Lou Diamond Phillips: "Do not apologize for who you are"

I'm not watching I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! but one of our helpful readers (who was none too proud of the fact that he had seen it, either!) tipped us off that in last night's "opening up" session, actor Lou Diamond Phillips revealed that the moment that changed his life forever was when a closeted gay friend died of AIDS without ever having allowed himself to pursue happiness as an out gay man.

First off, that's a very powerful and touching message for Phillips to share. But it's all the more poignant when you take a few other factors into consideration...

One, Phillips was notably married to Julie Cypher, who divorced him in 2000 to have a relationship with lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge, and it's encouraging to see that he is still vocally supportive of LGBT concerns. And for another, with Phillips on the show is outspoken born-again Christian Stephen Baldwin, who seems to soak in what Phillips has to say about being proud of what and who God made you. (He even gives his hand a supportive squeeze after.)

Is anyone watching the show? I may put La Bamba on my Netflix queue as a gesture of appreciation. (Big thanks to RFC for the tip!)