Zach Quinto, Teen Suicide Inspires ABC Newsman Dan Kloeffler To Come Out
We’re usually getting our beauty sleep when ABC’s World News Now airs. But the overnight news series made some news of its own in the wee hours yesterday, when co-anchor Dan Kloeffler came out. And he did it in a really funny, casual way: Reporting on actor Zachary Quinto’s own recent admission he was gay, Kloeffler, 35, joked he would break his rule about dating actors for the Star Trek star.
We’re right there with you, Dan.
In a blogpost on the ABC News site, Kloeffler wrote:
I’ve never shared that I’m gay on-air, even though I’ve been out to my family, friends and co-workers for years. In fact, an old boyfriend – now best friend – has always given me a hard time about not doing so. But for the same reason that Zach decided to come out, I too, no longer wanted to hide this part of my life.
There have been too many tragic endings and too many cases of bullying because of intolerance. As a kid I wanted someone to look up to, someone that could relate to the feelings I was having. Most of all, I wanted to know that it would get better.
And it did.
As a journalist, I don’t want to be the story, but as a gay man I don’t want to stand silent if I can offer some inspiration or encouragement to kids that might be struggling with who they are.
Though the impetus for both men was the ongoing epidemic of gay-teen suicides, it’s wonderful that Quinto’s honesty (and hotness) inspired Kloeffler to share his truth. And that Kloeffer realizes acknowledging your full self doesn’t compromise a reporter’s ability to report the news objectively.
We wonder who will be inspired by Kloeffler’s coming out. Anybody going to watch Anderson today? No special reason—we’re just asking.
Source: Gawker.com. Image via ABC
Actually, I would argue Thomas Roberts led the way for Don Lemon and Dan Kloeffler to come out and lead authentic lives.
As for Gloria Vanderbilt’s son, Anderson Cooper, he continues to maintain the charade and seems to enjoy being the butt of many online jokes.
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@Drew: Shut up, you sour cunt. Not everything in this world is for you to whine about. Instead of cynically patronizing people that want to come out of the closet because you see it as fame-whoring, maybe try to look at the bright side; some people actually care about what happens in the world and realize that their influence could change things for the better. Hell, when I was a kid, I sure wish I’d had a publicly out male figure to look up to, just like all the straight kiddies had Brad Pitt, Jason Statham, Gerard Butler… Let’s hope this is the nudge that will push some powerhouses in Hollywood to stop cowering under the very dated notion that their sexuality makes any difference in how many people want to see their movies or buy their music…
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The more people who come out the better, for most of us it has little effect on anyone not in our family/social circle. when highly visable people come out it has a effect, not only providing a person for gay teens to look up to but give a face to the people who dont think they know anyone who is gay. all of a sudden they say i dont care if he/she is gay i like them. it makes a difference
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Honestly, it’s unnecessary for a news anchor to “come out” unless he’s in the public eye in other scenarios, which I don’t think this one is. It’s fine for him to make a joke or two about guys, like other straight news anchors make about the opposite sex, but the news room is no place to discuss personal opinions, gay or straight.
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NewsBusters: ‘Spock’ Coming Out Inspires ABC Anchor to Say He’s Gay
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/t.....ay-hes-gay
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@Zen: said…
“Honestly, it’s unnecessary for a news anchor to “come out” unless he’s in the public eye in other scenarios, which I don’t think this one is. It’s fine for him to make a joke or two about guys, like other straight news anchors make about the opposite sex, but the news room is no place to discuss personal opinions, gay or straight.”
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Every other news anchor I have seen at one time or another will mention their husband, their wife, their kids, etc…. But apparently you feel the gay ones shouldn’t do this.
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@Cam: I just said it’s fine for them to make a joke about whichever sex they are attracted to or something like that, so going along with that a brief mention of their husband, wife or whatever is fine. I said opinions shouldn’t be a part of a newsroom, not a mention of a husband. Is saying “My husband blahbalhblah” an opinion? No. And I mean it’s unnecessary for a news anchor to come out in a way that is a public declaration like when a big celebrity does so, not how this guy casually did it.
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GAYING IT FORWARD!!!
My gaydar always bleeped when I saw Dan Kloeffner on TV. YAY! Zachary Quinto comes out, Dan Kloeffner comes out and so on, and so on …..
Yes, Anderson Cooper next???
http://www.digitallyqueer.blogspot.com
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Now I remember why I stopped coming to this site. A bunch of bitches. What have any of YOU done for anyone one else besides yourselves lately? now, look within and find out why you need to criticize a news anchor making a comment on an entertainment piece. Jealousy? Perhaps you live your life passing when you can? To your ashamed mother or the masculine boss at the bar, an apologetic denier? Is THIS how it gets better? What a joke.
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Excellent! Let’s hope these comings out turn into a tidal wave of coming out.