If you’re going to be a closet case then just lie and say you’re straight. It bugs me when they say “why are you asking me if I’m gay? It doesn’t matter.” Well it matters a lot to the fifteen year-old at home who’s going through it. It’s a highly offensive statement and it makes me angry.
I’d love to be a role model for gay men who feel they don’t fit in to what it means to be gay. You don’t need a perfect body and hair and love dance music and go out all night and do drugs. I’m a pretty decent guy. I’m the most level-headed in the band by default because everyone else is fucking insane.”
—Scissor Sisters front man Jake Shears, talking about stars who dodge the issue, in the latest issue of Gay Times. The band’s fourth album, Magic Hour, drops May 29.
fagburn
Umm, the second para is a quote from Babydaddy.
Though I presume he’s bitching Jake.
Delius
Right on, a gay guy who knows that when closeted celebrities like Anderson Cooper, Ryan Seacrest and George Clooney test the waters by hiding in the closet, they reap the rewards of the strides made by gay teenagers who are on the front lines of gay rights.
Really shameful.
Tommy
Yuck! I hate his judgmental attitude. Everyone has the right to decide for themselves how to deal with their sexuality. I don’t like how people are guilt tripped that it’s their fault if teenagers commit suicide or something. Most teenagers don’t even know who the Scissor Sisters are, so Jake isn’t a role model to them. Let everyone live how they want. And then there’s the tiresome calling certain celebrities gay when they really aren’t like George Clooney. He’s not gay, he just doesn’t want to do the traditional marriage and kids thing.
Mark
“You don’t need a perfect body and hair…” bullshit.
Good grief
Yum, he’s a hottie!
Sw4087
Interesting that Jake would say this. Anderson and Jake are friends. I wonder if he and Anderson have talked about him not being out publicly.
Delius
@Sw4087: they are “friends”? they aren’t friends in the traditional sense.
In any event…in any war…the Generals send the little people to die. Just as in the war for gay rights. Anderson Cooper, Clooney, and the rest sit and rake in millions while the ones on the front line (the 16 year olds who are bullied to death), are the ones fighting.
Anderson Cooper is a wimp.
The ratings for his shows are so low, its not like they could lose a large part of his audience if he came out. But, Anderson is content to earn many more millions…as if money from his mother Gloria Vanderbilt is not enough.
Hats off to Jake Spears for telling us what we know, its the young kids who are dying in this war while the rich old fellas like Cooper are waiting in the wings until its safe enough for him to come out.
curt
Wait a minute Jake and Anderson Cooper are good friends so was this a direct shot to him? Anderson is a celeb who when asked point blank if he’s gay or straight and always makes excuses as to not answer the question. Meanwhile has done countless stories on gay teen suicides and has said how brave teens are to admit they are gay.
Ted
“You don’t need a perfect body and hair and love dance music and go out all night and do drugs.” LOL. Actually you do. Otherwise nobody wants anything to do with you. Particularly if you over 25.
M
I agree with him.
RomanHans
@Ted: “Actually you do. Otherwise nobody wants anything to do with you.”
Who’s this “nobody” you’re talking about? I’m sick of people who think homosexuality is something that happens to 20-year-old gym bunnies.
curt
Anderson Cooper and jake shears are good friends, we know AC refuses to admit if he’s gay and straight if anythign he is OPENLY CLOSETED So was this an indirect shot to AC? Will Ac mention anymore of him going to Scissor Sister’s concerts? Is it hypocritcal for Jake critize closet cases when he’s friends with one?
chuckles
How the hell do you expect me to finish reading the damn quote when you put that photo of Mr. Shears right there? He’s my version of perfect.
Greg
@Ted: Ted, it depends who the “nobody” is. If you mean hot young guys then it’s true. But if you’re only looking at them, you’re suffering from the same predudice as they are. You’re ignoring the non-perfect people over 25 as well.
Jchi
@fagburn: Glad you were able to provide that clarification. With Jake standing there half-naked and buff, it didn’t seem like a quote from him.
rrr
@curt: It’s not hypocritical to be friends with someone who does something that you claim “bugs” you. Most people’s friends do something or other that bugs them. If you refuse to have any friends who ever do anything that bugs you then you will be quite a lonely person.
Basch
He says he doesn’t fit into the gay mold that much, and in relating to that “you don’t need the perfect body….love dance music” yet he has a great body and is in a band that is all about dance-ish music. Ok?
mk
@Delius: They are friends in the traditional sense actually. They were friends before Jake was even famous. And the Scissor Sisters gave Anderson a thank you in the liner notes on their second album. They have very different backgrounds and experiences which will naturally inform their decisions, who they can relate to and what personal insights they have to offer. Jake was a lonely, noticeably gay kid in a small, small minded town getting bullied constantly and sometimes entertaining some suicidal thoughts. Anderson Cooper was an old money, private school New York kid with a fashion icon mom and a child modelling career. Of course Jake will relate more to kids who are getting a hard time over their sexuality.
Most of us don’t support the draft when it comes to real wars. People should be allowed to choose how they will contribute to a war effort.
mike128
Yes, it’s amazing that Jake says this when he’s so tight with Anderson Cooper, who is the ultimate example of this kind of hypocrisy.
curt
My point mike. Maybe jake should look into his own inner circle and tell anderson to man the hell up. Stop being pansy about this.
saxo
People become entertainers because they want to do exactly that… entertain! They don’t have to share ANYTHING about their personal lives if they don’t want to. Not everybody is signing up to be a role model. I don’t need ANY celebrity to show me it’s ok to be gay. It’s great if someone wants to come out I just think the pressure the gay community puts on people to come out is getting dangerous.
curt
Anderson wont admit he’s gay because he doesnt want to be publicly allied to the community. It’s a slap in the face to every openly gay person. He has praised openly gay teens but he himself remains silent. Hard to respect him for that.
DouggSeven
@curt: His job takes him to foreign countries where just being gay is punishable by prison or possibly death. It is not wise for his safety to be totally out.
Aaron
I thin it’s important to also remember that if we didn’t live in a homophobic society where many of these people wouldn’t have careers if they were out should foremost be put in the context that it’s the society’s fault foremost. And to be fair, Jake is a lead singer in a fairly obscure disco-pop band. Um. Yeah. It’s not so hard for hit to be out. Good on him. Don’t get me wrong. But it’s ridiculous to compare him to Anderson. And if these people come out and they are rubbished and their careers finished – and they are – what message does that send to kids anyway? The target should always be homophobia. We should let gay people respond across the spectrum of responses. Encourage and reward those who are out. But let’s not rip into those who are not.
Delius
@mk: Just like in real wars the poor minority people are the ones who join the army in hopes of a better future. It’s certainly not rich white boys like Andy Cooper.
I think the draft would be a GREAT thing…that way EVERYONE serves…even rich boys like Andy Cooper.
You see, if everyone had to serve..then there would be less war.
Instead the gay war is being fought on the backs of young gay boys, who don’t have the resources to get out of their situation.
Cam
@DouggSeven: said…
“His job takes him to foreign countries where just being gay is punishable by prison or possibly death. It is not wise for his safety to be totally out.”
_________________________
That is a lie. That was a phony excuse that Kathy Griffin said as a “Maybe” and the Cooper defenders are now trying to pretend that that is the reason because their earlier lie of “He doesn’t want to talk about his personal life” was shown to be a lie by the book he wrote about his life.
Female anchors go to countries where women are just one step above slaves and they don’t dress up as men. So nice try.
curt
I think ac wont come out because he feels its beneath him. He feels his one of these big corp guys and it may hurt his standing. It’s been quoted that he’s told friends he doesnt want to be known as a ‘gay’ anchor. Somehow in his mind he doesnt feel he’ll be treated seriously by coming out. I want to tell the news not be the news. Yet, he’ll take off his shirt. Bring his mom to talk about their lost love ones. Isnt that being part of the story? Another thing even if he did come out what people in third world countries are going google, ‘anderson cooper came out’ That was just a lame excuse. AC doesnt come out because he thinks it’s a liability and he’s above it.
Tonic
I wish we had more guys like Jake Shears and BabyDaddy. It’s truly sad that people SO high on the celebrity pedestal refuse to come out – especially when they have nothing to lose.
Anderson Cooper is LONG overdue to come out and show people that being gay is nothing to be ashamed of.
Dwayne
@cam. Thank you for making that point. I dont respect ac at all for already being born with more them enough money but staying in the closet publicly for his need to be a fame whore. Meanwhile enjoying all the benefits of gay life bc of those that were brave and came out before him. But I did agree with his safety when travelling,, but you just cleared that up with the female issue. Thank you! It’s alway easy to make excuses for someone when you want to see the best in them…. But clearly that’s not the case here.
VelociferoC
@DougSevven Since Anderson lives already in a country where it is for the most part dangerous to come out or travel through – see most Red States – your point is pointless. And I think Anderson has been relegated to “light entertainment” on the “watch paint dry” network.
VelociferoC
As far as Scissor Sisters – very disappointed at their last tour – obvious they were playing to tracks and not everything was live. Wish they’d hire a keyboard player an be a real live band. Also, if you have to strip naked on stage to get the audiences attention Jake, then maybe the show needs work. And feels like you’re trying to upstage Ana. However, kudos that all the band members have a great personal style and are true individuals.
curt
The whole idea idea that he wont come out because of traveling has been debunked. Ask miguel marquez if he cant report in iraq and other middle east and africa. He’s openly gay. Also John Wang who reports all over and is openly gay. Again, that was a lame excuse some people brought without doing research. AC just doesnt want to be a ‘gay’ face in his profession so has allowed ellen, maddow, lemon to just pass him by, while he looks foolish with people outing him everyday and keep asking him, are you gay? And ac’s answer, ‘no comment.’
Francis
No. 9 · Ted
“You don’t need a perfect body and hair and love dance music and go out all night and do drugs.” LOL. Actually you do. Otherwise nobody wants anything to do with you. Particularly if you over 25.
Thanks a lot for fucking nothing, Ted. I’m 57, in great shape, and plenty of gay guys still want plenty to do with me. I still go out dancing all night on occasion, surrounded by hot men of all ages, and there are plenty of young guys that go for middle aged guys, or even plenty of hot middle aged guys who go for each other. I am so sick of age discrimination, from both gay and straight people, I can’t stand it. Your life does not end when you are 40. Stop saying it does. And gay men are not as shallow as you seem to think.
ScaryRussianHeather
“Instead the gay war is being fought on the backs of young gay boys, who don’t have the resources to get out of their situation.”
Exactly. IDK, I’m over all these excuses for adults not coming out. I used to say their lives were at risk but things have changed in the past coupla years. Especially high profile people who INVARIABLY have alot of blah blah blah to say about bullying and “the brave children” who have to put up with crap, be the strong ones and collect a life time of scars…while they aren’t doing a damn thing of personal risk to help them. Oh too damn bad you “might” lose some coin.
And is someone ACTUALLY making a point that AC’s life is in DANGER because of Red States? Let me remind you of the Beltway snipers in the DC area. You can get killed anywhere.
I’m pretty sure that by now Lambert would be dead if that’s true, considering he even comes outside when Westboro assholes are protesting his shows and Lambert fans organize counter protests. I stipulate he pays a bodyguard, true. And so could AC. And he could travel with his crews.
Thomas Roberts on MSNBC has been out as long as NPH. Jonathon Capehart, while not as famous as AC, FINALLY came out last year on MSNBC, casually, as if it was common knowledge (same situation, gay in RL, silent on TV even when covering LGBT issues) and he hasn’t been almost killed and he’s black to boot.
And he could be HELPFUL to the NLGJA an LGBT journalist association…as small as it is. http://www.nlgja.org/awards/hof
If people come out and lose their careers it’ll speed things up, since obviously they can’t ALL be victims of fake firing excuses. And their employers will pay through the nose once the fired person sues them. AND look at all the LGBT people in low paying job taking shi! anyway for just “seeming” gay. Why should he get a pass? While he’s earning a reported 4 Million ANNUALLY! With that money he could have 5 bodyguards 24/7.
OVER IT. You too, Robin Roberts.
Yann
I’m 35. Never had a “perfect” body. Never had “perfect” hair. Never liked dance music or clubs. Did do drugs. Did grow up in the middle of nowhere in France. Using my brains I’ve made it through life so far and I don’t think I ever lacked relationships nor sex, nor have I ever lied about whom I am.
I’m just an average dude who’s never pretended to be someone else. Granted, my irresistible French accent has helped a lot (I’ve lived in various countries for the past 16 years). I have never set foot in a gym. I’m 5’8″, 135 lbs, got green eyes, auburn hair and am fully equipped (no parts removed). I smoke like a firefighter. I’ve got no regards for health except the mental kind. I love mathematics and the Golden Girls. Beethoven and Jane Birkin.
When it comes to being happy (gay or not), there’s as many styles as there are people. I find nothing more repulsive than a guy who looks like 500 others I’ve seen in the past 7 days.
GIVE ME ORIGINALITY OR GIVE ME DEATH !
Bee
I agree with him, I’d rather a celeb flat out lie and say he’s straight than pull the BS “I don’t talk about my personal life” nonsense some people pull.
jason
That photo of Jake looks very photo-shopped and fake.
LadyL
We’re supposed to believe AC’s closetedness is due to personal safety concerns when he reports in countries hostile to LGBT people? What about the LGBT people who LIVE in these places? Mightn’t their plight be helped, even a little bit, by the presence of an out American journalist who after all is only passing through?
J
So celebrities are here to save the world? What about education? What about parents? What working things out on your own,too?
I never felt better about myself as a homosexual because some celebrity is gay.NEVER!
In fact,I felt embarassed by gay celebrities when I was younger : Elton John,George Michael and Boy George.
This thinking by celebrities that it’s their duty to save the world is bullshit.They’re not saints.Most of them are just greedy,vain egomaniacs.
GC
curt: “Another thing even if he did come out what people in third world countries are going google, ‘anderson cooper came out’”
Well, here I am. Waiting.
J: there is such a thing as being in the public eye. They are role models for many people, doesn’t matter if this is what they intended.
homer
No 33
Francis
You are so right. I am 56 and have lotsa fun with guys when I go out.
The key is taking care of urself and staying in shape.