Merv Griffin died a closeted homosexual
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Merv Griffin was gay.
Why should that be so uncomfortable to read? Why is it so difficult to write? Why are we still so jittery even about raising the issue in purportedly liberal-minded Hollywood, in 2007?
Griffin, who died of prostate cancer Sunday at 82, stayed in the closet throughout his life. Perhaps he figured it was preferable to remain the object of gossip rather than live openly as “one of them.”
This writer decries the sadness of Mr. Griffin going to the grave a “closeted homosexual.” I would assume that that’s the way Mr. Griffin wanted it. Where does this reporter get the right to “out him” after his death? What you did is wrong and, in my opinion, mean-spirited.
Deborah
I was just reading the article about Merv Griffin being a closeted gay. Wow! What a way to punch a dead man in the stomach!
Katie
Where is your integrity and dignity? shame shame shame. I am cutting you out as my news. This won’t harm you, but I am not going to support a news group that feels this is ok.
Mary F.
This was a story from The Hollywood Reporter that ran as part of a Reuters news feed. We have dropped the story from our entertainment news feed as it did not meet our standards for news. GBU Editor
REUTERS photo by Kimberly White
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7 comments so far
“What a way to punch a dead man in the stomach!”
Your homophobia is sickening. Would you say the same thing if Joe Lieberman were revealed as a Jew after his death? Would that be a punch in the stomach?
- Posted by LeeWhy is everyone so surprised? This was common knowledge when Merv as alive. Unfortunately a large percentage, particularly the religious folks, of the population does not like to deal with reality. As for the person who said “shame shame shame”, I would like to argue that being gay is nothing to be ashamed of. If anyone should be ashamed, it is this society that has created the “closet”.
- Posted by dimitriThank you for your explanation. I had a few questions for you:
- Did anyone representing either Merv Griffin or The Hollywood Reporter contact the Reuters news desk and request that it be pulled? Or was this something you decided on your own?
- Now that The Hollywood Reporter is standing behind Richmond’s original column, will you reinstate it?
- Have any other Richmond columns not met your standards for news? If so, which ones and why?
- Posted by Kevin AllmanHere’s the Yahoo! copy of the Reuters story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070817/peop le_nm/griffin_dc
It’s currently the 9th most popular article. With that many people interested, doesn’t that automatically make it news?
- Posted by mburkelNow it’s ranked #4 at Yahoo
- Posted by LeeIf he was gay then he beat the odds on life expectancy of homosexuals, most die early of dreadful diseases other than aids or violent deaths by jealous lovers or gay haters. You should not have published his being gay since he himself kept it “in the closet” and did not want it out, besides anyone can say he was gay now that he isn’t here to refute it.
- Posted by Larry GoldenEveryone knew the fact about the inventer of
- Posted by Sally“Wheel of Fortune.” He lived his life as he
saw fit. What a shame you as a reporter thought
you would earn a buck telling the world what the
world already knew! If I were your editor you
would be standing in line at the unemployment
office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!