Total Lezzy

Awww shucks, you guys, you’ve done it again. Thanks to you, I’m up for another Lezzy Award for 2009 Best Lesbian Entertainment/ Lesbian Culture Blog. The Lezzys (started in 2008 as the Lesbian Blog of the Year Award) are handed out annually by The Lesbian Lifestyle. Those of you’ve who’ve hung around here long enough might recall that I’ve been lucky enough to win the last two years (2007 Lesbian Blog of the Year & 2008 Best Entertainment/Overall Lesbian Blog of the Year honors).

This year the awards will be handed out in 11 categories. They are:

• Best Lesbian Entertainment/Lesbian Culture Blog
• Best Lesbian Humor Blog
• Best Lesbian Parenting Blog
• Best Lesbian Engagement/Wedding Blog (new for 2009)
• Best Lesbian Feminist/Political Blog
• Best Lesbian Personal Blog
• Best Lesbian “Out later in life” Blog (new for 2009)
• Best Lesbian Sex/Short Story/Erotica Blog
• Best Lesbian Podcast
• Best New Lesbian Blog (new for 2009)
• Lesbian Blog Lifetime Achievement Award (new for 2009)

Also nominated in my category are Autostraddle and Fit for a Femme. The former is the glossy girl-on-girl culture chronicles of Riese and her homosexy staff (not to mention their intern army of, like, zillions). The latter is the chronicles of the daily fashion choices of, you guessed it, a Femme. Both are fabulous, both are formidable.

So many well-known and equally great blogs are up for awards in other categories this year that instead of picking and choosing, I’m just going to go straight (but not in that way) ticket and promote fellow Team AfterEllen nominees. For Humor, Grace the Spot. For Parenting, Mombian. For Lifetime Achievement, the mother ship, AfterEllen.

Now, onto the mushy stuff. Since I started this blog in 2006, I’ve been continually humbled by all of your support, encouragement and generosity. Clearly, I don’t write this site for awards (though, let’s not lie, who doesn’t like to win things). Instead I write it because a) sleep is for suckers and b) if I couldn’t write my head would explode and c) you’ve made it such a wonderful place to keep coming back to. People grouse all the time, and rightfully so, about what passes for discourse online these days. But I feel forever fortunate that together, we’ve been able to carve out a space that is overwhelmingly civil, respectful and engaged. I never take that for granted, ever.

OK, OK. I’ve put away my Kleenex. This is, after all, a competition. So here comes the nitty gritty:

1. Voting is now open.
2. You can vote once every 24 hours.
3. For your vote to count you have to click the link in your confirmation email.
4. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT March 1 (technically 12:00 a.m. March 2, but people always get confused about which midnight that means and I don’t think that 1 minute will make or break anyone).

So, vote early and vote often, like an old-school Chicago politician. As fantastic as it would be to win again, what I’m most pleased about is that The Lesbian Lifestyle (and its founded Kelly, aka goldstardyke) keeps running these awards to recognize the wonderful diversity and depth of gay women on the web.

But, just to show you I do have some competitive spirit (I sucked at sports, this is my only shot), I’m going to sweeten the pot by running a contest. If you forward me a copy of your confirmation email, you’ll be entered in a contest to win either the complete season five DVD of “Weeds” or a review copy of the Indigo Girls double CD, “Poseidon and the Bitter Bug.” See:

The more you vote, the more times you are entered. And don’t worry, you don’t even have to vote for me to be eligible (confirmation emails don’t show who you voted for, so I’ll never know). Yes, I’ll even send it overseas out of my own pocket if someone abroad gets picked. Win or lose, that’s a thank you from me to you. Oh, and just to show how really, really competitive I am, this is also a thank you from me to you. Enjoy.

Mary-Louise Parker


Olivia Wilde


Rosario Dawson


Rachel Weisz


To truly be appreciated, that last one really needs to move.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE
(once every 24 hours, and don’t forget to click those email links).

Dr. Wonder-ful

Jaye Tyler is back! Sort of. Fine, still maybe only in my head. But Caroline Dhavernas, the artist formerly known as Jaye Tyler, is definitely back. The former “Wonderfalls” star (and my forever crush), has been cast as one of the leads in “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes’ newest medical drama. Yes, Wonderfallers, wrap your head around Jaye playing a doctor. I mean, I’ve thought about playing doctor with her quite a bit, but that’s different – different in a good way.

I’ve expressed my extreme, eternal love for all things “Wonderfalls” before here (and, yes, I still have the smooshed-face wax lion). I have the box set. I have the “I Surrender to Destiny” hoodie. And sometimes, when I’m feeling blue, I play the bouncy theme song and dream about inanimate objects talking to me.

Now, my conundrum is that I don’t really watch “Grey’s Anatomy” or any Shonda Rhimes productions, for that matter. I’m just not huge with the navel gazing (the lesbian couple gazing, however, is much appreciated). Also, another medical drama, Shonda? Are you going for a medical drama hat trick? This drama, called “Off the Map,” follows three American doctors who move to the jungles of South America to work at a free clinic.

Caroline will play Lily who, according to TV Guide, is a young doctor who heads to the jungle to escape tragedy. Awww, sad Jaye Tyler? Joining her will be Manny (played by “Without a Trace” alum Enrique Murciano), an “egotistical plastic surgeon,” and Meena (not cast yet), “an infectious disease specialist with a shadowy past.”

I can see the love triangle already. But maybe, just maybe, Shonda will remember the rabid devotion Calzona (and previously Callica) fans have lavished on Grey’s and make it an unexpected love triangle. Like, say, Lily lost her longtime college girlfriend in a tragic field hockey accident and then flees to South America where she is comforted by Meena. Meanwhile Meena, who has had a series of relationships with men that never felt quite right (or lasted very long), finds herself unexpectedly attracted to both Manny and Lily. Things get sweaty. Mosquito netting gets tangled. Lots of tank tops are worn. Boom – I’ve just written your first season for you, Shonda. You’re welcome.

My Weekend Crush

If you’ve watched sports even a little, you’ll know Mary Carillo. Fans of women’s tennis and the Olympics like me know her so well she seems like an old friend. When her rich, resonant voice comes on, you know you’re going to hear something smart or funny or perceptive or probably all three. I’ve been following her for years as she provides tennis commentary (she famously coined the term “Big Babe Tennis”) and have always admired how even in such a male-dominated field as sportscasting she is never shy about sharing her opinion. It helps that she unquestionably knows her stuff. She is the total antithesis of your stereotypical broadcasting bimbo.

These games mark her 10th Olympics and her presence is at once refreshing and relaxing. NBC has used her primarily for color pieces during primetime (um, polar bears NBC, seriously?) and to anchor the late night show. I’d gladly watch her over Bob Costa’s sporty Dick Clark acts any day. (p.s. Ease up on the Just for Men, Bob.) And, look, it doesn’t hurt that she has a capable, casual style (read: pantsuits and minimal makeup) that appeals intrinsically to us gay ladies. And then there is her close friendship with Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. (Hey, stop poking me in the ribs. I’ve heard those rumors, too.) In short, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather kick back and watch some sports with than Mary. Keep enjoying the Olympics, ladies. Happy weekend, all.

Gender Fuck Thursday

Gosh you know what we haven’t done in a while? A nice long, slow gender fuck. But you know how I like to keep things classy around here, right? So how about we do it in black and white. Yeah, just like that. Some things you don’t need to over think. Or, more accurately, images like above of Christina Hendricks in a dress shirt and tie make it difficult for me to think.

Charlize Theron
Nicole Kidman


Drew Barrymore
Eva Green


Filippa Hamilton
Cate Blanchett


Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista
Kristen Wiig

In case that last image looks familiar, it should. That’s Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic Le Smoking tuxedo.

Now, If only they’d used this NSFW (Alert: NSFW!) pose instead. Next time, next time.

So, was it good for you?

O Teatro dos Contos de Fada: Cinderela

Sinopse:

Um dos mais amados contos de fada conta a história da adorável Cinderela, maltratada pelas irmãs Arlene e Bertha e por sua tenebrosa madrasta. Um belo dia, para encontrar um noiva, o Príncipe Harry realiza um baile no palácio, ao qual todas as donzelas são convidadas, mas Cinderela não tem traje adequado e, muito menos, uma carruagem.

Título Original: Faerie Tale Theatre:Cinderella
Título Traduzido: O Teatro dos Contos de Fada: Cinderela
Lançamento: 1985
País de Origem: EUA
Gênero: Aventura | Comédia | Família | Fantasia | Romance
Áudio: Dublado
Legenda: S/Legenda
Duração: 53min
Tamanho: 174.48MB
Formato: RMVB

Link:

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it

Of course I saw Tina on the cover of Vogue, of course. And of course she gave a great, funny interview to go along with the cover story, of course. And, of course, I am going to post about both, OF COURSE. If you didn’t know this then it’s like you don’t know me at all.

Now, the thing about this Vogue cover, beautiful and windswept as it is, is that they airbrushed out Tina’s scar. It’s a little hard to tell what with the heavy backlighting and general shading on the left side of her face. But if you know her face like I do, you know that there should be at least some hint of that scar running below her lip and up to her left cheek. But, alas, any imperfection – as integral as it might be – cannot be tolerated on the cover of Vogue. Same goes for wrinkles, body fat and any sign of average human anatomy. Deep, unsurprised yet still disappointed, sigh.

Now I know some of you just don’t feel the Fey-naticism like I do – and I respect that (also, more for me!) But you have to at very least respect the inner geek that Tina brings to even the bible of fashion. She talks about wearing a colonial-lady Halloween costume as an everyday outfit (“It was the Bicentennial! People were excited!”), the unfortunate training school haircuts her mom took her to as a gradeschooler (“apparently they cut my hair by folding my head in half and trying to cut out a heart.”) and how her Greek heritage limits her styling options (“knockers up and tight skirts. Somehow it's better”). Also, did you know she coined the phrase “mom jeans?” The more you know.

Also, you really should read the section where she critiques her own past award show red carpet looks. She mentions boob tape, lady parts and having a big can. Hell, just read the whole thing.

And, while you’re at it, be reminded why Tina is one of the best late-night couch sitters in the business. My favorite line: “Yeah, I’m almost 40 and I wore a romper today.”

Tank Top Tuesday (Plus): Olympic Edition

Do you know how incredibly hard it is to find pictures of Winter Olympic athletes in tank tops? Really, really , really fricking hard. You know why? Because it’s the Winter Olympics. Think layers. Think parkas. Think boots. Think hats, scarves, goggles, mittens. Sheesh. But I found as many as I could and threw in a few non-tank tops because, um, have I mentioned how hard it is to find Winter Olympic athletes in tank tops? Though, there’s something to be said for the delicious surprise of unwrapping all those layers to find what lies beneath. It’s like Christmas morning, with muscles.

Jenn Heil, Canada, mogulsMarit Bjørgen, Norway, cross country skiingShannon Bahrke, USA, mogulsChemmy Alcott, Great Britain, downhill skiingMellisa Hollingsworth, Canada, skeletonKim Yu-na, South Korea, figure skatingGretchen Bleiler, USA, halfpipe snowboardingJulie Chu, USA, hockeyHannah Kearney, USA, mogulsShelley Rudman, Great Britain, skeletonIreen Wüst, Netherlands, speed skatingAnni Friesinger, Germany, speed skatingLindsey Vonn, USA, downhill skiingThanks for your suggestions, everyone. Happy Olympics, indeed.