She's been in the public spotlight all her life but she hasn't gone out of her way to have her private life spotlighted. She didn't do a reality show. She doesn't court publicity for her private life in any way. I don't think it means she's hiding anything, she's just a private person.

And thank the gods for that. Unfortunately, I learned far more about Scott Baio's private life than I ever needed to know, thanks to reality television. :eek:

I'm with you there. I could only take about one episode of that one.

Normally, I will not watch shows that exploit the private lives of actors, but since he willingly did it, my curiosity got the best of me.

I never needed to know that Joanie really did "love" Chachie. :eek:

Regardless of what the "platform" a celebrity has to stand on, they are in no obligation to make it public. All gay actors don't "need" to go public with their sexuality. All recovering alcoholic or addict actors can remain anonymous about that part of their life if they choose to. If they choose to be public about this part of their lives for whatever reason, then that is their choice. But, it is none of my business who or what they are on a provate level.

I'm not saying "need". I'm saying it would be "nice" to have an assortment of high profile gay people out there who are saying 'Hey, look at me I'm out and life's okay. You can be a success and gay.' Instead of, 'Yeah, I know everyone's talking about my sexuality for 15 years and I'm going to pretend it's not there.'

See, it's the "instead" part that I have a problem with. Yes, it is always nice when someone comes out and is open, proud, and successful. But that has nothing to do with another person who makes the choice to remain private. By tacking that "instead" on, you're implicitly damning Foster as having done something wrong, as opposed to simply not doing something extra-good.

But, there are high profile gay people out there. Rosie, Porche, Ellen......etc. Why does everyone have to make the same choice?

After some thought, I do believe it's wrong. I don't agree with her choice to remain quiet about it.
The more the merrier... or if you're male... the more the Mary-er.
:D

Hopefully in our life time we see this as such a non-issue. We, as in the world. Or at least our country. Studies have shown that children who see successful people who look like them, who are the same religion as them, the same shape as them, etc do better. It's 'nice' that gay children are able to see normal, hard working adults like them. You don't hear about Neil Patrick Harris, David Hyde Perice, Sean Hayes, Ellen, Rosie in the media driving drunk, caught showing their 'bits'. But you see them acting, working hard, doing their job. I suspect as soon as this becomes 'old news' that you'll see as much from Jodie Foster. But gay kids will be able to see hard working normal adults who they have something in common with.

Heck, compare the 'gay role models' to the 'straight role models'* (Brittany, Paris, etc..) and wow.

We never had our 'role models' showing their 'bits', driving drunk to this extent. Yes, we lost River Phoenix to drugs. There were a ton of drug issues. But it wasn't plastered all over the media like it is now. It was bad, it wasn't cool.

*by role models I mean people the media pays so much attention to that this is what kids see as 'normal celebrity behavior'.