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. 

• Radio station Power 105 cancels the broadcast of a reggae concert after GLAAD raises a stink about the homophobic lyrics of the participating artists. Good for them.
  
• A rather funny interview with gay actor Anthony Rapp as he returns to Rent on Broadway. (Warning: contains not one, but TWO Adventures in Babysitting references.)
• A first look at the Young Frankenstein musical (currently puttin' on the Ritz out in Seattle), including rather wacky interviews with Megan Mullally and Roger Bart.
• Gay former CNN anchor (and Hot 100 alum) Thomas Roberts reportedly has signed on to The Insider and/or Entertainment Tonight.
• Fellow Hot 100-er Chris Evans (currently starring in The Nanny Diaries) looks good in clothes. And, one would imagine, out of them.
• AOL Sports is running a poll on the Hottest Men in Sports. What, did Logo buy them, too?!
  
• Finally, don't forget the BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER! wherein I discuss naughty Bond, how smart our readers are, plus I analyze Disney's High School Musical 2 coded gay signals!

As a part of AfterElton.com's Gay Newsmen series, contributing writer James Hillis will be providing daily interviews with gay newsmen here on the blog.

When Thomas Roberts was hired by CNN at age 29 from a small local market he said it “was beyond my wildest dreams.” Right off the bat, Roberts recalled, “I was covering everything from the Olympics to technology to the war on terror.”

An anchor and investigative reporter at NBC Norfolk, Virginia Beach at the time, it may have been an Edward R. Murrow Award winning documentary Roberts did about child welfare issues that caught CNN’s attention. “It was something I felt strongly about,” said Roberts of the documentary, his intention being “to bring something to light that wasn’t getting the coverage it deserved.”

As we told you in a recent post, CNN anchor and correspondent Thomas Roberts has moved on from the cable news network - we hope to greener pastures. A few weeks back we posted a story about AC360 where Anderson Cooper talked with Roberts and another man, Michael Goles, about the childhood sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of the same Catholic priest. The AC story discussed the damage inflicted on the men as well as their ongoing efforts to change laws on behalf of victims of sexual abuse.

In the original post (which I strongly encourage you to read), we asked why Roberts’ sexuality or his partner weren’t mentioned during the story, feeling it was an opportunity missed to demystify stereotypes about gay men and sexual abuse. We also tried to arrange an interview with him to ask about that, but were unable to do so.

Several weeks ago, AfterElton.com interviewed Roberts for a series concerning gay on-camera newsmen we are running starting next week. And during that interview, Roberts made it very clear that he felt our post about his appearance on AC360 was unfair. Like - big time.

As to why his sexuality and partner weren’t mentioned in the story, Roberts said “It is irrelevant. The story was about sexual abuse, and the person going back to fight for a child that was abused, and what they’re doing today to try and change laws to protect children. It’s not a profile on Thomas Roberts.”

And he took special issue with our headline “Did We Miss Something” which he found “biased” and sensational. He felt our take undermined the broader message of the story – shedding light on abuse, and highlighting efforts to stop it. (Obviously, we don’t agree.)

Roberts also explained why Goles sexuality was mentioned, while his own was not: “The reason why (Goles) was sent to Father Jeff was specifically part of the story, as was the reason I was sent to Father Jeff … . Michael being sent for being gay is Michael’s story. Me being sent for my parents divorce is my story. Setting up the pretense for why we were put in a predator’s hands.”

Ultimately the deal is Roberts doesn’t want the two issues conflated. “I don’t want to draw all these correlations between something that’s not an issue to me – being gay is not an issue to me, being sexually abused; that’s an issue. That’s a problem, that’s illegal. Sexual abuse: issue. Gay: not an issue.”

Here at AE we think the question and our post was fair. And so is Roberts’ response.

Glad we got that out of the way. Because when somebody has the gumption to come out – we’d much rather support them.

We've been fans of Thomas Roberts ever since he raised his profile as a gay man last September at the "National Lesbian and Gay Journalists' Association" convention in Miami. That's why it's with mixed feelings I'm writing that as of May 1st Roberts no longer works for CNN. TVNewser.com published a memo from Ken Jautz, CNN executive president confirming the news. Said Jautz: "After five years, he has decided to leave us, with intentions to settle in the Washington, D.C., area," and will pursue "other journalistic opportunities."

Roberts has yet to speak out about his decision to leave CNN, but last fall he told us this about the news organization:

CNN has been a fantastic place to work. The management has been nothing but supportive and I'm very grateful to them.

Thomas Roberts' appearance on Anderson Cooper 360 has led to his being profiled in the current issue of People Magazine. For those of you looking for pictures of Thomas with his partner or a discussion of his sexuality, don't rush out to your local news stand to buy a copy. The only pictures are of Thomas or of Thomas walking his dog. The article does make mention that Thomas "is in a relationship with another man", but otherwise mostly focuses on the issue of the abuse Roberts suffered at the hands of a Catholic priest.

That "in a relationship with another man" statement seems to make it rather clear that it wasn't CNN's choice to not show Roberts with his partner, but either Roberts or his partner's decision. Perhaps his partner isn't out or just doesn't want to be in the limelight. He wouldn't be the first person involved with someone famous who didn't want their picture splashed across magazines. At least the article does mention Roberts is involved with a man, but it is another missed opportunity to show a happy, gay couple. (BTW, that pic isn't from People. I found it over on Kenneth in the 212!