As soon as I read that Janina Gavankar would be joining the cast of Grey's Anatomy this fall, I had to do it. I just had to hope that the salacious Seattle Grace staff would take her in under their wing, and she'd end up in an elevator with Sara Ramirez (sorry, Dr. Hahn).

Gavankar did her best as Papi on The L Word, but the part of a tipped-hat wearing Latina Shane didn't sit well with the show's fans, and she was ousted. However, this may be to the betterment of Grey's, one can only hope.

Ganvakar will play an intern, and we all know what happens to interns — they become part of the drama, and eventually, part of the staff. But producers haven't gotten that far just yet, as her role and longevity on the show have yet to be decided. … continue reading

This past Monday in Los Angeles, a gaggle of celezbrities and lesbian icons joined forces to participate in V-Day West LA 2007, a benefit production of Eve Ensler's award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. Producer Victoria Russell invited AfterEllen.com to the first of two shows (one on April 16, the other tonight, April 23), both of which benefit non-profit organizations dedicated to ending domestic violence, Sojourn Services for Battered Women and Their Children and Break the Cycle.

The April 16 show was directed by Leanna Creel (Promtroversy), and L Word cast members who performed that night included Jennifer Beals, Rachel Shelley, Alexandra Hedison, and Janina Gavankar (all pictured below).

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Showtime has just announced that Tasha, Jodi and Phyllis will be back next season on The L Word. Marlee Matlin is continuing her role as a series regular, Cybill Shepherd's returning at guest-star status, and it's unclear how involved Rose Rollins will be.

No mention of Janina Gavankar, so I'm guessing that means Papi won't be back. Thank God! Gavankar seems nice enough, and she's not a bad actress, but I don't think I can handle another season of bad slang and even worse hats.

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The L Word's Janina Gavankar has been cast in the comedy pilot Dash 4 Cash (The CW), a single-camera comedy that follows six teams racing for a cash prize in a reality TV show. Yes, that's right: It's a reality/scripted TV mashup.

Gavankar is set to play Melaie, who is described as: "26, beautiful but tough. She's an ex-beauty queen and newlywed who may already regret her choice of mate and has been attending marriage counseling. Ball-busting, clever and ambitious, she frequently grits her teeth at husband Gerry's bone-headed decisions. Winning Dash 4 Cash is extremely important to her; she believes it will lead to a job as a correspondent for Access Hollywood." … continue reading

You know what this means? Maybe if Dash 4 Cash gets picked up, Gavankar will no longer be available to play Papi! Cross your fingers.

On April 16 and April 23, West Los Angeles will stage a production of Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning play The Vagina Monologues as part of the V-Day Worldwide Campaign to raise money and awareness to stop violence against women. This year, the first West LA show is a star (and lesbian)-studded affair, featuring performances by The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken and L Word stars Jennifer Beals and Janina Gavankar.

The April 16 performance will also feature a bevy of out lesbian actresses, including Honey Labrador (April's Shower), Alexandra Hedison (Designing Blind, The L Word), Jill Bennett (In Her Line of Fire, The Pleasure Drivers), Jenny Shimizu, and Danielle Egnew.

For more info, check out V-Day West LA's official website.