Who or rather what doesn’t appear in the new version of Grand Theft Auto, true to form the game is even hitting the gay demographic. No, big bruiser Niko Bellic is not gay but rather disturbingly plays a homosexual lothario on an online dating site to lure a gay Irish American mobster. Damn, my ears perked up regarding the gay sequence, but surprise the play is handled brilliantly and with a great deal of humor. I originally heard that acclaimed screenwriter Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, The Last Boyscout and The Long Kiss Goodnight) and had worked on the gay storyline, but it turns out my information was wrong. Anyway, per usual players can choose not to complete certain missions; i.e. main character Niko benefits later from a friendship formed with the gay mobster. Remember you’re playing an apocalyptic adult game where no demographic remains unscathed. While GTAIV walks a precarious line I have to give Rockstar Games props for not defaulting to the usual homophobic sequence filled with stereotypes.

Also, look for one of my favorite fighters, Bas Rutten hosting a Grand Theft Auto IV chat show called The Men’s Room. Not that many people remember but Bas is a former runway model turned MMA fighter. Bad Boy Bas also known as El Guapo stars as the co-host of the show which is a very funny parody of Dr. Phil and the Man Show. Sure an attempt is made by the soft spoken host to get men in touch with their feelings but El Guapo defaults to chest beating and solving things by cracking a few skulls. It’s a great send up of all the testosterone heavy programming on the sports networks.