Ben Gazzara, star of "Anatomy of a Murder" and "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" has died at age 81. The actor, who was a favorite of director John Cassavetes, died of pancreatic cancer at Bellevue Hospital Center, his lawyer, Jay Julien, told the New York Times.

He was a contemporary of higher-profile stars Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger and also studied at the famed Actors Studio in Manhattan. He conquered Broadway, originating the role of Brick in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," but didn't capitalize on his rising star when Hollywood came calling.

"When I became hot, so to speak, in the theater, I got a lot of offers," he told Charlie Rose in a 1998 interview. "I won't tell you the pictures I turned down because you would say, 'You are a fool.' And I was a fool."

Gazzara still managed to make an indelible mark on the movies, especially in the films of Cassavetes, including "Husbands," "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" and "Opening Night." He also became a favorite of Peter Bogdanovich, who cast him in a rare leading role in "Saint Jack" and as a private detective in "They All Laughed."

He's probably best known for his role for the 1959 courtroom drama "Anatomy of a Murder," in which his character is on trial for having murdered the rapist of wife Lee Remick, defended by James Stewart and prosecuted by George C. Scott. Among his memorable supporting parts: a shady schemer in David Mamet's "The Spanish Prisoner," a porn producer in the Coen Bros. "Big Lebowski" and a mobster in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam." Vincent Gallo cast him as his father in 1998 film "Buffalo '66." He also had played the villain in Patrick Swayze cable mainstay "Road House," which was probably, as he often joked, his most seen role.

Gazzara won a supporting actor Emmy for his work in the 2002 HBO film "Hysterical Blindness," opposite Cassavetes' favorite leading lady (and widow) Gena Rowlands. The two had previously co-starred in the groundbreaking 1985 TV movie, "An Early Frost," which earned Gazzara an Emmy nomination, adding to the two he received in the '60s for his role as a terminally ill man on the series "Run for Your Life."

His most recent films include "Dogville" for Lars von Trier and "Paris je t'aime."

[via NYT]

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Patricia Disney, who was once married to Walt Disney's late nephew Roy E. Disney and was vice chairwoman of Roy's investment company, died Friday after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

She was 77.

Patricia Disney died in her Los Angeles home, surrounded by her four children, said family spokesman Clifford Miller.

An advocate for higher education, Patricia Disney served as a trustee of Occidental College in Los Angeles and a regent of St. Mary's College in Moraga, Calif. She also was a member of the board of the Peregrine Fund, a foundation that preserves birds of prey.

Her former husband, Roy Disney, was a longtime top executive at The Walt Disney Company, which was founded by his uncle. The couple divorced in 2007, and he died in 2009.

The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger expressed condolences in a statement Friday.

"Her passing marks a sad milestone for the Disney family, and we will always remember her irrepressible spirit and dedication to our company," Iger said. "Patty was known for her kindness, outgoing nature and especially for her philanthropy, and will be missed by all who knew her."

She is survived by her children, Roy Patrick Disney, Susan Disney Lord, Abigail Disney and Timothy Disney, and 17 grandchildren.

UPDATE:

By the Huffington Post

If anyone would like to give a gift in memory of Patricia Disney, her family suggests either The Alzheimer's Association (Southern California Chapter) or Providence Saint Joseph Foundation.

For more information about how to donate, as well as stories and photos of Disney's life, please visit welovepatty.com.

-- The question that needs to be asked about Madonna's "W.E." is why?

Not why would she set out to make a movie to satisfy her obsession with Wallis Simpson, a woman more famous and notorious in her day than Madonna is herself. But why would anyone, after reading the jumbled, rambling script Madonna co-wrote, turn her loose to direct such a mess of pretty pictures and hollow perceptions about the curse of celebrity and the price of true love?

It's easy to understand Madonna's fixation with Simpson, the American divorcee for whom Britain's King Edward VIII gave up the throne. Madonna clearly empathizes with this Material Girl of another generation over the microscopic, often malicious media attention both have endured.

But "W.E." amounts to a case of a big-headed superstar overreaching with empty-headed results. It's poorly conceived, awkwardly orchestrated, drearily paced and bizarrely assembled. The images have the sheen of a really grand music video or perfume commercial, and the movie has about as much insight.

To her credit, Madonna wanted to do something different than the standard period drama in her second time directing (her first was with the gritty London tale "Filth and Wisdom").

Yet her attempt to create a fictional modern woman whose story reflects and even intersects with Simpson's comes off like a bad creative-writing assignment, with Madonna hammering us over the head with dopey parallels between the two.

Madonna intercuts constantly, dizzyingly between Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) and Edward (James D'Arcy) in the 1930s and a namesake, Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish) in 1998.

The mousy, privileged trophy wife of a rich Manhattan jerk (Richard Coyle), Wally is absorbed, even possessed by the upcoming auction of Wallis and Edward's estate at Sotheby's, where she once worked.

While Cornish is forced to lumber lifelessly along like human driftwood, Riseborough and D'Arcy manage some genuine moments of affection and passion. Too bad they're stuck in a dispassionate story where they have to spend more time in glamorous posing than in acting.

"W.E." flits back and forth with seasick-making frequency as Wally delves deeper into Simpson's life to make sense of her own.

Just like Wallis, Wally's in an unhappy marriage. Just like Wallis, Wally has child-bearing issues. Just like Wallis, Wally suffers through domestic violence. And just like Wallis, Wally meets a man with whom real love just might be possible.

OK, Wally's new guy is a Russian security guard (Oscar Isaac) at Sotheby's, not the heir to a kingdom. But you get the point about the connection Wally feels with Wallis – and just in case you don't, Madonna and co-writer Alek Keshishian go to absurd lengths to shove it in your face.

Wallis and Wally even cross into each other's time zones for some fantasy interactions that are weird at their mildest and laughable at their worst (our favorite, when Wallis turns to the gawking Wally and tells her to "get a life").

The anachronisms eventually become so pointless and dull that it's barely worth a titter when Wallis and her Benzedrine-buzzed party guests break into a bacchanal dance set to the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant."

Then again, that song title sums up "W.E." pretty well, even better than the shallow pop tune Madonna co-wrote and sings over the end credits.

"W.E.," a Weinstein Co. release, is rated R for some domestic violence, nudity and language. Running time: 119 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G – General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG – Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 – Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R – Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 – No one under 17 admitted.

Oscar-nominated actor Julianne Moore, participated in Women Are Watching's special membership and media event, yesterday in New York. She agreed to share her thoughts about what's at stake in 2012.

In the fall of 2000, I remember speaking with Glamour, about how I wouldn't even consider voting for a candidate who didn't support reproductive rights -- including a woman's right to choose.

It's hard to believe that in 2012 birth control is being threatened, and that there are candidates who think the U.S. Supreme Court victory from 1965, giving married couples the right to use birth control, should be overturned.

And there are some candidates supporting "personhood" policies that could make birth control illegal for all women.

We all know that birth control is essential to women's health. And access to affordable birth control is essential to keeping women healthy.

Let me tell you the story of Courtney E., from Chicago, Ill.

Diagnosed at the age of 17, Courtney suffers from endometriosis -- a health disorder that can cause damage to a woman's reproductive organs. During her college years and in graduate school, she relied on Planned Parenthood to provide her with the low-cost birth control needed to control the damage. Without Planned Parenthood, she wouldn't have been able to afford the medications that kept her healthy enough to become the mother she is today.

There are many other women out there like Courtney -- women who need access to affordable birth control.

So when politicians talk about eliminating Title X, the nation's family planning program, they are talking about taking away affordable birth control from than five million women and men in this country.

And when they say they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act -- they are talking about taking away one of the most significant advances for women's health in a generation -- birth control without co-pays.

So, this year, in this election, I am committing to watching even more vigilantly. And making sure my friends, family, everyone understands what's at stake. I truly can't imagine a more important election for us to make our voices heard. I hope you'll join me.

For more from Julianne Moore make sure to follow her on twitter @_Juliannemoore.

Though Super Bowl XLVI is sure to bring plenty of real-life drama and entertainment when the New England Patriots and the New York Giants go head-to-head on Sun., Feb. 5, TV's scripted football moments throughout the years have been equally captivating.

From the heartfelt moments of "Friday Night Lights" to the hilariously absurd on "Family Guy" to the progressive storylines of "Dawson's Creek," college, high school and even pee-wee football has often taken the spotlight on the small screen.

In honor of this weekend's Super Bowl, check out our favorite fictional TV moments from the field -- the ones that made us laugh, cry and inspired us to get in the game.

Vinny Guadagnino made his return to MTV's "Jersey Shore" on the Jan. 26 episode, and he couldn't wait to show his fellow cast members his new tattoo. Inked across the star's chest in scripted, black letters were the words "Let Go Let God."

CLICK FOR PHOTO

Entertainment blog "Wet Paint" reports that Guadagnino received the tattoo some time last year but that he said he was not allowed to talk about it until Season 5.

On a Hollywood TV clip, Guadagnino even refuses to answer a question about whether or not the tattoo hurt.

Wet Paint points out that the saying has roots in the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous 12-step program, where the second and third steps both touch on the meaning of the phrase, according to 12step.com.

According to the website:

However, the phrase also has spiritual and practical meaning.

In a lecture, the International Pathwork Foundation, a non-profit organization, explains the phrase by emphasizing that people should let go of "fears, distrust, misconception, and suspicion."

So is Guadagnino trying to get in touch with his spiritual side? Is he going through the 12 Step program? Or does the phrase have a different meaning when emblazoned across one's chest?

Either way, the "Jersey Shore" cast member isn't the only reality star who's expressing interest in faith.

Kim Kardashian recently attended a church service in California and tweeted she was interested in starting a Bible study group with her friends, the Christian Post reports.

And "Teen Mom 2" star Leah Messer fired back at critics, who called her out for cheating on her now ex-husband Corey Simms, by tweeting with the hashtag "#GodsMyJUDGE," according to Babble.

Shortly after suffering a miscarriage, Messer also Tweeted how proud she was of her twins, with the message: "I literally have THE BEST two little girls in the whole world! God couldn't have gave me anymore of a blessing!!"

You may think you'd have to go to a diner, drive-in or dive to get delicious chicken wings for the Super Bowl, but Friday on "The Talk" (weekdays on CBS) Guy Fieri showed Julie Chen and Aisha Tyler how to grill healthy and flavorful wings at home. Although Fieri isn't known for healthy cooking, the segment was for the "Redo U" series "The Talk" has been running to help people make small changes to improve their lives.

So rather than battering and frying the wings, Fieri showed the ladies how to create a brine using water, Canola oil, honey and a multitude of seasonings. He had them drop everything into a zip-lock bag and shake it up. He then shared a grilling tip, marking the wings on the grill, then moving them to indirect heat so the fat wouldn't drip into the flames and cause the chicken to burn.

Fieri also suggested creating different sauces to cater to various heat preferences. They ranged from a sweeter rub to sprinkle on the wings while they were still on the grill to a fiery sauce made with sriracha, soy sauce and garlic chili sambal that nearly made Julie Chen sneeze. Fieri even shared his signature sauce, which he uses at his restaurant, Tex Wasabi. Without giving away the recipe, he simply said, "We use jalapenos, garlic, hot sauce and butter."

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

WIT ** 1/2 out of **** MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB AT SAMUEL J. FRIEDMAN THEATRE

Context is everything. I saw Wit on Broadway recently and found this production more satisfying than the original Off Broadway version starring Kathleen Chalfant. The supporting cast is stronger here, letting the work feel more like a full play rather like a one-woman show the way it did with Chalfant dominating proceedings. But a new look at Margaret Edson's work reinforced my belief that this show is not successful beyond its strong central character and becomes less interesting as the drama of watching our heroine die takes over.

In this Pulitzer Prize winner, Nixon plays Vivian Bearing, a college professor who specializes in the metaphysical poet John Donne. Chalfant seemed to live entirely in her mind and was somewhat clueless about her effect on those around the imperious professor. Nixon strikes a more vulnerable note, with Bearing using her intellect more as a barrier or a way of ignoring the emotional emptiness in her life. She is stricken by cancer and we watch the all-too familiar stages as she is diagnosed, defiant, confused, angry and ultimately takes solace in the attention of those around her. It might be played as taking the professor down a notch -- this intellect who disdains the nurse as stupid is at the end of her life desperate for a shared moment of humanity. She is reduced or more accurately opened up to the importance of others, whether it's a med student with terrible bedside manners or a nurse who politely shares a popsicle, knowing how much patients need contact.

Neither production took this tack, choosing to view her ultimate emotional vulnerability as natural and understandable. It's the same reason the new film about Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher focuses on her late-period dementia; sympathy comes easily to anyone seeing it, whatever you think of her politics.

Lynee Meadows smoothly directs Nixon, who like the play is stronger earlier on when Bearing is at her best. The text by Margaret Edson simply isn't very interesting -- the general conceit of wit as an insight into Donne or life in general simply doesn't flower here. The dig at the nurse might be seen as a complicating view of Bearing, but it too doesn't register. The nurse isn't stupid, just uneducated or at least certainly not as well educated as Bearing. I wish the play had made better use of the slight; it's a cheap laugh that doesn't pay off later except in the most sentimental, obvious manner.

The cast is strong, with Michael Countryman good in dual roles, Suzanne Bertish very good as our heroine's mentor, Carra Patterson strong in the straightforward role of the nurse and Greg Keller using a funky voice and amusingly self-absorbed manner to score the strongest of any supporting player as Jason Posner, the trainee who is as clueless as Bearing about social skills but bonds with her about research and science.

Plus, a lovely grace note at the end is utterly ruined by Edson. When the friendless Bearing finally gets a visit from her mentor, she moans over the possibility of being read Donne and instead they snuggle up to a children's book. The sweet, simple rhythms of a picture book stand in stark contrast to the life of the mind Bearing has embraced (or perhaps taken shelter in). It's not a condemnation on Bearing's life, just an acknowledgement that at the end simpler pleasures are called for. This gentle finale is spoiled by Edson clumsily having the mentor rather grandly and unnecessarily tacking on a quote from Hamlet when a simple "The end" (the finale to every picture book and every life) or simple silence would have served much better. The great poets know what to leave unsaid.

In general, the reviews are much stronger than what I've written here. My complaint in general is with the play, not Nixon or the production on display.

But what context was I referring to at the beginning? Shortly after seeing the show and before reviewing it, suddenly two people I know were stricken unexpectedly with heart ailments. One is the sister of a best friend; the other a friend I've known for 20 years. Both were unconscious and heavily sedated, with multiple diagnoses confusing everyone. The woman is healthy and home, albeit with the lingering stress of an unusual ailment only recently identified and with no known treatment. The man died peacefully after it became clear he would never revive and -- per his instructions -- life support was removed.

Combine this with a visit to my increasingly frail father (not to worry; he'll never see this since he never goes online and would stay on the Fox News website if he did) and I'm very glad I didn't have to see the show this week. In that context, I'd probably cry like a baby. If anyone finds comfort and solace in this well-acted production, I'm glad. As a play, I don't think it will stand the test of time, though it's certainly a good vehicle for talented actresses in their 40s. As comfort for those facing the awful finality of death for themselves or someone else, I happily acknowledge any support Wit can offer.

Here's a link to the Wikipedia entry for Five Wishes , a living will that meets legal standards in 42 states and DC. Everyone should fill one out to make precisely clear your wishes during a medical emergency.

The Theater Season 2011-2012 (on a four star scale)

The Agony And The Ecstasy Of Steve Jobs ** 1/2 All-American ** All's Well That Ends Well/Shakespeare in the Park ** The Atmosphere Of Memory 1/2 * Bob *** 1/2 Bonnie & Clyde feature profile of Jeremy Jordan Broadway By The Year: 1997 ** 1/2 The Cherry Orchard with Dianne Wiest ** Chinglish * 1/2 Close Up Space * Crane Story ** Cymbeline at Barrow Street Theatre *** Dedalus Lounge * 1/2 An Evening With Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin *** Follies *** 1/2 Fragments *** The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess *** 1/2 Godspell ** 1/2 Goodbar * 1/2 Hair *** Hand To God *** Hero: The Musical * 1/2 How The World Began * 1/2 Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway *** Irving Berlin's White Christmas *** It's Always Right Now, Until It's Later *** 1/2 King Lear at Public with Sam Waterston ** Krapp's Last Tape with John Hurt *** Lake Water ** Leo *** Love's Labor's Lost at the PublicLab ** 1/2 Lysistrata Jones * Man And Boy * 1/2 The Man Who Came To Dinner ** Maple And Vine ** Master Class w Tyne Daly ** 1/2 Measure For Measure/Shakespeare in the Park *** Milk Like Sugar *** Mission Drift * 1/2 Misterman ** 1/2 The Mountaintop ** 1/2 Newsies ** Pigpen's The Nightmare Story *** 1/2 Once *** 1/2 Olive and The Bitter Herbs ** 1/2 On A Clear Day You Can See Forever * 1/2 One Arm *** Other Desert Cities on Broadway ** 1/2 Private Lives ** Queen Of The Mist ** 1/2 Radio City Christmas Spectacular ** 1/2 Relatively Speaking * 1/2 The Road To Mecca ** 1/2 Samuel & Alasdair: A Personal History Of The Robot War ** 1/2 The Select (The Sun Also Rises) ** 1/2 Seminar ** Septimus & Clarissa *** 1/2 Shlemiel The First ** 1/2 Silence! The Musical * 1/2 69 Degrees South * 1/2 Sons Of The Prophet *** 1/2 Sontag: Reborn * Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark * 1/2 Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays ** Stick Fly ** The Submission ** Super Night Shot ** 1/2 Sweet and Sad ** The Table ** 1/2 Titus Andronicus at Public with Jay O. Sanders * 1/2 Unnatural Acts *** Venus In Fur *** We Live Here ** Wild Animals You Should Know ** 1/2 Wit ** 1/2 Zarkana **

NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2011

Blanche: The Bittersweet Life Of A Wild Prairie Dame *** 1/2 Central Avenue Breakdown ** 1/2 Crazy, Just Like Me *** Cyclops: A Rock Opera * Ennio: The Living Paper Cartoon ** 1/2 F---ing Hipsters ** Ghostlight ** Gotta Getta Girl ** 1/2 for staged reading Greenwood * Jack Perry Is Alive (And Dating) * 1/2 Kiki Baby ** 1/2 Kissless * 1/2 Madame X ** The Pigeon Boys *** Time Between Us * 1/2 Tut **

FRINGEFEST NYC 2011

Araby * The Bardy Bunch ** Books On Tape ** 1/2 Civilian ** Hard Travelin' With Woody *** Leonard Cohen Koans *** 1/2 The More Loving One ** The Mountain Song *** 1/2 Paper Cuts *** Parker & Dizzy's Fabulous Journey To The End Of The Rainbow ** 1/2 Pearl's Gone Blue *** Rachel Calof ** 1/2 Romeo & Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending ** 2 Burn * 1/2 Walls and Bridges ** What The Sparrow Said ** 1/2 Yeast Nation ***

Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available for free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.

Note: Michael Giltz is provided with free tickets to shows with the understanding that he will be writing a review.

It's official! Selma Blair has been cast in Charlie Sheen's new FX dark comedy "Anger Management."

Blair, who last starred in the ill-fated NBC comedy "Kath & Kim," will play Kate. According to EW.com, Kate, who's described as Charlie’s "best friend with benefits," a fellow therapist who helps Charlie control his anger and uses radical approach with patients.

"Anger Management" will see Sheen playing a therapist who leads two therapy groups -- one in a prison and one un-incarcerated. He also live a complicated life, including an ex-wife (Shawnee Smith) and 13-year-old obsessive compulsive daughter. FX has ordered 10 initial episodes, and as long as those episodes reach a certain ratings mark, Sheen's series will be greenlit for an unprecedented 90 additional episodes.

During the winter Television Critics Association press tour, showrunner Bruce Helford told a group of critics that, "Everyone in the world calls to say they want to do [this] show."

A premiere date for "Anger Management" has not yet been set, but production is reportedly set to start in March.

Angelica Huston's black bob swings back and forth, keeping time with the click of her heels on the sidewalk. As the Oscar-winning actress passes, she throws us a warm but impish smile and then fades into the nighttime air. Her departure cheers the crowd, which has been waiting in the cold and will finally be called to fill the ground floor of VBH Luxury on New York's Upper East Side. The high-end showroom serves as an on-location site for Smash, the new NBC television show produced by Steven Spielberg about the birth of a Broadway musical.

Along with approximately 75 other people, I've been hired as background for a big party, which means we'll be seen but not heard in the episode, human props moved around to create an enthusiastic and festive atmosphere. The casting company told us in advance that we, along with lead character Tom Levitt (played by Christian Borle), are portraying gays and lesbians attending a Republican fundraiser for major donors. The men are outfitted in dark, pinstriped suits and somber ties, while the women are dressed in conservative business attire accented with expensive-looking scarves. I can't help but think we look like Ann Coulter groupies, fresh from a day slaving away in our Wall Street closets -- er, I mean cubicles.

Positioned at the head of the waiting line, I'm one of the first extras to enter into the two-story building. Living in Manhattan, it's easy to become immune to luxurious spaces, but the towering ceilings, plush, earth-tone furniture, and polished wood floor featuring my middle-aged reflection make even my jaded eyes pop. It's no surprise when the Second Assistant Director warns us not to sit on anything.

"No, no, no. That's not allowed either," he runs over and tells a woman rolling up her black overcoat and laying it on a cream-colored couch. I don't blame the A.D., since he's only following orders. No doubt VBH only agreed to the TV shoot under the proviso that there's no damage to the interior.

As I look around and take inventory of the other background actors, my gaydar barely bleeps. Maybe 10 percent appear to belong to the LGBTQ community. It's a surprise, as I figure there'd be a lot more of us, especially given the assignment.

"You," a crewmember points at me. "And you," he says to a handsome, silver-haired man. "Come with me." Gesturing to the gorgeous orange knot around my cast mate's neck, I bestow the "Best Tie of the Evening" award on him. Soon I learn that Stephen works as a banker, not as a professional actor. Like me, he is doing this for the adventure.

My new friend and I are instructed to act like a gay power couple, gripping and grinning as we work our way through the mass of guests in a specific sequence that we're to repeat for every take. With the long- and medium-shots, close-ups, reverses -- and numerous retakes -- we'll spend a great deal of the 10-hour shoot together. Fortunately, he's a charming conversationalist and seems comfortable putting his arm around me and playing the role of my date.

We agree that I'll wait for him at the top of a staircase, and in order to enhance the realism of the scene, he'll come up and "surprise" me at the start of each take. My position puts me behind two 20-somethings who've also been paired up. They're about three feet in front of me, so I'm close enough to hear their conversation, but not so close that they're aware of me.

"Which one of us has to be the girl?" jokes the blond.

"You're shorter than me. You lose," replies the dark-haired guy.

"All right, but only if I have to."

"Too bad, dude!"

They both start punching each other on the shoulder and even let out a giggle or two. Meanwhile, blood rushes to my face. I take in a long breath and then slowly exhale. Angered by their exchange, I want to let them know I find their attitudes both homophobic and misogynistic, but the director calls for quiet on the set. I hear the sound of the black and white clapboard strike. The high-definition camera begins rolling, and I hear the crew cry out, "Action!"

I try to focus on our cues so that Stephen and I cross in front of the camera at exactly the right time, but I'm struggling. It seems ironic that people can be so ignorant, even on the set of what will probably be one of the gayest TV shows of all time. (I mean, please, it's about Broadway.) Moreover, this is a scene where everyone is supposed to be queer. For actors, this is as gay as it gets.

Though I didn't speak up when I first overheard the offending comments, I want to say something during our next break. Part of me feels it's my obligation to educate these two young actors and let them know there is no "woman" in a gay relationship -- and no "man" in a lesbian one.

Another thing that angers me is their assumption that the shorter partner in a same-sex couple automatically assumes a more passive role. True, some couples use the 1950s model where one calls the shots, but many of us have created a new paradigm where both partners come as equals, and neither dominates the other, regardless of height, age, income, or any other metric.

But, maybe I should mind my own business. I don't want thought police attacking my every private conversation, and that's what this was -- a tête-à-tête that I happened to overhear.

I remember that many of the world's great religious and philosophical traditions admonish us to look within before finding fault with someone else. Jesus of Nazareth says, "How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:4-5 NKJV).

On the same subject, the Dalai Lama writes, "Rather than criticizing others, we should evaluate and criticize ourselves. Ask yourself, what am I doing about my anger, my attachment, my pride, my jealousy?"

Even from the world of psychology, Carl Gustav Jung advises, "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."

While I believe that it's always important to stand up for social justice and speak truth to power, even when inconvenient, this situation on the set of Smash doesn't fit that mold. The 20-something actors are mere extras, not authority figures, nor are they intentionally trying to hurt anyone. They're two nervous straight guys confronted with playing characters outside their comfort zone. Since the duo knew before accepting the background assignment that they'd portray gay men, I need to give them credit.

When I ask myself why I became so outraged with the brief verbal exchange, I don't like the answer. As a guy of medium height (5'9" in shoes on an especially tall day), I've mostly dated men whose pants-length is much longer than mine. I have to come clean and admit that I fear that people will think I'm the more passive one in the relationship because of my stature. Plus, it really bothers me that others might think I'm feminine or womanly.

Whoa! Who's the real misogynist and homophobe now? With gritted teeth, I wave to the fellow I spy when I look down into the shiny parquet floors at VBH Luxury.

The Hindu sage Mohandas Gandhi tells us, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." If I want to live in a planet without prejudice, then I should start by eliminating my character defects before lecturing others.

Throughout most of the shoot, I've been so focused on working through my judgment that I haven't paid any attention to the two young actors. During the last take, shortly before the crew calls out "checking the gate," which signals the final workday wrap, I notice the taller one has his arm around the other's shoulder -- not like a lover, but like a brother. Still, it's obvious they are trying to play gay as best they can. I doubt the viewers at home will be able to tell the difference.

Have you ever accidentally overheard a homophobic comment? How did you react? I'd love to hear your story.

Over the years PETA's sexy Super Bowl ads have become a bit of a pastime in the run up to the big game. Especially since every year, NBC politely declines $3 million and prevents the Super Bowl commercial from airing.

Take a look at some of the most scandalous PETA videos posted on YouTube, which includes everything from scantily clad women flashing fake udders to the 2009 Super Bowl commercial featuring sexy women having some veggie loving fun.

Check out PETA's most controversial Super Bowl commercials below.

Video list compiled by PETA (WARNING: The rejected Super Bowl commercials featured in the slideshow below may be considered EXPLICIT and NSFW)

See some of PETA's most memorable anti-fur ads in the slideshow below (WARNING: Some images may be considered EXPLICIT and NSFW):

The hype around seeing the new Tuskegee Airmen film Red Tails, is kind of like voting for Obama.

If you don't do it your black card might be revoked, the Dr. King photo on your wall will close its eyes and you will drown in a chorus of, "See this movie or die."

(Hat-tip to Sean Combs and his 2004 "Vote or Die" campaign.)

One of our main dilemmas as a people is the fear of criticism within our community. But growth and improvement are the ultimate results of criticism. Without it we will never grow. Yet, constructive criticism rarely seems to come. And even now, knowing how strongly people feel, I am tempted to hesitate, to not even write this post. But I'll do it anyway.

I have to.

Medger Evers, and too many others, fought and died so I could have the right to criticize Terrence Howard.

And that's just what I intend to do.

Red Tails isn't a great movie. It's not a bad movie either. But it shouldn't be confused with a movement. Yet, this weekend's opening was tinged with a lot of that.

I was privileged to see the film a few days before it opened at the Los Angeles premiere. And I was even a little excited especially since my frequent collaborator in controversy and employer had a little something to do with the film. But once in the theater I realized that for many in attendance this was a "Big Moment."

Older black people were proud to be there, almost on the edge of tears. There were hugs even before the theatre went dark. Although I originally set out to just see a movie I soon realized I was embarking upon a "moment" in black history. I was about to see a film with a majority black cast with a budget over fifty million dollars. My eyes watered. There was a smattering of kids; most dragged to the theatre by their parents in the name of experiencing history.

But here's where it got tricky for me.

Somebody said we should pray before the movie, and since nobody has the guts to say no to Jesus ... we prayed.

"Amen!"

The movie starts and I was immediately hit with this sound -- the sound that only comes from Dolby or big time technology. My eyes watered again. This was the kind of sound Madea wishes she had whenever she slaps a child for no good reason. It was a sound that could only come from "white money."

From there on what was "good for black people" and what was actually "good cinema" became intractably conflated.

The living embodiment of this was Terrence Howard, who was among the films leading actors.

It is inconceivable to me how a person can add syllables to the word "colored," yet Howard found a way. By the time he gave his fourth unwarranted soliloquy I found myself rooting for the Germans. And since he never changed his wardrobe I was hoping this was a trick like Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense where Howard was really dead, but only white officers could see him. No such luck.

Then there was the white woman. There's been a lot of back-and-forth in certain parts of the Internet over the lack of black women in this film. Not that anyone expected Lena Horne to show up and fly a plane -- just that considering the age and the college education of most of the airmen, not one of them seemed to have a sweetheart back home or a wife. No faded photograph of "Ernestine" and talk about how you couldn't wait to get back to Macon, Ga. and make an honest woman out of her.

But fine, maybe all the sweethearts and wives got cut for more dogfights. There aren't women in many war movies, let alone black women. Yet nobody had an issue with his white girl?

Wasn't it peculiar? I mean Emmitt Till was tortured for whistling to a white woman twenty years after WWII, yet this brother goes to Europe and pulls a white woman (from 10 thousand feet in the air, in a little plane no less) and never mentions to his fellow pilots that he has a white girl.

The 1943 version of me would have told everybody.

And the white woman just lets him into her house (without him having her address and in a neighborhood where all the houses look the same). She does this even though he can't speak the language and he has a gun. So what happens when her mother meet this Negro stranger? She goes for a ride with him. So in effect this brother pulls two white women without being able to speak the language while carrying a gun.

Shaft was never this lucky.

Except maybe when it came to general black support and an overall lack of criticism of his many, many films -- from Roundtree to Sam Jackson.

But the world isn't perfect. And despite all of its flaws I support Red Tails. Someone -- George Lucas in this case -- took a shot. He put his money behind it and told the story he wanted to tell. I can't help but applaud that.

I just wish I'd liked it more. I wanted to like it.

Today, there are two types of black films: Direct-to-DVD and Tyler Perry.

As a writer and producer of television and film, I am aware of the need to support African American fare. I just want the kid gloves to come off and to see a film like this get the Saving Private Ryan treatment -- a story where an African American character overcomes himself and not just his skin color.

Madea finding her hot comb does not count.

It's happened in individual instances. Denzel Washington in Hurricane and Malcolm X, Adolph Caesar in A Soldier's Story, Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption and Angela Bassett in What's Love Got To Do With It are just a few. The most recent of those films is over 12 years old. Yet I yearn for the day when it happens for all films rooted in our culture.

And for those films to come out at a pace at more than one film a year.

I know I'm being greedy.

But none of this will happen if we can't be honest with ourselves and each other about the true quality of the entertainment we consume. Honesty is where it starts because from honesty we can assess and starts to get better.

So I'm going to get the ball going. I support Red Tails, but I think we could have done better. A lot better.

Who wants to join in?

This Sunday brings the Super Bowl, and like many Americans, I will attend a party, watch the mega-spectacle unfold while eating lots, drinking a bit, and hooting and hollering as stuff happens on TV.

Why should you care as a gay person? Why should you watch? Here's the deal. (Some generalizations will follow. And some X-rated suggestions. Mom, please, don't read number 6. And yes, I'm skipping Madonna entirely in this equation, to truly make a valid case.)

15. Because gays like sports.

Many gay males enjoy pop divas, theater, watching Toddlers & Tiaras, home decorating, and anal sex. And very, very many gay males also enjoy playing sports, watching sports, talking trash about sports, obsessing about players' stats, and cheering uproariously for their favorite teams (go Giants!).

Simply put, the old saw that homos aren't into jock-related things (jock-straps aside) is dated and bogus. And I'm not even talking about lesbians, which is an entirely different article or thesis project on sports history, gender roles, and sexual identity.

14. Because the two quarterbacks are worth watching.

Tom Brady is very, very handsome. Remember all those pics from VMan a few years back? And Eli Manning, though not as Bruce-Weber-ly handsome as Brady, possesses his own dorky cuteness. (They tried to dress him up for Men's Vogue a few years back. An adorable effort.)

Let's put it like this. You're 14 years old and in high school. Brady's the Big Man on Campus who is your older sister's boyfriend, whom you follow around like a pup. He'll be nice of you in front of your sister but never give you the time of day otherwise. Eli, on the other hand, is the approachable jock down the street who'd actually give you a ride home from school, even though you're in 9th grade and he's a senior (and All-State!), just because he's nice (and honestly, not that cool). How can you not love them both?

(At the risk of digressing completely, what is with all of the hot QBs these days? Mark Sanchez. Alex Smith. And can you just imagine how good the searingly studly Aaron Rodgers must smell?)

Also, Brady and Manning are both at the top of their game and completely unpredictable, which makes for a good match, yes?

13. Because a supermodel is pleading for your help.

Brady's wife, Brazilian supermodel/gazillionaire Gisele Bundchen sent out a mass email asking friends/family/fans to send prayers and good vibes to the powers that be so that her hubby can win the big game. Like, really!

I don't know about you, but I listen to my supermodels. They know best. And if you disobey, you might get clocked in the head with a pointy cell phone. (JK, Naomi!)

12. Because you're a snarky media whore (social and otherwise).

Gays love to be all slick and on top of every media moment. The Oscars. Fashion Week. Presidential Inaugural Balls. New Britney demos being leaked. And while we gush about those sorts of things, the Super Bowl really is the big, honking grandmama of all media events, people. Nothing else comes close to taking over all the news, coverage, cultural conversation, ad dollars... Face it, the Oscars are a forlorn, gay stepchild when it comes to the sheer onslaught of 360-degree-medianess of the Super Bowl.

Thusly, your Facebook and Twitter will be exploding. Own it. Instagram pics of mounds of chicken wings. Unleash your wit and gift for pervy sass as the big match rolls on, blinding others with your gift for double entendre and sharp, punny comments.

And don't forget those useful hashtags: #SuperBowl, #Patriots, #Giants, #BradyMeHard, #HotManningAction

11. Because you're an advertiser's wet dream.

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm excited to see the commericials. Even though I've already watched many of the biggies online (part of that aforementioned social media Super Bowl juggernaut), including the return of Ferris Bueller for Honda.

But to add extra gay excitement, we get David Beckham in his undies, adorable John Stamos getting owned by some chick over a bit of yogurt, Sir Elton John in a furry robe and crown, and... doggies and Star Wars!

Also, I must admit, I loooooove the stupid, gratuitous T&A that the GoDaddy ads deliver each year. (I also grew up loving the buxom, hayseed ladies of Hee-Haw and laughing madly to Benny Hill's antics. What can I say? I like cheese!)

And if you really want to get into a social-media/advertising K-hole, you can point your iPhone at the TV during a number of the ads, use your Shazam app, and you'll get coupons for free stuff or entered to win cars! Gaaaah! Consume like you've never consumed before!

10. Because you like musical TV fare.

The Super Bowl is on NBC this year, so it will be followed by a very special episode of The Voice. (Gay-friendly hottie Adam Levine! Diva/mess extraodinaire Xtina!). And you can be assured that throughout that, NBC will also be promoting the hell out of its new TV series Smash, featuring Grace (Deborah Messing), Anjelica Huston, Broadway musicals, and Marilyn Monroe. Expect random gayish promo-splosions amid the first downs and car ads.

9. Because the Super Bowl is gay-supportive.

Both teams this year hail from states where gay marriage is legal. And according to the gay sports experts at OutSports.com, the N.Y. Giants have sent representatives to queer sporting events (like the "Gay Super Bowl"), and Giants' owner Steve Tisch released a video supporting gay marriage, as has former Giants superstar Michael Strahan. The owner of the Patriots has spoken at LGBT business and networking events, and players from each team have supported the NOH8 campaigns. Woo-hoo! Go gays!

Also, in a very cool move, fans in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium will see a PSA created by GLSEN that features NBA stars Jared Dudley and Grant Hill and targets anti-LGBT language among teens. The PSA will be shown to the 70,000 fans attending the Super Bowl and to the 80,000 watching from the tailgating mania surround the place. Rah, rah, gay!

8. Because you like food.

Over a billion chicken wings will be consumed in the U.S. this Sunday. Which is terrifying (if still kind of tasty). But chances are, you'll also have a chance to hang with friends with decent palates and food-prep skills, so you'll be noshing on really good versions of BBQ, chili, hoagies, and sweets and chips and dips for days. And if you follow food mags like Food & Wine or Bon Appetit or sites like Epicurious.com, they've been exploding for weeks with a million ideas of great party eats.

Indulge your inner Ina Garten (or Martha or Paula or Giada or whichever culinary idol melts your butter) and turn your kitchen out!

7. Because you like food and you're twisted.

Ummm... This is somewhat scary, but the freaky and possibly bearishly hot guys behind Epic Meal Time have schemed up this jaw-dropping video about making a disgusting creation called a "Big Dirty Manningwich," which gets topped with "Brady Gravy."

Watch, use your filthy mind, and recognize that this video (and its participants) are not very far off from some version of amateur gay bear porn. You could almost just loop the existing soundtrack over another sort of video and you're good to go. (Did I mention "Brady Gravy?")

6. And speaking of being twisted...

(Skip this part, Mom.) Maybe you have no interest in football, splashy commercials, chicken wings, gay-supportive sports franchises, or pop divas. You are just a proudly shameless, filthy sex fiend. Go to Craigslist.org for your city. You'll already see M4M ads looking for willing partners for all flavors of Super-Bowl-themed action. Maybe you just wanna "help out" a party of straight guys as they watch the big game? Maybe you're a hungry human end zone ready to be violated by an opposing team? Maybe you just like to watch people who like to watch a big game? Maybe you just wanna dress as a maid and... you get the idea.

Also, Grindr and ManHunt will likely be blowing up during this whole thing. Folks drinking early on a Sunday evening. It's gonna get trashy.

Listen: This. Is. Your. Moment. Sex it up. Go team!

Speed Round!

5. Because there will be puppies.

4. Because there will also be a kitty-cat half time show.

3. OK, how about a puppy and Jimmy Fallon?

2. Because Chaz Bono is into it!

And...

1. Because you love America.

Right?

1.1. Because... Madonna!

Oh, how could I not? Honestly, I'm very excited about the Giants/Patriots match-up. But come on! How can any person with a pulse not be a little curious about what Madonna -- arguably, the biggest living pop icon -- is going to do at half time? We already pretty much know about the songs (the new one, as well as most likely "Vogue," "Music," "Ray of Light," and possibly "Holiday") and the guest stars (M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green, LMFAO?).

Will she crash and burn? Will it be awesome? At the very least it'll be dishy, spectacular, overblown, and dish-worthy! (I'm still grinning from the half time show three years ago when Bruce Springsteen [whom I love] slid crotch-first into an onstage camera, putting the entire planets' collective eyes out with his man-groin.

Still, I can't help but root for old Madge to pull something off brilliantly. She's due. And though seeing her pointy mug splayed up live on a 72-inch, HD, plasma screen might be jarring, I'm ready for it.

And, yes... while I'm at it, I am ready for some football.

Now, please pass me some of that "Brady Gravy."

We all know Kim Kardashian has a habit of dating professional athletes, but that doesn't mean she's looking to date just any guy with a jersey and a multimillion dollar contract.

Rumors that the reality TV queen has been secretly dating New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, began popping up online this morning.

The rumors seem to originate from a website called starberryicecream.com that alleges the two started seeing each other when Kim began filming the first season of her show "Kourtney & Kim Take New York," in 2010. According to the site's source, now that Kim is back on the market she's gone back to dating Sanchez.

Kim indirectly denied the rumors when she wrote on Twitter:

dating rumors are always fun when u don't even know the people your supposedly linked to! Who makes this stuff up!

Since she split with New Jersey Nets foward Kris Humphries at the end of October, Kim has also been linked to ultra-Christian football player Tim Tebow. Various reports claim the 31-year-old has a "huge crush" on the quarterback for the Denver Broncos and has been making advances, trying to make him her new man.

The reports are totally unsubstantiated, but even John Legend got in on the decidedly fun rumor, warning Tebow not to fall victim to Kim's wiles. On ESPN's "First Take" Legend performed a Tebow-inspired version of his 2004 tune "Ordinary People," now renamed "Extra-Ordinary Tebow." In the song, Legend sings, "Deny Kim K advances, and TV ballroom dances. Though it's not a fantasy, because you all do is win."

Check out Kim's romantic history and all of her exes:

Whether you're a Giants fan or a Patriots fan or simply mourning your favorite football team not being in the big game, you're probably still a music fan. That Madonna lady's got halftime covered, but for the rest of your Super Bowl party time, here's one not-so-tight-end's playlist that's super in at least one sense. As always, please add your own winning selections below. Here's hoping we all have a Super Sunday.

SUPER FREAK - Rick James SUPERMAN - R.E.M. THAT'S REALLY SUPER, SUPERGIRL - XTX SUPER TROUPER - Abba CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA - Oasis SUPPERCOLLIDER - Fountains of Wayne SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPERCREEPS) - David Bowie DREAMER - Supertramp ALRIGHT - Supergrass SUPERFLY - Curtis Mayfield SUPER STUPID - Funkadelic SUPER BASS - Nicki Minaj SUNSHINE SUPERMAN - Donovan SUPER BAD - James Brown SUPER - Rupaul HELLO SUNSHINE - Super Furry Animals SUPER STRUT - Deodato SUPERFRIEND - Rivers Cuomo SUPER DUPER LOVE - Joss Stone SUPER BLUE - J.J. Cale SUPER LIFE - Chaka Khan SUPERHERO - The Lemonheads I'M SUPER - Big Gay Al