Heterosexual actors don't have to look for places to say they are straight. They simply discuss their relationships openly the way most human beings do. You simply don't think anything of it because it's "natural" to you.

But when a gay actor simply talks about who he's dating, etc., even in the most casual way, you brand it "throwing it in everybody's face."

I think you do have a problem with Ian McKellen's sexual orientation and you don't want to admit it, either consciously or subconsciously.

Or you could be gay yourself and are afraid McKellen's openess will cause you to give in to a lifetime of suppressed urges and switch teams.

Probably not, but stranger things have happened.

Remind me the last time a heterosexual actor had to overcome a stigma placed on them by much of society because of their sexual preference? I don't think you can. I would imagine that unless you are gay or know somebody who is (or a member of some other minority) you might not understand why they have to "make an issue of it."

All ya'll need to chill.

Today is THE BEST TIME in history to be gay and at the same time people have a right to feel the way they do about homosexuality as long as they don't harm anyone.

Ian McKellen = great actor gay or straight

Or Tom Cruise.

Double-

Hopefully we can all agree on this at least.

Ian McKellen mentions his homosexuality ONCE in the FOTR:EE commentary. Nowhere else is it mentioned in the six discs dedicated to the film. That's hardly "throwing it everybody's face."

The context in which it's mentioned is important as well. He knew that Sean Astin would never think to take Elijah Wood's hand, since that is something that 20th century heterosexual friends would never do, and a straight man wouldn't think of. McKellen's different viewpoint allowed him to recognize that moment in the novel as important, and he brought it up to the actors.

By comparison, Sean Astin mentions his wife and kids a few times in the same commentary...but I don't see complaints about him flaunting his heterosexuality.

Enough about whether McKellan is "too gay!" Let's get back to whether he's the King of the Nerds.

He's a strong contender, but what about Patrick (Star Trek, X-Men) Stewart or Christopher (Star Wars, LOTR, cheesy Dracula films) Lee? You could also make a case for Christopher (Star Trek III, Back to the Future) Lloyd or Harrison (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) Ford or Sean (James Bond, Indiana Jones) Connery.

Personally, I think there's an interconnected web of Nerdiness, and at it's center lies Kevin Bacon.

Damn that Sean Astin and his heterosexual grandstanding!

Always going on about the "fruits of his loins" and the getting of the "hot" over some nubile young female.

When will his gosh-darned pro-het preaching stop? The dirty little breeder.

stigma? You have to be kidding.

Society today values homosexuals over hetrosexuals. On TV (Will and Grace) in sports (tennis), everywhere.



You tell me who would get booed more at a hollywood ball. Someone saying they were gay, or a Republican.

Try again.

Give us a break.

Those poor, put-upon, underprivileged Republicans.

*tear*

"Damn that liberal media!"

*blah*blah*blah*

"Clinton was Satan with blonder hair."

*blah*blah*blah*

"The poor should be [sic] kilt."









There should be, like, a macro for this stuff or something.

Oddly enough, Christopher Lee is the actual center of the Universe. The site that started the whole Six degrees of Kevin Bacon actually found 1160 "better centers" than Bacon and the top of that list is Christopher Lee. Who is the center of the Hollywood Universe?

Oracle of Kevin Bacon

When was the last time a Republican was beaten to death because of his or her political orientation?

Well, not that I haven't tried . . .

What has Ian McKellen got to overcome? He's the one making an issue about being gay! Nobody else!

Yep.

The king of the nerds is Kevin Smith. Without a doubt. And uniquely, he's kept his nerdish qualities while being famous. I don't think if I met Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellen on the street I'd think, wow, what a nerd.

[RANT]You're joking right? Your examples are ludicrous. And there still is a stigma in this society related to being gay or lesbian. If you think there isn't you should go out and take a look at society some time. A good friend of mine had the crap beaten out of him by a couple teenagers as him and his partner walked home. I've heard anti-gay sentiments floating around my own office. I know everybody thinks society is enlightened and that everybody at least tolerates homosexuals, but that is not the case with the average person. That is why Ian McKellan makes a "big deal" of his sexual orientation. Not because he has trouble getting a movie gig, but because everyday in this country people judge gays and lesbians or worse.[/RANT]

At this point this thread is junk.

IMHO

Alec Baldwin threated Rep Henry Hyde on late night TV with murder, and that nob from the old Daily Show featured Bush in a markman's sniper rifle.

When was the last time a homosexual was treated on television like that?

Actually, you're making a big issue out of it yourself. You're the one who brought it up in this thread, even though it was OT from the discussion.

Save it. My brother was beat up something firerce because he didn't talk much as a kid. Guess he has a stigma as well.

And there is NOT a stigma against homosexuals any more. Maybe if you go to Alabama, but than again we all remember Delievrance!

In fact if you disagree with the lifestyle, there is a stigma against YOU for thinking that way.

People should be valued for who they are are, not what hole they love to f#$k. Doesn't seem to hinder Ian from gettig quality roles now does it?

How very "enlighted" of you. If I would say the same, I'd be banned from this board.

I . . . uh . . . oh, **** it . . . nevermind.

Go to any community in middle America. Walk hand-in-hand with a female. Now, try it again with a male. Compare and contrast the reaction.

There is a stigma against homosexuality, there just isn't much of one in Hollywood, one of the most liberal places on earth. I'll agree with you that Alec Baldwin is way out of line 90% of the time, but a liberal bias in the media and entertainment does not mean that it's widely accepted in the "fly-over"

Will and Grace uses a lot of gay stereotypes and Jack is probably one of the worst examples of why homosexuals should be accepted. 30 years from now that character will be thought of as the Sambo of homosexuality. Where are all the other homosexuals on TV? One TV show doesn't make a TV show widely accepted. It helps reassure people that gays are anal(no pun intended), sissy-boys and the gossip companion of f@ghags.

And Tennis? Do you mean Martina Navritalova? The toasts of the tennis world are the attractive(The Williams sisters, Ana Kornikova) and decidely straight males (Samras, Agassi).