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showsWe've assembled a fascinating and diverse panel of pundits, entertainers, politicos and trailblazers to discuss, dissect and dish up the year in gay events. Tune in as they recount everything gay (and then some!) that happened in 2006.
Amanda Bearse
Amanda Bearse
Best known for her portrayal of Marcy Rhoades D'arcy, the manic, feminist/careerist neighbor on the long-running series Married...With Children, Amanda Bearse is also a prominent spokesperson for lesbian and gay rights in the entertainment industry and a very busy director on television. Born in Winter Park, FL, Bearse came to acting through high school and community theater and later moved to New York, where she studied acting with Sanford Meisner. Amanda had a role on the daytime drama All My Children from 1982 to 1984, as well as small roles in features films before Married...With Children came along in 1987.

Bearse also studied directing at the American Film Institute and U.S.C., and most viewers were less aware of the fact that from the middle of the series' run, she became one of the program's regular directors and also wrote several scripts. During this period she emerged as a spokesperson for gay and lesbian rights, declaring her sexuality openly in October 1993, as part of National Coming Out Day. After the end of the series' run of ten seasons, Bearse concentrated largely on directing, on sitcoms such as Ladies Man, Dharma and Greg, and Two Guys and a Girl, among other programs.

Wilson Cruz
Wilson Cruz
Already a highly regarded young actor, Wilson Cruz is once again making waves. He was recently seen in the Killer Films feature, Party Monster with Macaulay Culkin, for directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. Wilson also returned to the stage to star in Jonathan Larson's play tick, tick... BOOM!

Cruz first won the hearts of audiences playing 'Rickie,' a troubled, introspective teenager on the critically acclaimed series, My So-Called Life. He again earned fans and critical acclaim for his role of 'Angel' in RENT which he began at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA and continued on Broadway. RENT became a theatrical phenomenon, winning both the Tony and Pulitzer Prize for Best Musical, while Wilson received the Theatre LA Ovation Award and the Dramalogue Award for his performance.

Wilson is currently preparing to co-star in a brand new musical called A Perfect Wedding. A modern take on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the production is being directed by Gordon Davidson and will premiere at the new Kirk Douglas Theater. Cruz is a uniquely talented star on the rise. He presently makes his home in Los Angeles.

Bruce Daniels
Bruce Daniels
Bruce Daniels is an actor and comedian from Chicago, IL. Dubbed "the main fag behind America's number one hag" by Out magazine, Daniels started performing stand-up after meeting comedian Margaret Cho on the set of the never-released Can't Stop Dancing, in which they played spandex-clad lovers. Bruce has opened for Cho on her Revolution, State of Emergency, and Assassin tours of the US, Canada, London and Australia. His performance, described as "hilariously personal" and "comedy meets story-telling" by Gay Wired, was captured in the concert films of Revolution and Assassin, now available on DVD.

Bruce stars in the upcoming comedy, Bam Bam and Celeste, currently making the festival route, having been screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, AFI in Los Angeles, Outfest's Fusion Festival, and at the London Lesbian and Gay International Fim Festival. His comedy writing has been featured in QR Magazine. Bruce is currently working on material for a one-man show recently created Drunk on Stage, a new comedy and music showcase at Akbar in LA, hosted by Bruce and featuring local comedians and musicians each week.

Bruce Daniels can be visited on the web at www.brucedaniels.com or at his MySpace page.

Neil Giuliano
Neil Giuliano
Neil G. Giuliano serves as President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). GLAAD is one of the largest national LGBT organizations and the only one dedicated to ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Mr. Giuliano joined GLAAD on September 1, 2005.

Prior to his appointment as President by the GLAAD Board of Directors, Mr. Giuliano served for ten years as the mayor of Tempe, Arizona (1994-2004, pop: 170,000) and also had a 25-year career as a senior administrator at Arizona State University (ASU), the largest public university in the United States. His posts with ASU included directing student leadership development, alumni relations, federal government relations and community relations. As a Faculty Associate in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Science, Mr. Giuliano created and then taught a course in Personal Leadership Development for twenty years. He also served as lead organizer and co-chair for the final 2004 Presidential Debate held at ASU, which was viewed by over 57 million people nationwide and around the world.

Jenny Shimizu
Jenny Shimizu
Jenny began modeling after being discovered by Calvin and Kelly Klein. She worked with many top designers including Versace, Prada, Yohji Yamamoto, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Donna Karan. Jenny was also featured in the prestigious Pirelli Calendar. She is known for breaking stereotypes and creating visibility for minorities not only as an Asian model, but also as an out lesbian.

Jenny has acted in numerous films including Foxfire and Power Up's first feature Itty Bitty Titty Committee. She also appeared in the Coming Out episode of "Ellen". Jenny is currently working on a "Gay Adventure" show, and is taking a shot at working on the other side of the camera as the executive producer of a number of television shows now in development. In addition, she is working with the 2006 Gay Games and the Banyan Tree, an Asian AIDS Awareness organization.

Jenny also received the "Lesbian Icon Award" from the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this year.

Sarah Warn
Sarah Warn
Sarah is the editor of AfterEllen.com, the site for/about lesbian and bisexual women in entertainment. Sarah grew in a small town in Washington State, reading everything she could get her hands on, shining shoes for a nickel a pair in her grandfather's tuxedo store, and making up games with her sister like the soon-to-be-patented "Pan Ball" (which requires only a tennis ball, a skillet and the roof of your house).

Sarah received a B.A. from Wellesley College and a Master's in Theological Studies from Harvard University, and spent several years in online marketing and business development before becoming a Professional Lesbian by founding AfterEllen.com in April 2002, and then gay men's entertainment website AfterElton.com. Her websites were acquired by Logo in 2006, the same year in which she was honored as one of the "10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz" by non-profit organization Power Up, and "The Lesbian Daughter Who's Suddenly Too Busy To Call Me Every Week" by her mom.

Murray Hill
Murray Hill
Murray Hill, "Mr. Showbiz," is a beloved entertainer, infamous personality, renowned comedian and host. He is one of the most sought after emcees working today and has produced, written, and starred in a string of sold-out theatrical runs in the U.S. and abroad. His legendary THE MURRAY HILL SHOW has been playing to packed houses for years. A ground-breaking performer and pioneer in the queer community, Murray has raised queer visibility on a national and international level with his positive disarming comedy and seamless, original gender-bending. He has garnered unprecedented mainstream recognition and appeal by finding the common denominator in all types of people through his laughter and good-guy style.

He recently performed for Penelope Cruz & Pedro Almodovar to celebrate the film Volver. He has hosted concerts for Le Tigre, Antony & The Johnsons, The Gossip, as well as the International Burlesque Festival in London and the premiere of the new Beastie Boys film in New York. Murray has a cameo in John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus and can be seen in music videos by Scissor Sisters, Le Tigre, and Triple Creme. This winter, PAPER Magazine inducted him into the Nightlife Hall of Fame, and in 2004 Murray was awarded top performer from OUT Magazine's OUT 100 list.

He is currently in New York for his annual hit show "A Murray Little Christmas" playing December 18th at Comix. Check him out on his MySpace page or visit his Official Site.




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