This video is all over the web today, so you may have come across it already. Jane Fonda gave Meredith Vieira a shock on the Today show this morning. Fonda and Eve Ensler were discussing The Vagina Monologues, particularly the monologue that celebrates (exclaims, even) the c-word.

Here's the offending segment [WARNING: NSFW!]:

Those lovable scamps at Queerty.com posted a remix that includes the subsequent apology from Vieira [NSFW FIVE TIMES OVER!]:

I'm not a big fan of the c-word (hey, remember when Tina squirmed about it and then when Jenny lobbed it at poor little Shay?). But I've always liked Fonda, and this only makes me like her more. She comes across as — gasp — an adult, and she's clearly not saying it for shock value. Also, isn't Vieira's apology great in its half-heartedness? You know she really wants to roll her eyes and tell everyone to grow up.

I like to keep an eye on what the boys over at AfterElton are doing — and they’ve been raving about Ugly Betty for so long now, as one of the gay-friendliest shows on U.S. TV, that I figured I should check it out when it came over to the U.K. last year. While I can’t say I completely share their enthusiasm — the main gay character, Marc St. James, seems way too much like Jack from Will & Grace to me, and as such he isn’t exactly breaking any new ground — the show itself is fun, and quite sweet, and I would probably watch it quite happily, if it were not for one thing.

That one thing is Dulux, the international paint company that sponsors Ugly Betty in the U.K. Before every episode starts, and at the beginning and end of each advertising break, I have to watch another Dulux commercial. Now, normally this wouldn’t be a big deal — after all, you can just press the mute button and think about something else for five minutes — and perhaps I shouldn’t even be calling attention to this. But here’s an example of the Dulux ads that have been running recently in the U.K., on the theme of paint colors that are a “perfect match”: … continue reading

It’s Friday. It’s been a long week at work/school/that place you call “the office” that is really your best friend’s basement where you eat Cheetos and play Wii Tennis all afternoon. So probably the last thing you want to do right now is put your cranky pants back on over your uppity underoos. But I feel a little redressing is in order so we can give the latest Playboy cover the dressing-down it deserves.

Now, obviously, we’ve given a friendly AfterEllen.com how-do-you-do to the naughtiest bits, but you get the gist. Former Playmate of the Year Tiffany Fallon has been painted to look like Wonder Woman. The accompanying text (link NSFW) in the magazine reads:

“You know the painted lady on our cover as Playmate of the Year 2005 Tiffany Fallon, but to usher you into the cover story, Sex in America, we recast her as that champion of truth, justice and American Sensuality, Wonder Woman. Tiffany, a modern-day Lynda Carter, has been honing her TV skills. She appeared on TV’s The Simple Life with Paris Hilton, became a weekly co-host for the International Fight League’s Battle Ground and accompanied her country music star husband, Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts (Still Feels Good is in stores now), to numerous awards shows. What’s next? 'I’ve been filming The Celebrity Apprentice,' says Tiffany. 'At first I was intimidated because I was one of the youngest contestants. But I brought a fresh outlook to the tasks. I can’t tell you much more, you’ll have to watch.' If this wonderful woman is involved, we’ll have our eyes glued.”

Gosh, where to start? Never mind that she is portraying one of our most iconic female superheroes. Never mind that it’s meant to illustrate “Sex in America.” Never mind that she is taking skintight to ridiculously literal extremes. Actually, I really, really do mind all of those things. But what I mind most is the assertion that Ms. Fallon is somehow a “champion of truth, justice and American Sensuality,” not to mention a “modern-day Lynda Carter,” based on the resume presented in the blurb. … continue reading

Presidential candidates are just like us! They like to sack out in front of the TV with a bag of Cheetos and the remote, too. Or, well, so they told TV Guide earlier this month. Several of the top presidential contenders, both Democratic and Republican, shared their tube-time schedules. The answers weren't too surprising. Familiar favorites, family fare and the like. So in the interest of broadening their horizons, I've compiled a list of their current TV habits and shows they should consider checking out. I consider it my patriotic duty to get them matched up with the right programs.

Hillary Clinton

Does Watch: HGTV makeover shows, American Idol, Grey's Anatomy, Dancing With the Stars and her all-time TV favorite, The Ed Sullivan Show.

Should Watch: Wonder Woman. Breaking glass ceilings and traveling in glass jets. It's the perfect preparation for a spin on Air Force One — again. Plus, what president couldn't use that Golden Lasso? … continue reading

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has a new series of PSAs that urge straight people to "be an ally." Here's an exclusive premiere of the new PSA featuring tennis legend Martina Navratilova.

(Watch the video below.) … continue reading

Say you went on a Hawaiian vacation with your sweetie to celebrate your recent engagement. And say you got into the water to splash about. And say you then logged on to your computer and found that photos of you splashing about were all over the Internet. And say the things people were saying about how you looked like while splashing about weren’t all that nice. What would you do? Well, if you were Jennifer Love Hewitt, you would blog back.

The Ghost Whisperer star shot back last week at catty comments made about her bikini-clad body. At particular issue was a photo from behind that had some of the literary geniuses of the blogosphere tossing around words like fat and ass. Google it if you must, since I won’t post that shot here, but rest assured she was neither. And after seeing what she looked like from the front, worrying about what she looked like from the back was the last thing on my mind. … continue reading

Thanks to Brian at AfterElton.com, a couple of Dolce & Gabbana ads have made my Monday a little brighter (and gah, is there anything darker than a Monday right after a holiday?).

The ads (currently airing on TV, though I have yet to see them) depict two people on the go, rushing to meet their dates for the evening. But their dates aren't quite who you'd expect them to be. In fact, their whole world seems to be full of unexpected elements — really gay ones.

There are two versions of the ad, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. (Though I guess reasonable minds might differ on which one is which.) Here's one version: … continue reading

Sarah Michelle Gellar is the Woman of the Year. But wait, wait — before you get all excited, let me clarify. She is the 2008 Maxim Woman of the Year. Yeah, kind of puts a damper on your wooing and hooing, doesn't it?

Oh, Buffy, Buffy. Maxim? Really? What happened to “Are you ready to be strong?” How can you be strong while clutching your cleavage? That can't be a good fighting stance.

As much as I think it's every woman's prerogative to use her sexuality however she pleases, these shots disappoint me. Sarah in black lacy bra and fingerless gloves does not scream, “Strong! Independent! Woman!” to me. It screams, “Hello! Still here! Remember me?” … continue reading

Having informed us that lesbian gangs are taking over America, Bill O'Reilly is back to warn us about a new phenomenon: Cute lesbian couples are taking over America's high schools! What's more, they're doing it just to "tweak" adults. Darn kids these days.

On the Nov. 7 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Heard spoke to Dr. Laura Berman, director of the Berman Center and assistant clinical professor at Northwestern University. The topic of the day was Waukegan High School in Illinois — specifically, the "Cutest Couple" poll for the senior yearbook. In those hallowed halls, Brandy Johnson and Lupe Silva were voted the cutest couple of them all, and it's not hard to see why:

Yes: because they're cute! But to O'Reilly, it's not that simple: No, the Waukegan Bulldogs are trying to make an issue of something — trying to start a revolution via yearbook poll. After all, that's tactic No. 43 in the Homosexual Agenda Handbook. Next on the list: stocking the soda machines with virgin mimosas and herbal teas!

Dr. Berman (who, of course, considers the poll a sign of progress) held her own and then some, chuckling and smirking and all but rolling her eyes at O'Reilly's ridiculous statements. I myself was shrieking with outrage when he started going on about "appropriateness" and the difference between "who you are and what you do," but I should take a page from Dr. Berman's book and master the art of the derisive grin. See for yourself, and remember: Polls are subversive weapons of mass resocialization. Sorta like Fox News. … continue reading

Take a look at this Italian ad, featuring a newborn who really knows how to accessorize:

Pretty startling, isn't it? The ad, which has appeared in Italian newspapers and on billboards across Tuscany, says, "Sexual orientation is not a choice." The ads are sponsored by the regional government in an effort to combat homophobia and to promote the Festival of Creativity. Similar ads appeared in Quebec last year; the campaign was developed by a Canadian foundation called Emergence.

Naturally, conservative politicians and the Vatican are not happy. But neither are some gay activists, according to an article in The Sydney Morning Herald:

Philosopher Gianni Vattimo said the ad risked suggesting gays and lesbians were a race apart. Transgender leftist MP Vladimir Luxuria said he was perplexed by the choice of the image.

Wow, "transgender leftist MP"? Maybe homophobia isn't so rampant there after all.

What do you think: Does the ad simply make a point, albeit provocatively, or does it cross a line?

File this one under "Please don't let it be true": According to Nikki Finke of online rag Deadline Hollywood Daily, Warner Brothers president of production Jeff Robinov has made a new decree stating that the studio will no longer make movies with women in lead roles. After that, he successfully negotiated to trade his Ecto Cooler for a Capri Sun and received the Academy's golden hall pass for a trip to the little boys' room.

Oh, wait. I shouldn't insult second graders like that. After all, Jeffy isn't still growing, he's a man — and must've gotten tired of being mistaken for a man with a clue. Don't worry, Robinov, we know Hollywood's still an old boys' network; no need to post the sign.

According to Finke's sources (which she interprets as reliable), the decision is in response to the box office failure of The Brave One and Invasion. Apparently Jodie Foster and Nicole Kidman are everything that's wrong with movies these days. … continue reading

Just in time for the fall TV season, GLAAD has released its 12th annual Where We Are on TV report, and the answer is — brace yourselves — we're nowhere.

Or, to put it differently, lesbians and bisexual women do exist on network TV, but we're competing with Lucy Liu for screentime. (We already love you, Bonnie Somerville on Cashmere Mafia.)

Or we're a cartoon (hi, Julie Kavner as Patty Bouvier on The Simpsons) or a mayor with a pretty small audience (keep on keepin' on, Libby Villari on Friday Night Lights.) Otherwise, no, we don't really exist. In case you hadn't noticed. And even though there are way more gay men on TV (waaay!), they're mostly white, which makes them just as misrepresented. Sure, things are better on cable, but must we be ghettoized so relentlessly?

In short, GLAAD has pretty much justified every rant we've ever done here on AferEllen.com. Read the report (and behold their very clear, very sobering graphics) and weep! And then thank GLAAD for getting the word out, because maybe someday someone will listen.

Last week the patty melts hit the fan for Carl's Jr. (or Hardees, if you're from my neck of the U.S.), when they released a new commercial as part of their new "flat buns" campaign. That is, flat grilled rye bread. But it's too much to expect the company who brought us Paris Hilton making soapy love to a Bentley to resist anatomical puns about the female body, so it's really no surprise that their new commercial features this:

Yeah, that's Teacher getting a little naughty to the tune of a rap called "flat buns." Here's the entire 30-second spot: … continue reading

Alicia Silverstone is showing skin instead of eating it. The long-time vegetarian is appearing au naturel in a new PETA campaign promoting vegetarianism. I have to say, if this is what happens when you eat your veggies, someone pass the broccoli.

The former Clueless star takes it all off in a new TV ad that began airing today in Houston and Dallas (picked because they rank among the least healthy cities in the United States; sorry, Texans) and will expand cross-country later. The spot features a naked Silverstone emerging from a pool and slinking around while extolling the benefits of meat-free living. “There is nothing in the world that has changed me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much more energy,” she says. “It’s so amazing.”

… continue reading

One of the things I enjoy most about the AfterEllen.com blog is that, while it may have the occasional variation on a hot 100 theme, the entries tend to focus on more than just pretty faces (or pretty arms, abs, instances of that other "a" word ... you get the point). Writers call out crap when they see it, lists are more fun than prurient, and the blog overall covers less Lindsay, more Lena and Leisha.

However, it's likely safe to say that few of us read absolutely, strictly for "the articles." The pictures are quite a nice bonus, and sometimes they're quite nice period, like these recent shots of indie darling Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Nice doesn't begin to cover it (or her — see the uncropped photos here). But is it really as simple as a sexy smile and some snark?

Of course not, most of us would say, as does Kira Cochrane of The Guardian. It must be body image week for me, because I can't resist posting about her interesting take on the oft-tread, never-resolved topic of sex and sales.

Cochrane starts by examining Nicole Kidman's recent Vanity Fair series ("passionless and perfunctory") alongside the Agent Provocateur Gyllenhaal campaign ("awkward and unhappy"), and then explains that she finds these pics particularly depressing because they involve not just "any" women as sex objects, but "talented" women as sex objects. Apparently it's all right — or at least not surprising — for sentence-winning Paris Hilton, but different for Oscar-winning Kidman. … continue reading