Barry Manilow...I Thought I Would ‘Disappoint’ Fans If They Knew I Was Gay

People ^ | 4/5/17 | Jeff Nelson

[SoFloFreeper]

For decades Barry Manilow gave the world timeless hits, while keeping his own world a total secret. Now at 73 years old, the music legend is opening up about his life, struggles and, for the first time, his sexuality.

[Organic Panic]

I had family friends in Rancho Mirage growing up. It was a gay couple who were friends with Barry Manilow. It is common knowledge he is gay. What I respect is he never used it as a bludgeon like so many other gay celebrities. He was never in your face screaming “homophobe” every 5 seconds like some gays.

[jr3000]

Didn’t he come out of the closet a few years back?

[A Navy Vet]

Oh puhlease. Who didn't know he is queer? Yes, we get to say queer again because that's what the letter Q stands for in LGBTQ.

Just saw the LGBTQIA acronym recently. So what is with the I and the A?
I = Interested in being something else but can't make up my mind?
A = All the aforementioned? Eeww.

[1Old Pro]

I think he was right not to be an activist about his sexuality. People liked his music, not that he is a spokesperson for gays.

People like Ellen and hundreds of others in the entertainment community should have followed Barry’s route.

[red-dawg]

[Lockbar]

LOL, first time I’ve seen that gif.

[LukeL]

Is he going to change the lyrics from Mandy to Randy?

[Mr. Douglas]

your right I am very disappointed....simply...you are a queer and I will trash all your recording.

---

Yep. And in his heyday, this country was nowhere near as friendly to homosexuality as it is today. People forget that a LOT of states, via the will of the people, made homosexual marriage illegal and even at the federal level we got the Defense of marriage act. Of course, a few judges unravelled it, but it still lets you know where the people stood. And this was much after the zenith of his popularity.

His name would have been mud.

I got saturated with him when they had the TV special turning all his TV jingles into practically a vegas show. I suspect it was the inspiration of the future pop musical tastes as depicted in the movie, “Demolition Man”.

[Vendome]

Dude. We knew you were gay in the 70’s.

You are an amazing entertainer and no one cared.

Thnx for songs that make me remember past girlfriends...

[BoomerBill]

Wow. Almost as surprising as ice skater Johnnie Weir coming out. Hmmm, woulda never guessed.....

[goodnesswins]

Well at least he stayed in the “closet” (till now) all these years.

[Nailbiter]

I am old enough to remember that Barry just did not seem right, before I was aware of light in the loafers, or gay was even discussed. Just found it funny that he thought the would affect is career. These days it would enhance his career, he was ahead of his time and did not even realize

[Ignatz]

What?!?
Well, knock me over with a sledgehammer!
Next thing you know, they’ll be telling us that Nathan Lane is gay!

[SoFloFreeper]

bingo.

[dfwgator]

He was the Liberace of the 70s.

[Chauncey Gardiner]

He ain’t the only famous “Barry” who’s a poofter

[Jeff Chandler]

They knew, Barry. They knew.

[Red Badger]

I'm shocked.............no, really...............I mean really, really..............I'm like really, really really shocked.................Okay, I lied..................

[webheart]

You have to put “queer” back in the politically incorrect column because the Q now stands for “questioning “.

[Yaelle]

I was not ready to handle this kind of a shock this morning.

Hey, at least now he can finally sing “Andy” instead of “Mandy.”