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Tom Lenk, aka Andrew from"Buffy", is officially out!
The latest issue of The Advocate features icon Harvey Milk on the cover, but a minor icon of geekdom, Tom Lenk (who played Andrew on Buffy the Vampire Slayer), also makes news by officially coming out in the issue (the online site doesn't feature the article). After the jump, read more about Lenk's gay role on a recently canceled sitcom, his homophobic management and more! It probably doesn't come as that big of a shock to fans of Buffy that Tom is gay, which probably isn't fair, as no doubt Lenk is capable of playing a wide-range of characters. Nonetheless, Lenk pinged quite a few gaydars including Buffy creator Joss Whedon, who told The Advocate that Andrew hadn't been planned as gay, but when Lenk auditioned they decided to take the character that way since "Tom has a bit of a fey thing going on in his persona that, you know, you can't really deny." Technically, Andrew was never gay, but when we included him on our list of the "Ten Best Gay and Bisexual Science Fiction Characters", Whedon himself wound up weighing in on the topic. Lenk says his coming out now was supposed to be timed to coincide with his first television same-sex kiss. The Buffy alum had been cast as the boyfriend of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's character on Fox's Do Not Disturb. Alas for Lenk, DNR didn't make it past its second episode before Fox showed mercy on us all and canceled the sitcom. Lenk at this year's Buffy reunion with our own Dan McCallum Lenk also discusses his less-than-pleasant childhood growing up in Camarillo, California, a town north of Los Angeles, where he was "constantly tormented", how theater was his escape, and how, post-Buffy, he learned his own management company was mocking him behind his back for being less than butch. Despite the setbacks, Lenk stays optimistic about his future. And as Whedon says about Lenk, "He's very, very f**king talented." Here is hoping Lenk finds the right vehicle to express that talent. In the meantime, enjoy this Wendy's commercial that Lenk did which is much more amusing now that he's an out gay man. Hold the irony! Submitted by on Tue, 2008-10-28 10:55. |
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YAY "ANDREW"
Tom is an incredibly talented actor and absolutely adorable to boot.
As a completely addicted Buffy LOVER, I have to say that he took a role that could have been invisible and made it sparkle with nuance and layers. You always wanted to know more about Andrew, what was hidden beneath all the chatter.
I alwas though Andew was gay and in love with Warren (and heavily crushed out on Spike).
Congrats to Tom for taking control of his on representation. I look forward to seeing more work from him in the future.
Hopefully Joss will find some new parts for him.
Andrew's crush on Spike
I always thought that too ! ! But all my friends thought I was crazy and never stopped telling me that Andrew loved being arround women... well one doesn't stop the other, for me Andrew's always been gay.
I think it's great that Tom Lenk came out on his own term, it's great news.
I wish they would address it in the season 8 comics
But apparently Buffy sleeping around with women sells comics, Andrew sleeping with men doesn't.
Don't ask me how Dawn turning into a centaur sells comics or makes the slightest bit of sense, though.
Not to get too way off track RE: Dawn but
i always thought the whole "Dawn is the Key" thing wasn't made nearly enough of on the show. Other than the whole "Glory needing one drop of her blood to destroy the barrier between dimensions" storyline, you'd think "The Key" would havebeen more siginificant or have some special powers or at least have been less annoying. There was just something about Dawn being so "normal" that never sat well with me.
I know her story was also suppose to be a metaphor for early teenhood but still, couldn't she have at least had like a "glow" or something...
I'll have to see how the comic book season plays out.
OKAY, BACK TO GAY LAND I GO!
Andrew
Tom Lenk is amazing, there's a video of him on youtube somewhere singing Britney's "Gimme More" Love it.
If only he were seen on TV more often, last I saw was a barely there appearance on Eli Stone.
This boy needs more work!!!!
Better than "Do Not Disturb"?
It's Tom, Bitch!
The aforementioned video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAv3PxSyNLk
Like Josh Groban on the Emmys, I find Tom adorkable.
Tom Lenk is all kinds of awesome!
Good for Tom
Camarillo
Tom and I went to the same high school (although separated by a few years), and I can tell you, I understand what he means by being "constantly tormented."
I'm proud of him of making the big leap out of the closet!
I'm thrilled
exactly.
A standing ovation
I totally get how he must have felt growing up tormented, becoming successful, only to those making money off of him to mock him behind his back. I applaud, not just his courage, but his ability to make himself a stand up guy against great odds. At my high school I saw all those guys who mocked trying try to sell me life insurance, a new home, or get my business. As Gerald Murphy said to F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Living well is the best revenge."
INSIDEGUY
Tom Lenk
Great for Tom Lenk! I always had a crush on the character of Andrew and thought Tom Lenk played Andrew adorably. Andrew was one of my favorite side characters, next to Anya (before she became a regular). Great to see him officially come out to the press. Let's hope he'll get some great acting jobs ahead.
And I agree with the guy above, Tom is totally adorkable. :)
KC
Maintainer of Luke MacFarlane OnlineHurrrah!
Congrats Andrew
Awesome!
I'm a huge fan of Lenk. Although for some reason I thought he came out years ago. I guess I was just reading rumors at that time.
My vlogs:
http://www.youtube.com/user/gaycomicgeek
Yaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! Tom Lenk
I too loved Andrew and hoped he would be shown more. I hated when Buffy and the scooby gang captured Andrew and kept him tied up and treated him like garbage. He was so cute and I just wanted to rescue him. I am glad he survived the destruction of the town.
I remember a scene where he is videotaping and he concentrates the video on Xander and dreamily makes remarks to Xander's physical appearance. This is when I knew he was gay and was always watching and hoping more would be revealed.
Tom Lenk is super adorkable and I had fantasies about him.
Live Long and Prosper