Posted on 03/22/2009 8:47:58 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Disgraced ex Rev. Ted Haggard is working every angle to stay in the media, and was recently booked on FOX"s "Divorce Court."
The former evangelical pastor and his wife are planning another TV appearance after their HBO documentary, "The Trials Of Ted Haggard," aired in January.
The two taped an appearance on the syndicated Twentieth Television show "Divorce Court," to be broadcast nationally April 1.
The show's judge, Lynn Toler, interviewed the couple about how their marriage survived after a male prostitute was found to be involved in a sex and drugs fueled-relationship with Ted Haggard in November 2006.
The scandal forced Haggard to resign as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
The Haggards appeared at the wintertime Television Critics' Association (TCA's) and Ted was asked why he bothered to star in an upcoming HBO documentary, The Trials of Ted Haggard.
"We were unable to answer questions for two years. Now that we have this freedom to answer questions, we want to answer the questions. That's all we want to do."
Haggard’s wife and two of his children appeared on a panel for U.S. television critics to endorse his documentary. Talking of the documentary, Haggard said, "I don't think it is a flattering piece. I think it is even-handed. It is embarrassing for me for people to see it, but it does answer their questions."
Haggard explained that he had an "agreement" with his church that he would not tell his story. He claimed he was "stalked" by the press for two years.
Talking of his exile, he said, "My hope was always that I could deal with my issue on my own. That's why I kept it secret, in hope I could deal with it on my own."
"I am grateful now for Mike's (prostitute Mike Jones) decision to expose that. I am grateful for my family's decision to be faithful to me when I wasn't faithful to them."
Haggard revealed his arrangement with his church: "There were two contracts I signed. One with the overseers and the restorers was released in January of 2008. The one with the church was released just a few weeks ago, in December. Both of them asked or required us not to speak to the media, not to grant an interview was the idea, as I understood it. So we honored that."
"We couldn't speak to the media, we couldn't grant an interview; we couldn't do anything like that. Both contracts required that," elaborated Haggard.
Haggard shared he no longer was a preacher, and sold life insurance.
Crystal Meth and gay sex are two of his old demons he hopes to never revisit. "The slice of it is I think sexuality is confusing and complex. And what this process did for me was to be able to discuss my own sexuality thoroughly with Gayle (wife) ad with the children and my therapist. The overseers were so thoughtful and wise they sent me and Gayle and the children to therapy instead of off to a monastery or a retreat. And where I am now is, I am thoroughly and completely satisfied with my relationship with my wife. But the process is on-going in me as I work through issues in my life and thoughts and all of that. I am in a very positive, constructive process. As for the drugs, I'm not sure what I bought."
"This is part of Ted's journey," Gayle Haggard said. "It's made him a better man. I see what has happened as a divine rescue."
She said she was helped through her darkest hours by the biblical principles of forgiveness along with her husband's repentance.
The couple will be paid an undisclosed amount for the interview, the latest in a series of public appearances that started in January when Ted Haggard began promoting the HBO documentary about his time in exile. He has been booked on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" and "Larry King Live."
In the coming months, he's scheduled to speak at prominent U.S. evangelical churches, and is mulling over public speaking offers from secular organizations, but he said he has no plans to start a church.
"I think he is better equipped to minister to people than ever before," his wife said.
Read more: "Ted Haggard, wife to appear on 'Divorce Court'" - http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1466125.php/Ted_Haggard_wife_to_appear_on_Divorce_Court#ixzz0AXpsCzOh
Nailed it in one.
On April Fool’s Day, no less.
After what happened I'd have thought he'd want to stay as far away from the spotlight as possible.
...in the documentary, Haggard talks about a lifelong battle with his sexuality — and that he never claimed to be heterosexual.
[December 19, 2008]
Haggard has severed his official relationship with the New Life Church Restoration Team....[The restoration process] was expected to include counseling and prayer and last five years or longer.
[February 6, 2008]
...the disgraced minister emerged [from three weeks of counseling] convinced that he is "completely heterosexual."
[February 6, 2007]
I watched part of the documentary and wondered what in the hell was wrong with his wife that she would stay with him. This isn’t about forgiveness - the man is gay. Sure, she can forgive the fact that he didn’t face up to being gay before having children with her, and the kids can forgive that he lied, did drugs and cheated on their Mother, but stay married to him? Sheesh...
“Way past his 15 minuets of fame.”
Exactly. To paraphrase Ann Coulter, few if anyone outside of his congregation had ever heard of Haggard prior to this scandal. Then, according to the drive-by media, he became the Pope of American Evangelicals. In a sick way, he probably adores the attention he gets for this embarassment.
He's got a way with words, sheesh. What's he going to say next, "Stand up Chuck"?
We pay way too much attention to crazy people!
He can’t be gay and have children with a woman. Gay men aren’t attracted to women. He’s a bisexual.
While I agree with you in theory, there are plently of folks who have married, had families, then divorced once the man finally admitted he prefers men to women. So, maybe the bi-sexual side that prefers men wins out in those cases but I always thought the men were just trying so hard to pretend to be hetero that they were able to function for awhile. However, since I’m neither a gay or bisexual male, I could be wrong.
Haggard’s wife and two of his children appeared on a panel for U.S. television critics
Gaaaah!
Let it lie, Ted. I'm sure your wife and kids love this being drug out in public yet again.
As a straight man, I could never get to the point where I could be attracted to men sexually. Especially to the point of marriage and having a long term relationship. That’s taking “faking it” to an extreme.
My brother is gay and has never had a relationship with a woman. Even Elton John has admitted that he is still attracted to women sometimes.
I’m not disagreeing with you but have just seen stories where men married and had families because it was expected of them - then finally admitted they were gay. Perhaps in those cases the men were bisexual and finally decided they had been on one side long enough and wanted to live on the other.
My father was gay, he came out of the closet when I was 4. He was married to my mother for 7 years. He never claimed to be bisexual. And he was never with another woman after my mother.
In High School, we had a support group for kids whose parents “came out” as gay. There were quite a few of us. Now the support group is banned as being “intolerant”.
I find it illogical that a person can carry on a 7+ year ongoing sexual relationship with someone without some attraction.
IOW I could not fake a 7 year sexual relationship with a man. There would have to be some attraction.
Bisexuals can go either way. Sometimes they switch to one side for a long time or forever.
Back in the “old days” it was called a ‘beard’. Gay men got married and had children in order to hide their sexuality. My father admitted that my mother and I were his ‘beard’. This was back when sodomy was still illegal.
I think he went to an awful lot of trouble to do such a thing. So much trouble that I would doubt his sincerity in making such a statement. Man is born with a perverse nature. Sometimes he will suppress it and later give in to it. He was probably living hetero but curious and finally just gave in to his curiousity. Some men just lose that switch that says “Don’t do stupid shit”. Some men eventually find it again and live normal lives.
I don’t see this whole hetero/homo thing as being hard-wired.
I don’t see it being hard wired either. I believe it is a choice. I have known many, many gay people in my life (grew up in a high gay pop area).
And at least about my father, you are incorrect. He lived as a gay man in Europe, starting when he had to prostitute himself at age 14 to survive after WWII. When he moved to the US, homosexuality was not accepted, and he saw it as helping him with his career. He wanted to stay married, and even told my mother it would be ok if she had a boyfriend since he did. My mother divorced him, and got full custody of me because of his homosexuality. He even brought his long time lover over to the US from Europe.
Sadly, people lie even to those they claim to love.
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