It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."

It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."

Cameron welcomes gay celebrities to Number 10

David Cameron pledged his support for gay rights tonight before jokingly referring to his deputy, Nick Clegg, as 'my own civil partner'.

Gay celebrities and members of the Armed Forces partied at Number 10 as Mr Cameron became the first Tory Prime Minister to reach out to the gay community.

BBC newsreader Jane Hill and Today presenter Evan Davis were among almost 200 guests invited to the Downing Street drinks party.

Guest: Newsreader Jane Hill

Guest: Singer Duncan James

Guest: Actress Amanda Barrie

Others included former Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, journalist Matthew Parris, and singer Duncan James, of the boy band Blue.

Gay representatives of all three branches of the Armed Forces also attended, in full uniform.

The event was designed to help reposition the new Government as a champion of equality after decades in which the Conservatives have been accused of anti-gay prejudice.

The Tories' bid for the so-called 'pink vote' was derailed during the election when the then Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said Christian B&B should have the right to refuse accommodation to gay couples. His comments outraged gay activists. After the election Mr Grayling missed out on a seat in Cabinet.

'My own civil partner': Nick Clegg, right, laughs along as David Cameron makes a speech at the Gay Pride reception at Number 10

Gay rights: Mr Cameron looks serious as he chats to a guest in the Downing Street garden

Government sources acknowledged that the No10 event, held in the run-up to the annual Gay Pride festival, was partly designed to repair the damage done.

Arrival: Gay representatives of the Armed Forces attended in full uniform

But a source said it was also a sign of the coalition Government's commitment to equal rights.

Mr Cameron told guests that he backed 'equal rights and equal treatment', adding: 'I'm standing here as leader of the Conservative Party that has not always got that right.'

Guest Rosey Cox, from Nottingham Pride, said she thought her invitation was a hoax when it first arrived.

She said: 'I just do Pride. I didn't know what it meant to so many people.'

The event was held as the Government unveiled a 'Transgender Action Plan' to crack down on discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.

Proposals-include allowing gay civil partnerships to take place in religious buildings, but stop short of allowing 'gay marriage' - a key demand of some activists.

With Mr Clegg by his side, Mr Cameron said he wanted civil partnerships to be carried out in places of worship if possible, adding: 'We shouldn't have this legalistic nonsense getting in the way of people who want to celebrate their civil partnership in churches.'

Guest Antony Cotton, who plays gay character Sean Tully in Coronation Street, was there as an ambassador of The Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps homeless gay teenagers.

He said: 'It was set up after a young boy died in Manchester.

'He was homeless and was being chased by what you would now call homophobic bullies and he was chased to the top of a car park and jumped off.

'The trust helps young people all over the country who are homeless after coming out.'