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Elizabeth Taylor accepting the Vanguard Award

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Also heard at the GLAAD Media Awards: "I'd be happy to put on a pair of tights." -- Dawson's Creek star Kerr Smith, who plays gay character Jack, mentioning his interest in playing Spider Man. "We tried to do a love story and the critics spanked me for it! I think people were a little startled to see Rosie O'Donnell in that outfit." -- Director/producer Gary Marshall on his Exit to Eden film based on the Anne Rice S/M novel "There's about fifty women lined up outside waiting to meet her." -- GLAAD volunteer, after Camryn Manheim's proclamation of wanting to be a lesbian.

Celebrities were in abundance at the 15th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles March 15 at the Century Plaza Hotel. With over a thousand people attending the glitzy gala, the second installment of GLAAD's four annual events went off without a hitch, with only one anti-gay protestor outside the lobby.

"He called me a Sodomite with an eating disorder," girthful comic writer Bruce Vilanch said. "I guess that's pretty accurate."

Backstage, the cheerful award should have gone to the cast and producers of Popular, who joked around in the press room. "The great thing about all the shows at Warner Brothers is they have an amazingly progressive attitude about issues of sexuality," said director Brian Robbins. Popular's queer plots include a shop teacher's struggle with a sex change, and a lesbian parent, played by former Wonder Years mom Alley Mills.

Performers included comic Wayne Grady, singer Sophie B. Hawkins, and longtime rocker Joan Jett, who sported red leather pants, a tube top tee, and a shaved head. She rocked the house with a brisk rendition of "Bad Reputation." We weren't able to confirm what those "Leather Pride" stickers she'd been seen sporting were all about, but we can guess.

The Green Mile co-star Michael Jeter, who'd stripped at a previous GLAAD ceremony, promised to remain clothed, and did, in a tux, looking radiant walking arm in arm with his partner, Sean Blue. "Sounds like a porn star, doesn't it?" Jeter jested. "Actually I'm a flight attendant," Blue smirked. The two met in a dog park four years ago.

A number of gay film montages wowed audience members, as did a video speech by First Lady Hillary Rodham-Clinton, and a special mini cartoon of Big Gay Al fighting Hillary's husband's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. At the after-party, thrown by Scream writer Kevin Williamson, South Park gurus Trey Parker and Matt Stone said they felt "Super! Thanks for asking!" to see Big Gay Al added to the ranks of favorite gay characters.

Onstage quips included The Practice's Camryn Manheim's proclamation, "I'd make a pretty good fucking lesbian!" and bisexual Cabaret star Alan Cumming's simple explanation: "Sexuality is like vacation. You like a desert island, but you don't want to go there all the time."

In presenting Elizabeth Taylor with GLAAD's Vanguard Award, her daughter-in-law Carrie Fisher wasted no time in dishing her dad, whose tell-all told too much. "Elizabeth did me the greatest favor by getting Eddie Fisher out of our house."

After a rousing standing ovation, La Liz offered a touching speech, including mention of her gay pals Montgomery Clift, James Dean, and how Rock Hudson's AIDS spurred her to do what Ronald Reagan didn't do. "He didn't even mention the word until years into his administration." "There is no gay agenda, but a human agenda," she said.

Leeza Gibbons offered a touching speech about the subjects of her Award-winning Leeza segment -- the Galuccios, a gay New Jersey couple whose adoption efforts sparked a statewide lawsuit. She also countered rumors that she helped prep the contemptuous "Dr." Laura for her controversial Paramount show. Quipped the former Entertainment Tonight co-host, "I'm sure she knows plenty about grips and gaffers."

Accepting the Stephen F. Kolzak Award for co-star Anne Heche for the acclaimed If These Walls Could Talk 2, Sharon Stone poked fun at the script's early drafts of a love scene, which included a lot of knocking over of furniture. "This is supposed to be sex, not a burglary."

Playwright John Fisher won the Outstanding Los Angeles Theater Production Award for his play Medea, the Musical. When asked if he hoped to film his play Combat, about gay and lesbian soldiers, Fisher quipped, "Sure. But it'll be very expensive. Lots of battleships." And who should direct? "I hear that Spielberg guy's good with war movies."

The cast of Will & Grace debated the award's title after winning for Best TV Comedy (no surprise). Debra Messing offered "The Fegelahs" (Yiddish for gay), while Sean Hayes offered up "The Shaft. 'Hey, I'm getting The Shaft!' That sounds great."

Eric McCormick summed up the pride he felt about his job of "bringing gay people into your living room -- just like the Frontiers classifieds, only cheaper."