When the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) bestowed its awards last Saturday night, it repeated its outrage of last year, as far as I see it: The organization devoted to fighting discrimination against gays in the media again gave an honor to a TV show that appeared to discriminate. For the second year in a row, "As the World Turns" won the GLAAD Award as outstanding daytime TV drama.

When the Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann) romance debuted on "As the World Turns" a few years ago, it was obvious that the actors weren't permitted to kiss on screen. That ban not only persisted through the eligibility period of the first GLAAD Award it won (2007), but the early part of the eligibility period of the second award too (2008). Then the gay couple, hallelujah, was finally permitted to smooch, but not to have a physical relationship beyond that — like most hormonally crazed heterosexual couples do on TV soaps. That breakthrough finally occurred in 2009, but the ban still seemed to be in place during both times "As the World Turns" was honored by GLAAD.

"As the World Turns" execs didn't admit that they discriminated against the characters, but they kind of admitted it too. Jeannie Tharrington, a spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble Productions, which produces the CBS series, conceded last year that the conservative portrayal of Luke and Noah's love life was due in part to "some of the feedback that we've gotten." Part of that feedback was the threat of a boycott against Procter & Gamble products led by the right-wing political group American Family Assn. of Tupelo, Miss., which denounced the show's portrayal of homosexuality as "repulsive" and "offensive."

So why would GLAAD hail "ATWT" producers with an award? Cynics say it's because the organization is desperate to get the soap's popular, studly stars, Hansis and Silbermann, to attend its award ceremony.

GLAAD president Neil Giuliano tells Gold Derby his awards program has a different agenda: "Our job is to reward and recognize when there's a fair and accurate portrayal of gay life in media. Are they always going to be perfect? No. But we do have an obligation to recognize them and thank people when they do move the needle. We've got to balance that with our frustration that it's not as much progress as we want.

"GLAAD has very much a carrot and stick approach," he adds, "fighting defamation and working in media advocacy. The awards program is the time we recognize people for being fair, accurate and inclusive. It's not the time we bring out the stick and raise our anti-defamation fists in the air about things people are not doing as well as they should."

When the first batch of GLAAD Awards are bestowed tonight at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, winners will be clutching a new statuette. Here are its vital stats:

• 12 inches high (3-inch base, 9-inch metal sculpture)

• Weight: approximately 7 pounds

• Sculpture is die-cast zinc, hand finished with a satin texture and plated with a custom nickel and rhodium finish for a dark luster

• Base is black-stained ash

After tonight's GLAAD Awards presentation, there will be additional kudos ceremonies in Los Angeles on April 18 and in San Francisco on May 9. You can see a full list of nominees here.

That list of GLAAD Awards nominations doesn't make all award-watchers glad. Nelson Branco of TV Guide Canada, in fact, is furious about the nomination of "homophobic" "As The World Turns" for outstanding daytime drama.

Nelson fumes: "Predictably, the seemingly self-professed anti-discrimination organization is recognizing 'ATWT' despite the fact that the CBS sudser ordered a highly controversial kissing ban on their lone gay couple, Luke and Noah, in the beginning of 2008. Also, 'ATWT' banned any kind of sexual intimacy or lovemaking between Nuke since their almost two-year reign on the soap. This, on a series in which every other heterosexual couple could act as the official spokespeople for sexually transmitted diseases. A couple of months ago, Nuke finally consummated their relationship. Unless you were in Peapack, or in a coma, you know the lack of publicity regarding this historic milestone set off a firestorm of controversy over the fact that Nuke’s lovemaking was treated differently than the promotion of their straight counterparts."

Photo: GLAAD

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The Oscar nominated "Milk" is the likely winner among the five more widely released films competing for top honors from gay and lesbian media watchdog GLAAD. The other four GLADD Awards nominees — the critically rejected remake of "Brideshead Revisited"; "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist"; "RocknRolla"; and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." That Woody Allen film has about 10 seconds of gay content with the one notorious kiss between Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johannson.

By so stretching the definition of eligibility, GLAAD upped the number of nominees from last year's three — "Across the Universe," "The Jane Austen Book Club" and eventual winner "Stardust." Last year's list was most notable for the absence of "The Kite Runner" which contained a controversial rape scene.

Don't waste your time looking for performers like Oscar front-runners Sean Penn and Penelope Cruz on the list below of 125 nominees spread out across 26 English-language categories. While the GLAAD Awards hail a music artist, there are no individual prizes for acting.

Though major movies might not be featuring many gay story lines, television series, both comedy and drama, have proved far more inclusive. For the third year running, ABC leads the way with six nominations, including nods for two-time champs "Brothers & Sisters" and "Ugly Betty" as well as a third in a row nom for "Desperate Housewives." Snubbed was "Grey's Anatomy" which made headlines with the controversial axing of gay characters. Over five seasons, that medical drama has managed only one GLAAD nod -- a win for individual episode in 2007.

Also controversial was last year's win by daytime drama "As the World Turns." Not only were the program's gay lovers Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann) forbidden to kiss on the CBS soap series, but they were, apparently, even forbidden to kiss at the GLAAD Awards! When journalists asked the actors to smooch for the cameras on the red carpet, Hansis and Silbermann coyly dodged the request and — adding insult to injury — would only pucker up on either side of the actress who portrays Noah's bogus green-card wife on the show. However, the show is in contention once more this year with only "All My Children" as competition.

Beyond those 125 nominees across 26 English-language categories there are an additional 60 Spanish-language nominees in 15 categories. The nominees were published, released or broadcast in 2008 and were decided on by seven nominating juries who considered nearly 1,000 media projects. And with so many kudos to hand out, GLAAD holds ceremonies in New York (March 28), Los Angeles (April 18) and San Francisco (May 9).

OUTSTANDING FILM –- WIDE RELEASE
"Brideshead Revisited"
"Milk"
"Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist "
"RocknRolla"
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

OUTSTANDING FILM -– LIMITED RELEASE
"The Edge of Heaven"
"Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom"
"Save Me"
"Shelter"
"XXY"

Last year's winners of best drama and comedy series returned for more lavender laurels from GLAAD last night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles: "Brothers & Sisters" and "Ugly Betty." The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards also hailed "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" for best reality show.

Read the Associated Press report - CLICK HERE. Visit the GLAAD website HERE.

(Photos: ABC)

Not only should GLAAD be publicly denounced for giving an award to "As the World Turns," but it should be pressured to rescind the prize.

It's an outrage that an organization devoted to battling gay discrimination in the media would honor a TV show that blatantly and notoriously discriminates against gay romance.

Not only are the program's gay lovers Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann) forbidden to kiss on the CBS soap series, but they were, apparently, even forbidden to kiss at the GLAAD Awards where they were being honored for nondiscrimination! When journalists asked the actors to smooch for the cameras on the red carpet, Hansis and Silbermann coyly dodged the request and — adding insult to injury — would only pucker up on either side of the actress who portrays Noah's bogus green-card wife on the show. When the request for the gay kiss was channeled through reps for "ATWT," it was clear from their grumblings, evasive replies and conspiratorial whispers among themselves that they were the ones squashing it.

"As the World Turns" reps don't admit that they discriminate, but, well, they kind of do, too. Jeannie Tharrington, a spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble Productions, which produces the CBS series, concedes that recent changes in how Luke and Noah are portrayed were "because of some of the feedback that we've gotten, and because of what we thought was best for the show creatively."

That feedback included denunciations from conservative political groups like the American Family Assn. of Tupelo, Miss., which champions a boycott of Procter & Gamble because its members find the show's portrayal of homosexuality "repulsive" and "offensive."

CLICK HERE to Read MORE!

The second installment of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's Media Awards were bestowed Saturday in L.A. The first were last month in Gotham and the next batches get doled out in San Francisco (April 28) and Miami (May 10).

The "Gay Oscars" were bestowed at the Kodak Theater and attracted a galaxy of superstars, gay and "str8," as the lingo goes. Guessing which ones were which was a sport, especially when it came to Jake Gyllenhaal, who presented the honorary Vanguard Award to Jennifer Aniston, and was the subject of most offstage tongue-wagging. The "Brokeback Mountain" star maintains that he's str8 and is currently linked in the tabs to Reese Witherspoon, but gossip sites like TMZ.com have been hinting otherwise of late (CLICK HERE).

Other award recipients:

Outstanding Film — Wide Release: "Little Miss Sunshine"
Outstanding Drama Series: "Brothers & Sisters"
Outstanding Comedy Series: "Ugly Betty"
Outstanding Individual Episode: "Where the Boys Are," "Grey's Anatomy"

See more winners and photo: CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE.

Photo: Before presenting the Vanguard Award to Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal said, "People say actors are brave for taking certain roles. I say, 'No!' What's truly brave is picking out an outfit to wear in front of this crowd. The tie: white or black or white or transgendered?" (GLAAD)

While the Emmys used to be handed out in simultaneous ceremonies in LA, NYC, and DC, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) goes this one better, with four cities needed to host their kudos to mainstream media. The 18th annual festivities kicked off Monday night in Manhattan with 26 of the 42 prizes to honorees including musical diva Patti LaBelle, designer Tom Ford, and comedian Kate Clinton. The other ceremonies are April 14 in LA, April 28 in San Francisco, and May 10 in Miami. Only the Gotham and Hollywood portions will make the cut of the version to be shown on LOGO on April 21.

For the full list of winners CLICK HERE

OK, here's the easiest award category ever to predict. Which of these nominees will win GLAAD's award for best film in wide release — "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "The Family Stone," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" or "Rent"? Considering the kudo is bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, it's easy imagining cowboys at the podium accepting a prize honoring mainstream media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of gays and lesbians in film and TV.

Or wait a minute — maybe these honors aren't so predictable! After all, last year "Will & Grace" lost best comedy series to "Sex and the City." So suspense is one more reason to tune in when the kudofest is telecast on two networks for the first time ever: Logo on April 15 and VH1 on April 16. The other reasons to watch have to do with GLAAD usually staging an awards show full of flashy drama and naughty fun. It's always one of the most entertaining award shows of the year. GLAAD.com has posted the complete list of nominees online.