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AE: Are you single outside of the house? What's dating like?  Do people sometimes pursue you because you were on a reality show?
MR: I'm seeing a few people. No one contender has really stepped up to the plate and knocked the others aside. Dating is good for me. I meet a lot of guys. I've dated my share of strippers and porn stars. Now I'm looking for a nice guy that wants a relationship.  People definitely pursued me after BB3 because of that notoriety. I'm on TV a lot now. I think I'm known for stuff other than BB. I still get the gold-diggers and the hangers-on. But I've grown a lot.  Now I meet good men also. And I know the difference. 

AE: Do you get both fan mail and hate mail?  What's that like?
MR: I get lots of fan mail. After BB3 I got letters from women asking why I was gay and saying if I met them they could change me! I also got letters from a couple guys in prison which I thought was funny with a side of creepy. I get the stray marriage proposal or request for a date. The best letters are the ones I get from gay kids who say that watching me helped them come out or from gay viewers who watched with their families. I love that my appearance on BB started a dialogue. Visibility is so important. 

AE: How does the African American community embrace you/treat you?
MR: Black women love me! They are so funny. They hate Danielle for stabbing me in the back. They understood the game I was playing. And everyone wants a gay sidekick! I was pleasantly surprised by the African-American community. I've never had a single bad interaction with any black fan. They are the fans that come right up and congratulate me or ask, "What the hell were you thinking?" I felt the most love and respect from the African-American community after the show. Much more than the gay community. Black men are invisible or just a stereotype in the homosexual community. 

AE: What do you hope to gain out of this new season of All Stars?
MR: I want to win.  I want to prove to people that I'm not an idiot for trusting Danielle and Jason. During BB3 I played an emotional game. I'm an emotional person. I gave my heart and trust to the wrong people. I'm human. We do that. Hopefully we learn. I also wanna have fun this summer. To really get to know that other houseguests. Some amazing people have been a part of Big Brother. This is my chance to hang out with the creme de la creme! 

AE: Is it harder to be an actor because you are a reality star or because you are gay?
MR: It was easier to be a TV host because I am homosexual. Though now I'm feeling a little bit of a backlash from that. I did Big Brother right before the Queer Eye phenomenon. In fact I was a finalist for both Queer Eye For The Straight Guy and QEFTS Girl.  As usual in Hollywood when something hits there is a rush to duplicate it. I was right there on the cusp. I'd get to the final round in auditions, but never quite make it. 

That was when I felt I wasn't getting things because I'm African-American. I'm still shocked at how few African-Americans are on TV. It's sad, but until we come together as a block and make things change [they won't change]. The same can be said for homosexuals. Until we come together and throw our collective weight around and make the world take us seriously, well, George Bush is our President. 

AE: How do you stay involved in the LGBT community?
MR: Gosh I do tons of charity work. I work with Project Angel Food and the APLA. I've also worked with the National Aids Fund and I'm a member of Lambda Legal. If any charity needs my help I'm there. I feel like if you have anything you must give back. I came from very little. I know what it's like to have nothing. If I can help I will.

AE: What's the hardest part of being gay for you?  And the best part?
MR: The hardest part of being gay is seeing negative images used as propaganda against us. I hate seeing images of leather guys or drag queens or shirtless circuit boys and then hearing about the "gay agenda" or the spread of aids or the "gay menace." It's as bad as watching the news and seeing an African-American male in handcuffs. There seems to be so much misinformation out there about what we do and who we are. We are just like everyone else.

The best part? That's weird. Hmmm. I don't know. Being homosexual is who I am. That's like asking what's the best part of being African-American or being male or being alive. The best part? The inherent style, class, sophistication and thirst for knowledge and beauty most gay men have. The sex is good, too. I'm a happy person. My life, the whole thing is the best. I'm happy being me.

Vote for Marcellas to play on Big Brother All Stars here

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