# Tom Cruise: Yay or Nay (or gay)?... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603 "2003-02-07T23:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/41 "2003-02-09T18:09:14Z")
If he’s sterile, then who impregnated Nicole Kidman? Perhaps THAT’S the reason why they divorced. I think he’s gay, but I really don’t care much either way. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/42 "2003-02-09T18:20:19Z")
Tom Cruise sued the German magazine _Bunte_ for $60 million in 1996 for claiming that he was sterile. The complaint Cruise’s lawyers filed said that Cruise has a “normal sperm count.” Cruise and the publisher later settled out of court. ---
**Author:** ![Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/43 "2003-02-09T19:43:11Z")
How much for? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/44 "2003-02-09T20:28:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Steve Wright \* > **_Number one_: He’s _definitely not_ gay. > _Number two_: She’s _definitely not_ gay either. > _Number three_: This sort of showbiz marriage is technically known as a _Double Barrymore_.** What does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/45 "2003-02-09T20:53:02Z")
Tom is definately gay. I heard that when they were filming “RAINMAN”, he couldn’t get it up while in bed with that sexy gal who played his secretary/recpetionist. Gawd! Something must be wrong with the guy! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/46 "2003-02-09T21:22:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*What does that mean? \*\* I see English humour is confusing the foreigners again. If we can keep this up, we’ll have the empire back in no time … It’s a reference to married but gay English comedian Michael Barrymore. If you haven’t heard of him, you haven’t missed much. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Clark\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_K)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/47 "2003-02-09T21:25:14Z")
I’m appalled by all this uninformed reckless speculation about another person’s private life. None of us know the details about Tom Cruise or John Travolta, and it’s ridiculous to post crap about "I read somewhere … " or “All the clues add up to …” Get a life. That said, comparing Tom Cruise to Jack Nicholson seems appropriate. Both have a fundamental screen persona that comes through in many of their roles. But they both can go far beyond that. Cruise has played a simple version of his cocky, naturally talented character in “Top Gun,” " Days of Thunder" and more. He also has played darker variations on that character in “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Vanilla Sky.” Then there are his complete departures – roles that stretched him as an actor. Sometimes he pulled it off, sometimes he didn’t, but you can’t claim he plays it safe. Look at “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Interview with the Vampire” and, especially, “Magnolia.” ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/48 "2003-02-09T22:23:23Z")
Amen **Clark K**. I agree with your diagnosis of the acting chops. I would add a darker (& very good version) of the Stock character was played in the Color of Money. He was very good (again playing the same basic guy) in All the Right Moves too, which to me is a underestimated “good but not great” film. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![MusicJunkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@MusicJunkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MusicJunkie)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/49 "2003-02-09T23:26:57Z")
I actually like him. Sure he’s limited but not as much as people say and, despite all the complaints about his role in Eyes Wide Shut ( a great movie by the way ) being tailored for him, I think he did a great job. I sure hope he is gay and would hit on me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/50 "2003-02-10T00:35:14Z")
Have any of you ever seen the wonderful comedian Rich Hall? He does a beautiful routine about Cruise. I can’t give you the full flavour here, and you’d have to imagine this in Rich’s inimitable delivery (a good five second gap between each line), but it goes something like this. "Tom Cruise. Amazing. So versatile. Top Gun. He’s a fighter pilot. Pretty good at it. Has a crisis of confidence. Meets a beautiful woman. She helps him get over it. Days of Thunder. He a racing car driver. Pretty good at it. Has a crisis of confidence. Meets a beautiful woman. She helps him get over it. Jerry Maguire. He’s a sports agent. Pretty good at it. Has a crisis…" If ever you get the chance to see this wonderful comedian live, take it. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/51 "2003-02-10T01:26:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EhhMon \* > \*\*Travolta isn’t a rumor. He has a place here in Carmel Valley, where he and his blond boyfriend comes to all the time, its not a place where he resides, but a getaway. AT&T is going on right now, so John and his boy toy are sure to make an appearance soonl. A young guy maybe in his mid 20’s. \*\* Ehhmon, if this place is a hideaway, why would Travolta, who is presumably in the closet, go to AT & T ( convention?) to show off? why risk it? Back on Topic: I don’t mind Cruise’s work, even if he is one dimensional, he has a certain level of guaratee in his films will be decent - to - better-than-average. I really liked Mission Impossible ( one, not two, ok I liked two, too, but not as much.) Do I think he is gay? Don’t really care. But inquiring busy bodies want to know exactly what went on behind the scenes with Nicole that lead to the divorce and the deal with her miscarriage. ( ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/52 "2003-02-10T03:13:14Z")
My biggest irritation with Cruise is that he’s such a big box office draw, that he gets mis-cast, or cast in roles he’s not up to. Vanilla Sky could have been much better with a different lead man, IMO. He did well in his role in Magnolia, however, which surprised me. As far as whether he’s gay, I really don’t care. I also don’t find him particularly attractive. I’ll second the short man with a big schnozz comment. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/53 "2003-02-10T14:53:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FranticMad \* > \*\*Sorry, he’s straight. > Morgainelf, I’ve hit on you several times and you never responded. Hey, now that I think of it, you were always with that woman with the short hair and the tennis racquet talking about dual overhead cams and flatbed trucks. What’s up with that? \*\* Awww, don’t take it personally. You’re just not my type. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EhhMon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@EhhMon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EhhMon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/54 "2003-02-14T09:18:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Clark K \* > \*\*I’m appalled by all this uninformed reckless speculation about another person’s private life. None of us know the details about Tom Cruise or John Travolta, and it’s ridiculous to post crap about "I read somewhere … " or “All the clues add up to …” > > Get a life. > > \*\* Ohhhhh so the cute blond guy that accompanies him everytime he comes to Monterey is just a relative? Question? Is it normal to tongue a relative? Oh never mind, my eyes were just uninformed and recklessly speculating again…\ ---
**Author:** ![EhhMon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@EhhMon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EhhMon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/55 "2003-02-14T09:24:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*Ehhmon, if this place is a hideaway, why would Travolta, who is presumably in the closet, go to AT & T ( convention?) to show off? why risk it? > > ( \*\* Actually I threw in the AT & T to throw people off, he never comes in for that. I didn’t mention it was hideaway either…how did you know, unless we work at the same place. All I know is this, when he comes in. He doesn’t hide it or rather, he doesn’t blatantly advertise it. Its subtle, especially if your doing what I’m doing. ps. Shirley, you work with the wings??? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/56 "2003-02-14T11:25:41Z")
He’s as gay as a window. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/57 "2003-02-14T13:36:58Z")
I liked Cruise a lot better when he had an overbite. Is he or Travolta gay? I find it hard to believe that they could be gay and not one solitary person has been able to produce a “smoking gun” on them. Not one picture of Travolta with his tongue in a blonde guy’s ear, not one tape of Cruise talking dirty with a man… ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/58 "2003-02-14T15:05:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\*I find it hard to believe that they could be gay and not one solitary person has been able to produce a “smoking gun” on them. Not one picture of Travolta with his tongue in a blonde guy’s ear, not one tape of Cruise talking dirty with a man… \*\* Does seem strange, but then there were no incriminating pictures of Rock Hudson, Liberace, Richard Chamberlain, George Michael, Michael Stipe, or any other celebrities about whom the rumors were later confirmed. (though one of the tabloids recently published photos that indicate Kevin Spacey was having a tryst with a cute waiter, though it hasn’t seemed to damage his career; Chad Allen [oldest son from DR. QUINN was photographically outed and came out once it happened- while he hasn’t had much of a career since then it could just be the usual former child-star syndrome.) I’m guessing discretion is almost a cottage industry in servicing closeted gay millionaires. My favorite gay celebrity in how he deals with the press and nosey fans: David Hyde Pierce. He simply doesn’t speak to the issue, which is to say he doesn’t make himself a professionally gay self-appointed role model (Dan Butler, Ellen) and he doesn’t lie about it (Spacey), but like Pooh he just is. I was thoroughly impressed that he attended his friend Maureen Reagan’s funeral, knowing that the media would be there in droves, with his “longtime companion” at his side. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/59 "2003-02-14T17:24:30Z")
Tom Cruise is a one-trick pony (with the exception of his performance in Born on the Fourth of July). His one trick, however is extremely marketable. Personally, I can’t stand his “I just can’t get over how cool I am” attitude. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603/60 "2003-02-14T17:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Does seem strange, but then there were no incriminating pictures of Rock Hudson, Liberace, Richard Chamberlain, George Michael, Michael Stipe, or any other celebrities about whom the rumors were later confirmed Liberace, Hudson and Chamberlain were all in the limelight in an era where the press simply didn’t report such things. The studios were very powerful and could end a reporter’s career were he to report such a thing. There were also a lot of affairs in Hollywood that weren’t reported because the studios put the kabash (sp?) on it. Nowadays the studios don’t “own” the actors like they used to and as such don’t wield such power over their lives. But the press is more savage and merciless than ever in their pursuit of a “good” story. I mean, they paid good money to a woman to seduce Frank Gifford, and he’s pretty much a nobody in Hollywood. I can’t even imagine how much money they’d pay for a smoking gun on someone like Travolta or Cruise. So we can either believe that they really aren’t gay or that they have incredible security. And considering the fact that we’ve been privy to audio tapes of Prince Charles telling Carmela Parker-Bowles that he wished he were her tampon, I’m going with the former. (As far as George Michael, Michael Stipe and (I’ll add) Ricky Martin – I’m sure someone could have caught them in a compromising position had they tried hard enough. I just don’t think there was enough public interest in it. Mainly because everyone assumes they ARE gay.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-yay-or-nay-or-gay/153603.md?page=4)