'Will & Grace' Broke Ground for Gay Reprentatn—Can It Do It Aga? | GQ

Contents:

• WILL AND GRACE STAR CONFIRMS HE’S GAY
• JACK EXPLAS HOW HE IS A "PLATUM-STAR GAY" IN EXCLIVE NEW CLIP FROM "WILL & GRACE""IT'S ALL HIS BOOK, 'MEN ARE FROM MARS, WHO CAR WHERE WOMEN CAME FROM.'"{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 CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHOCTOBER 9, 2017/11:10 {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;}NBCBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHOCTOBER 9, 2017 / 11:10 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"JACK EXPLAS HOW HE IS A \"PLATUM-STAR GAY\" IN EXCLIVE NEW CLIP FROM \"WILL & GRACE\"","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-10-09T15:10:28.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-10-09T15:10:28.000+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":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","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;}WILL (ERIC MCCORMACK) AND GRACE (DEBRA MSG) HAVE BEEN LIVG TOGETHER OFF AND ON FOR YEARS, AND EVEN THOUGH GRACE ISN'T A NEWER TO THE GAY SCENE, SHE STILL DON'T KNOW EVERY TERM THE GAY HANDBOOK™.{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 EXCLIVE NEW CLIP OM THIS WEEK'S EPISO, "EMERGENCY CONTACT," GRACE FORC WILL TO "GAYSPLA" THE TERM "PLATUM-STAR GAY" TO HER. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, A "GOLD-STAR GAY" IS A GAY MAN WHO HAS NEVER HAD SEX WH A WOMAN—BUT A "PLATUM-STAR GAY," LIKE JACK (SEAN HAY), IS A GAY MAN WHO HAS NEVER EVEN E NTACT WH A VAGA BEE THEY WERE BORN VIA C-SECTN.CHRIS HASTON/NBCWILL & GRACE -- "EMERGENCY CONTACT" EPISO 103 -- PICTURED: (L-R) DEBRA MSG AS GRACE ADLER, HARRY CONNICK JR. AS LEO -- (PHOTO BY CHRIS HASTON/NBC){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 NEW EPISO IS NOTEWORTHY NOT ONLY BEE OF JACK'S REVEAL, BUT ALSO BEE 'S THE RETURN OF GRACE'S EX-HBAND, LEO (HARRY CONNICK JR.), WHO GRACE IS SURPRISED TO LEARN IS STILL HER MEDIL EMERGENCY NTACT. ACRDG TO PHOTOS RELEASED OM THE EPISO, ADDN TO THE RETURN OF LEO, LRA KIGHTLGER IS ALSO BACK AS FAN FAVORE SASSY NURSE SHEILA.CHRIS HASTON/NBCWILL & GRACE -- "EMERGENCY CONTACT" EPISO 103 -- PICTURED: (L-R) LRA KIGHTLGER AS NURSE SHEILA, HARRY CONNICK JR. AS LEO, DEBRA MSG AS GRACE ADLER -- (PHOTO BY CHRIS HASTON/NBC){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;}HOW DO GRACE HANDLE HER RNN WH LEO AND WILL JACK EVER E NTACT WH A VAGA? WE ARE PRETTY SURE WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE SEND QUTN, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO TUNE TO WILL & GRACE THIS THURSDAY TO FD OUT WHAT GO DOWN WHEN LEO BACK TO GRACE'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;}WATCH THE EXCLIVE NEW CLIP {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
• 'I WOULDN'T GET THIS ROLE TODAY': WILL & GRACE'S STRAIGHT 'GAY' STAR
• WILL & GRACE BROKE GROUND FOR GAY REPRENTATN—CAN IT DO IT AGA?
• ‘WILL & GRACE’ FANS ARE STILL UNSURE IF ERIC MCCORMACK IS GAY REAL LIFE

WILL AND GRACE STAR CONFIRMS HE’S GAY

Probably the bt episo of the first season was "Will Works Out" where Will is terrified that one of his clients would fd out he was gay, and his own ternal homophobia shone through when he lled Jack a "fag. Yup, he's gay real life, too. The rolutely private actor recently gave his first terview to gay newsmagaze The Advote after many nied requts.

You're gonna shoot the gay guy down? The star of the popular, Emmy-wng gay s adds, "I feel like I've ntributed monumentally to the succs of the gay movement Ameri, and if anyone wants to argue that, I’m open to . Tracy Gaydos...

Artistic director: The Gay Men's Chos of Los Angel (1 episo, 2002). Executive director: The Gay Men's Chos of Los Angel (1 episo, 2002). Everyone remembers the basics: bt iends Will, a gay man, and Grace, a straight woman, live and love Manhattan wh their quirkier iends Jack and Karen.

JACK EXPLAS HOW HE IS A "PLATUM-STAR GAY" IN EXCLIVE NEW CLIP FROM "WILL & GRACE""IT'S ALL HIS BOOK, 'MEN ARE FROM MARS, WHO CAR WHERE WOMEN CAME FROM.'"{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 CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHOCTOBER 9, 2017/11:10 {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;}NBCBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHOCTOBER 9, 2017 / 11:10 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"JACK EXPLAS HOW HE IS A \"PLATUM-STAR GAY\" IN EXCLIVE NEW CLIP FROM \"WILL & GRACE\"","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-10-09T15:10:28.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-10-09T15:10:28.000+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":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","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;}WILL (ERIC MCCORMACK) AND GRACE (DEBRA MSG) HAVE BEEN LIVG TOGETHER OFF AND ON FOR YEARS, AND EVEN THOUGH GRACE ISN'T A NEWER TO THE GAY SCENE, SHE STILL DON'T KNOW EVERY TERM THE GAY HANDBOOK™.{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 EXCLIVE NEW CLIP OM THIS WEEK'S EPISO, "EMERGENCY CONTACT," GRACE FORC WILL TO "GAYSPLA" THE TERM "PLATUM-STAR GAY" TO HER. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, A "GOLD-STAR GAY" IS A GAY MAN WHO HAS NEVER HAD SEX WH A WOMAN—BUT A "PLATUM-STAR GAY," LIKE JACK (SEAN HAY), IS A GAY MAN WHO HAS NEVER EVEN E NTACT WH A VAGA BEE THEY WERE BORN VIA C-SECTN.CHRIS HASTON/NBCWILL & GRACE -- "EMERGENCY CONTACT" EPISO 103 -- PICTURED: (L-R) DEBRA MSG AS GRACE ADLER, HARRY CONNICK JR. AS LEO -- (PHOTO BY CHRIS HASTON/NBC){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 NEW EPISO IS NOTEWORTHY NOT ONLY BEE OF JACK'S REVEAL, BUT ALSO BEE 'S THE RETURN OF GRACE'S EX-HBAND, LEO (HARRY CONNICK JR.), WHO GRACE IS SURPRISED TO LEARN IS STILL HER MEDIL EMERGENCY NTACT. ACRDG TO PHOTOS RELEASED OM THE EPISO, ADDN TO THE RETURN OF LEO, LRA KIGHTLGER IS ALSO BACK AS FAN FAVORE SASSY NURSE SHEILA.CHRIS HASTON/NBCWILL & GRACE -- "EMERGENCY CONTACT" EPISO 103 -- PICTURED: (L-R) LRA KIGHTLGER AS NURSE SHEILA, HARRY CONNICK JR. AS LEO, DEBRA MSG AS GRACE ADLER -- (PHOTO BY CHRIS HASTON/NBC){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;}HOW DO GRACE HANDLE HER RNN WH LEO AND WILL JACK EVER E NTACT WH A VAGA? WE ARE PRETTY SURE WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE SEND QUTN, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO TUNE TO WILL & GRACE THIS THURSDAY TO FD OUT WHAT GO DOWN WHEN LEO BACK TO GRACE'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;}WATCH THE EXCLIVE NEW CLIP {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

Mutchnick and Eisenberg dated real life, and then beme close iends after Mutchnick revealed he was gay.

She also told Kg that McCormack didn't origally want to play a gay character. Actor Sean Hay, who portrayed openly gay character Jack on Will & Grace, didn't e out real life until five years after the show end.

More recently, Hay has revealed that he's "ashamed and embarrassed" he stayed the closet for so long when he might have ma a difference young gay people's liv by g out sooner. Fellow executive producer David Kohan and producer-director Jam Burrows agreed, notg that the show had troduced and normalized gay people for a swath of the public. Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Msg) have been livg together off and on for years, and even though Grace isn't a newer to the gay scene, she still don't know every term The Gay Handbook™ an exclive new clip om this week's episo, "Emergency Contact, " Grace forc Will to "gayspla" the term "Platum-Star Gay" to her.

'I WOULDN'T GET THIS ROLE TODAY': WILL & GRACE'S STRAIGHT 'GAY' STAR

For those of you who don't know, a "Gold-Star Gay" is a gay man who has never had sex wh a woman—but a "Platum-Star Gay, " like Jack (Sean Hay), is a gay man who has never even e ntact wh a vaga bee they were born via new episo is noteworthy not only bee of Jack's reveal, but also bee 's the return of Grace's ex-hband, Leo (Harry Connick Jr.

Out of the four ma Will & Grace st members, the tular pair were the rerved on: openly gay lawyer Will Tman (Eric McCormack) and his (straight-intifyg) terr signer bt iend Grace Adler (Debra Msg).

One of the first work seri to regularly feature homosexual characters, Will & Grace was a top-rated h for most of s 1998-2006 n on NBC, wng an Emmy Award for Outstandg Comedy Seri and more trophi for all four members of the ma st. When Will & Grace premiered 1998, was downright revolutnary that a major broadst work would air a primetime show which two of s four ma characters (Will Tman and Jack McFarland) were openly gay men.

WILL & GRACE BROKE GROUND FOR GAY REPRENTATN—CAN IT DO IT AGA?

"I didn't have the tools at such a young age to al wh the ramifitns of g out as gay a huge public way. Hay didn't publicly e out as a gay man until 2010, four years after Will & Grace wrapped s ial n. After he saw the Will & Grace pilot 1998, Deamer says he felt "chagred, embarrassed, and vastated" when he realized that the character based on him was picted as "flamboyantly gay, nstantly over the top, promiscuo, and irrponsible.

If Will & Grace were beg st for the first time today, Eric McCormack nces, "I probably wouldn't get anywhere near this role"'s bee McCormack is straight, and this era of diversy and thenticy stg would be a bold, perhaps even foolish, cisn to st anyone but a gay actor a seri that puts the character's sexualy ont and he'd be out of a job this hypothetil scenar, the first "gay" man many middle Amerins weled to their hom is OK wh that. "I thk wasn't a terrible thg 1998 that a straight guy played the role, but I'm glad that tim are changg, and I'm glad that nowadays a Will Tman would probably be st wh someone who is gay, " he says.

"But do that mean that now when you walk to a stg room you have to state whether you are straight or gay?

‘WILL & GRACE’ FANS ARE STILL UNSURE IF ERIC MCCORMACK IS GAY REAL LIFE

"The show has given me a chance to give back, " he says, cg some recent gay-related chary events at which he has appeared.

In 2012, former Vice Print Joe Bin ced the NBC s Will and Grace as a reason for Ameri's "evolvg" attu on homosexualy 2012: "I thk Will and Grace probably did more to te the Amerin public than almost anybody has ever done so far. Broadst televisn the early 2000s was a powerful form of reprentatn wh work UPN and s Ain-Amerin geared programmg, diverse soaps like telenovela adaptatn Ugly Betty, and y, ss like Will and show, starrg a gay man and his straight female roommate, at least partially managed to te straight people on the ia that there's more than one type of gay person—albe rich, whe, affluent on. There was Jack, the flamboyant one most people assumed gay men to be; then there was Eric McCormack's Will Tman, the mundane, everyman that tght straight people their next-door neighbor uld be gay.

Will's portrayal has gone on to be the blueprt for most gay men on televisn sce then, whereas Jack is somehow seen as negative, and regrsive. Was he a gay mstrel show? I've e to realize that Karen Walker was the te gay in of Will & Grace.