Lupe Fiasco Readies for His Birth of The Cool

Make way for the impending Fiasco.

It must be Monday when thoughts flow from one Fiasco to another.

Get ready for a new album from Lupe Fiasco, the nerdy, skateboarding rapper with the outsider image that ought to warm queer hearts. The 25-year-old wunder rhymer, named GQ’s “Breakout Man of the Year” for 2006, plans to follow up his acclaimed debut album with Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, set for release on December 18 on Atlantic Records.

The twenty songs on The Cool reportedly explore a character from the song of the same name off last year’s Grammy-nominated album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor. This figure in the earlier song, “The Cool,” had proclaimed, “Hustler for death. No heaven for a gangsta.” So it’s no dis to say that darkness pervades the conceptual album based around him.

Legions have already heard “Superstar,” the first single from Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, which features that interesting shutter button sound made famous by Duran Duran. Another tune, “Dumb It Down,” seems to perpetuate the dark streak.

Although Fiasco, who adopted his name from a song by 90s hip-hop super group, The Firm, may carry an endearing underdog image, his talent actually makes him a well-connected insider. As an up and comer, he received assistance from mogul Jay-Z, and he has the ear of Kanye West, who has joined Fiasco and Pharrell Williams in the top secret project, Child Rebel Soldier. Thus far, CRS has revealed one elusive song, "Us Placers", which is built around the haunting refrain to Thom Yorke's The Eraser, from the Radiohead front man’s 2006 album.

And now, word has it that Mr. West’s mother passed away this weekend due to a “cosmetic procedure.” Hmm.

Commercial Closet Honors Inclusive Ads by American Express and Absolut

-- Lyle Masaki from AfterElton.com

The Commercial Closet Association, which monitors gay representation in advertising, have named American Express and Absolut Vodka as the "gold standard" for sensitive LGBT portrayals in their advertising. The CCA praised the two companies for great work in the past year, but also for a history of supporting the gay community. These sponsors' support includes not just marketing to gay customers and advertising in gay media, but also sponsoring and participating in community events.

American Express' history includes ads using out celebrities in  such as Tom Ford, Ellen DeGeneres and Queer Eye producer David Collins. The company's has also addressed LGBT concerns with ads that bring up the different financial issues same-sex couples face.

Who Thought THAT Was a Good Idea? Worst Lesbian TV Moments

-- Sarah Warn from AfterEllen.com

It's all about bad lesbian TV in this week's Who Thought THAT Was a Good Idea?, as Lori and I count down some of the worst lesbian story-line decisions on American television — starting with Serena Southerlyn's coming-out on the way out of Law & Order, and ending with ... well, you'll just have to watch and find out for yourself.

Give us your thoughts on the worst lesbian moments in American TV history in the comments — and if you missed it, check out our favorite lesbian moments in last Friday's episode of She Made Me Watch This!

Barrowmania! For Your Ears: John's New Album, Videos and More!

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

This week's a big one for John Barrowman fans: the out Torchwood star has released a full-length album of covers called "Another Side" and with it has dispatched his army of charming robot clones to do an assortment of musical promotional duties.

We have a review of the album up on the main page, and here are a few musical tummy-tempters to give you an idea of what John's all about as a singer. First, there's the video for the first single off the album, a cover of Air Supply's "All Out of Love". And after that, check out John's appearance on last night's Strictly Come Dancing (the inspiration for Dancing With the Stars) during which he performs a cover of The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and shows of his hip-shake. Am I the only one who seriously expected him to end up dancing with one of the male performers rather than end up draped in sequin-dipped ladies?

Enjoy both clips after the jump!

She Made Me Watch This! Favorite Lesbian TV Moments

-- Sarah Warn from AfterEllen.com

In this Very Special Edition of She Made Me Watch This!, Lori and I discuss some of our favorite lesbian episodes and moments on American television in the last 20 years. Relive the glory days when there were actually lesbians on prime-time network TV, as we discuss (and show clips!) from lesser-known shows like Dark Angel, Once and Again and Wonderfalls, and more popular ones like Buffy, Xena, ER and The L Word.

Let us know your favorites in the comments — and look for a countdown of our least favorite lesbian TV moments in Monday's episode of Who Thought THAT Was a Good Idea?

Oh, Snap! The Out 100 Party Red Carpet!

So Friday night was the 13th annual Out 100 party in NYC, and the whole gay gang was there! Check here for some official live blogging of the event.

And that's Jason Preston, Marc Jacobs and Candice Cayne (of course!). More pictures after the jump!

LOGO's New Series: The Big Straight Sketch Show! "Behind-the-Scenes" Clips!

I'm afraid so: It's The Big Straight Sketch Show...LOGO sold out to the straights. We really appreciate it!

But let's at least enjoy these clips for what they are: The Office-esque making-ofs...and they are pretty funny. The homos can not pull off straight to save their lives, but Federline of Love sounds like a fantastic show idea. I would DVR that the day it premiered!

Don't miss another clip after the jump!