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20-Year Fox News veteran details coming out as gay while working at ‘craziest conservative network’
The Blaze ^ | May 7, 2017 | Sarah Taylor

Posted on 05/08/2017 12:06:28 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Shepard Smith, a Fox News anchor since 1996, revealed last week that he had no intention of opening up about his sexuality the way he did during an April speech at his alma mater.

Speaking at a conference, Smith was tapped to talk on a panel titled “It Starts With MEek,” one that was meant to promote inclusivity and diversity. According to a report made by the Clarion-Ledger, Smith changed his speech at the last minute to reflect the crux of the conversation and decided to tell his own story of inclusivity and diversity.

“It wasn’t until seven, or eight, or nine years ago, I started living my truth,” Smith told the crowd gathered to hear the panel. “I grew up in Holly Springs (Miss.). I went to the First Methodist Church. I went to Ole Miss. I was also trying to avoid what having a normal social life is. I didn’t need to go home and find my girlfriend or boyfriend.”

He revealed that he dropped out of college in 1987, just two credits short of graduating, and began working on television in Florida. Smith said that at that time, coming out wasn’t something he’d even considered. Married to Virginia Donald from 1987-1993, Smith didn’t really have the option.

“A. You’re going to hell for it,” Smith said about his internal battle over coming out as homosexual. “B. You’ll never have any friends again. C. What are you going to tell your family? And by the way, you’re on television on the craziest conservative network on Earth. That will probably put you in front of a brick wall. Of course none of that was true, but that’s how it felt.”

He continued, “I don’t think about it. It’s not a thing. I go to work. I manage a lot of people. I cover the news. I deal with holy hell around me. I go home to the man I’m in love with.”

Smith also took the time to stamp out old rumors that former Fox News chief Roger Ailes forbid him from coming out.

The Fox News reporter came out in October 2016 and noted that he never had a poor experience with Ailes.

“It’s such a wonderful place,” he told the Huffington Post in an interview about the Fox organization, “and it’s been home forever. [Ailes] was very fatherly and mentorish.”

About the reports that Ailes forced him to closet his sexuality, Smith denied it ever happened, but revealed that purported homophobic remarks made by Ailes in the past — but never around Smith — did hurt him.

“He was as nice as he could be to me. I loved him like a father,” Smith admitted. “I trusted him with my career and with ― I trusted him and trusts were betrayed. People outside this company can’t know [how painful that betrayal was]. This place has its enemies, but inside, it was very personal, and very scarring and horrifying.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Miscellaneous; Outdoors; Society; TV/Movies; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: comingout; foxnews; graduation; homosexualagenda; lgbt; mississippi; newyork; olemiss; rogerailes; shemp; shepardsmith; speech
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

What a complete loser. Is he a pitcher or catcher? Yuck.


41 posted on 05/08/2017 12:29:22 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation camp?)
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Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

What a crock of crap. Does this idiot really think every did not know this before?


43 posted on 05/08/2017 12:30:09 PM PDT by 48th SPS Crusader (I am an American. Not a Republican or a Democrat)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Well that does it. Since Shrimp Smith came out as gay, Faux can’t
fire him. Shrimp is in a protected class.

However, Shrimp and Anderson Cooper would make a good team
over at CNN.


44 posted on 05/08/2017 12:30:20 PM PDT by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small pittance)
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To: KevinB

Yeah, there it is.


45 posted on 05/08/2017 12:31:38 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: forgotten man
I miss guys like Merv Griffin ...
MG was gay? I never knew that.
46 posted on 05/08/2017 12:31:54 PM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: MagUSNRET

Shemp is wrong about one thing: shaking your fist in the face of the Living God and living the sodomite life WILL send you to Hell for eternity.


47 posted on 05/08/2017 12:31:55 PM PDT by jimbug
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Not just queer, he’s a f’ing pedophile!


48 posted on 05/08/2017 12:33:12 PM PDT by Dogbert41 (Jerusalem is the city of The Great King!)
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To: bk1000

Here’s your winnings.....


49 posted on 05/08/2017 12:33:37 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

What a disgusting person. Marrying a women even though he is a homosexual.


50 posted on 05/08/2017 12:34:47 PM PDT by 48th SPS Crusader (I am an American. Not a Republican or a Democrat)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

If the odd sexual preferences of a news reader/commentator becomes “the news”, you need to switch the channel.


51 posted on 05/08/2017 12:34:48 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: ColdOne

He may not have been the first news person to say it, but he is the first and only one that I saw say it. And it was a flat-out lie. And it doesn’t seem like it would have been that hard to verify. Just go look.

And the place was trashed. That was expected.


52 posted on 05/08/2017 12:34:50 PM PDT by quikdrw (Life is tough....it's even tougher if you are stupid.)
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To: MUDDOG

I think he would be best-suited on the left, and change the symbols from X and O to X, Y and ?.


53 posted on 05/08/2017 12:35:39 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
revealed last week that he had no intention of opening up

BS! He's been planning it his whole life.

GASP! You're gay? Well rock my world. I never would've guessed. Can we talk about it, like, forever? No, Shep, really, this is more important than relativity, WWII and the Polio vaccine all rolled into one. It must be like the greatest weight imaginable has been lifted off your shoulders. Infinite. You're so brave.

54 posted on 05/08/2017 12:37:25 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: SeekAndFind

Amazing, isn’t it? While Shep applauds himself for coming to terms with his own sexuality, and the media chorus sounds its approval, no one bothers to get her side of the story. Between Shep’s massive ego; his determination to reach the top of the TV news business and his own, closeted homosexuality, Ms. Donald must have gone through absolute hell.

Also worth noting that Shep decided to ditch his wife just before he hit the big time with Fox, as a reporter for “A Current Affair.” What timing. After putting the woman through pure agony, he cuts her loose just before the six- and seven-figure figure paychecks start rolling in.

Wherever she is, I hope Ms. Donald is happy and found happiness with someone is isn’t an egomaniac and a fraud.


55 posted on 05/08/2017 12:38:18 PM PDT by ExNewsExSpook
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To: manc
Not watched him since Katrina.

That was my last straw also.

56 posted on 05/08/2017 12:38:59 PM PDT by Vinnie
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Well, the Bible shows in Romans 1 that when someone hears the message of Christ and rejects it.... this is what they turn to.


57 posted on 05/08/2017 12:39:16 PM PDT by VaeVictis (~Woe to the Conquered~)
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To: KevinB

Oh man. I had skipped over that part (not that the context wasn’t there).

Your tagline is absolutely correct. Unfortunately.


58 posted on 05/08/2017 12:40:13 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you! 😱😱😱😱
59 posted on 05/08/2017 12:42:30 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: ColdOne

His drama after Katrina was over the top.


60 posted on 05/08/2017 12:43:29 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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