Famous Global Gays You Have Met Personally

[Jingthing]

Have you met some famous gay people, at the very least shook their hand and exchanged a few words? A random sighting doesn't count nor does seeing them in a concert, act in a play or give a speech.

The idea of this is just for fun and also maybe we can hear about different famous gays in different countries that we may have never heard of. So when you drop their name, explain why they are famous.

The famous gays I have met list:

Harvey Milk, murdered martyr and the first openly gay person elected to public office in California, considered a kind of gay Martin Luther King for his charisma, eloquence, and the fact that he was the victim of a political murder.

Franklin Kameny, a historic figure who will go down in history as one the fathers of the US gay rights movement, "one of the most significant figures in the American gay rights movement" and founder of the Mattachine Society, the first openly gay candidate for the U.S. Congress. He is now 84.

http://www.rainbowhistory.org/kameny.htm

What famous gays have you met? Not limited to politicos of course.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Jingthing

[scottyd]

If you live in The UK you will have heard of Big Gay Phil. He lives two streets down from me. I often see him at the shops and down the Pub. He also has a "Social" gathering on the last saturday of each month which he arranges with a top Restaurant or Club, then it's back to his house for the afterparty. He is a true asset to our community.

I also have met Big Bird and Burt from Sesame Street when they were on holiday together in london. I met them in the fish shop, we chatted for a bit and they told me they were going out on the town for a night out. They even asked me for some recommendations! Very nice guys, I told them I really like what they have done to help kids learn.

[jumnien]

My dad had sex with Rock Hudson, does that count?

[Jingthing]

My dad had sex with Rock Hudson, does that count?

Sure that "counts" this is for fun and the "rules" are flexible.

So I'll break one of my own. I used to see Peter Berlin so often at 8th and Howard San Francisco so often that I felt like I had met him, but he was not my type.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[thaigerd]

I have cooked for George Michael and Elton John in their houses in London.

Gerd

[balo]

I met Elton John in an elevator , we stayed at the same hotel here in Norway in the beginning of the 90s.

I said hi but he was too busy talking to his security guard.

I'm not a fan anyway so didnt care much....

[peter991]

My bf and I (when I was 17) met Elton John and flew in a private plane with him to Rottnest Island (just off the coast of Perth, WA) for the day.

I was a young cadet journalist at the time and also met the Jackson 5 at the Perth Sheraton Hotel. Michael was just another African-American with an oversize afro hairdo. His older brothers and I got it together after the concert that night ....

Peter

Edited March 11, 2009 by peter991

[Jingthing]

Not sure I would call Michael Jackson a famous gay. Infamous maybe? He is not out and anyone who doesn't think he is a pedo is kidding themselves (oops, bad pun). He may be a category all to his own.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[PeaceBlondie]

Not extremely well known, but listed on wikipedia as gay. Doug Pinnick, lead singer and bass guitarist for Kings X, was my neighbor and friend. I watched his apartment when they were on tour opening for AC/DC. Neither of us knew the other was gay.

[Chaimai]

I find here in Thailand that there is not that much blatant discrimination

So you don't have dual pricing where you live ??

Graham Norton - only a brief handshake and a "hello"

[Jingthing]

I suggest we simply ignore the off topic troll post.

OK, here's another "famous" gay I used tp know.

Daddy Howard. He lived in SF for many years right off Market Street but now apparently is living in Canada. Wonder if he did a runner? Best to google this one, its kinky.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[lannarebirth]

Well, I checked here:

http://www.famousandgay.com/

and I guess Inever have met any famous gay people. My buddy from college got us 2 free tickets to the opening night of Dreamgirls in SF. Got the tix from his gay uncle who was the lighting director and had won a Tony award. Nice guy; funny and generous. That may be the pinnacle of my brush with famous gay people. Sat behind George Lucas and a stunning asian woman that was his date.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for that link. Definitely a fun one to look at. Reading it, it reminded me that I had met

DIVINE

(Harris Glenn Milstead)

Oh, and I went to school with Rob Epstein.

American documentary filmmaker. He received an Academy Award for 'The times of Harvey Milk'.

I had forgotten that Horatio Alger was gay, that's hilarious.

Also, in these times of economic crisis we should all remember:

John Maynard Keynes

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Oh, the memories keep flooding back, this is probably the last one for me.

Went to a few SF Giants baseball games with Jack Fertig (of Sister Boom Boom Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence fame). In real life, he is quite butch. He ran but lost for the SF Board of Supervisors on the Nun of the Above Ticket.

While Jack has resigned from the nunnery, his astrology biz website mentions that he has traveled to Thailand.

Well, I lied because here is kind of another one. More of one of those 15 minutes of fame things. Does anyone remember the groundbreaking documentary called Word if Out? Well if you do, amazing, but more amazing if you remember the cute Boston cabbie in the movie. The film documented the lives of a number of everyday, diverse gay Americans and did quite good box office that year. Well, the cab driver guy was my roommate's boyfriend which I remember really well because I was madly in lust with the roommate but he only went for older men. It was truly mind blowing to see this everyday guy, a real salt of the earth type, on the big screen. (The cabbie is on the far right of the poster at the bottom on the website.)

http://www.wordisoutmovie.com/

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[dukkha]

Twice I have lived in the same building as Peace Blondie, and from what I read on TV, surely he is a globally famous Gay person/a....does that not count....? Dukkha

[Jingthing]

Twice I have lived in the same building as Peace Blondie, and from what I read on TV, surely he is a globally famous Gay person/a....does that not count....? Dukkha

I think so at least in these circles. Is he a real blonde?

[dukkha]

I had a short affair with the late Don Dunstan, erstwhile Premier of the State of South Australia, an amazing man who is remembered not only for his progressive politiking but also for attending parliament in Hot Pants, pink mind you, and that was eons ago....he picked me up in a gay bar in Melbourne..we went home where he played Bach on the piano and I sat on the stair case drinking Cointreau...he even visited the seedy shop top where I was living and then took me to a smart restaurant for a wonderful dinner, I know is somewhat Australia centered, but will be a chapter in my upcoming book....along with a few other names that might be of interest, David Hockney and Sir Robert Helpman...nice to be so old and able to tell a few fruity tales...any good publishers out there... Dukkha

[midasthailand]

Whilst I am not gay (not that there's anything wrong if I was) I do drop in here from time to time when the topic title seems interesting. My first contribution to this particular forum. My wife and I along with a few friends from the Aust Embassy in Bangkok, ran in to Molly Meldrum in Mollys place Patpong (Soi 4?). He was a good guy to chat to, a fanatical St. Kilda football club fan and was on his way to Elton Jon's birthday party in England.

Cheers

[Jingthing]

Thanks, Midas. You don't have to be gay to have met a famous global gay.

Never met him but the non-gay mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom is really amazing (and handsome), currently the most visible political leader in the US for gay rights issues, and not gay, that's kind of funny.

I know is somewhat Australia centered

Not at all! Well, yes actually but that's the kind of story I was hoping would pop up here.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[Ijustwannateach]

An off-topic homophobic whinge has been removed.

[kek]

I was in Foodland tonight and the guy in front of me at the checkout looked just like Barbara Bush ... but I guess that doesn't count?

But I have met (for real) Cliff Richard but I don't think he's ever outed himself - even though others have done it for him.

[endure]

I was in Foodland tonight and the guy in front of me at the checkout looked just like Barbara Bush ... but I guess that doesn't count?

But I have met (for real) Cliff Richard but I don't think he's ever outed himself - even though others have done it for him.

Gay Goose

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol...icle4677950.ece

[geriatrickid]

I was exiting the LHR terminal and looking for a cab when out came little David Bowie. He had a few Virgin staff (all female) that were falling over themselves for him. Aside from that, no entourage except for a female lackey and no paparazzi. I was really surprised because he looked so small and frail and old. Very well dressed though and his hair was perfect. This was at least 15 years ago, on my way back from Thailand.

Ok, so you say he isn't gay, but I figure if he allegedly slept with Iggy Pop and Mick Jagger than that makes him an honourary gay at the very least.

[kek]

I was in Foodland tonight and the guy in front of me at the checkout looked just like Barbara Bush ... but I guess that doesn't count?

But I have met (for real) Cliff Richard but I don't think he's ever outed himself - even though others have done it for him.

Gay Goose

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol...icle4677950.ece

Thanks for the Times_on_line link, Endure.

Perhaps more interesting than Cliff's words are those in the 'Have your Say' section underneath. As well as being one of the most popular singers of his day in UK, Cliff is a well known Christian who at a mid point in his career started recording Christian songs; presented BBC's Sunday 'Songs of Praise' programme and even published 50 Bible stories. The 'Have your Say' sections shows an astounding number of narrow minded bigots who now speak out against their former golden boy! Reading those comments shows how far we still have to go in educating the public and how unchristian some of these Christians really are.

[PeaceBlondie]

Same with Doug Pinnick, from what I read on the internet. As soon as he finally admitted he was gay, Christian book stores stopped stocking his music.

Okay, so I did not get out of the closet until I was in my 40's, and even then did not flaunt it at work or at church. But for Cliff Richard to still be so circumspect about it at age 67, makes you realize how hard it is to admit you are a 'Bird.'

[Sansai Sam]

Okay....

One who gave me the creeps when he shook my hand......Liberace

One who was always wonderful....Charles Pierce

One who was kind to me as a young bartender at the I Beam......Rock Hudson

Very polite but terribly shy....Chastity Bono

Very business like in my experience...Jean Paul Gaultier

Very generous...all the Village People especially Felipe Rose

Always looking for a ride home...Jimmy Somerville

Two I met that I have my suspicions about....Don Johnson, George Hamilton

Ones I would have liked to have met....Harvey Milk, Divine

[TheWizardofRnR]

While singing Do-Wap around Times Square , when I was about 15 or 16 years old circa '63 or '64, in New York city , USA I got to meet Lou Christie ( The Gypsy Cried & Lightnin' is Stikin' Again' ) were his big hits.We got to do back-up in an impromptu jam session for him. Didn't know he was gay till he hit on my friend who was with me...But in those days I was rather Homophobic , until I grew up and wiser about life ! In New Orleans I met alot of famous people that may not ever have come out of the closet! In NYC while working at TRUDY HELLER"S a famous NY club in 60's & '70's,I met MONTI ROCK the Third , a character of the times , on Carson's Tonight Show, but was he playing a Gayish Rocker or really Gay, I'm still not sure of , today !The Wizard , BB

[Navalator]

My dad had sex with Rock Hudson, does that count?

Heck, I have had sex several times with Rock Hudson. Our yachts were berthed in adjoining slips and we would go out on the town, him usually in some sort of disguise and me just as I am. So he has to count!

[yumidesign]

I had a short affair with the late Don Dunstan, erstwhile Premier of the State of South Australia, an amazing man who is remembered not only for his progressive politiking but also for attending parliament in Hot Pants, pink mind you, and that was eons ago....he picked me up in a gay bar in Melbourne..we went home where he played Bach on the piano and I sat on the stair case drinking Cointreau...he even visited the seedy shop top where I was living and then took me to a smart restaurant for a wonderful dinner, I know is somewhat Australia centered, but will be a chapter in my upcoming book....along with a few other names that might be of interest, David Hockney and Sir Robert Helpman...nice to be so old and able to tell a few fruity tales...any good publishers out there... Dukkha

"I had a short affair with the late Don Dunstan"

a lot of people did.............

[yumidesign]

An off-topic homophobic whinge has been removed.

oh what a shame