You know that Beatles song “Hello Goodbye?” Well, Grey’s Anatomy should seriously consider changing its theme song to the jaunty little number. The medical drama has been a revolving door this year, and that’s not even delving into the still-open wound of the Callica debacle. The latest cast member to be shown the door: The L Word alumnus Janina Gavankar.

Despite an earlier announcement in September of her extended stay at Seattle Grace among the new crop of interns, Janina is done. Apparently, the artist formerly known as Papi has left after two episodes.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Janina left because “the role turned out to be smaller than Gavankar had hoped (so small that I don't even recall seeing her on screen). And without a guarantee that her part would grow, the actress chose to move on.” Janina’s IMDB.com profile says she appeared as “Intern Lisa” in the last two episodes of October — “Life During Wartime” and “There’s No ‘I’ in Team.”

While I tried my darndest to remember her on screen, the best I could do was this production still from the Oct. 30 episode. She might (big emphasis on might) be the intern holding her nose behind Sandra Oh, possibly as a subliminal statement about the stinkingly small role she’d been given.

With Janina and Brooke Smith out, that leaves Melissa George very much in (while simultaneously being out) as the new and probably bisexual intern Sadie. Despite earlier reports of her character’s de-gaying, TV Guide reported earlier this month that she “still fancies the occasional female.” Gosh, isn’t that how every bisexual gal likes to be described in print? … continue reading

Former Cycle 11 America's Next Top Model contestant Isis King visited The Tyra Banks Show yesterday and was surprised with news that Tyra will help her get her long-awaited sex reassignment surgery.

Isis, the first transgender contestant to ever appear on ANTM, was originally scouted for the show when she appeared in the background of an ANTM photo at a homeless shelter (where she was living at the time). She won a spot on the current cycle of ANTM, but was ultimately eliminated in the fourth week.

On Banks, Isis talked about growing up feeling like she was born in the wrong body, and how getting sex reassignment surgery has been cost prohibitive.

Below is a short clip of Isis on The Tyra Banks Show:

Her mother, Sharray (who is a ringer for rapper Eve) appeared on the show with Isis, and talked about watching her transition into being a woman, as well as her own process of coming to accept her daughter. … continue reading

Last year, AfterEllen.com's Malinda Lo told us all why we should be watching the acclaimed television show Friday Night Lights. In her blog post, she mentioned plenty of good reasons, and thanks to AE reader Ellen, we recently learned of yet another: last week a popular new (and, for now) minor character came out as a lesbian.

On the football-themed, small town high school drama, Devin (played by Stephanie Hunt) had been presented as a possible love interest for her dorky bandmate, Landry (Jesse Plemons).

Having just been blown off by the school hottie (whom he'd defended from a rapist), Landry took an interest in freshman Devin, the new bass player in his band, Crucifictorious. Devin flirted with Landry and even kissed him, but just before he could ask her out on a proper date, she broke some bad (for him) news:

Devin: Landry, I'm a lesbian.
Landry: (laughs) No, you're not.
Devin: I'm serious. I'm gay. I like girls, not boys. I feel like I need to tell you because you have the wrong idea about us.
Landry: That's important information and, that, I'm really glad to know because I could have sworn the other day that you kissed me back whenever I kissed you.
Devin: I didn't want to be rude, Landry, and I thought I had to make sure I would give it a try. I know now that I really am. So I really should thank you, I guess.
Landry: I'm gonna have to go and let this sink in because I, uh, don't know how to react to this right now.

Ellen told me that when Landry and Devin met up again later, Devin wanted to make sure he was okay with "the secret." Devin was worried that Landry might be upset and tell people in their small town, but he reassured her that she had no need to worry. Then they rocked out together.

This isn't the first time FNL has found a low-key way to introduce a lesbian character. In 2007, we learned that the town mayor is a lesbian, one who asked the football coach's wife to work on her re-election campaign while resting her hand on her partner's knee. Obviously, she was a maverick.

Devin's character is already popular with the critics. A Los Angeles Times blogger raved, "And the straight-to-the-point, musically gifted Devin is the toughest, coolest, smartest new character Friday Night Lights has introduced this season. If it was a mistake not to keep Jean around (she's now on Heroes), then making Devin a regular would instantly right it. The fact that she can play the blues is an added bonus."

Let's hope that Devin will buck recent tv trends by staying gay and not getting her pink slip suspended the moment she gets a girlfriend. … continue reading

I still watch Desperate Housewives. There, I’ve said it. While the show doesn’t have quite the guilty pleasure appeal of its first season, the current season has enough twisty twists to keep me interested. As if the lovely ladies themselves aren’t sufficient.

November Sweeps always bring guest stars to prime time and this year Housewives snagged one of the best: Lily Tomlin.

Tomlin plays Roberta McCluskey, in town to help her sister, Karen (Kathryn Joosten), figure out what Edie’s husband, Dave (Neal McDonough) is up to. (Thanks to AfterEllen.com reader Stephanie for the link.) … continue reading

I love starting the week with good news like this: Sarah Shahi’s show, Life, has been picked up for the rest of the season.

OK, I know it’s not technically “Sarah Shahi’s show,” but I wanted that picture to be right up top, to make your Monday brighter. … continue reading

Nikki Weiss, one of the consultants Grey's Anatomy used to flesh out the lesbian storyline (read our interview with Weiss and her business partner Trish Doolan), has been deluged with emails from angry Grey's fans asking questions about the abrupt end to the Callica romance and Brooke Smith's firing.

Weiss, left, and Doolan

Since she can't answer every email, Nikki sent me a statement for AfterEllen.com readers giving her take on the events that have unfolded:

I've been flooded with emails about the ousted Brooke Smith and her character Erica. As a consultant for the lesbian story line on Grey's, I just want to reiterate that the producers, cast, writers (and Shonda) were VERY committed to telling this story when I met with them this past March. They really wanted to tell it openly and honestly. Writer/Director Trish Doolan and I spent a few hours with the actresses, producers and writing team. It was very clear that they had a purpose bringing both of us in through GLAAD.

It is very unfortunate that Brooke has been let go, and so abruptly, however, I don't think it came from the people who were in the room with us that day. … continue reading

I'm still processing all the news rolling in about Brooke Smith's firing from Grey's Anatomy, as well as my own emotions about this (which it's safe to say are not positive, especially in light of all the bad gay rights election news), so I'm going to wait and give you my overall opinion on the firing and de-gaying later in the week.

But here are some of the latest updates from the last two days since the news broke.

Patrick Dempsey reads a scripted answer about the firing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show today

“ABC actually sent me over what I should respond,” Dempsey tells Ellen, then proceeds to read about how it was great working with Smith, but her storyline has just come to an end. “She has been great character and I don’t know what happened with that story line," he added. "They decided not to continue it for some reason.” Watch a video clip of it here.

The best part is when Ellen asks "Is that OK?" and he said, "Well, it is for them." Which about sums it up.

Sounds like he's as in the dark as everyone else about this.

Entertainment Weekly leaks spoilers about how Erica and Callie's relationship ends this week

EW.com's Michael Ausiello provides background on the storyline that leads up to Erica going out to her car and driving away from the show for good.

"According to one of my Grey's moles, Callie and Erica have a relationship-severing blowout in tomorrow's episode that starts with an argument over whether Izzie paid a big enough price for her role in Denny-gate, and ends with Callie realizing she doesn't love girls as much as Erica does."

If this happens, I will lose even more respect for Grey's. Which I didn't think was actually possible.

GLAAD responds to the firing

GLAAD issued a statement yesterday re-iterating Shonda's position that it was bad chemistry and not the lesbian relationship that was to blame for the firing. They focused on Rhimes' reference to Callie as a lesbian, instead of bisexual:

“While we are disheartened that the burgeoning relationship between Callie and Erica on Grey’s Anatomy has come to an end, the character of Callie, who has now been identified as a lesbian by show creator Shonda Rhimes, remains and her journey continues,” says GLAAD president Neil G. Giuliano. “Because there are so few lesbian characters on network television, we hope that ABC and Grey’s Anatomy will commit to further developing Callie’s character and her relationships, and continue providing this important representation on one of TV’s most-watched shows.”

This doesn't make any sense, since the writers clearly had Callie decide she was bisexual, not gay, in the Grey's episode that aired only a few days before. Even if Callie's actual words in the episode hadn't made that clear, all the sex with Mark Sloane did. … continue reading

As the remaining time winds down before the polls close, we thought we'd offer you some amusing election videos.

First up — our worst fears are realized when those unstable voting machines take on a life of their own, in this fake news report from The Onion.

This video from CollegeHumor.com makes fun of the stereotypes both political parties have about the other.

… continue reading

NBC has just ordered a full season (nine more episodes) of the new comedy Kath & Kim, starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair.

… continue reading

This weekend Lori and I attended the New York Gay and Lesbian Center's annual fundraiser Women's Event 11 at the Chelsea Piers, which this year honored Ilene Chaiken (Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of The L Word), Stephanie Gibbons (Executive Vice President of Marketing and On-Air Promotions, FX), and Lisa Sherman (Executive Vice President and General Manager, Logo). The audience included hundreds of well-dressed lesbians in black, including Rosie's partner Kelli O'Donnell and NYC council speaker Christine Quinn, along with gay men and straight allies, like MTV CEO Judy McGrath.

During dinner, there was a live auction for a spot in an L Word promo — with Pam Grier, Rose Rollins and Daniela Sea there to help encourage bids — and a handful of speeches.

When Jennifer Beals introduced Ilene, she delivered a moving, brilliantly articulated speech about gay rights — noticeably holding back tears at one point when talking about how she believed her daughter would one day ask her, "you mean there was a time when gay people weren't allowed to get married?" — and received a standing ovation from the audience. … continue reading

Courteney Cox is moving to Cougar Town, a place where hot moms talk about Botox and having sex with the lights on. And, presumably, make out with younger guys.

ABC studios gave a green light to the pilot episode this week. It is going to be produced, directed, and written by a team of Friends/Scrubs alumni, all of whom have "great comedic sensibilities" according to Cox.

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, it sounds sort of like MILF Island meets Wisteria Lane. On the other hand, it's nice to see any former Friend with a job. I never really got into Dirt, and Jennifer Aniston's movies just make me sad. Maybe the puppy will turn things around. … continue reading

Last month, we told you that Battlestar Galactica star and Bionic Woman vet Katee Sackhoff would be making her way back to primetime this fall with a leading role in the new Dick Wolf (Law & Order) series, Lost and Found. She'll play Tessa, "an offbeat female LAPD detective who, after butting heads with the higher-ups, is sent (for punishment) to the basement to work on John Doe and Jane Doe cases."

In other words, Starbuck with a badge.

NBC has now announced that Sackhoff will also play a murder suspect in an upcoming episode of Law & Order, but no air date has been announced. After watching her steal the show as the malevolent Sarah Corvus in the otherwise dreadful Bionic Woman, I would strongly advise Alana De La Garza (who plays Assistant D.A. Consuela "Connie" Rubirosa on L&O) to hold onto her briefcase. Sackhoff can obviously outshine a series regular with the simple throw of a left-hook. … continue reading