Me too. I thought, “He’s too old to be gay!” (Everyone knows that homosexuality wasn’t invented until 1979. 
)
Dan Butler (“Bulldog”) is a very out activist particularly in the realm of human rights.
Amanda Bearse came out publicly in 1993, in The Advocate (one of the first prime-time regulars to do so) and became a leading spokesperson for GLBT rights.
I remember reading an interview with David Hyde Pierce in a GLBT publication (don’t remember what is was but the photospread made his lawn look decadently lush!). It was during the first few seasons of “Frasier” (possibly the first season, but I don’t remember) and he did refer to his partner. Most of the interview had to do with how he got the part of Niles. It has less to do with being a closet case and more to do with keeping his private life private. Period. He does attend GLBT charity events – sometimes with his partner, sometimes not – like National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Leadership Awards, GLAAD Awards, AIDS-related fundraisers etc. Basically he is considered and “outed” actor while very effectively maintaining the privacy of his personal life. (Good for him!)
Liberace was gay?
[Homer Simpson]Mel Brooks is Jewish!?!?!?[/Homer Simpson]
Henry Rollins ain’t gay (OH, how I wish he were!). He’d be the first guy to out himself.
I was a bit surprised, but very pleased, when I first heard about Ms. de Rossi. The one time I managed to sit through an episode of Ally McBeal her character had just been introduced, and she was the only thing that kept me from changing the channel! I later saw a magazine article that mentioned her as (like David Hyde Pierce) an “out but private” gay celeb. Too bad she already has a girlfriend.
One thing I’ve never been able to figure out was how anyone could have been surprised by Freddie Mercury, but I have met/heard of several old-school Queen fans who were. Maybe they all grew up among the Amish or something.
Portia de Rossi is gay?
I’ll be in my bunk.
Now everyone here will think me stupid but I never knew Freddy M was gay til I heard.
Or at least tile he cut his hair…
Also.
I’ve Always loved John Waters, knew he was weird (thats why I love him) but had NO clue he was gay til a few years ago.
Even after reading in his book that his best friend Pat and he would sit in bed watching movies together and Pat’s husband didn’t mind.
Do yourself a favor. Go see Henry Rollins live, or buy one of his CDs. Listen to his routine called “The Gay Thing.” Henry describes hearing a rumor that he was going to come out of the closet during an interview he had scheduled. After asserting that he would be the first to come out, he goes into a long, rambling, and completely hysterical discussion of exactly what he thinks of gays.
He’s gay-friendly and then some, and hotter than hell (He’s on my “if I were gay” list), but I’m pretty sure he’s straight.
Ah, a Firefly fan, I see.
Shiny!
Is she possibly bi? According to IMDB she was married to Mel Metcalfe. Yes, I know sometimes gay folks don’t accept they are gay until later than life, I’m just asking.
I apparently have the complete opposite of gaydar. I’m constantly surprised to find out people are gay even when it was an open secret for decades. Jim Nabors? Richard Chamberlain? Melissa Ethridge? Nope, they all caught me by surprise. I didn’t even figure out Jill Sobule was gay and her most famous song is about having sex with another woman (I guess I thought it was just a song, I dunno). One of the few stars I ever thought was gay was Rob Lowe, who then got involved in a sex scandal with two women.
I’ll bet you guys didn’t know that Q.E.D. is gay.
Maybe they were lesbians 
My big surprise was Richard Chamberlain. I became a fan and developed a crush when I was in elementary school and saw Shogun. By the time I found out, I no longer had a crush, but it was odd to realize my schoolgirl celebrity fave was gay. Ah well.
According to the imdb, she is now engaged to Francesca Gregorini, definitely a woman.
My biggest surprise was J. Edgar Hoover. 
I will definitly be in my bunk.
Here’s one that was a big surprise: failed GOP candidate for California governor, Michael Huffington.
Jim Nabors and Jill Sobule are gay? I didn’t know that. (I too thought it was just a song.)
Hehehhe…Jim Nabors…
“Well GOLLLEEE, Sarge, you sure have a nice ass!”
“PYLE!!!”
(sorry, sorry).
Yeah, Jim Nabors is gay, but he’s from that generation that was so trained to stay under the radar that even now coming out is difficult for them. Look at how much dithering Richard Chamberlain did before he admitted what everyone had known for years. Ditto for Roddy McDowell. Tab Hunter just came out last year.
Wasn’t Raymond Burr also one of those “flying so low under the radar I crashed into a curb” Hollywood gay men?
I always hear rumors about Kevin Spacey being gay, and Jodie Foster.
I’ll admit I am curious because I like celeb gossip, but part of me has to ask- why should we even care who these people fuck? It says more about us than it does about them, doesn’t it?