Dick Clark’s secret: ‘Bandstand’ dancers were havg a gay old time | PhillyVoice

Contents:

• ‘AMERIN BANDSTAND’ KEPT SECRET THAT TEEN STARS WERE GAY
• GAY MEN DANCG DANCE FLOOR NIGHTCLUB STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG
• HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY
• THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE "AMERIN BANDSTAND" DANCERS"THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER.”{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017/3:20 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;} ABC PHOTO ARCHIV/ABC VIA GETTY IMAGBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017 / 3:20 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE \"AMERIN BANDSTAND\" DANCERS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"ADAM SALANDRA","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE YOUNG DANCERS ON AMERIN BANDSTAND WERE THE REALY STARS OF THE 1950S AND '60S—KIDS NATNWI SHED HOME TO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE AND CHATTER ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT JT LIKE A LOT OF TODAY'S SHOWMANC ARE NCTED, MANY OF THE BANDSTAND BOPPERS WERE HARBORG A BIG SECRET: THEY WERE GAY.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT EARLY ON, BUT BEG WH ALL THE [BANDSTAND] IENDS, I ME TO TERMS WH MY FEELGS," BANDSTAND STAR ARLENE SULLIVAN WR HER MEMOIR, BANDSTAND DIARI. "I KISSED A GIRL, AND I LIKED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BANDSTAND BUTED PHILALPHIA 1950 AND TOOK ON S FAIAR FORMAT TWO YEARS LATER. IN ADDN TO APPEARANC BY BIG POP STARS OF THE DAY, SULLIVAN'S ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WH KENNY ROSSI WAS A HUGE DRAW FOR THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROSSI WAS STRAIGHT—BUT SULLIVAN, MANY OF HER FEMALE -STARS, AND MOST OF THE YOUNG MALE DANCERS WERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SULLIVAN, 74, WROTE DIARI WH RAY SMH, ANOTHER DANCER WHO WAS CLOSETED DURG HIS BANDSTAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE ONE THG THAT REALLY SHOCKED ME WAS THAT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER," SMH TOLD THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE TIME, BEG OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALY WOULD HAVE MEANT THE END FOR THE YOUNG PERFORMERS WH STARS THEIR EY. SULLIVAN SAYS BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK KNEW MOST OF THE ST WAS GAY, BUT WAS TERMED TO KEEP UNR WRAPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHOW.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE WERE EVEN ALLEGATNS THAT CLARK NDUCTED WCH HUNTS, SENDG PRODUCTN STAFF TO RTENHOE SQUARE, AT THE CENTER OF PHILALPHIA'S GAYBORHOOD, TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YOUNG STARS WERE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THEIR MEET-UPS REMAED A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNTRY, IF YOU WERE A GAY KID GROWG UP, YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE TOWN WHO WAS GAY,” SULLIVAN SAYS. “BUT... WE WERE LIKE A LTLE FAY TOGETHER, AND WE ALL HAD SOMETHG MON, AND WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER, AND THAT MA EASIER FOR .”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THAT SENSE OF MUNY, THE SHOW'S STARS—GAY AND STRAIGHT ALIKE—WERE TARGETED PHILALPHIA, AND EVEN PHYSILLY ATTACKED SOME S, JT FOR BEG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHEN I ED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF PHILALPHIA AND BE REGNIZED, I’D BE LLED A ‘BANDSTAND F*GGOT,’” DANCER FRANK BRANCC TOLD THE NATNAL ENQUIRER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE WHEN SULLIVAN AND ROSSI VISED ANOTHER SHOW REGULAR NORTH PHILALPHIA, "WE WERE LEAVG HER APARTMENT AND WERE HEAD TO THE EL, AND I HEARD R DOORS SLAMMG, AND I LOOKED BACK, AND ALL THE GUYS WERE G UP THE STEPS, AND THEY STARTED BEATG UP ON KENNY,” SHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I WAS TRYG TO H THEM OVER THEIR HEADS WH MY POCKETBOOK, BUT THEY JT WOULDN’T GIVE UP. FALLY, WE GOT AWAY AND JUMPED OVER THE TURNSTILE. THEY WERE HURTG HIM. IT WAS HORRIBLE.”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: HOST OF THE TELEVISN SHOW 'AMERIN BANDSTAND' DICK CLARK APPEARS A SCENE WH MICHAEL CALLAN OM THE MOVIE 'BEE THEY'RE YOUNG' WHICH WAS RELEASED APRIL 1960. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER TIME, A DANCER WAS THROWN ONTO THE SUBWAY TRACKS. ONE YOUNG PERFORMER WAS DANGLED DOWN AN ELEVATOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FOR THE GAY KIDS, THE ABE AT HOME WAS WORSE: WHEN ONE DANCER'S PARENTS LEARNED HE WAS GAY, SHE TOLD THE POST, "THEY PUT A DRKG CUP ONT OF HIM AND SAID, ‘THIS IS YOUR CUP, AND YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL E THIS CUP.’" ANOTHER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANKFULLY WE'VE E A LONG WAY SCE THOSE SAD DAYS. AND WHILE MORE OPENLY GAY PERFORMERS ARE FORTABLE TAKG THE STAGE THE DAYS, 'S GOOD TO KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE—EVEN IF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• DICK CLARK’S SECRET: ‘BANDSTAND’ DANCERS WERE HAVG A GAY OLD TIME

‘AMERIN BANDSTAND’ KEPT SECRET THAT TEEN STARS WERE GAY

What they didn’t know was that Arlene and several of the other female dancers, and most of the handsome teen boys, were gay.

GAY MEN DANCG DANCE FLOOR NIGHTCLUB STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

But back the “Bandstand” days, Smh was one of the show’s secretly gay dancers. Ray Smh was one of the show’s secretly gay Chevrtt.

HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY

And while Smh knew he was gay, he was “shocked” to learn that “most of the guys on ‘Bandstand, ’ so many of them, were gay, ” he told The Post. Clark was “termed” to keep the homosexualy of popular “Bandstand” regulars a secret, Smh said. Sullivan and the other dancers often ngregated Rtenhoe Square, the historic epicenter of what is known as the Cy of Brotherly Love’s “Gayborhood.

” There even was chatter and fear that Clark, who died at 82 2012, sent members of his productn staff to spy on them and report back the nam of the spected gay regulars. “In other parts of the untry, if you were a gay kid growg up, you were probably the only one town who was gay, ” Sullivan said. But was not easy on the mean streets of Philalphia to be a “Bandstand” regular spected of beg gay.

The bashg of “Bandstand” regulars, gay and straight, happened all the time, Sullivan and Smh reveal.

THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE "AMERIN BANDSTAND" DANCERS"THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER.”{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017/3:20 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;} ABC PHOTO ARCHIV/ABC VIA GETTY IMAGBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017 / 3:20 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE \"AMERIN BANDSTAND\" DANCERS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"ADAM SALANDRA","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE YOUNG DANCERS ON AMERIN BANDSTAND WERE THE REALY STARS OF THE 1950S AND '60S—KIDS NATNWI SHED HOME TO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE AND CHATTER ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT JT LIKE A LOT OF TODAY'S SHOWMANC ARE NCTED, MANY OF THE BANDSTAND BOPPERS WERE HARBORG A BIG SECRET: THEY WERE GAY.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT EARLY ON, BUT BEG WH ALL THE [BANDSTAND] IENDS, I ME TO TERMS WH MY FEELGS," BANDSTAND STAR ARLENE SULLIVAN WR HER MEMOIR, BANDSTAND DIARI. "I KISSED A GIRL, AND I LIKED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BANDSTAND BUTED PHILALPHIA 1950 AND TOOK ON S FAIAR FORMAT TWO YEARS LATER. IN ADDN TO APPEARANC BY BIG POP STARS OF THE DAY, SULLIVAN'S ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WH KENNY ROSSI WAS A HUGE DRAW FOR THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROSSI WAS STRAIGHT—BUT SULLIVAN, MANY OF HER FEMALE -STARS, AND MOST OF THE YOUNG MALE DANCERS WERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SULLIVAN, 74, WROTE DIARI WH RAY SMH, ANOTHER DANCER WHO WAS CLOSETED DURG HIS BANDSTAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE ONE THG THAT REALLY SHOCKED ME WAS THAT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER," SMH TOLD THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE TIME, BEG OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALY WOULD HAVE MEANT THE END FOR THE YOUNG PERFORMERS WH STARS THEIR EY. SULLIVAN SAYS BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK KNEW MOST OF THE ST WAS GAY, BUT WAS TERMED TO KEEP UNR WRAPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHOW.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE WERE EVEN ALLEGATNS THAT CLARK NDUCTED WCH HUNTS, SENDG PRODUCTN STAFF TO RTENHOE SQUARE, AT THE CENTER OF PHILALPHIA'S GAYBORHOOD, TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YOUNG STARS WERE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THEIR MEET-UPS REMAED A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNTRY, IF YOU WERE A GAY KID GROWG UP, YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE TOWN WHO WAS GAY,” SULLIVAN SAYS. “BUT... WE WERE LIKE A LTLE FAY TOGETHER, AND WE ALL HAD SOMETHG MON, AND WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER, AND THAT MA EASIER FOR .”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THAT SENSE OF MUNY, THE SHOW'S STARS—GAY AND STRAIGHT ALIKE—WERE TARGETED PHILALPHIA, AND EVEN PHYSILLY ATTACKED SOME S, JT FOR BEG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHEN I ED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF PHILALPHIA AND BE REGNIZED, I’D BE LLED A ‘BANDSTAND F*GGOT,’” DANCER FRANK BRANCC TOLD THE NATNAL ENQUIRER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE WHEN SULLIVAN AND ROSSI VISED ANOTHER SHOW REGULAR NORTH PHILALPHIA, "WE WERE LEAVG HER APARTMENT AND WERE HEAD TO THE EL, AND I HEARD R DOORS SLAMMG, AND I LOOKED BACK, AND ALL THE GUYS WERE G UP THE STEPS, AND THEY STARTED BEATG UP ON KENNY,” SHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I WAS TRYG TO H THEM OVER THEIR HEADS WH MY POCKETBOOK, BUT THEY JT WOULDN’T GIVE UP. FALLY, WE GOT AWAY AND JUMPED OVER THE TURNSTILE. THEY WERE HURTG HIM. IT WAS HORRIBLE.”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: HOST OF THE TELEVISN SHOW 'AMERIN BANDSTAND' DICK CLARK APPEARS A SCENE WH MICHAEL CALLAN OM THE MOVIE 'BEE THEY'RE YOUNG' WHICH WAS RELEASED APRIL 1960. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER TIME, A DANCER WAS THROWN ONTO THE SUBWAY TRACKS. ONE YOUNG PERFORMER WAS DANGLED DOWN AN ELEVATOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FOR THE GAY KIDS, THE ABE AT HOME WAS WORSE: WHEN ONE DANCER'S PARENTS LEARNED HE WAS GAY, SHE TOLD THE POST, "THEY PUT A DRKG CUP ONT OF HIM AND SAID, ‘THIS IS YOUR CUP, AND YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL E THIS CUP.’" ANOTHER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANKFULLY WE'VE E A LONG WAY SCE THOSE SAD DAYS. AND WHILE MORE OPENLY GAY PERFORMERS ARE FORTABLE TAKG THE STAGE THE DAYS, 'S GOOD TO KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE—EVEN IF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

But he vividly rells that one of his fellow gay dancers “was thrown onto the El tracks” outsi the stud, and another popular regular who was gay and often danced wh Sullivan “was dangled over an elevator shaft. “The parents of one kid on the show found out that he was gay... In tradnal Ottoman practice, the termology of “gay” and “straight” was largely absence om disurse, as explaed by scholar Serkan Görkemli.

There, zenn equently perform (whout a sexual element) for straight-intified male dienc says filmmaker Mehmet Bay, whose 2012 feature Zenne Dancer explor the iendship between an Istanbul zenne dancer, a German photographer, and a gay “bear” om the nservative Urfa provce. Back when Bay and his llaborator Caner Alper started rearchg zenne 2006, they saw as a “vanishg culture” – found only ral areas and a few unrground gay clubs Istanbul. Even among Istanbul's sizable gay muny, for whom zenne dancg might have particular ronance, “people would rather watch drag shows or go-go boys.

DICK CLARK’S SECRET: ‘BANDSTAND’ DANCERS WERE HAVG A GAY OLD TIME

But the past half-, zenne dancg Istanbul has gone mastream: bolstered by the media attentn paid to Bay and Alper's film as well as the succs of gay crossover clubs like Chanta: which ter their zenne shows to a largely heterosexual, female clientele. When he was 15 or 16, a iend enuraged him to start dancg publicly, but the only work he uld fd was a seedy gay nightclub Istanbul's Aksaray district. Like many gay Turkish men, Segah found a gree of eedom Istanbul – wh s active, out gay muny – that do not necsarily exist outsi the cy.

While the Turkish ernment do not crimalize homosexualy – nor do provi LGBT dividuals wh any formal protectn om discrimatn – cultural attus toward homosexualy are largely negative; acrdg to a 2011 poll nducted as part of the World Valu Survey, a full 84 percent of Turks intified gays and lbians among their least sirable neighbors.

And although Istanbul particular has beg creasgly welg to gays – Istanbul's annual Gay Pri para is the largt any majory-Mlim untry -- the risg thread of Islamism the Turkish ernment is slowg progrs for LGBT rights. In 2013, Turkey’s prime mister at the time, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, cricizg the adoptn of a Turko-Dutch boy by a Dutch lbian uple, publicly lled homosexualy a “sexual preference, which is ntrary to the culture of Islam. The Turkish ary's approach to homosexualy reflects this cultural ambivalence.