Actor James Franco appears on this month's cover of Out to help hype his new gay flick, Milk. (He also did a cover for Interview magazine.)

The movie's story should be a familiar one: Harvey Milk was California's first openly gay elected official and was later assassinated, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. Franco's starring opposite Sean Penn, who has not been doing press for the movie, which is a bit queer.

So, Franco's getting all this attention and people are loving him. Or hating him. It depends on who you ask.

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Big news from gay mag The Advocate.

After 15-years as editor, Anne Stockwell has "stepped down," thus making room for new EIC Jon Barrett, who will apparently be leading the long-running pub in a "new direction." And here! networks, which bought the PlanetOut periodicals earlier this year, couldn't be more excited about the regime change. Said honchos Stephen P. Jarchow and Paul Colichman:

We are thrilled that Jon Barrett will bring his talent to this important brand and continue the historic tradition of The Advocate. Barrett will provide the magazine with a provocative new perspective around the critical issues affecting the lives of the LGBT community as well as expand Advocate.com into a definitive, daily online news source.

Like Stockwell, Barrett's an industry veteran and previously worked as senior editor at Real Simple, O at Home and Cargo.

Full release, after the jump…

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