Gay Publication "Outs" Anchors (Shepard Smith)

[Orrin_73]

The gay-oriented Houston Voice has "outed" CNN's Anderson Cooper and Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith, charging that they "choose to hide and deceive -- and to protect their incomes and images.


So Shep is gay!

Gay Publication "Outs" Anchors

[Roon]

1. I don't have much of a gaydar

but I knew Shepard was gay.He made a couple of frudien slips in the past. Called a Lebanese a lesbian and said fag instead of flag. I notice these things about people and never forget them.

[FreedomAngel82]

91. That's kinda funny

Lol. So sad. I remember for a while there were rumors going around of Anderson. :shrug: I could care less. I'm an empath and I can pick up feelings from people and with him you do get mixed signals. :shrug: Maybe he's bi or something. :shrug: But like someone else asked: how could a gay person be a republican now days and/or work at fox? :crazy:
To me that's like being gay and being a Christian. I understand if you believe in Jesus and his messages but I wouldn't want to affiliate with people who hated me like that.

[Carni]

2. How in the hell can he work for Faux?

I really had little use for that guy until he argued with O'Lielly about NOLA during his Katrina coverage (I'm still not a fan of anything faux affiliated but he earned at least a couple of points with me for slapping down old loofah man)

I don't understand how these people can compromise themselves to work for a shifty RW outfit like faux.

[Yavin4]

41. Here's How $$$$$

Oh and $$$$$. That's why they all work for Faux. There's no integrity in America.

[FVZA_Colonel]

76. Wasn't it Hannity he argued with?

Right now I'm thinking of the "Hannity and Colmes" clip posted on DU a while ago in which he, at one point, shouted "this is perspective!" at one point.

[sabbat hunter]

3. who cares!

if they chose to keep their lifestyle out of the public eye that is their business. it is not up to a magazine or newspaper to decide who should be outed.

it is part of the american way. to be able to keep the private life just that PRIVATE.

[mondo joe]

20. "Lifestyle"?

Did you know Jennifer Aniston was married? Divorced?

Did you hear Katie Couric had a husband?

Did you know Rush was dating a CNN anchor?

Were you in a furor about their "lifestyle" being exposed?

[sabbat hunter]

31. yes

yes
no
and i didnt give a S*** about any of their private lives. i dont live my life thru celebrities private lives.

its their freaking private lives. let them stay private.

[mondo joe]

37. Did I miss you complaining about the exposure of the CNN anchor's

"lifestyle" as a heterosexual dating Rush Limbaugh?

And for the record, as a gay man, I don't know what you mean by "lifestyle". I have a LIFE.

[sabbat hunter]

45. poor wording

on my part, my apologies.

but i didnt comment on the rush limberger article cause i cant comment on everything :P

[mondo joe]

53. Really? You still have time. Every day there are reports about the

personal lives of heterosexuals. You'll have many opportunities to denounce them for their invasion of privacy of the heterosexual lifestyle.

[PageOneQ]

39. Secret....

I agree....
Private lives are private....UNTIL...
You keep your life private AND then do bad things to the group which you are SECRETLY a member of...

The standard is different here.....
Cooper: Never did a negative thing to gays that I know of....who cares?S

Sheppy Smith: Works for the Anti-truth, ANYONE who works for Faux news is game in my book....

[porphyrian]

30. It only matters if they are public figures acting against the lifestyle.

Private citizens have the right to a private life. Most public figures should as well. However, public figures who shill AGAINST the lifestyle they themselves practice are hypocrites who are actively hurting others of that same lifestyle, and they deserve to be busted for it.

[mondo joe]

38. "Lifestyle" is a bs word. And public figures expose themselves to public

attention by choice. We do have a free press, you know.

[porphyrian]

43. What word do you prefer, Joe?

Not that my posts are meant to please you, they're not. And thank you for the reminder about the free press, but I'm not the one with problems comprehending our First Amendment or to what extent I understand it. My post is correct as written. Feel free to re-read it as many times as is necessary.

[mondo joe]

44. What do you call your life?

[porphyrian]

46. I call it "my life."

Or did you mean you would prefer I use that question instead of "lifestyle."

You really get hung up on semantics, don't you? What word do I have to use for you to understand my post, Joe?

[mondo joe]

47. I understood your post. But if you don't think words that marginalize

minority groups matter, that's up to you.

I can only give you the information. What you do with it is your choice.

[porphyrian]

49. The word "lifestyle" marginalizes gays?

How so? Sorry to offend, but I'm completely ignorant of this phenomenon. I was merely using the word on its definition.

[mondo joe]

52. The word "lifestyle" has been applies to gays for years by anti-gay

types in the far right. Maybe you didn't catch that.

There is no "gay lifestyle".

[porphyrian]

55. Well, I didn't.

I'm neither gay nor anti-gay, so I was unfamiliar with that. My deepest apologies to anyone who was offended by my choice of words.

So, substituting your favorite applicable non-offensive word for "lifestyle" in my post, you did understand what I was saying, though, right?

[ldf]

58. the word "lifestyle" implies choice

which is neither here nor there. choice should also be irrelevant.

however, the way THEY use it implies that there is choice involved.

maybe for a very few. but NOT for the huge majority.

using "lifestyle" when referring to sexual orientation is just reinforcing the RW talking points, playing word games with people's lives.

[porphyrian]

85. What, people don't choose to be gay?

I'm kidding.

[eridani]

94. And more to the point, a trivial choice--

--sort of like deciding how you want to remodel your kitchen. Choosing life partners (or even love objects) is much more serious than that. LGTB people have LIVES, capeesh?

[AspenRose]

64. I didn't know that either, so thanks for the info

The stuff you learn on DU....! Thank you Joe. I hope I didn't offend anyone unknowingly in the past.

[tamtam]

77. Because lifestyle is a choice

We don't use the phrase "lifestyle" to describe heterosexuals because being heterosexual is just something you are. Being gay is just something you are, not necessarily something you choose. The far right has been using the phrase "lifestyle" in regards to gay people since they started their war on homosexuality. They stigmatize homosexuality by saying, in their words, "those people choose to live that type of life" hence the phrase lifestyle. Being gay is not a style, being gay is just something you are. The sooner we all start learning that the better.

[gauguin57]

4. How can a publication out two men whom EVERYONE already knew

were gay?

[Fridays Child]

9. I guess they're just not "out and proud" enough for that magazine.

:shrug:

[Carni]

16. I had no idea the faux dude was gay

Seriously I didn't have a clue

[gauguin57]

23. I learned Shep was gay years ago, right here on DU!

Who cares about any of it? Their. Private. Business.

All that matters is that they both brought the Bush admin's failings in Katrina to light for all the world (even the Fox News freeper audience) to see!

[Freedomfried]

25. I knew he was gay, its those false eyelashes that gave it away

And he's never seen with a woman co-anchor.

[tamtam]

74. I had no idea he was gay

This is news to me.

[mondo joe]

21. Clearly "everyone" didn't know.

[Gildor Inglorion]

33. For those of us who never watch TV....

it boils down to a question of hypocrisy vs. privacy. I've never seen either one of these persons, but I'm uncomfortable with "outing." It's almost as if some people believe that there is no horror so bad that can't be made worse by saying someone is gay (Hitler, George W. Bush, etc.) Think of the matter from a different perspective: "DICK CHENEY IS A JEW!!!!!" How offensive is that? Would it make him more of a monster?

[AussieDave]

5. Well Anderson Cooper was no surprise

but ol' Shep Smith !!! Maybe it showed through when he had that blowout on live TV in New Orleans.

I reckon he's a bit of a hottie anyway......

[Ediacara]

13. I thought Cooper had been out for a long time

[AussieDave]

28. I remember hearing something about it earlier this year

or last year.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. Didn't know Anderson Cooper too. I just saw him in an airport and

he is really, really tiny.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Who cares? It has nothing to do with being a network anchor. nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. who said it did?

[mondo joe]

24. Did Katie Couric having a huband have to do with being an anchor?

How about that CNN anchor dating Limbaugh?

[htuttle]

8. I thought Anderson Cooper was already 'out'

I haven't heard him talk about it much (well...why SHOULD he?), but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't a secret.

[Julius Civitatus]

19. Yes. He is discreet, but he was already out

And this is news because...???

[meganmonkey]

11. This is LBN?

An IMDB blog?

:wtf:

[bertha katzenengel]

12. GMAB. Anderson's reply to question about his orientation was

evasive but it does not mean that he is gay. It's impossible to tell from that tiny rag-like article whether the "outer" has other info, but if that's the best they have - :eyes:

But what does it matter? I don't believe outing is right.

edited - wrong word used

[mduffy31]

14. WHO CARES?!

As long as they aren't out there killing people, I don't care at all who they like to sleep with.

[bertha katzenengel]

29. the point of outing is to bring hypocrisy into relief -- at least that's

what you'll hear most "outers" say. But in this case it's clearly been done to try to further our cause. If famous people come out, one argument goes, the country can see more and more gay people and get over their homophobia.

No matter what people think is a good reason for outing, it's wrong, IMO.

[mondo joe]

35. I disagree. We hear news about the personal lives of celebrities

every day and the only time people have a cow about it is when it's about a gay person.

I don't buy the double standard, and I find it insulting.

[bertha katzenengel]

40. I agree with you. But outing someone doesn't change the double

standard. It will always be there, just as there is one for women, and for other minorities.

I think outing is wrong because it's not up to me to reveal someone else's secret. One might have very, very good reasons (to them) to stay in the closet.

[mondo joe]

50. But it is up to the press to reveal secrets, particularly of public

figures.

And I think reporting on these things in a more matter of fact way does minimize the double standard. When Daryl Kagan was "outted" for dating Limbaugh no one was screaming about her privacy, her lifestyle or her secrets. It was just news. Gossipy news, but just news.

[Autonomy]

73. The only news about it was the potential conflicts of interest

on Kagan's part. I've been known to smash TVs when "Extra" or one of those shows come on. I want to see A LOT LESS tabloid trash masquerading as "news" out there, regardless of anyone's ulterior agenda for promoting it.

[mondo joe]

87. You can see less tabloid trash by not looking at it - but it is protected

freedom of the press. Not much to do about that.

[Autonomy]

89. Well, I can't look at it when the TV is smashed into little pieces

but the point is that I do more than complain about seeing 'hetero' relationships on TV. So I am not a hypocrite by opposing 'outing'. That's not a really good standard to have to live up to to oppose something on principle, but there ya go. I have the moral authority you suggested is necessary to oppose outing. What now?

[mondo joe]

90. You do? I don't see much of it here on DU.

Plenty of mentions of Limbaugh's girlfriend with never a mention of preserving his or her privacy.

Nor that of Newt Gingrich.

Nor even that of Bush.

You have a lot of threads on DU that are about private lives of heterosexuals. Get busy.

[Autonomy]

92. I'll starting right now: outing makes me sick. Stop supporting it.

Thanks.

[mondo joe]

93. That's a start. Which other personal reporting are you busy condemning?

[Autonomy]

96. Any that does not have the motive of outing hypocrisy

of judgmentalism or fundamentalism. IOW, nothing particularly going on in DUland. Yours is the only position re: tabloid reporting that I've yet had a problem with on DU.

[izzybeans]

68. I agree its a short sighted and unfortunate political choice to out

someone. It only highlights the stigmata. Coming out is intensely personal because of the double standard. The notion of hiding oneself in the closet is based on it. The very need to "come out" of hiding too relies on the stigma for its existence. Imagine a world were coming out and outing were unnecessary. Were the closet didn't exist. Outing someone just reproduces the closet for others.



On edit: I'm not against outing a hypocrite who advocates discrimination, but folks who just live their life's and do their jobs. Well...I'm not quite sure what the point would be to give a rip whether Anderson Cooper was gay or not.

[mondo joe]

88. The "stigmata"?

Presumably you mean "stigma".

But I'd say having the press complicit in keeping a special secret about only gays contributes MORE to the stigma.

[izzybeans]

95. no difference. If you like Erving Goffman you say stigma if you like

Euro-microsocial theory you say stigmata.


Sure if the person is harboring a secret while also partaking in a hypocritical political discourse then sure said "secret" is contributing to the "stigma". The fact that we conceptualize only one group of people as having a sexual secret suggests there is a distinction that is stigmatizing a priori to any journalistic intent. In the case of a person who has no true secret what's the purpose? ...if only to highlight the "stigma". These are people who lead open lives everywhere and feel like any hetero as if they don't need to mark themselves with a distinction that implies power, the proclamation of their sexuality is a secondary aspect of their biography (or interpreting it more Freudian, they do not engage in the sexuality discourse at work so its repressed in that context...they are but one stripe of a multifaceted community). Outing does nothing for this group of people, especially since they tend to be very comfortable with themselves. Now if the person were harboring a secret, such that he or she were married to the opposite sex and as a consequence hide themselves (their true self?) in places like a "tea room" then perhaps an outing would be appropriate because it would force the person to see themselves as they are. it would make it more likely for them to develop healthy relationships by virtue of no longer having to "live the lie" or experience a struggle with their identity.

I suppose I would save violating basic principles of self-determination for a few special cases. Studies of the coming out process show how trying it is for some, how much of a celebration it is for others, and how it doesn't really matter to the few who make up the rest. I personally support the "letting be" of the latter two groups. They should organize their lives in the manner they so choose. The first group needs support and so a political intervention is necessary, one support mechanism is the tough love "outing" which is only functional under specific circumstances.

My point: The utility of "outing" these two people seems only to be in selling a political rag (whether that was the intent or not), it has little political utility because now the only thing that has changed has been that more people have heard of the magazine. If Anderson Cooper was leading an unhappy life by doing the DAvid Cross "overcome" bit, then perhaps I'll change my mind. I however doubt it. I suppose he is one of the many who simply use the non-gendered term "partner" and moves on.

[ErisFiveFingers]

15. Uhm... duh?

So, they're gay.

Do they file anti-gay stories?

That's what might be interesting.

[SF Bay Area Dem]

17. Wow! The Shep man is GAY? (eghads!)...

What will the rest of the gay haters on the Foxvda News Channel think of this?

[Julius Civitatus]

18. Old news. Cooper was already out of the closet.

He even recognized it in his show earlier this year.

If the Houston Voice is trying to make a name for itself by outing people left and right, they better check their sources. This is OLD NEWS.

Ugh!

[crispini]

22. Shocked. Shocked, I am!

:eyes:

Here's the original story:
http://www.houstonvoice.com/2005/10-21/view/editorial/celebs.cfm

Cooper isn’t the only well-known TV personality hiding his sexual orientation. Shepard Smith, who hosts a popular program on Fox News and received widespread praise for his work covering Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath, also dodges questions about his sexual orientation.

Smith once chatted me up in a New York City gay piano bar, bought me drinks, and invited me back to his place. When I declined, he asked me to dinner the next night, another invitation I politely refused.

We sat at the bar chatting and drinking martinis until 3 a.m., our conversation interrupted only when he paused to belt out the lyrics to whatever showtune was being performed.

Ok, showtunes..... snicker.

[No Exit]

27. LOL... yeah. It's a real surprise...

I sensed that Anderson Cooper was, though I'd not actually heard that. (I am NOT saying that my "senses" are infallible.)

Ditto for Shep.

Love Anderson. Dislike Shep.

[Kurovski]

62. Thanks, crispini. I was off to look for the original

and here you've already posted it! :thumbsup:

[WI_DEM]

26. these publications which out people I find very offensive

eom.

[mondo joe]

34. I find it offensive when being gay is treated like a sacred cow,

something SO deep and dark that it's exempt from any other standards of reporting.

[WI_DEM]

42. I believe in the right to privacy

if somebody for whatever reason doesn't want to discuss thier sex life that is up to them, not some magazine. I thought democrats believed in a right to privacy. I'm sure that those close to these reporters know they are gay--it's not up to some publication to let the rest of the world in on it.

[mondo joe]

48. Being gay is not "their sex life".

I believe in the right to privacy from the government.

I also believe in the right of a free press.

These are not at all inconsistent.

And FYI, knowing someone is gay tells you NOTHING about their sex life. I'm gay - what do you know about my sex life as a result of that?

Do you know what I do? Do you know if I even DO anything sexually AT ALL?

[DemocracyInaction]

32. I think the point here is

that Shep is part of a network that fosters and maintains Limbaugh type hatred in this nation. They cater to the fundies and the wingers. What would their "demographic" base think if they were being fed the propaganda from "gasp" a "gay". But then I wonder what other secrets abound among these people. How many on Fox "fuck" around (huh, Bill?). Any of the ladies have an abortion? Any sleep with others before marriage? How many have drinking or gambling problems, etc. In other words, it's like having a Jew do propaganda for Hitler. That's what sickens me.

[hughee99]

56. So even if Shep never did anything personally anti-gay in his life...

the guideline is that anyone who works for, with, or associates with anyone on the right wing, they are fair game. It doesn't matter what their personal background or beliefs are, or whether they have personally done anything against the gay community. Basically, as long as there's some political advantage to be had, it's okay. I just want to make sure that next time someone is outed, I know whether I should be outraged toward the outer or the target.

[JPZenger]

36. Should Only Out People Who Assist Homophobic Organizations

The only people who should be publicly outed against their will are guys who assist homophobic organizations. If someone else wants to have their personal life remain private, that is their right. But if you work for "man on dog sex" Senator Santorum, you are fair game.

[bluedawg12]

54. Agreed, are we saying that being gay is shameful?

Nope.

Then why out public figures like Cooper and then revel about the shameful revelation.

So what if he is gay? What's to say?

How about this?

Being gay is not shameful, and if people want to live their lives privately that's their business.

There is an element of perpetuating the "shameful gay" stereo type here.

Now if someone is a blatant hypocrite and attacks gays and has the Guckert syndrome, well then, out the bastard.

[Stephanie]

51. What do we think of this Bloomberg item? >

Mayor Bloomberg Gets Power Bottom Endorsement
READ MORE: bloomberg, gay, nyc politics

From the mailbag:

Mayor Bloomberg came by B-Bar on Tuesday night for the popular gay party Beige. He had a leisurely dinner with Brian Ellner and his partner and a few other gays. What’s funny is that he was last seen at Beige just about 4 yrs ago, right before the election.

And, never one to go about these things half-assedly, Bloomberg then sashayed over to Boysroom, where he was last seen in the bathroom, vigilantly campaigning for saunas and glitter.

http://www.gawker.com/

[rhino47]

57. I think this is horrid

What if Shep Smith had not outted himself to friends and family?
I think to go public with anyones sexual preferences is the most cruel form of debasement.
I like fat guys.Think I want someone to put an ad in the paper announcing it?I have never read the Housyon Voice so I really can not say what their motives for outting people are.I would suspect though some publications out for their own checkbooks sake.

[MADem]

65. That would probably make a lot of fat guys happy

They'd be parked outside your door, ringing your phone off the hook--you'd become their spokesmodel!!!

The point everyone seems to be making is that you are not actively working--and getting paid a "hefty" sum--to marginalize fat guys, making their fatness illegal, advocating putting them in jail for their girth, declaring that they should be forced to attend Weight Watchers, while secretly enjoying the delights they bring you.

It is an apples and oranges argument you make.

[butterfly77]

59. Oh ! Rielly

[SoCalDem]

60. yawn...

That information has been "out & around" for years.. Cooper has never denied any of it..and who really cares anyway? Probably CNN has a clause that reminds people to be "careful" in their real lives ..

[Kurovski]

61. Anderson would be no surprise, but Shep flew under MY radar.

I mean, should it be true.

[Mutley]

63. Does it matter?

:shrug:

It'll be nice when the day comes that no one cares whether or not someone is gay.

[Kurovski]

66. It'll also be nice when you won't have to guess whether

you should ask someone for date or not.

It really is very, very frustrating to have to go through all the elaborate "Dance of the Seven Veils" horseshit in one's life.

And just ask any woman who fell for a man who turned out to be gay. and vice-versa. They would have appreciated a "heads-up", of that I'm certain.

Now, when exactly is the 21st century slated to begin?

[Mutley]

67. Well that would go hand in hand with what I said.

It'll be nice when homosexuality is accepted enough in our society that people wouldn't feel the need to pretend to be straight in order to hide that they are gay.

I haven't dated in a long while so I'm not familiar with the problems of trying to figure out who you can ask out and who you can't ask out. I'm sure it's very frustrating.

[Kurovski]

70. I know. I was just adding details. The secrecy affects everyone,

not just gays and lesbians. :hi:

[nini]

69. This reminds me of Will & Grace's outing of Jack to his mom

"What? Is she headless?" Perfect line for an obviously gay male.

Doesn't matter, but it will to those who think it does. That's what so damned sad. Dislike Shepard for being an asshole not gay.

[saracat]

71. Yeah well, I know what some will say but Shep was married and to a woman

for years. He is divorced. And forgive me if I take the "he tried to pick me up in a gay bar" stories with s large dose of salt as they are duplicates of others making the rounds about other people. This is nasty garbage as far as I can see. An anchors sexuality or lack of it is none of our business. Anderson is correct, and Houston Voice should STFU. They damage the credibility of gay publications with this. They either must choose to be journalists or tabloid gossips. It is obvious what choice they have made.

[QC]

72. Oscar Wilde was married.

He also had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan.

[saracat]

75. True. But that is not the point. Oscar was fairly open in a dangerous time

And actually wasn't very admirable in how he handled his situation. But all I am saying is it ain't ncessarily so, and even if it is true it isn't anyone's business, let alone this rags. I only support outing of political people who seek to supress gay rights. They are hypocrites. Someone like Shep Smith, while working for a dreadful network, doesn't seem to have a personal anti-gay agenda.

[davidinalameda]

79. it doesn't matter if he doesn't have a personal anti-gay agenda

the network he works for does

[saracat]

80. And if you worked for a Republican boss, would that make it

okay to publish your personal life? My husband worked for Motorola for years and most people never even registered with a political party so as not to show their preference. It was well known the company have a close relationship with Bush Senior and Dems were frowned on. Should he have quit? What horse pucky. As long as the reporter doesn't personally advocate a position he shouldn't be punished for his network sins. I know many people who work for local fox affiliates and it might surprise you to know that most are Dems. There are only so many jobs to go around. You also might notice that all fox affiliates are not equal!

[davidinalameda]

84. Faux affiliates aren't equal

but he doesn't work for a Faux affiliate--he works for the Faux News Channel or whatever the name is

I do feel if you're gay or whatever, and your job hurts your community, then yes, your private life is fair game

Do you think it was fair to out one of Rick Santorum's staffers?

This wasn't some entry level worker but one of his advisors who assists his office in formulating policy

[mondo joe]

86. If you're a public figure, yeah.

Hetero private lives are the fodder of fluff and even real media EVERY DAY and no one ever makes a fuss over it.

I don't like the double standard - it's as if the lives of gays are so shameful they need a special status in which the press is complicit in keeping secret.

[AZBlue]

78. So what?

[oxbow]

81. Next in line: John Roberts

how many gay chief justices you think we've had without anyone knowing it ;)

[WA98296]

82. I think its wrong, and does the cause little good.

Really, is it anyone's business to know what sort of preferences a reporter may or may not have sexually?

The article said, "...choose to hide and deceive -- and to protect their incomes and images -- at the expense of contributing important weight and star power to the gay civil rights movement."

Are these individuals required to contribute "important weight and star power" to promote gay civil rights? I don't think so. I feel that they have a right to privacy.

I do believe though that there may be times when outting gay individuals is fitting. For instance, here in Washington state, Spokane mayor Jim West was outed. He served as a legislator for years, working very hard AGAINST gay issues all the while.

[bluedawg12]

97. Agree, drives gays further into closet and perpetuates shame. n/t

[Deja Q]

83. I had a sneaky suspicion, but wasn't fully convinced about Sheppiepoo...

However, Anderson is about as obvious as my lack of social skills.