# Doogie Howser's gay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064 "2006-11-04T04:42:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/21 "2006-11-04T18:34:38Z")
BTW, for straight women who are disappointed that yet another thin and sensitive and strangely cute guy is gay please remember: you still have Sean Hayes, Clay Aiken, Anderson Cooper, David Hyde Pierce, Kevin Spacey and many others to choose from. But as a gay man (I think I’ve mentioned being gay before haven’t I?) I have to send major thanks to Neil Patrick Harris. It is so wonderful to see a celebrity come out who- 1- still has a lucrative career (nothing against Danny Pintauro or Dick Sargent or George Takei but really…) 2- didn’t just get arrested and caught on tape for trying to blow coke and an undercover narcotics officer in a 747 restroom ("…George Michael, meet Governor McGreevey… ") 3- hasn’t denied it repeatedly in the past (yeah Richard Chamberlain, I’m lookin’ at ya…) 4- doesn’t have a book deal for some extra cash and press (yeah Richard Chamberlain, I’m lookin’ at ya…) 5- is c-u-yute! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/22 "2006-11-04T18:40:39Z")
6- isn’t Boy George, Rufus Wainwright or some other coked up singer who uses it as another excuse to whine 7- isn’t doing it after a film of him licking chocolate syrup off a 19 year old poolboy hits the internet 8- doesn’t have a [wife/ex-wife and kids](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4fXh_rROTs) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/23 "2006-11-04T19:06:25Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] BTW, for straight women who are disappointed that yet another thin and sensitive and strangely cute guy is gay please remember: you still have Sean Hayes, Clay Aiken, Anderson Cooper, David Hyde Pierce, Kevin Spacey and many others to choose from. [/QUOTE] :dubious: Oh come on. Surely you meant to say “… to choose from among other thin and sensitive and strangely cute gay guys.” ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/24 "2006-11-04T19:11:53Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Credit George Takei for starting this trend. [/QUOTE] Or Rob Halford. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/25 "2006-11-04T19:12:31Z")
**Sampiro** : George Takei has twice the work and 10 times the credibility of NPH. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/26 "2006-11-04T19:14:43Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] :dubious: Oh come on. Surely you meant to say “… to choose from among other thin and sensitive and strangely cute gay guys.” [/QUOTE] I think you’re guilty of violating the 11th commandment “Thou shalt not profile”. Just because a guy is thin, sensitive, not particularly masculine, rich and successful but never mentions a wife or female significant other and has lots of gay characteristics and won’t answer questions about his sexuality (except Spacey who denies being gay and Aiken who originally denies it but now won’t discuss it) doesn’t mean they’re gay. It just means the odds are 99.9993% that they are. 😉 And there’s always Ricky Martin as well. We know he’s straight because he says he is and I believe him. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/27 "2006-11-04T19:26:39Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] **Sampiro** : George Takei has twice the work and 10 times the credibility of NPH. [/QUOTE] Takei may work as much or more but he makes only a fraction of the income. Takei works for non-profit theater companies probably making in the $2,000 per week range while Harris is a Broadway star- an easy ten times that- and current sitcom star- an easy 50 times that. Besides which, Harris is not considered just another washed up child star- he’s a quite decent actor who works with name talent in well produced and funded vehicles. As far as credibility is concerned, Harris parodied himself (hysterically and, we now know, quite fictionally) in H&KGTW, but generally he works in very respected and critically acclaimed productions (_Assassins_ and _Cabaret_ on Broadway [among others] and his current sitcom and the occasional movie and Special Guest Starring roles on major hit shows like _Will & Grace_ playing characters who are not based on Doogie Howser. Takei’s highest profile gigs for the past 40 years have ALL been based on Sulu or on himself as a has been actor who played Sulu (e.g. his appearances on _Third Rock from the Sun_ and _Futurama_). He does cipher roles on ho-hum guest star shows like _Murder She Wrote_ (playing a Japanese janitor with a heavy accent at that), OR for his other claim to fame- THE HOWARD STERN SHOW. He’s not a bad actor at all, has an innate dignity, tells great stories about his days in the biz and in Japanese American interrment camps and from all reports he’s a super nice and intelligent guy and has one of the greatest voices in show business, but I’d have to give the nudge to Harris as being closer to the top of his game and having the respect of the industry. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/28 "2006-11-04T20:55:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Or Rob Halford. Halford came out in 1998. I think it’s a stretch to credit him with the current group of celebrities who’ve revealed their homosexuality. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/29 "2006-11-04T21:53:22Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] I think you’re guilty of violating the 11th commandment “Thou shalt not profile”. Just because a guy is thin, sensitive, not particularly masculine, rich and successful but never mentions a wife or female significant other and has lots of gay characteristics and won’t answer questions about his sexuality (except Spacey who denies being gay and Aiken who originally denies it but now won’t discuss it) doesn’t mean they’re gay. It just means the odds are 99.9993% that they are. 😉 [/QUOTE] Mmmhmm. I think the term “confirmed bachelor” is probably applicable. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/30 "2006-11-04T22:25:59Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] But as a gay man (I think I’ve mentioned being gay before haven’t I?) I have to send major thanks to Neil Patrick Harris. It is so wonderful to see a celebrity come out who- 3- hasn’t denied it repeatedly in the past (yeah Richard Chamberlain, I’m lookin’ at ya…) [/QUOTE] Well, actually on Wednesday, his publicist issued a [statement](http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/publicist%20denies%20neil%20patrick%20harris%20gay%20reports_1012527http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/publicist%20denies%20neil%20patrick%20harris%20gay%20reports_1012527%5B/url) in response to some current rumors claiming “He’s not of that persuasion.” The statement got so much flack on the gossip pages (evidently, NPH’s “persuasion” has been an open secret for years), that the current statement issued on Friday seems to be an attempt at damage control. Still, it’s pretty cool and I don’t see why it makes him any less credible playing a straight male. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/31 "2006-11-04T23:45:21Z")
Umm… so he’s gay. So what? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/32 "2006-11-05T03:00:23Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] Well, actually on Wednesday, his publicist issued a [statement](http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/publicist%20denies%20neil%20patrick%20harris%20gay%20reports_1012527%5B/url) in response to some current rumors claiming “He’s not of that persuasion.” The statement got so much flack on the gossip pages (evidently, NPH’s “persuasion” has been an open secret for years), that the current statement issued on Friday seems to be an attempt at damage control. [/QUOTE] Link’s broken. Not having read the text of the original statement, I have a feeling it was a _pro forma_ denial put out by the publicist. NPH has thanked his boyfriend, [David Burtka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Burtka), in the liner notes or whatever you call the "thank you"s in a Playbill for quite some time. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/33 "2006-11-05T03:34:34Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Link’s broken. Not having read the text of the original statement, I have a feeling it was a _pro forma_ denial put out by the publicist. NPH has thanked his boyfriend, [David Burtka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Burtka), in the liner notes or whatever you call the "thank you"s in a Playbill for quite some time. [/QUOTE] Does this [one](http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/publicist%20denies%20neil%20patrick%20harris%20gay%20reports_1012527) work? Or if you search for Neil Patrick Harris on that site, it’s the second link. (kinda amusing actually, the first link is “NEIL PATRICK HARRIS: ‘I’M GAY’” immediately above “PUBLICIST DENIES NEIL PATRICK HARRIS GAY …”) Evidently the publicist issued the statement in response to a rumor that NPH helped his boyfriend land a role on “How I Met Your Mother.” And, yeah, I suspect you’re right and the publicist just made a standard, generic denial without first consulting NPH. Now if only Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum would finally declare their love for each other, all would be right in this world. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![terrierterrific](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@terrierterrific](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terrierterrific)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/34 "2006-11-05T12:34:14Z")
Who else in Hollywood is gay that hasn’t come out? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/35 "2006-11-05T13:18:19Z")
[QUOTE=Astroboy14] Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle will never be the same to me… [/QUOTE] It’s funny you say that. I was just thinking: That makes Harold and Kumar even FUNNIER! E3 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/36 "2006-11-05T13:26:21Z")
I watched one episode of Howser voluntarily. After that, whenever I had to babysit, I was stuck with that cause the tykes loved it. I really considered the star to be a bad actor. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/37 "2006-11-05T15:08:16Z")
Jeez, at least Burtka is an actor in his own right. When I moused over the link, I was afraid that the guy had his own Wiki mention just for being Harris’ boyfriend! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/38 "2006-11-05T16:11:31Z")
[QUOTE=terrierterrific] Who else in Hollywood is gay that hasn’t come out? 😃 [/QUOTE] Tom Cruise! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/39 "2006-11-05T16:47:23Z")
[QUOTE=terrierterrific] Who else in Hollywood is gay that hasn’t come out? 😃 [/QUOTE] On my guiltiest pleasure website, [perezhilton.com](http://perezhilton.com), he made a celebratory post for Neil Patrick Harris’ formal coming out and called for Anderson Cooper, Jodie Foster, Kevin Spacey, Clay Aiken, Queen Latifah, Ricky Martin, Matt Dallas, Wentworth Miller, Richard Simmons, and Sean Hayes to follow suit. I have no idea if any of these actors are gay or not, apparently Perez thinks they are. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064/40 "2006-11-05T18:59:50Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] Maybe I am jaded, but having lived in LA (West Hollywood to be exact) this is really old news. [/QUOTE] Hell, I don’t live anywhere near there, but I thought that this was common knowledge. I know I’ve read about him and his man in either The Advocate or Out, and not in some little blurb either. I thought he’d come out years ago – which is why I and my (straight, doesn’t read gay media) found his role in _Harold & Kumar_ so screamingly funny. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doogie-howsers-gay/379064.md?page=3)