05/30/2007
David Hyde Pierce Nudged Out of the Closet
While a People magazine cover may be the de rigeur method for celebrities to come out these days, some take a more subtle approach, such as burying the news in the 16th paragraph of an AP profile.
AfterElton notes that Pierce, heretofore reticent to discuss his sexuality, has his information offered up in a recent story on the actor:
"He worked at Playwrights Horizons, the Public Theater, Shakespeare in the Park and a lot of regional theaters such as the Guthrie in Minneapolis, Chicago's Goodman and Long Wharf in New Haven, Conn. Pierce got to Los Angeles in the early 1990s when his partner, actor-writer-producer Brian Hargrove, wanted to write for television."
While this is probably not earth-shattering news, it's still worth noting that Mr. Hyde Pierce has broken out of that glass closet.
Posted 5:20 PM EST by Andy Towle in David Hyde Pierce, I'm Gay, News | Permalink
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Hollywood agents and producers put immense pressures on their stars to stay in the closet. Some contracts even have "personal conduct clauses" that would cover coming out.
David hyde Pierce didn't directly say he was gay while on Frasier but he wasn't exactly in the closet. He has openly lived with his partner for years and go out with him as a couple. In an interview during Frasier's run where he was querrid by the gay press about his orientation he said, "My life is an open book. However I don't care to read it to you."
Very different than Ms Spacey who lines up beards and other diversion to cloud the truth.
Posted by: Jon Winkleman | May 30, 2007 5:25:55 PM
All those years at the Opera add up to something... not to mention that "Maris" never showed face once. Fairy, Niles?
Posted by: Daniel | May 30, 2007 5:27:31 PM
I always assumed he never said anything because everyone just knew already, haha.
Posted by: Paul | May 30, 2007 5:28:06 PM
I love you, Andy, but as a journalist you ought to know better than to use the word "reticent" when you mean "reluctant." Reticence is a state of being, so one might say, "he was reticent, perhaps because of his celebrity status," or perhaps even "he was reticent about discussing his sexuality," but never "he was reticent to...". Here endeth the lesson.
Posted by: Rascal | May 30, 2007 5:30:49 PM
Marty Crane always had suspicions about his boys. Niles in particular.
Posted by: anon | May 30, 2007 5:37:17 PM
This isn't news at all. Everyone and their brother already knew Pierce was gay.
Posted by: Jordan | May 30, 2007 5:41:31 PM
God love your heart! A perfect way to out yourself.... treat it as it is... perfectly normal, AND NO BIG DEAL! Love you David Hyde Pierce!
Posted by: homer | May 30, 2007 5:50:35 PM
Yeah, everyone in the business knew that already, but of course bravo to Mr. Pierce for putting it on the record. (I've had a crush on him since the early 90s, when I was a teenager.) And speaking of Cranes, isn't John Mahoney also gay and out in the industry? Anyone have the skinny on that?
Posted by: richard | May 30, 2007 5:54:10 PM
That's a great picture of him. As Niles, he was a bit too nelly for me. I think because of that I never realized how good-looking the man is.
Don't know if Mahoney is gay, but loved him (and Dean Cain) in "Broken Hearts Club."
Posted by: MikeinSanJose | May 30, 2007 6:17:45 PM
How is this news and/or surprising? I could have sworn I read an article in the NY Times about Hargrove that mentioned Pierce walking around the apartment during the interview.
Posted by: kitchenbeard | May 30, 2007 6:31:41 PM
Yeah, Mahoney and the guy that played "Bulldog" were both publicly out during the run of Frasier.
Posted by: Aman-About-Town | May 30, 2007 6:38:55 PM
Fraiser was the gayest show on Television! It was wonderful... I miss it so. I begged my sister to watch the restaurant episode ("Les frères heureux") while her manchild was in the womb, sure that just being in the room with it on the tele would be enough to ensure his pink status....
Posted by: Catty Bitch | May 30, 2007 8:14:39 PM
Is there anyone in the country who had not figured out he was gay? Its not as if he was ever convincing on "Frasier' as being after a woman, yawn, another one "nudged" out. The only time they ever seem to come out is when "nudged" or forced, so, much ado about nothing, although I loved him on that show.
Posted by: Lupe | May 30, 2007 8:35:55 PM
The only straights on that show were Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin, Kelsey Grammer and ONE of the producers (the rest were gay.)
The straight producer died in 9/11. He was in one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center, as was Berry Berenson -- Anthony Perkins' widow.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | May 30, 2007 8:41:44 PM
You mean to tell me there was actually someone out there who thought he was straight?
Posted by: Matty | May 31, 2007 12:07:59 AM
I'm not sure we can claim Mahoney is gay. "Bulldog" came out and was quickly booted off the show, though we've had debates about that here on TR. Do a search here to find the old stories.
Posted by: anon | May 31, 2007 2:46:48 AM
Dan Butler, the actor who played Bulldog, was given the boot from Frasier as a result of his coming out? I don't buy that. He was out for years while on Frasier. I believe he's also know as the author of some gay-themed theater. His sexuality hasn't been a secret for many years, at least.
Posted by: richard | May 31, 2007 3:10:49 AM
DHP never hid his orientation. When he accepted the Emmy awards for playing Niles, he always thanked his partner, and always had his partner seated next to him. What's the big whoop? I think he's just one incredibly classy, talented guy.
Posted by: Rad | May 31, 2007 9:11:43 AM
Are people basing their presumption that DHP was gay because of the role he played on tv?
Posted by: hoya86 | May 31, 2007 9:15:23 AM
I never thought David Hyde Pierce was gay. I think my gaydar needs recalibrating...
Posted by: Michael W. | May 31, 2007 9:23:02 AM
Great now he can get the NATHAN LANE Courage in Visibility Award from HRC next year.
Posted by: MCnNYC | May 31, 2007 10:22:31 AM
And yes...we can "claim" John Mahoney.
Posted by: MCnNYC | May 31, 2007 10:25:36 AM
I'm not sure about Mahoney being family, though the late John Spencer was (they did look alike). And thank you to DHP for saying it out loud - though it was kind of a whisper.
Posted by: Frank | May 31, 2007 10:47:06 AM
Good for him. The level at which it was obvious doesn't matter. This is what you let people do, on his or her own time; this is how progress is made. I'm looking at you, Out magazine, lol.
Posted by: Bryan | May 31, 2007 12:08:11 PM
Dan Butler did not come out while on Frasier. He was on a panel of a talk show years earlier as an out gay actor. It's amazing how easily people treat speculation as fact.
Posted by: mark m | May 31, 2007 12:14:08 PM