Celebrity gossip is not the first place I go for news, but sometimes the human experience is necessary to help us understand political reality. And what better group of people to watch than those circling the exciting world of Hollywood?

So when the news hit yesterday that Rosie O’Donnell and wife Kelli Carpenter have split, I couldn’t help but think about how the fight for gay marriage often ignores the very real rights we haven’t got when it comes to gay divorce.

It’s one thing to say that a loving committed relationship needs the institutional and social support marriage provides, but when two people split after years together, the law really becomes central to their survival.

If you are a same-sex couple resident in Montana and you take a vacation to Toronto to get married you have a legal piece of paper (though not recognized in your home state) and the affirmation (though not from your own country) of your love and commitment.

But what if you decide, years later, that – like half of the American population – you are no longer in love with each other?

As a resident of Montana, you cannot get a divorce in Toronto. Toronto, like most states with the exception of Nevada and a few others, has a year-long residency requirement for a divorce. In Montana, your relationship was never legally any different from two roommates. And so, you must complete a divorce, with all its entanglements and difficulties, without the assistance of the law.

Things are very different for straight couples.

Family law protects individuals in a lasting relationship from economic exploitation and destitution after a split. When one half of the relationship has not worked, but contributed to the lifestyle of the other half, the law orders spousal support. When one half of the couple has lived in a house owned by the other half for a long period of time, the property is considered a marital home and both individuals may lay claim to it. There are rules about how to deal with the financial burden of children, the shared financial liabilities of the relationship and the shared assets.

Rosie and Kelli are in the midst of a pretty normal problem. It is so normal, entire legal schemes exist to assist with the process of separation. But these legal protections, like so many others, leave LGBT people out.

So, here’s to the fight for gay marriage. But let us not also forget the fight for gay divorce. It is when we are at our most vulnerable that we require the protection of law.

1. Nothing wrong with being against health care reform but if you pimp out death panels talking points, you are either dumb, intellectually dishonest, or a combo of the two.

2. Anyone who is for health care reform should be reading Megan McArdle. She offers a fair, honest, and smart rebuttal.

3. Why is Rosie O’Donnell stoking her old feud with Elisabeth Hasselbeck?

4. No more Woodstock stories! Please. It was a freaking concert! That’s all.

5. Levi Johnston adores his gay fans. Hanging out with Kathy Griffin has done him wonders. Will Sarah Palin twitter (or is it tweet?) about this?

6. Anyone see MSNBC’a Rachel Maddow on Meet the Press yesterday? What do you think of her performance?

7. Buddy Guy equals cool.

8. Gay Division 1 football players! Get out!  I’ll spare you a list of the ones I wish played for Dorothy.

9. George Michael just needs to hire a driver.

10. My fingers are too fat for texting.

The star of Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” got her big break in the 2004 Broadway show “Taboo,” produced by Rosie O’Donnell.

Elliott wanted to make a good impression on the TV personality so she put together an ensemble that cost $117, which can be costly for a struggling actress.

“Rosie asked, `How much did that outfit cost you?’ and I said, `Oh, you know.’ And she said, `No, really. How much did it cost you?’ and I said, `$117,’ and she said, `Well, if you get the job I’m going to reimburse you.’ The first day of rehearsal I got a check for $117, which was really cool.”

The $10 million production of “Taboo” – a musical about Boy George and his relationship with fashion designer Leigh Bowery – closed after just 100 performances.

Even though the show didn’t do well, Elliott says O’Donnell’s passion for the show meant a lot to the cast and crew.

“It was immeasurable. Her heart was so into that show and I think it meant a lot to her and it meant a lot to us too.”

Elliott has now gone from Broadway to starring in her own TV show. She plays a shallow, aspiring model reincarnated as a plus-size lawyer. It co-stars Margaret Cho.

The premiere set a record for Lifetime with its best ratings yet.

Elliott and O’Donnell were recently reunited when O’Donnell guest-starred on “Drop Dead Diva, ” which airs 9 p.m. EDT Sundays. She will appear in another episode in September and has blogged about the experience on her Web site saying, “I love this show.”

The former talk show queen will host a daily radio show for Sirius XM Radio Inc. Launching this fall, “Rosie Radio” will feature the 47-year-old comedian-actress discussing news and entertainment as well as chatting with occasional guests. O’Donnell said she was approached by the company after she appeared on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM show earlier this year.

“He’s been very encouraging,” said O’Donnell. “After I did his show, they called and asked if I was interested. I don’t really listen to radio, so I started thinking about it and listening. I asked if they could possibly do it at my house because that would really make it convenient for me with four kids, and they said yes, so I was like, ‘Wow. Let’s try that.’”

O’Donnell, who left “The View” in 2007 after a single tumultuous season, plans to broadcast her two-hour call-in radio talk show from a studio being built inside the guesthouse on her New York property where she raises four children with partner Kelli Carpenter. She said she’s looking forward to regularly working again after being out of the spotlight.

“I think it’ll be good for me,” said O’Donnell. “I’ve been lucky. I’ve had seven years of early retirement. All my kids are in school now, so all day long I have nothing to do. This was the first year that they were all in school all day, and I found myself very bored. I was saying to Kelli, we either need to get another kid or I’ll have to go back to work.”

Caroline Kennedy is widely believed to be the frontrunner but Paterson also is said to be considering New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who has been touted as a possible challenger to Peterson’s re-election bid for the governorship.

Other names that have come up include openly gay Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell who introduced a gay marriage bill in 2007 in the legislature and shepherded it to passage in the house. The GOP-controlled Senate refused to consider the bill.

O’Donnell, who is the brother of lesbian celebrity Rosie O’Donnell, has said he will introduce the bill in the new session.

O’Donnell has confirmed he has been approached by Paterson and met with the governor on Christmas eve for a very “informal” discussion. But he also said that he did not approach the governor and is not actively campaigning for the Senate appointment.

O’Donnell was the first openly gay man elected to the Assembly. If he were appointed to replace Clinton he would be the first openly gay US senator.

Paterson said that 15 contenders are interested in the job and he’s already spoken to or interviewed about 10.

Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi of Long Island and representatives Carolyn Maloney, Steve Israel, Jerrold Nadler, Kirsten Gillibrand and Brian Higgins are reportedly among the 15.

Paterson said he will not make an appointment until Clinton is confirmed as Secretary of State.

Kennedy has the support of the vast family’s political machine and is believed to be the favorite of President-elect Barrack Obama, although he has not publicly voiced an opinion. Kennedy, along with her uncle Sen. Ted Kennedy, was an early supporter of Obama.

Paterson said for the first time Thursday that Caroline Kennedy’s lack of legislative experience is a “minus” to her qualifications as a possible appointee to the  Senate.

The governor also said Kennedy has many positives despite never holding elective office.

“Caroline Kennedy obviously does have a tremendous relationship with [President-elect Barack Obama] that’s certainly a plus,” Paterson said. “She does not have much political, I mean, legislative experience, which is a minus.”

Kennedy is on record as supporting marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.

The show — a 2009 version of classic variety shows like The Carol Burnett Show or The Ed Sullivan Show — will feature celebrity guests, musical acts, comedy skits and prizes for the audience and TV viewers.

O’Donnell became famous with the success of her long-running NBC talk show The Rosie O’Donnell Show (1996-2002), which ended its run the same year she came out as a lesbian.

But she’s more recently known for her controversial 2006-07 hosting stint on ABC’s The View (see our article "Seven Reasons Why Rosie Had to Leave The View" for an overview).

O’Donnell and her View co-hosts

She has also recently guested on Nip/Tuck (FX), dabbled in producing Broadway shows, released a book called Celebrity Detox about the downside of fame, and launched her own cruise line for gay families. (O’Donnell and her partner Kelli Carpenter O’Donnell were married in San Francisco in 2004.)

Last year, there were rumors that the politically left O’Donnell was in talks with MSNBC to return to TV with a political commentary show, but the deal fell apart during contract negotiations, according to The New York Times.

If the Nov. 26 Rosie’s Variety Show special is successful, NBC may expand it to a full series. The Reporter expands on the reasons behind NBC’s interest in this project:

For NBC, the project’s live aspect is of particular interest, both as a way of distinguishing the product from competitors and to discourage viewers from time-shifting the show. NBC has aired America’s Got Talent results shows live this year and plans a quartet of Saturday Night Live primetime specials.

“This will reinvent the idea of what a variety show is for 2008,” NBC vp alternative Craig Plestis said. “There’s very few performers willing to put themselves out there live. It makes it more TiVo-proof, and it’s something none of the cable networks can do.”

The Huffington Post reports that O’Donnell has been considering the idea of doing this kind of live variety show since 2002. It combines O’Donnell’s love of theatre, unscripted interviews, and commentary, and comedy.

One of the reasons The View’s ratings was at its highest when O’Donnell hosted was because of her propensity to speak without a filter, to say something shocking or at least controversial. By airing Rosie’s Variety Show live, NBC is no doubt hoping viewers will tune in to see what she’ll say next.