Gay entertainers who stay in the closet are missing out on a chance to be a catalyst for change in the lives of young gay people across this great country, especially when we can more or less figure out that they homos.
Too many children today are living in an environment that indoctrinates them to consider homosexuality as sinful, deplorable, or even fictional. Millions of children are being convinced that they feel different because they simply want the attention. Young people deserve homosexual role models. But too many celebs remain afraid to come out. Coming out as gay can still potentially ruin a career, so many don't take the risk. The bigger your star the harder you fall. But the bigger you are, the bigger the impact your coming out might have.
I feel that sitting on a secret that could help gay youth come to terms with who they are, mean closeted show biz figures are cheating the world of positive examples of what it means to be homosexual. They need to get brave.
I remain a fan of the working class comedy- Rosanne.I consider it to be one of the 10 best sit-coms of all time. From 1988-1997, this very funny & groundbreaking show often featured gay story lines. In an episode titled: Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell, proving that she's cool, Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) goes out dancing at a gay bar wittily named "Lips" with her sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) & friend Nancy (Sandra Bernhard) & Nancy's girlfriend Sharon (Mariel Hemingway). Roseanne is having fun until Sharon kisses her, causing Roseanne anxiety. The next day, after discussing the kiss with Jackie & getting into an argument with Nancy, Roseanne realizes that she may not be as cool as she thinks she is. In the 1995 episode- December Bride, long-time character Leon (Martin Mull) marries his boyfriend Scott (Fred Willard). Roseanne's husband Dan (John Goodman) is distressed at seeing the men kiss & Roseanne chastises him for making a fuss about 2 people of the same sex kissing. Sharon (Hemingway, again) then sits down behind Roseanne & says hello. Her cameo serves as a callback to the earlier episode.
Sara Gilbert decided at a very young age that she wanted to be an actress after her older sister, Melissa Gilbert (one time SAG President), got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the age of 13 she nabbed the role of Darlene Conner, the sarcastic middle child, on Roseanne. Gilbert remained a cast member during the show's entire 9 year run. Her contribution was considered so important to Roseanne that the show's producers juggled storylines & taping schedules to allow her to attend Yale University while remaining part of the cast, shooting remote segments of Darlene at a soundstage in NYC. At Yale, she majored in photography, & graduated with honors in 1997.
Since 2007 she has appeared in series episodes of The Big Bang Theory as a scientist friend, with benefits, of the character played by adorkable-Johnny Galecki, who also portrayed her longtime boyfriend & husband David on Roseanne.
Gilbert is a co-host & executive producer of The Talk. Along with Gilbert, Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood & Aisha Tyler co-hosts.
Gilbert finally came out publicly as a lesbian in 2010. She had been in a decade long relationship with TV producer Allison Adler. They have 2 children. They separated this past summer. Gilbert is now in a relationship with songwriter Linda Perry. Gilbert is a long time vegetarian & a supporter of PETA, Meals on Wheels, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, & AIDS Project Los Angeles.
Adam Lambert cleared up any speculation about his sexuality in 2009 in an interview for Rolling Stone Magazine. Lambert: "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear that I'm gay, I've been living in LA for 8 years as a gay man. I embrace it, it’s just another part of me, but I'm trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader". Lambert, was sort of closeted on American Idol: "It would have been so sensationalized that it would overshadow what I was there to do, which was sing.”
As an openly gay man, Lambert has been an advocate for full equality. He was presented, by gay singer Sam Sparro, the Equality Idol award at Equality California annual Equality Awards for being a role model for the LGBT community. Lambert was honored at a PFLAG National LA event. He received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Music Artist in 2010. Lambert produced a YouTube clip for the "It Gets Better" campaign, encouraging fans to have pride in themselves & not allow bullies to win.
Lambert has given proceeds from his song- Aftermath to support The Trevor Project, the national organization providing crisis intervention & suicide prevention services to LGBT youth.
I have never owned any Lambert tunes, but I appreciate his big lungs & big hair, his huge, controlled vocal range & bombastic personality. I’m simply not a fan of American Idol style singing. This makes me feel very old.
Gilbert turns 37 years old today & Lambert, currently in a relationship with Finnish TV personality Sauli Koskinen, is 30 years old today. I'm sorry, but writing- "Finnish TV personality", just cracked me up.
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