Talk about uncomfortable interviews. My "chat" with Ron Rifkin at the GLAAD Awards last month was a prickly affair for some reason. I could not engage the man who plays uncle Saul on "Brothers & Sisters" during our brief chat but will share with you what was said. I wouldn't bother with it at all but the character came out to the entire Walker clan last night after Scotty and Kevin's wedding leading Justin (Dave Annable) to say: "This is the gayest week of my life!"

Here is our very strange chat:

Q.Good to see you, I;'ve seen you a few times now.
A. Yes.
Q. I've seen some photos of the commitment ceremony between Scotty and Kevin. People are really touched that that's gonna happen. Since we're at the GLAAD Awards here, what are your thoughts about it?
A. Well, yes. How can we not be moved by it? It's time.
Q. And what about your character...
A. What about my character?
Q. What's happening with him?
A. Well, I think he comes out.
Q. Is he gonna come out?
A. Yes, I think he does.
Q. This is a man of a different generation. How do you feel it's been portrayed?
A. "I think it's wonderful that on network television, we have a man of a certain age who's conflicted about his sexuality, who comes from a generation that hid things like that. And we're able to watch television at 10 o'clock on Sunday night in our houses and see this guy struggle with this and hopefully come out on the right end."
Q. How is it for you as an actor? Are you enjoying it creatively?
A. I'm thrilled to be here.
Q. And how about being at the GLAAD Awards?
A. How great is that? Yeah, we're thrilled to be here.

Gee, coulda fooled me.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The images of Kevin and Scotty on "Brothers & Sisters" exchanging vows on "Brothers & Sisters" Sunday were powerful ones. Two young men, in love, being united on prime time television and becoming a family. I loved it.

But there was so much more that went on that had me feeling all kinds of emotions.

In the first alone scene between Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) and Kevin's mom Nora (Sally Field), he thanks her for helping with the ceremony and she said: "I should be thanking you for making Kevin so happy - and, I get another son."

Contrasting Nora are Scotty's parents who decline to attend. He tells Kevin (Matthew Rhys): "I'm tired of banging my head against that particular wall - there's nothing I can do about it." Kevin and his brothers road trip it to Arizona in a last ditch effort to get the parents to reconsider. The mom says she loves Scotty but "don't expect us to sit there and rub our noses in this present wedding."

Scotty's dad won't dare go against his wife but as Kevin leaves, he does something that showed exactly where his heart is: he handed Kevin a box with a pair of cuff links inside. He wore them when he got married and promised Scotty he could wear them on his wedding day. It's a beautiful moment when Kevin hands Scotty the box which we learn he had made for his dad in 7th grade shop class.

Kevin had wanted a no-frills ceremony but Nora went ahead and gussied things up anyway and there were flowers EVERYWHERE. When Kevin protests, his mother tells him: "You and Scotty deserve this night to be as romantic and memorable as anyone else's." Kevin softens and hugs his mom.

Here are some scenes from the show. The ceremony is in the second clip...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tonight's the night! ABC, 10 p.m., Kevin and Scotty commit to each other before their families (except Scotty's parents) and friends. To get you up to speed on this great TV romance, here are some of my favorite scenes between two of my favorite TV characters - ever:

The early days (Scotty was far more flamboyant then, and just as cute!)

Making up and making out in the kitchen...

Post lobster dinner kiss...

Making up...and making out in the car...

and finally...the proposal...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Mark my words: Novak Djokovic is going to be the number one tennis player in the world by the end of the year. He won the Rome Masters tournament on Sunday, his third victory of the year. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the two players ranked above him, have suffered some uncharacteristic losses and their nearly four-year grip on the top two spots appears to be slipping.

After his win, he cknowledged he is a contender to become No. 1: "I hope so. But I don't want to think about No. 1 yet. I know a lot of people will start talking now about me being one of the best players. Let's see. I'm taking it as it comes."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have not seen this yet but wanted to give the David Decoteau film, "House of Usher" a shout out because here! TV finally sent me some images from the film which premiered on the .premium gay television network Friday as well as in theaters.

The movie is loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe classic short story, The Fall of the House of Usher. Here's a synopsis: Victor Reynolds (Michael Cardelle) receives a desperate letter from his childhood friend and first love, Roderick Usher (Frank Mentier). Roderick, a notorious recluse, has not left the grounds of his hilltop mansion in many years. He is in bad health and he needs Victor's love and care to survive. However, after a series of bizarre and spooky events, Victor realizes that both his friend and the house have a dark past that no one has lived to uncover.

And if that doesn't get your attention, the photo below will!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Rosie O'Donnell has returned to Broadway for a run in "No No Nanette" and her reviews have been terrific - better than those for the overall show,

New York Times: Ms. O'Donnell, of whom you may have heard, scores a personal triumph as the Smiths' grumpy, bossy maid. With only minimal changes in vocal and facial expressions, she projects more comic authority than anyone around her (and more, I might add, than she ever has before in her various outings on Broadway).

Newsday:: ...Most fun involves Rosie O'Donnell, as the second-banana wisecracking maid, doing a few minutes of sweetly capable tap at the end,

TheaterMania.com: Then there's O'Donnell, who has the script's drollest lines and knows precisely how to land them. For much of the time she's pushing a recalcitrant Hoover around, and it becomes a metaphor for her ability to hoover up the yuks. Plus, she taps like a demon. (Eat your heart, Barbara Walters!)

Washington Post: And then there is Rosie O'Donnell as a wisecracking maid. O'Donnell may not be much of a singer, but she's a game tapper and wins most of her laughs playing off a recalcitrant vacuum cleaner, not the easiest of tasks.

Variety: And while she could stand to loosen up a little more, Rosie O'Donnell deadpans enjoyably as the Smiths' put-upon maid Pauline, even muscling in on the dance action with a brief but capable tap solo.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whoopi Goldberg, so perfect as the moderator on "The View," seems to have done it all in showbiz. She's an Oscar winner ("Ghost"), she's headlined big box office hits ("Sister Act") and a classic ("The Color Purple"), headlined on Broadway ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom") had her own talk show, sitcom and radio show, and hosted everything from the Academy Awards to the Grammys to Comic Relief.

But she has never hosted the Tony Awards. Until now.

Whoopi will emcee the 2008 telecast of Broadway's big night, after two years in which the award ceremony had no single host. In 2005 Hugh Jackman served as host for the third year in a row. A large group of presenters and performers served as collective hosts in 2006 and 2007. Other multiple-year hosts have included Rosie O'Donnell who did three years in a row in the 90s and Angela Lansbury.

CBS will broadcast the Tonys live from Radio City Music Hall on June 15. Nominations will be announced Tuesday.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Andy Roddick made it all the way to the semifinals of the Italian Open - played on his worst surface - only to have to withdraw from the clay court tournament Saturday with a painful back injury. Get better soon Andy!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Noel was awfully cute, but ya kinda understood why "Felicity" picked Ben and why she followed him across the country to NYC like a stalker! The actor who played Ben, Scott Speedman, is as cute as he ever was as you can see from these two pics of him riding a bike around town.
To see plenty more of these, go to JustJared.com

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For those of us who have been big fans of Jean Smart since she was on "Designing Women," it's been absolutely fantastic to have her back on TV each week in a situation comedy.

Her role as Regina, Christina Applegate's mom on ABC's "Samantha Who?" is a riot and light years away from her most famous role as the sweet Charlene on "Women."

"When I read the pilot, I thought it was so, so funny," Jean said a few days ago. "Here's a woman who videotapes her daughter coming out of coma so she can go on 'Extreme Makeover.'"

The series has its season finale Monday night and will return in the fall for its second season. It revolves around Samantha (Applegate) who suffers from amnesia after an accident and doesn't remember that she and her mother are estranged.

"She's been given this second chance with her daughter, any parent's dream," Jean said of Regina. "She's not handling it very well. She's a little clumsy when it comes to mothering. She thinks she's doing the right thing but often, she's not at all. She refuses to do any self analysis. If anything's wrong, it's someone else's fault. It's funny to play someone who's not introspective when she's up against a daughter who is constantly picking apart every moment."

Jean is such a hoot on "Samantha" but her television resume is filled with many indelible characters. I asked about some of my favorites:

Charlene Frasier ("Designing Women") "I love that character, she took everything and everyone at face value. She saw the good in everyone. It was a great time and it was a special time in my life. I met my husband on the show and had my son on the show. And I worked with these great women."

Lana Gardner ("Frasier"), a recurring role that won Jean two Emmy Awards: "It was such a funny character. At the time, I had my nose in the air about guest spots. My agent said, 'I think you should read this. I read it and it was hilarious. It appealed to my sense of humor and I thought the show was brilliant and everyone on it was amazing. The first table read, we are all laughing so hard we could barely get through it. She was this perfectly lovely woman with an anger management problem. The audience knew Kelsey (Grammer) so well, that every time she did something crass - like putting a cigarette out in a glass of wine - they knew how Frasier was going to react."

First Lady Martha Logan ("24"): "She had the best written introduction. ... It was this woman in an expensive beaded silk suit and jewelry who dunks her head in the sink. It said everything: no impulse control. You never knew what to expect. She was volatile and had an odd sense of humor."

Martha was married to U.S. Pres. Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) and Jean earned two Emmy nods for the role: "I never expected to go on past that fifth (season) but the characters turned out to be so popular that they felt they had to bring us back long enough for me to stab him in the neck with a fruit knife and kill him."

Elinore 'Ellie' Walker ("High Society") "I think CBS, at the time, found it a bit much. A few years later, they kind of thought, 'Oh gee, that might have worked really well. They said we are not doing (the British comedy 'Absolutely Fabulous') which I had never seen. But of course we were doing AbFab! It was great fun. I got to wear fabulous clothes, I got to lust after Mary (McDonnell's) teenaged son and be a pill popping, drunken romance novelist. I felt that if it wasn't over the top, it would be tasteless and not as funny."
Here are some funny scenes from that short-lived but fabulous show:

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can you stand the wait? I can't! Kevin and Scotty are getting hitched on Sunday night's episode of "Brothers & Sisters." I'm got my box of tissue ready and am gonna throw rice at the TV or something silly like that.

Here is a video of some moments from their romance leading up to the big day...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've got a terrific mom who I love dearly but I have to admit, there have been some other mothers in my life - on television anyway!

So it was a great thrill last week to meet and chat with TV moms Marion Ross ("Happy Days"), Bonnie Franklin ("One Day at a Time"), Marjorie Lord ("Make Room for Daddy") and Meredith Baxter ("Family Ties") who were among those who gathered at the Television Academy in North Hollywood for a night of reminiscing and reunions with their on-screen kids.

I reminded Marion of the time I met her 3-4 years back at Jerry's Deli when I was there having breakfast with Melissa Gilbert. I thought it was so cute that Marion brought her own flowers to dress up her table.

"We bring our own syrup too," she said, laughing. "Sometimes I bring my own tablecloth."
So what is it like to go through life where everyone knows you as Mrs. Cunningham: "It's only been wonderful for me to be Mrs. C. because everyone's so good to me, they're so nice to me."

Is the cast still in touch?

"I talk to the Fonz (Henry Winkler) a lot and Ron (Howard), we were all in New York for "The Today Show," she said. "And Erin (Moran), and Donny (Most) and Anson (Williams), and my Tom (Bosley), we love to see each other."

So what about Chuck, her older son on the show who disappeared without explanation after the first season?

"You know, we had three of those Chucks, three different Chucks (laughs). It's one of the most asked questions we ever get. People say, 'How could you lose a son like that? What a careless family.'"

Meredith, who played Elyse Keaton on "Ties," couldn't lose her TV son since he was played by Michael J. Fox. She expressed surprise at being included in a night with such other legendary TV moms.

"I'm thrilled to be part of it but I keep thinking someone's gonna find out that I'm here and ask me to leave," she said. "I think (Elyse) loved her kids desperately. I think she didn't know what to do with the Alex (Fox) character. He just flouted all their (liberal) beliefs."
Marjorie was not only joined by her TV daughter, Angela Cartwright, at the event, but also by her real-life daughter, Academy Award-nominated actress Anne Archer.

"She was always an actress so I was used to seeing her perform but more on the stage," Anne said. "So it was fun when I saw her on the television series. But it was kind of normal life for me, for mom to be acting. That's what I thought most people did."
Marjorie was happy to participate in the reunion: "It brings back a lot of memories and happy times."

Bonnie was joined at the event by both her famous TV daughters: Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips. She talked about what it was like being the first divorced sitcom mom on TV and how she fought for the show to reflect that.

"It was a really good period of time in my life and an important time in my life," she said. "It allowed me to do what I want to do the rest of my life."

Barbara Billingsly, who played June Cleaver on "Leave it to Beaver," was too ill to attend the event but I spoke with her two on-screen sons Jerry Mathers (Beaver) and Tony Dow (Wally).

"She was very much like she was on the show," Jerry said. "She's just a lovely, beautiful, wonderful woman and very positive and very professional. I'm prejudiced but I think she's America's number one TV mom."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, this is amusing.

A photo of Isaiah Washington, in character as Dr. Preston Burke, was flashed to on a recent episode of "Grey's Anatomy" and apparently the actor - fired after the show's second season - is none too pleased.

Here is a statement from his rep via Towleroad.com: "Isaiah has no plans to go back to Grey's Anatomy ... That being said, we were more than a little surprised that ABC used his likeness in a promo for the show, and indeed advanced his character's storyline. Mr. Washington's attorney has contacted the Screen Actors Guild and ABC as to the appropriateness of that action."

Seeing as Isiash's "Grey's" follow-up, "Bionic Woman" was short-lived, I'd think he'd be happy to have any prime-time exposure.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, it's not McDreamy and McSteamy finally playing tonsil hockey together but it's pretty darn good. On last night's episode of "Grey's Anatomy," a hospitalized soldier kisses his solidier boyfriend very passionately until somebody's disappointing dad walks in. Arrrg! According to Towleroad.com, the soldiers were played by Benny Ciaramello (Friday Night Lights' Santiago) and MTV Road Rules grad David Giuntoli.

As a certain vapid blonde would say, "That's hot!" It has my vote for the hottest same-sex kiss in the history of prime-time television! See for yourself!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

...oh heck, it looks like he's probably just with a trainer but, MADE YA LOOK! Lance is seen here coming out of the Equinox gym in South Beach...Happy Friday!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm so sorry I wasn't on this story sooner because it is just too delicious!

You obviously recognize Mario Lopez in the photo on the right. The photo above is of Nick Adams, Mario's co-star in the Broadway production of "A Chorus Line." It seems that Mario wanted Nick's biceps covered up to avoid detracting attention from his! I love it!

New York Post Broadway columnist Michael Riedel writes: DOES Mario Lopez suffer from biceps envy?

This Disease of the Vain usually strikes hunky guys who come into close contact with even hunkier guys. They see a set of biceps larger then theirs, and they go bananas.

Lopez, who just took over the role of Zach, the exacting director of "A Chorus Line," is mighty proud of his biceps. So proud, in fact, that he refused to wear Zach's costume, a tan sweater with long sleeves.

It's an iconic outfit, based on that worn in real life by "A Chorus Line" creator Michael Bennett, and it's been worn by countless Zachs in productions of "A Chorus Line" all over the world for the past 30 years.

But "Flex" Lopez wanted to wear a brown shirt with short sleeves so that he could show off his biceps. (The audience, I gather, isn't complaining.)

The only trouble is, Flex is sharing the stage with a pair of biceps larger than his. They belong to Nick Adams, who plays Larry, the assistant choreographer.

Larry's iconic costume is a navy blue tank top with the number 17 on it. For "A Chorus Line" nerds, that number is significant - there are 17 performers auditioning for the eight spots in the chorus.

Flex, sources say, was concerned that Adams' biceps would upstage his, so he requested that Adams wear a hoodie over his tank top, which Adams does whenever he's next to Flex.

Click HERE to read the column in its entirety...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jason Castro may have forgotten the lyrics to "Mr. Tamborine Man" on "American Idol" this week, but that doesn't mean he didn't want to win the singing competition.

I mentioned to Jason during a conference call Thursday that judge Simon Cowell had speculated that the dreadlocked hearthrob had intentionally flubbed the song because he wanted to be done with the rigors of the show.

He laughed then said: "I definitely did not do that on purpose. I couldn't believe I forgot such a popular line, something that's, like, written on your soul. Somehow it slipped my mind, but I definitely didn't do it on purpose."

So, I asked, he still wanted to win?

"Yesterday I wanted to win, and the day before that," he said. "I think what it came down to was just my inexperience. Once we doubled up on songs, I wasn't really able to focus. ... My mind was split, and I just couldn't deliver either/or.

Jason had made it to the final four but was voted off Wednesday night leaving David Archuleta, David Cook and Syesha Mercado as the final three.

While Brooke White cried tears of anguish a week earlier, Jason could not have appeared more carefree when he got the boot.

"I was as happy last night as I was when I found out I made the top 24," he said. "This whole time, I had a blast. And I was trying. But it's just really been hard. ... I remember before we found out about the results, I was really starting to fear the week ahead. If I had made it, (I thought)'How am I going to do three songs?' I can't even do two right!" With the hometown visit, it was just going to be a lot of work, even though it would've been so much fun. I was just freaking out about it. That was all building up...I loved my time on there, and I would've liked to go farther, but I don't think I could handle it. I'm content."

You gotta love this kid's honesty!

Jason, 20, didn't pick up a guitar until his freshman year I college and his public performances consisted of about a dozen shows in his hometown of Rockwall, Tx. late last year as practice for "Idol."

So it's been a big adjustment being on national television each week and being mobbed by fans.

"It's kind of a weird thing, I don't really get it yet," he said of his newfound fame. "It kind of takes me off guard when people are so crazy. But it's cool, it means they like you, it's flattering."

Jason does not hold any kind of grudge against host Paula Abdul who judged one of his songs a few weeks back before he had even sung it!

"That was kind of funny, I was just kind of confused," he said. "It was an honest mistake and I don't think it really affected my next performance."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My interview with Robert Gant which ran last week was seriously lacking in beefcake shots from his new movie "Kiss Me Deadly." Thankfully, AfterElton.com has now posted a review of the movie and I've snagged some of the pics! Go to theuir site to read the review. Here is a LINK to my interview with Robert...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The latest Britney Spears appearance on "How I Met Your Mother" airs on Monday. She has a date with Neil Patrick Harris' Barney. Here is a sneak peak...

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top American tennis player Andy Roddick is having a terrific year so far but he has never fared well on the red clay courts of Europe. Still, Andy won his first match at the Masters Seires tournament in Rome today. It used to be known simply as the Italian Open.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was so fun to talk to Patrick Duffy a few days ago, one of my early TV crushes. He was the McDreamy of his day and pretty much still is!

Patrick Duffy made his first big splash on television in the late 1970s as the amphibious superhero on "Man From Atlantis." But it was his role as Bobby Ewing on "Dallas" that made him a household name. He starred with Larry Hagman, Victoria Principal, Linda Gray and the rest of the prime-time soap's large cast during most of its historic run from 1978-91.

After a few years, Duffy decided to leave the show and filmed a scene in which he "died." Fans were upset at his departure, he recalled when we spoke this week.

"After the episode aired, a few days later I went shopping and a woman accosted me in the parking lot of Gelson's," he said. "She was wailing and crying and saying: How could you die?"'

Duffy was persuaded to return to Dallas, and writers had to figure out a way to bring him back. In a plot twist that required viewers to suspend disbelief, writers made his death and the entire 1985-86 season, a really bad dream.
He was reintroduced to viewers when Pam Ewing (Principal) opened the shower door, sees Bobby lathering up and tells him of her nightmare.

"That resurrected another three years of my life on the show and I appreciated it to no end," he said. "Anytime you can be even a small percentage connected to an iconic moment in TV, it's like a little Medal of Honor.

"I feel the same way about the shower scene and I know Larry feels the same way about the `Who Shot J.R.?' episode."

Duffy, 59, moved from Los Angeles six years ago to his ranch in Oregon. He returned to L.A. to film episodes of "Bold and the Beautiful" on which he has a recurring role. He's also taking on new challenges like hosting "Bingo America" on the Game Show Network.
"It's a different set of muscles," he said of hosting compared with acting. "It's something I felt that I could do but it took about 4-5 shows before I really felt I was confident. The activity is relentless and you have nothing to fall back on. It's all you."

He's enjoying the gig ("I love giving away other people's money") and hopes to return for a second season.

Duffy, after all, is a man used to long runs. He and wife Carlyn have been married 34 years, "Dallas" ran more than a decade, and he starred for seven years on the ABC sitcom "Step By Step" with Suzanne Somers.

"It was the most fortunate set of circumstances to go from working with my best friend Larry Hagman then I met Suzanne Somers and she became my new Larry Hagman (on `Step By Step')," Duffy said. "We stay in touch with each other and we love each other. When I'm in L.A., Linda, Larry and I still have our lunches and dinners. But I can't tell you where."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)