Hey, remember a few years ago (2011, to be exact) when I talked about this cool “Self Evident Truths” photography project? It was the one artist iO Tillett Wright was crisscrossing the nation taking pictures of LGBTQ people, remember? Well, guess what, it’s still happening – and it has gotten bigger. iO is still taking pictures and has now expanded her goal to 10,000 faces with it all culminating in an instillation on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It’s ambitious, for sure. And it needs your help to happen. So far more than 4,200 people have been photographed. To reach its new goal, the project is looking for people to sponsor each face in the form of a $20 “We Are You” T-shirt. (If you’re wondering where all the money is going, the site has a comprehensive breakdown here.) You can also still pose for the project. The touring schedule is here. Do a cool deed, get a cool shirt. Kind of win-win, no? Happy weekend, all.

Just in case you have not had your Monday morning cry yet, here is Michael Sam receiving the news her has been drafted by the St. Louis Rams, making him the first out gay player in the NFL. Bonus for kissing his boyfriend, Vito, live on ESPN afterward. Guess I have to root for the Rams now.

Apologies! Work, life, etc. To make up for it here is Lena Headey in a tank with a hula hoop while sticking her tongue out in a gay bar. She went there with Peter Dinklage, a.k.a. the brother she is trying to have executed. So I guess they patched things up, after all. Or perhaps GoT will take a radical turn and end this with a hula-hoop battle to the death.

You guys, I am so upset. Oh, don’t worry – not about life. I’m upset about something more important. TV, duh. “Trophy Wife” got canceled and aired its last-ever episode last night. Now, I blame myself. I should have talked about Sarah Haskin’s show more. Relax, I don’t think I have the power to make this show a hit. But I feel terrible for not doing all I could so more people could enjoy this little gem while it was on. After an above-average pilot, the series went on to become the funniest, sweetest, surprisingest (go with it) show on TV this season. Why ABC never paired it with “Modern Family” is one of those great unexplained stupidities the universe allows to keep happening. Yet, it does. So a show, and a cast, as great at this goes into the dump heap of history. I hope it finds a seat next to “Go On,” and they talk smack about the Nielsens for eternity.

If you didn’t watch, damn you missed out. Granted, we all hate the name. Ironic TV show titles never work, TV executives. Ever. But aside from that it had everything. Interesting and off-beat characters that are still believable (and super adorable – Bert, Berrrrrt!) Many, many, many great female characters (I don’t think a single episode failed the Bechdel Test). Unbelievable cast chemistry (I mean it, I want the entire cast to move to a new show together – better yet the same show with a different name that airs after “Modern Family.”)

Sigh. I’ll just be over here shaking my fists at the TV gods and cursing their names, per usual.

I admit to having a never-ending soft spot for all of “The L Word” alumni. Such a talented cast, alas, made to suffer so much. And I’m always happy to see when they land successfully elsewhere. (Oh, hai, Sarah Shahi – I wish I’d watched “Person of Interest” from the start now like my mom kept telling me to.) Over the years I’ve seen them come (it’s the Soup Chef on “CSI!”) and go (there goes Tasha on “Chase!”) Though, sorry Shane, I just can’t get into “Ray Donovan.”

I’ve been particularly interested in Jennifer Beals’ career comings and goings since the show. I thought she was pretty damn good on “The Chicago Code.” The uniform helped. But now, looks like she is back at another shot at her own show. And, darn it, I want this one to stick. Next year she’ll be back on our TVs with “Proof,” a new medical/supernatural drama on TNT. And it looks, well, it looks pretty damn good.



Things I like: Jennifer Beals, Jennifer Beals in scrubs, Jennifer Beals in a suit… But actually, this search for “proof” of what happens after we die already has me hooked. I love a good mystery, and they don’t get much bigger than this one. Sure, Matthew Modine is playing an obvious Steve Jobs-like billionaire who is funding it all. But the premise is intriguing. I also like that it is executive produced by Kyra Sedgwick, a lady who knows all about cable’s capacity to showcase talented female leads. Plus, little kids talking about unseen forces is always creepy. And, fine, it doesn’t hurt that we get to see shades of Alpha Bette. That wall slam was damn near vintage. Yep, sign me up. I’ve got all the proof I need.

p.s. Hey, TNT, pair this show with “Rizzoli & Isles” and it’ll be the badass ladies bloc/make my DVR very happy.

p.p.s. If all else fails, just greenlight Jennifer in “Cop-Puter.” You know that thing is a guaranteed hit.

I’m not much of a “Grey’s Anatomy” watcher these days. I stopped my occasionally viewing a while back, despite general affection for Calzona and cast, because I’ve always found navel-gazing doctors a little, you know, oooof. But what I’ve appreciated for all 10 years of the show is its gainful employment of the singular Sandra Oh and her portrayal of the even more singular Dr. Cristina Yang. Brusque, ambitious, competitive, talented. She has not time for niceties, there’s work to be done. This makes her a role model for pushy women everywhere. She’s pushy because she is smart and deserves it. Most pushy women are. In many other settings – say perhaps the executive editorship of the New York Times– being pushy as a woman can be seen as some sort of fatal character flaw. But on “Grey’s Anatomy” she is allowed to be a heroine – not to mention best friend to its title character. I like that, I’ll miss that. I’m also sad to see another Asian-American major female character leave television. There are so few as is. But I’m happy for Sandra to finally be free to do other things. And I hope to see much more of her – hopefully still dancing it out with style – in the future. Happy weekend, all.

Just a little inspiration to help you begin your week. Here are female firefighters stationed at Pearl Harbor. Interesting that more than 70 years later and a picture like this still stands out for its depiction of female strength and diversity. Go ladies, go.

Hello, my name is Ms. Snarker and I am an addict. I’m addicted to “Rehab Addict.” My addiction to HGTV is already well documented. Yelling at idiots who whine about granite countertops on “House Hunters” is practically a sport for me. But my latest obsession involves so many of the things I love: tank tops, women with power tools and copious use of subway tile. Yep, I’m talking about “Rehab Addict.” This show and its host Nicole Curtis are pretty amazing. Nicole restores old homes to their original beauty with a real passion for preservation. Also, the lady knows how to handle a chainsaw (and a bobcat and a back hoe…I could go on).



What I love, besides her penchant for tank tops, is her desire to make these old houses happy homes again. I’ve never seen someone so focused on conserving the past, and so good at refurbishing old hardwoods. Seriously, she can save any floors. Thanks to Nicole, I randomly scream, “I just want brick!” at suspenseful moments during the day. Not really, but in my head. Yeah, I’m addicted. As long as there is some original tile to save, I will gladly go to rehab for it.

I don’t really know what Kate Winslet has been up to lately. I mean I do, she was in “Divergent,” which I totally didn’t watch. And “Labor Day,” which I totally didn’t watch. And “Contact” and “Carnage” – ditto, ditto. She married some guy named Ned Rocknroll and they named their baby Bear Blaze. But now it looks like she finally has a string of movies coming out I might actually watch. (I’ll catch “Divergent” on RedBox, don’t worry.) They include the crime drama “Triple Nine” and “The Dressmaker” based on the bestselling book. And also she has a new feature in Harper's Bazaar. Bottom line, this is all an elaborate excuse to post very, very pretty pictures of Kate. What is it the kids today say? Sorry, not sorry.

You guys, YOU GUYS. I have been sitting on these pictures since Monday. SINCE MONDAY. You don’t know how hard it was to not share them. SO HARD. Because I am the last person on this planet to want to deprive you of the gorgeousness of Cate Blanchett and Emily Blunt in impeccably tailored menswear for even one second. But, you know, it wasn’t Thursday yet. Rules are rules. So not what it is Thursday, ZOMGHOWHOTARETHEY? So freaking hot.



And just when you thought it couldn’t get hotter, here comes Zhou Xun. *incomprehensible gurgling sound* The three women (and Ewan McGregor and Christoph Waltz – but who cares about them) were all shooting a commercial for International Watch Company. Never before have I so eagerly anticipated a watch commercial. Never. Ever. They’re making me want to watch advertising. That’s how hot this whole situation is. Throw away the remote control give me your commercials hot.



Also, Cate’s disheveled tie? *gurgle gurgle gurgle* So hot. And that lip bite says she knows it.

Apologies for the lack of a post this weekend. I was busy being this bunny (metaphorically) and enjoying this three-day weekend like a big, juicy raspberry. Hope you did as well. Happy holiday weekend, all.

Another day, another lovely coming out moment. Another state’s highest courts overturns the ban on same-sex marriage. It’s an exciting time to be gaymo, let me tell you. If you didn’t read it late last week, I highly recommend you give a read to “Orange Is the New Black” writer Lauren Morelli’s coming out essay.

This is probably the most personal thing I will ever write, so the internet seemed like a good place for it. http://t.co/ASA31AWgVp

— Lauren Morelli (@lomorelli) May 21, 2014

“Now, when I am in the writers' room or on set, I no longer feel like I am stuck in the middle of two truths. I belong because my own narrative fits in alongside the fictional stories that we are telling on the show: stories of people finding themselves, of difficult paths and of redemption.”

Such a loss, such a life. Maya Angelou’s passing yesterday feels significant because it is significant. The world has lost a friend. One of her greatest gifts, besides her words and wisdom, was her generosity of spirit. She made every single one of us feel like she cared about us, because she did. Her gentleness in the face of a life filled with several lives worth of hardship never ceases to amaze. A kind light has left us, but her heart remains eternal.

To quote the phenomenal woman herself:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Well, isn’t this a lovely way to end the week. After calls for Laverne Cox to make the Time 100 most influential people list only to be left unceremoniously out of the issue, the actress and activist roars back as its cover girl. In doing so she becomes the first transgender person to grace the magazine’s cover. And what grace. Laverne has skyrocketed into the national consciousness thanks to her role as inmate Sophia Burset on “Orange Is the New Black.” But what she has done with that spotlight is even more extraordinary. She has used her fame to shine a light directly onto trans issues and the all-too-frequent violence, hatred and misconceptions faced by the community. Refreshingly, what makes Sophia so important is that she is one of the few trans characters portrayed by a trans actor who isn’t solely the subject of constant harassment or ridicule. Because why would you ever ridicule Sophia or – even more so – Laverne? Indeed the most appropriate adjective I can think to describe her is majestic. Like this cover. Happy weekend, all.

Go ahead, call me a horrible person, but the first thing I thought when it was announced that Evan Rachel Wood and her husband Jamie Bell were splitting up late last week was, “Oooh, I hope she hooks up with Ellen Page now.” Yes, like I said – I’m a horrible person. Look, breakups are always sad and more so when there is a child involved. It can’t be easy. But, admit it, we all have Fantasy Celebrity Couple Crushes we want to see happen. And this is one of them. (For further reference, please see past Fantasy Celebrity Couple Crush Ellen and Clea– though given recent revelations the “Fantasy” part may now be more in question.)

The thing about this FCCC (yes, I’ve acronymized it, so sue me) is how perfect it would be if it happened. They’re both talented actresses. They’re both out. They’re both into totally lezzie trucker hats. See, perfect. Of course, they’re probably just really good friends, yadda yadda. Plus they’re playing sisters in the new post-apocalyptic drama “Into the Forest.” And Ellen just called Evan her “good pal (and movie sister).” So no one is really down with movie incest, no matter how many times they might have watched “Sister, My Sister” in their youth. But still, the dream is so hard to shake. Just imagine the possibilities. The tomboy fierceness would be off the charts. I mean, I don’t even think they make enough Wildfang clothing to cover it all. Sigh, well, I guess that’s why they call it a fantasy.

p.s. Duuuude, how excited are you about “Into the Forest?” SO EXCITED. Ellen and Evan and out director out filmmaker Patricia Rozema – whose previous credits include “When Night Is Falling,” “Mansfield Park” and “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” – all working together? YES and PLEASE.

Love her or hate her (and, really, I’m not entirely sure why you’d hate her – unless you are just hardcore Team Jennifer 4 Lyfe), Angelina Jolie is a big fucking movie star. She is one of the biggest, shiniest stars today. And she is probably the biggest female movie star out there right now (with all due respect to Meryl, Julia, Scarlett, Jennifer, et al). Granted, her box office up until “Maleficent” may not have borne that out. But movie stardom is more than just about money. It’s about mystique. And, fucking hell, does Angie have that in shit down. It helps to have her face, that face. But as articles have attested recently, no one has more impressive, more impeccable publicity game than Angelina right now. What makes Angelina such a movie star is the sense of the unattainable. Sure, Jennifer Lawrence is relatable and we all wish she was our BFF. But that makes her likable, not a movie star. Whether we like to admit it or not, what we want from our movie stars is different. We want them to remain impeccable, out of reach and beautiful to behold. Always twinkling in a sky so high most of us never even dare to venture there. That’s a fucking movie star.

p.s. Oh yeah, I also reviewed “Maleficent” for AfterEllen (which should be up a little later today). So, clearly, Angie’s been on my mind.

On Wednesday, lesbians talk about Justin Bieber. The unavoidable pipsqueak douchnozzle (and also pretty racist) pop star was the topic of conversation of not one, but two lesbian celebrities who visited Conan’s couch recently. Why? Well, that whole lesbians who look like Biebs thing is no joke. As a result, we’re clearly haunted by his so-called similarities to us – it chases us into our nightmares, yo. Also, this is a really fun excuse to post videos of Kate McKinnon and Ellen Page talking about pussies. Granted, different kinds, but still.

You guys, you guys – are you watching “Penny Dreadful?” You’re not? YOU’RE NOT?? Oh, girl, you should. Because the Showtime gothic thriller is the most unexpectedly, delightfully queer show of the summer. How gay? Well, Josh Harnett just totally got it one with a dude in the last episode. (Dorian Gray, no less.) So, you know, pretty damn gay. The series is part horror, part mystery, all scary and totally good. Granted, there are far too many SPIDERS for my liking. But, still, if you can get past the creepy and crawly, it’s totally worth it.

Two Sentence Synopsis: A British aristocrat teams with a mysterious woman, American gunslinger and Dr. Frankenstein to find his daughter, who just might be under the thrall of Dracula. Yeah, really.

Part of the reason the show is so good is because it comes from veteran Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan. His previous credits include “The Aviator,” “Gladiator,” “Hugo” and many others. The first-time TV creator and showrunner is also an out gay man. So that may account for the refreshing equality of male and female nudity in the series. I mean, I’m pretty sure we’ve seen more dude butts than female breasts and we’re half way through the season.

The other reason the show is so good is because of Eva Green. The French actress has always had an other-worldly look – that pale skin, those big eyes, that chiseled face. And in “Penny Dreadful,” every inch of her facial real estate is explored and appreciated. As the mysterious woman, Vanessa Ives, she is the enigmatic figure in black with a strange connection to the darker side of life. She is, quite simply, very good in this.

(Billie Piper is also in the series, and she ain’t bad either. Not bad at all.)



While the series has given us full-on male-on-male sexual fluidity, it has yet to deliver on the ladies side. But there is a sliver of subtext to be scrounged from Vanessa’s past relationship with the missing daughter, Mina (above). Yes, Mina - a lot of these names are going to sound pretty familiar.

At times, I’ll be honest, I have really no idea what’s happening. But it’s that clever unfurling of the story, with touchstones of iconic horror figures interspersed, that makes it so thrilling. Also, Victorian gothic horror stories are just cool. So there’s that.

Starting at midnight today, you might as well have hung a big sign across The Internet reading: “DO NOT DISTURB THE LESBIANS: WATCHING ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK.” Because you know that’s what we’re all doing. We’ve called in sick, taken vacation days, stayed up all night and cancelled all foreseeable plans. The smart ones among us stocked up on provisions yesterday – snacks, drinks, adult diapers – so we could move as little as possible while binge watching the new season. Oh, sure, there will be those among us who choose to savor and watch only one a day, or one a week, or – God help you – one a month. I don’t know exactly know why you’d deny yourself such pleasure; the world is full of crazy people. But I believe if you’re going to indulge in a deadly sin, might as well be gluttony. And bless Netflix for being more than happy to be our sloth dealer. I for one welcome the uninterrupted hours of instant gratification ahead for us all. See you in 13 hours, world. Happy weekend, all.