The kicker? What if he was straight? Ooooh, that'd be a headtrip, yeah?

[luciazephyr]

I'm sure you've all heard about Out trying to, well, out Andy again. But at least it's a compliment this time. Second most powerful queer? Awesome! *applaudes*

In other news, I've been wanting to get Out for... a long time now. I read their site fairly regularly. So, poll time!

[Poll #959933]

Just realized something, PRT fen. Tomorrow? Keith's so going to comment on this. 'Cause he's a bastard and, dude, took a line from Men's Journal and gave Andy a WPitW award for it. Goddamnit, Keith, I am not in a mood to do damage control again. Please be with the shutting up, yes?

-Luce

Comments

[scrunchy.livejournal.com]

He won't. He's not actually an asshole.

He won't. I can promise you.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

But... *bounces* He made innuendo on the radio already! It's just so...

I love Keith. You know I love Keith. But how can you be sure?

[scrunchy.livejournal.com]

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

Okay. *sigh* I really hope you're right, dear. He'll break my heart otherwise.

[cosmic.livejournal.com]

Keith's not going to say a thing. It's not a Keith-comment-able thing this time around. Like scrunchy said: he's not actually an asshole.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

But after some of his comments, do you blame me for being nervous? I'm just afraid of a joke about it, not so much a WPitW bit.

Unless he attacked the magazine for the forced outing. But then I'd love him.

[red-eft.livejournal.com]

The only problem with print magazines is the possibility someone will *find* them, so if that's a concern, you might want to be careful. Otherwise, there's nothing weird about it. (straight allies=yays).

I wonder what Anderson thinks of this- he has to know that *not* answering causes more speculation than just saying it outright. ...unless that's his plan, and he's just distracting the public from some sinister plot to take over the world with a robot army. But that seems unlikely.

I'm curious, if you don't mind, what you thought was so bad about the comment Keith made to Musto. I mean, Musto's an ass, you'll get no argument from me there, but Keith's comment seemed to boil down to "ha, Cooper still thinks he's closeted." It didn't seem particularly mean spirited, even. I mean, not terribly polite, but no less than usual. I mean, I didn't hear his comment on the radio, and the WPitW bit, sure, that was kind of ridiculous, but the one to Musto, not so much.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

*is totally a straight ally* Most of the people I socialize with don't mind homosexuality, but you never know... Maybe part of me wants someone to ask about it, so I can tell them why a straight gal would ever want to read a gay publication. Just, ya know, to be enlightening.

He must not have expected it to be such a Thing. And, really, when it comes down to it, it's dangerous for him to reveal his sexuality, I don't care what any GBLT folk say. He goes reporting in Muslim countries. Muslim countries? Stone and hang gay men. I know it's a long shot that he'd ever be in danger of that, but, damnit, it's still a danger, so I say leave him alone until he's at least done with the overseas reporting. Which may be never, but whatever. *waves hands*

I... I usually think Keith's a better person than that? I guess? I have high hopes for my boy Keithie, but when he doesn't meet them and makes a remark about Andy's sexuality, it Really Bugs Me. If he was criticizing Anderson's overexposure or reporting style, that'd be fine. But I don't think he realizes that not everyone knows Anderson's gay. 'Cause they don't! I had a teacher, we were talking newsmen at the end of class one day, and I made a joke about how ironic it was that he was talking to two gay men about some controversy or another (story he did a few months back) and he wasn't showing any bias at all. The teacher was baffled until I said, "dude, you know Cooper's gay, right?" And they didn't! Had been watching for over a year and had no clue!

So... It bugs me. Yes. *gets off soapbox*

[red-eft.livejournal.com]

He goes reporting in Muslim countries. Muslim countries? Stone and hang gay men.

And of course, Anderson Cooper is well known for his strict avoidance of life-threatening situations. :)
Seriously, though, I think anywhere he's likely to be stoned to death, his being an *American* is going to matter way more than his being gay. In my research, most countries are more concerned with homosexuality *within* their community, not in outsiders. Foreigners are allowed to be kind of weird. I suspect people who are all into stoning people don't pay too much attention to American celebrities in any case. Not suggesting he go wear a pride flag in Baghdad or anything, but if he doesn't bring it up, I think he's got other things to worry about.

I think the primary danger is with Americans, who *will* focus on that, and either have a problem with that in interviews, or stop watching, and the press who would, at least at first, pester him a lot about it. But they do that anyway.

I have high hopes for my boy Keithie, but when he doesn't meet them and makes a remark about Andy's sexuality, it Really Bugs Me. If he was criticizing Anderson's overexposure or reporting style, that'd be fine. But I don't think he realizes that not everyone knows Anderson's gay.

Well- yes, not everyone knows he's gay, though I'm not sure that the people who watch Countdown are really going to care *too* much. But- to me, anyway- there's a big difference between making an offhand snarky comment and "Tonight's Top Story: Anderson Cooper (not so) Sekritly Gay!" And... he wasn't really *criticizing* Andy for being gay, so much as poking at the fact that it's kind of an open secret.

And that's the thing: there's a *big* difference between "Oh, everybody knows" and "Everybody *knows*." As long as it stays unconfirmed rumor, one more comment on said rumor isn't going to make a difference. The people who don't think he's gay probably won't be swayed by just innuendo. It's a really weird phenomenon, actually, which I've seen many, many times- people are okay when "everybody knows" someone's gay, but when they know for *sure* it's somehow different. I don't know why, but there it is. In addition, many people are way, way more dense than one would expect them to be. The people whose gaydar he pings are likely to be the ones that don't care, and the ones who *would* object are likely the people who will deny it until they hear it from his own mouth, even *if* he wore a pride flag on air.

Not that I'm saying he *should* be outed- god no. In my experience, the only thing worse than being in the closet is being forced out of it. I mean, I kinda feel bad for him, because I couldn't imagine taking a job that required me to hide my sexuality, but hopefully he's either not as bothered or has figured out a way to deal with it. Just that there's a difference between rumormongering and actual *outing*.

(Um. I'm sorry that the- what, third? comment that I've made in your journal is arguing with you, and I hope you don't feel I'm attacking you or anything. I really don't mean to. I'm actually not sure why I'm so... invested, I guess, in this, only that it's an attitude I've seen around and it kind of confuses me. But I seriously don't mean to be all up in your face going "rar! you are wrong!" and please forgive me if I seem rude.)

[red-eft.livejournal.com]

and wow, that comment was way longer than I meant it to be. Um. Sorry. I'm verbose by nature. I suspect a genetic defect.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

(You're not at all rude and you made very good points. I... can't really argue with them, as your speculation could be true, but I also think mine could be true- you never know how outing Anderson could go. Sooo... Truce?)

[red-eft.livejournal.com]

Heh. Fair enough. *extends hand*

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, nicely appropriate icon!

*shakes hands* *makes tea for everyone*

[polaris-starz.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, crap. Keith, plz to not comment! I'm trying to write holiday fic, I can't do that if everyone wants to smack you about the head and ostracise you. Again.

(Pee ess check your mailbox. More tomorrow I hope!)

[hanachan01.livejournal.com]

It's not weird that you want to buy it. I'm going to as well, and I'm not gay ^^

It would be interesting if Keith commented on it, but I doubt he would make a big deal about it. At most, a snarky comment or something.

And I wasn't watching Countdown until really recently, so could you tell me why Andy got a WPitW award?

[silver11016.livejournal.com]

I must interrupt this thread to say that I love your Aibon icon there.

[hanachan01.livejournal.com]

Thank you :) Love your Yossie one as well!

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

Groovy! *grin*

I posted the transcript at the end of this post. *sadface*

You're new, I think. How'd you find me, if I may ask?

[hanachan01.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Keith, how can you be so mean?

I found you through punditslash, I think. Love all of the PRT fic!

[bipagan.livejournal.com]

Go for it! OUT is a great magazine. Have you read The Advocate?

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

I haven't, but I've always been curious. What's the difference between the two?

[bipagan.livejournal.com]

Out is more style and entertainment. The Advocate is more news magazine. From what I've seen, both are very gay centric (as in not as much about lesbians, bis, or trans) and the only fully lesbian magazine I've seen is Lesbian Connections which has the comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For, so I have to read it.

[eh-notsomuch.livejournal.com]

I wish to God it wasn't a big deal if someone was gay or not. But will it ever stop being a big deal if people like Anderson keep being coy about it? I mean, of course everyone has the right to his own private life, even celebrities.

It's just ludicrous to me that we're still talking like this in 2007 about coming out of the closet. I hope in 50 years, folks will look at us as a society the way we look at people in the '40s and '50s who made African-Americans drink from separate water fountains.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

I do too. *sadface* And I do believe Gay Rights is next after the Women's and African American's revolutions. It just makes sense. So, this will pass! *glee, hope*

[silver11016.livejournal.com]

Yayz for the subscription. I might get one when I move out.

And I don't think Keith (lol at the Keithie thing) will make too big a deal out of it unless he's jumping on Out for "targeting" his Andy. Because really, if Keith keeps bringing it up, somebody besides us will notice how much he seems to fixate on Andy being Teh Ghey...

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

He has a secret cruch on him. Just like everyone else. ^.^