MICHAEL URIE’S portrayal of Marc St. James, Vanessa Williams’s conniving, sarcastic and flamboyant assistant on Ugly Betty, has fans tuning in every week to follow his sassy repartee and wicked shenanigans. Urie used his recent hiatus from the show to produce and direct Two Down, a documentary short about high-school debate tournaments. The Texas-born, Juilliard-trained actor recently returned to the stage taking on four roles in Dickie and Babe at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood. He talked with Liesl Bradner about his pop-culture fascinations.

IN HEAVY ROTATION ON HIS iPOD: The 4 Seasons. After the Jersey Boys cast performed at the Emmys, I became obsessed. They were the original boy band, and they’re amazing. My teenage Neil Diamond obsession is creeping back, too. I’m a pretty big Fanilow, too.

SOUNDTRACK FOR THE COMMUTE: I put my iPod on random in the car. I don’t trust myself to change tracks while I’m driving. Texting is hard enough. (Kidding!)

IN THE NETFLIX QUEUE: All of the Leopold and Loeb movies for when I’m done with Dickie and Babe. I’ve been pushing The Sting down the list since I’ve had a Netflix account. From the Earth to the Moon has been on there for a while, and The Best of Johnny Carson.

YOUTUBE PICKS: “Fireman vs. Policeman.” It’s hilarious. Any Japanese game show, especially “Silent Library.” It’s like Jackass, but they have to be quiet. “Human Tetris” and “Dramatic Squirrel.”

IN THE BEDSTAND LIBRARY: I am reading Alan Alda’s autobiography, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed.

TOP INTERNET DESTINATIONS: Playbill.com; I miss New York theater. RottenTomatoes.com, the best way to find out if a movie is good or not according to critics...if you can trust them...which you can’t.

CULTURAL ADDICTION: Celebrity Rehab. Dr. Drew’s a genius. And Cash Cab, it’s the best show on TV and I wish I’d thought of it. If I had to choose between my iPhone and my right arm, I’d have to learn to write with my left hand.

When the Great Becomes Divine

TO understand the current work of Cary Santiago, one must comprehend those of his kindred brethren: Azzedine Alaia, who painstakingly studied Madeleine Vionnet (mistress of the bias cut), who immensely influenced Madame Gres (with whom Santiago seems to share the same feel for material and movement).

A peek into the mind of Joel Lamangan

Professionalism.

If there’s a very important virtue that young artistas of today continue to learn from 53-year-old director Joel Lamangan, it’s that “P” word, which seems to elude many other aspiring actors and a few veterans as well. For them, it means arriving on the set on time with their lines already committed to memory.

Gab Fab: So much for Marjorie Barretto’s constituents

WHAT would I do with P250,000?

Well, I can buy a secondhand van and convert it into a school bus. Or have a certain part of our house fixed (I live in the house where I grew up, and some parts of it are already worn and torn).

Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie gets personal

MICHAEL URIE’S portrayal of Marc St. James, Vanessa Williams’s conniving, sarcastic and flamboyant assistant on Ugly Betty, has fans tuning in every week to follow his sassy repartee and wicked shenanigans.

Spotlight on nonfiction author Joel Osteen

THIS month, Powerbooks Specialty Store picks Joel Osteen as its Author of the Month. The Smiling Preacher’s first nonfiction book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential,