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Thomas Roberts discusses the state of gays in TV news
The Advocate has an interesting interview with out newsman Thomas Roberts about his career since leaving CNN, and the difficulties openly gay newspeople have in the business. Of course, a lot of what is covered was already thoroughly examined in our own two-part, GLAAD award-winning article from a year ago, "Gay Newsmen - A Clearer Picture". But there are some new insights from Thomas, who since leaving CNN was hired and then let go from the tabloid show The Insider. He also had to endure his own scandal when nude pictures surfaced that were allegedly of the former Headline News anchor. After intensely examining said photos, I still can't say conclusively that they are of him, but for the record, he denies it: “I never put inappropriate pictures of myself on a public website,” he says by way of explanation. “For me it was really hurtful, for Patrick (his boyfriend) and I it was terribly painful, and I’m sure anyone reading this will realize that what happened was something that we needed to deal with on a personal level. And we’ve dealt with it -- we’ve closed the book on that issue and moved on.” He also talks about his own coming out process, and the lengths that he had to go to keep his sexuality hidden when he was trying to establish himself in the news business: Roberts too was skittish early in his career. For one thing, he wasn’t out at all. “I didn’t know how best to deal with that professionally, or personally for that matter,” he says, as flies buzz around us and the occasional dog trots by. “I thought it would be a roadblock -- or a brick wall -- to advancement.” So whenever he arrived in a new market, like San Diego or Lincoln, Neb., “I would automatically date a girl and have everyone at the station see it. We’d date for a little while and then I’d break up with them or do something to make them break up with me.” Later, when his friends would offer to set him up with another girl, Roberts would say he was “too hurt.” “That would get me out of the whole meet-my-sister thing.” The article also looks at other out newspeople (most of who whom were profiled in our article), including newly out Jane Velez Mitchell, who regularly goes toe to toe with Nancy Grace, and most interestingly, a closeted anchor named "Jake" who talks about taking the first small steps toward coming out. By the way, if you were thinking of perhaps including Roberts in your Hot 100 votes, we've included a beefcakier shot of the handsome newsman after the jump.
Submitted by on Wed, 2008-05-07 10:36. |
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Who's he trying to kid? I
Who's he trying to kid? I mean, I guess I can understand him not wanting to acknowledge those pics, but the more he denies it, the more unbelievable he seems.
Thomas Roberts
If I remember correctly, those nude photos the face wasn't shown so it could be possible it isn't TR unless we should just believe it is him because the blogger claim it is than we should also believes other bloggers claim that Tom Cruise is really gay which we all know is a lie and everything on Perez Hitlon's blog.
Why is that when we want more out public figures and yet we trash them once they are out. We should really support people in our community instead of putting them down. If this is the way we treat them, you wonder why they are in the closet.
At least Thomas Roberts is out and believes nothing is wrong being openly gay unlike someone else we know at CNN who we always praise and the article talk about. A quote from TR from the article that person should follow
"If people don't like that I'm gay or that I talk about being gay, I'm sorry. Because that's not my problem?
And from Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw is asked in the article about whether there's a reason why there can't be an openly gay anchor. "No," he says. "I've been saying that for years, by the way."
How we treat public figures
Scott - You make a very good point about how we treat gay public figures. I too find it unfortunate that we give them such intense scrutiny and then criticize them unmercifully for every little thing. Either they didn't come out in the proper fashion, or they waited too long, or they say something we don't agree with, or we don't like their boyfriends, and on and on. I would prefer that we support these people, and recognize that the gay experience is different for everyone, and respect those differences.
I remember reading a few belittling comments about George Takei after he came out. One guy ripped into him for waiting so long when he should have come out when he was on network TV. In an inexact quote, the guy said "he should have come out when it would have done some good. Waiting until now is cowardly and doesn't help anyone." WTF. Never mind that he was on TV 40 years ago when NO ONE came out in the entertainment world. These people are our brothers and sisters, and deserve our support, not our constant sniping.
Support is the way to go
I really think you guys are right, Scott and Dennis, we, as a community need to be more supportive of those public figures of our community who have come out.
I've noticed, even here on Afterelton, that a lot of people can be very harsh on our few celebrities who have come out, and even of those celebrities who have not come out (probably 'cause they're not gay - the Nuke boys and ATWT creators come to mind) but who've tried to stand up and be friends to our community.
Sounding really 'polyanna' here I guess, but I truly belive it's so much better to help build people up and support them, rather than belittle and knock them down for the most trivial of things, which I've seen, and admitidly done myself.
Okay, I'm at work so my train of thought got totally derailed by work, so I'll just stop there. Have a great day all! 8)
Love Your Name
Hey - I love your name! I wish I'd thought of it...
I'm always annoyed when people say it's a pollyanna reaction to support people, or look on the bright side of things rather than the down side of things. If you don't go overboard and overlook reality then it's a much happier way to live. And also much more productive. What's less productive than tearing people down or looking for the negativity in everything?
Thanks Dennis!
Thanks Dennis - it's been a good name for me over the last few years!
I very much agree with what you say. I know it's hard for me, because the cynacism and sometimes cattiness just seem so easy to come out, but I can really see the brighter side of things easily too, it just depends on my mood I guess!
I'm afraid that I worry too much what others think, so I try to seem 'cool' and being positive doesn't lend to that. Something I personnally need to work on I think. Anyway, enough for this post - see you later!
8)
He should let the naked pic thing go...
When the pics were first published there was a link to a web archieve ManHunt personal. It was a stupid move on his part to even post them. At the time he was closeted and on TV...kind of has "I wanna get caught and outed" feel to it.
Those nude pics were a blip on his career...he's way above it. Most people won't even remember them.
As a flashback moment...here's AEs own Japhy going apeshit crazy on Ken from the 212 for posting the nude pics to begin with.
The sad thing is from
Scott, what are you basing this on?
I'm not sure where you are getting your opinion from....from articles that are actually talking about his nude pics? Of course that is what is gonna be talked about there. However, to say that the nude pics and his sex life are the only thing being talked about him is a complete myth. Have you reviewed the threads that discuss his coming out? Have you reviewed the threads that talk about his sexual abuse? The discussion about Thomas Roberts goes well beyond his nude mistake. On Derek and Romaine (Sirius OutQ) he won a listener award and it had nothing to do with his nude pics. It had to do with him being out.
I was talking about the
I was talking about the comments talking about Thomas Roberts' Advocate interview. Here is some comments posted from Towleroad
"Personal reasons = being a sling queen"
"Once you've seen Thomas Roberts' ass on Manhunt, you'll never forget it. Tis a beauty."
"And I already saw J Roberts' nudies on Ken212, and it don't have no bearing on me wanting to "bare" down on Mr. Roberts something naughty. Hell, I'll even bring the sling."
So far none of the comments are about what is it's like being gay in the newsroom which is the main focus of the article but all about TR's sex life.
There are others on Datalounge but I don't want post them.
Well...consider the source, Scott
The comment section at Towleroad is meant to be tongue and cheek. Datalounge...that's a whole different story. That's the portal by which Satan communicates with the world (but it's fun).
At Towleroad, take this thread for example...is there any reason for the guys to be this bitchy? No. The director of the movie even joined in.
But back to Thomas...maybe it's also the way the gay media presents him also (Towleroad, AE, Ken212 are all part of it). I mean, look at the article we are commenting about...AE ends the post with a beefcake shot.
Guys...who is not being supportive?
Is there something further in the article that talks about the gay community turning their back on Thomas? Because I'm not seeing it in the stuff posted in the AE article.
Saying that Thomas was stupid for posting nude pics of himself is not unsupportive...it's stating the obvious. It was a stupid move. I support the fact that it's his stupid move to make...but stupid none the less.
Thomas will find as much support as he needs and probabaly more than he deserves from the community. I'm sure Logo would love to have him on their news team.
And I do think it's important to support people when they come out of the closet...celeb or not. The 16-year-old boy in Mississippi that comes out is just as important as Thomas Roberts...they both deserve support. However...each situation deserves a different kind of credit. A high schooler who comes out and faces getting the crapped kicked out of him, his parents booting him and no home gets more credit in my eyes.
I can't speak for others,
I can't speak for others, but for myself I was not addressing the AE article at all, or any AE article for that matter. I think AE does a terrific job. I was addressing specifically Zanefan's reaction and then Scott's reply, and then extending that out to my perception of all the posters here. Zanefan was doing more than saying the posting of the pictures was stupid. But if that is, as you say, obvious, I would ask why it would be important to make a comment pointing out the obvious, and nothing more. And what does it say about a poster if most or all of his posts are negative (and I'm not referring to Zanefan, whose other posts I know nothing about)? And if we have a generalized reaction in the community of harping on every little negativity, while not admiring and complimenting the positive, what does that say about our community?
I completely agree about your comparison of the 16 year old kid with the Hollywood star. Though that doesn't mean that BOTH don't deserve credit and support.
OMG, Jake?
Jake Busey is gay ???
- Kirby, moviedearest.blogspot.com
The entire issue regarding those Thomas Roberts...
nudie pics is just speculation and heresay. I personally don't care whether he posted the pics or not. I feel that this is yet another example of trying to discredit another public figure simply to satisfy one's hunger for gossip. Unless we can clearly see his face in the photos, the entire issue is just tabloid fodder.
TR has been in my gaydar since I first laid eyes on him several years ago. As a matter of fact, he's one of my top 10 picks for the hot 100. He's just so gosh darned handsome and sexy.
In addition, TR suffered abuse/molestation at the hands of the church when he was younger, and last year he publicly spoke about his ordeal with Anderson Cooper on CNN's 360 with honesty and courage. Hmm...honesty and courage...two character traits that I deem sexy, in addition to his good looks IMHO.
Regards,
dgd417