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Mr. Sulu steps out of the closet

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Mr. Sulu steps out of the closet

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Old 10-28-05 | 08:53 AM
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Well..i've never seen a Star Trek movie...but I saw a clip and that was enough for me to know he was a big 'ol mo.
Old 10-28-05 | 08:58 AM
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Huh. Good for him.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:09 AM
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Well good for George Takai!

I always suspected anyway (no wife or kids at 60+) and he bravely came out of the closet.

Hollywood is populated with gay people, but many of them are in denial as if their careers would be ruined if their "unconventional" sex lives are exposed.

Why is it in Europe, nobody gives a f**k about an actor's sexual orientation?
Old 10-28-05 | 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Giantrobo
I'm still not buyin' that one adamblast. Male or Female I think now in America is a great time to be out in the Biz. Can any male actor who has come out HONESTLY say it has hurt their career? Even when actors are -Rumored- to be gay most people simply don't give a shit and just want to see them do well in good movies. Gay Actors from Europe have huge fanbases here and no one cares about their being gay. Look at Ian McKellan, Rupert Everett, Alan Cummings, just to name a successful few. They all do just fine here and again, no one cares about them being Openly Gay.

I still say Rob Halford of Judas Priest has more guts than any Actor in Hollywood coming out because he came out in world of Heavy Metal where the Males are far less forgiving when it comes to -ANY- kind of change. But you know what? He didn't lose any fans because he's awesome and everyone knows it. We stuck by him. In fact, according to him, the real surprise was THE LACK of support form the Gay Community. He said he was expecting them to embrace him but they didn't. He says the music genre probably had a lot to do with that lack of support.

But I guess if they want to play victim, like Ellen did when she blamed Homophobia for her crap show getting canned, then I guess we wait a little longer for progress in the area of Gay issues in this country....
I disagree completely. There is still a HUGE closet in Hollywood. Music industry is a different arena. Name one openly gay actor that has had a huge blockbuster hit besides Ian McKellan. It is still a huge stigma in Hollywood to have that attached to your name, unfortunately, so people are still going around hiding. So I have to give big kudos to anyone in that industry who comes out.

And I had absolutely no idea about George Takai, but I haven't really followed his career since Star Trek.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:19 AM
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Hollywood is populated by homosexuals and it is also populated by Jews as well, but Jewish people are more open about their cultural identity than gay people are about their private sex lives. I assume homophobia is still a major issue in America.

I guess homosexuals hiding in the closet in Hollywood now is comparable to Jews hiding their religious roots in Hollywood during the 1920s and 1950s.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Cancer Man
Hollywood is populated by homosexuals and it is also populated by Jews as well, but Jewish people are more open about their cultural identity than gay people are about their private sex lives. I assume homophobia is still a major issue in America.
And I assume stereotyping is still a major issue from wherever you are from.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:35 AM
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Not really, what are you talking about? There are many kinds of people in Hollywood from many kinds of cultural or religious backgrounds. Who cares where they came from?

I'm just saying that some people, for what ever personal reasons, hid their identity so that they were "accepted" by American society in the 1920s/30s. I don't care about that, but some people at the time obviously did.

Last edited by Cancer Man; 10-28-05 at 09:50 AM.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:42 AM
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I never gave Takai's possible sexual orientation any thought, but I have to admit that for some reason I wasn't at all surprised when I heard the news.
Old 10-28-05 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Cancer Man
Why is it in Europe, nobody gives a f**k about an actor's sexual orientation?
Because we're living in a seriously fucked up country and Europe is a helluva lot more progressive than we are about things like this. Look at the rights gays get in those countries and look here. It's pathetic and to make matters worse, we're not even attempting at making it better here. Our asshat president keeps trying to make it worse. End of story.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:10 AM
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I think he has the sexiest voice I have ever heard. But I never really thought of him before as gay or straight. But still hot.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:19 AM
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Giantrobo-- All the actors you mentioned are the exact same ones I was thinking of when I said it's much more acceptable in the UK than in Hollywood. Among gay men in Hollywood, the thinking seems to be: if I can be even marginally more successful lying or avoiding the issue, it's worth it. It's all about the career and the bottom line.

I'd say the the case of Sean Hayes is the perfect textbook example. He's been playing gay characters his whole career, and everyone more-or-less knows the truth about him, but he still thinks he improves his castability by refusing to admit he's really gay in interviews. Jerk. What he's really doing is helping to maintain and build the walls of shame and discrimination.

How about Nathan Lane? You think he's out of the closet? He may have been "out" before he hit it big--just like Anderson Cooper of CNN--but today he plays it coy instead of actually being out: I'm single, I'm over 40, and I work in Musical Theatre. You do the math. He makes a joke out of it and deflects the issue, and is only willing to help on gay rights issues behind the scenes. *That's* the current state of Hollywood. Open secrets, when not outright lying, and a denial that there are any social and political repercussions to the decision to hide.

Last edited by adamblast; 10-28-05 at 10:39 AM.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Aphex Twin
Serious question: Is it national coming out week or something? Why are so many people coming out recently?
I was thinking the same thing!
Old 10-28-05 | 10:32 AM
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Just Announced:

Ozzie Guillen is gay too...... That kiss after the World Series win confirms it
Old 10-28-05 | 10:32 AM
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Yes, National Coming Day is Oct 17th, so it was probably last week...
Old 10-28-05 | 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by raven56706
Just announced: Ozzie Guillen is gay too...... That kiss after the World Series win confirms it
Um, no, though I appreciate you're just trying to be funny... He sure does love him some man-kisses, though. Then again, so does Beckham. "Anything goes" out on the field, evidentally, and some guys are more into the smootches, hugs, and ass-grabs than others. The gay blogs have been having a field day with Ozzie photos, but it's pretty much all in fun.

Last edited by adamblast; 10-28-05 at 10:40 AM.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:46 AM
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I'd say the the case of Sean Hayes is the perfect textbook example. He's been playing gay characters his whole career, and everyone more-or-less knows the truth about him, but he still thinks he improves his castability by refusing to admit he's really gay in interviews. Jerk. What he's really doing is helping to maintain and build the walls of shame and discrimination.
My ex was involved in a production a few years ago with Sean. He was supposed to do a short run of a bway show where he had to play gay. They started rehearsals and even after that, his manager found him a better role where he didn't have to play gay. Apparently the manager said they wanted to move away from that. Really very very sad. And I've met one person who dated Sean and a (straight) couple who are still friends with him. They all say he is one of the sweetest nicest guys on the planet and not to mention talented as all hell. He deserves everything he gets from this business, they say. And apparently being gay will limit what he "gets."

How about Nathan Lane? You think he's out of the closet? He may have been "out" before he hit it big--just like Anderson Cooper of CNN--but today he plays it coy instead of actually being out
I'll never forget the night I was at Barracuda (gay bar here in NYC) and Nathan walked RIGHT in front of me. I mean, i always figured he was but I didn't think he would just be "chilling" at a gay bar on just any regular night. But yeah, equally as sad.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:46 AM
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I had no idea. But, you know, I've never really thought about George Takei's sexual orientation, either.
Old 10-28-05 | 10:49 AM
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Agreed about Nathan Lane. He's seems to make it a point to play super-straight roles (such as an over-the-top womanizer in "The Producers.")
Old 10-28-05 | 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Cancer Man
Why is it in Europe, nobody gives a f**k about an actor's sexual orientation?
Because they are used to honoring their Queens.
Old 10-28-05 | 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Quatermass
Because they are used to honoring their Queens.
Old 10-28-05 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
Agreed about Nathan Lane. He's seems to make it a point to play super-straight roles (such as an over-the-top womanizer in "The Producers.")
Lane has been "out of the closet" for years...in fact, I don't even think he was IN the closet at any point.
Old 10-28-05 | 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
Lane has been "out of the closet" for years...in fact, I don't even think he was IN the closet at any point.
Wikipedia agrees:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane

If that's worth anything.
Old 10-28-05 | 11:58 AM
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Set phasers on stunned.......

too much time in out space with all that crew.....
Old 10-28-05 | 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by raven56706
Set phasers on stunned.......

too much time in out space with all that crew.....
It never ceases to amaze me when people are stunned about this. That's like saying "rosie/melissa/ellen is gay? NOOOOOOOOO!!"
Old 10-28-05 | 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Morf
Ok, I could have sworn that Takei came out years ago. I read the news story and was like "Yeah, and...?" I've known it for years.
Same here... This has been common knowledge, AFAIK.


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