Doogie Does Dudes, Is Outing A Good Thing or Bad??

It has been a banner year for celebrities coming out of the closet blogger friends and readers. Adding to the high profiler's, Lance Bass, J.R. Knight, and the low profiler's, RJ from American Idol, and just about the entire cast of Project Runway, lol, here comes another high profile, Neil Patrick Harris. You know that a Diane Sawyer interview is in the works somewhere, she loves the gay scoops. It really has been an open secret about Neil, much like Rosie O'Donnell, where everyone knew, but it just wasnt talked about. I have personal friends back in L.A., that partied with Harris and his boyfriend when he was there for his RENT run, (c'mon, you gotta be gay to play Mark, dont you??) Recently, amid rumor mills kicking the heat up a notch, after a publicist tried to dispel the gay rumors, Harris has been getting riduculed in the gay gossip blogs and circles. Last night, People magazine online reports that Neil Patrick Harris came to them to just stop the speculation. In another rather well worded statement, like J.R. Knight's, Harris says, "The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love." Way to go Doogie, you done us all proud.



So this brings us to speculating on how bad all this "outing" stuff actually is. I have always been against, and still probably am against, outing someone who does not wish to talk about their sexuality. However, where do you draw the line of what is off limits on someone "who courts" the public eye? Is there a different standard for someone who is naturally a celebrity type person, as opposed to those who seek to be famous or a celebrity? What I mean is, is it as fair to out someone who is famous through no fault of their own, like John F. Kennedy Jr, or a famous Astronaut, (calm down, I didnt call JFK jr. gay, just using him as an example.) Or is it more fair to out someone who looks for celebrity, like Paris Hilton, or a television icon? My personal view is that it is a very slippery slope/who came first chicken or the egg kind of thing. The press and those like them who leak and whisper about someone's orientation are really not right. BUT, if you are being leaked and whispered about, dont take the low road and deny it, or worse yet, seem like it is something to be ashamed of and dirty, and just be open and come out with a classy statement such as "Doogie" and "George" did. Again, what do YOU feel about all of the recent celebrity outing? Does it make you mad, that someone's personal life is made to become something for the whole world to see whether that person was ready to admit it or not? Or does it make you feel good to have someone that is a public person, who more or less has popularity, and is now out and can possibly make the world a little less homophobic? Since "Doogie" is gay, they can't all be bad, mentality. Drop me some comments or emails on your thoughts.

I will post some more later, including captured cuties...........GG