Considering my family is from a college town in Michigan, we're a little different than most on the block. I'm the family gay, and to Thankgiving, I bring my girlfriend of four years and our two pugs. My sister and her black husband have a new baby, and these things make us a little different from the other households in my family's subdivision (at least from what I can tell).

It's our first Thankgiving all together (my sister's husband and baby and one of my pugs are all new developments), so I'm hoping I can get some kind of great embarassing or at least kind of funny Turkey Day story out of it, because I don't have one yet. This is unfortunate, as the holidays are the perfect time for these kinds of stories.

Take, for instance, the lesbian couple in What's Cooking. Kyra Sedgwick and Juliana Margulies play girlfriends, and Sedgwick's character's parents put them in twin beds, refusing to accept them as a couple. How awkward! Luckily neither of them mind shoving into one twin bed together.

To make matters even funnier (not worse, most definitely funnier) is that the two have an announcement to make: they are pregnant, by Rachel's (Sedgwick) brother's wife's gay brother. That's right, homophobic parents. As one of the other family members explains to the upset mother and father, "Rachel is a lesbian — you know, like Ellen."

Thank god for Ellen, right? How else could some of us explain what we mean by "lesbian"? Can you imagine some of our families filling out the ballot for the Visibility Awards? I think it would be Ellen all around. Maybe a Rosie or Melissa, but most definitely Ellen.

Now it's your turn to share. Any ridiculously awful moments in your Thanksgiving history? Do you expect this one to be particularly memorable? If you can't tell us, who can you tell? … continue reading

Food is a good thing. That is my profound post-Thanksgiving pronouncement. My mother is an extraordinary, amazing cook — a fact I remember acutely when I visit my parents. By virtue of having grown up in a home with good food, I've continued to appreciate good food all my life. And it's still a connection I share with my mother: I call her when I've had a great meal, when I've cooked something interesting and when I've seen a good food movie.

So, in the spirit of the overeating I've been doing at my parents' home for the past few days, I've been thinking about some of my favorite food movies. These are not all great movies, and they are not necessarily the greatest food movies, but they're all food movies that I've enjoyed, and that came to mind recently.

1. What's Cooking? (2000)

What's Cooking? is the no-brainer. First, we have gay-friendly director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham). Then there's the mouthwatering multi-ethnic Thanksgiving food prepared by Joan Chen, Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies and Kyra Sedgwick, among others. Last, and most important, we have Julianna Margulies and Kyra Sedgwick as perhaps the most attractive and appealing lesbian couple in the history of movie lesbians.

Yes, the movie has its flaws. (Every time I watch, I cannot believe the Vietnamese college student tells his parents he's not coming home for Thanksgiving and then goes to his girlfriend's house. Across the street from his parents' house.) But then Julianna Margulies flexes her perfect arms, and she and Kyra Sedgwick giggle over the turkey baster. And all is well in the world. … continue reading

Kyra Sedgwick is the guest on tonight's episode of Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo, 8/7c). I'm sure it's no coincidence that The Closer returns next week (June 18 on TNT at 9/8c). But any reason is a good one if it means more Sedgwick on the screen.

Sedgwick's lesbian following, of which I am a happy member, goes waaay back. For me, it all began with Losing Chase (1996), in which she was lucky enough to lock lips with Helen Mirren. Sure, she ran away after that fateful kiss, but that's probably because Mirren is so irresistible and gorgeous. (Yes, I do enjoy my delusions.) … continue reading