Hypocrisy: Don't Do It

The gang watches a gay soap, "Gay as Blazes," which portrays gays as responsible, monogamous pillars of community. Brian (Gale Harold) doesn't buy it. Brian is supposed to get a "Hero Award" from a gay and lesbian organization for saving Justin's (Randy Harrison) life on prom night. Melanie (Michelle Clunie) is on the group's board, and she and Lindsay (Thea Gill) practically have to beg Brian to accept the award and not embarrass the organization. Things get more complicated when a fellow honoree, conservative gay newspaper columnist and author Howard Bellwether (Stewart Arnott), writes a piece attacking Brian's lifestyle, calling him a pedophile, and suggesting that he reinforces a negative stereotype of gays. Ted (Scott Lowell) is a fan of Bellwether's, and quietly agrees with his point-of-view. He even attends a book signing, which is disrupted when Justin arrives to confront the author. Emmett (Peter Paige) goes to work as a maid for Blaine (Marc Richard) and Blair (Derwin Jordan), an upwardly mobile, interracial gay couple who proudly proclaim their fidelity to one another. Emmett thinks they're just like the couple on "Gay as Blazes," but quickly learns that things aren't as they appear. Michael (Hal Sparks) invites Brian to a comic book convention and gets stood up. He begins to question their friendship. Ted tries to cheer Michael up by taking him to a party, where there are a couple of surprises in store. This episode was written by Karen Walton, who wrote the well-received indie horror flick Ginger Snaps.