http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/07/02/anderson-cooper-im-gay/

This has nothing to do with his sexual orientation, but Cooper has always been one of my favorite cable reporters. He's not flashy or outlandish like O'Reilly or Maddow. He projects an aura of competence, dignity and impartiality.

I say congratulations to him on being comfortable enough with himself to not worry about what a few bigots might think.

Flashy and outlandish? Rachel Maddow? I don't think so.

Maddow is feisty, not flashy. (I also give her credit for her coverage of LGBT issues, because while she acknowledges her personal interests in the debate, she doesn't let her personal interests distract from the debate.)

I don't watch O'Reilley, but from what I've read about him, he isn't as bad as many of his critics make him out to be.

Cooper is great, though. He actually tries to be more nonpartisan than the other two do.

I think we all knew Cooper was gay after his Giggles Incident, which is pretty good for some comic relief...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MumI6KovUk

Maddow isn't "flashy" per se, but she's hyper-partisan. Everything she says about any conservative idea or politician is dripping with sarcasm and contempt. She also uses that smug ironic grin every time she talks about anything to do with anything remotely Republican.

He's gay because he cracked up doing a report?

I once lost control of myself laughing during a class. Believe me, sexual orientation has nothing to do with it. Sometime you just lose control.

In any case, that was actually pretty funny, so thanks for the clip.

Not because he cracked up, but because he giggles like a little girl watching my little pony. I love that clip. Cracks me up every time.

So classic. Loved that clip.

I agree that she's very partisan, and I agree that she does seem to enjoy criticizing the GOP and conservatism, but I think she tries pretty hard to stay professional, especially when she interviews guests with whom she obviously disagrees.

At the least, I think she does a better job inviting (and interviewing) Republicans on her show than does anyone else on the MSNBC line-up.

If sexual orientation isn't supposed to matter, then why does it matter enough to mention it?

What a person does in the bedroom is that person's business. Why is it only gay people who have the need to announce what they do in their own bedrooms to the world?

I find it rather strange.

That's exactly how I feel every time I respond to one of your posts.

It's not partisan to heap abuse on the Republicans if they deserve it (which they always do). If Hitler and Mussolini were engaged in a debate, the "reasonable" position is NOT midway between them.

It matters because gay people are still subject to scorn ridicule and discrimination in more contexts than any other distinct group of people.

A wise man once said that the best way to eliminate homophobia would be to out every gay person in the world. Once everyone sees that they have friends, neighbors or children who are gay, they'd stop thinking that it's something to be shamed of or to scorn.

If more respected public figures come out, it increases acceptance in people who previously were homophobic, even if slightly.

<yawn>

Well said. Remember that Eladar infamously once said on this forum that he would not have any problem with the government of the country he was living in if it executed people for being homosexuals. So it might take more than a few Anderson Coopers openly declaring their sexual orientation to tackle Eladar's prejudice on this issue!