Best known for playing the role of Mrs Slocombe on the 70’s and 80’s British sitcom “Are You Being Served?”, Mollie Sugden passed away today from a long illness at 86.

One of a select bunch of British performers to achieve national treasure status, Sugden was renowned for her portrayal of fearsome battleaxes. The first of such roles to achieve acclaim was as Mrs Hutchinson in The Liver Birds, a series so popular it was revived in the late 90s using the original cast.

She was the star of many other comedies, including Come Back Mrs Noah, That’s My Boy and My Husband And I, which she made with her husband.

But it was as the bossy sales lady Betty Slocombe in Are You Being Served? that she was best known. The long-running, innuendo-laden television comedy was such a hit that a feature film was made based on the series, and it was successfully exported to America. Every episode Sugden sported a different hair colour and continually harped on about her “pussy”.

And without further ado, Mrs. Slocombe and her famous “pussy.”

And my personal favorite… “Dear Sexy Knickers…”

More recently Sugden appeared as herself in another very popular BBC sitcom, Little Britain.

As momentum continues to build for the Obama administration to make good on a promise to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Rachel Maddow interviews yet another casualty of the policy. After 18 years of loyal and heroic service, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach has been notified that his services are nolonger required, two years short of his retirement, and just two weeks shy of being re-deployed. Watch.

Other DADT news making headlines today include a statement by the Pentagon that there is currently no plan to end the discriminatory policy, and that the administration will have to defend DADT in court.

The third and final leg of of the 20th GLAAD Media Awards was held in San Francisco last night hosted by Chelsea Handler. Awards were given for Outstanding Television Movie, Outstanding Reality Program and Outstanding TV Journalism. Chad Allen, Dustin Lance Black, and filmmakers Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw were also honored. The following is a complete list of the awards presented and photos taken from the red carpet.

• Davidson/Valentini Award: Chad Allen

• Special Recognition: Dustin Lance Black

• Special Recognition: Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw

• Outstanding Television Movie: East Side Story (Logo)

• Outstanding Reality Program: TIE: I Want to Work for Diddy (VH1) and Transamerican Love Story (Logo)

• Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: “Funding the Marriage War”
  In the Life (PBS)

[slidepress gallery=’glaad-awards-2009′]
Photos by Inside, Looking Out.

Washington DC news anchor Doug McKelway threatened blogger Mike Rogers yesterday during an interview over the outing tactics used in the new documentary Outrage, which exposes the hypocrisy of closeted politicians.

Watch the heated exchange below:

I love it how these types always trot out that they have a friend or family member, or are a fan of someone who is gay. GMAFB!

Outrage opens May 8.