Clay Aiken discusses his views on sexuality and privacy with MSNBC.com:
“I think for the most part, people don’t want to have that type of stuff pushed, people who are living in Omaha or in Charlotte or wherever,” he said. “They don’t want stuff like that pushed in their face, I don’t think that’s necessary and that’s also not what I’m here for. I mean I went on ‘Idol’ to be a singer, I went on ‘Idol’ to be an entertainer and that’s what my priority is.”
END
I understand his point about wanting privacy, but it also sends a very clear message that gays should stay in the closet so they don’t “push” their sexual identity on the world. I guess we’ll only be seeing the real Clay on Manhunt.
Clay strikes me as the textbook definition of the self-loathing closet case. He and Tom Cruise need to start a club or something. Unlike the doctor, I wish Clay would just come out of the closet. Neil Patrick Harris still has a job. Jodie Foster is still a respected actress. Joan Jett still rocks harder than ever. There’s absolutely no reason Clay can’t make bland, easy listening pop music as an out gay man. Sure, it might break the hearts of a few thousand suburban housewives, but it’s a small price to pay for piece of mind and self-respect.
Normally I would have to agree with the doctor’s commentary about coming out being a personal choice and not forcing anyone to disclose their status, but honestly, what did Clay think was going to happen once he went on American Idol and gained celebrity status? IMO most folks are interested in knowing more about the person behind ‘the act’, so I really think he was fooling himself if he thought it was enough to only present the entertainer side of himself to the public.
I totally disagree with what i call militant gay politics,that everyone should publicly announce their sexual preference .For what purpose?To satisfy tabloid curiosity?I’m so tired of gay people calling out people as closet cases in a negative way.There are m using closet case as a derrogatory word .no one should be outed for sick amusement.clay’s fans will stick with him.hes famous so he should tell all ?Some are happy being flaming queens some more private personal preference?no?
The problem I have with celebrity closet cases is personal responsibility. Gays in the United States are still second class citizens. We do not have the same civil rights as other people on a federal level. We cannot marry the person we love (except in Massachusetts) and it is still legal and permissible to deny gays and lesbians jobs, housing, and assistance in many states.
Every gay celebrity that comes out of the closet helps establish in the public consciousness that gays are just people in the end. It could be your favorite actor or your favorite singer. What does that kind of thing do for someone who only hears about gays from sensationalistic media reports? The more gay people come forward and become visible, the harder it will be to deny us the rights we deserve as U. S. citizens.
Does this mean every gay celebrity should be an activist? Hell, no. But how many people might have reconsidered their stance on gay men when Neil Patrick Harris came out...and it didn’t cost him his career?
And you can be an out gay man and still be a private person. Happens all the time. Just look at acclaimed author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club). Not every gay man is George Michael.
Clay says that people don’t want gay things “shoved in their faces”. You know what? I’m gay, and I’m a human being (mostly) with emotions, desires, and feelings. Why are MY wants and needs suddenly less important because some religious conservative in Omaha can’t handle the fact that I’m attracted to other men?
To be honest, I’m sick of seeing Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (of “The Hills") on the cover of a dozen magazines every time I go to the supermarket. Why can’t they just keep their sordid heterosexuality to themselves? Why do they have to flaunt their heterosexuality?
To force anyone to come out to"further the gay cause"regardless of the place that persons mind is in is cold,and i wouldnt support any organization that does this.There are plenty of people who lost work due to being forced out as well,kid from whose the boss,kid from dr quinn,where are they now?has jodie said she was gay?people can say hiv+ peoples names should be public record,maybe that would wake folks up to the scale of the epidemic?force the stars to disclose status that may get more$?
What’s cold to me is a high-status closeted celebrity hiding behind a wall of shame, knowing that maybe if some confused gay kid sees them and sees that it’s OK to be gay, it might make their lives a little easier. Clay’s refusal to discuss his personal life is one thing. It’s quite another when he berates reporter for bringing it up. It signals to me that he is ashamed of who he is.
Chad Allen (the “kid from Dr. Quinn") is now a respected and in-demand gay producer and actor. He’s starred in many well-received films on here TV and is producing films by and for gay audiences. He has one coming out about the sham of ex-gay therapy starring himself and Robert Gant of Queer As Folk. Jodie did not officially come out, but she thanked her personal partner of many years at a recent awards banquet. It has been an open secret for years that Jodie was a lesbian. It’s much like George Takei or David Hyde Pierce suddenly saying “Yes, I’m gay” and the whole world heaving a collective “Eh, we knew that.”
The same thing will happen with Clay. Kathy Griffin ain’t just whistling Dixie. I can guarantee you that nobody will give a sh*t if Clay comes out. He can end the whole thing by just saying “No, I’m not gay” but he doesn’t do that. Gays are not as stigmatized as they were even five years ago. Clay has nothing to fear but himself. There’s absolutely no excuse why a celebrity just can’t come out and say “Yes, I’m gay, now leave me alone.”
I wouldnt exactly say chad was a demand actor,i heard he played in a feature but dont think it played in many theaters.i had the direct tv logo at one time and thats last place ive seen him.I don’t follow gay hollywood rumors.It seems easy for you to put yourself in clays shoes and judge whats best for him to do,but you do not personally know him.maybe it would further gay agenda,we should force him against his will at gunpoint and w to further the Cause!Then make him wear a pink star!
Thank you for invoking Godwin’s Law. This debate is officially over. Congratulate yourself.
For me personally, it’s not even an issue of expecting celebrities to use their status to further the gay cause. I agree, it’s definitely unfair to put anyone in that position. They’re not puppets after all.
However, to me, it’s an issue of how Clay achieved his fame, and there being bare minimum expectations automatically attached to that --stuff that’s common knowledge when you go into the mainstream/business-- such as sharing some personal details when being interviewed. That’s not to say every intimate detail/kink needs to be discussed, but basic things: Who are you dating? Who is your celebrity crush? What kind of music do you listen to? What are your hobbies? etc.
It would be different if he made himself successful independently and/or had fame on a smaller scale. Then you have the luxury of being as private as you want. You are your own boss. But Clay’s a product now. IMO it’s somewhat lame for him to be getting angry or annoyed that interviewers are asking him basic questions.
I guess we’ll only be seeing the real Clay on Manhunt.
What’s ‘Manhunt’?
I don’t know who this guy is, and don’t care. But it sounds a bit like ‘H’ from Steps in the UK.
After a few years of being washed up he turned up in the celebrity big brother house to admit to being gay, and everyone including the media was like ‘Big deal. We didn’t know that already’
Refusing to talk about it is usually taken as an admition anyway. Otherwise you may aswell say ‘No I am all about the ladies’
Who cares. I don’t think Morrissey has ever come out either, but he’s been presumed to be gay for like.. forever?
when he publicly stated dozens of times he will not discuss this,then they ask anyway i would get frazzled.Dont forget in most interviews ,it is settled before hand the questions asked.reporters purposely rattle cuz its better ratings.And as far as linking to some hitler site,gimme a break it is you comparing to him,with your militant stance you would have forced people to come out to further your cause,that is what i think gee dont tell me yer prez of rosie fan club?
I’ll just say this: encouraging closeted celebrities to come out is not the same as forcing people to wear pink stars. By comparing my stance to Nazism, you’ve just ended the debate by signifying that you’re not willing to use rational arguments and are instead happy to go straight for the “You’re a Nazi if you think (x)” argument. I’m done, and I’m walking away from this thread. Congratulations. You are winnar!
Come on fellas.. Its just differing opinions. Both are valid arguments, but you can’t force someone to come out if they don’t want to/aren’t ready for it anyway.
Personally I would be crushed if, say, Christina didn’t give me juicy intimate details like this:
Christina Aguilera dated a gay man
‘Ain’t No Other Man’ singer Christina Aguilera - who is now married to music executive Jordan Bratman - revealed to The Advocate magazine that she had a past romantic relationship with a gay man.
“I was involved with someone who has a gay past, she revealed to The Advocate. “I was in the relationship knowing that.”
According to the article, Aguilera admitted that while she didn’t have a problem accepting the guy, she did feel insecure about their relationship.
“It was a paranoia at times, like when you walk into a room with a guy that you know has feelings for other men, you’re like, is he looking at the guy or the girl over there, she said. “I don’t know if he’s come to terms with it yet.”
In 2001, the National Enquirer reported the Christina Aguilera’s lover at the time, Jorge Santos was seen in the arms of a popular gay stripper, at a party given by Director (porn) Enrique Cruz. Christina appears to be confirming the report.
Wow! I did not expect to wake up this morning to find 20 responses to my little Clay post.
It is a complicated issue, and both Johnny and the Doctor raise valid points about privacy vs. the greater good and self-respect.
I know it’s hard, especially online, to read people and their tone of voice, but I hope when we have disagreements here, everyone will follow the general rule that the best response to someone else’s opinion is, “Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I still disagree, but I’m glad I got to hear the other side.”
I have no clue what’s going on in Clay’s personal life, but I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet, including the Claymates, who think he’s straight. I’m sure he’ll find his way eventually, and we’ll embrace him.
As for Chad Allen, I have had a crush on him forever! I even added him to the FBOTU MySpace friends! I’m really glad he’s working steadily. That’s hard to do in this town, even for straight actors.
Yes everyone has different opinions,i respect that. sometimes debating is the only way to try and understand the other parties beliefs/views especially when so drastically different then one another.
*thumbs up*
Honestly, I don’t fully agree with either one of you guys 100%, but I find myself nodding to bits and pieces of your posts.
I think the thing that annoys me the most about Clay’s responses when the subject is brought up [in various interviews], is this notion that he would somehow be ‘throwing sexuality in peoples faces’ if he simply answered a question dealing with his love life, unyet not too many think twice when heteros do it. Come on now. hehe
Secondly, seriously… it’s AMERICAN IDOL man! With regards to celebs spawned from those types of shows...well...for those people especially it’s almost like a rite of passage to be answering all those teenybopper questions about their private life. If he wanted a lower-key lifestyle, why didn’t he just be a lounge singer or ‘tour’ small clubs ‘n stuff?
Do American Idol winners completely ruin the excitement of who’s going to be the xmas #1 single (because you know they will be) and then vanish into obscurity like their equivelants do here in the UK?
Wowzers! Guess what’s on the cover of People? Clay Aiken just came out! I’m not a huge fan, but I’m always proud when someone comes out. Especially someone more publicly known. Let’s discuss…
Clay Aiken: “Yes, I’m Gay”
Posted Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:57pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks
Guys, I know this is going to come as a bit of a shocker, so I hope you’re sitting down before you continue reading. But (deep breath, now)...Clay Aiken has confirmed, in an interview featured on the cover of the upcoming issue of People magazine and first leaked on Perez Hilton’s site, that he is indeed (wait for it), homosexual.
All right, all right...so this isn’t the biggest news scoop in tabloid history. This is sort of akin to reporting that Chris Daughtry is bald, or that David Cook uses hair gel, or that Ruben Studdard shops at Big & Tall For Men. It’s always been that obvious. But this is the first time that Clay has actually acknowledged it, so I for one am thrilled that he has set the record straight (no pun intended).
For years, practically from the minute he reared his bespectacled head on season 2 of American Idol, Clay has skirted (again, no pun intended) around this issue--even telling Diane Sawyer herself that she was “really rude” to grill him about his sexuality in a 2006 Good Morning America interview. He always made a big point of keeping his private life just that--private--but it seemed the quieter he remained, the louder all the gossip (and snarky jokes) became.
Of course, promo photos of Clay’s new look (frosty blonde highlights, inch-thick pancake makeup), or news than his son was conceived via medical intervention with his 50-year-old “best friend,” didn’t help matters. But Clay still kept mum, perhaps out of fear of alienating his adoring, mostly female fanbase.
But now Clay has finally come out, in a People article accompanied by the first published photos of his new bouncing baby boy, Parker Foster (who apparently was his inspiration for telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth here, as he told the mag, “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things"). Kudos to Clay for being an honest role model for his child, and I’m certain that any worries Clay--or, probably more specifically, his handlers--had about him losing fans after such a confession will prove totally unfounded.
