Frankie Grande has opened up about how he believes his appearance on Big Brother changed the world for the better by offering people a “different concept” of what it means to be gay.
Speaking to the podcast Behind The Velvet Rope, Grande said, prior to casting him on the hit reality show, CBS always cast the same type of “meek” and “conniving” gay men.
“Big Brother has done a very good job of casting a very certain type of homosexual on that show every single season,” he said. “They’re the meek, conniving, kind of backseat, like scheme-y gay and they want that.”
The 38-year-old, who appeared on Season 16 of the show in 2014, where he finished fifth out of 16, went on to say that he “truly” believes the only reason he got the gig was because producers “couldn’t deny” that he brought “a certain level of fame” to the show.
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“They were so obsessed with the fact that they were going to get a YouTuber and a personality on their show for the very first time. I was the first influencer to ever be on Big Brother. They kind of let the fact that I wasn’t that type of gay go.”
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Grande added that most of the gay men cast on the show in the past were not “beast players” like him.
“I was more of a like comp beast player, like in your face, like try to beat me, like, come on, try to beat me. Like if you were going to beat me, then you have to put your money where your mouth is kind of kind of person.”
He added, “It wasn’t the strategy that was employed by other gay people prior to me, which was interesting.”
Grande went on to say that, after appearing on the the show, people from all over the world have reached out to applaud him for “[giving] the world such a different concept of what a gay man was.”
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Explained Grande, “Many people around the world were telling me, like, ‘wow, we didn’t know gay men could be like you. We didn’t know gay men were competition beasts. We didn’t know that they were aggressive, that they could stand up for themselves in situations and not just cower.'”
He also said that people continue to approach him to say that how his appearance on Big Brother changed their lives and their relationships with their families.
“I just kind of showed the world a whole different side of the homosexual Kinsey scale. People were so receptive,” he said. “People come up to me and they’re like, you know, my family accepted me as gay when I came out to them because they saw you on Big Brother. And I was, like, that’s unbelievable.”
Listen to the full episode below.
QJ201
Who?
no honey, you just represented a different set of stereotypes.
ardeshmole
Miss thing is a sad excuse to gay people. I cringe at the thought of him. He is too old to play the silly little twink he acts like a 12 year girl at her first sleepover
squinney7007
Who would he be without his sister? Just another silly queen in W Hollywood?
CityguyUSA
ditto
Rayoflight1975
Exactly. Plus like others have said – he would be nowhere without his sister. Sit down girl
lord.krath
^^
Not sure who this guy is, but the real competitors and the real aggressive ones are those that fought for our civil liberties and dignity we are starting to enjoy.
I don’t have issues with ANY GAY STEREOTYPE. I really don’t. I think stereotypes are a thing. For sure.
But what is troubling to me is when one stereotype tries to exert their superiority over another.
So basically any gay on gay bashing whether subtle or obvious.
This man’s comments didn’t do our community any service and certainly didn’t reflect well in his character or remove him from a subset of gay stereotypes.
bud278
@squinney7007 : He actually worked on Broadway as a singer/dancer before Ariana hit it big so he’s not untalented.
Calin
Poor thing, what ever you say!!!LOL
dinard38
LOL!!!!!!
MissTerri
Who cares about his Embarassing Queen!! NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fahd
I wish he had said more about the whole Zach Rance thing and how that worked into his innovative approach.
1898
i wonder if he’s sore from patting himself on the back so much
dinard38
LOL!!!!
BaltoSteve
Child, please! And in a related story, Mr. Grande was admitted to Cedars-Sinai after massively twisting his back out of shape by kissing his own ass!
wiggie
oh honey….no
TomG
Apparently he is all into himself, not to mention full of it too !
sicil1
Is “repulsive” a concept?
Mack
He just reinforced what most people thinks gays are. Most are nothing like him.
stevieboy3362
Ick. Yuck. Ew. Gross.
ShiningSex
He gave us what gay isn’t. That is tacky.
I don’t give a shit if someone is effeminate or more “butch”, but girl he’s just tacky.
Terrycloth
There’s gay. Then there’s a queen. Nothing worse than.a narracisstic queen…you’re pathetic
jaimedance3
Pleaseeeeee that’s all they know how to do is type cast gays on TV. He’s your typical fag they always cast on TV and it pisses me off because there are so many others like me that don’t act that way.
shanfrina
… ExACTly!?! WHO?!?
mailliw110
That’s what I say about 90% of the people Queerty put on here. I sometimes wonder if I should know these guys!
barryaksarben
We dont need you trying to represent gay men. Go away and quit riding on your sisters coattails. You are pathetic
butchqueen
Bitch, please! You are not special! I hope you choke on glitter!!!
Kangol2
You do you, Frankie Grande! Whether a legend in your own mind or time, you do follow your own beat.
Donston
I knew most of the comments would be bitchy and dragging him. Are we talking about delusions of grandeur and overestimating your impact? Definitely. But aye, if that’s how you feel. He ain’t harming anyone or putting out hate.
Kangol2
@Donston, Graham knew what he was doing with this post. How do you get responses and page clicks on this site? Post a piece like this. So many of these responses are over the top (talk about fragiity), but an out, flamboyant, effeminate gay man really seems to set a certain subset of gay men off, and Frankie falls into that category. Yes he’s a bit grandiloquent about his significance, but he wouldn’t be the only one. I’ll say it again, he doesn’t try to follow anyone else’s ideas of who or what he should be, which is at least worth some applause (and I don’t mean clapbacks).
Seth
If by “different kind of gay” he means the kind that makes me wish I was heterosexual then, yes, he’s certainly different.
His being gay isn’t the issue, his being a self-deluded media whore, oops, I mean “influencer,” is.
edsearl
She did not represent me.
MISTERJETT
no, i think he pretty much fits the stereotype that people have of gay men. but you just be you, Frankie.
Godabed
um what? aren’t you Italian but you have people pronouncing your name like it Latin, miss? You represent your self and are lucky you have a famous sister. You’re the Italian Ray J to your Sister’s Brandy.
Buddy F
Look… there’s room at the table for everyone no matter what. Frankie isn’t the best role model and if he thinks he’s a role model for of all things like being on a reality show as bad as Big Brother he needs to talk to folks outside his bubble. What has he done? Play into some sort of back stabbing made for tv game show? How the F**k is that a role model? His sister is successful and famous in her life. Congratulations to her. She’s worked hard and had a lot of good people helping her build her career and brand. I know she thanks her mother for that too. But Frankie’s “career” of being loud, border line obnoxious, a bit of a cartoon character as a stereotypic gay twink… Sorry Frankie but the tv persona isn’t role model material. It’s playing into bad tv. You’re getting older Frankie time to focus on growing into becoming a better man than an aging twink lost looking for a bar or an after party. It’s hard but I know you can do it, we all have to grow up and be better as we age. Good luck.
MrMichaelJ
Give me a break. Big Brother, and just about every American media outlet, makes sure to have just about every heterosexual be ripped, good looking and very sexually appealing but always makes sure the gay guy is as far removed from that as possible.
Mister P
OMG he ruined my adulthood with his flamboyant gay character. ??
Tx7791
Lmao…no way sir.
missvamp
he makes queer people look bad- so bad!! i couldn’t stand him on BB. he was obnoxious af! i can’t stand his sister either. ugh
dinard38
People don’t seem to realize that Arianna is just the female version of Frankie. She’s a bit full of herself as well.
Mr. Stadnick
What exactly was the point of this “story”? I have to say I have seen this guy once and found him to be just horrendous. He seems to think a lot of himself. I think he has made himself look even more annoying. Dude get a grip.
Jack Meoff
Why is he still banging on about something that aired 7 years ago? Can’t be to much else happening in his life these days.
Sqwoah
Giving Frankie Grande the attention he so flagrantly seeks is doing a disservice to the rest of us gays. Find a better example of a gay person to give a spotlight to.
Doug
What is this guy actually known for, other than his sister?
Gay Thomas
Influencer? Who tf does she influence? Malignant narcissist who absolutely nobody would have heard of if not for his famous sister.
Fname Optional Lname
I think he’s confused. He was receiving fanfare from when he was on drag race when the queens on the show commented that whoever is assigned to “drag up” Frankie will not have to put in that much work! He was as close to being a drag queen as you can get without sporting three pairs of stoned tights and tuck that would make Farrah Moan.
johnnymcmxxx
Not only is he extremely annoying, he’s creepy. Very creepy.
EZinHTown
Never heard of him before the show and never would had he not been on. He gave us the stereotypical gay male, thanks for nothing Frankie
Toofie
Lol, all of these comments! Don’t care about him one way or the other. But he placed 5th on Big Brother 7 years ago. He wasn’t a national phenomenon. The show just wasn’t/isn’t that popular.
ShowMeGuy
Oh Frankie, darling….. you are the textbook, standard issue, STEREOTYPE of a homosexual.
ScottOnEarth
Wow, the level of ridiculous hate on this comment thread is remarkable. Gay men have to deal with enough hatred, rejection, ridicule and persecution from the outside world. We do not need it amongst ourselves, people. Even if you don’t like Frankie, how about appreciating the fact that he is open, out and very confident? That only sends a positive message to the world. I’m not even a fan of his or his sister’s but the petty, hateful comments here are a reflection of you sad people…while Frankie is out there living his best life.
Leash
Once I saw the title and 40+ comments below I knew the gays were shredding him to pieces in here 😀 so predictable!
mailliw110
As I say to my Republican “friends”…Isn’t free speech wonderful?
CMarks
Be assured that Frankie doesn’t care WHAT people think of him. He only cares THAT people think of him. As long as people are talking about him he considers himself relevant and that’s what is most important to him.
Leash
and with 73?! comments (mostly of people expressing how they don’t like or care about him) we will surely get more Frankie content on here in the future! 😉
southernway
Nothing new my dear, basic at best- although getting on big brother was the best you could do and it show, but keep trying.
Mostlikelytobedownvoted
Who?
MusicBoi74
Talk about “a legend in his own mind” and “has been that never was.” “Like totally, I am like the best, and like people always say to me, like you are so special, like you totally made the show, like wow!” It’s a shame that a 30 something year old still talks like a teenie bopper. Grow up and get a life, queen!
Cozmo2
He’s delusional
LumpyPillows
Ah, all the needy, attention-whores powered by all the “social” media outlets… While I find him essentially harmless, he is, like most of them, irritatingly self-obsessed.
HankHarris
Sad when you have a really talented sibling like Ari….
SELA Rising
at first read i was like “you are the exact stereotype of a gay man”. Then I read that he was talking about challenges and winning specific competitions. I wish someone would have provided examples of OTHER gay BB players to see how he really stacks up amongst the queer folk. Till then it sounds like a lot of self agGRANDizing. This dizzy ol queen can disappear.
Terrycloth
If they make another gay movie part 3 I can see him having a role in that. Mean a small one
xanadude
Exactly the opposite, Frankie. You gave every gay-hater exactly what they hate. I am so tired of the tired stereotype on any TV show, especially “reality” TV.
CMarks
Totally shocked that when you Google “gay stereotypes” Frankie’s picture isn’t the first result. Hate to break it to the man child but his antics and behavior are everything gays have tried to live down for more then 50 years. If it wasn’t for the fame of his sister Frankie would be nothing more then a faint memory for the most hardcore fans of “Big Brother”.
fishpaw13
As they say in the South, “bless his heart!”
UCLADave
Oh please girl yeah you represented a certain type of stereotype on big brother what everybody in middle America thinks of gay men …effeminate flamboyant you narcissistic egoistic queen go away you’re 15 minutes are over
SFMike
Just another delusional media whore.
baggins435
So, he thought he wasn’t playing the typical “reality show” homosexual? Bless his bleached, waxed, glittered, make-up wearing, past the sale by date twink wannabe heart. His 15 minutes were up looong ago. Those shows are cast just like any TV show or movie, with every intention of the characters playing their part and he played the token gay to a tee. Here’s a thought…when you are old enough to have an adult son, you are way past being a twink. I know guys your age who are grandfathers. Grow up.
ricdardc1
Queer-ella de Villa Grande, a Tired Self Absorbed ex- Drug-Twankie. Miss Thang. You Need a Break and just Go Away. No one would know who you were if not for your Also Tired Sis. Blahhh !!!
Sqwoah
Dear Queerty,
Can you please replace all of the shirtless pics of Frankie Grande attached to this article with pics of him with a shirt on? Or better yet, maybe you could find some pics of him with his back to the camera, so we don’t have to actually look at his face?
Thank you!
nedxxx
Self-aGrande-izing!! Delusional!
No, you’re exactly the type of gay they have on all cbs shows (exc Survivor).
Now, if you were a muscle-y, athletic guy with a deeper voice who hated Britney and glitter, now THAT would be different.
BTW, your 15 minutes are up.
Normalbear
This young man obviously needs help. I hope he receives, and benefits from, the assistance and support he so clearly needs to develop a positive self concept and a greater level of maturity
RyanMBecker
I’ve never watched the show and I’ve never seen anything he’s done. All I know is that he’s the brother of Ariana Grande (who I think is talentless), and was involved in some attention-seeking throuple with a doctor and lawyer. As for the show, if I remember correctly, wasn’t the attention focused on the straight dude he was crushing on, and not on him? I remember people saying how progressive the straight dude was.
Grande calls himself an influencer. Can someone tell me who he influences, and what his qualifications/skills/talents are? And why he’s a good role model?
edensasp
Skittles and peppermint schnapps nauseous aftermath, gut-wrenching & toxic….
Luxury
All this cattiness and venom under this post… talk about perpetuating Gay (male) stereotypes.
Dymension
What, a flaming queen?
DarkZephyr
Its so refreshing to read such positive and supportive comments from gay men about their brother gay man. <~~Sarcasm
Jesus Christ, leave him alone. He lives his life in a way that makes him happy and he isn't hurting a damn soul.