In the event that this post catches readers before the 10am Wednesday 6/22 deadline (I know, not much time at all.... )

Voting has begun on the semi-final round of NBC's singing competition series The Voice.

The most noteworthy part of the show for LGBT's is that two Out performers have made it to the final 8.

Or maybe the most noteworthy part is that The Voice doesn't make a big deal of any kind about the fact that the show has had a Gay Man and a Lesbian burning their way through their competitors. NBC has treated who they are as simply true, giving Nakia's male companion and Beverly's female companion no less (and no more) attention than other "Family Members" received, especially in the earliest round when every singer's supporters were shown backstage cheering them on. It's a big deal that there's no "gay angle", that "gay" is not a big deal.

It just happens to also be true that the best singers on the show are a Gay Man and a Lesbian.

Nakia is a big man with a soulful voice, and the passion and spirit to match.

Beverly McClellan constantly defies the Melissa Etheridge-y, Lesbian Rocker bag she appears to be in at first glance.

Beverly McClellan made seriously choice interpretations during her performance of the B. B. King classic "The Thrill is Gone" tonight.

Nakia defied expectations on his own by taking on Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me?" with power and charm.

I encourage you -- those of you who find this post in time, to vote at nbc.com/the-voice or find out at nbc.com/the-voice how you can vote by phone or through iTunes.

You can take my recommendation and just vote for Nakia and Beverly in a show of Q-Solidarity. Or don't take my word, and view videos of their performances at the same site.

This time, NBC is giving less than 12 hours for voting, and the deadline is 10am Eastern Time. So if you see this and can drop everything, do it: vote.

And Thanks.

By the way, since we - me, the new blogger, and you the new readers - don't know each other all that well, lemme just say, you won't find me rooting for competitors on a TV singing competition very often. Truth is, I have never done it before. None of the "reality" competitions (except ABDC) impress me one bit. That is, until now, until The Voice. (I've been trying to nail down why that is, and it's largely due to how the celebrities are coaches: They truly coach the contestants, and compelling dynamics develop between coach and team.)

THIS BLOG POST IS AN NJGAYLIFE.COM EXCLUSIVE -- Not cross-posted at HowToFindTheBestMusic.blogspot.com

©2011 Bill Stella. Dancing To Architecture™, HowToFindTheBestMusic™, Bill Realman Radio™, Highest Common Denominator™ by Bill Stella.    All ©, ® & ™ items included in the column for review purposes are ©, ® & ™ their respective owners.

Postscript, added June 22, 2011, ~ 1:30pm (3.5 hours after deadline): Did anyone see this entry and vote? Anyone who did, please add a comment! All I ask for is "I Voted!" -- but I won't discourage you from saying who you voted for, or whatever else you'd like.