This week, Bridget welcomes Linda Villarosa, out journalist and author of the steamy new novel Passing For Black.

Linda talks with Bridget about her career as a writer, including her days at Essence magazine, when she shocked the readership by coming out in print. She also tells us all about her adventures in motherhood, the biggest fish she ever caught, and who she thinks should play the leads in the cinematic version of her new book. (Here's a hint: It's Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie.)

Finally, Linda teaches Bridget how to fish using a chopstick, which is pretty much just as ridiculous as it sounds.

Buy Passing for Black from Logo or Amazon.com.

Hanifah and Olive are joined by Celia Faussart of award-winning neo-soul group Les Nubians to talk about music, the Afropeans and the Brooklyn heat.

Learn more about Les Nubians at their official website, and get more info at www.iLoveUPeople.com.

Our brother site AfterElton.com has a new weekly video blog that focuses on the world of out gay musicians, and in their first episode, Alex and Lee delve into the world of out singer Deepa Soul.

The woman behind the hit dance singles like "Nowhere Love" and "As I Am" discusses her journey from not-so-humble beginnings as a go-go dancer in San Francisco to her epic collaborations with Junior Vasquez. She even performs a track from her upcoming 3-disc release for the boys.

For more about Deepa Soul, go to her official website.

It’s that time of year again. Now celebrating its 22nd birthday, the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival will screen at the British Film Institute on London’s South Bank from March 27 to April 10, offering queer-themed shorts, documentaries, and feature films from around the world.

The Chinese Botanist's Daughter

You can view a complete list of the films on offer here. Among the ones reviewed or mentioned by AfterEllen.com are the romantic tragedy The Chinese Botanist’s Daughter (pictured above), the American TV pilot Don’t Go featuring Guinevere Turner, and the Oscar-winning short documentary Freeheld, about the fight of dying lesbian policewoman Laurel Hester to see her pension go to her partner Stacie Andree.

There’s also the Taiwanese romance Spider Lilies, the German drama Vivere, the French coming-of-age film Water Lilies, and the South African period romance The World Unseen.

The World Unseen

There’s the 1996 American documentary It’s Elementary — Talking About Gay Issues in School, and its 2007 follow-up, It’s STILL Elementary — The Movie and the Movement. And there’s the HBO film Life Support, starring Queen Latifah as an HIV-positive charity worker (although unfortunately her character isn’t a lesbian).

A program titled "The Face of Another: Imagining Lesbian Desire" offers a chance to see Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring fall in love in Mulholland Dr. It also includes films that explore female relationships but are not so overtly lesbian-themed, like Ingmar Bergman’s Persona and the Madonna–Rosanna Arquette flick Desperately Seeking Susan. … continue reading

Last spring, scribegrrrl blogged about the 2008 inductees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and noted that Angela Bassett — owner of one of the best sets of biceps in Hollywood — was slated to be among them.

Well, yesterday was her big day.

Wearing a dress that lay bare her biceps, Angela Bassett tearfully acknowledged the honor.

"Who would have thought that a little girl in pigtails from St. Petersburg, Florida, would grow up to find herself gazing at a star with her name on it, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? This day is so, so special to me."

Although it's hard to take the Hollywood Walk of Fame too seriously, especially given the ambiguous criteria for selection, I don't find it difficult to appreciate anything that makes Angela Bassett happy. Because the Yale grad is brilliant, and very lovely. And it makes me happy to take any excuse to look at pictures of Angela Bassett. … continue reading

Lately I've been thinking about lover Cindi on The L Word. Well, not Cindi herself, but the "lover" thing. It's hilarious every time Dawn Denbo says it, mostly because the word lover has gone out of favor. It used to be a common term in the gay community — or anywhere, really. Especially in the '70s.

But now lover has the connotation of "f--- buddy," while partner or girlfriend is generally the preferred term for the people you want to keep around for more than just sex. Or at least that's how it seems to me.

So what makes a partner, and what makes a lover? Armed with my trusty (and dusty) DVD collection, I have conducted a sort of survey. I don't suppose it's educational in any way, but it was fun.

1. Cay and Vivian (Patricia Charbonneau and Helen Shaver), Desert Hearts

I just had to begin with a tricky one, didn't I? Cay and Vivian definitely start out as lovers, but if Vivian had stayed, they might have become partners. Still, when I think of them, I don't think of fun times or tender touches or home improvement. I think of steamy sex and mind-bogglingly deep kisses.

Verdict: Lovers (they have to remind themselves to stop long enough to get some food!)

2. Claude and Lucy (Alison Folland and Leisha Hailey), All Over Me

These two are so cute, I don't care what you call them. But when they walk along with their ice cream and Leisha grins like that, it seems like a love that's built to last.

Verdict: Partners (in a happily ever after sense)

3. Corky and Violet (Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly), Bound

Hmm. These two are carnal and star-crossed, but they also seem destined to be together. And the sizzle is accompanied by a sense that they're on the same wavelength — they have a meeting of bodies and minds. I think I have my first tie.

Verdict: Partner-lovers (lesbian bed death will never strike!)

4. Agnes and Elin (Rebecka Liljeberg and Alexandra Dahlström), Show Me Love / F---ing Amal … continue reading

This week brings several new shows to the small screen for your viewing pleasure. Most heralded is the Ashton Kutcher comedy Miss Guided, starring Judy Greer.

Greer plays ex-nerd Becky Freeley, a guidance counselor at the high school she attended. Although I expected to see something fresh with Kutcher at the helm, Miss Guided looks like just one more show about how a former high school misfit overcomes the past to find success. The show even has Becky's one-time nemesis, former homecoming queen Lisa Germain (Brooke Burns) who now teaches English, to complicate life just like the old days. And, guess what? Becky and Lisa both have the hots for the Spanish teacher! Comedy gold.

Reviews of the premier episode have been mixed (the Boston Herald review bears the headline, "Flunk'd," while courant.com calls the show "delightful"), but the cast gets good marks for making the most of a mediocre pilot, so we have reason to hope the show will improve. Miss Guided premieres Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on ABC, then will move into its regular time slot of 8 p.m. Thursday.

Thursday at 8:30 p.m., a new reality show comes to HGTV, starring the winner of the network's Design Star, Kim Myles.

  … continue reading

NewNowNext bloggers Colin and John recently interviewed the Brooklyn-based lesbian hip-hop/pop band OMG Michelle.

Their producer, DJ Kingdom, is also along for the ride.

For more info about OMG Michelle, visit their MySpace page.