‘Barbie’: Ken Has Never Been Barbie’s Boyiend. He’s Her Gay BFF.

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• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
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• HUGH GRANT PLAYS A CLOSETED, MURRO POLICIAN—AND IS STILL CHARMG AS HELLA VERY ENGLISH SNDALA NEW SERI BASED ON A TAWDRY, TRAGIC TE STORY STARS GRANT AS A BRISH MP WHO ORRS A H ON HIS FORMER GAY LOVER. OVER TEA, THE MAGIC STAR TAILS YET ANOTHER ACE ROLE.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED JUN. 28, 2018 1:55PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 28, 2018 4:48AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTTHE BT STORI TO E OUT OF HOLLYWOOD ARE THE ON TOO UNBELIEVABLE TO BE TE.THAT’S CERTALY THE SE WH A VERY ENGLISH SNDAL, A MADP MISERI THAT BUTS FRIDAY ON AMAZON PRIME STARRG HUGH GRANT, BEN WHISHAW, AND ONE OF THE MOST SENSATNAL, LICLY SORDID TABLOID TRIALS MORN BRISH HISTORY.GRANT IS JEREMY THORPE, A CHARISMATIC POLICIAN AND LEAR OF THE LIBERAL PARTY ON TRACK TO BEE PRIME MISTER. WHISHAW IS NORMAN STT, A STABLE BOY WHO BE THORPE’S LOVER. A STEAMY, SECRET AFFAIR—HOMOSEXUALY WAS NOT YET CRIMALIZED BRA AT THE TIME—VOLV TO A YEARS-LONG TUMULTUO BREAKUP THAT VOLV BLACKMAIL, A HMAN, A SURREAL PUBLIC TRIAL, AND A DOOMED GREAT DANE NAMED RKA.IN 1979, THORPE WAS TRIED ON CHARG OF NSPIRG TO MURR STT. IT WAS MORE THAN A AFTER THE TWO FIRST BEGAN A SEXUAL RELATNSHIP AND THORPE, SPERATE TO KEEP HIS REPUTATN AND POLIL ASPIRATNS UNTARNISHED, FIRST BEGAN ENAVORG TO SILENCE HIS UNRAVELG FORMER LOVER. HE RORTED TO HIRG THE UNTRY’S MOST EPT HMAN TO DO THE JOB, CERTA THAT HIS PRIVILEGE AND POWER, AS ALWAYS, WOULD PROTECT HIM. REUNTG THE WILD TALE IS ANOTHER PRODUCT OF HOLLYWOOD TOO GOOD TO BE TE, THE SERI’ EVER-CHARISMATIC STAR, GRANT. OVER TEA AT A MIDTOWN HOTEL WH A SMALL GROUP OF JOURNALISTS, HE IS EVERY B AS CHARMG AS YOU’VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE AFTER ALL THE S OF SWOONG OVER HIM ON THE BIG SCREEN.THERE’S THE DASHG WAY HE SUALLY CUFFS HIS SLEEV OR TOL HIS HAIR, WHICH IS GRAYG JT SO. HIS MEANOR IS KD OF ONE GIANT RAISED EYEBROW, HIS FACE NSTANTLY NTORTG AS IF ELASTICIZED OM SNARK TO SMARM TO GOOFS TO TENSE SERNS, OFTEN TRAVELG THROUGH ALL THE SAME ANSWER TO QUTN AFTER QUTN ABOUT THE WILD—BUT, AGA, TOTALLY TE!—STORY THAT SPIRED THIS SERI.FOR GRANT, THORPE MARKS ANOTHER TRIUMPH A THREE-FOR-THREE N OF UNEXPECTED CHARACTER PERFORMANC, AFTER FLORENCE FOSTER JENKS AND PADDGTON 2.GRANT WAS 18 WHEN THE SURREAL TRIAL OF JEREMY THORPE PTIVATED HIS UNTRY AND DOMATED NEWSPAPER HEADL. HE REMEMBERS, OFFERG A SLIGHT OWN OF SHAME, THE WAYS WHICH THE TRIAL AND THE TAILS OF THORPE AND STT’S SEX LIFE WERE NNON FODR FOR AN ARTILLERY OF SCHOOLBOY JOK.“IT WAS LIKE MONTY PYTHON,” HE SAYS. “HERE’S A MEMBER OF THE TABLISHMENT, EX-OXFORD, EX-ETON, VERY WELL-NNECTED, ON TRIAL WH HIS LOVER SAYG, ‘WELL THEN I HAD TO BE THE PILLOW…’” A REFERENCE TO STT’S GRAPHIC TTIMONY REUNTG FOR THE URT THE FIRST TIME THE TWO HAD ANAL SEX. ANOTHER UNFETTABLE TAIL: THORPE’S ARRIVAL TO STT’S BEDROOM ARMED WH A MASSIVE JAR OF VASELE PETROLM JELLY. “A GOOD HELPG IS EVERY BACHELOR’S IEND!” THORPE QUIPS RSELL T. DAVI’ SLIGHTLY EMBELLISHED SCRIPT. “THERE WERE THOANDS OF JOK,” GRANT SAYS. “‘JO THE LIBERAL PARTY AND WIN YOUR CIRCLE!’” HE CRG EVEN JT REMEMBERG . “SO THAT’S HOW HE WAS REALLY REGARD, I’M AAID. MAYBE THAT SAD FACE [ THE FAL SCENE] IS KNOWG YOU’RE REALLY A FIGURE OF RIDICULE FOR THE RT OF YOUR LIFE.”REPUTATN WAS IMPORTANT TO JEREMY THORPE. SO IMPORTANT HE’D KILL TO PROTECT .WHEN PREPARG FOR THE ROLE, GRANT WOULD SCRIBBLE “J.J.” CERTA MARGS OF THE SCRIPT. IT REFERENCED THORPE’S FULL FIRST NAME, JOHN JEREMY, THE “VERY SPOILED, MUCH-OVERLOOKED SON” A LEAGE OF NSERVATIVE MPS, GRANT SAYS, THE KD OF MAN ACCTOMED TO NEVER HEARG “NO” AND, WHILE SHAPG THE LAW, ALSO BEG IMMUNE TO . FOR J.J., THERE WAS ALWAYS THE EXPECTATN OF A CHIEF NSTABLE OR HOME SECRETARY WHO WOULD SWEEP AWAY ANY TRANSGRSNS AFTER A QUIET WORD AND A HANDSHAKE.“I’VE MET THE GUYS,” GRANT SAYS. “THEY STILL EXIST TODAY POLICS.” HE VENTUR THAT THIS SENSE OF ENTLEMENT EXPLAS THORPE’S EXTRAORDARY DOUBLE LIFE. “ON THE ONE HAND, HE NEVER WANTED TO BE OPENLY EXPOSED AS BEG GAY. HE’D [SOONER] SHOOT HIMSELF, HE SAID. ON THE OTHER HAND, HE WAS ACTUALLY AT ALL THE TIME. HE WAS NSTANTLY AT CLUBS, OR PUBS AS THEY WERE THOSE DAYS, PICKG UP MEN LEFT, RIGHT, AND CENTER. BUT HE JT FELT THE LAW WOULD NEVER TOUCH [HIM].”THE ARDUO TASK, THEN, BE HOW TO MAKE JEREMY THORPE SYMPATHETIC. IN A SERI THAT IS EQUAL PARTS TAWDRY AND TRAGIC, GRANT’S PERFORMANCE, DAVI’ SCRIPT, AND STEPHEN FREARS’ DIRECTN MANAGE TO DO THAT, AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT THAT THORPE MARGALLY SERV.GETTG ONE’S HEAD AROUND ORRG A H ON ANOTHER HUMAN BEG ISN’T THE EASIT TASK, GRANT SAYS. THEN HE REMEMBERS THORPE’S REPUTATN, WHICH HE PROTECTED LIKE HIS OWN CHILD.“I THK ’S THE MIDDLE-CLASS MAN G DOWN THE STAIRS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, FDS THE BURGLAR HIS HOE, AND JT REVERTS TO VEMAN TO PROTECT HIS CHILDREN AND REACH FOR HIS CRICKET BAT,” HE SAYS, ATTEMPTG TO RATNALIZE THORPE’S KILLER STCT WHEN STT THREATENS TO REVEAL THEIR RELATNSHIP.“THE OTHER THG WAS THE TRAGEDY OF BEG UNABLE TO EXPRS YOUR OWN SEXUAL NATURE,” HE NTU. “ESPECIALLY NOT BEG ABLE TO LOVE SOMEONE THAT NTEXT. WE HT AT THAT, PECIALLY AT THE END OF THE SERI, THAT HE PROBABLY WAS LOVE WH NORMAN STT BACK AT THE BEGNG. AND BEE OF THE LAW AND SOCIAL MOR, WAS UNABLE TO LET THAT VELOP WH HIM OR ANYONE ELSE THE RT OF HIS LIFETIME.” “I’VE MET THE GUYS. THEY STILL EXIST TODAY POLICS.”— HUGH GRANT THERE’S A POIGNANT NVERSATN THAT THORPE HAS WH HIS LAWYER, EXPLAG WHY STT, A AGILE MAN WHO SO SWIFTLY GO OFF THE EP END ONCE SRNED BY THORPE, WAS WORTH ALL THE TROUBLE. THORPE RPONDS REUNTG THE SHAME AND THE BTAL REALY OF BEG A CLOSETED GAY MAN THE ’60S. JOHNS HE PICKED UP WOULD TURN VLENT, SHAME HIM, HURT HIM. IT UNRL WHY SOMEONE AS IALLY SWEET AND NOCENT AS STT WAS APPEALG.“WELL I THK HE PROBABLY BEGAN JT AS ANOTHER PICK UP, BUT I THK VELOPED TO A B MORE,” GRANT SAYS. “I ED TO THK, AND WROTE THE MARG OF MY SCRIPT MY P NOT ON ALL THIS, THAT TO ME HE WAS ALMOST LIKE A SON. RATHER PERVY, BUT TE. THORPE KNEW AT THAT STAGE THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE CHILDREN AND MIGHT NEVER HAVE CHILDREN AND HE FELT A SORT OF ALMOST PATERNAL PROTECTN TOWARDS THIS YOUNGER MAN. AND I THK HE GOT OFF ON THAT AS WELL.”HE CRACKS A SLY SE, ELONGATG THE LAST WORD WH A SCY FLECTN THAT NEARLY HAD THE ENTIRE TABLE SP OUT THEIR TEA: “I THK HE LIKED BEG DADDY.”GRANT’S NATTY SENSE OF HUMOR IS ON FE DISPLAY EVEN AS HE TALKS WH UTMOST RPECT ABOUT ISSU SURROUNDG THORPE’S SEXUALY, THE BIGOTRY THAT SURROUND THE PRS’ VERAGE OF HIS TRIAL, AND THE “GREY AREA” OF NSENT, AS HE PUTS , THAT SPARKED THE UPLE’S IAL SEXUAL RELATNSHIP.TO W, HE MAK A GOOD-NATURED, IF SHOCKGLY EXPLIC JOKE, ABOUT RNG WH PADDGTON 2 -STAR WHISHAW, WHO PLAYED THE WILY BEAR TO HIS OWN PURSUANT VILLA, FOR THE SERI’ ROMANTIC SCEN. IT’S A QUIP BLUE ENOUGH TO MAKE ANY REAR GUFFAW, BLH, AND GASP ALL AT ONCE—AND WHICH HIS PUBLICIST KDLY ASKED NOT TO REPEAT HERE.BUT WE N RELAY THE REHG MATTER-OF-FACTNS WH WHICH HE REUNTS SHOOTG THOSE SCEN, EXPLAG THAT THERE WASN’T MUCH HAND-WRGG OR EXTENSIVE DISCSN BEFORE SHOOTG THEM. “JT, ‘STAND HERE. KISS HIM. PUT HIM ON THE BED.’” HE LGHS RELLG ONE PARTICULAR SHOOT, THOUGH. “I WAS A B LOST. I REMEMBER ONCE I PHED HIM ON THE BED AND I THOUGHT, ‘I ULD GO ON KISSG HIM, BUT THEY HAVEN’T SHOUTED ‘CUT’ YET. I BETTER DO SOMETHG ELSE. I’LL LICK HIS NIPPL.’”REAR, HE DO.HE TIMAT THAT SIGNG ON TO A SERI WH RONANT OVERTON TODAY’S POLIL CLIMATE, WHICH SEXUALY AND SNDAL ARE EVER-VOLATILE THEM, IS AN UNNSC BYPRODUCT OF HIS OWN RECENT PERSONAL AWAKENG.“HAVG BEEN SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT AT ALL TERTED POLICS BEFORE, THE LAST SIX YEARS I’VE BEE VERY TERTED,” HE SAYS, REFERRG TO HIS EMERGENCE AS A PROMENT CRIC OF THE MURDOCH FAY AND THE NEWS INTERNATNAL PHONE HACKG SNDAL. IN 2014, GEE CLOONEY LAND THE FILM RIGHTS TO A BOOK ABOUT THAT SNDAL, BUT GRANT SAYS THE LAST HE HEARD, ULDN’T GET FANCG. “THAT’S PART OF THE SNDAL SELF.”HE BRISTL AT THE NOTN THAT PART OF HIS NNECTN TO THORPE’S STORY IS AN UNRSTANDG OF THE PRSUR OF LIVG A PUBLIC LIFE, OF WHICH EVERY LAST TAIL FASCAT THE MEDIA. “WELL THAT ONLY HAPPENED REALLY AFTER THE SNDAL STARTED TO EMERGE, I THK,” SAYS GRANT, WHO EARLY HIS REER WEATHERED HIS OWN VERY HOLLYWOOD SNDAL. “FOR HIM, HIS OPN, EXPOSURE WAS GOG TO HIM. DID I INTIFY WH THAT? NO. I NEVER FELT THAT. ALL MY SKELETONS ARE OUT THERE. [THEY] ALL GOT OUT THERE VERY QUICKLY.”A VERY ENGLISH SNDAL MARKS GRANT’S MOST SIGNIFINT ROLE PLAYG A GAY MAN 30 YEARS, SCE HE STARRED JAM IVORY’S 1987 DRAMA MRICE, THE ACHG PERD LOVE STORY LARGELY NSIRED TO BE ONE OF THE SEMAL ENTRI THE LGBTQ CEMA NON. IN THE 1991 AMERIN TV MOVIE OUR SONS, HE PLAYED A MAN G TO TERMS WH BEG GAY WHILE HIS LOVER DI OF AIDS.BOTH ROL, SPEAKG SOLELY TERMS OF DTRY NVENTN AND PREJUDICE, WOULD HAVE BEEN NSIRED RISKY FOR A RISG YOUNG ACTOR ON THE CP OF STARDOM—FOUR WEDDGS AND A FUNERAL WOULDN’T BE RELEASED UNTIL 1994, WH HIS INIC STRG OF ROMANTIC HERO FOLLOWG SU. BUT GRANT SAID HE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAY.“I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THERE’D BE PROBLEMS WH THIS OR THAT STIGMA,” HE SAYS, A MISCHIEVO GR CREEPG ACROSS HIS FACE. “IT PROBABLY SURPRISED MY PARENTS. I REMEMBER WHEN I DID MRICE, THEY WERE A LTLE SURPRISED TO GO TO THE NEWS AGENT AND FD THEIR SON ON THE VER OF ZIPPER.”ONE LAST HEARTY LGH AND ONE LAST SIP OF TEA. “OTHERWISE, ’S NEVER BOTHERED ME.” KEV FALLON
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KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

He’s Barbie’s gay bt iend.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

The film won’t say , but a post-creds punchle about Ken’s handwrg, plete wh hearts and stars surroundg his name, tells what we need to heavily implied nature of Ken’s gayns Toy Story 3 harkens back to Hollywood’s tradnal gay bt iend-type characters. In the Hays Co era, explic referenc to homosexualy weren’t allowed, so characters like Van Buren (Frankl Pangborn) 1937’s Easy Livg, Kip (David Wayne) 1949’s Adam’s Rib, or Addison (Gee Sanrs) 1950’s All About Eve stead were imbued wh effemate characteristics, offerg a glimpse outsi of heteronormativy whout explicly beg of the characters were the same—some were tty, others sweet.

'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

But each of the gay bt iends was trsilly fed by their relatnships wh their straight iends. Des later, 2010, the gay bt iend was all the rage; Teen Vogue even went so far as to proclaim the GBF as the summer’s mt-have accsory.

But unlike the first half of the 20th century, today’s cema, the GBF is allowed to be openly gay.

In movi like Mean Girls (2004), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Easy A (2010), No Strgs Attached (2011), and Isn’t It Romantic (2019), gay iends exist entirely the orb of their female iends. ” But Barbie do, and for Ken, that’s are plenty of reasons why the film wouldn’t outrightly state that Ken is homosexual.

SECRET CY: BEHD THE UNTOLD GAY HISTORY OF DC POLICS

), and of urse, and earrg the “gay ear”. ) Earrg Magic Ken turned Barbie’s boyiend to an out-and-proud homosexual raver.

HUGH GRANT PLAYS A CLOSETED, MURRO POLICIAN—AND IS STILL CHARMG AS HELLA VERY ENGLISH SNDALA NEW SERI BASED ON A TAWDRY, TRAGIC TE STORY STARS GRANT AS A BRISH MP WHO ORRS A H ON HIS FORMER GAY LOVER. OVER TEA, THE MAGIC STAR TAILS YET ANOTHER ACE ROLE.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED JUN. 28, 2018 1:55PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 28, 2018 4:48AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTTHE BT STORI TO E OUT OF HOLLYWOOD ARE THE ON TOO UNBELIEVABLE TO BE TE.THAT’S CERTALY THE SE WH A VERY ENGLISH SNDAL, A MADP MISERI THAT BUTS FRIDAY ON AMAZON PRIME STARRG HUGH GRANT, BEN WHISHAW, AND ONE OF THE MOST SENSATNAL, LICLY SORDID TABLOID TRIALS MORN BRISH HISTORY.GRANT IS JEREMY THORPE, A CHARISMATIC POLICIAN AND LEAR OF THE LIBERAL PARTY ON TRACK TO BEE PRIME MISTER. WHISHAW IS NORMAN STT, A STABLE BOY WHO BE THORPE’S LOVER. A STEAMY, SECRET AFFAIR—HOMOSEXUALY WAS NOT YET CRIMALIZED BRA AT THE TIME—VOLV TO A YEARS-LONG TUMULTUO BREAKUP THAT VOLV BLACKMAIL, A HMAN, A SURREAL PUBLIC TRIAL, AND A DOOMED GREAT DANE NAMED RKA.IN 1979, THORPE WAS TRIED ON CHARG OF NSPIRG TO MURR STT. IT WAS MORE THAN A AFTER THE TWO FIRST BEGAN A SEXUAL RELATNSHIP AND THORPE, SPERATE TO KEEP HIS REPUTATN AND POLIL ASPIRATNS UNTARNISHED, FIRST BEGAN ENAVORG TO SILENCE HIS UNRAVELG FORMER LOVER. HE RORTED TO HIRG THE UNTRY’S MOST EPT HMAN TO DO THE JOB, CERTA THAT HIS PRIVILEGE AND POWER, AS ALWAYS, WOULD PROTECT HIM. REUNTG THE WILD TALE IS ANOTHER PRODUCT OF HOLLYWOOD TOO GOOD TO BE TE, THE SERI’ EVER-CHARISMATIC STAR, GRANT. OVER TEA AT A MIDTOWN HOTEL WH A SMALL GROUP OF JOURNALISTS, HE IS EVERY B AS CHARMG AS YOU’VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE AFTER ALL THE S OF SWOONG OVER HIM ON THE BIG SCREEN.THERE’S THE DASHG WAY HE SUALLY CUFFS HIS SLEEV OR TOL HIS HAIR, WHICH IS GRAYG JT SO. HIS MEANOR IS KD OF ONE GIANT RAISED EYEBROW, HIS FACE NSTANTLY NTORTG AS IF ELASTICIZED OM SNARK TO SMARM TO GOOFS TO TENSE SERNS, OFTEN TRAVELG THROUGH ALL THE SAME ANSWER TO QUTN AFTER QUTN ABOUT THE WILD—BUT, AGA, TOTALLY TE!—STORY THAT SPIRED THIS SERI.FOR GRANT, THORPE MARKS ANOTHER TRIUMPH A THREE-FOR-THREE N OF UNEXPECTED CHARACTER PERFORMANC, AFTER FLORENCE FOSTER JENKS AND PADDGTON 2.GRANT WAS 18 WHEN THE SURREAL TRIAL OF JEREMY THORPE PTIVATED HIS UNTRY AND DOMATED NEWSPAPER HEADL. HE REMEMBERS, OFFERG A SLIGHT OWN OF SHAME, THE WAYS WHICH THE TRIAL AND THE TAILS OF THORPE AND STT’S SEX LIFE WERE NNON FODR FOR AN ARTILLERY OF SCHOOLBOY JOK.“IT WAS LIKE MONTY PYTHON,” HE SAYS. “HERE’S A MEMBER OF THE TABLISHMENT, EX-OXFORD, EX-ETON, VERY WELL-NNECTED, ON TRIAL WH HIS LOVER SAYG, ‘WELL THEN I HAD TO BE THE PILLOW…’” A REFERENCE TO STT’S GRAPHIC TTIMONY REUNTG FOR THE URT THE FIRST TIME THE TWO HAD ANAL SEX. ANOTHER UNFETTABLE TAIL: THORPE’S ARRIVAL TO STT’S BEDROOM ARMED WH A MASSIVE JAR OF VASELE PETROLM JELLY. “A GOOD HELPG IS EVERY BACHELOR’S IEND!” THORPE QUIPS RSELL T. DAVI’ SLIGHTLY EMBELLISHED SCRIPT. “THERE WERE THOANDS OF JOK,” GRANT SAYS. “‘JO THE LIBERAL PARTY AND WIN YOUR CIRCLE!’” HE CRG EVEN JT REMEMBERG . “SO THAT’S HOW HE WAS REALLY REGARD, I’M AAID. MAYBE THAT SAD FACE [ THE FAL SCENE] IS KNOWG YOU’RE REALLY A FIGURE OF RIDICULE FOR THE RT OF YOUR LIFE.”REPUTATN WAS IMPORTANT TO JEREMY THORPE. SO IMPORTANT HE’D KILL TO PROTECT .WHEN PREPARG FOR THE ROLE, GRANT WOULD SCRIBBLE “J.J.” CERTA MARGS OF THE SCRIPT. IT REFERENCED THORPE’S FULL FIRST NAME, JOHN JEREMY, THE “VERY SPOILED, MUCH-OVERLOOKED SON” A LEAGE OF NSERVATIVE MPS, GRANT SAYS, THE KD OF MAN ACCTOMED TO NEVER HEARG “NO” AND, WHILE SHAPG THE LAW, ALSO BEG IMMUNE TO . FOR J.J., THERE WAS ALWAYS THE EXPECTATN OF A CHIEF NSTABLE OR HOME SECRETARY WHO WOULD SWEEP AWAY ANY TRANSGRSNS AFTER A QUIET WORD AND A HANDSHAKE.“I’VE MET THE GUYS,” GRANT SAYS. “THEY STILL EXIST TODAY POLICS.” HE VENTUR THAT THIS SENSE OF ENTLEMENT EXPLAS THORPE’S EXTRAORDARY DOUBLE LIFE. “ON THE ONE HAND, HE NEVER WANTED TO BE OPENLY EXPOSED AS BEG GAY. HE’D [SOONER] SHOOT HIMSELF, HE SAID. ON THE OTHER HAND, HE WAS ACTUALLY AT ALL THE TIME. HE WAS NSTANTLY AT CLUBS, OR PUBS AS THEY WERE THOSE DAYS, PICKG UP MEN LEFT, RIGHT, AND CENTER. BUT HE JT FELT THE LAW WOULD NEVER TOUCH [HIM].”THE ARDUO TASK, THEN, BE HOW TO MAKE JEREMY THORPE SYMPATHETIC. IN A SERI THAT IS EQUAL PARTS TAWDRY AND TRAGIC, GRANT’S PERFORMANCE, DAVI’ SCRIPT, AND STEPHEN FREARS’ DIRECTN MANAGE TO DO THAT, AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT THAT THORPE MARGALLY SERV.GETTG ONE’S HEAD AROUND ORRG A H ON ANOTHER HUMAN BEG ISN’T THE EASIT TASK, GRANT SAYS. THEN HE REMEMBERS THORPE’S REPUTATN, WHICH HE PROTECTED LIKE HIS OWN CHILD.“I THK ’S THE MIDDLE-CLASS MAN G DOWN THE STAIRS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, FDS THE BURGLAR HIS HOE, AND JT REVERTS TO VEMAN TO PROTECT HIS CHILDREN AND REACH FOR HIS CRICKET BAT,” HE SAYS, ATTEMPTG TO RATNALIZE THORPE’S KILLER STCT WHEN STT THREATENS TO REVEAL THEIR RELATNSHIP.“THE OTHER THG WAS THE TRAGEDY OF BEG UNABLE TO EXPRS YOUR OWN SEXUAL NATURE,” HE NTU. “ESPECIALLY NOT BEG ABLE TO LOVE SOMEONE THAT NTEXT. WE HT AT THAT, PECIALLY AT THE END OF THE SERI, THAT HE PROBABLY WAS LOVE WH NORMAN STT BACK AT THE BEGNG. AND BEE OF THE LAW AND SOCIAL MOR, WAS UNABLE TO LET THAT VELOP WH HIM OR ANYONE ELSE THE RT OF HIS LIFETIME.” “I’VE MET THE GUYS. THEY STILL EXIST TODAY POLICS.”— HUGH GRANT THERE’S A POIGNANT NVERSATN THAT THORPE HAS WH HIS LAWYER, EXPLAG WHY STT, A AGILE MAN WHO SO SWIFTLY GO OFF THE EP END ONCE SRNED BY THORPE, WAS WORTH ALL THE TROUBLE. THORPE RPONDS REUNTG THE SHAME AND THE BTAL REALY OF BEG A CLOSETED GAY MAN THE ’60S. JOHNS HE PICKED UP WOULD TURN VLENT, SHAME HIM, HURT HIM. IT UNRL WHY SOMEONE AS IALLY SWEET AND NOCENT AS STT WAS APPEALG.“WELL I THK HE PROBABLY BEGAN JT AS ANOTHER PICK UP, BUT I THK VELOPED TO A B MORE,” GRANT SAYS. “I ED TO THK, AND WROTE THE MARG OF MY SCRIPT MY P NOT ON ALL THIS, THAT TO ME HE WAS ALMOST LIKE A SON. RATHER PERVY, BUT TE. THORPE KNEW AT THAT STAGE THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE CHILDREN AND MIGHT NEVER HAVE CHILDREN AND HE FELT A SORT OF ALMOST PATERNAL PROTECTN TOWARDS THIS YOUNGER MAN. AND I THK HE GOT OFF ON THAT AS WELL.”HE CRACKS A SLY SE, ELONGATG THE LAST WORD WH A SCY FLECTN THAT NEARLY HAD THE ENTIRE TABLE SP OUT THEIR TEA: “I THK HE LIKED BEG DADDY.”GRANT’S NATTY SENSE OF HUMOR IS ON FE DISPLAY EVEN AS HE TALKS WH UTMOST RPECT ABOUT ISSU SURROUNDG THORPE’S SEXUALY, THE BIGOTRY THAT SURROUND THE PRS’ VERAGE OF HIS TRIAL, AND THE “GREY AREA” OF NSENT, AS HE PUTS , THAT SPARKED THE UPLE’S IAL SEXUAL RELATNSHIP.TO W, HE MAK A GOOD-NATURED, IF SHOCKGLY EXPLIC JOKE, ABOUT RNG WH PADDGTON 2 -STAR WHISHAW, WHO PLAYED THE WILY BEAR TO HIS OWN PURSUANT VILLA, FOR THE SERI’ ROMANTIC SCEN. IT’S A QUIP BLUE ENOUGH TO MAKE ANY REAR GUFFAW, BLH, AND GASP ALL AT ONCE—AND WHICH HIS PUBLICIST KDLY ASKED NOT TO REPEAT HERE.BUT WE N RELAY THE REHG MATTER-OF-FACTNS WH WHICH HE REUNTS SHOOTG THOSE SCEN, EXPLAG THAT THERE WASN’T MUCH HAND-WRGG OR EXTENSIVE DISCSN BEFORE SHOOTG THEM. “JT, ‘STAND HERE. KISS HIM. PUT HIM ON THE BED.’” HE LGHS RELLG ONE PARTICULAR SHOOT, THOUGH. “I WAS A B LOST. I REMEMBER ONCE I PHED HIM ON THE BED AND I THOUGHT, ‘I ULD GO ON KISSG HIM, BUT THEY HAVEN’T SHOUTED ‘CUT’ YET. I BETTER DO SOMETHG ELSE. I’LL LICK HIS NIPPL.’”REAR, HE DO.HE TIMAT THAT SIGNG ON TO A SERI WH RONANT OVERTON TODAY’S POLIL CLIMATE, WHICH SEXUALY AND SNDAL ARE EVER-VOLATILE THEM, IS AN UNNSC BYPRODUCT OF HIS OWN RECENT PERSONAL AWAKENG.“HAVG BEEN SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT AT ALL TERTED POLICS BEFORE, THE LAST SIX YEARS I’VE BEE VERY TERTED,” HE SAYS, REFERRG TO HIS EMERGENCE AS A PROMENT CRIC OF THE MURDOCH FAY AND THE NEWS INTERNATNAL PHONE HACKG SNDAL. IN 2014, GEE CLOONEY LAND THE FILM RIGHTS TO A BOOK ABOUT THAT SNDAL, BUT GRANT SAYS THE LAST HE HEARD, ULDN’T GET FANCG. “THAT’S PART OF THE SNDAL SELF.”HE BRISTL AT THE NOTN THAT PART OF HIS NNECTN TO THORPE’S STORY IS AN UNRSTANDG OF THE PRSUR OF LIVG A PUBLIC LIFE, OF WHICH EVERY LAST TAIL FASCAT THE MEDIA. “WELL THAT ONLY HAPPENED REALLY AFTER THE SNDAL STARTED TO EMERGE, I THK,” SAYS GRANT, WHO EARLY HIS REER WEATHERED HIS OWN VERY HOLLYWOOD SNDAL. “FOR HIM, HIS OPN, EXPOSURE WAS GOG TO HIM. DID I INTIFY WH THAT? NO. I NEVER FELT THAT. ALL MY SKELETONS ARE OUT THERE. [THEY] ALL GOT OUT THERE VERY QUICKLY.”A VERY ENGLISH SNDAL MARKS GRANT’S MOST SIGNIFINT ROLE PLAYG A GAY MAN 30 YEARS, SCE HE STARRED JAM IVORY’S 1987 DRAMA MRICE, THE ACHG PERD LOVE STORY LARGELY NSIRED TO BE ONE OF THE SEMAL ENTRI THE LGBTQ CEMA NON. IN THE 1991 AMERIN TV MOVIE OUR SONS, HE PLAYED A MAN G TO TERMS WH BEG GAY WHILE HIS LOVER DI OF AIDS.BOTH ROL, SPEAKG SOLELY TERMS OF DTRY NVENTN AND PREJUDICE, WOULD HAVE BEEN NSIRED RISKY FOR A RISG YOUNG ACTOR ON THE CP OF STARDOM—FOUR WEDDGS AND A FUNERAL WOULDN’T BE RELEASED UNTIL 1994, WH HIS INIC STRG OF ROMANTIC HERO FOLLOWG SU. BUT GRANT SAID HE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAY.“I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THERE’D BE PROBLEMS WH THIS OR THAT STIGMA,” HE SAYS, A MISCHIEVO GR CREEPG ACROSS HIS FACE. “IT PROBABLY SURPRISED MY PARENTS. I REMEMBER WHEN I DID MRICE, THEY WERE A LTLE SURPRISED TO GO TO THE NEWS AGENT AND FD THEIR SON ON THE VER OF ZIPPER.”ONE LAST HEARTY LGH AND ONE LAST SIP OF TEA. “OTHERWISE, ’S NEVER BOTHERED ME.” KEV FALLON

Mattel, of urse, vehemently nied any claims that Ken was gay, let alone that he had somethg as prepostero as a ck rg around his neck. As a rult, gay men bought the doll drov, and spe Mattel ultimately rellg the doll and wipg away any trace of Earrg Magic Ken, was near-impossible to see Ken as anythg but the glor homosexual he was born to be om then on. Though Mattel don’t seem to be willg to say Ken is actually gay, the Ken dolls of recent years seem to really lean to Ken’s queerns.

While there is no way to “drs gay, ” there are several dolls that seem to suggt otherwise, such as:Fashnista Ken #193, who looks very exced to tell you about his new obssn, Troye Sivan;Travel Ken Doll, who has a satchel perfect for bathho and a purple overnight bag that lerally proclaims he’s “extra;”Ken Looks Doll, servg “I’m gonna give you a makeover”-type realns while sportg black pleather pants;This Ken, who wears the least heterosexual double nim I have a feelg the new Barbie movie will put the work to nvce that Ken is a hetero du who lov nothg life more than Barbie herself, the wrg’s already on the wall: Ken is, and always will be, Barbie’s gay bt obssg! His sensibily as a gay artist has shaped and elevated the magaze’s athetic, but he has to keep his creativy check lt Mx be seen as a magaze for gay men. But fish strong, as the nflict over Richie’s bathhoe project grows and Mx has to nsir whether ’s too risky for the magaze to speak to gay men, or even gay moments like this, the historil fictn feels not entirely historil.

Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay.

BENNY SAFDIE TO PLAY GAY POLICIAN PL THOMAS ANRSON'S NEW '70S MOVIE

Per Outsports, as of September 2022, there have only ever been 16 players NFL history to publicly e out as gay or bisexual.

Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player league history to announce that he is gay 2021. Per Outsports, Maxen is the “first publicly out male ach a major Amerin men’s pro sports league, ” wh WNBA ach Curt Miller, who publicly me out to the media as gay 2015, also a publicly out male ach an Amerin profsnal sports league.

This is te of Amerin polics, where the 20th century saw numero gay and lbian dividuals participatg at the hight levels of power, yet almost wholly effaced om the tellg of our natn’s history. In the new book Secret Cy, historian Jam Kirchick attempts to scribe to the historil rerd the homosexual men and women who have served and ntributed to their untry Washgton DC, throughout the 20th century. “I want to tertwe the two threads – the mastream thread of history that we all read about, and this gay history that’s been siled and sequtered, ” he said.

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”Kirchick first beme trigued by the ia of a gay history of Amerin power polics 2007, when he moved to DC and realized that was suffed wh a vivid gay cultural life and history.

In fact, cens data shows that DC has the hight proportn of gay people anywhere the US. As he began workg on the massive project, Kirchick started to believe that, as a gay man, he was uniquely equipped to wre Secret Cy.

“It need a gay person to do this, ” he said.