Michael Blosil, the 18-year-old son of Marie Osmond who jumped from his Los Angeles apartment to his death in February, was niether gay nor on drugs his mother insists to Oprah. Rather, he “wanted to be married and have a family and travel all over the world.” But what about critics like Roseanne Barr, who called Blosil gay, and who attacked Osmond and the Mormon Church for inflicting such hatred toward homos? “[I]t wouldn’t matter if he was [gay],” says Osmond. “I have a daughter who’s gay.” Indeed, Marie’s daughter Jessica is a married lesbian. But Marie did acknowledge her son began abusing drugs at age 12 and had been to rehab, though she insisted they weren’t involved in his suicide. “My son was clean when he jumped,” she says. “There were no drugs in his system, but I believe that the ramifications of them were there. That was the hard part.”
“I couldn’t get to” the phone when Michael called her the night he died, Marie says, because she was in the middle of a costume change. When she called him back, he didn’t answer. It was too late. “”I know I’ll see him again because of what I believe.”
Keith
Why would you be critical of Marie Osmond? She has been vocally supportive of LGBT people. Mormonism is something else, but not Osmond.
Gregger
I like and respect most of the Osmonds. They are kind and honorable people who respect other people, no matter who or what the people are or are not.
I also hope that you never have to deal with the suicide of someone you love. It’s something you never fully recover from. Marie has done amazingly well.
ewe
I can see she has been able to reflect and i am sure she has changed because of her loss.
ewe
However, Marie Osmond is not and never was a voice for gay rights. Let’s just be astute enough to keep that in mind.
Nathan
Marie Osmond is just like Tommy Lasorda. I’ll acknowledge her grief over her son’s death when she acknowledges his life.
Henry
There are places even this blog should not go. Trying to create controversy with someone’s grief is one of them.
CONVERSATION CHAMBER
It’s been really disgusting how Queerty and a few other gay blogs have been so callous and critical of Marie since her sons suicide. It’s as if because his was a teenage suicide and because Marie is Mormon, automatically you come to this conclusion that he was some tortured closeted gay kid, and she was some evil Mormon mother who drove him to it. Assumptions. Assumptions. Assumptions. You know nothing of the situation.
I also think it’s nuts that in light of Prop 8 and her sons death, Marie has (or is expected) to go out of her way affirm a pro-gay stance on homosexuality, so that cynical gays and their bloggists don’t count her amongst the ‘evil oppressors.’
Leave the woman alone.
j
@Henry: Agreed, it’s sickening.
JoeyO'H
My heart breaks for Marie Osmond. I can’t imagine losing my child before I go. The pain must be inbearable.
However, I get this feeling through the video shown, a vibe from his apperance in Marie’s personal video that suggests to me her son may have been gay. His manner, his speech, facial expressions and several things in the the video crossed my mind while watching the interview yesterday. If he was, and I’m not suggesting he was(if it was fact), it could have been too much for him to bear, with his Mormon upbringing and his mom’s celebrity status. But I don’t know that. But it would not surprise me if her son was a gay man. Does it matter now? No.
Although Marie has never been an advocate for gay rights, she has denounced her church on gays. That says something about Marie. She may not feel that way if she did not have a lesbian daughter. Does not matter. A child taking his/her own life is devasting and the pain must be the most anyone could ever endure.
God bless Marie and her family.
peteNsfo
If her son was gay, he wasn’t yet out… so what would you expect a grieving mother to say?
I’m no fan of Marie Osmond’s, but let her be- all you critics sound bitter & hardened. Try compassion and maybe someone will be kinder to you.
The mention of her gay daughter, in such a nonchalant way, by a member of one of the world’s most prominent Mormon families, will go FAR FURTHER than any issued statement she could have ever made about homosexuals.
ewe
@Henry: I bet you would sweep that pesky AIDS underneath the rug too.
Cam
I’m sorry, but whoring out your memories of your son and going as far as playing a recording of his brothers eulegy just for some TV attention is kind of sickening.
Xtian99
suicide sucks and it is many faceted thing- peace to her in what must be the most difficult personal time of her life… and NOT the time to be publicly be out there doing/saying anything for anyone but her own soul for her own healing.
MickW
This is a new low even for this website!
Kim
This is why so many people hate gays, judgemental self righteous bigots. If Marie was a bigoted Mormon should would have disowned her lesbian daughter.
kevinVancouver
I appreciated the interview for what it is… what struck me the most was the comment she made in reference to her son being gay.. she said no.. he wanted to get married and have children and travel the world… well.. if the U.S wasnt so backwards thinking a person that is gay COULD get married AND have a family..just like str8 folks do..
Mormon or not I do feel for her ….
Ronbo
If you or Marie can prevent anoter mother from suffering the same, would you NOT speak up? Gay or not, the loss must be devastating; we should look to see what can be gained. Denials, enforcing the status quo of Morman hatred and turning a blind eye to a very real problem (that millions of gay Americans and their mothers face) is not a good thing.
It happens to mothers of gay children – every single day. Whether they are already out or not, it seems a shame to waste the opportunity to do good. Sweeping it under the rug only invites insects and pests. Cindy Sheehan is a hero, out of pain.
ewe
@Kim: There are countless bigots who love their own children.