Shocked!! Shocked, I tell you!!!

[Peppergirl]

I'm a little late bringing this up, but I was absolutely FLOORED when Ricky Martin came out of the closet a few days ago!!!


Not!! :D

Seriously, good for you for 'officially' coming out, dude. Rock on! But was *anyone* really shocked by this news?

[Plaidman]

Nope. Nor when lance Bass did. Was when Neil Patrick Harris did though. Completly shocked on that one.

[Stormraven]

Anna Paquin was a little surprising.

[Peppergirl]

Alot of you are probably too young to remember, but the only one I was really shocked about was Robert Reed, aka Mr. Brady from the Brady Bunch.

When he passed away from AIDS in the mid-90s (and later it had come out that he was gay), I was truly surprised.

Some examples that I thought were laughable (in the DUH sense):

Ellen DeGeneres
Rosie O'Donnell
George Michael
Richard Chamberlain
Rock Hudson
Lance Bass


I'll add more later if I think of them...

[Plaidman]

Hmm. I was surprised by George Takei, and David Hyde Pierce. Yeah, I should have known about David, but I was still surprised. Though he died before I really knew him, I still watched Batman TV series, and learning that Joker (Ceser Romolo?) loved men, made me think of Joker in a different light. Surprisenly enough, there quite a few batman stories I've read that had Joker acting that way towards Batman). Oh, and Charles Winchester the THIRD, from Mash, his actor was gay. I forgot his real name, but he played Pengin in an animated Batman movie, and also the russian bear member of SHUSH from Darkwing Duck.

[Hobbs]

Anna Paquin was a little surprising.
She is? O_o

[Plaidman]

She is? O_o

She came out as Bi recently.

[smileyeagle1021]

I'll be honest, Ricky Martin came out surprised me... mainly because I thought he was already out :p

[Plaidman]

I'll be honest, Ricky Martin came out surprised me... mainly because I thought he was already out :p

Exactly what my mom said!

[Hobbs]

She came out as Bi recently.
Oh, so not a total loss :p

[NorthernZel]

Oh, and Charles Winchester the THIRD, from Mash, his actor was gay. I forgot his real name, but he played Pengin in an animated Batman movie, and also the russian bear member of SHUSH from Darkwing Duck.

That would be David Ogden Stiers.

[Plaidman]

Oh, so not a total loss :p

Nope. Not at all. I'm very willing to watch that. And like, give body rubs. Oh wait.. no. Girls get repulsed by that. Hm. I'll be there to give them water! :)

That would be David Ogden Stiers.

Thank you! I normally would go to wikipedia, but I was trying to remember on my own seeing as that was my favorite character on MASH.

[Pagan]

Was when Neil Patrick Harris did though. Completly shocked on that one.

Every time I've run into him here (before he came out) my gaydar was always pinging.

Some examples that I thought were laughable (in the DUH sense):

Ellen DeGeneres
Rosie O'Donnell
George Michael
Richard Chamberlain
Rock Hudson
Lance Bass


I'll add more later if I think of them...

Clay Aiken
Adam Lambert
k.d. lang
Sean Hayes
Nathan Lane
Rupert Everett
Stephen Fry
Morrissey

[Plaidman]

You've personally ran into him? Is he as awesome as he seems?

[Fryk]

I was shocked about George Takei, too... inasmuch as I never even knew he HAD genetalia. He just stuck me as asexual, like Paula Poundstone.

[Lace Neil Singer]

When Rob Halford of Judas Priest came out... I wasn't at all surprised. XD

[daleduke17]

Some surprising ones to me:

Nathan Lane, George Takei, David Ogden Stiers, Neil Patrick Harris (especially for his character on "How I Met Your Mother")

Not so surprising:
David Hyde Pierce, Lance Bass, Clay Aiken, Sean Hayes

In other MASH related names: isn't it quite surprising that Jamie Farr is straight, especially given his character for the first few seasons on MASH?

[Pagan]

You've personally ran into him? Is he as awesome as he seems?

Pretty cool. He's from ABQ and his parents own a really good restaurant here.

Some surprising ones to me:

Nathan Lane,

Really?

Did y'all know that Dan Butler that played Bulldog on "Fraiser" is?

[AdminAssistant]

Nathan Lane

*snip*

In other MASH related names: isn't it quite surprising that Jamie Farr is straight, especially given his character for the first few seasons on MASH?

Nathan Lane was surprising? He's second only to Harvey Fierstein on the Broadway Queen scale. (And The Addams Family is the first musical in ages I've been remotely excited about.)

Jamie Farr's character made it very clear that he only wore female clothing as a means to get a Section 8. He did get cleared for a Section 8 by Dr. Freedman, who said that Klinger was a homosexual and transvestite. Klinger then yelled at him "I'm just crazy, I'm not one of those!" Or something like that. However, until this thread, I didn't realize that David Ogden Stiers was gay. Hm.

[Fryk]

Okay, we of this thread need to all sit down together and write a song about like, like Adam Sandler's Hannukah Song.

But we need a rhyme for "homosexual"

[Plaidman]

Not to mention that once Jamie Farr's kids started to get older, he asked to not where woman's clothes so that his kids wouldn't be made fun of, or ask him questions of why he wore woman's clothes. That's why he stopped doing that, and tried other ways to get a section 8.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Okay, we of this thread need to all sit down together and write a song about like, like Adam Sandler's Hannukah Song.

But we need a rhyme for "homosexual"

I can only come up with consensual (could work) and perplexual (not a real word) :(

[crashhelmet]

I was surprised when NPH came out too. I met him at a DVD release party in LA about 10 years ago, hosted by an Asian porn star. One of the coolest guys I've ever met.

[Fryk]

How about....

Eat all your victuals!
Let's cheer homosexuals!
Don't be promiscual
When you party with homosexuals!

Or...
It's all contextual
To be homosexual!

Huh? Huh? Whaddya think?

[Ghel]

I was a little surprised when I found out Ian McKellen was gay. But the first thing I saw him in was X-men, and he came out in 1988. <shrug> I guess I'm a litle behind the times.

Although I might be a little surprised if I find out someone is gay that I hadn't suspected (my gaydar tends to misfire a lot), it really doesn't matter. It doesn't change who someone is, just who I thought they were. Especially in the case of celebrities, who I'm probably never going to meet, it doesn't matter what their orientation is.

I can still drool, though. ;)

[Pagan]

Just thought of two more that could not have been less surprising -

Brian Boitano
Johnny Weir

[Fryk]

Ghel, you drool over Sir Ian McKellen?

[Ghel]

Absolutely. I love well-spoken older men. It doesn't matter what he's like in real life, it's how he behaves on the screen that matters.

[AdminAssistant]

Have you ever seen his Richard III? It's AMAZING. A friend of mine got to see him in King Lear....so jealous!

[RavenStarr]

I read Raymond Burr's (of Perry Mason and Ironside fame) bio on wikipedia and was shocked to find out he was actually gay.

[telecom_goddess]

I read Raymond Burr's (of Perry Mason and Ironside fame) bio on wikipedia and was shocked to find out he was actually gay.

WHAT? really? ok THAT'S a shock. He just doesn't seem like he would be !!

[Plaidman]

Oh I knew that. i heard that a long time ago, when I read a special on Perry Mason always being on at noon for past like, twenty years on one channel. He wasn't showy on it.

[telecom_goddess]

Oh I knew that. i heard that a long time ago, when I read a special on Perry Mason always being on at noon for past like, twenty years on one channel. He wasn't showy on it.

I had no idea.....wow.

I have to admit Rock Hudson surprised me too.

Anna Paquin coming out as bi was a little surprising but not really....somehow it fits. And I think it's way cool :D

[RavenStarr]

WHAT? really? ok THAT'S a shock. He just doesn't seem like he would be !!

Oh I know. I mean it said he was married and had a kid. Apparently it was just made up.

Then again 50-60 some years ago, if you were an actor and came out as gay. That would have killed your career. Hollywood wasn't as acepting as they are today.

[telecom_goddess]

Oh I know. I mean it said he was married and had a kid. Apparently it was just made up.

Then again 50-60 some years ago, if you were an actor and came out as gay. That would have killed your career. Hollywood wasn't as acepting as they are today.

Which is why Rock Hudson kept it under wraps....people are lucky that now they can come out and people are like "ya whatever" ;) Not like the old day. But that's good progress!

[fireheart17]

As far as gay people go down in Ausland...

Tim Campbell surprised me as being gay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Campbell_(actor)
Anthony Callea surprised me a little bit, but not very much...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Callea
Missy Higgins....I was somewhere in between...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missy_Higgins (the local paper made a mistake and stated that she was lesbian, not bi)

There are a couple more, but I can't think of them right now...

[Plaidman]

What about Dumbledore? That was a shock. And outraged. People mad. Others didn't care. its a freaking book.

[smileyeagle1021]

Which is why Rock Hudson kept it under wraps....people are lucky that now they can come out and people are like "ya whatever" ;) Not like the old day. But that's good progress!

*ahem*
Calling bull on that one. Name me one out actor who has gotten a leading role? We're talking movies, not TV, and major studio stuff not the independent film makers.
OK so there are some who had big roles before they came out but it is extremely rare to see an openly gay person receive a large role (unless the movie is gay themed, which most Hollywood productions aren't).

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Not many openly gay leading role-suitable actors come to mind, though I don't necessarily remember that many actors to begin with :o

Anyway, there's two very real reasons why an openly (as in publicly well known to be) gay actor won't get a role. Either:

A) The role is for a straight character, possibly even featuring heterosexual relationships on-screen. Casting an openly gay actor would be a disconnect for many viewers.

or B) The studio realizes that, for whatever reason, casting an openly gay actor in a lead role would lose them a lot of money. As cold as that seems, they have a very real duty to their shareholders to make as much money as possible.

It isn't right that either of those reasons exist, but neither is is right to ask everyone to throw themselves, their work, or their business under the bus, if even for a moment, all for one short-lived moment of not-anti-gay-ness. If they want to that's fine, but there's no reason they have to.

[smileyeagle1021]

A) The role is for a straight character, possibly even featuring heterosexual relationships on-screen. Casting an openly gay actor would be a disconnect for many viewers.


Very true, but very few people blink twice at a notable heterosexual actor playing a gay role. They may be irate that the movie is even being made, but wouldn't think twice about a hetero playing a homo... after all, it's just pretend.

[telecom_goddess]

Very true, but very few people blink twice at a notable heterosexual actor playing a gay role. They may be irate that the movie is even being made, but wouldn't think twice about a hetero playing a homo... after all, it's just pretend.

That seems like a double standard to me....a straight person can play gay but a gay person can't play straight?

Ok so I can't think of any leading actors/acrtresses right off the top of my head that could possibly be gay. You have a point there.

BUT...Ellen Degenerous (sp?) is doing very well for herself. When she first came out it looked like her career would tank but damn look at her now! She's not in movies no but that was never really her thing anyway. She's a huge success in what she does.

[fireheart17]

*ahem*
Calling bull on that one. Name me one out actor who has gotten a leading role? We're talking movies, not TV, and major studio stuff not the independent film makers.
OK so there are some who had big roles before they came out but it is extremely rare to see an openly gay person receive a large role (unless the movie is gay themed, which most Hollywood productions aren't).

Nathan Lane has had major/leading roles in:

The Producers (as Max Bialystock)
MouseHunt (one of the half of the bumbling duo)

John Barrowman....ok, slightly cheating, but he has a major role as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood (and is extremely HOT for a gay guy)

Sir Ian McKellan...

Richard III (titualar character)
X-Men (dunno if that'd be LEADING per se)

There are others, I'm just too tired to think of them.

[AdminAssistant]

As fireheart said, both Lane and McKellan have done extremely well for themselves. (Both, btw, are first and foremost theatre actors, and the theatre tends to be much more forgiving about this kind of thing.)

HOWEVER, I have seen a lot of very young actors who have come out recently and feel the need to fully embrace that identity, to the point where they can't play straight. I just saw a show where this guy was supposed to be a jackass of a boyfriend while his mannerisms and voice made him seem like the "fabulous gay friend." And that doesn't work. Gay or straight, ya gotta keep your mannerisms under control to be a good actor.

[RootedPhoenix]

That seems like a double standard to me....a straight person can play gay but a gay person can't play straight?

Yeah, that bugs me too. If someone is a good actor/actress why does their real life matter? I'm ...more than puzzled, but can't find a better word for it.

[smileyeagle1021]

As fireheart said, both Lane and McKellan have done extremely well for themselves. (Both, btw, are first and foremost theatre actors, and the theatre tends to be much more forgiving about this kind of thing.)


They were also noted actors before they came out.

[jackfaire]

Nope. Nor when lance Bass did. Was when Neil Patrick Harris did though. Completly shocked on that one.

Seriously of the three that was the only one I suspected.

[Pagan]

I think very few surprise me because I ceased caring who likes/kisses/sleeps with who years ago.

On 27 March 2007, after speculation and tabloid rumours dating back to his Idol appearances, Anthony Callea publicly acknowledged that he was gay by issuing a statement confirming his sexuality and thanking his fans and his then-partner, Paul.

On 30 March 2007, Michael Kirby, then a judge of the High Court of Australia, described Callea as an "admirable Australian" for coming out. Justice Kirby added, "In terms of influencing popular culture and understanding of the reality of human sexual diversity, I would trade ten judges for one popular singer."

This is what pisses me off about the US so much. Adam Lambert does pretty much the same thing 2 years later, but here, he's evil incarnate. Parents won't let their kids listen to him now.

And how was what he did on the AMA's any worse than Madonna humping the stage in 1984, "Vogue" in 1990, or kissing Britney and Christina. And those all happened in time slots that were earlier.

What the hell is it about gay men that scares Americans?

John Barrowman....ok, slightly cheating, but he has a major role as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood (and is extremely HOT for a gay guy)

What I find hilarious is that he was considered too "straight" to play Will on "Will & Grace". So they go find somebody straight....

[smileyeagle1021]

What the hell is it about gay men that scares Americans?


Because the Bible doesn't specifically mention lesbians but is very blunt about gay men... and you know how many Americans are dependent on a 2000 year old piece of fiction to do their thinking for them.

[Rapscallion]

Because the Bible doesn't specifically mention lesbians but is very blunt about gay men... and you know how many Americans are dependent on a 2000 year old piece of fiction to do their thinking for them.

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/rom/1.html#26

Lesbians mentioned specifically in the bible. Of course, this is Paul. Notorious for not accepting ... much at all, really.

Rapscallion

[Pagan]

Because the Bible doesn't specifically mention lesbians but is very blunt about gay men... and you know how many Americans are dependent on a 2000 year old piece of fiction to do their thinking for them.

I always forget about that particular anthology. Guess I should actually read it one day. But I rather like being a heathen. :p

[Stormraven]

I have toyed, now and again, with doing a rewrite of the thing as a fantasy novel. Change names, of course, and a few other things to make it less immediately obvious, but not enough to make it hard to figure out.

I would just love to see some of the Fundies out there bitch and moan about it, then point out that everything I wrote about was in their own 'holy' book.

[Ghel]

I have toyed, now and again, with doing a rewrite of the thing as a fantasy novel.
This is an AWESOME idea. In line with the subject of this thread, I'd love to see what you would write about John, the disciple that Jesus "loved."

[smileyeagle1021]

This is an AWESOME idea. In line with the subject of this thread, I'd love to see what you would write about John, the disciple that Jesus "loved."

Come now, everyone knows that Jesus was having an affair with Judas and the whole selling him to the Romans thing was just a really bad lovers quarrel

[NorthernZel]

This is an AWESOME idea. In line with the subject of this thread, I'd love to see what you would write about John, the disciple that Jesus "loved."

I thought it was Peter? Maybe both? And Judas too? Oooh the DRAMA! :D

[Ghel]

I thought it was Peter? Maybe both? And Judas too? Oooh the DRAMA! :D

Jesus did say to "love thy neighbor as thyself." :p

[Pagan]

I have toyed, now and again, with doing a rewrite of the thing as a fantasy novel. Change names, of course, and a few other things to make it less immediately obvious, but not enough to make it hard to figure out.

I would just love to see some of the Fundies out there bitch and moan about it, then point out that everything I wrote about was in their own 'holy' book.

It could be a companion piece to "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff". :D

And what would you do with Mary Magdalen?

[Stormraven]

I wouldn't sensationalise any of it beyond what's found in the source book. The idea came after I realised that a great many fundies have never actually read the entire book, and have only the vaguest idea what's inside.

[Fryk]

Pagan, would that be Biff Tannen? Cause I would SO read that book.