AND THE WINNER WAS … Let’s not forget about the cute and talented guy who actually won American Idol last season: Kris Allen.

Kris and Adam were roommates during their time on Idol and remain good friends so I consider the married Kris to be gay-friendly. His album will come out Nov. 17 so it has a full week to bask in the spotlight before Adam’s out and completely overshadows it.

Entertainment Weekly has just posted this cover art from the disc which Kris recorded during his days off from the American Idol summer tour.

He’s awfully cute on that cover. No wonder Adam had a crush on him!

SHE’S BAAAAACK: Well, it’s not like Kathy Griffin has gone anywhere. In fact, she’s been everywhere promoting her best-selling autobiography Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin.

But Kathy will be back on TV next month doing what she does best: stand-up. Bravo has just announced that her seventh stand-up special for the network, Balls of Steel, will premiere on Tuesday, Nov., 3 at 9 pm.

Bravo’s press release assures us that Kathy isn’t holding back in this special as she “fearlessly bashes A-listers.” We’d expect nothing less. Among her topics will be her experience at the Teen Choice Awards with her date, Levi Johnston, her take on recent headlines including Jon and Kate Gosselin, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.  Kathy also weighs in on Oprah Winfrey’s exclusive two-parter with Whitney Houston.

That will be hilarious.

But what would a Kathy Griffin stand-up act be without a Barbara Walters story?

“Barbara Walters does not like me, but like Brokeback Mountain, I cannot quit her,” Kathy explains. She will recount her latest appearance on The View which took place on one of Barbara’s days off.  Says Kathy: “They can run, but they can’t hide.”