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Brian White in OUT

Actor Brian J. White is profiled in the November Out. The Dartmouth-educated, former pro-football player and classically-trained dancer has a supporting role in the upcoming holiday-pic The Family Stone, whose cast includes Sarah Jessica Parker (ugh), Dermot Mulroney, Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams and Claire Danes. In the film, SJP (ugh) stars as Dermot's fiancee; he brings her home to his WASPy-slash-bohemian Connecticut family for the holidays.

If the story sounds somewhat cliched, there's plenty of innovation: White portrays the boyfriend of a family member ... the brother (Ty Giordano) of Dermot's character. So not only is this a gay relationship, but it's inter-racial. Oh yeah, actor Ty Giordano is also deaf. Lots of material, right? In Out, Brian White says he was lucky to land the role. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with that kind of cast,' he says. "I hope the result is as much fun to watch as it was to make." White's co-star plays coy about his own sexuality ("Watch the film and tell me if I am," he jokes in the interview), but gushes over his co-star. (Which makes us just a tad jealous.) Giordano: "Brian was great—very professional, and really, really nice to look at it."

That's no understatement: Brian is sooo easy on the eyes. And we love him even more now that's playing one of the gays. If Brian White looks familiar, but you can't quite place him, you may recognize without the suit and in fewer clothes. Think baseball ...

Puff Daddies

Alarmed over increasing smoking rates among the gays, Los Angeles health officials launch a new campaign with a street team of hotness to encourage gays and lesbians to take their "last drag."

New data by the California Department of Health Services show the state's gay community smokes at a rate of 30.4%, almost twice that of the general population. According to Jeff Bailey of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, many gays begin smoking to cope with rejection, stress or peer pressure. "When a lot of gay men and women come out, they come out in the bar culture, and the bar and club culture has really established a culture where it's OK to smoke. We need to change that."

One of the three outreach programs will be headquartered at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Drew is located in a mostly black and Hispanic community; health educators applaud that decision, and say they can reach smokers who do not openly identify as gay. Dr. Wilbert Jordan, head of Drew's HIV clinic: "In South Central, most of our patients tend to be closeted. They don't want to go to a gay bar or center, but they want go to the Drew. That's the advantage of having it at a neutral place, where people can feel comfortable," he said. (Thanks to Andy for the photo)

LA Campaign to Stop Smoking (USA Today) Last Drag LA

Methodists Defrock Lesbian Minister

The high court of the United Methodist Church orders a lesbian minister defrocked, overturning a lower panel's ruling that reversed the penalty. In 2004, 35 year-old Elizabeth Stroud was stripped of her credentials as a minister at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, Philadelphia. The United Methodist Church is generally fairly progressive on the gays, but forbids openly gay ministers. There are 8.25 million lay members and nearly 45,000 clergy

Meanwhile, the ordination of an openly gay Epsicopal bishop continus to divide liberals and conservatives. New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson predicts that it is only a matter of time before lgbt parishoners are fully incorporated into the life and ministry of the Episcopal Church. was in San Francisco over the weekend; he says it's a matter of "timing, not the final outcome. I may not live to see it, you may not live to see it, but this church of ours will see the day when all of God's children are equal." Next week, Robinson travels to London and meets the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.

The DL Chronicles

The DL Chronicles is an intriguing, sexy new short film making the festival rounds. The story is quite simple: a journalist undertakes research for a book on men living on the "down low," and his narration is the story of the men that are interviewed. Technically, at thirty minutes this is a "short" film, but the structure perfectly lends itself to episodic television. There's been strong feedback from critics and test audiences; the directors hope that traction can pilot this episode to the small-screen.

"We were originally going to shoot 3 episodes back to back, to distribute direct to DVD as a DVD series," co-director Quincy LaNear told Rod 2.0 in a conversation over the weekend. "Because of the great response, we have decided to wait and shop it to television first. We hope to be able to follow in the success of Noah's Arc and hits like The L Word and Queer As Folk" The DL Chronicles was written, directed and produced by Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gossett; you'll recall the latter co-starred in Parenthood, Sister Act 2 and the critically-acclaimed short On the Low. The creative team are also a real-life couple, and, for the first time, discuss their partnership to Rod 2.0.

Below, plot synopsis, a review and more conversation with the directors.

Where the Boys Aren't

So many men, so many problems. We don't watch enough television. We watch too much television. Our attention spans are too short. We do ... umm, other things too fast. The MTA says menfolk take up too many seats with our long legs and goofy backpacks. We don't listen or take you anywhere nice. Now the latest: we don't read enough magazines and advertisers are getting worried. Business Week reports the year's biggest sales leaders are the girl 'zines like Us Weekly, Real Simple, or Lucky.

"Women's interest in reading did not fall this year," says Ann Moore, chairman and CEO of Time Inc. (TWX). But "we continue to see you men distracted by other things," she adds with a grin, as if I'm about to dash off to fire up a bunch of bottle rockets or spend hours, jaws clenched, blasting through HALO.

But the silver lining: men visit magazine websites much more often and spend more hours online for all the "extra content." Thank you.

Where the Boys Aren't (Business Week)

Uno Dos TREY

Gregory Kieth is the actor who portrays Trey on Noah's Arc, and his character is a draft pick. Quiet, deep voice, bodybuilder, a nurse? doctor? anesthesiologist? and so sweet. Plus, the romantic storyline that he shares with Alex (Rodney Chester) is the most in-depth the show offers; their relationship is multi-dimensional and they have realistic issues. (Fair warning: we promised a three week grace period; on Thursday, expect our deconstruction of Noah, Wade and the entire show.) Gregory was an interesting casting decision; he's very fair and has exotic features, and to be honest, we all have our own biases and that was an initial hurdle to our liking his character. But the subtle beauty of the casting shows that black men and women are beautiful in all shapes, sizes and all colors. Sometimes we want dark roast, other times a cafe au lait.

More Gregory below.

Def Property Jam

114 Liberty St., 11th Floor

Owner: Russell Simmons

Original asking: $11 million
Now asking: $8.2 million
You save: $2,800,000!!!

Russell can sell music, movies, clothing, even poetry, but he can't sell his condo directly across the street from the World Trade Center site. Let's just say that construction noise and security are ongoing problems.

Curbed provides a delicious virtual tour: The 13-room manse is perfect for the young mogul with a growing entourage. Create your own VIP rooms or hide from your significant other in over 7,000 interior sqft—plus three terraces that add another 4,000sqft. From any of 40 windows, the little people below look just like blips on a Soundscan. Keep your young-and-up-and-coming-"artists" in style via twelve foot ceilings, two eat-in kitchens, laundry room and jacuzzi tubs. At $8m, this won't last!

Another One Bites the Dust

First, the Miers resignation. Now, Scooter Libby, VP Dick Cheney's chief of staff,resigns as he is indicted by a grand jury on one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury in the CIA leak probe. Next stop: Karl Rove. CNN: "Rove not indicted, still under investigation."

BTW, these are the "sources" that New York Times "reporter" Judith Miller went to prison to protect.

This is almost better than sex.

· USA Today forced to pull a digitally manipulated photo of Condoleezza Rice that gave the secretary of state a menacing, demon stare. In a printed apology, the editors explained the photo had been sharpened "for clarity" and published before adjustments; experienced graphic artists say the distortion was no mistake. (Thanks Laterrean B)

· Disturbing news via Andres at Blabbeando: poet, performance artist, activist and actor Emanuel Xavier recovers after a brutal beating by a Brooklyn street gang—"surrounded by fifteen to twenty young men and punched several times in the face." The author of the critically acclaimed Pier Queen has appeared on HBO's Def Comedy Jam and the movie Ski Trip. Initial reports suggest some hearing loss; let's pray for Emanuel's full and speedy recovery.

Emanuel Xavier Brutally Beaten (Blabbeando) Tonight: The Ski Trip (Rod 2.0) Books Are Sexy (Frank León Roberts )

Monday 10/31: Andres updates Emanuel's condition and dispels bitchy comments posted here and elsewhere.

Yielding to community protests, Paramount Pictures agrees to remove controversial Get Rich or Die Tryin' billboards near Los Angeles-area schools. Meanwhile, Variety reports Quincy Jones is composing the music for the film. Let's just call that partnership ... "strange bedfellows."

"I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm relieved. I'm not scared anymore." WNBA forward Sheryl Swoopes talks to The Advocate about her recent decision to come out as lesbian. (thanks Bernie)