{{Short description|Culture website}} {{Infobox website | name = TheBacklot | logo = | screenshot = | caption = | url = {{url|thebacklot.com}} | commercial = Commercial | type = Blog, news | language = English | registration = Optional | owner = Logo | author = Sarah Warn | launch_date = January 2005 | current_status = Online (under Logo subsidiary NewNowNext.com) | revenue = }}
'''TheBacklot.com''' (TheBacklot), founded in January 2005 as '''AfterElton''' (AfterElton.com), was a culture website that focused on the portrayal of gay and bisexual men in the media, and was the companion site of the lesbian-focused AfterEllen (AfterEllen.com).<ref name=Eltonlaunch>{{cite press release |title=Erosion Media Launches AfterElton.com |url=http://www.erosionmedia.com/news/01032005.html |publisher=Erosion Media |date=3 January 2005 |access-date=29 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020656/http://www.erosionmedia.com/news/01032005.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> TheBacklot was dissolved in June 2015, and its content was merged with the website ''NewNowNext'', owned by Logo TV.<ref name=Ayers2015 />
==History== TheBacklot was originally known under the name ''AfterElton'' and was founded by Sarah Warn, Michael Jensen, and Brent Hartinger. Warn initially served as editor-in-chief of both AfterElton and AfterEllen. Jensen became Editor in Chief of AfterElton in November 2005 and served in the position until September 25, 2011. Dennis Ayers, formerly the site's managing editor, took over as Editor in Chief.<ref name=AyersEiC>{{cite web|last1=Ayers|first1=Dennis|title=Looking Toward AE's Future |url=http://www.afterelton.com/people/2011/09/afterelton-change-in-editor|website=AfterElton|date=September 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128053727/http://www.afterelton.com/people/2011/09/afterelton-change-in-editor|archive-date=November 28, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Ayers2011>{{cite web|last1=Ayers|first1=Dennis|title=The AfterElton Agenda: New Contributors, New Content, All Thumbs|url=http://www.afterelton.com/column/ae-agenda-10-29-2011|website=AfterElton|date=October 28, 2011|access-date=7 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208045738/http://www.afterelton.com/column/ae-agenda-10-29-2011|archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The site was not affiliated with Elton John, although its original name refers to the milestone for gay men when John publicly came out. The site featured television, film, music, books, and celebrity news. It published articles, regular columns, reviews, and recaps of television shows with gay and bisexual characters, and maintained several blogs, including the "Meme" by Ed Kennedy.<ref>[http://www.afterelton.com/tags/meme AfterElton Morning Meme]</ref>
AfterElton (along with AfterEllen) was acquired by cable television channel Logo in 2006.<ref name=Warn2006>{{cite web|last1=Warn|first1=Sarah|title=Letter from the Editor: Announcing our Acquisition by Logo|url=https://www.afterellen.com/letter-from-the-editor-announcing-our-acquisition-by-logo|website=AfterEllen|date=June 5, 2006|access-date=28 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925110926/https://www.afterellen.com/letter-from-the-editor-announcing-our-acquisition-by-logo|archive-date=September 25, 2016}}</ref> On January 12, 2012, the site announced that Louis Virtel had been hired as its West Coast entertainment editor.<ref name=Ayers2012>{{cite web|last1=Ayers|first1=Dennis|title=The AE Agenda: New Hires, Site Fixes and Spam Wars|url=http://www.afterelton.com/column/afterelton-status-report-01-02-2012|website=AfterElton|date=January 2, 2012|access-date=7 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106070031/http://www.afterelton.com/column/afterelton-status-report-01-02-2012|archive-date=January 6, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> On January 31, 2013, Dennis Ayers announced that AfterElton would be changing its name to TheBacklot.com in April.<ref name=Ayers2013>{{cite web|last1=Ayers|first1=Dennis|title=R.I.P. AfterElton. And What the Hell is "The Backlot"?|url=http://www.thebacklot.com/rip-afterelton-and-what-the-hell-is-the-backlot/01/2013/|website=TheBacklot|date=January 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630004146/http://www.thebacklot.com/rip-afterelton-and-what-the-hell-is-the-backlot/01/2013/|archive-date=June 30, 2013}}</ref> The change was motivated by a desire to separate the website from its "AfterEllen's little brother" origin and to reflect the general "focus on Hollywood and the film and television industry".<ref name=Ayers2013 /> The relaunch under the new name took place on April 17, 2013.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
On June 29, 2015, Ayers announced that TheBacklot was merging with ''NewNowNext'', an LGBT-themed entertainment website owned by Logo. TheBacklot name was discontinued and Dan Avery became Editor-in-Chief of the combined site.<ref name=Ayers2015>{{cite web|last1=Ayers|first1=Dennis|title=Changes At TheBacklot|url=http://www.thebacklot.com/changes-at-thebacklot/06/2015/|website=TheBacklot|date=June 29, 2015|access-date=July 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703005516/http://www.thebacklot.com/changes-at-thebacklot/06/2015/|archive-date=July 3, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Hot 100== The "Hot 100" was an annual readers poll, begun in 2007, of the "top names in film, television, music, sports and fashion".<ref name=Hot100>{{cite press release|author=Logo|author-link=Logo TV|title=AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com Heat Things Up With Their Third Annual "Hot 100" List|url=https://press.logotv.com/press-releases/2014/05/27/afterellen-com-and-afterelton-com-heat-things-up-with-their-third-annual-hot-100-list-2|location=New York|publisher=Viacom Media Networks|date=April 10, 2009|access-date=18 January 2019}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+Hot 100 !scope=col|Year !scope=col width=170px|Winner !scope=col width=200px class=unsortable|Top ten !scope=col class=unsortable|Ref. |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2007 |align=center|{{Sort|Gyllenhaal, Jake|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Jake Gyllenhaal in 2015<br />'''Jake Gyllenhaal'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: Chris Evans * 3rd: Daniel Craig * 4th: Gale Harold * 5th: Taye Diggs * 6th: Ryan Reynolds * 7th: Hugh Jackman * 8th: T. R. Knight * 9th: Ryan Phillippe * 10th: John Barrowman }} |align=center|<ref name="2007 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/the-aftereltoncom-hot-100-list/07/2007/|title=The AfterElton.com Hot 100 List|last=Jensen|first=Michael|date=July 23, 2007|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919005425/http://www.newnownext.com/the-aftereltoncom-hot-100-list/07/2007/|archive-date=September 19, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2008 |align=center|{{Sort|Gyllenhaal, Jake|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Jake Gyllenhaal in 2017<br />'''Jake Gyllenhaal'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: John Barrowman * 3rd: Luke Macfarlane * 4th: Cheyenne Jackson * 5th: Neil Patrick Harris * 6th: Gale Harold * 7th: Van Hansis * 8th: Chris Evans * 9th: Anderson Cooper * 10th: Ryan Reynolds }} |align=center|<ref name="2008 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/aftereltons-hot-100-for-2008/02/2009/|title=AfterElton's Hot 100 for 2008!|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=June 2008|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918202041/http://www.newnownext.com/aftereltons-hot-100-for-2008/02/2009/|archive-date=September 18, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2009 |align=center|{{Sort|Harris, Neil Patrick|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Neil Patrick Harris in 2013<br />'''Neil Patrick Harris'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: John Barrowman * 3rd: Luke Macfarlane * 4th: Jake Gyllenhaal * 5th: Jensen Ackles * 6th: Chris Evans * 7th: Cheyenne Jackson * 8th: Hugh Jackman * 9th: Gale Harold * 10th: James Franco }} |align=center|<ref name="2009 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/the-2009-afterelton-hot-100/05/2009/|title=The 2009 AfterElton Hot 100|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=May 11, 2009|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918202336/http://www.newnownext.com/the-2009-afterelton-hot-100/05/2009/|archive-date=September 18, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2010 |align=center|{{Sort|Harris, Neil Patrick|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Neil Patrick Harris in 2010<br />'''Neil Patrick Harris'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: Scott Evans * 3rd: John Barrowman * 4th: Luke Macfarlane * 5th: Adam Lambert * 6th: Ricky Martin * 7th: Cheyenne Jackson * 8th: Jake Gyllenhaal * 9th: Van Hansis * 10th: Chris Evans }} |align=center|<ref name="2010 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/presenting-the-2010-afterelton-hot-100/05/2010/|title=Presenting The 2010 AfterElton Hot 100!|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=May 17, 2010|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918201912/http://www.newnownext.com/presenting-the-2010-afterelton-hot-100/05/2010/|archive-date=September 18, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2011 |align=center|{{Sort|Criss, Darren|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Darren Criss in 2011<br />'''Darren Criss'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: Adam Lambert * 3rd: Chris Colfer * 4th: Neil Patrick Harris * 5th: John Barrowman * 6th: Luke Macfarlane * 7th: Jonathan Groff * 8th: Jensen Ackles * 9th: Anderson Cooper * 10th: Ricky Martin }} |align=center|<ref name="2011 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/presenting-the-2011-afterelton-hot-100-the-worlds-hottest-men-as-chosen-by-our-readers/05/2011/|title=Presenting the 2011 AfterElton Hot 100... The World's Hottest Men as Chosen By Our Readers|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=May 23, 2011|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918202251/http://www.newnownext.com/presenting-the-2011-afterelton-hot-100-the-worlds-hottest-men-as-chosen-by-our-readers/05/2011/|archive-date=September 18, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2012 |align=center|{{Sort|Criss, Darren|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Darren Criss in 2015<br />'''Darren Criss'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: Chris Colfer * 3rd: Matt Bomer * 4th: Jared Padalecki * 5th: Neil Patrick Harris * 6th: Jensen Ackles * 7th: Chris Evans * 8th: John Barrowman * 9th: Harry Shum Jr. * 10th: Adam Lambert }} |align=center| <ref name="2012 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/announcing-the-2012-afterelton-hot-100/06/2012/|title=Announcing the 2012 AfterElton Hot 100!|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=June 26, 2012|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918202009/http://www.newnownext.com/announcing-the-2012-afterelton-hot-100/06/2012/|archive-date=September 18, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref>
|- !scope=row style="text-align:center;"|2013 |align=center|{{Sort|Bomer, Matt|60px|alt=Colour photograph of Matt Bomer in 2015<br />'''Matt Bomer'''}} |{{smalldiv| * 2nd: Darren Criss * 3rd: Chris Colfer * 4th: Adam Lambert * 5th: Dylan O'Brien * 6th: Dan Feuerriegel * 7th: John Barrowman * 8th: Ryan Gosling * 9th: Tyler Hoechlin * 10th: Neil Patrick Harris }} |align=center|<ref name="2013 Top 10 men">{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/announcing-2013-hot-100-51/06/2013/|title=TheBacklot.com 2013 Hot 100!|last=Stevenson|first=Alexander|date=June 17, 2013|publisher=NewNowNext|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808114712/http://www.newnownext.com/announcing-2013-hot-100-51/06/2013/|archive-date=2017-08-08|url-status=live|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Backlot.com}} Category:Internet properties established in 2005 Category:2006 mergers and acquisitions Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2015 Category:2000s LGBTQ-related mass media Category:2010s LGBTQ-related mass media Category:Defunct American websites Category:Gay men's websites Category:Gay culture in the United States Category:LGBTQ-related mass media in the United States