It's beginning to feel a lot like the holiday season, and that makes us think of Christmas lists and elves, and that in turn makes us think of lists and gays, bringing us, finally, to this AfterElton list of The Top 25 Gay TV Characters, as chosen by their readers. We assume all the entries had to be out—explaining the absence of such light-footed small screen luminaries as Bewitched's Uncle Arthur and Knight Rider's KITT—and for highlighting we choose #23, Soap's Jodie Dallas.

As played by Billy Crystal, Jodie is often credited with being the first openly gay recurring character on network TV (if not the most enlightened), and will always bring to mind the cherished childhood recollection of the following exchange with dimwitted aunt Jessica Tate, memorably played by Katherine Helmond:

Jodie: Plato was gay.
Jessica: Mickey Mouse's dog was gay?
Jodie: Goofy was his lover.