Coincidence or what? Gay and lesbian actors on TV

[waichingliu81]

after the recent news that david hyde pierce aka dr niles crane of frasier has come out of the closet, i was wondering therefore, how come that there are more gay and lesbian actors and actresses applying their trade in TV. i'm not just referring to sitcoms and dramadies, but also dramas as well.

malcolm gets, dan butler, rosie o' donnell, portia de rossi, TR knight, amanda bearse, neil patrick harris to name but many have all established themselves successfully on US mainstream TV, and they are all gay/lesbian.

i don't know about you but it seems to me that it is considered by certain people that outing themselves as gay/lesbian is more of an acceptable thing in the US TV industry, as opposed to the hollywood movie industry. besides, you don't read or see of stars such as nicole kidman, jessica alba, tom cruise, tom hanks- of whom are either married or have a boyfriend/girlfriend- admit their sexuality. very rarely do we have a-list/superstar gay/lesbian film actors/actresses.

Ellen was the first real US sitcom where the lead character played by ellen degeneres came out, just as she did in real life; will and grace was a massive, global hit- the plot of a gay guy and his straight female friend struck a chord with audiences. however, the actor who played will truman-canadian eric mccormack- was and is straight. and yet, would the show have still attracted mainstream audiences in the US, UK and elsewhere, HAD the role of that character been played by an openly gay actor?

also, the mainstream film industry's perception, as well as treatment of gay themes, characters, storylines and homosexual actors and actresses tend to be either shunned or ridiculed.

i am not a lesbian; however it does strike me that a considerable majority of gay/lesbian actors and actresses are from America's TV world.

[bencasey]

At least half of Hollywood is gay, if not more. When people like Travolta, Spacey, Cruise and others have multi-million dollar careers to protect, it surely must outweigh them being true to their sexuality. Personally, let them stay in the closet. I don't need to know about Jodie Foster's girlfriends or who has a beard for a spouse. This has been going on for a hundred years since the dawn of the motion picture industry. Acting draws the homosexual crowd. It will always be that way. I don't know too many straights who feel joy at pretending to be different characters. I'm sure there are some but far more homos enjoy it.

[coffield3]

Actors are actors they pick a role for many reasons.Just because an actor is playing a gay part in a sitcom or movie it does not mean they are gay its called acting.

[MikeLutton]

i didnt know tom cruise tom hangs was the like that

[coffield3]

Originally Posted by MikeL

i didnt know tom cruise tom hangs was the like that

HUH?

[MikeLutton]

i saw tom cruise n tom hanks metioned in her list.i didnt know they was gay or hope they aint they great actors guess or mabye i misread

[MikeLutton]

and whos jessica albia? i know nicole kidman is married.and david hyde pierce came out of closet recentley i also heard rumors about carmen electria i hope arent true

[waichingliu81]

i just went on youtube and watched a clip on a so-called show about the sitcom Caroline in the city and when it jumped the shark, and the guy who was narrating it made a huge fuss, in that one of the male actors (malcolm gets), who is gay in real life, was playing a straight character and i thought WTF? since when has someone's sexual orientation led to the demise of a sitcom? the reason caroline in the city was axed was because of the deteriorating storylines and standard of writing of the last season of that show. not because the actor came out of the closet. i was so angry but then again the guy was talking ****

gay or straight, it's their acting abilities that should be under observation- not their sexual preference. it is pathetic the idea that people's personal lives and who they sleep with should impact or influence one's views on the show. it's obvious the guy who hated CITC had to bring up the fact that malcolm gets was and is gay. what a ********

[TripperFan]

This is nothing new (other than publicly coming "out'). For whatever reason, many gays are highly artistic - either in fine arts (painting, sculpting, etc.), music or as actors. As one poster said, easily 50% of any acting community is gay - that includes television, movies and the stage. Look at how many British stage actors have been gay.

For some reason, the North American public will accept a gay actor on television and on the stage, but it still seems somewhat "taboo" for a leading actor in the movies to be openly gay.

Frankly, I don't believe the rumours about Tom Cruise and Richard Gere, but even if they were true, it wouldn't bother me still thinking of them as a "leading love interest" in a hetro relationship. Actors are actors, whether they play a gay or straight character and what their own sexuality is shouldn't play a part one way or another. I find it unfortunate that movie actors feel they still have to be "closeted". Definitely it would have been a huge "scandal" had we found out Rock Hudson and Errol Flynn were gay. Back then, studios even arrange marriages to hide.

It's not a case of more gays becoming actors, just more are willing to come out or are being forced out by trashy journalists.

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by TripperFan

This is nothing new (other than publicly coming "out'). For whatever reason, many gays are highly artistic - either in fine arts (painting, sculpting, etc.), music or as actors. As one poster said, easily 50% of any acting community is gay - that includes television, movies and the stage. Look at how many British stage actors have been gay.

For some reason, the North American public will accept a gay actor on television and on the stage, but it still seems somewhat "taboo" for a leading actor in the movies to be openly gay.

Frankly, I don't believe the rumours about Tom Cruise and Richard Gere, but even if they were true, it wouldn't bother me still thinking of them as a "leading love interest" in a hetro relationship. Actors are actors, whether they play a gay or straight character and what their own sexuality is shouldn't play a part one way or another. I find it unfortunate that movie actors feel they still have to be "closeted". Definitely it would have been a huge "scandal" had we found out Rock Hudson and Errol Flynn were gay. Back then, studios even arrange marriages to hide.

It's not a case of more gays becoming actors, just more are willing to come out or are being forced out by trashy journalists.

not just north americans but in the West as a whole, people are more accepting of homosexual characters, particuarly if they are played by hetrosexual actors, in a sitcom or whatever, as opposed to if they were played by real-life gay/lesbian actors/actresses. i'm not saying this is a good thing because it is not- and yet it seems that in an industry that growing by the second and is as different and as more high profiled than ever before, applying a trade as an actor/actress, singer, musician, as well as being gay/lesbian, is regarded as being one of the very few, where they can get away with it, without the fear of provocation and bigotry levelled against them.

and i very much agree with you- although he/she eventually admit their sexuality, it is as a result of constant media speculation and on going rumours that they end up 'outing' themselves. the press's conduct is no doubt despicable and evil, as they try to dig and flesh out their personal lives and report all. they don't really care about those they hurt or whose lives they seek to destroy- all they care about is lining up their pockets with money. besides, how many gay/lesbian journalists are there in print and broadcast news, around the world? the answer: not that many

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by TripperFan

Definitely it would have been a huge "scandal" had we found out Rock Hudson and Errol Flynn were gay. .

Actually Cathie, Errol Flynn wasnt gay, his "secret" was that he dated 15 year old girls, well into his 50s! ( Shhhh, don't tell anyone )

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by Mikado

Actually Cathie, Errol Flynn wasnt gay, his "secret" was that he dated 15 year old girls, well into his 50s! ( Shhhh, don't tell anyone )

I know about that, but didn't he also do guys - sorry I knew he wasn't fully gay, but I think he was bi. Certainly had no limits as he was into young girls (but again, a young girl can be like a young boy....)

O.k. - this is getting sick! :lol

Good to see you back Michel!

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by TripperFan

I know about that, but didn't he also do guys - sorry I knew he wasn't fully gay, but I think he was bi. Certainly had no limits as he was into young girls (but again, a young girl can be like a young boy....)

O.k. - this is getting sick! :lol

Good to see you back Michel!

[GoldenGirlsFan92]

David Hyde Pierce is Gay? When did he "Come Out"? Also the only lesbian actress I can think who had a sitcom was Ellen Degeneres.

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by GoldenGirlsFan92

David Hyde Pierce is Gay? When did he "Come Out"? Also the only lesbian actress I can think who had a sitcom was Ellen Degeneres.

well in truth he was in a long standing relationship with his partner years ago, but he only made it public about 2 weeks ago. there were rumours circulating that laurie metcalf who played jackie in Roseanne is a lesbian in real life, but that turned out to be false. as for women actresses who are lesbians, amanda bearse who played marcy in married with children is one of the very few of them, as well as one of the desperate housewives actresses, i think, but i cannot remember her name