Michael Musto Basically Outs Ellen Page
Michael Musto spent most of his column basically outing Ellen Page. You can read the column here. Look, I really like Michael Musto. I think he is funny and witty and a much better writer than I ever could hope to be, but I think that just because she never has had a boyfriend that she has publicly spoken about makes her gay. She has only been in the public eye for a very short time and so to have every question answered about her already seems kind of unfair. Let her get some time spent in Hollywood first, then you can go ahead and do this. Hell, I love playing the Is So And So Gay? game, but for some reason it just feels wrong to do it to someone who hasn't been in town long enough to know how the game is played.
Musto even quotes a website which he doesn't name as saying Ellen is an out lesbian. Fine, if she is, then I am sure she will talk about it, but until then, give her some time. You know I love snark and skewering people, but for some reason this time it just doesn't seem right. I enjoy snark and skewering celebrities when they deserve it for something they have done, not just for the sake of doing it. What makes Ellen Page different from say Ryan or Hayden is both of them hold themselves out to be straight. Fine, maybe they are, but if they are not, then they are lying to the public. Ellen Page hasn't done that, and doesn't really deserve the tag that will now follow her forever whether it is true or not.
Good for you, Enty!
ReplyDeleteI don't like that Musto wrote this, but EL, honey, come on, you've come under fire for some of the stuff you've written/posted because it involved kids who haven't been in the public very long, too, so standing on a soapbox about this is kind of hypocritical, in my opinion. And you know I love you, but I call it the way I see it.
ReplyDeleteSo are you saying Hayden is closeted?
ReplyDeleteAh Michael Musto. Where to I begin...
ReplyDeletea. ONTD is not a source.
b. The picture going around the Interweb of her with a female date is her publicist (who is Out. Coincidence?)
I love that he makes it seems like an actors sexuality is more important than their abilty to act. He sounds like a gossipy soccer mom.
I don't care if an actor is gay, but I feel bad for anyone who chooses to stay closeted for fear of public judgement.
I know a ton of people with the hots for Ellen Page. Myself included.
Ent trying to differentiate himself from Musto is laughable! This Ent blogger tries to make his (her?) living creating mostly false blinds about real celebrities and he has the nerve to claim he only goes after people who deserve it? I guess everyone but Ellen Page deserves it, then. Embrace who you are, Ent, and stop trying to be a class act, because you aren't. ESPECIALLY if you really are a lawyer spreading gossip about friends and clients (which you aren't!)
ReplyDeleteouting someone's sexuality is only relevant when they're living a lie. when a star or anyone else is going out of their way to say "i'm not gay!". if they quietly live their lives, who cares? romantic leading roles are almost impossible to get if you are "out".
ReplyDeleteCap, I have to disagree with you. If it's impossible for any actor to get romantic leading roles, why shouldn't they lie? And if they lie, it's unfair for anyone to out them. It's nobody business but theirs. They're damned if they don't and damned if they do.
ReplyDeleteGood for you EL. Let someone else skewer the poor girl.
ReplyDeleteAs for dicks like Travolta and Cruise who make millions off people believing their crap..get out your pitchforks. When you go out there telling one lie after another and basically telling people it is not ok to be gay then you deserve everything you get.
Gay karma is fierce!
Twist if it's impossible to get a straight role by an gay actor then they are not much of an actor. case in point Neil Patrick Harris.
ReplyDeleteHe plays Barney better than any straight man can.
Gay is not a crutch.
But Jax, you have someone like Rupert Everett regretting he ever came out because he can't get good roles. Plus, I'm not sure NPH is getting plum roles in really great movies, is he? Look at his body of work. He's busy, but still.
ReplyDeleteI think being gay can be a crutch in H'wood.
Rupert is a cad and burned a lot of bridges with rampant drug use..not to mention threatening to out other prominant people in the 90s that is why he can't get a role and is still whining about it in his book.
ReplyDeleteThere is a LOT of gay actors in hollywood that everyone but us know they are gay, so they're getting roles somehow. If you cant land a straight role then that says something about your abilities as an actor IMO.
I agree with Ent. It's just too early for this. She's been in other films, but she just got her foot in the door and it's really wrong of Musto to do this. It just makes people attribute her down-to-earth personality to her (supposed)orientation.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why this is different from people Ent has featured in a BI (except maybe Jake Gyllenhaal) is that Ellen's more popular roles (Hard Candy, Juno) have been "feminist oriented". So it's still early enough for Ellen to be pigeonholed into roles that Jodie Foster is too old for.
Maybe Musto (incorrectly) thinks he doing her some sort of favor by putting out lesbian rumors to further bill her the next Jodie Foster.
I could be wrong - but didn't Neil Patrick Harris come out after he was already Barney? He plays it great - but one could speculate that he might not have even been given the chance if he was already out before the casting call.
ReplyDeletei think it's healthier when you are not living a lie. you just don't answer questions about your sexuality. it's private. when gay stars shout "i'm not gay", it's a lie. i'll use jodi as an example of someone not living a lie. when promoting films, she doesn't talk about subjects that she feels are private.
ReplyDeleteI don't care that Ellen may be gay. Good for her and more power to her and I hope she has/finds a nice girlfriend if so.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with gay bloggers is that they have so few positive, public out role models (those who chose to come out rather than being dragged out) to look to, and with virtually half of Hollywood closeted and refusing to come out, that they then hound the first person that's assumed gay to an aggressive extent that seems unreasonable.
But if people were actually ABLE to come out and be who they were right from the start then it wouldn't happen and bloggers and gossipists wouldn't be so aggressive on them and expect them to banner wave. Because people wouldn't need to if they could be honest without fear of losing their careers.
Cap, I think it's healthier, too, and I think it's a shame if anyone's career is jeopardized because he or she is gay, but I don't think outing people is ever right.
ReplyDeleteJax, I'll have to take your word for it, I know little about the behind the scenes stuff in the movie industry.
i agree twis. i think many in the gay community feel they(celebs) should be out and proud. there are not enough positive role models for gay teens and young adults. hiding who you are equals shame to some.
ReplyDeleteWas so surprised to read that a poster paints Rupert Everett as "outing" other gay actors. Where do people get these ideas, just more gossip? There's a very famous VF article w/ him & Madonna calling people doing public outing 'fascist' among other things and as saying people and actors shouldn't be defined by sexuality. Yes I've read all his books and enjoyed his work in VF too. Hasn't outed anyone that I've evr heard. Just not getting the hate.
ReplyDeleteMusto thinks everyone is gay. I predict here and now that nobody anywhere gives a rat's ass.
ReplyDeleteThe very fact that half of A-list Hollywood throughout history is gay proves that there are some phenomenal actors out there.
ReplyDeleteThat having been said--those who are ITC risk their very selves, metaphorically speaking, because they are living a total lie. My dad is an ITC male--we all know he's gay, but he refuses to step out into the light. Since the family (quite extensive network of aunts/uncles/cousins, all very close) refuses to feed into his lies, he has separated himself from the family and is headed toward a long, lonely road into old age without benefit of anyone but whatever comfort he can find in that dark, cold closet.
So these folks are, imo, choosing fame and fortune over genuine happiness--so very sad.
I think Jodi's handled it perfectly--don't talk about your personal life, period. Ellen, if gay, could learn a lot from Jodi's example. (I vote she's gay, btw...and she's still adorable and a good actress, so it doesn't matter one lick, pardon the pun)
i'm wondering why it's so crucial to know the sexuality of someone - especially an actor/actress who most of us will never even say hello to, much less actually know. i guess it will help some people sleep better? hmm?
ReplyDeletenycer- you aren't going to read that in his book, trust me.
ReplyDeleteRupert is not a happy man on the inside. it's not hate but fact among those who were in the gay community in London at the time.
he got blackballed for a reason and it ain't because he's gay.
I don't disagree. But then again, I also don't disagree with Twisted Sister.
ReplyDeleteYou can't have double standards for yourself Ent. Just because you actually *like* Ellen Page doesn't mean other gossip queens can't dish out what they want to know on her. I mean, from your cynical perch, we might as well think most of Hollywood is either gay or sexually deviant or plain evil.
Actually, I think Ellen Page has been in the business quite long now. She's only now being paid attention to, so there's a difference.
Here's what I read when I saw Musto's article before I saw this:
ReplyDeletebut for all I know the guy who ran that is the same douche who started the whole "Marcia Cross is coming out" campaign
Here's what I thought when I saw this:
???? If you didn't want to add more fuel to the fire, don't.
There are such things as silent protest's, you know.
Fan of yours Ent but big frown here tonight.
To add to that (and apologize for my misuse of the apostrophe)
ReplyDeleteYou could have just said something like 'you know, I really can't stand it when gossip columnists think it's their job to out people. Especially when said gossip columnist has more than a few skeletons lurking' or something.
You didn't have to name her :( Hell, you didn't have to name him.
Is jax the jonathan jaxson of page six fame? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Zach Effron? Not 2 seconds into his career and every one claims he's gay, ENT included.
ReplyDeleteJust because Ellen is cute and indy doesn't mean she doesn't know how the game is played in Hollywood. Juno is not her first movie. She's a smart cookie and if she didn't want people talking about her sexuality, she'd say something one way or another.