Any talent agent worth his business cards and representing no-name Hollywood hopefuls is pulling every string, calling in every favor, and responding to every Craigslist "Casual Encounters" listing hoping to get his client on Gossip Girl. The buzzworthy exposure of even a bit part on there is worth accepting scale for. So it's interesting that one actor being offered a regular part on the show has refused. He would be Connor Paolo, the One Life to Live actor who plays Gossip's gay newbie Eric van der Woodsen. Producers offered the kiddo — he's 18, so let your freak flag fly — an upgrade from his current free agent status, to full-blown contract character. And yet he turned them down. So begs the question: Because he doesn't want to be pigeonholed as a gay twink?

Possibly! But insists handsome Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello, that wasn't the case. Rather, Team Paolo decided the deal on the table — which only called for him to appear in half the season's 25 episodes, and which would only pay him for that 50 percent — just wasn't good enough. But he will still play Blake Lively's younger brother, just without a whole slew of legalese binding him to the role, which means he's free to scout for other projects.

But a word to the wise, Mr. Paolo? Please remember the story of a one Shawn Pyfrom. He's the fellow cutie playing gay, on Desperate Housewives, who thought he could turn his 15th minute into blockbuster status. For a while, he disappeared from Housewives, perhaps so he could film what will ultimately be bit parts in two films, but here he is, still chugging along as Andrew Van Der Kamp.

What is it with cute fictional gays and their thrice-worded "van der" surnames?