Out "Degrassi" actor Adamo Ruggiero set to host a kids' talent search show

Just a few months after coming out as a gay man to the press, Degrassi: The Next Generation star Adamo Ruggiero has a new gig: he'll be hosting a talent show on the youth-oriented network YTV this summer. The Next Star will show six kids attending a "star school", eventually giving the audience the chance to determine the winner.

Last year we were impressed to see the BBC make openly gay and bawdy-tongued John Barrowman the host of a kid-focused program (with kids as contestants and meant for a general audience) and here we have YTV making an openly gay man the host of a show squarely aimed at young viewers.

True, Ruggiero seems like a much easier sell as he is already familiar with kids from playing gay Marco on the immensely popular Degrassi, and not ... say, a horny time-traveler who sleeps with his staff. But much like with The Kids are All Right we can't imagine a US net putting an openly gay man front and center on a family program like this. And so much for coming out killing your career, huh? Go Canada!