# Who were you most surprised to see come out of the closet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150 "2008-09-18T14:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Buran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/81 "2008-09-20T19:24:31Z")
Clive Barker. Only because I was a big fan of his books when growing up and when in one introduction he described attending a fancy-dress party with his boyfriend I took a double-take. Yeah, I had a sheltered upbringing… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/82 "2008-09-20T20:26:03Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > 12 inches _whatzies_? > > Interesting term to use in a thread about gays [It’s a vinyl format.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-inch_single) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/83 "2008-09-20T21:23:22Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Oddly enough, I called Portia de Rossi as a lesbian the very first time I ever saw her, in the (really, really bad) Hugh Grant movie, _Sirens_. I say “oddly,” because I have the worse gaydar ever, and she had a pretty minor role in the movie, with few (of any) lines. I won’t claim to have called Ms. de Rossi, but the one time I watched an episode of _Ally McBeal_ she was the only woman on the show I found attractive. VERY attractive. So if I’d had to pick one woman from the show to be a lesbian, she’s the one I’d have picked. Much later when I heard she was dating Ellen, I was like “Alright, go Ellen!” 🆒 He’s already been mentioned in this thread, I was pretty surprised about John Mahoney. On the other end of the Kinsey scale, I was surprised to learn that Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament is _straight_. I’m a longtime Pearl Jam fan, and for about 15 years I for some reason had the idea that their bass player was gay. But a year or so ago I read an article about some charity work he’d been involved in and it mentioned his long-time girlfriend. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/84 "2008-09-21T00:55:29Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > That’s a unique way to look at the world. No, lots of us look at the world that way. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/85 "2008-09-21T03:28:29Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > I would genuinely like to know - what does Lena Lovich smell like? Rank as rank as rank. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/86 "2008-09-21T05:05:59Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > As far as people I personally believe are gay (of course I could be wrong) and who I wish would come out: > > George Clooney > Tom Cruise > John Travolta > > The first one is just a hunch, but I’d love it to be true. The last two, if indeed gay, never will come out because they’re too deeply entrenched in $cientology, which condemns homosexuality. Tom Cruise and John Travolta, okay, I’m with you, but I ain’t seein’ George Clooney. He strikes me as merely a perpetual bachelor, content to bang women once in a while but otherwise content to go home alone. On Henry Rollins: > [@lissener](#): > > I disagree; he’s a hollow, posturing macho shithead, and a closeted homosexual. I’m the first one to admit that he looks the part of a stereotypical hollow, posturing macho shithead, but that doesn’t mean he is. My take on him is that he is blessed with an extremely butch face and takes pride in his hard-earned chiseled physique. He works hard to maintain it. Why shouldn’t he be proud of it? > [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Chuck Palahniuk surprised me. _Choke_ was a whole book about a guy who was addicted to fucking women, with no homosexual content at all, but maybe Palahniuk also fucks women too. But I read he was living with another man. You’re shitting me. After _Fight Club ?_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/87 "2008-09-21T08:23:33Z")
While I don’t think he’s made a big deal of it…no big announcement or cover of the _Advocate_, for some reason people are shocked to hear that **CNN’s Anderson Cooper** is gay. I guess we like our TV anchormen straight… ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/88 "2008-09-21T12:52:21Z")
> [@Mr.Frink](#): > > While I don’t think he’s made a big deal of it…no big announcement or cover of the _Advocate_, for some reason people are shocked to hear that **CNN’s Anderson Cooper** is gay. > > I guess we like our TV anchormen straight… I always thought he was the only one who didn’t know he was gay. He’s always just refused to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/89 "2008-09-21T14:06:37Z")
**George Takei** was the shocker for me. I, only knowing him as Sulu, had never even considered the idea that he was gay. Having seen more of him since he came out, It is quite clear to me. I was just stunned when I learned this, though. **Neil Patrick Harris** was definitely number two. Again, I have no real reason to assume anything. I just didn’t realize he was even “rumored” to be gay. **Portia De Rossi**. I have only seen her on Arrested Development, where she is not only straight, but pathetically so. **Dan Butler** , who played Bulldog on Frasier. To be fair, he was out of the closet from the beginning of the show, but I had no idea. No gay man has played “heterosexual pig” better. No, I have not seen NPH on How I Met Your Mother. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/90 "2008-09-21T16:36:52Z")
Edward Mulhare. Reginald VelJohnson. Luther Vandross. Raymond Burr. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/91 "2008-09-21T18:51:10Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > But re Anne Heche, while I’m sure her career entered into her decision making, it’s been my understanding that she has maintained she is bisexual all along. She was bisexual when partnered with Ellen Degeneres; she is bisexual married to her current husband (presuming that’s still going). No major interest in defending her pervse, but my sense is that you may be misjudging what she did and why. Her marriage broke up when she hooked up with another married guy on her “Men In Trees” set. Honestly, I don’t really care what her sexuality truly is, but after that book where she claimed to be the reincarnation of some celestial being (or some other such nonsense), I don’t trust a word she says. I think she’s desperately seeking attention and would claim to be attracted to monkeys if she thought it would get her some pub. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/92 "2008-09-21T20:40:03Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So’s Douglas Coupland of GENERATION X, who also rarely had gay characters. (Has a reputation of being a terrible prima donna; media escorts have refused to work with him again.) I’m no media escort; but I met him at a book signing/reading once. He seemed charming and witty, even if a bit tipsy from the bottle(s) of wine he had before his talk. He held a Simpson’s trivia contest before reading from his book. I won and he gave me a box of store-brand animal crackers that he picked up from the nearby grocery store that afternoon. He answered questions after his reading and then signed books and chatted with people without seeming to be bored or unhappy about it. Again, it might have been the wine. I’m still surprised that Lyle Lovett _isn’t_ gay. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/93 "2008-09-21T23:49:17Z")
Ray Boltz. I grew up fundamentalist, so I not only knew his name but can still sing several of his songs more or less by heart, no matter how much I might wish I couldn’t. “Thank you… for giving to the LOOOOORD!” ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/94 "2008-09-22T00:13:51Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Reginald VelJohnson. Luther Vandross. Well, I’ll be damned… ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/95 "2008-09-22T00:38:13Z")
I followed the link given on page 1- the one listed there that made me go “huh” was Will Geer, aka Grandpa Walton. I didn’t know that. Didn’t know about Graham Chapman either. I went to the Rs to see if Keanu Reeves was included, but apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/96 "2008-09-22T02:01:45Z")
John Malkovich and John Wood are two I was surprised to learn were straight. Both pinged my (admittedly faulty) gaydar. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/97 "2008-09-22T02:26:53Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Edward Mulhare. Reginald VelJohnson. Luther Vandross. Raymond Burr. Perry Mason was gay? Man, the denial in my grandmother’s house when it came out that Rock Hudson was gay was thick. My grandmother ranted about the press for a week solid. When I told her Liberace was gayer then a fairy ring she about took my head off. But when I suggested Errol Flynn wasn’t exactly the poster boy for Straight Americans, she wasn’t surprised at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/98 "2008-09-22T02:29:07Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Her marriage broke up when she hooked up with another married guy on her “Men In Trees” set. > > Honestly, I don’t really care what her sexuality truly is, but after that book where she claimed to be the reincarnation of some celestial being (or some other such nonsense), I don’t trust a word she says. I think she’s desperately seeking attention and would claim to be attracted to monkeys if she thought it would get her some pub. I remember once when she & Ellen were first together, they were on Oprah. Anne insisted that before she met Ellen she “wasn’t gay.” Good ol’ Oprah tried to help her out by saying something like, “you mean, you didn’t know you were gay,” and Anne insisted that no, she wasn’t even a little bit gay and never thought of women that way until she met Ellen. And Ellen just sat there like that was the most normal thing in the world. It was weird. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/99 "2008-09-22T12:08:30Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > Ray Boltz. I grew up fundamentalist, so I not only knew his name but can still sing several of his songs more or less by heart, no matter how much I might wish I couldn’t. > > “Thank you… for giving to the LOOOOORD!” :smack: I can’t believe he’s not the first person I thought of when I saw the OP. I saw him in concert a few years back. “Thank You…” is one of Mom’s favorite songs. (I prefer “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb”- along with the video of the Dad telling his son about how society turned anti-Christian right before the Dad is taken out to be martyred.) And yeah, the coming out was a shocker. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150/100 "2008-09-22T12:14:09Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > :smack: I can’t believe he’s not the first person I thought of when I saw the OP. I saw him in concert a few years back. “Thank You…” is one of Mom’s favorite songs. (I prefer “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb”- along with the video of the Dad telling his son about how society turned anti-Christian right before the Dad is taken out to be martyred.) And yeah, the coming out was a shocker. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ew-Kip22oaU/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/ew-Kip22oaU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Video is here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-you-most-surprised-to-see-come-out-of-the-closet/464150.md?page=6)