Do you ever think to yourself that you'll never date a gorgeous celebrity because you have nothing in common with a Hollywood star? Well, guess what — you're wrong! If you love "Guitar Hero" — like most people do — you have all the makings of a great relationship with some super hot, super famous women.

Last week on her MySpace blog, Jenna Fischer of The Office wrote: "If you heard a rumor that I covered myself in fake tattoos and played "Guitar Hero" until 3 a.m. this weekend, that rumor is true. I rocked it."

How about No. 1 AfterEllen.com hottie Tina Fey — does she like "Guitar Hero"? Yes!

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What does America Ferrera do on the set of Ugly Betty? "One of my favorite pastimes to do while I'm at work in between setups is to play "Guitar Hero," Ferrera told USA Today.

When we started our Lesbian Scientistics program at AfterEllen.com, we were interested in answering one question: Are powerful women hot? The answer was yes, sort of. Actually, it was kind of inconclusive. While lesbians, it seems, are attracted to power, they think other qualities are hot too. But what other qualities? Well, last week when the Emmy finalists were announced, it seemed a perfect time to do a little more scientific research.

Firstly, we looked at the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama:

Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace

Secondly, we pondered the women nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds … continue reading

Quiz time: What do I have in common with these women?

Is it:

a) A perfect complexion
b) A perfect smile
c) A bazillion dollars
d) A Nintendo DS Lite

Ding! Ding! Ding! Just like Liv Tyler, America Ferrera and Carrie Underwood, I own a Nintendo DS Lite.

Late last month Nintendo announced that it would be making Metallic Rose a regular part of the DS Lite color palette, and adding a new two-toned Crimson and Black version to the mix. The commercial campaign kicked off last week with the above-mentioned triumvirate of female celebrity support. I have to say: I really like the commercials.

Carrie Underwood's thirty second spot features her lounging on her tour bus in flip flops, playing some inexplicable game where she pets a virtual dog while her actual dog watches over her shoulder. I'm not sure I understand the point of it because the only thing Underwood says is, "Cute!" and "Neat!" Maybe its a game for children who aren't yet ready to put down their hand held game consoles and take responsibility for a real live pet? Either way: cute. … continue reading

Perhaps you've noticed one of the hottest threads in our forum lately: Your 10 Hottest Women of Color. We did! And it seems as if a lot of these ladies were forgotten about during Hot 100 voting time this year. We compiled a list of the names that seem to keep popping up on your lists in the forum. If you're not hip to who these women are, make sure to take mental notes – you'll need them for next year.

America Ferrera

She doesn't need much introduction, yet surprisingly she didn't make it to the top 100 this year. The star of Ugly Betty is known for her sexy curves that she hides well in character, but embraces in real life.

Kerry Washington

A serious actress, Kerry has played the lovers of great actors like James Earl Jones and Jamie Fox. We think it's time she gets a role where the men are her sidekicks.

Parminder Nagra

Keira who? For us, it was Parminder who made Bend it Like Beckham a fun film to watch. The Indian actress will star in the upcoming Batman: Gotham Knight. Lucky us! … continue reading

Come this fall, you’ll be seeing fairies everywhere (and not the gay kind). Walt Disney Pictures officially announced the October 28th release of Tinker Bell, the first in a four-part feature-length DVD series all about Peter Pan’s tiny sidekick and her fairy friends. The voice cast stars some or our favorites, including America Ferrera, Anjelica Huston, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symoné and Kristin Chenoweth.

All the Disney hype is centered on the fact that this is the first time the audience will get to hear Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman) speak. But I’m more interested in the character of Fawn, who is voiced by none other than Ugly Betty herself. (She’s the one next to Tink in the picture below, wearing the pants and the “sensible” shoes. You can see where this is going, right?)

Even better than her more butch appearance and demeanor is the way she’s described in an early press release: “This rascally tomboy is full of mischief and mirth — she loves to tweak Iridessa [Raven-Symoné] just to see her glow. Fawn is always ready to play and the more rough-and-tumble the game, the better.” She loves to “tweak” her, huh? Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Sorry, I dyke-gress.

Don’t get too excited about the possibility of a Fawn/Iridessa pairing just yet, though. If pop-cult history is any indication, Fawn is just another in a long line of what I like to call the “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” tomboy. Everything about this thinly veiled lesbian character — her clothes, behavior, interests (usually playing sports) — screams “butch,” but the writers always fall short of outing her. Instead, they slap on the non-threatening “tomboy” label and either set her up in an awkward boy-crush or strip her of her sexuality all together. And this play-both-sides-of-the-fence formula seems to work magic: Lesbians adopt the tomboy as one of their own — hey, it’s not like we have that many openly gay characters to relate to — and the general viewing public also embraces her, since she’s never revealed to be anything more than a bit on the boyish side. It’s a win-win situation for the producers. But we, of course, have to settle for lesbian subtext and watered-down versions of ourselves yet again. … continue reading

The men have spoken: Maxim has come out with its annual list of the 100 Most Beautiful Women. This year’s list is a veritable who’s who of reality television, teen queens and people I’ve never even heard of. If you haven’t gotten around to picking up your copy of Maxim or your subscription has ill timely run out, don’t fret – here is a breakdown of this year’s chosen ones.

Knocking Lindsay Lohan off her throne at number one is Marisa Miller, a Sports Illustrated cover girl and Victoria’s Secret model. Poor Lindsay — how could she stand a chance against someone with that kind of resume? But fear not, as Lohan wasn’t completely ousted; she fell eight spots to number nine. (Maxim must deduct sexy points for DWI records.)

Filling in the rest of the top 10 are:

2. Scarlett Johansson
3. Jessica Biel
4. Eva Longoria Parker
5. Sarah Michelle Gellar
6. Elisha Cuthbert
7. Eva Mendes
8. Christina Aguilera
9. Lindsay Lohan
10. Ashley Tisdale

Let me continue on a positive note – there were some surprises: America Ferrera (No. 84), Danica Patrick (No. 91), Emma Watson (No. 94) and Zooey Deschanel (No. 95) all made the list. Granted they are all toward the bottom, but still this is progress and we need to start somewhere. Makes you wonder if maybe, just maybe, the guys over at Maxim got tipped off about the AfterEllen Hot 100 and decided to incorporate some of our carefully chosen favorites into their list. But then I came to No. 36 (Heidi Montag), No. 56 (Lauren Conrad), and No. 74 (Audrina Partridge) — all the ladies of MTV’s “reality” show The Hills were present and accounted for. Ah well, so much for progress. … continue reading

It’s been three months, to the day, since our last Betty Suarez pratfall. Three months, to the day, since our last Wilhelmina Slater cocked eyebrow. Three months, to the day, since our last Mandy and Marc madness. I think it’s safe to say, we’re all ready for Betty, wouldn’t you? Ugly Betty returns to the air tonight with its first post-strike episodes, and not a moment too soon.

All photos courtesty of ABC/Vivian Zink

The campiest show on television is back for five all new episodes. The series will pick up on Betty’s 24th birthday. What can we expect? Well, since this season has already seen a death, near-death, near-wedding, baby mama drama, baby daddy drama, artificial insemination, amnesia and Posh Spice, I’d say just more of the same old, same old.

In honor the return of America Ferrera and company, the terrible twosome of Becki Newton and Michael Urie (aka Mandy and Marc) have recorded the show’s first-ever video podcast. Yes they call it a “video podcast” and not the shorter, more succinct “vlog.” Gosh, is The L (Wrong) Word-iness contagious? Regardless the terminology, the clip is fun and now I cannot stop singing “Ready For Betty.” I really can’t. I’ve tried everything. … continue reading

Ah, the chick flick. Much maligned. Often contrived. And, every now and then, downright satisfying. To be perfectly honest, I like a good chick flick — emphasis on good, of course. For me, the appeal is built right into the name. Chick: Well, I am one, and I like them. Flick: Well, movies; who doesn’t love movies? Two upcoming releases seek to find just the right chocolate-and-peanut-butter formula that results in the good kind of chick flick we all love to watch on lazy Sunday afternoons when we should be paying bills or regrouting the tub.

Both also fall into what is usually my favorite of the chick flick subgenres: the female bonding movie. Sure, romantic comedies are the more popular subgenre, but you just get more estrogen for your buck with bonding pictures. The films are Bonneville (opening Feb. 29 limited and March 21 wide) and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (opening Aug. 8).

Bonneville, which stars 50-somethings Jessica Lange, Joan Allen, Kathy Bates and Christine Baranski, centers on a cross-country road trip taken by three friends when one of their husbands dies. The trip is done in — you guessed it — a big old convertible Pontiac Bonneville.

Is anyone else getting a decidedly Thelma & Louise feel from that photo? I just hope it doesn’t end the same way. Though, from the trailer, it looks like the ladies have their automotive high jinks in the Utah salt flats, not the Grand Canyon. … continue reading

How can anyone not love Ugly Betty?

Strange as it seems, Freep.com reports that Colombians are not too fond of the American version of their country's show, Yo Soy Betty la Fea. They see the U.S. show as a lame imitation of the original. Fabian Sanabria of Universidad Nacional doesn't mince words in stating his feelings toward Ugly Betty.

"Watching the gringo version would be like reading 100 Years of Solitude in English. It makes no sense."

Hmm. I read One Hundred Years of Solitude in English and it made perfect sense to me. At least it did after I got past the Buendía family lineage. … continue reading

If you've already read Jamie's incisive blog from last week about Glamour's alarming and hypocritical treatment of the beautiful America Ferrera, you may be in as much need of an antidote as I am. Just in time, via Feministing, I came across a website specifically aiming to counteract the messages that Glamour and so many other media outlets persist in pushing. Here it is: The Adipositivity Project.

The site presents images of women taken by professional photographer Substantia Jones (not her real name, just a darn cool pseudonym), who writes, "The Adipositivity Project: Trying to change attitudes about the aesthetic validity of big women, one fat fanny at a time."

The images are smart, sexy and — as is the point — aesthetically gorgeous. No underhanded insults (Fit Light Yogurt, I'm looking at you), no false hope about Hollywood's love for big women, no unfounded accusations of weight (Ferrera, who points out that she is quite normal-sized, is indeed too small to appear in this crowd of actually large women). The pictures speak for themselves. … continue reading

Can we all agree that the American Idolification of the Emmys, what with its theater-in-the-round and hiring of Ryan Seacrest, was a bad idea? A very bad idea. The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was a largely dull affair interspersed with some worthy winners, fitting send-offs, head-scratching choices and spectacularly bad jokes.Two gags about Hayden Panettiere finally reaching the age of consent? Classy, people, classy. And then there was the bleeping: Brad Garrett making an off-color milk remark about his co-star’s décolletage? Fine. Sally Field making a political statement about “goddamned wars”? Censored. Context, censors, context.

Here's a look at some of the highlights and lowlights from the telecast (for a complete list of winners, go here). Let’s kick things off with Ellen and Portia. Sure, they didn’t win anything. But they did color coordinate. Plus, if you look closely, in the top right corner you’ll see Ellen’s mom.

Tina Fey, Marry Me: Fine, she’s already married. But you can understand my inclination when after winning Best Comedy for 30 Rock, she said, “I want to thank the parents, child, spouse and gay partner of every person that works on our show ... and our dozens and dozens of viewers.” She then told the press backstage that she was going to celebrate by overeating. Sigh. The good ones are always taken.

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Remember when Redbook photoshopped Faith Hill from elbow to earlobe into a physical impossibility? You might have already seen the latest victim of such tinkering, America Ferrera, in images circulating the web. If you haven't, hold onto your eyeballs, because the photo-chopping you're about to see transformed another beautiful body into such an awkwardly proportioned mess that the end result looks like somebody's mischievous five-year-old was swapping heads around on cardboard cutouts. The irony of this situation is screaming from every airbrushed corner of the cover of Glamour's "1st Annual Figure Flattery Issue." Didn't the Ugly Betty pilot offer a little commentary about this very thing? Have you ever even seen the show, Glamour?

So here we go. This is America Ferrera at the Teen Choice Awards on Aug. 26, 2007.

And this is America Ferrera as cover girl for Glamour's October issue: … continue reading

Last night’s Teen Choice Awards could have been called the More Evidence That High School Musical Is Taking Over the Universe Awards. But I guess that would be too long to fit on the trophies. While South of Nowhere lost the Choice Breakout TV show award to Heroes, fellow AfterEllen.com reader favorite Degrassi won the Choice Summer TV award. See the complete list of winners here. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit that I did not watch the show. I’m so far out of the teen demographic that to tune in would have been mildly creepy. However, I have no problem scanning the pictures afterward. Voyeurism, journalism — it’s a thin line. And with that, I give you my completely unprofessional, randomly snarky thoughts on the stars of the Teen Choice Awards.

Hilary Duff and Eve: Is this too much back and front for these ladies to be showing at a show for teenagers, or am I just a being a prude?

Ashley Jensen and America Ferrera: These two are causing me to have some decidedly R-rated thoughts during an entirely PG-rated show.

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No other show on TV can make me grin and giggle and generally feel good about the world as much as Ugly Betty can. The minute I see Betty’s bright red glasses and even brighter smile, it’s all sunshine and kittens and pratfalls. So, ask me how excited I am about the impending start of the second season on Sept. 27?

Yeah, that happy. And you know what else is making me grin and giggle and generally feel good about the world and want to go out dancing? The new season 2 promo, featuring Mika’s “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful).” … continue reading

It's not likely that Fox's Network Responsibility Index will get any better with the arrival of Josh Berman's new pilot, Drop Dead Diva. Granted, the show hasn't even been cast yet, much less put on film. But the bare-bones descriptions I've been able to find don't exactly have me twittering in anticipation. Instead, they have me dreading the show's arrival. The plot revolves around a model whose soul comes back after her untimely death to inhabit the body of an unattractive female attorney. The show, as described by Berman himself, seeks to "deconstruct the beauty myth."

I can understand the desire to jump on the Ugly Betty bandwagon. After all, Salma Hayek's show is a hit and has made America Ferrera a bona fide star. Plus, Hollywood is nothing if not a land of copycats. So the description of Berman's new show is likely meant to draw comparisons to Ugly Betty, at least in some small way. But here's the kicker: Ferrera's character is "ugly" because the makeup artists and costume designers work hard to make a very attractive actress look nothing like herself.

So exactly what myth is Berman seeking to deconstruct that has me so riled? Wait for it. Wait for it. Guess what makes this unattractive attorney so unattractive? C'mon, guess. According to the press releases, she's fat. Yup, that's it. Berman isn't deconstructing anything. He's perpetuating the myth that women larger than a size 4 are only capable of inner beauty. His poor dead model's soul has to inhabit the body of an overweight attorney. Heaven forbid. The sky must be falling. Whatever will the self-respecting model do?

Right now, many of you may be asking yourselves why this upsets me so. To be honest, the reasons are too numerous to count. However, because I've already started this rant, I'll throw a couple of them at you. First, why does the word model automatically mean thin? There are many, many beautiful plus-size models. Take these ladies, for example: … continue reading