John Travolta speaks out on gay mors | Fox News

gay guy john

On the ABC edy's 40th anniversary, Michael Montlack reflects on how he learned to be gay om a straight actor playg a straight character pretendg to be gay.

Contents:

FOUR CLASSIC MOVIE ACTORS YOU DIDN'T KNOW WERE GAYA HOLLYWOOD HISTORY {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;}CELEBRIBY NEWNOWNEXT EDORSAUGT 24, 2017/8:00 {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;}MGMBY NEWNOWNEXT EDORSAUGT 24, 2017 / 8:00 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"FOUR CLASSIC MOVIE ACTORS YOU DIDN'T KNOW WERE GAY","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-08-24T12:00:59.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-08-24T12:00:59.000+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":"NEWNOWNEXT EDORS","ARTICLESECTN":"CELEBRI"}{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;}GAY PRI MONTH IS CELEBRATED NATNALLY JUNE, BUT YEAR-ROUND ’S IMPORTANT TO LET YOUNG LGBT PEOPLE, WHO MIGHT BE NFLICTED ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, KNOW THAT WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN AROUND — EVEN THE BACKGROUND OF CLASSIC {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;}HERE ARE FOUR ACTORS YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN WERE GAY WHO ARE WORTH {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;}RICHARD {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;}RICHARD HAYDN WAS BORN GEE RICHARD HAYDN LONDON ON MARCH 10, 1905. AS A YOUNG MAN, HE WORKED AS A MIC HALL ENTERTAER AND MANAGED A BANANA PLANTATN JAMAI BEFORE JOG A TOURG BRISH THEATER TROUPE. HIS FIRST APPEARANCE ON FILM WAS THE TV MOVIE PRODUCTN OF RED PEPPERS 1938. HE MOVED TO AMERI AND FIRST APPEARED ON BROADWAY THE 1939 PRODUCTN OF SET TO MIC, AND FOLLOWED THAT UP WH TWO FOR THE SHOW 1940. HE MA THE FIRST OF HIS MORE THAN 50 FILMS 1941 – CHARLEY’S {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;}HIS BETTER KNOWN FILMS CLU BALL OF FIRE, DEAR RUTH, THE LATE GEE APLEY, FOREVER AMBER, STG PRETTY, THE EMPEROR WALTZ, ALICE WONRLAND, MISS PTATATLOCK’S MILLNS, THE MERRY WDOW, JUPER’S DARLG, THE LOST WORLD, PLEASE DON’T EAT THE DAISI, FIVE WEEKS A BALLOON, MUTY ON THE BOUNTY, CLARENCE THE CROSS EYED LN, THE ADVENTUR OF BULLWHIP GRIFF, AND YOUNG FRANKENSTE. HE IS PERHAPS BT KNOWN FOR THE PLAYG THE ROLE OF MAX DETWEILER THE CLASSIC FILM THE SOUND OF MIC.20TH CENTURY-FOX/GETTY IMAGELEANOR PARKER AND RICHARD HAYDN ARE GREETED BY CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER A SCENE OM THE FILM 'THE SOUND OF MIC', 1965. (PHOTO BY 20TH CENTURY-FOX/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;}HIS MANY TV APPEARANC CLU THE TWILIGHT ZONE, SHIRLEY TEMPLE’S STORYBOOK, BURKE’S LAW, THE MAN FROM UNCLE, BONANZA, BEWCHED AND MCCLOUD. HAYDN WAS ALSO A EQUENT PERFORMER ON RAD, AND A REGULAR ON THE BURNS AND ALLEN RAD SHOW. RICHARD HAYDN WAS GAY. HE LIVED A QUIET PERSONAL LIFE, AND WAS WELL-KNOWN HOLLYWOOD FOR HIS CHERISHED, AND LAVISH FLOWER GARNS WHICH HE TEND AT HIS BEVERLY HILLS HOME. HIS FAL ACTG ROLE WAS PROVIDG THE VOICE OF BOOKWORM THE 1985 FILM THE HUGGA BUNCH. HAYDN SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AT HIS HOME AND DIED LOS ANGEL ON APRIL 25, 1985. HE WAS 80 YEARS {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;}VAN JOHNSONSILVER SCREEN COLLECTN/GETTY IMAGAMERIN ACTOR VAN JOHNSON (1916 - 2008) POSG ONT OF A TARTAN BACKGROUND, CIR 1955. (PHOTO BY SILVER SCREEN COLLECTN/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;}EMMY AWARD NOMATED SGER-DANCER-ACTOR VAN JOHNSON WAS BORN CHARL VAN DELL JOHNSON ON AUGT 25, 1916 NEWPORT, RHO ISLAND. HE WAS AN ONLY CHILD. HIS ALHOLIC MOTHER ABANDONED HIM WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. HE WAS RAISED BY HIS FATHER, WHO VAN SCRIBED AS “CHILLY.” AFTER GRADUATG OM HIGH SCHOOL, VAN MOVED TO NYC AND JOED THE OFF-BROADWAY REVUE, ENTRE NO 1935. HE TOURED A THEATER TROUPE AND MA HIS BROADWAY BUT NEW FAC OF 1936. IN 1939, HE APPEARED THE H BROADWAY MIL, TOO MANY GIRLS AND APPEARED THE FILM VERSN {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;}HE APPEARED THE BROADWAY MIL, PAL JOEY, 1940/41. HE WAS LURED BACK TO HOLLYWOOD BY HIS IEND, LUCILLE BALL, AND SIGNED A SIX-MONTH NTRACT WH WARNERS. HE MA SEVERAL FILMS THERE, BUT WASN’T UNTIL HE SIGNED WH MGM, THAT HE BEME A FULL FLEDGED SUPER STAR. WH HIS TALL, ALL-AMERIN GOOD LOOKS, VAN BEME ENORMOLY POPULAR WH THE FANS. HIS MOST POPULAR FILMS CLU THE HUMAN COMEDY, A GUY NAMED JOE (DURG THE MAKG OF THIS FILM HE WAS NEARLY KILLED A R ACCINT THAT LEFT HIM WH A METAL PLATE HIS FOREHEAD AND FACIAL SRS), TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR, THE WHE CLIFFS OF DOVER, THIRTY SENDS OVER TOKYO, TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY, EASY TO WED, MOTHER IS A FRHMAN, AND IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME, AMONG MANY OTHERS. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR LEADG MEN DURG THE WWII YEARS. HIS ACCINT PREVENTED HIM OM SERVG DURG 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;}IN 1945, HE WAS RATED #2 BOX OFFICE STAR AMERI, AND 1946, HE WAS RATED #3. VAN JOHNSON WAS GAY. HE MARRIED EVE ABBOTT WYNN ON JANUARY 25, 1947, ONE DAY AFTER HER DIVORCE OM ACTOR KEENAN WYNN. THE THREE HAD BEEN VERY CLOSE IENDS. IN 1948, THE UPLE HAD A DGHTER NAMED SCHUYLER, BUT LAGE VAN MATAED A CLOSE RELATNSHIP WH KEENAN WYNN. VAN AND EVE SEPARATED 1961, AND DIVORCED 1968. EVE JOHNSON SAID THAT THEIR MARRIAGE HAD BEEN ENGEERED BY LOUIS B. MAYER AT MGM. “THEY NEED THEIR BIG STAR TO MARRIED TO QUELL MORS ABOUT HIS SEXUAL PREFERENC, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS — THE ONLY WOMAN HE WOULD MARRY.”{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;}VAN WORKED STEADILY FILMS AND TV (PLAYG MORE THAN 125 ROL DURG HIS 52 YEAR REER). HE PERFORMED SUMMER STOCK AND REGNAL THEATER, AND NATNAL TOURS CLUDG THE MIL, SHOW BOAT. HE RETURNED TO BROADWAY FOR COME ON STRONG (1962), MATG DANCE (1965), AND 1986, THE MIL LA CAGE AUX FOLL, WHICH HE ALSO TOURED. VAN LIVED ON MANHATTAN’S EAST SI UNTIL 2002 WHEN HE MOVED TO AN ASSISTED RE FACILY NYACK, NEW YORK. VAN JOHNSON DIED ON DECEMBER 12, 2008 NYACK AT THE AGE OF 92. AT THIS TIME OF HIS ATH, HE WAS LONG TRANGED OM HIS ONLY CHILD. HE WAS LARGER THAN LIFE, UTTERLY CHARMG, HILAR, VERY FLIRTY, AND A TE MOVIE {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;}JOHN {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;}JOHN MEGNA WAS BORN JOHN INGOLIA ON NOVEMBER 9, 1952 QUEENS, NEW YORK CY. HIS FATHER WAS A PHARMACIST AND HIS MOTHER WAS A NIGHTCLUB SGER. HE WAS THE HALF BROTHER OF CONNIE STEVENS. JOHN MA HIS ACTG BUT 1958 ON BROADWAY THE MIL GREEENWILLOW. THE FOLLOWG YEAR HE STARRED ALL THE WAY HOME. HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM APPEARANCE WAS THE CLASSIC 1962 MOTN PICTURE TO KILL A MOCKGBIRD PLAYG THE ROLE OF THE “TOOTHY” SUMMER VISOR, DILL HARRIS.UNIVERSAL/GETTY IMAGROSEMARY MURPHY STG WH MARY BADHAM, PHILLIP ALFORD AND JOHN MEGNA A SCENE OM THE FILM 'TO KILL A MOCKGBIRD', 1962. (PHOTO BY UNIVERSAL/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;}HIS MANY TV APPEARANC CLU TARGET: THE CORPTORS, NAKED CY, THE ALED HCHCK HOUR, DR. KILDARE, BEN CASEY, STAR TREK, I SPY, THE DANNY THOMAS HOUR, THE BLUE KNIGHT, AND POLICE WOMAN. HE APPEARED THE PROVOTIVE MA-FOR-TV MOVI I WANT TO KEEP MY BABY, AND THE BOY THE PLASTIC BUBBLE. HE STARRED AS “LTLE ADAM” A SERI OF TNAL SHORT ANIMATED FILMS TLED THE BIG WORLD OF LTLE ADAM THAT WERE PRODUCED BY {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;}JOHN’S OTHER FILMS CLU HH…HH SWEET CHARLOTTE, BLD FOLD, FOLLOW THE BOYS, THE GODFATHER PART II, GO TELL THE SPARTANS, SUNNY SI, BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY DAYS, SMOKEY AND THE BAND II, AND THE CANNONBALL RUN. AS A YOUNG MAN, JOHN GRADUATED OM CORNELL UNIVERSY ITHA, NEW YORK. HE MAJORED PERFORMG ARTS. IN HIS LATER LIFE, HE TGHT ENGLISH, SPANISH AND HISTORY THE LOS ANGEL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. HE WAS THE FOUNDG DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROF THEATER GROUP, L.A. ARTS. HIS FAL ACTG ROLE WAS THE 1984 TV MOVIE THE RATGS GAME. JOHN WAS GAY. HE NTRACTED HIV, AND DIED OF AIDS RELATED ILLNS ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1995 AT MIDWAY HOSPAL LOS ANGEL. MEGNA WAS 42 YEARS {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;}ANTON WALBROOKGENERAL FILM {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;}ANTON WALBROOK WAS BORN ADOLF ANTON WILHELM WOHLBCK VIENNA, ATRIA ON NOVEMBER 19, 1896. HE ME OM A FAY OF ENTERTAERS, CLUDG CIRC PERFORMERS. ANTON STUDIED WH MAX REHARDT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WORKED ATRIAN THEATER AND FILM. IN 1936, HE TRAVELED TO HOLLYWOOD TO RE-SHOOT SOME SCEN FOR THE 1937 FILM, THE SOLDIER AND THE LADY. ANTON WALBROOK WAS GAY. HE DID NOT RETURN TO ATRIA, BUT BEE HIS MOTHER WAS JEWISH, HE QUALIFIED FOR THE NUREMBERG LAWS AS “HALF-JEWISH,” AND HE WAS ALLOWED TO SETTLE ENGLAND WHERE HE LATER FED A SOLID FILM REER. HIS FIRST FILM WAS MARTEN 1915. HE MA 19 FILMS ATRIA AND GERMANY, BEFORE MAKG HIS TRANSN TO AMERIN AND BRISH FILMS.GENERAL FILM {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;}HIS LATER FILMS CLU THE SOLDIER AND THE LADY, VICTORIA THE GREAT, GASLIGHT, DANGERO MOONLIGHT, 49TH PARALLEL, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP, THE MAN OM MOROC, THE QUEEN OF SPAS, LA RON, KG FOR ONE NIGHT, SAT JOAN, AND I ACCE!, AMONG OTHERS. HE IS BT KNOWN FOR PLAYG THE ROLE OF BORIS LEMONTOV THE 1948 DANCE CLASSIC THE RED SHO. IN THE LATE 1950S, HE RETIRED OM FILMS AND WORKED ON THE EUROPEAN STAGE AND TELEVISN. HIS FAL ACTG ROLE WAS THE GERMAN TV MOVIE, ROBERT UND ELISABETH 1966. ANTON WALBROOK DIED GARATSHSEN, BAVARIA, GERMANY ON AUGT 9, 1967 AFTER SUFFERG A HEART ATTACK. WALBROOK WAS 70 YEARS {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;}A VERSN OF THIS ARTICLE ORIGALLY APPEARED ON WE ARE {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

* gay guy john *

Gay Pri Month is celebrated natnally June, but year-round ’s important to let young LGBT people, who might be nflicted about their sexual orientatn, know that we’ve always been around — even the background of classic are four actors you might not have known were gay who are worth rememberg. Richard Haydn was gay. Van Johnson was gay.

John was gay. Anton Walbrook was gay.

THREE'S COMPANY MA ME THE GAY MAN I AM TODAY

"Steven me up wh this ia for a character who was openly and unapologetilly gay. * gay guy john *

Luckily, there's hardly the void of gay role mols many of experienced g up the 1970s and '80s.

Who would show me the gay way? But that imagery led to an even more alien notn: Were those the only kd of gay people the world?

‘NYPD BLUE’ STAR BILL BROCHTP ON HOW STEVEN BOCH PNEERED GAY CHARACTERS ON TV

Forty years ago, Rod Stewart released The Killg of Geie, a groundbreakg sgle about the murr of a gay man – now tragilly relevant aga the light of events Orlando * gay guy john *

Jack Tripper appeared on the screen 1977 (the 40th anniversary of the first episo is this March): boyishly handsome, adorably clumsy and generally ordary most ways, except one -- he was pretendg to be gay orr to live wh two female roommat.

This was certaly "a step that was new" but not pletely unfaiar to a boy pretendg to be straight orr to live peacefully an unwelg (and John Rter, who played him, for that matter) wasn't queer, but the fact that he had the dacy to even label himself gay was astoundg. ) that we did fact exist and uld even fd zy hom for ourselv: sunny beach muni wh fun sisterly iends and zany, if often backward, landlords who might actually prefer a gay tenant over a straight one. MICHAEL MONTLACK is the edor of My Diva: 65 Gay Men on the Women Who Inspire Them (Universy of Wisns Prs).

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy me out eighteen years ago at a time when same-sex marriage wasn’t even legal yet, and when portrayals of gay guys on televisn and films were few and far between.

ROD STEWART: 'I WAS SURROUND BY GAY MEN THE 70S'

Queer Eye: Created by David Colls. Wh Ted Allen, Carson Krsley, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia. Five gay men try to improve the liv and nfince of straight men by givg them makeovers and advice." data-id="ma * gay guy john *

Dpe s meteoric succs, the show did meet s fair share of cricism, particularly wh regards to s “stereotypil” portrayal of gay guys as beg more herently knowledgable on thgs like fashn, groomg, and pop culture.

Wanr to gay Twter, and soon enough you’ll n to a screenshot or a GIF of one of Carson’s famo reactn shots.

Somehow, the origal “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” premiered on Bravo two s ago this month, prentg five gay men – each specializg a specific liftyle area – as they scend upon a (ually) heterosexual male subject need of some support, whether was wh clothg choic, groomg, anizatn or perhaps an unrlyg issue around self nfince. It was a novel take on the makeover ncept, not only terms of beg one of the first monstroly succsful programs the then-nascent realm of realy TV, but also one of the first tl to feature not one – but five – gay people as the leads. (For ntext, had only been five years sce the s “Ellen” got nceled, shortly after the ma character played by Ellen DeGener me out as gay.

JOHN TRAVOLTA SPEAKS OUT ON GAY MORS

John Travolta mented on the years-old allegatns that he is gay an terview wh The Daily Beast published on Tuday. * gay guy john *

Krsley agreed, sayg, “We meet people all the time who are probably their thirti now, who say, ‘I me om a very nservative fay, we were very relig, “Gay” was not somethg that was ever spoken about our home, and your show allowed to at least have that nversatn, if not make easier for me to e out.

He add that of urse, isn’t only gay people who approach them wh spiratnal msag, and that at the time the origal show aired, the st saw how their visibily as gay people wh a larger straight world was beg received firsthand. “For many people, we were the first real, live, real life gay people that they actually enuntered, ” Krsley observed. You’re the first gay person I met!

“Of urse you’ve enuntered gay people! And anythg gay the zegeist has the potential to bee policized, then and now. “And we were a very nocuo group of five gay men helpg a straight guy try to get the job, or the look, or the girl.

GAY GUY JOHN

Gay Guy John" data-dynamic="te * gay guy john *

And for those who cricized the origal seri for rercg stereotyp by havg a gay fashnista or bety expert swoop to tidy thgs up, Colls creds his rint foodie Allen for a memorable moment at the show’s first NBC upont Los Angel back 2003, when he faced a slew of reporters and had the perfect retort.

“Ted fally grabbed , really grabbed a hold of the answer, which was like, ‘Yeah, we are, as a matter of fact, owng the clich around the fact that gays have a different perspective, have a unique visn and perspective of a lot of different thgs. "Steven me up wh this ia for a character who was openly and unapologetilly gay.

GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN'S HEALTH ISSU

As the ghost of Capta Isaac Higgtoot, Jon is gettg to explore a new way of tellg gay stori. * gay guy john *

I’m the one who said, “Is this OK to have a gay guy on televisn? There were no gay characters on TV at the time. He me up wh this ia for a character who was very openly gay and unapologetilly so, and he wanted to show that ntrast to Det.

He gave me nfince that I uld do this and have a reer — not only as an openly gay guy but as an actor general.

I jt got an email om a guy sayg that he and his son are watchg , and the father ed my character as an example of what might be like to be iends wh a gay guy to help his son wh a iendship of his own. Its subject uldn’t be more horribly relevant, given this past weekend’s massacre years ago this Saturday (18 June), Stewart released The Killg of Geie Parts I and II, the first major pop song to tell the tale of a gay man who died, part, bee of his sexual om solely a sad tale, Geie also ranked as the first chart h to prent a gay man wh not only empathy but admiratn.

OUTLANR’S JOHN BELL ON GROWG UP QUEER FILM: ‘I HAD MOMENTS OF WANTG TO PRAY THE GAY AWAY’

Rearch has shown that the followg are some of the most mon health ncerns faced by gay and bisexual men. * gay guy john *

Cocintally, the song’s 40th anniversary arriv durg gay pri month.

A few h songs addrsg gay subjects had appeared before Stewart’s track. Before Geie, however, there had never been an earnt song portrayg the hardship and joy of a gay person’s life for a mass dience.

Stewart says that 1976, he didn’t tend to wre a gay story per se. “If someone said to me, ‘S down and wre a song about a gay man, ’ would have ightened the daylights out of me, ” he tells the Guardian.

ANDY COHEN IS BASILLY BEYONCé WHEN HE WALKS INTO A GAY BAR

As the character actor thriv his 50s, he's playg a type of character we've rarely seen: a gay man who survived long enough to enjoy gettg olr. * gay guy john *

Geie’s narrative follows a gay kid om a small town who’s rejected by his parents, g him to flee to New York Cy where he be the toast of the town. The tale ends tragilly when, after leavg the theater one night, Geie ns to a gang of New Jersey kids who target him for beg gay and murr him. ”The sger says he had a sympathy to Geie’s story bee “I was surround by gay men at the time.

I had a gay manager and a gay PR guy.

We ught up wh Outlanr's John Bell to talk ternalised homophobia, growg up gay, and his new turn The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me. * gay guy john *

Long John Baldry, who disvered me, was gay.

’”This superficial, glam-spired acceptance of homosexualy prevalent the era is reflected the song’s openg l: “In the days of changg ways/So-lled liberated days/A story to md of a iend of me... ” However, unlike a lot of glam rockers, Stewart don’t portray homosexualy as somethg exotic and other: “Geie boy was gay I gus/Noth’ more or noth’ ls/The kst guy I ever knew. ”Though the ath of Geie nforms to an old stereotype of gay liv endg badly, the empathy the song proved stirrg to a generatn of gay people starvg for public portrayals of any kd.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY GUY JOHN

Gay Guy John | Gay Guy John | niccrswell | Flickr .

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