If there’s one person we love, it’s that adorable scamp Rupert Everett. Sure, he may have a reputation for being a bit of a diva, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t got some valid points to make, so we’re thrilled to itty-bits that Out Magazine‘s taken some time to sit down with the gay actor to chat about his new memoir, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins.
Sitting down with fellow Brit and Out EIC, Aaron Hicklin, Everett chats about his new book, growing up gay and the state of the gay celebrity nation. While he laments the dearth of out gay celebrities – a shortage that’s particularly irksome when straight actors land the choice gay roles – Everett’s not looking to be the go-to gay in the celebrity village.
Sitting down for some sushi, Everett waxes philosophical on the double-edged sword of being both out and famous:
If you were trying to promote yourself as Anderson Cooper, are you gay first and foremost, or are you Anderson Cooper? If he does agree to talk about it, well then you can’t talk about anything else, and no one WANTS to talk about anything else, which is understandable. They’ve got someone prepared to talk about it, so they’re like little kids–every journalist just wanting to know more and more and more, and as you’re talking about it you’re draining everyone of interest in you. Then people start thinking, ‘Oh, my god, he’s such a bore–I wish he’d shut up about being fucking gay, these fucking fags.’ And then you trigger another phobia, which is this impression that gay men and lesbians never stop going on about it.
…Being gay is not an identity, that’s the bottom line. It’s a sideline. But through nobody’s fault and everybody’s fault it’s become a subject for identity…
Certainly identity politics have largely gone the way of the do-do and Everett makes an interesting point. It’s hardly possible to mention him, Ian McKellan or the newly outed TR Knight without referencing their sexual proclivity. They and the other few out actors have become Hollywood’s homo voice, thus obscuring their other personal qualities.
While Everett (pictured above by Louis Decamps) wonders about the potentially negative side effects of coming out, columnist Josh Kilmer Purcell uses his monthly wordage to take on the dangers of sexual speculation. He writes:
It’s not the occasional watercooler gossip about “who is and who isn’t” that’s harmful to everyone involved: the fan, the closeted celeb, the gay community at large. It’s the obsessive, ego-driven compulsion that winds up frightening closeted celebs into hiding. If I were Clay or Anderson contemplating whether to come out, I’d be less afraid for my career than for my life. And their resulting silence robs young gay teens of gay role models. Thus continues the cycle of self-loathing among us.
Certainly an interesting take. Although, one must also consider (again) TR Knight and Neil Patrick Harris: both men responded to conjecture by coming clean. And, it seems to us, they’re in a more powerful position than some of the less courageous folk hiding in the shadows.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Of course, taken with Everett’s comments, one must take into account that once a celebrity comes out, they’re out forever. They’re forever the gay actor, journalist, singer etc. Whether that’s good or bad…well, we’ll leave that for you kids to debate.
In addition to these boffo pieces, the kids have a little sit down with Factory Girl‘s Andy Warhol, Guy Pearce, an Academy Awards-related rant from Dale Peck, an article on Kevin Sessums’ new memoir, Mississippi Sissy and a superb soccor-themed photo shoot courtesy Francois Rousseau: the photographer whose work on the 2004 Dieux Du Stade helped launch a thousand masturbatory fantasies. Judging from the samples below, this issue contains a few of its own.
Neil Grieves
OUT is a piece of shit run by metrosexuals who suck dick on Saturdays and eat pussy Mon-Fri.
GENRE Magazine is the only mag for fags!
VOTE FOR ME FOR MAN OF THE YEAR:
Don’t be a jealous bitch!
http://www.genremagazine.com/Genremen/vote.cfm?genreman_id=86
hey since I argue with you losers all the time...
You’ve given me a great idea for a paper topic, so here it is…enjoy, you have my undivided attention. This will definitely be revised, but if any of you Clay-mates are reading this, and civil people who think Clay Aiken is gay, let me know what you think…Thanks for the idea on a paper topic for my magazine writing class 🙂
What are Celebrities Really Famous for?
Whenever people talk about certain celebrities, what do they discuss? Is it about their latest hit song, Block Buster movie, how gorgeous they are, or is it about their personal lives regarding their sexualities and public indecencies? What should truly matter are the talents (or lack there of) that celebrities have become famous for in the first place. This, however, is often overlooked and what seems to be in E-news lately is not about what they’re good at, but debates about celebrities’ sexualities and public indecencies.
Perez Hilton, real name Mario Lavandeira, is an openly gay man who basically “stalks†every celebrity he can. He then publishes any kind of story about them on this own blog with stolen photos (which he is currently in a $7.5 million lawsuit for) or photos of his own. His pen name is dedicated to his role model non other than the heiress, Paris Hilton.
As a constant site-reader and message board user on PerezHilton.com, Hollywood’s most-hated website and Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) myself, the topics at hand are mainly about the celebrities’ personal lives and public indecencies rather than the talents (or lack there of ) that they have.
Hilton has created a mission in which he feels the need to “out†people who he thinks are “closeted gay men or women†in the celebrity world. He is credited for outing N’Sync singer, Lance Bass, as a gay man. Forcing celebrities to “come out of the closet†puts people in humiliating and uncomfortable situations. Many use the excuse that these people are celebrities so their lives are never private.
Through personal experience and encounters with Internet trolls, very few people are accepting of the gay community with their endless homophobic remarks, at least in the online world. It is ironic how these trolls wonder why “closeted celebrities†will not ever come out.
After Lance Bass was finally outed, a new term was made. “Lancing,†meaning the same thing as “outing†is used to out gay, lesbian or bisexual celebrities. Bass’ fans still support him with his decision. However, while he was dating Amazing Race winner Reicthen Lehmkuhl, an openly gay man, Bass and significant other received hate mails from the KKK threatening them if they didn’t kill themselves, they would be killed. This was all over the news when Bass came out in July 2006.
Clay Aiken, American Idol’s runner-up from 2003, appears to fascinate Hilton and company more than any other celebrity in existence. People have debated about Aiken’s sexuality ever since he appeared on A.I. When he was first asked if he was gay, Aiken answered with a “no.†The general public, however, thinks he is a “closet case,†like Bass was. The media keeps hounding him day in and day out on whether or not he is gay because they will not accept Aiken’s answer only because he “acts†and “talks†like a stereotypical gay man.
Hilton and his gay pal at queerty.com, John Paulus have created numerous gay sex scandals on their own to call their stories “proof†in outing Mr. Aiken. The public believes these stories, even as ludicrous as they sound because they are all so wrapped up in the idea that Aiken may be a homosexual who is still in question to this very day.
While some people are not exactly fans of Mr. Aiken, meaning they don’t listen to his music, they do support him fully with whatever decision he decides to make about his sexuality, which is what the Internet trolls seem to not get.
Aiken is a brilliant man because he has not once caved into outing himself with all these rumors and lies going around by these tabloids and “bull sh it journalists,†quoting him from Clayonline.com. His fans known as Claymates know that none of these absurd stories are true. He has been ridiculed from the very beginning and has not allowed the negative pressure of society to ruin what he has for his singing career. I applaud Aiken for making people wonder about his sexual orientation for so long and for still keeping a positive outlook on life by ignoring these “Clay-haters”.
about not accepting gays
Since we’re rehashing the same old things over and over, I give you Lance Bass as an example when it comes to not being accepted as a gay man. True his fans have accepted him, but Bass and significant other at the time were even threatened to be killed by you gay-haters.
If Clay is indeed gay, he’s probably taken that to account. And even if he did finally come out, I doubt you people will EVER stop talking about it, at the rate you all are going.
maybe this will finally reach you
how much time are these people gonna waste honestly. CLAY IS NOT GAY. He just had a different lifestyle (NOT REGARDING TO HOMOSEXUALITY) and was raised by women. what’s NOT to get. give it the f uck up and stop tagging him in your stupid gay posts.
naturally if a man was raised by all women and an abusive father, of course he’s gonna have some efeminite qualities. stop posting gay topics. you’re getting yourselves nowhere.
honestly, do you mean to tell me that a man’s gonna turn out macho if he was raised by all women and an abusive father? PLEASE!
get a reality check, it doesn’t happen often.
Paul Raposo
So, OUT magazine will TALK to Rupert Everette, but they won’t put him on the cover of their magazine, in favour of a het?
Although I do disagree with Rupert; being gay is an identity, not a sideline. The fact that he himself never “shuts up” about his sexuality, belies his opinion.
jesse joe
clay aiken is gay i know for sure he sent pics and wanted to bed me on a gay manhunt site wanted me to plow his ass cause was also a x green beret
jesse joe
he told me he was a bottom and wanted me to plow his ass when he came to nyc
jesse joe is immature
You clay-haters are so immature it’s so funny. Just stop it already, other people have already typed what you’ve typed. You’re just rehashing the same old shit over and over again.
it's so obvious
that’s why people never take you clay-haters seriously when you publish ur “bullshit news” in outing aiken. ya’ll are a hoot.
u may think that claymates are immature, but you’re the one that’s talkin’ shit first and we just respond/laugh at what you ppl have to say.
jessejoe
not a clay hater just want his ass while he sings to me ill oblige him and fuck the hell out of his ass ill make sure he hits all the high notes lol
to jessejoe
you”re just one messed up dude, that’s all there is on that.
jessejoe
all u guys r the ones that r messed up cause u fail to accept clay is gay and sucks dick and likes getting fucked saying that hes a good singer with loads of talent so u assholes try seperating the 2..jj
no jessejoe, YOU'RE MESSED UP
I’m sorry Jessejoe, but you’re the one that’s still messed up because obviously you can’t accept the FACT that Clay is NOT gay. He has stated this several times and will no longer talk about it. The last time he was asked if he was gay and actually answered, he said NO! Deal with it dipshit. Damn, Clay knows you all still thinks he’s gay that’s why he never answers with anything anymore and avoids the question.
I’m sorry, but you really need to accept the fact that Clay isn’t gay, no matter how he acts that begs to differ.
You need a reality check, big time!
oh jessejoe
jessejoe, seriously dude, you’re not very believable. clay would never ask you to fuck him, he’s a top.
"oh jessejoe" how do you know that?
did you try to fuck clay yourself, how do you know he likes men? oh that’s right…you don’t know! you just assume so like the rest of your homophobic pro-gayken preaching club.
you’re just another one of those crazy obsessed freaks who if i come back here 10 years from now, will still be ranting about how gay clay is, lmfao. i wouldn’t doubt it.
jesse joe
ur minds r all blinded clay is a bottom face the facts asked me to fuck his arse hes interested only cause he knows i am an x green beret.. can show u his pics and e-mails he sent even have his e=mail addy where he told me as soon as he hits nyc his arse belongs to me. so gents the proof pics messages r all here for u to c and read.. i understand how u feel about clay but ur in denial about clays sexuality i’m not
ladidah jessejoe says
most sane people don’t care if clay is or isn’t gay. it’s his decision whoever he decides he wants to love. i wish you people would live in his shoes for so long just to see how it feels on what you’re doing and all the ignorant things you’re saying about him. too bad there isn’t a way to switch places with anyone.
i hope karma bites you in the ass and hard one day. then you’ll see what kind of person you really are.