Eat your heart out, SNL: veteran comedian Chrisanne Eastwood turns a jealous eye on Logo's newest series, The Big Gay Sketch Show.

I must confess: I am jealous as hell. Fifteen years ago I was a founding member and director of Planet Q, New York City's first gay sketch comedy troupe. During the gay '90s, Planet Q was hailed by The New York Times and inspired TV network Comedy Central's first gay comic showcase. We thought we were on the bus to Star Town.

But no. Our version of gay sketch and TV did not mix. Lesbian nuns and NAMBLA puppets were considered too "edgy," too "in your face," too ... gay. The Planet Q bus never made it past 14th Street.

But those cautious days are gone. Logo has a brand-new original series, The Big Gay Sketch Show, pratfalling onto your televisions, computer screens, and iPods April 24.

All envy aside, I watched the program's first two episodes, and (damn it) I liked it. I chuckled, I chortled, and I wanted to see more.

The show stars four dudes and four dames, each with a bulging bag of comedy tricks. Gay comedy fans will recognize stand-up comedians Julie Goldman ("Indigo Etheridge") and Jonny McGovern ("The Gay Pimp"), and hopes are high to see musical mayhem from these two. Kate McKinnon is a rubber-faced firecracker. Nicol Paone is a character goddess whose Alice Kramden and Elaine Stritch are dead-on. Both Stephen Guarino and Erica Ash can hoof, so there are likely to be some killer dance and Broadway spoofs. Dion Flynn and Michael Serrato were a bit undefused in the first two episodes, although Serrato's Mrs. Garrett was the cherry atop a hilarious Facts of Life send-up.

Behind the scenes, Rosie O'Donnell is the executive producer, and running the show is former Disney-ABC exec Joe Del Hierro (The Ride: Seven Days to End AIDS). Scott King (Mad TV) heads up the writing staff (which includes the hilarious Craig Chester), and veteran comedy actress Amanda Bearse (Married With Children) serves as director. It seems Logo has all its queer ducks in a row.

Of course, I have "notes" (showbiz jargon for critique). The material is good, but it feels a little safe. Will shots be taken at our foes and detractors? Will there be any queers-versus-straights moments? Will Rosie allow them to parody her?

And although the writing staff is "predominantly gay" (according to executive producer Del Hierro), two of the eight cast members are not identified as LGBT. Rosie and pals combed improv companies from coast to coast and auditioned over 1,000 funny folks, and only came up with six queers? Again, I must harrumph.

Also, timing is everything in sketch comedy: the fresher the better. The Big Gay Sketch Show, however, was taped six months prior to airing, which may devalue its watercooler potential. Much of Logo's programming is "evergreen"--shows that can repeat ad infinitum without looking dated. It's good for new networks but bad for viewers who get sick of seeing the same episode 20 times.

Time will tell, but The Big Gay Sketch Show is likely to overcome that limitation with its choice of timeless, almost vaudeville subject matter. So I'll watch, jealous as hell but laughing and proud.