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Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (April 11, 2008)

DINAH ’08: ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS I’m resting comfortably after my whirlwind trip to Dinah Shore weekend with some of the AfterEllen.com gang. Sarah and Lori hauled us out to the desert to represent, and that we did. But we also had some fun.

Some of my favorite moments included getting my eardrums blasted at the Pat Benatar concert (yep, she’s still got it), hanging out with L Word troublemaker Elizabeth Keener, watching the go-go dancers shake their moneymakers at the Paris ’08 dance party, meeting the Big Gay Sketch Show women (Julie Goldman, Kate McKinnon and Nicole Paone), attempting doing improv with Michelle Paradise, Marnie Alton, Bridget McManus, Jill Bennett, Dara Nai and Cathy DeBuono), talking about comedy writing with Time-Traveling Lesbian Rebecca Drysdale, hot-tubbing with Dee and Jenn from the Come With Me if You Want to Live vlog, watching my pal Jill vamp on the runway at the fashion show, and digging Bridget’s car out of a sandpit. (Just kidding, that part sucked.)

Here are some photos from the event: View the rest of the photos in our extensive collection of Dinah Shore Weekend 2008 Photos.

Bridget and I wore our You Can’t Take Them Anywhere hats to The Dinah (complete with visors), and we did red carpet interviews with a gaggle of celebrities, including Jane Lynch, Jenny Shimizu, Dani Campbell, Thea Gill and many more. Here are some stills from our interviews: Starting on Sunday with Brunch With Bridget, we’ll be posting a new Dinah-related video almost every day next week – including the YCTTA red carpet video footage, so you can see the interviews in all their live-action glory.

SHE’S ELIZABETH KEENER, AND THIS IS HER BEAUTIFUL DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH HERE! And speaking of Elizabeth Keener, are you having withdrawals from the woman who brought Dawn Denbo to glorious, villainous life on The L Word this past season? Us, too. But there’s good news. You don’t have to sit around waiting for Keener’s Lay’s commercial to pop up on your TiVo anymore. Gay TV network here! just announced that they’ve signed a development deal with Keener for a new hour-long dramatic series.

Keener will star in the series, described by here! as “a cross between Silence of the Lambs and Twin Peaks.” The show centers around a lesbian FBI agent (Keener) sent on an extended undercover assignment in a mysterious small town, where “Keener’s complex, darkly-comedic character juggles personal demons with the demands of her investigation, and soon finds herself increasingly enmeshed in the lives of the town’s inhabitants.”

FBI agent? Personal demons? Enmeshment? Yep, sounds like classic lesbian drama to me!

Battlestar Galactica: Razor has been nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (thanks Torchwood_Operative!)

Here! Networks has announced that it will purchase Planet Out’s magazine and book publishing businesses, which includes the Advocate, Out magazine and Alyson Books.

Sordid Lives: The Series premieres on Logo on July 23 with Olivia Newton John playing a lesbian role.

In an AfterElton.com article on LGBT representation in mainstream media, both CBS president Nina Tassler and Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that their networks had shows in development that will feature lesbian characters.

Joan Jett talks about politics, rock ‘n’ roll and turning 50 in an interview with Spinner.com.

A Shot at Love 2, starring Tila Tequila, premieres on MTV on April 22. Consider yourself forewarned. (After considering your responses to our poll last month, we’ve decided that we will not recap the series, but we will report on it.)

That’s it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at [email protected]. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.

Reality TV World: I’m assuming that as a Favorite you had to be anticipating a merge, so why do you think Ozzy, Amanda and Cirie thought you would be less trustworthy than Erik once the two tribes came together? Ami Cusack: I don’t think it was Amanda and Cirie and Ozzy. I think it was just Ozzy – and I think he was just worried about my past history with bringing the women together [in Vanuatu]. Had he kept me and left Erik to the sharks, he would have been with three women and with my past that wouldn’t have been a good place for him to sit.

Before you get too excited about Cusack talking more about “bringing the women together,” be warned that she spends much of the interview raving about how Ozzy is “frickin’ hot” and “a frickin’ stud.”

But Cusack does talk about blowing out her knee in a challenge and handling it in a stereotypically lesbionic manner. She tells RealityTVWorld.com, “Yeah, I just wrapped it up with a T-shirt and a buff and went on my way. I figured the damage was already done.”

In related buzz-kill news, out lesbian contestant Zoi Antonitsas packed up her knives and went home this week on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Zoi’s team failed to impress the judges this week, and Zoi, the creator of the unforgivably bland mushrooms in the dish, was shipped back to her home kitchen in San Francisco. Her girlfriend and fellow contestant, Jennifer Biesty, was none too happy about Zoi’s elimination and kicked a chair in protest. Sadly, no one was sitting in it at the time. You can listen to BuddyTV.com’s exit interview with Zoi here.

JODIE FOSTER SHREDS In making the rounds to promote her new movie, Nim’s Island, Jodie Foster stopped by The Rachel Ray Show this week to rock out with feisty talk show host, Ray. Yeah, she was playing Guitar Hero 3 and not an actual instrument, but she still looked like a badass while doing it.

Our own Dorothy Snarker has already told you about Foster’s short-lived career as a French songstress:

But I think a low-slung guitar suits her far better than a white tuxedo, even if said guitar is plastic. You be the judge. Below, Foster plays the Kiss classic “Rock ‘N’ Roll All Night”:

 

So now who do I have to suck up to around here to get footage of Foster playing “Barracuda”?

WHEN THE NETWORK GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LESBIAN LEMONADE Like the rest of you, we are really disappointed to hear about the cancellation of The N’s South of Nowhere. Spencer and Ashley (aka Spashley) fans everywhere have been organizing and rallying support for the show in an attempt to have the cancellation, well, canceled.

We recently heard from Amy Trombetta, the administrator for one such fan group, SpashleyU.com, about a different approach their group is taking toward the SoN cancellation. “We wanted to do something to thank the show and the cast for the enormous impact they’ve had on our community,” she told us. “We decided that we would do a fundraising campaign for the Trevor Project and donate all proceeds in the name of South of Nowhere. We contacted Trevor who gave us their full support, and SpashleyU.com is launching the campaign on April 18.”

In case you haven’t heard of them, the Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock, free and confidential suicide prevention hotline for gay and questioning youth. It’s just the sort of organization at which Spencer Carlin would volunteer after school, and trust fund baby Ashley Davies would fund with her newfound riches.

Ashley’s half-sister Kyla would probably organize a fashion show benefiting it too, but that’s a different story line altogether.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Due to the Dinah pilgrimage, Cathy DeBuono won’t be posting a new vlog this week, and Lori and Sarah won’t be posting a new SMMWT! on Monday. But look for a new Retro Reviewing episode tomorrow, BwB on Sunday, and lots of Dinah videos next week!

Battlestar Galactica: Razor has been nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (thanks Torchwood_Operative!)

Here! Networks has announced that it will purchase Planet Out’s magazine and book publishing businesses, which includes the Advocate, Out magazine and Alyson Books.

Sordid Lives: The Series premieres on Logo on July 23 with Olivia Newton John playing a lesbian role.

In an AfterElton.com article on LGBT representation in mainstream media, both CBS president Nina Tassler and Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that their networks had shows in development that will feature lesbian characters.

Joan Jett talks about politics, rock ‘n’ roll and turning 50 in an interview with Spinner.com.

A Shot at Love 2, starring Tila Tequila, premieres on MTV on April 22. Consider yourself forewarned. (After considering your responses to our poll last month, we’ve decided that we will not recap the series, but we will report on it.)

That’s it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at [email protected]. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.

HER KIDS MAKE TV SETS OUT OF MACARONI AND YARN To promote her new arts-and-crafts book, Crafty U, Rosie O’Donnell made an appearance on Good Morning America and spoke candidly with Diane Sawyer about a variety of topics, including Dancing With the Stars, Britney Spears, and beer. Oh, all right, I admit it was more substantive than that. The two also talked about O’Donnell’s relationship with former View frenemy Elisabeth Hasselbeck, why Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should join forces to “save democracy,” mental health, and the “no media” policy in her home. You can watch the interview in its entirety below:

It’s an interesting conversation, particularly when O’Donnell talks about not having television or computers in her home for the sake of her children. I especially like the part where Sawyer asks O’Donnell if she is “calmer and more more in control of herself.” That was a gutsy question! What if O’Donnell had said “no”?

And while we’re at it …

LESBIAN QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I tried my best but it’s hard for me when I’m not the boss … There was people there telling me what to do. There was a little Republican who scared me.” – Rosie O’Donnell on The Martha Stewart Show, talking about her experience on The View and her former co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck

REALITY BITES This has been a tough week for queer women in reality television. Ami Cusack was the eighth contestant booted from from the CBS hit Survivor: Micronesia.

In an interview with RealityTVWorld.com, Cusack speculated as to why she was voted off:

Reality TV World: I’m assuming that as a Favorite you had to be anticipating a merge, so why do you think Ozzy, Amanda and Cirie thought you would be less trustworthy than Erik once the two tribes came together? Ami Cusack: I don’t think it was Amanda and Cirie and Ozzy. I think it was just Ozzy – and I think he was just worried about my past history with bringing the women together [in Vanuatu]. Had he kept me and left Erik to the sharks, he would have been with three women and with my past that wouldn’t have been a good place for him to sit.

Before you get too excited about Cusack talking more about “bringing the women together,” be warned that she spends much of the interview raving about how Ozzy is “frickin’ hot” and “a frickin’ stud.”

But Cusack does talk about blowing out her knee in a challenge and handling it in a stereotypically lesbionic manner. She tells RealityTVWorld.com, “Yeah, I just wrapped it up with a T-shirt and a buff and went on my way. I figured the damage was already done.”

In related buzz-kill news, out lesbian contestant Zoi Antonitsas packed up her knives and went home this week on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Zoi’s team failed to impress the judges this week, and Zoi, the creator of the unforgivably bland mushrooms in the dish, was shipped back to her home kitchen in San Francisco. Her girlfriend and fellow contestant, Jennifer Biesty, was none too happy about Zoi’s elimination and kicked a chair in protest. Sadly, no one was sitting in it at the time. You can listen to BuddyTV.com’s exit interview with Zoi here.

JODIE FOSTER SHREDS In making the rounds to promote her new movie, Nim’s Island, Jodie Foster stopped by The Rachel Ray Show this week to rock out with feisty talk show host, Ray. Yeah, she was playing Guitar Hero 3 and not an actual instrument, but she still looked like a badass while doing it.

Our own Dorothy Snarker has already told you about Foster’s short-lived career as a French songstress:

But I think a low-slung guitar suits her far better than a white tuxedo, even if said guitar is plastic. You be the judge. Below, Foster plays the Kiss classic “Rock ‘N’ Roll All Night”:

 

So now who do I have to suck up to around here to get footage of Foster playing “Barracuda”?

WHEN THE NETWORK GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LESBIAN LEMONADE Like the rest of you, we are really disappointed to hear about the cancellation of The N’s South of Nowhere. Spencer and Ashley (aka Spashley) fans everywhere have been organizing and rallying support for the show in an attempt to have the cancellation, well, canceled.

We recently heard from Amy Trombetta, the administrator for one such fan group, SpashleyU.com, about a different approach their group is taking toward the SoN cancellation. “We wanted to do something to thank the show and the cast for the enormous impact they’ve had on our community,” she told us. “We decided that we would do a fundraising campaign for the Trevor Project and donate all proceeds in the name of South of Nowhere. We contacted Trevor who gave us their full support, and SpashleyU.com is launching the campaign on April 18.”

In case you haven’t heard of them, the Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock, free and confidential suicide prevention hotline for gay and questioning youth. It’s just the sort of organization at which Spencer Carlin would volunteer after school, and trust fund baby Ashley Davies would fund with her newfound riches.

Ashley’s half-sister Kyla would probably organize a fashion show benefiting it too, but that’s a different story line altogether.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Due to the Dinah pilgrimage, Cathy DeBuono won’t be posting a new vlog this week, and Lori and Sarah won’t be posting a new SMMWT! on Monday. But look for a new Retro Reviewing episode tomorrow, BwB on Sunday, and lots of Dinah videos next week!

Battlestar Galactica: Razor has been nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (thanks Torchwood_Operative!)

Here! Networks has announced that it will purchase Planet Out’s magazine and book publishing businesses, which includes the Advocate, Out magazine and Alyson Books.

Sordid Lives: The Series premieres on Logo on July 23 with Olivia Newton John playing a lesbian role.

In an AfterElton.com article on LGBT representation in mainstream media, both CBS president Nina Tassler and Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that their networks had shows in development that will feature lesbian characters.

Joan Jett talks about politics, rock ‘n’ roll and turning 50 in an interview with Spinner.com.

A Shot at Love 2, starring Tila Tequila, premieres on MTV on April 22. Consider yourself forewarned. (After considering your responses to our poll last month, we’ve decided that we will not recap the series, but we will report on it.)

That’s it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at [email protected]. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.

LESBIAN SPANISH IDOL AE reader Rogue recently tipped us off to the fact that an out lesbian is competing on Operacion Triunfo, a Spanish version of American Idol.

Rogue tells us, “Her name is Tania Gómez Ginfarre, she’s 25 years old and she went to the casting with her girlfriend of four years, Laura. In the first program she sang ‘En que estrella estaras’ by Nina Daconte. While the husband of the gay male contestant was introduced as his ‘boyfriend,’ Laura was referred as Tania’s ‘partner,’ which upset some viewers.”

Watch her performance here:

For more on this story, check out Rogue’s blog.

BRUNCH WITH BIANCA AND MAGGIE Attention All My Children fans: Bianca and Maggie are hopping into the sack – and they want you to watch!

Yes, it’s true. The most beloved lesbian couple in daytime television history, Bianca (Eden Riegel) and Maggie (Elizabeth Hendrickson) will be joining our own Bridget McManus in an upcoming episode of her vlog, Brunch With Bridget.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with AMC, check out this clip of the first time the most popular queer girls in Pine Valley met:

 

Don’t you hate it when your girlfriend dies without telling you she has a twin sister, and then you run into that sister in a bar and you faint because you think it’s your dead girlfriend? Me too.

Riegel and Hendrickson know that many AfterEllen.com readers are staunch Bianca/Maggie advocates, so they’re inviting readers to send in questions for the vlog (questions that Bridget will no doubt pose to them while doing splits or cheers, or one of her many other bendy contortions for which she is rapidly becoming infamous).

If you have a question for Riegel or Hendrickson, post it in the comments section of this week’s BLWE column, and we’ll pass them along to Bridget. Stay tuned for the vlog, which will be posted on May 4.

In the meantime, check out Eden’s MySpace page and her new web series co-starring Elizabeth, Brooke Nevin, Jessalyn Gilsig and others.

HER KIDS MAKE TV SETS OUT OF MACARONI AND YARN To promote her new arts-and-crafts book, Crafty U, Rosie O’Donnell made an appearance on Good Morning America and spoke candidly with Diane Sawyer about a variety of topics, including Dancing With the Stars, Britney Spears, and beer. Oh, all right, I admit it was more substantive than that. The two also talked about O’Donnell’s relationship with former View frenemy Elisabeth Hasselbeck, why Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should join forces to “save democracy,” mental health, and the “no media” policy in her home. You can watch the interview in its entirety below:

It’s an interesting conversation, particularly when O’Donnell talks about not having television or computers in her home for the sake of her children. I especially like the part where Sawyer asks O’Donnell if she is “calmer and more more in control of herself.” That was a gutsy question! What if O’Donnell had said “no”?

And while we’re at it …

LESBIAN QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I tried my best but it’s hard for me when I’m not the boss … There was people there telling me what to do. There was a little Republican who scared me.” – Rosie O’Donnell on The Martha Stewart Show, talking about her experience on The View and her former co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck

REALITY BITES This has been a tough week for queer women in reality television. Ami Cusack was the eighth contestant booted from from the CBS hit Survivor: Micronesia.

In an interview with RealityTVWorld.com, Cusack speculated as to why she was voted off:

Reality TV World: I’m assuming that as a Favorite you had to be anticipating a merge, so why do you think Ozzy, Amanda and Cirie thought you would be less trustworthy than Erik once the two tribes came together? Ami Cusack: I don’t think it was Amanda and Cirie and Ozzy. I think it was just Ozzy – and I think he was just worried about my past history with bringing the women together [in Vanuatu]. Had he kept me and left Erik to the sharks, he would have been with three women and with my past that wouldn’t have been a good place for him to sit.

Before you get too excited about Cusack talking more about “bringing the women together,” be warned that she spends much of the interview raving about how Ozzy is “frickin’ hot” and “a frickin’ stud.”

But Cusack does talk about blowing out her knee in a challenge and handling it in a stereotypically lesbionic manner. She tells RealityTVWorld.com, “Yeah, I just wrapped it up with a T-shirt and a buff and went on my way. I figured the damage was already done.”

In related buzz-kill news, out lesbian contestant Zoi Antonitsas packed up her knives and went home this week on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Zoi’s team failed to impress the judges this week, and Zoi, the creator of the unforgivably bland mushrooms in the dish, was shipped back to her home kitchen in San Francisco. Her girlfriend and fellow contestant, Jennifer Biesty, was none too happy about Zoi’s elimination and kicked a chair in protest. Sadly, no one was sitting in it at the time. You can listen to BuddyTV.com’s exit interview with Zoi here.

JODIE FOSTER SHREDS In making the rounds to promote her new movie, Nim’s Island, Jodie Foster stopped by The Rachel Ray Show this week to rock out with feisty talk show host, Ray. Yeah, she was playing Guitar Hero 3 and not an actual instrument, but she still looked like a badass while doing it.

Our own Dorothy Snarker has already told you about Foster’s short-lived career as a French songstress:

But I think a low-slung guitar suits her far better than a white tuxedo, even if said guitar is plastic. You be the judge. Below, Foster plays the Kiss classic “Rock ‘N’ Roll All Night”:

 

So now who do I have to suck up to around here to get footage of Foster playing “Barracuda”?

WHEN THE NETWORK GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LESBIAN LEMONADE Like the rest of you, we are really disappointed to hear about the cancellation of The N’s South of Nowhere. Spencer and Ashley (aka Spashley) fans everywhere have been organizing and rallying support for the show in an attempt to have the cancellation, well, canceled.

We recently heard from Amy Trombetta, the administrator for one such fan group, SpashleyU.com, about a different approach their group is taking toward the SoN cancellation. “We wanted to do something to thank the show and the cast for the enormous impact they’ve had on our community,” she told us. “We decided that we would do a fundraising campaign for the Trevor Project and donate all proceeds in the name of South of Nowhere. We contacted Trevor who gave us their full support, and SpashleyU.com is launching the campaign on April 18.”

In case you haven’t heard of them, the Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock, free and confidential suicide prevention hotline for gay and questioning youth. It’s just the sort of organization at which Spencer Carlin would volunteer after school, and trust fund baby Ashley Davies would fund with her newfound riches.

Ashley’s half-sister Kyla would probably organize a fashion show benefiting it too, but that’s a different story line altogether.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Due to the Dinah pilgrimage, Cathy DeBuono won’t be posting a new vlog this week, and Lori and Sarah won’t be posting a new SMMWT! on Monday. But look for a new Retro Reviewing episode tomorrow, BwB on Sunday, and lots of Dinah videos next week!

Battlestar Galactica: Razor has been nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (thanks Torchwood_Operative!)

Here! Networks has announced that it will purchase Planet Out’s magazine and book publishing businesses, which includes the Advocate, Out magazine and Alyson Books.

Sordid Lives: The Series premieres on Logo on July 23 with Olivia Newton John playing a lesbian role.

In an AfterElton.com article on LGBT representation in mainstream media, both CBS president Nina Tassler and Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said that their networks had shows in development that will feature lesbian characters.

Joan Jett talks about politics, rock ‘n’ roll and turning 50 in an interview with Spinner.com.

A Shot at Love 2, starring Tila Tequila, premieres on MTV on April 22. Consider yourself forewarned. (After considering your responses to our poll last month, we’ve decided that we will not recap the series, but we will report on it.)

That’s it for this week! Got the inside scoop on a hot new lesbian/bi actor/musician/TV show/film? Tell us at [email protected]. Check back next Friday for another edition of Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever.

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