The 25th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles took place here in SoCal Sunday kicking off with a rally in West Hollywood, CA yesterday morning. A bunch of celebs took part in the walk in order to help raise funds for AIDS research charities … including George Takei, Felicity Huffman, La Toya Jackson and my dear friend Pauley Perrette. Here are a few pics of some of the celebs who participated in yesterday’s event and some deets about the AIDS Walk itself:

More than 30,000 people took part in Sunday’s 25th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, which benefits AIDS Project Los Angeles and several other Los Angeles-area AIDS service organizations. The opening ceremony began at 9:15 a.m., and the 6.2-mile walk started at 10 a.m. at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. From there, walkers headed south on La Cienega Boulevard, east on Melrose Avenue, south on La Brea Avenue, west on Beverly Boulevard and north on San Vicente to return to the park. Among the celebrities who participated were Felicity Huffman, Aaron Carter, Mary Louise Parker, Darryl Stephens, George Takei and John Lloyd Young. A VIP post-walk reception hosted by actress Teri Hatcher began at noon. San Francisco Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom attended, along with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land. Villaraigosa and Land spoke to the crowd about the HIV/AIDS crisis in Los Angeles and the work of AIDS Project Los Angeles. “Today in L.A., there are 60,000 people living with HIV, and as many as a quarter of them don’t even know they are infected. It’s so important that we get them into testing and get them into treatment and care early so that they can stay healthy,” Colin Weil of AODS Project Los Angeles said.

I understand that this year’s AIDS Walk LA raised $3.15 million for the cause! Woot!! My hat is off to any person who gives of their time in this manner … thank all y’all who walked the walk and put your time where your money is to help find a cure for this deadly disease. Kudos and thanks again for your hard work this year!

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

The principle cast, along with a few folks from previous incarnations of the franchise as well as a few celeb fans, made their way out to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA last night for the Hollywood premiere of JJ Abrams’s new Star Trek film (tho you may recall that the film already premiered in Sydney, Australia and London, England). Hollywood Blvd. teemed with Trekkies and celebs alike clamoring to be a part of the big party … and David and I were lucky enough to be among them. Here are a few pics of the new cast of Star Trek making their entrances on the red carpet (which was actually black and silver) and some deets from last night’s affair:

In 1966, “Star Trek” was launched on television, then unceremoniously canceled due to low ratings. In 2002, fans mourned the death of the franchise after a movie and new TV series were both poorly received. In 2009, a time-traveling reboot has relaunched the Enterprise — and filled Grauman’s Chinese Theatre with fans renewed in their belief that “Trek” will live long and prosper. “I’ve only seen about half the movie,” grinned Leonard Nimoy on the movie premiere’s massive black carpet, admitting that the emotion of passing the Spock torch to Zachary Quinto left him unable to sit through the film’s heart-tugging second half with dry eyes. “I’m very proud of him.” “I couldn’t love him any more; I’ve just been so honored to get to know him,” Quinto returned, adding that Thursday night’s celebratory atmosphere would even prove infectious for the logical character the two men share. “Spock loves to party; he loves to let his bangs down every once in a while.” In addition to the movie’s stars, such proud Trekkies as Amanda Bynes, Neil Patrick Harris, Leighton Meester, Rainn Wilson and Heidi Klum walked the event’s massive stage shaped like the “Trek” logo. “This is like Cinco de Mayo and Yom Kippur all rolled into one for me,” “Inglourious Basterds” actor Samm Levine marveled. Director Robert Rodriguez was equally excited, saying he was torn over his favorite “Trek” character: “I love Captain Kirk, but I love the Vulcan grip too, so I’ve gotta go with Spock.” New Kirk Chris Pine insisted that the film, which comes out May 8, stays true to Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a harmonious future. “To present a positive image of the world, there’s nothing better than that,” he said. “I can’t believe this amazing series has lived for 40-something years,” beamed Zoe Saldana, the new Uhura. “And now we’re here.” “This is definitely the craziest premiere I’ve been to, and definitely the biggest,” explained Rachel Nichols, one of the movie’s sexy alien green girls. “It’s the hottest ticket in town.” The death of “Trek,” it seems, was greatly exaggerated when the series hit a speed bump in the early part of this decade. And down to a person, all the new crew members credited the well-reviewed 2009 film to the brave resurrection efforts of J.J. Abrams and his creative team. “Three years ago, J.J. called me and was like ‘Is “Star Trek” dead?’ ” recalled Damon Lindelof, a producer on Abrams’ “Trek” and “Lost,” as hundreds of pointy-eared fans shrieked at the stars. “Now, three years later, we’re here.” “‘Star Trek’ is cool again,” said an amped-up Karl Urban, who plays the new “Bones” McCoy in the film. “It’s hip; it’s sexy. It’s ballistic.”

Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek was to create a series where hope, prosperity and unity were the hallmarks of a bold new vision of the future. When Star Trek was created, there was still so much racial unrest in this country that it seemed like absolute science fiction that people of different races (and species) could co-exist in a semi-peaceful future landscape. You may know that the original Star Trek series provided US television with its first interracial kiss (between James T. Kirk and Uhura). So much has happened since Trek first blazed its way on our televisions. Abrams’s new vision for Star Trek is nothing short of epic … but I’ll get to my review of the film a little later on. After the jump, check out which Star Trek stars from days of yore came out for the premiere and see which celebs count themselves as rabid Trekkie fans …

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Celebs from the big screen, the small screen, the stage and more made their way out to the Nokia Theatre here in downtown Los Angeles, CA yesterday evening to attend and participate in the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards … which honors achievement in GLBT visibility in the media. Here are a few photos from the awards show itself and some info from the glitzy ceremony:

Civil rights group GLAAD honored the movie “Milk” and singled-out Reverend Gene Robinson and comedian Kathy Griffin for their work at a Saturday night gala highlighting issues such as gay marriage and equality. Talk program “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was given a GLAAD Media Award for its episode “Ellen & Portia’s Wedding Day,” covering DeGeneres’ wedding to actress Portia de Rossi. DeGeneres dedicated the honor to Carl Walker-Hoover, an 11 year-old Massachusetts boy who killed himself earlier this month because school kids bullied him and called him “gay.” “In my opinion, we are not fighting for gay rights, we are fighting for equal rights,” DeGeneres told the black tie crowd at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater. The 2009 awards marked the 20th year that films, TV shows, performers and others have been honored by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Milk,” about slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, was named best film. “Desperate Housewives” was chosen best TV comedy, and “Brothers and Sisters” was named top TV drama. GLAAD President Neil Giuliano spoke to the audience about the impact TV shows such as “The L Word” and movies like “Brokeback Mountain” have had on introducing audiences to all sorts of lesbian and gay characters and issues they face. Giuliano touched on marriage and said that despite setbacks like the passage of California’s Proposition 8 which denied gay men and women the right to marry in that state, progress has been made in other states where gay weddings are now legal. “As we learned in Iowa and Vermont, ignorance and hate does not stop the march of social justice,” Giuliano said. While many of the night’s speeches focused on social and political issues — as expected for the activist group — the night also featured a lot of comedy and music. Comedian Kathy Griffin accepted the Vanguard Award for her work in the gay community. She dressed in a bikini with a white, gay marriage ribbon, pinned to the bottom. The makers of video sensation “Prop 8: The Musical,” a parody of the conservative campaign backing Proposition 8, were singled-out with a special recognition award, and the musical number was performed on stage. The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the Episcopal church, was given an honorary award for his work as a religious leader and activist. Last month, GLAAD held a ceremony in New York City where it handed out other media awards. A similar event is planned for May in San Francisco.

I really love that the GLAAD Media Awards are handed out in LA, NY and San Francisco … issues of GLBT visibility are too large for just one ceremony. Much love and congrats to all the folks who work tireless to help foster and spread positive images of the gay community, pushing the boundaries of discrimination further and further away. The work is long and hard and nowhere near complete … until justice and equality for all is achieved in this country, the work carries on. Again, congrats to those folks who keep on keepin’ on. Click HERE for a full list of award winners from the LA portion of the GLAAD Media Awards. My dear friend Darion was able to attend the GLAAD Media Awards yesterday and he managed to get a fun photo with one of his fave celebs:

Don’t they look great? Kathy Griffin looks stunning. Trust me, Darion was geeked beyond words. Woot!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

In happy nuptials news, longtime partners George Takei and Brad Altman finally took their stroll down the aisle together yesterday afternoon and entered the bonds of lawfully wedded bliss. You may recall that George and Brad were among the first California citizens who applied for their marriage licenses when same-sex marriage was legalized in the state back in June. This weekend, the grooms made it official with close friends and family to bless the occasion:

George Takei and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, were wed Sunday evening in a Buddhist ceremony in downtown Los Angeles. “All I can remember is what the priest said,” Takei told PEOPLE after the ceremony. “That this moment will never happen again. It’s something to savor.” Nearly 200 of the couple’s friends attended the event, which began as a kimono-clad koto player plucked out tunes on the ancient Japanese stringed instrument. Afterward, the couple sipped sake from red lacquer cups, then said their vows to one another while standing within a circle of yellow rose petals. A Scottish bagpiper led Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, to the reception on the grounds of the Japanese American National Museum. On the way, the couple, along with their maid of honor and best man (Takei’s former Star Trek co-stars Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig) flashed the “live long and prosper” hand sign to photographers and friends. “I was fighting back the tears,” said Nichols, who played Uhura on the Star Trek series. “But they came oozing out anyway. I’m so happy that they’re both able to legally proclaim their commitment to one another after spending the past 21 years together.”

Awww … I love these two together. It’s couples like this that make me so happy that same-sex marriage has finally been legalized in the great State of California. Much love and congrats goes out to the newlyweds … may they live long and happy lives together full of bliss and happiness. Mazel Tov!

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George Takei was on hand at the Orpheaum Theatre in LA to present his friend and co-star Nichelle Nichols with an award last night at the Closing Night Gala of this year’s Outfest Film Festival. George presented Nichelle with the Liberty and Justice Award on behalf of the ACLU … here are a few pics of the Star Trek stars at last night’s affair:

Pioneering actress Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, will receive the Liberty and Justice Award from the ACLU of Southern California Foundation on the closing night of this year’s Outfest 2008: the 26th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Monday, July 21, 2008. The award, in recognition of Ms. Nichols’ contributions to the fight for civil rights and social justice, will be presented at the closing night gala screening of “Tru Loved” at 8 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. Ms. Nichols is one of the stars of the film. As Lt. Uhura, Ms. Nichols was the first African American actor to have a recurring, non-stereotypical role on a network television series. The series was broadcast from 1966 to 1969 and before that time, most black actors on television portrayed servants. Even though the role was groundbreaking, she felt it was not substantial and was tempted to quit the show. But Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay with the series because Lt. Uhura was an important role model for black children. “Ms. Nichols’ trail-blazing role on ‘Star Trek’ allowed her to portray racial equality in our nation’s future, which brought us closer to full equality in our present,” said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU/SC, in announcing the award. “She also worked to expand opportunities for women at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).” After the series ended, Ms. Nichols worked as volunteer for NASA on a special project to recruit women and minorities to the space program. Among those recruited by that project were Dr. Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut, and U.S. Air Force Col. Guion Bluford Jr., the first African American astronaut. Dr. Mae Jemison, a former astronaut who is African American, said seeing Ms. Nichols on “Star Trek” inspired her to become a physician and astronaut.

I have always held Nichelle Nichols as one of the unsung heroes in Hollywood. She absolutely was a pioneer for helping fight racism just by being herself … for boldly going where no other African American actress went before. Lt. Uhura’s skin color was never an issue on the show, which was significant because Star Trek aired during a time of particular racial unrest. I am very pleased to see that she is being recognized for her efforts … and by her good friend George Takei, who has done his part to help fight sexual orientation discrimination. Much congrats and love goes out to Nichelle Nichols, her Liberty & Justice Award is well deserved.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Altho same-sex marriage officially became fully legal in the state of California on Monday June 16 at 5:01pm PT, it wasn’t until yesterday that most same-sex couples were allowed to get their marriage licenses … and boy did they, by the hundreds. In West Hollywood, CA, a ribbon-cutting ceremony (attended by Star Trek star George Takei and his longtime partner [soon to be husband] Brad Altman, among others) signaled the start of marriage licenses to be issued there while other counties issued their licenses with much less pomp and circumstance. Here are a few pics of George Takei with Brad Altman as they received their marriage license yesterday:

Star Trek’s George Takei is one step closer to the altar. The 71-year-old actor and longtime partner Brad Altman, 54, received a marriage license from the City of West Hollywood on Tuesday morning, becoming one of the first gay Californians to obtain a license since the state Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages last month. “We are first and foremost beyond delighted!” an ecstatic Takei told PEOPLE minutes after he obtained the license. “It’s a landmark day.” Just days after the California ruling, Takei announced his plans to marry Altman, his partner of 21 years. The couple plan to wed on September 14 in front of family and friends, including some of Takei’s Star Trek cast mates. Immediately after obtaining their marriage license, “I started singing ‘One Singular Sensation,’” Takei said. “(Brad) said ‘I love you’ and I looked at him and said, ‘I love you.’” Takei and Altman were the first couple to receive a marriage license from West Hollywood, a city that previously did not issue licenses to gay or straight couples. The wedding will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

While George and Brad are among the first celeb couples to enjoy full marriage equality here in California there were among hundreds of same-sex couples who received marriage licenses yesterday … and many of those hundreds immediately exercised their right to marry and tied the knot.

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