How to Come out Without all the Hassle of Coming out

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


In August, and on another website (with point #2), I mentioned how for a generation of kids, coming out of the closet is much easier now that American Idol exists. If you are a young gay kid, you're probably anxious about coming out of the closet and wish you could do so in piecemeal fashion, so no one is really shocked. I posited that trying out for American Idol was a great first step.

Giving an interview like this is another effective way to put out that vibe. I'll withhold the name of the male quasi-celebrity and let you read this recent interview with him. Let me know if you think this interview was to lay the foundation for a fabulous coming-out party in the near future.

Where is the best place to people-watch in the city? Trader Joe's. I love watching couples to see what each of them puts in their grocery basket. You see who is the health-conscious one and who has the sweet tooth. I find that fascinating.

What is your favorite local dive bar? KGB [in the East Village]. But who knows—with this economy, the Four Seasons could be a dive bar in four months.

What would be your dream address? Where does Beyoncé live? I'd pick next door to her.

If you were throwing a house party, which past or present New Yorkers would you invite? I'd have Regis Philbin be my greeter and Rachael Ray would cook. I'd invite Fiorello LaGuardia, a great Italian-American who wasn't in the Mob. The cast of Gossip Girl would drop by just for fun. And I'd suck up to Graydon Carter, so I could get into the Waverly Inn.

Who is the most famous New Yorker you have programmed in your cell phone? I don't have any famous people. How about Scarlett Johansson's colorist? Her name is Edita.

If you were mayor, what would you change? I'd make every vehicle a hybrid. Theater would be free on Monday nights. I'd oversee the school lunch programs and allow cigar smoking in the city. But, fortunately, it looks like Bloomberg has a job for life so I don't have to worry about any of it.

Point taken, interviewee. Point taken. The interviewee is none other than this gay guy.