm guessing you won't see it in theaters until late Spring or Summer at the earliest, which means it probably won't go to DVD until late 2009 or early 2010.

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