Friday, June 22, 2012

Celebrity Friday: EW Special Report On Out Celebs


The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly  (just in time for the traditional date of LGBT Pride celebrations on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969) includes a cover story that is a special report on how celebrities are managing the process of coming out.


The article is about the new art of coming out in Hollywood, which apparently is to do it as nonchalantly as possible, without much fan fare. This is in stark contrast to the huge media roll-out (cover of Time magazine, special episode of a TV show starring Oprah, etc etc) that occurred when Ellen Degeneres came out way back in 1997. The article discusses the recent self-outings of celebrities like 2-time Emmy winner Jim Parsons, star of The Big Bang Theory, one of the hottest sit-coms on network TV, Matt Bomersmoking hot starof the cable TV series Blue Collar and the upcoming Steven Soderbergh-directed Channing Tatum male stripper movie Magic Mike and Zachary Quinto, co-star of the J.J. Abrams reboot of the Star Trek film franchise, among others. I had previously blogged about all of these celebrities on previous editions of Celebrity Friday.


I think it shows progress, but there is still no A-list star (i.e. Oscar winner or big movie or music star) who is openly LGBT in Hollywood, and it appears to be easier for women to maintain their star power when they come out, or come out when they are more advanced in their careers. We'll see how Parsons, Bomer and Quinto's career progresses. Also, the career of Neil Patrick Harris does not seem to be hurt by his coming out, but none of the people mentioned could really be considered an A-list celebrity, primarily because they are mostly television stars, and have not made it big in movies (i.e. the success of a hit film is believed to be because that person was in it). 


Of course there are many A-list celebrities who are rumoured to be LGBT (*cough* Jodie Foster, Tome Cruise, John Travolta and Oprah *cough*).


Consider this an open thread to add the names of celebrities you have heard are closeted.


Hat/tip to Joe.My.God

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