When I used to watch E!, I wondered now and then if Steve Kmetko was gay. Now I wonder if he’s out of the closet. Last week on “Ed” one of the characters said, as if fact, “He’s gay,” meaning Kmetko. I was surprised if the show outed him. But then, maybe he wasn’t “in” and just doesn’t discuss his private life.
Wasn’t he living with Greg Louganis at one time?
Just so long as I still have a shot at Jules Asner, I don’t care about Steve! 
Please don’t misunderstand the tone of this post, for it is not meant as a put down of the OP, but does it really matter if the guy is gay or not?
What I mean is, I suppose it would matter to someone who is intimate with him, but in today’s society I believe we are much more tolerant of alternative lifestyles, aren’t we?
Back in the 60’s I would have had trouble keeping my chin off the floor if someone had told me that John Wayne was gay, but today it just wouldn’t bother me.
This may have been better posted in IMHO, but how does one do that if the OP is in here? Anyway, that is just my opinion. Also I hope that I did not misunderstand the importance of the OP, since I do not watch E! or indeed anything other than PBS.
Quasi
buffalogal -
As D Marie’s link indicates, Steve Kmetko is about as out as it is possible to be. He frequently mentions his sexual orientation casually as part of interviews or reporting that he is doing. In the past, he also frequently mentioned his lover, Greg Louganis. In fact, he even wrote a very sentimental published letter to TV Guide after they ran a story on Greg. Greg and Steve had a well-publicized breakup last year.
Quasimodem -
I agree that it doesn’t matter whether Steve Kmetko is gay, although I personally admire him for being so public about his status. The more celebrities who are open about their sexual orientation, the more the general public, and in particular young people who are discovering their own sexuality, will feel comfortable with homosexuality.
I took the OP to merely be a question about whether it was appropriate for a popular primetime television show to casually refer to a celebrity being gay. In this case, it was pretty much a case of “Is the Pope Catholic?”
Then I believe an apology may be in order, for I truly did misinterpret the OP. Sorry, Buffalogal!
However, I would like to reiterate a point I alluded to in my previous answer: It really doesn’t matter anymore, and I think that society is beginning to accept this. Personally, I think this is a wonderful thing. It is not my sexual orientation, but let me be honest about something:
I have seen guys in my line of work whom I have found attractive, but I have always thought of that thusly:
“I would like him if I were a woman.” I am very comfortable being who I am, and I admit that I have a feminine side to my personality, so I am not uncomfortable sharing this with you.
SpoilerVirgin: Thanks for your gentle answer.
Quasi
Quasimodem -
A final thought:
Sadly, I think the world has a long way to go before it is truly tolerant of alternative lifestyles. But if you want to read the best and most comprehensive discussion of these issues that I’ve ever found, you can’t do better than to check out the Ask the Gay Guy threads on this very message board. They are long, but definitely worth it.
Ask the Gay Guy
Ask the Gay Guy II
Ask the Gay Guy III
Ask the Gay Guy IV
FWIW, this is also how I read the OP.
Heh…I’ve done that with women. Or more accurately, I’ve had “Wow…I could go for that if she were a guy!” moments.
Some women would look damn hot as guys. For instance, Madonna in the “Who’s That Girl?” video when she’s dressed up in the Charlie Chaplin jacket and hat. Or Hillary Swank as Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry” (and yes, I am aware that finding hotness in a movie about a tragedy like Brandon Teena’s death is kind of sick).
jayjay
One thought instantly ran through my mind when I saw this thread:
WHO??!?!?!
Thanks for all the info. The Advocate article only increased my respect for Steve Kmetko.
Quasimodem -
I also don’t think a person’s sexuality is anyone’s business, and I tried very hard to phrase my question so as not offend anyone. I admit I was curious, mostly because I wondered about the reference on “Ed.” I would never post questions here or anywhere asking if Joe Celebrity was gay.
SpoilerVirgin -
You rephrased my question very nicely. The first thing I thought of when watching “Ed” was the movie “In and Out” in which a professor is outed on national TV (inspired by a true story I cannot recall clearly). If Steve was in the closet, then what the “Ed” writers did was deplorable. But he’s out, very out. As I said, I haven’t watched E! in a long, long time, and if back then he talked about or implied being gay, it went over my head.
The true story that inspired “In and Out” was Tom Hank’s Oscar acceptance speech for his role in “Philadelphia.” However, the movie took considerable license with the story. First of all, the gay teacher whom Tom thanked in his speech was already out, although not as generally and publically as he was after the Oscars aired. More importantly, Tom called the teacher prior to the Oscars to ask if it would be O.K. to mention his orientation in an acceptance speech if he won, and the teacher gave permission. But of course, that wouldn’t have made nearly as interesting a movie. 