Originally Posted by Xander

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.

Originally Posted by adamblast

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.

Originally Posted by Cancer Man

As a bisexual man myself, I understand what it is like to be on the receiving end of irrational descrimination.

Originally Posted by kvrdave

Doesn't anyone remember in Star Trek IV where he was wondering around with his leather coat like a cape????? GAY!!!!!!

:lol:

<img src=http://www.star-trek.sk/charac/tos/sulu/sulu4.gif>

I thought it was common knowledge as well, personally.

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt

Call him gay, but don't call him "tiny"! :)

Originally Posted by kvrdave

Doesn't anyone remember in Star Trek IV where he was wondering around with his leather coat like a cape

Originally Posted by GuessWho

...in San Francisco...

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.")

Originally Posted by milo bloom

Hmm, never really thought about it, though in retrospect there are some subtle signs. Whatever, not really a problem.


And there was a Voyager novel where they made a couple of redshirt guys gay, it wouldn't have been a problem if they hadn't used the "sledgehammer" approach to writing them.