POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: tednlou2 on January 24, 2011, 11:26:56 pm
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Oprah is doing another show about gay folks entitled, "Coming Out On The Oprah Show: 25 Years Of Unforgettable Guests." It will air tomorrow, Tuesday, January 25th. I'm only posting this, because Greg Louganis will be a guest. Greg has been pretty private and I will be interested to see how he is doing and how the discussion of HIV goes. I can't imagine it not being discussed. Did he come out on her show? I was a little confused about that. They showed clips in the promo of his previous appearance several years ago.
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Well i really really hope its true that Oprah isn't even "kind of a lesbian".
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No, he didn't come out on her show. I've admired Greg for a long time. According to his book "Breaking the Surface", it was the diving incident that forced it. My family thought I was a jock for watching the olympics, I was watching him. Lord was he HOT!
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Well i really really hope its true that Oprah isn't even "kind of a lesbian".
??? Why? What's it to you whether or not she's a lesbian, or even bi for that matter? Were you hoping to date her?
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??? Why? What's it to you whether or not she's a lesbian, or even bi for that matter? Were you hoping to date her?
YUCK!
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??? Why? What's it to you whether or not she's a lesbian, or even bi for that matter?
It's endlessly fascinating.
Whether some celebrity is a homo is pretty much the only reason people go on Answers.com.
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Oprah has her fans and non-fans. She invites passionate opinion about herself, not only about her topics. I have a number of friends who can't stand her because they find her insincere, or phony, or lightweight fluff, etc etc.
Since I rarely have the opportunity to watch her, I also don't have a particularly strong feeling either way (love or hate). Generally I am pro Oprah.
So I was intrigued by Barbara Walter's interview. Barbara never fails to ask any suspected homos about the rumours..... There have certainly been plenty about Oprah and her girl friend.
So, Oprah answered "I am not even kind of a lesbian" and furthermore gave the line about if she were gay, she would have no problem with it and would also be public.
Therefore, since I am rooting for an authentic Oprah, then I do hope she is not gay, especially doing this show about about coming out.
Is that clear now?
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Is that clear now?
Abundantly. Maybe your buds A.C. and Kathy Griffen have the answer. You usually quote them by now.
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Is that clear now?
As mud.
Wait, I get it now, you're hoping that she hasn't been lying when she says she's not a lesbian. I kinda doubt that she is lying. Why would she, unless she's afraid of a backlash from the xtian right.
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YUCK!
hehehehehehe.... she's not quite my type either! :D
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WHAT difference should it make in 2011 if someone is gay or straight. I really am tired of the big deal made when a celebrity comes out of the closet. Good for them, but does it really what a difference in the acceptance of GLBT people. I think it is far more important that the common Joe or Sue who lives in bum fuck KY or Iowa, come out to their family, friends or co-workers. To me they have far more to lose and are the true heroes who do far more to change attitudes than "stars". In the 70's when California and Anita Bryant came after gays and lesbians with some bullshit discrimination legislation, Harvey Milk stressed that if they know one of us the measure would be defeated and so it was.
As far as when an HIV+ celebrity comes out, I think it does give more face time to HIV. But in the end I go back to the Joe's and Sue's of the world who help end the stigma of those who know them.
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I met Greg Louganis a few years back when he did a fundraiser for the agency for which I work.
He was a delightful, down-to-earth fellow with a sense of humor and a ready smile.
Oh, and to respectfully disagree, in part, with Woods, perhaps today its no big deal for someone to come out gay, but when he did it, he had to have real courage to withstand the negativity hurled at him.
HUGS,
Mark
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Oh, generally I agree Woodsie when it's some Lance Bass level D-lister. Oprah isn't even A-list, she's like an Angel from Heaven, so if she were to come out (not that I think she's a lesbian) I'm sure it might change more minds than any other celebrity.
But you're right that the people who have the most influence probably are Joe and Judy Schmoe of Kraptopia, KY. Hard to measure these things for sure.
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Oh, generally I agree Woodsie when it's some Lance Bass level D-lister. Oprah isn't even A-list, she's like an Angel from Heaven, so if she were to come out (not that I think she's a lesbian) I'm sure it might change more minds than any other celebrity.
But you're right that the people who have the most influence probably are Joe and Judy Schmoe of Kraptopia, KY. Hard to measure these things for sure.
You know I started to specifically say something about Oprah, but then I thought if she can make best selling authors or products just by mentioning them on her show, then yeah probably she would have some influence. I have to agree kinda doubt she is lesbian. I just wish that it wasn't such a big deal.
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That's right.
i doubt she is, and want to believe in a genuine Oprah. Due to the good stuff she does.
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I love oprah and, for the most part, has done important shows on hiv. I just hope she is a little more up to speed on things. Last year (might have been two years ago) she did an episode on women wbo were infected with hiv by this one guy, and the woman said she was now dating a negative guy. Oprah asked if she "kisses" her negative boyfriend and appeared shocked when she said she did. Thankfully the hiv doc in the audience saved oprah from looking ignorant, but I have to say that was not one of her brightest moments. Hopefully her interview with Greg will be better.
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I'm not directing this comment to anyone on is forum but I detect a bit of sexism in the "is Oprah a lesbian" rumors. It goes back to this idea that if a woman isn't married, especially at Oprah's age, there must be something wrong with her. She has to be a lesbian, or hate men or have "issues". There are also questions when men of a certain age are not married but some people seem to think a woman is incomplete without a man.
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I'm not directing this comment to anyone on is forum but I detect a bit of sexism in the "is Oprah a lesbian" rumors. It goes back to this idea that if a woman isn't married, especially at Oprah's age, there must be something wrong with her. She has to be a lesbian, or hate men or have "issues". There are also questions when men of a certain age are not married but some people seem to think a woman is incomplete without a man.
^ Exactly my thoughts on the subject
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I watched the show today. As the show's title suggested, it focused on people who have talked about being gay on her show. In the Louganis interview, the subject of his being poz was only discussed very briefly--as it should have, since it was a show about being gay. She asked how his health was and whether he was still on the cocktail. That seemed like a silly question at first, but interviewers often ask questions that they already know the answer to for the benefit of the audience. And, I suppose it is possible that he could have said he was on a drug holiday. Not likely. I remember an interview with him from several years ago where he discussed participating in research before HAART. He also discussed how he had to take Bactrim everyday. I remember him saying it gave his skin a darker color like he had a really good tan. That was a long time ago, so I'm not sure whether he still has to take it.
Today, when he answered he was doing well, he seemed to pause before answering. It made me wonder just whether he was just saying he was doing well like when people ask anyone how they are doing. They will often just answer yes, because they don't want to get into all the details. Maybe I was reading it wrong and he is doing very well. I hope so. At first, I thought he was looking old for 50, but then I saw the clip of Oprah from 2006. She looked hot in 2006 and 5 years have made a difference in her looks.
Off-topic from the HIV issue, my partner and I noticed something in this interview with Louganis from his previous appearance in 1995. In 1995, he seemed more masculine in the way he spoke and his mannerisms. It made us wonder whether he was acting more masculine in that 1995 interview. That was a different time. Maybe he feels more free to be himself now. He was there on February 27, 1995. We went to the Oprah a show about a week later. That show was about sitcoms stars from the past. I wish I would have gone a week earlier for his appearance to see something more important.
HIV did come back up with Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla, India. He came out as gay on Oprah a few years ago. He discussed how his mother, the Queen, had disowned him, but that his father was more compassionate. He still lives in the same palace with his mother, but I guess they don't speak. The prince talked about his work with HIV and gay men in India, which has become a serious issue. He also said laws that made the act of homosexuality a crime have now been changed after his appearance on Oprah. I'm not familiar with the prince or the Indian monarchy--whether he is the prince of the whole nation or just a particular region, etc. And, I don't know how accurate his statements were about the laws being changed.
Anyway, I wish Greg would have discussed life being poz in more detail, but that really wasn't the show's focus. For being poz for 20+ years, he looked good.
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That Prince seems like a great guy.
F.Y.I. The royal families (there were many kingdoms) of India lost power after WWII with independence. But not their titles or their wealth. In 1971 hereditary titles were abolished. Though in many states the practice and families continue, and enjoy respect, but as cultural tradition. If they are not wealthy they make hotels in their palaces.
There are a lot of "royals" running around this world from royalties that no longer exist.
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Thank God Anderson Cooper wasn't there!
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I love oprah and, for the most part, has done important shows on hiv. I just hope she is a little more up to speed on things. Last year (might have been two years ago) she did an episode on women wbo were infected with hiv by this one guy, and the woman said she was now dating a negative guy. Oprah asked if she "kisses" her negative boyfriend and appeared shocked when she said she did. Thankfully the hiv doc in the audience saved oprah from looking ignorant, but I have to say that was not one of her brightest moments. Hopefully her interview with Greg will be better.
I believe that Ophra on purpose asked that question, so that the hiv doc could answer and eliminate any doubts of the watching audience who might not be propperly informed about all transmission routes....like "kissing"
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I liked the show. I thought it was interesting that the Prince said one of the reasons the Oprah show had such an effect in India is because O is not a lesbian. I guess if she were a lesbian (or if he had appeared on Ellen instead at the time) the Indians would have thought, "Well, of course she had him on her show, she's gay herself." It had more of an impact on them because she's straight.
Not to be superficial but Greg looked great. Surely he's taken many of those earlier and more toxic meds? Maybe not.
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There are plenty of LTSers who took pre-HAART meds and made it through it looking OK.
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I still cherish my ancient copy of Exercise for Men Only with Greg emerging from the pool in his white speedo. :-*