Will & Grace gives back

In its initial eight-season run, Will & Grace contributed strongly to the LGBT community's struggle for equal rights; in fact, just ask then Vice President Joe Biden about the show's impact, as he discussed in 2012 on NBC's Meet the Press.

Now that the show is back, starting tonight, for a historic re-boot, Will & Grace is looking to enact social change even more directly.  A few weeks ago, the burger chain Shake Shack announced a partnership with the show, creating four limited-edition "boozy milkshakes" inspired by the show's characters; the treats are available at four of the chain's New York and Los Angeles locations, with proceeds benefitting the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD.)  And tonight, a viewing-party celebrating the show's return to prime time (NBC, 9 PM Eastern/Pacific) will benefit a cause the Will & Grace creators and cast have long supported, the Human Rights Campaign.

Plus for each week the show has been in production, its cast and crew have worked with different charitable causes to raise funds and awareness.  For example, check out this video Sean Hayes made with Maria Shriver, to aid the Women's Alzheimer's Movement.  As Sean announces, any fans who donate $10 or more by October 20 via www.crowdwise.com/willandgracewam will be eligible to win two tickets to a taping of the show in Los Angeles.




Finally, here's the most recent announcement of the show's charitable efforts, benefitting the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  Again, via this campaign which started today at 11AM Pacific, for every $10 donated via www.crowdrise.com/will-and-grace-for-chla, fans will get 1 chance to win a pair of tickets to the November 15 taping of Will & Grace at NBC Universal Studios in Los Angeles, a behind-the-scenes tour of the set, and a personal photo opp with Will, Grace, Jack and Karen -- plus airfare for two on Delta Air Lines and accommodations for two at the Sheraton Universal hotel.  100% of the proceeds will directly benefit CHLA.

“Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a place I hold near and dear, and it’s my absolute honor to be able to support them in such a fun and unique way,” said show co-creator and executive producer, David Kohan.  “They are hard at work every day caring for hundreds of thousands of children with some of the rarest and most complex disorders. The research and care they provide impacts children not just in our immediate community—and I know many people whose children have received life-changing and life-saving care at CHLA—but it reaches children around the globe.”

CBS Goes Gayer

Last week, the gay media watchdog group GLAAD issued its annual report card, where it grades TV networks on their representation -- or lack thereof -- of LGBT characters. As in the past, in GLAAD's estimation, CBS flunked out.

This morning, at the very start of the two-week Television Critics of America press tour in Beverly Hills, CBS President Nina Tassler was asked to address the failing grade.

The network, she said first of all, did have a few gay characters in some of their pilots for this fall, but none of those got picked up. And so, she says, "We're adding a few characters to this season because we're very disappointed in our track record so far. We know, and we will do better."

There will be at least three new gay characters on CBS this fall, Tassler pointed out. We will meet Alicia Florrick's gay brother in season 2 of The Good Wife. On Rules of Engagement this fall, we'll meet the lesbian from Jeff's softball team who will become the surrogate mother for Audrey and him. And on S#*! My Dad Says, Tim Bagley's gay DMV worker -- in my estimation, the best part of that show's pilot -- has become a series regular.

Stay tuned for more news coming out of the TCA, including spoilers from Desperate Housewives' upcoming season 7!