"I was like, 'I hope this doesn't make anyone uncomfortable, but this is how I feel.' I love this person, and I want to be open in every way...and hopefully show people that they also don't need to hide or alter themselves in any way." - T.J. Osborne discusses his trepidation at bringing beau Abi with him to the CMA Awards. He says he felt "so accepted and loved by my peers"...so much so that he was comfortable enough to kiss Abi on the lips when he and his brother won Vocal Duo of the Year.
The gay son of a friend recently asked me to meet him out. I suggested a local gay bar. When he arrived, he said, "Phew - I'm glad they didn't question my ID." Why would they question it? "It's a fake - I don't turn 21 until January." I felt like I was corrupting a youth - a feeling I know from when I was a youth! While noting the looks we got from the older patrons (even older than moi), I thought - here I am with this adorable tyke, less than half my age, and I didn't even win an Oscar! That being said, the young are exhausting! While youth may be wasted on the young, you need to be young to keep up.
Our community has made enormous strides since I came out some three decades ago - a point driven home when I learned that the US Navy named a ship after Harvey Milk! The gay rights advocate was assassinated in 1978 at a time when the idea of being openly gay in the military was unfathomable. The naming ceremony of the USNS Harvey Milk took place in San Diego and was attended by the Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro. "There is no doubt that the future sailors aboard this ship will be inspired by Milk's life and legacy," said Del Toro. Somewhere, Milk is smiling at the thought of his namesake being boarded by thousands of young sailors.
It's been a tumultuous week for Ingo Rademacher. One of the legacy stars of "General Hospital" re-Tweeted a post which questioned whether US Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine is "an empowering woman" and referred to her as "dude" (Levine is transgender). People quickly accused Ingo of being transphobic. His "GH" co-star, Cassandra James (who is trans), took him to task. Ingo immediately Tweeted an apology: "Cassandra, I apologize to you sincerely. I think you're an absolute talent and you're very beautiful as well. I don't think a transphobic man would say that. I think you're absolutely gorgeous, I really do" - which then led many to question if Ingo was only OK with good-looking trans people...or perhaps had a little crush. He also shared an anecdote about when his 3-year-old son "wanted to look pretty. I don't think a transphobic dad would buy his son a Disney princess dress." Days later, it was announced that Ingo was no longer a part of "GH". His last air date is November 22nd. While no reason for his departure was given (speculation runs from his anti-vax stance to this trans scandal), "GH" Tweeted this: "General Hospital stands in solidarity with the trans community."
Another day, another arrest for Andy Dick. According to reports, police were called to Dick's home after he reportedly hit his boyfriend, Lucas, with a bottle. A month earlier, he allegedly hit Lucas with a frying pan! Andy's ex-fiancée Elisa Jordana says that in June, he smashed Lucas over the head with a metal chair. "He could have killed him!" says Elisa. I normally don't get into victim blaming, but at what point will Lucas stay away?
Last week, we celebrated the 100th episode of "Billy Masters LIVE" with Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. The famed duo talked about The Fifth Dimension, their appearance in the documentary "Summer of Soul", their duo work, their solo work, and even a joint appearance in "Dreamgirls" which you have to hear to believe! This week, we're hosting another panel discussion, because there's a whole lot to discuss. You can watch us live on Thursday at 3PM Eastern, Noon Pacific. Or tune in whenever at BillyMasters.com/TV or YouTube.com/BillyMastersTV.
I'm not the only one who has made a little mark on the Internet. "The Old Gays" has gone viral with over 3 million followers on TikTok. Robert Reeves, Mick Peterson, Bill Lyons and Jessay Martin are making a docuseries about their lives. Brian Graden, the former head of Logo, is developing the project and had this to say: "Their videos resonate with audiences young and old alike and viewers have shown extreme interest in seeing their lives on a more personal level which we intend to deliver."
This week's "Ask Billy" question comes from Frank in Vermont, who writes: "I just saw on [another website] photos of James Marsden nude in a shower. They're really hot — but are they real?"
I have no recollection of Marsden ever showing all in a shower. A few years back, he did a shower photoshoot with Kate Mara, but that wasn't nude. He was once snapped in the shower with a bar of soap in his mouth, but he was much younger than in these nude photos. In "Westworld", he's nude and never looked better, but he's sitting in a chair. So, in short, I doubt the veracity of these nude shower photos - real as they appear to be. That being said, I'll post them on BillyMasters.com - and you can decide for yourself.
When I'm not young enough for my friend's son, and not old enough to be one of "The Old Gays", it's definitely time to end yet another column. Rather than threaten you with bodily harm, I'll simply direct you to www.BillyMasters.com - the site that stands in solidarity with all communities. If you have a question, dash it off to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you before someone names a frigate after me (I've had more than my share of seamen). So, until next time, remember, one man's filth is another man's bible.
