Simon Amstell - Trendg Gay, LGBT & Queer Voic |

Contents:

• SIMON AMSTELL BOYIEND, GAY, FAY, NET WORTH
• SIMON AMSTELL: 'I WANTED TO BE A COMEDIAN BEFORE I WANTED TO BE A GAY COMEDIAN'
• SIMON AMSTELL'S HEARTBREAKG ADMISSN OVER WHY HE LIED ABOUT BEG GAYTHE EDIAN REVEALED HE HID HIS SEXUALY FOR MANY YEARS, AND DOG SO MA HIM FEEL VERY ALONEBIRMGHAMMAILBOOKMARKSHARENEWSBYJAM RODGERCONTENT EDOR06:38, 4 MAR 2019BOOKMARKVIO LOADGVIO UNAVAILABLECLICK TO PLAYTAP TO PLAYTHE VIO WILL TO-PLAY SOON8CANCELPLAY NOWDON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSMORE NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBEINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.MORE NEWSLETTERSWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!WE HAVE MORE NEWSLETTERSSHOW ME SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE&TIM;GROUP 28 DON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.SIGN UPNO THANKS, CLOSEWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE &TIM;GROUP 28THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!
• STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?
• SIMON AMSTELL ON HIS DEBUT FEATURE: A GAY ROM-COM INSPIRED BY HIS LIFE
• SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND {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 LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008/11:51 AMBY LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008 / 11:51 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND NTROVERSY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","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":"LOCKSLEY HALL","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","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;} {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;}FROM RUPERT EVERETT TO STEPHEN FRY, OM GRAHAM NORTON TO SIR IAN MCKELLEN, THERE ARE SEVERAL OPENLY GAY BRISH CELEBRI WHO SEEM TO HAVE MA THE TRANSN ACROSS THE POND TO AMERIN NSCNS. BUT ONE WHO HAS YET TO DO SO IS 28-YEAR-OLD EDIAN AND TV PRENTER SIMON AMSTELL - AND THE MEANTIME, I THK AMERINS ARE MISSG {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;}AMSTELL FIRST BEME A PART OF MY LIFE AS A -HOST ON THE CULT SUNDAY MORNG POP MIC SHOW POPWORLD (2000-2006), WHICH TOOK AN ACERBIC - NOT TO SAY SAVAGE - APPROACH TO S MIL GUTS, AS OPPOSED TO THE FAWNG APPROACH FAVORED BY MOST TV SHOWS. WHILE I SOMETIM FELT A B SORRY FOR THE BLAND CHEY POP STARS WHO TROTTED TO THE STUD, ONLY TO BE RIPPED TO SHREDS BY SIMON, HE WAS ALSO PABLE OF PUTTG THE BOOT WHERE WAS TLY {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 AN TERVIEW WH NOTORLY HOMOPHOBIC REGGAE STAR BEENIE MAN, FOR EXAMPLE, SIMON EXPLAED THAT HE HAD JT BROKEN UP WH HIS BOYIEND, AND THEN ASKED FOR A HUG. (BEENIE MAN SAID NO. SIMON GAVE HIM A BANANA WH HIS PHONE NUMBER WRTEN ON ). IN AN TERVIEW WH LLOYD BANKS, OF 50 CENT’S MACHO, HUMORLS G-UN, SIMON NOCENTLY ASKED “WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID ‘COME ON FELLAS, GET TO THE SPIR! IT’S GAY NIGHT!’” IN AN TERVIEW WH THE FAT RAPPER BIZARRE, OF EMEM’S GROUP D12, SIMON FIRST ASKED TO TOUCH HIS STOMACH, AND THEN, WHEN BIZARRE REFED, SAID “I BET YOU’VE LET EMEM TOUCH .”{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;}THAT’S NOT TO SAY THAT AMSTELL NECSARILY LET HIS GAY GUTS GET OFF EASILY. IN AN TERVIEW WH U.K. GAY MAG ATTU LAST YEAR, FORMER SAVAGE GARN STAR DARREN HAY TALKED ABOUT VISG POPWORLD ORR TO PROMOTE HIS 2004 ALBUM THE TENSN AND THE SPARK. HAY WAS STILL CLOSETED AT THE TIME, AND ACRDG TO HIM:{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 SAT ON SIMON’S UCH AND WE WERE THE MIDDLE OF THE TERVIEW AND HE SAID ‘SO, WHEN ARE YOU GOG TO E OUT THEN?’ [...] I SAID ‘EXCE ME?’ AND HE SAID ‘WELL, YOU'RE OBVLY GAY, BUT WHY WON'T YOU E OUT?’ MY REACTN WAS SO VLENT. RATHER THAN NY I SAID ‘OH, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY SEX LIFE, DO YOU?’ [SIMON] BLKED AND I SAID ‘YEAH, I LIKE TO F***, ACTUALLY. I'M PROBABLY MORE OF A TOP AND IF YOU LAY ON YOUR BACK I'LL SHOW YOU HOW I LIKE TO F***.’”{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;}PERHAPS UNSURPRISGLY, THIS PART OF THE TERVIEW WAS CUT WHEN THE SEGMENT AIRED. WHILE HAY REFERS TO AMSTELL AS “A TOTAL PRICK”, HE ADMS THAT THIS EVENT WAS CCIAL SPURRG HIM TO E OUT (WHICH HE EVENTUALLY DID 2006):{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 HAD TO E OUT AFTER THAT [...] I ULDN'T LET ANY OTHER PLETE STRANGER HAVE THAT POWER TO BBISH ME THE PUBLIC AGA. [...] I ULDN'T ALLOW MY SEXUALY TO BE THIS FLIMSY RPET UNRNEATH ME THAT ULD BE RIPPED OUT AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE.”{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;}THIS EPISO LEAV ME TORN: WHILE I DON’T GENERALLY APPROVE OF FORCED OUTGS, AND WHILE I’M SYMPATHETIC TO HAY, I DO ALSO HAVE A CERTA SYMPATHY FOR AMSTELL’S APPROACH OF REFG TO TREAT HOMOSEXUALY AS A DIRTY SECRET THAT N’T BE {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;}FOR MORE ON AMSTELL AND SOME CLIPS OF HIM ON HIS SHOW, CLICK ON THROUGH THE JUMP...{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;}{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;}SCE OCTOBER 2006, AMSTELL HAS BEEN THE HOST OF THE EDY PANEL GAME SHOW NEVER MD THE BUZZCKS, WHERE HE NTU BOTH TO BE VERY FUNNY AND TO BE SAVAGELY TO GUTS. WHEN JOHN BARROWMAN APPEARED ON THE SHOW, THOUGH, HE SEEMED READY TO TAKE ON AMSTELL, CHALLENGG HIM AT ONE POT TO A “GAY-OFF”:{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;}{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;}YOU N ALSO SEE A FUNNY CLIP OF AMSTELL TERACTG WH AMY WEHOE HERE:{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;}{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;}LAST YEAR, AMSTELL ALSO -WROTE AN EPISO OF THE UK TEEN DRAMA SKS, FOCG ON THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN GAY CHARACTER MAXXIE AND HIS MLIM BT IEND ANWAR. WHILE NOT EVERYONE MAY APPROVE OF OR LIKE AMSTELL’S NONTATNAL STANCE, HE IS UNQUTNABLY DOG QUE A B - AND AT A YOUNG AGE - TO NTRIBUTE TO GAY VISIBILY THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?

SIMON AMSTELL BOYIEND, GAY, FAY, NET WORTH

"Image source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Amstell and his Popworld -nspirator Miqua Oliver at the Smash Hs Poll Wners Party 2004Younger Simon's memorable on-air moments clud askg a bewilred Brney Spears if she'd ever licked a battery, ridiculg Towers of London sger Donny Tourette's punk persona, and goadg Prton om The Ordary Boys by readg out extracts om his then wife Chantelle Houghton's of might be nsired a ltle cel by today's standards, but would almost certaly be social media gold appearance on Lorrae, a rare TV chat show outg the days, was primarily to promote his upg stand-up tour, Spir Hole, which picks om where his 2019 Netflix special, Set Free, left time, viewers may rell, Amstell vised an Ayahuas retreat Pe orr to get to the bottom of his prsn and the shame he had felt about his sexualy as a young gay man (he didn't e out until he was 21); and he was also at the centre of a dg-fuelled three-way kiss wh his boyiend and another man at a source, Harry CarrImage ptn, Amstell has starred his own s, and also wrten and directed a documentary and feature filmThis time around, the kissg story gets upgrad to a full-blown sex club experience Berl (aga alongsi his longstandg boyiend), he scrib self-meditg magic mhrooms to help him handle lockdown, and, as the existential terror around growg olr tightens s grip, he fds himself, pre-Covid, alone New York wh bleached blon hair.

And, then happened his open letter, which unwrapped jt how he had to lie about beg gay solely out of the fear that the g out would his life once and for all. The actor and -wrer of the BBC2 s tled Grandma's Hoe nfsed how hidg his sexualy for eight long years ma him lonely and Alex Fzalan Wiki, B, Datg, Gay.

SIMON AMSTELL: 'I WANTED TO BE A COMEDIAN BEFORE I WANTED TO BE A GAY COMEDIAN'

Hearg this, his fans and followers nnot help but feel a pg of pa for his younger the time Simon was 21, he had nonted his fay that he was gay, and revelatn sure ed a signifint crisis the begng.

”One of the many thgs that stands out about Set Free is that feels like the most explicly gay thg that Simon has ever done. Throughout his time the public eye, Simon’s sexualy is not somethg he’s ever hidn; was there durg his “gay-off” wh John Barrowman on Never Md The Buzzcks, was there his semi-tobgraphil s Grandma’s Hoe and ’s there Benjam, the first feature-length film he directed last year, which centr around a love story between two yet, there’s somethg Simon sharg his experienc as a young gay person durg Set Free that feels new, particularly as he disclos the effects of havg been closeted as a young man on his mental health. ”Simon ntu: “I thk when I started dog stand-up properly, at 21, I had a feelg like… I wanted to be a edian before I wanted to be a ‘gay edian’.

And so, the way you do that is you avoid givg people too much material that would suggt you are the ‘gay edian’.

SIMON AMSTELL'S HEARTBREAKG ADMISSN OVER WHY HE LIED ABOUT BEG GAYTHE EDIAN REVEALED HE HID HIS SEXUALY FOR MANY YEARS, AND DOG SO MA HIM FEEL VERY ALONEBIRMGHAMMAILBOOKMARKSHARENEWSBYJAM RODGERCONTENT EDOR06:38, 4 MAR 2019BOOKMARKVIO LOADGVIO UNAVAILABLECLICK TO PLAYTAP TO PLAYTHE VIO WILL TO-PLAY SOON8CANCELPLAY NOWDON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSMORE NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIBEINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.MORE NEWSLETTERSWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!WE HAVE MORE NEWSLETTERSSHOW ME SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE SEE OURPRIVACY NOTICE&TIM;GROUP 28 DON'T MISS ANY TV AND SHOWBIZ NEWS - SIGN UP TO EE ALERTSINVALID EMAILSOMETHG WENT WRONG, PLEASE TRY AGA LATER.SIGN UPNO THANKS, CLOSEWE E YOUR SIGN-UP TO PROVI NTENT WAYS YOU’VE NSENTED TO AND IMPROVE OUR UNRSTANDG OF YOU. THIS MAY CLU ADVERTS OM AND THIRD PARTI BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. MORE &TIM;GROUP 28THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBG!

“Even this moment, talkg about now, and knowg will be on the ter, part of me is thkg ’ugh, talkg about this is gog to make me a “gay edian”’. ”He not he’s “fely” more fortable havg the nversatns now, havg overe a lot of “ternalised homophobia”, addg: “It would have ma me very tense the past. It’s a classic se of Peter Pan syndrome that is not unfaiar to some men the gay muny.

STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?

If a light fgerg is all tak to brg about metaphysil spirual enlightenment, he’s most certaly not the first gay man to have ‘gone there’. It do beg the qutn why so many gay men are obssed about sex “…and fillg a hole? “I thk whether you are gay or trans, or even if you are a heterosexual cis person, this untry specifilly, we grow up reprsg the sexual part of ourselv to a greater or lser extent.

Hannah Gadsby, for example, speaks about growg up as a lbian Tasmania, where homosexualy was illegal until 1997.

SIMON AMSTELL ON HIS DEBUT FEATURE: A GAY ROM-COM INSPIRED BY HIS LIFE

And Bowen Yang beme the first Asian-Amerin and third openly gay st member on "Saturday Night Live.

Risg to fame followg her special "Nate, " Gadsby has phed edy to new levels by weavg together personal stori, art history lsons, and sthg monologu — routely takg hs at men and the chronicl her childhood growg up as a lbian Tasmania, where homosexualy was illegal until 1997.

SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND {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 LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008/11:51 AMBY LOCKSLEY HALLFEBARY 19, 2008 / 11:51 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"SIMON AMSTELL: THE GAY UK EDIAN URTS LGHTER AND NTROVERSY","DATEPUBLISHED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2008-02-19T16:51:55.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","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":"LOCKSLEY HALL","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","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;} {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;}FROM RUPERT EVERETT TO STEPHEN FRY, OM GRAHAM NORTON TO SIR IAN MCKELLEN, THERE ARE SEVERAL OPENLY GAY BRISH CELEBRI WHO SEEM TO HAVE MA THE TRANSN ACROSS THE POND TO AMERIN NSCNS. BUT ONE WHO HAS YET TO DO SO IS 28-YEAR-OLD EDIAN AND TV PRENTER SIMON AMSTELL - AND THE MEANTIME, I THK AMERINS ARE MISSG {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;}AMSTELL FIRST BEME A PART OF MY LIFE AS A -HOST ON THE CULT SUNDAY MORNG POP MIC SHOW POPWORLD (2000-2006), WHICH TOOK AN ACERBIC - NOT TO SAY SAVAGE - APPROACH TO S MIL GUTS, AS OPPOSED TO THE FAWNG APPROACH FAVORED BY MOST TV SHOWS. WHILE I SOMETIM FELT A B SORRY FOR THE BLAND CHEY POP STARS WHO TROTTED TO THE STUD, ONLY TO BE RIPPED TO SHREDS BY SIMON, HE WAS ALSO PABLE OF PUTTG THE BOOT WHERE WAS TLY {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 AN TERVIEW WH NOTORLY HOMOPHOBIC REGGAE STAR BEENIE MAN, FOR EXAMPLE, SIMON EXPLAED THAT HE HAD JT BROKEN UP WH HIS BOYIEND, AND THEN ASKED FOR A HUG. (BEENIE MAN SAID NO. SIMON GAVE HIM A BANANA WH HIS PHONE NUMBER WRTEN ON ). IN AN TERVIEW WH LLOYD BANKS, OF 50 CENT’S MACHO, HUMORLS G-UN, SIMON NOCENTLY ASKED “WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID ‘COME ON FELLAS, GET TO THE SPIR! IT’S GAY NIGHT!’” IN AN TERVIEW WH THE FAT RAPPER BIZARRE, OF EMEM’S GROUP D12, SIMON FIRST ASKED TO TOUCH HIS STOMACH, AND THEN, WHEN BIZARRE REFED, SAID “I BET YOU’VE LET EMEM TOUCH .”{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;}THAT’S NOT TO SAY THAT AMSTELL NECSARILY LET HIS GAY GUTS GET OFF EASILY. IN AN TERVIEW WH U.K. GAY MAG ATTU LAST YEAR, FORMER SAVAGE GARN STAR DARREN HAY TALKED ABOUT VISG POPWORLD ORR TO PROMOTE HIS 2004 ALBUM THE TENSN AND THE SPARK. HAY WAS STILL CLOSETED AT THE TIME, AND ACRDG TO HIM:{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 SAT ON SIMON’S UCH AND WE WERE THE MIDDLE OF THE TERVIEW AND HE SAID ‘SO, WHEN ARE YOU GOG TO E OUT THEN?’ [...] I SAID ‘EXCE ME?’ AND HE SAID ‘WELL, YOU'RE OBVLY GAY, BUT WHY WON'T YOU E OUT?’ MY REACTN WAS SO VLENT. RATHER THAN NY I SAID ‘OH, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY SEX LIFE, DO YOU?’ [SIMON] BLKED AND I SAID ‘YEAH, I LIKE TO F***, ACTUALLY. I'M PROBABLY MORE OF A TOP AND IF YOU LAY ON YOUR BACK I'LL SHOW YOU HOW I LIKE TO F***.’”{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;}PERHAPS UNSURPRISGLY, THIS PART OF THE TERVIEW WAS CUT WHEN THE SEGMENT AIRED. WHILE HAY REFERS TO AMSTELL AS “A TOTAL PRICK”, HE ADMS THAT THIS EVENT WAS CCIAL SPURRG HIM TO E OUT (WHICH HE EVENTUALLY DID 2006):{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 HAD TO E OUT AFTER THAT [...] I ULDN'T LET ANY OTHER PLETE STRANGER HAVE THAT POWER TO BBISH ME THE PUBLIC AGA. [...] I ULDN'T ALLOW MY SEXUALY TO BE THIS FLIMSY RPET UNRNEATH ME THAT ULD BE RIPPED OUT AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE.”{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;}THIS EPISO LEAV ME TORN: WHILE I DON’T GENERALLY APPROVE OF FORCED OUTGS, AND WHILE I’M SYMPATHETIC TO HAY, I DO ALSO HAVE A CERTA SYMPATHY FOR AMSTELL’S APPROACH OF REFG TO TREAT HOMOSEXUALY AS A DIRTY SECRET THAT N’T BE {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;}FOR MORE ON AMSTELL AND SOME CLIPS OF HIM ON HIS SHOW, CLICK ON THROUGH THE JUMP...{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;}{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;}SCE OCTOBER 2006, AMSTELL HAS BEEN THE HOST OF THE EDY PANEL GAME SHOW NEVER MD THE BUZZCKS, WHERE HE NTU BOTH TO BE VERY FUNNY AND TO BE SAVAGELY TO GUTS. WHEN JOHN BARROWMAN APPEARED ON THE SHOW, THOUGH, HE SEEMED READY TO TAKE ON AMSTELL, CHALLENGG HIM AT ONE POT TO A “GAY-OFF”:{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;}{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;}YOU N ALSO SEE A FUNNY CLIP OF AMSTELL TERACTG WH AMY WEHOE HERE:{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;}{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;}LAST YEAR, AMSTELL ALSO -WROTE AN EPISO OF THE UK TEEN DRAMA SKS, FOCG ON THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN GAY CHARACTER MAXXIE AND HIS MLIM BT IEND ANWAR. WHILE NOT EVERYONE MAY APPROVE OF OR LIKE AMSTELL’S NONTATNAL STANCE, HE IS UNQUTNABLY DOG QUE A B - AND AT A YOUNG AGE - TO NTRIBUTE TO GAY VISIBILY THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Yang beme the first Che-Amerin and third openly gay st member on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" edian, who hosts a pop culture podst lled "Las Culturistas, " has proven his range on the "SNL, " masterfully portrayg characters om a Che tra reprentative ed as "Tra Daddy" to former Democratic printial ndidate Andrew Yang. Amstell, who beme known for appearanc on "Pop World" and "Never Md The Buzzcks, " stand-up edy as a nfsnal, workg through issu like his parents' divorce, eatg meat, and timacy the Brish ic speaks openly about his sexualy durg sets, Amstell said he was "terrified" of beg gay before g out durg his Netflix special "Set Free.

STAND UP COMEDIAN SIMON AMSTELL OPENS UP ABOUT BEG GAY, SO WHO'S HIS BOYIEND/PARTNER?

Cho, who grew up San Francis and had parents that owned a gay bookstore, has squashed the stereotypil tras placed on Asian-Amerin gaed populary by wrg and starrg a s lled "All Amerin Girl" and has bee a celebrated stand-up ic.