Fan Fare

Neil Patrick Harris, Joss Whedon pay a visit to “Glee”

Fox’s ” Glee” was full of its trademark goodness this week, and a guest turn by Neil Patrick Harris (better known as Barney Stinson on “How I Met Your Mother“) and directed by Joss Whedon were a particular treat.

A opening scene flashback to Mr. Schuester’s (Matthew Morrison) zit-marked high school days watching a mullet-haired Bryan Ryan (Harris) serenade The Monkee’s “Daydream Believer” set the tone for the rest of the episode. Harris, known for his love of magic, even managed to weasel a trick into the scene.

The episode brimmed with a love-hate bromance between Will and Bryan — a combination that put fans in Glee heaven. The former high school rivals tried to out-sing one another with Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and Aerosmith’s “Dream On”.   Harris may not be a trained singer, but he hit those G-A flat falsetto notes perfectly.

There were two other heartfelt storylines woven into this episode about hopes and dreams (if you couldn’t tell from the song selection).

One involved Rachel Berry’s (Lea Michele) search for her biological mother, played by famed Broadway star Idina Menzel. The resemblance between the two singers is uncanny. It was only a matter of time before they had a duet together and this episode was it. That it be a Broadway number — “I dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables – was particularly fitting.

The other storyline involved wheel-chair bound Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) and his dreams of walking again. In a fantasy segment that played homage to the many real-life “Glee” flash mobs around the world, Artie lead a mall dance sequence to “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. It was a rare chance for McHale — who previously belonged to a boyband and is actually one of the best dancers in the cast — to show off his moves.

Artie’s dreams are crushed, and he expressed his bittersweet acceptance with a rendition of Ozzie Nelson’s “Dream a Little Dream of Me” as Mike (Harry Shum, Jr.) and love interest, Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), tap danced around him.

Emmy winners line-up looking like a repeat

They’re rolling out the red carpet in Los Angeles for television’s prime time Emmy Awards on Sunday but some experts are already predicting a winner’s line-up  in the main categories that looks much the same as last year.

That means that popular favorites like hospital drama “House”, animated comedy “Family Guy” and the “Law&Order” actress Mariska Hargitay could again lose out to shows like “Mad Men”, “Damages” star Glenn Close and the Tina Fey comedy “30 Rock”.

With the exception perhaps of “30 Rock” and the reality series category that acknowledges the mass appeal of shows like “Dancing With The Stars” and “The Amazing Race”, the Emmy awards seem to be moving away from mainstream viewing in the same way as the Oscars has done with mainstream films in recent years.

Public opinion polls are showing big differences between what the vast American public would like to see win, and the shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Little Dorritt” that are winning lots of prizes but small audiences. Yet, the Emmys are supposed to honor the best of the best, rather than the highest-rated shows and the stars that appear most on celebrity websites.

So on Sunday, will you be paying more attention to the winners on the podium, the red carpet fashion, or the entertainment which will be hosted by “How I Met Your Mother” actor Neil Patrick Harris and includes a live band for the first time since 2004, as well as a dance segment?

Which stars are you most excited about seeing? And is there anyone, in your opinion, who shouldn’t be there at all?

Neil Patrick Harris, Portia de Rossi top gay and lesbian “hot” list

A lecherous womanizer is the hottest entertainer out there for gay audiences.        Or more precisely openly gay actor Neil Patrick Harris, who plays the character in question on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” has topped a “Hot 100″ list determined by an online poll at a Web site popular with gay and bisexual men.      There’s a separate list for the ladies, and the No. 1 spot went to Australian actress Portia de Rossi, the wife of comedienne Ellen DeGeneres.      Both were compiled for the third year by gay-oriented cable channel Logo, which polled visitors to its afterelton.com and afterellen.com Web sites.      Harris, who revealed he was gay in 2006, ends the two-year reign of Jake Gyllenhaal, who played a gay cowboy in “Brokeback Mountain” but otherwise prefers the girls, specifically actress Reese Witherspoon. Gyllenhaal dropped to No. 4 on the new list.      Indeed, one does not have to be gay or lesbian to make it into the Hot 100s. The picks should be “hot … in the physical sense,” Logo said, but “also command our respect and admiration.” That might explain why President Barack Obama made it to No. 39 on the gay Hot 100. But Michelle Obama is either less popular with lesbians or faces tougher competition. The first lady came in at No. 97 on their list.       Logo helpfully identified the “out” people on its lists. Actresses Jennifer Beals (“The L Word”) and Lena Headey (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”), who are not, came in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Beals’ “L Word” co-star Leisha Hailey, who is, was No. 4. Yet another “L Word” alumna, Sarah Shahi, who also is not, was No. 5.      For the men, “out” actors John Barrowman (“Doctor Who”) and Luke MacFarlane (“Brothers and Sisters”) ranked at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. Straight actor Jensen Ackles (“Supernatural”) came in behind Gyllenhaal at No. 5.