Oh look kids - another new poll just in time for the New Year - and it's VERY gay! Please do go to www.outzonetv.com and vote for your favorite gay and gay-loving celebrities...it's a fabulous way to blow an hour or so of your ever-so-valuable work time! Oh right...like you're above that.
But gosh...the choices are tough! How can I choose anyone over Melissa E? Obviously I think Jake Shears deserves some credit but that Melissa...she's a Goddess! (And just why aren't George Takei or T.R. Knight on this list?????)
Without further ado, here's the scoop, direct from Bravo (so any typeos aren't mine!):
LANCE, ELLEN, FACE OFF IN OUTZONETV.COM'S FIRST EVER SEXIEST GAY 2007 POLL
BRAVO’S “MANHUNT” RETURNS IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONLINE POLL TO LAUNCH ON OUTZONETV.COM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2006
NEW YORK – December 5, 2006 – Bravo’s OUTzoneTV.com, the first-ever broadband channel specifically targeted to the gay and lesbian online community, will bring users, readers, and the LGBT community a new online poll to determine “OUTzoneTV.com’s Sexiest 2007.” The nominees include Lance Bass, Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tim Gunn, among others. Voting kicks off on Friday, December 8, and runs through Thursday, December 28, with the winners announced on OUTzoneTV.com and in In Touch magazine on stands on Friday, January 5. The OUTzoneTV.com poll will coincide with the launch of Bravo’s “Manhunt” on the site. The announcement was made today by Jason Klarman, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy, Bravo.
"It has been a big year for gay celebrities, and we thought what better way to celebrate than by honoring the sexiest of them,” said Klarman.
Speaking of sexy, Bravo’s “Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model,” which first premiered on Bravo in 2004, will return on OUTzoneTV.com in conjunction with “OUTzoneTV.com’s Sexiest 2007” poll on Friday, December 8. The eight-episode one-hour series will be rolled out with one exclusive online premiere each week, surrounded by photos, interviews, Q & A’s and blogs so fans can catch up on what their favorite contestants have been doing since shooting ended. “Manhunt” has been an ongoing favorite for Bravo online visitors – first on Bravotv.com, and then, since June 2006, on OUTzoneTV.com. Longtime fans and new devotees who have not been able to view the original series online will now be able to enjoy the experience.
HOW THE POLL WORKS:
Three poll categories, “Sexiest Gay Celebrity,” “Sexiest Gay-Friendly Celebrity,” and “Sexiest Gay of the Year,” each include 12 nominees. The editors at OUTzoneTV.com hand-selected the 12 sexy celebrities in the first two categories after hours of discussion, and by focusing on those stars that are the sexiest in the most open way. Their sexiness run the gamut from glam, butch, TV-camera-ready, grungy-poetic, musical. Voting is open to all readers of OUTzoneTV.com, and is based on a 1-5 rating scale.
AMERICA’S SEXIEST GAY CELEBRITY:
In recent months, high-profile gays have been slipping out of the closet and into the spotlight so smoothly, including: ‘N Sync’s Lance Bass, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” T.R. Knight, and “How I Met Your Mother’s” Neil Patrick Harris. For the first time, America has the opportunity to recognize their top pick:
· Lance Bass - The man who melted millions of tween hearts as a crooner for ‘N Sync incinerated the closet door with one phone call. In July he came out smiling on the cover of People magazine: I’m gay and it’s no big deal. Oh, but Lance is a great, big deal. We love him and his boyfriend, Reichen, another nominee.
· Melissa Etheridge - She survived breast cancer, headlined a hugely successful tour, and celebrated the birth of twins with partner Tammy Lynn Michaels.
· Tim Gunn - With his immense vocabulary and heart of gold amid the Project Runway phenomenon, Gunn won fan and competitor affection alike.
· Pedro Almodovar - The Oscar buzz surrounding his new film, Volver, is deafening. Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay nods are practically guaranteed.
· Jake Shears - Front-stud of the Scissor Sisters, whose new record, “Ta-Dah,” and its first single, “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing,” debuted at the top (#1) on the UK pop charts.
· John Cameron Mitchell - From Cannes to Columbia, MO, Mitchell rocked the indie film world with his sexually explicit, proudly queer, and surprisingly touching follow-up film to Hedwig, the gritty but sweet Shortbus.
· Nate Berkus - Oprah’s in-house decorator continued to rule the design roost on Oprah’s chatfest. He also scored the cover of “O at Home.”
· Reichen Lehmkuhl - The ex-Air Force captain and “The Amazing Race” winner published his memoir this year and helped shepherd boyfriend Lance Bass out of the closet.
· Ellen DeGeneres - She won a third daytime Emmy Award for her chatfest, scored a hot new girlfriend (see #11) and was named the second woman (and first lesbian…) to host the Academy Awards.
· Neil Patrick Harris - Riding high on the success of his sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” Doogie Howser cleared the air once and for all by coming out of the closet.
· Portia de Rossi - Just so damn beautiful and nice, Ms. de Rossi became the new girlfriend to megastar Ellen. Heaven knows where the “Ally McBeal” and “Arrested Development” star will show up next.
· Rufus Wainwright - The singer-songwriter reached a new highpoint in his career with a sold-out, and critically acclaimed, reenactment of Judy Garland’s last concert at Carnegie Hall. Then for kicks he became the spokesmodel for avant-garde fashion designers Victor+Rolf.
AMERICA’S SEXIEST GAY-FRIENDLY CELEBRITY:
Homophobia is OUT in Hollywood, and accepting and celebrating gay men and lesbians is IN. And the nominees are:
· Jake Gyllenhaal - How do you follow the success of Brokeback Mountain? If you’re Jake, you take the year off and enjoy the accolades with quiet humility. He showed true class by not commenting on jokes about his friendship with Matthew McConaughey and Lance Armstrong.
· Meryl Streep - She slipped into a pair of Christian Laboutin spike heels and ran away with the summer’s surprise blockbuster, The Devil Wears Prada. Then in her downtime she did a serious play, “Mother Courage,” adapted by gay playwright Tony Kushner.
· Kathy Griffin - She scored in 2006 with second season of “My Life on the D-List,” which was not only popular with the folks at home but garnered the comedienne a coveted Emmy nomination. Oh, and she keeps touring nationwide. Go Kathy!
· Julian McMahon - The star of “Nip/Tuck” became a gay icon this year for his hyper-sexuality. He lusts after his business partner and frenemy (Dylan Walsh) almost as much as the many women in his life. Singlehandedly, McMahahon pushed TV ever closer to the edge of the gay/straight cliff.
· Justin Timberlake - The boy-bander with a heart brought “SexyBack” in so many ways including menswear. He launched of an edgy, wearable, and very cool new clothing line “William Rast.”
· Amy Sedaris - The comedian -- and sister of hilarious gay author David Sedaris -- saw her film Strangers With Candy hit the big screens. Then wrapped up the year with a surprise bestselling book, “I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence.”
· Beyonce Knowles - She’s was already a pop star, fashion designer, and arm-candy for hip-hop’s “hova.” Now Ms. Knowles’ is destined for movie stardom with the release of Dreamgirls, the movie.
· Johnny Knoxville - The Jackass-impresario returned with a sequel to his signature guy-on-guy hijinks that was funnier than the first. He and his Jackass crew always play fair with tongues firmly in cheek, butt cheeks showing, and their downright gayness firmly exposed.
· Brangelina - While the power-couple continue a high-wattage fight against poverty, they joined forces with gays to fight for marriage equality. The couple said they won’t take their own vows until gays can get married, too.
· Hugh Jackman - Wolverine followed his burst on the blockbuster scene with a year on Broadway singing and dancing his way to a Tony Award as Liza Minelli’s gay husband. This year, he starred in no less than six movies, including The Fountain, Woody Allen’s Scoop and the animated blockbuster Happy Feet. Talk about versatile.
· Parker Posey - After starring in the charming gay flick Adam & Steve, Ms. Posey joined forces with the man who first made her a star, Christopher Guest (director of Waiting for Guffman) in his new film, For Your Consideration.
· Penelope Cruz - She’s always done her best work with gay men — and this year is no different. Her starring role as a diva under pressure in gay director Pedro Almodovar’s critically acclaimed Volver has made Cruz is a shoe-in for an Oscar nod.
SEXIEST GAY OF THE YEAR:
While they are not technically “celebrities,” they are stars in the world of OUTzoneTV.com. The “Sexiest Gay of the Year” is culled from “OUTzone's Gay of the Day.” Since OUTzone launched in June of 2006, the site has generated reader-submitted photos from readers nominating themselves for “Gay of the Day.” It's a fun, sexy, irreverent part of the site where readers send in photos of themselves along with playful descriptions explaining why they should be “OUTzone's Gay of the Day.” For “Gay of the Year,” over “100 Gays of the Day” have been selected for inclusion in a hot list of 12 nominees. Now, readers can choose which “Gay of the Day” they think is worthy of the title “Gay of the Year.”
