Morning Brew – Monday, June 13: Michelle Trachtenberg and Katee Sackhoff get close to kissing, Julie Benz goes gay again

Good morning! A huge thanks to Heather Hogan for taking care of the Brew while I was out. Virtual applause!

Let’s start out with an exciting pic from the set of Sexy Evil Genius, starring Katee Sackhoff and Michelle Trachtenberg.

Thank you to their photographer/co-star Seth Green!

Jane Lynch joined Bill Maher to do a reading of Anthony Weiner’s scandalous Twitter and Facebook messages to a Vegas blackjack dealer. It’s very NSFW and very, very hilarious.

While we’re on the subject of politics, Candace Gingrich-Jones (Newt Gingrich’s out sister) told The Huffington Post that her brother’s view on LGBT rights has changed since he was Speaker of the House. She said it’s likely because of his third wife, Callista. From the article:

“When he was speaker, he had no qualms about talking about why workplace protection is a bad idea and how gays aren’t families” said Gingrich-Jones. “It is possible that Callista has had a moderating effect … she’s possibly gotten LGBT issues to no longer be a red meat issue for him politically.”

She said Gingrich has gone to Green Bay Packers football games with a lesbian couple who are longtime friends of Callista, who hails from Wisconsin. The couple’s social circle includes Steve Gunderson, an openly gay former Republican congressman for whom Callista once worked. And Gingrich recently attended a matinee of a play based on the true story of a child custody dispute between two former lesbian lovers, one of whom became an evangelical Christian and declared she was straight. That play, “She Said/She Said,” was a thesis project written by Rebecca Gingrich-Jones, who married Candace Gingrich in Boston in August 2009. At a lunch after the play, Gingrich “was very complimentary,” though he ultimately turned down an invitation to Rebecca’s graduation, which took place two months later.

Interesting. Too bad several of his aides just resigned and it looks like he’s starting over from scratch for his presidential campaign.

Before Cara Castronuova was a trainer on The Biggest Loser, she starred in lesbian film Flick’s Chicks and in then-girlfriend God-Des’s video for “Love You Better.” Now her rep is trying to squash rumors she is gay. Here’s his statement:

Although Cara has dated a woman in the past, she has recently parted ways with her on-again-off-again professional boxer boyfriend Paulie Malignaggi. Cara identifies as a heterosexual woman and is currently single and in the market to meet Mr. Right. Perhaps Cara should start her campaign to be ABC’s new Bachelorette since she’s such a direct contrast to the fragile Ashley from the current season.

Considering these words are from her rep and not Cara directly, it’s hard to know if that’s how she truly feels/identifies, but it does seem like whoever is in charge of her persona is trying to get her to look straight and stay on TV. I will note that in a recent e-mail interview with her, I asked her if she was participating in an event put on by the LA Gay and Lesbian Center and AIDS/Lifecycle because she was part of the LGBT community. She deflected a bit, but did not disagree. I wonder if her rep has ever heard of the term “bisexual.”

Sad but true: The Gay Girl in Damascus Blog was written by a straight, married American man. He is not kidnapped in Syria. In a new post, Tom MacMaster wrote that he was sorry but didn’t feel he had harmed anyone with his fictional blog:

I only hope that people pay as much attention to the people of the Middle East and their struggles in this year of revolutions. The events there are being shaped by the people living them on a daily basis. I have only tried to illuminate them for a western audience.

So he’s a little bit of wayward ally/activist.

Game of Thrones has had two very lesbianish scenes this season and one of them was between Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) and Roxanne McKee (Doreah), in which Doreah was teaching Daenerys how to please her man. Emilia did an interview where she said that scene was actually the most tricky for her to film.

So basically she was saying her character, Dany, was uncomfortable because she hadn’t ever been sexual before, so had to feel and come off as unsure of herself. Meanwhile, we all were glad to see Lou from Lip Service on top of her.

Speaking of Lip Service, Ruta Gedmintas (aka Frankie) was profiled in The Independent as being part of a new generation of young British acting talent. Best quote:

I have 8,300 people following me now on Twitter; before Lip Service it was about 10 and they were all my friends.

Lesbians, we’re a loyal bunch – and all about social networking.

Wanda Sykes responded to Tracy Morgan and CNN’s Roland Martin’s defending his anti-gay statements as “just a routine.” She wrote on Twitter:

I fault the TN lawmakers. They’ve created an anti-gay environment. Don’t believe Tracy would be so ignorant in LA. I do believe in free speech, but for a youth in TN or any other numerous place, Tracy just yelled, ‘Fire,’ in a crowded theater.

Ro, I love and respect you, so I feel that I can tell you that your column is some bulls–t. We can do better. Tracy has the right to say whatever he wants to say, just like we have the right to say, not acceptable. and WE as a country. We used to picnic to watch public hangings, but WE figured out, that was some sick s–t.

Wanda for president!

Julie Benz is playing a lesbian again! Which means I now have to start watching Royal Pains. She’s been cast on the USA series as Elyse, a mom whose daughters is injured in a farming accident. Yikes! Elyse has a partner on the show, though I’m not sure who is playing her yet. Too bad Dana Delany’s busy with Body of Proof.

You guys, Raquel (aka Mikey’s gf/now ex from The Real L Word Season 1) is still alive! She attended a Lifecycle event at LA Pride with Whitney and Rose.

Today in Lesbianish TV: *The Ellen DeGeneres Show, *Meredith Baxter on Oprah, The Talk (CBS 2 p.m.), The Times of Harvey Milk (Showtime 2 p.m.), Jane Lynch on Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO 8 p.m.), The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC 9 p.m.), The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (Showcase 10:30 p.m.), More Tales of the City (Showtime2 11 p.m.), Fortune Feimster and Margaret Cho on Chelsea Lately (E! 11 p.m.), That Time of the Month (Logo 4 a.m.) and *The L Word (Logo 5 a.m.) (Thanks Roni!)

*Denotes rerun