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Home » Blogs » Brian Juergens's blog » Neil Patrick Harris and Ellen talk being out at the Emmys

Neil Patrick Harris and Ellen talk being out at the Emmys

by
Brian Juergens

On today's visit to Ellen, Neil Patrick Harris talked about being "out" at the Emmys for the first time. It moved into a conversation about the decisions that for many closeted stars turn what should be a night for celebrating with peers into a series of decisions about what one wants to be public.

Ellen: And who are you going with?
Neil Patrick Harris: My boyfriend, David.
E: That's great, this is the first time that you can actually ... did you go together before and walk in separately? Or how did you do that?
NPH: [grimaces] Yeeeeeeeah, I don't know. Yeah. We would arrive together and he went ahead and I did the photos. It wasn't this [makes head movement as if dodging] sneaky thing that we were trying to play. He's an actor in his own right. I like to be there for work and am not really as a political kind of guy. But now we can smile together.
E: That's great. I think that's great.
[Audience cheers, NPH smiles]NPH: How did you do that? Was that weird for you?
E: I don't look at it as a political thing. Because ... and I also didn't hide it as well. But I would go and my girlfriend would go in separately and I would be taking pictures alone. I look at it as, whoever you go with ... you go with your spouse or your husband or your wife, or your boyfriend or your girlfriend. So for me, I'm just happy I get to walk down with Portia and take pictures and not look at it as anything to be ashamed of.
NPH: Absolutely.
E: It's still about work. I'm taking someone that --
NPH: Your date.
E: ... I'm with.

These two are pioneers when it comes to being unapologetically out, visible, and successful television celebrities, and it's interesting to hear them talking about life before they were comfortable letting the people who share their lives stand beside them on the red carpet. I know I'll be cheering Neil, David, Ellen and Portia on when they stroll on into the ceremony, something that only years ago would not have been possible.

Note: The pic above is from an earlier visit Neil made to the show.

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    • Submitted by
    Brian Juergens
    on Thu, 2007-09-13 14:30.
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    Liz's picture

    er, i am lost on something...

    Submitted by
    Liz (10696 points) (2217 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-09-13 16:01.

    ellen said: "Because ... and I also didn't hide it as well. But I would go and my girlfriend would go in separately and I would be taking pictures alone."

    ^ is she talking about before she came out? i was young when she came out, so i don't remember much, but i remember the big deal over her and alien!anne.....and they didn't go into places separately. *remembers seeing them on every mag. cover*

    she says she didn't hide it. I know her close gay and lesbian friends knew of her sexuality before she came out, but otherwise- yeah, she was hiding it. maybe i am misunderstanding something here.

     

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    David Ehrenstein's picture

    Yes she's talking about BEFORE she officially came out

    Submitted by
    David Ehrenstein (7805 points) (1725 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-09-13 16:53.

    That's one of the major differences between old and new Hollywood. In the past the girlfriend or boyfriend would be nowhere in sight and the gay or lesbian star would be well bearded-up. Things changed. But not enough for Ellen who was tired of sneaking around with whoever she was with -- and came out.

    As for Neil Patrick Harris, he and David Burtka have been together at numerous events. But the spotlight hasn't been on him personally in recent years -- until he broke though to being a full-fledged Adult star with HIMYM. That's what's so impressive about this story. Hollywood is littered with child star roadkill. NPH actually survived childhood. 

    Now he's bigger than ever.

    David Burtka was in Albee's The Play About the Baby and played "Tulsa" in the Bernadette Peters revival of Gypsy. When NPH got him a part in the wedding episode of HIMYM a Canadian tabloid picked up on it -- which caused Mario Lavanwhatshisface to have afot. NPH's aganet/manager said he "wasn't of that persuasion" but nanoseconds later NPH came out himself -- so there!

    VIVA DOOGIE!!!!

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    WW's picture

    Harris' publicist

    Submitted by
    WW (795 points) (176 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-09-13 17:49.

    It was Neil Patrick Harris' publicist, Craig Snyder, who said, ''[Neil's] not of that persuasion.'' Shortly after, Neil came out. But the question remains: Did the publicist issue that denial without consulting his client first? Or did Harris OK the statement, and then reconsider? ... Anyway, bravo to him for making the move.

    I'm tired of hearing onetime closeted celebrities say things like, ''I've always been out.'' Or ''No one's ever asked me about it.'' Wrong. They usually tap-danced around any inquiries, or chose not to disclose anything. Jodie Foster is currently infuriating; she claims she won't ''exploit'' her personal life (or acknowledge her lover), but doesn't miss any opportunity to brag about her kids or what a great mom she is. And Anderson Cooper won't discuss his ''personal life,'' but doesn't hesitate to discuss his mother's ''personal life'' and her lovers, or his brother's suicide in his book.   

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    RJ's picture

    Huffington Post has the clip

    Submitted by
    RJ (3330 points) (712 posts)
    on Thu, 2007-09-13 21:49.

    The Huffington Post has the brief 32 second clip with NPH talking about this:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/13/watch-neil-patrick-harri_n_64343.html

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