11/24/2008
Rachel Maddow on Gay Hate Mail and Coming Out of the Closet
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow appeared Conan O'Brien's show friday night and discussed becoming a journalist, Ted Stevens' 56-second long standing ovation good-bye in the Senate (8 seconds for every felony), playing 'Iran' as a child, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, and being an openly gay TV anchor.
Said Maddow: "I get a lot of mail - some of it hate mail, some of it nice mail - about the fact that I am openly gay. I get straight men writing me emails or sending me letters saying, 'if I like you, does that make me a lesbian?'...So I always just say 'yes.'
She jokes, "It's well-known among gay people if you have any interest in a gay person whatsover, even if you're not sure they're gay, that if you're a man that makes you a woman - check your pants - and you're definitely gay. It's nice. It's meant to be a compliment, but... they're trying to compliment me and also tell me that they're not gay. It's awkward, and then you also get the hate mail where people write in specifically to tell me that i'm gay. As if I didn't know. Oh my God I had no idea. I'll get off television. That is the single best thing about coming out of the closet, is that nobody can insult you by telling you what you just told them."
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 9:21 AM EST by Andy Towle in I'm Gay, News, Rachel Maddow | Permalink
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This woman is fast becoming my new hero.
Posted by: David D. | Nov 24, 2008 9:37:19 AM
I am a gay man who is totally in love with her, and if that makes me a lesbian, then so be it!
Posted by: Christopher, Louisville, KY | Nov 24, 2008 9:55:47 AM
A role model in so many ways (openly gay, real intellectual bona fides, career success, sexy nerd, seemingly fearless, widely liked, etc., etc.). Truly refreshing.
Posted by: Gianpiero | Nov 24, 2008 10:55:49 AM
I agree she is hot. I am a little miffed at her because she had Mike Huckabee on her show and she didn't mention anything about his comments about there not being any violence against gay. I will give her another chance but if she does it again, I'll have to be mad at her until she brings me a cat or something lesbiany. : ) Love heeer!!!
Posted by: Keith | Nov 24, 2008 10:58:20 AM
My wife rolls her eyes every time I say it. But I love her.
Posted by: Rachel | Nov 24, 2008 4:04:15 PM
This interview is so refreshing because you never see out public figures talk about being gay and how that affects their daily life. Kudos to you Rachel!
Posted by: AL | Nov 25, 2008 2:22:21 PM
She should take lessons "how to be a women" from Tammy Bruce. I wonder what made her feel so unsafe as a women that she has to emulate men.
Posted by: gary | Jan 15, 2009 11:35:31 PM
Fuck you, Gary.
Posted by: Christopher | Jan 22, 2009 1:11:10 PM
She's gay? Why, who knew? I would have never guessed it from her manly face, her Buddy Holly glasses or her SNL "Pat" figure.
She probably has more hair on her ass than Tony Soprano. 8-)
Posted by: JC | Jan 26, 2009 8:44:47 AM
man what a fucking dyke! sucks to be gay
Posted by: jesus | Mar 17, 2009 9:11:15 PM
Hey we got something in common. We both like to eat pussy !!
Posted by: Jaime de Leon | Aug 20, 2009 9:55:36 PM