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On tonight’s Real Time with Bill Maher, sex and life advice columnist Dan Savage is the top-of-show interview guest, while counter-terrorism expert Richard A. Clarke is the mid-show interview guest. The roundtable guests are legal analyst Dan Abrams, news anchor Katty Kay and conservative political analyst Michael Steele. Chicago native Savage is a frequent panelist on Maher’s show. He is a columnist, an Lgbtq advocate, hosts Savage Lovecast, and is the founder of the It Gets Better project, a group supporting Lgbtq youth. Savage offers straightforward and to-the-point sex advice in his column, Savage Love. His own Irish Catholic upbringing...read more...

Last week, in the wake of Eddie Huang's complaints that he felt ABC's "Fresh Off the Boat" was distorting and softening his childhood experiences, this column examined how hard it is for any biographical or autobiographical sitcom to be true to the life of its source and still be a crowd-pleasing primetime network entertainment. You'd think, after decades of trying, TV writers and network programming executives would be aware of this.

Nonetheless, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the networks have no fewer than ten such sitcom pilots in production, as the first episodes of potential 2015-16 primetime series. Some are based on the lives of already famous entertainers, some on the self-referential stand-up comedy routines of not-quite-famous comics, and some on memoirsts who've lived interesting lives.

Here's a rundown of these pilots, with a look at who these shows are about, who's starring in them, what the series might be like,...

“Chev & Bev” reunites National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation duo, the Savage show is loosely based on gay columnist’s life

ABC has picked up two new comedy pilots, one that will reunite beloved comedy duo Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, while the other explores the life of sex columnist and activist Dan Savage.

“Chev & Bev” will see Chase and D’Angelo on screen together after a string of “National Lampoon” films including the iconic “Christmas Vacation.” The pair will play retired baby boomers living a “selfish retirement” when they are suddenly left to raise their grandchildren.

The Savage project...

On 19 Kids and Counting, grocery shopping is a feat. Washing laundry requires grit. The Duggar family manages their child-packed home like a business, by necessity, and it makes for good TV. The uncommonly large Arkansas-based family is now TLC’s longest running reality show, with 14 seasons aired since 2008.

It’s a slice of American life, or at least a certain kind of American life, organized around conservative Christianity and all that entails: prayer, patriarchy, and watching only pre-recorded television in order to avoid exposure to anything tawdry.

Photos: A Duggar Family Timeline: From Zero to 19 and Counting!

At 26, Josh Duggar is the clan’s eldest son. He opened his own used car dealership in 2006, and started working simultaneously as a political consultant the year after. In 2013, when he quietly began working in Washington, D.C., Duggar’s jump was actually to a very high-profile position—Executive Director of Frc Action, the political...

For such a huge movie star, Ellen Page is surprisingly laid back about pretty much everything, including her homosexuality. And along with posing for a spread of fabulous black and white photos, she told The Hollywood Reporter about her journey.

Always happy to keep her private life private, the “Inception” star finally began feeling like it was time to come out of the closet when she came across Dan Savage of the “It Gets Better” campaign back in July 2013.

She explained, “For so long I thought, ‘Oh, I have to keep it private because my job is about creating an illusion’ and all those bullsh*t excuses. [When I heard Dan], he was like, ‘It’s a social responsibility and a moral imperative.’ And I was like, ‘You’re right. You’re really intense — but you’re right.’”

Page continued, “Sometimes I think when you’re like, ‘Hey, I don’t give a sh*t,...

For more than a year, Belisa Balaban has been responsible for Pivot’s alternative programming including the network’s popular series HitRECord and documentary Teach. Now Participant Media’s Pivot has promoted Balaban to Evp Original Programming for the network targeting millenials. She’ll be based at Participant’s Los Angeles offices and will report to Pivot President, Evan Shapiro. Balaban’s prior projects include the 10-episode documentary series The Swell Life and the Emmy-nominated special It Gets Better. As co-founder of Snackaholic, she executive produced pilots and series, including Tabloid Wars for Bravo, and Bollywood Hero, a three-hour musical comedy for IFC, as well as the recent Grammy nominee From The Sky Down about the making of U2’s Achtung Baby. Previously Balaban oversaw and developed pilots and series for Actual Reality Pictures including, Freshman Diaries for Showtime, Military Diaries for VH1, and Thin for HBO Documentary Films.

NBA donating Jason Collins’ jersey revenue to Lgbt charities, Tituss Burgess joins Tooken, Robbie Rogers feels constraints of being a role model

Jared Leto snapped up the Independent Spirit Award for his portrayal of Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club, increasing the odds that he’ll pick up the Oscar Sunday night for the role of a transgender HIV patient in the early 1980s.

The federal judge in Kentucky who ruled that the state must recognize out of state same-sex marriages has put a three week stay on his order. The state had asked for 90 days to appeal, but Judge Heyburn says they should be able to figure out how to implement the order by March 20.

The NBA is going to donate proceeds from Jason Collins’ record selling #98 jersey to the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Glsen. Autographed jerseys that Collins wears in games will be auctioned off to benefit the same organizations.

Dan Bucatinsky and Lisa Kudrow are teaming with Dan Savage for an update to his Emmy-winning It Gets Better empowerment campaign. Bucatinsky and Kudrow, via their Is or Isn't Entertainment banner, are teaming with Savage and his producing partner Brian Pines, Lexus and L/Studio to create a new web series: It Got Better.  Founded in 2010 by Savage and Terry Miller, the nonprofit It Gets Better Project used media to reach lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth worldwide in an effort to provide support and messages of hope that life does indeed get better. To date, more than 50,000 inspirational

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It was the best of Glee, it was the worst of Glee — and no, this isn’t another rant about how I prefer the NYC-based storylines of Rachel, Kurt & Co (even though I do).

Rather I’m talking about how the dubiously titled “The End of Twerking” featured one of the show’s most beautifully conceived and executed musical performances in recent memory, bookended by a second one that — were it not for a bile-soaked response monologue from Sue Sylvester — would’ve had me sending a strongly worded Tweet to @GLEEonFox.

I speak, of course, of Unique’s fantastic “If...

Dan Savage is not know to hold anything back, even when it comes to members of his own family.

The syndicated (and outrageous) sex columnist and gay-rights advocate behind the It Gets Better Project is releasing a new book this week called American Savage: Insights, Slights, and Fights on Faith, Sex, Love, and Politics.

In an interview with Canadian site Xtra on Monday, Savage detailed some of the book's main topics, including a touching anecdote about his teenage son's "coming out."

“My son had to come out to us as straight, and he was worried what we might think," Savage told Xtra. "Even with all the support we gave him to be whatever he wants to be, he felt allegiance to us and allegiance to his family, and thought we would be disappointed that he wouldn’t be gay like us. He felt awkward coming out to us as straight,...

First up, we're going to have a liveblog for Days of Our Lives with snicks today, so be ready for whatever WilSon gets up to.

I will be extremely happy when next week, I can stop writing about football players, talking about football at the gym and work, and trying to perfect my mini-taco recipe for the Super Bowl party I'm attending. But for now, let's talk about football.

Naturally, Chris Kluwe is not happy with 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver. "While he’s certainly entitled to speak his mind, Culliver is a role model whether he likes it or not. There are kids all over the United States who aspire to be right where he is and he has an obligation to consider the effect of his words. Kids are listening.” Which goes to something I say a lot about actors/singers/sports stars: you are a role model, full stop.

Looks like Illinois is seriously considering giving gay marriage a go. Obama wants it. Jesse Tyler Ferguson's there selling it. And hell, Illinois is so chock full of gay greatness, it deserves the honor of becoming the 10th state to approve gay marriage. Even the state's Gop chair Pat Brady backs it. Holler!

In order to help propel the issue further, I've concocted a quick list of wonderful gay (or quasi-gay) things to emerge from Il. 

1. "Chicago, Illinois," from the gay classic Victor/Victoria

If my interview with Lesley Ann Warren didn't convince you the Clue alumna is ripe for canonization, please see yourself to this clip from Victor/Victoria where the Oscar-nominated thespian salutes the naughty joys of the Prairie State. Why did it take until 1982 for the world to notice that Chicago begins with C-h-i-c?

2. Dan Savage

The author, commentator, It Gets Better-er, and Savage Love columnist is a Chicago native,...

Editor's Note - Ed Kennedy was our social media hero with the election results last night, and didn't get a chance to finish the Meme. We'll have a wrap-up of the history that was made, but in the meantime, enjoy these tidbits from Ed, and feel free to add your own! (but please keep it PG-13!).

Something that caught my eye was CBS News correspondent Mo Rocca, an out gay man. His tweet said "As a @CBSNews correspondent I can't tell you how I voted. So I'll show you..." He then tweeted this photo. Have we found a new gay Republican, or am I misinterpreting it?

I don't see how I could be missing the meaning here

 Harry Shum might want to try ProActive for that

 Alec Mapa made voting a family affair, since this election is about our families

 Zachary Quinto mans the voter issue line at the Obama campaign.

In its ongoing efforts to combat bullying, the hit Broadway musical Wicked will host a special event tonight, October 11, featuring two leaders in the worldwide campaign to bring an end to bullying Ben Cohen, MBE, founder of The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, and Dan Savage, co-founder of The It Gets Better Project. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Savage will be joined by members of the Wicked company for a post-performance talk-back to discuss what can be done to help stop the prevalence of bullying.

Eschewing the potentially disastrous effects of jazzier sequel titles—It Gets Better-er, It Gets Better Still, Okay Maybe It Didn't Get Better The First Time So Let's Try Again—MTV highlights Lgbt advocate Dan Savage and his husband as they introduce a brand new set of coming out stories in It Gets Better 2, a new special premiering tonight at 11pm. And just like a sequel, the focus in the hour-long documentary reiterates that coming out often isn't something that happens once; for newly-out Hunter, closeted Natalie, and committed Vecente, telling the world you're gay can be a life-long saga. But the heartwarming moments here, which include Natalie's tear-filled confession to her mother about her sexuality, Vecente coming clean to his best friend, and Hunter's dad realizing the brave man his son truly is, are among the best television moments MTV will have this year. It certainly may not get easier,...

MTV's revisiting the It Gets Better movement with a second special.

News

If you heard a collective sigh of relief from Community fans, that's because the comedy's debut on Fridays has been delayed. Whitney won't make its debut on October 19, either. The delay has prompted speculation that both series may get a more prominent time slot, once NBC takes a little more time to see how its new series do. Then again, NBC says the issue is that their promotion department is too busy with the new shows, so Community and Whitney could still end up airing on Fridays, just at a later date.

Fox has ordered more episodes of The Mindy Project and Ben & Kate. Mindy's got a nine-episode order, giving it a full season while Ben & Kate will make an additional six. I'm still waiting to see how Mindy develops, but I couldn't make it through the Ben & Kate pilot.

Chris Colfer finally talked about "The Breakup," and while we have serious issues about his assertion that he was the ugly half of a power couple, we are curious with his speculation as the what the future holds for Kurt. "I'm just really excited to see what the future holds for him in general. Whether that means dating one person or a few over the course of the season, I just want to see him live and be his own person. He had a really bad year last season so it's been nice to see him spread his wings."

Some of these secret menus at fast food restaurants are truly terrifying, but if I'm completely honest, I might be willing to make the In-and-Out 100x100 the last thing I do before I die of a heart attack.

Taken 2 is dominating the box office this weekend, headed towards a $46 million opening,...

“It gets better. It really does,” says Dan Savage, co-creator of the It Gets Better Project and executive producer of the It Gets Better special to air jointly on MTV and Logo. Photos: MTV Video Music Awards 2012: The Nominees The viral YouTube video-turned-international movement inspires hope for young Lgbt members who are bullied or harassed for their sexuality. Two years ago, when Savage asked his partner, Terry Miller, to create a film about the hardships they faced -- and, more importantly, how their lives have improved -- he would have never expected to have such a huge

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When somebody calls gay people “disgusting” and says that “most of them probably have AIDS,” the natural human reaction is to agree with them.

Wait — no it isn’t! So what the heck is up with Bret Easton Ellis?

Over the weekend, the controversial writer sent a controversial pair of controversial tweets: “I kind of agree with Paris Hilton,” followed by “As someone who has used Grindr? Paris Hilton isn’t that far off.”

But this isn’t the first time Ellis has antagonized the gay community on Twitter. In August, he provoked a hugely negative response after declaring that...

Birthday shoutouts go to (above, in order) out Nate Berkus, who is 41, out Bryan Singer is 47, and Kyle Chandler is 47. And the faboo Cassandra Peterson is 61.

It Gets Better will return in a new 60-minute special on October 9th at 11 Pm Et on MTV and Logo, and like the first special, will be anchored by Dan Savage. Nikki Blonsky has joined the cast of Smash, which will return mid-season.. The Advocate has the audio of Barbra singing "Home" from The Wiz. I adore Barbra, but Stephanie Mills owns this song.Today in passive aggressiveness, courtesy of Madonna: "I'm going to dedicate this next song … to Lady Gaga. You wanna know something? I love her. I love her. I do love her. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. But one day, very soon, we're going to be on stage together. Just you wait. You think I'm kidding? I love Lady Gaga.

The It Gets Better Project, which was honored by The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors with its Governors Award on Saturday, will return to MTV and Logo with a new, 60-minute It Gets Better special October 9 at 11 Pm — two days ahead of National Coming Out Day. Columnist Dan Savage, co-creator of the It Gets Better Project, will once again anchor the special, which will share stories and experiences of young people who are growing up Lgbt. The first special, which premiered on MTV and Logo on February 21, received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children’s Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program. The two networks commissioned a second special in June.

Fans of the Emmy-nominated "It Gets Better" project will be happy to learn that an all-new, 60-minute special will return to both MTV and Logo two days ahead of National Coming Out Day.

Viacom officials confirmed the new show, set to air Oct. 9, in an email to HuffPost Gay Voices. Renowned lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (Lgbt) rights advocate and syndicated columnist Dan Savage will once again anchor the special.

The program is the much-anticipated follow-up to the original hour-long "It Gets Better" special, which aired on Feb. 21, 2012. Though details on the Oct. 9 installment are currently scarce, the first "It Gets Better" special featured video messages from Maroon 5's Adam Levine, Zachary Quinto and Margaret Cho, among others.

Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, founded the "It Gets Better" Project in the fall of 2010 in response to the increasing number of suicides among Lgbt teenagers, many of whom claimed...

Dan Savage and husband Terry Miller received a standing ovation Saturday when they were presented with the Governors Award at the Creative Arts Emmys. The men were honored for their work on the “It Gets Better Project,” an anti-bullying campaign and video series that has earned submissions from stars and international figures including President Obama. Story: Creative Arts Emmys: Winners Being Announced (Updated) “Terry Miller is my husband in Canada and boyfriend in America," Savage said during his acceptance speech. “He was the first to recognize the power of this project." It Gets Better supporter Neil

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In its ongoing efforts to combat bullying, the hit Broadway musical Wicked will host a special event on Thursday, October 11, featuring two leaders in the worldwide campaign to bring an end to bullying Ben Cohen, MBE, founder of The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, and Dan Savage, co-founder of The It Gets Better Project. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Savage will be joined by members of the Wicked company for a post-performance talk-back to discuss what can be done to help stop the prevalence of bullying.

NoHo Arts District, CA August 29th, 2012 – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors has voted to bestow its prestigious Governors Award this year upon the “It Gets Better Project™,” an organization devoted to supporting Lgbt young people via its website, initiatives and the posting of original videos with messages of empathy, encouragement and hope for a positive future. The announcement was made by Television Academy Chairman and CEO Bruce Rosenblum. Created in 1978, the Governors Award salutes an individual, company or organization that has made a substantial impact and demonstrated the extraordinary use of television. A Governors Award Selection Committee presents up to seven candidates for the Board of Governors’ review and final vote. There is a possibility of one or no award every year. The award will be presented to the “It Gets Better Project” co-founders Dan Savage and Terry Miller during the 2012 Creative Arts Emmy® Awards on Saturday,...