Well, Welll, Well, Major Winchester... David Ogden Stiers Comes Out

[furrbear]

From JoeMyGod:

"From the late 1980s until about seven or eight years ago, you would find certain individuals coming up to you, me, and advocating the position that since we were doing family fare that it would be best were the actors to maintain a certain palatability to parents. These parties likely had heard rumors or harbored suspicions about me and wanted to make sure no embarrassing incidents were forthcoming. I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of extreme discretion for me."

- Actor David Ogden Stiers coming out, because he wants a husband.

Comments

[s2dbaker.livejournal.com]

So gay!

[joebehrsandiego.livejournal.com]

Quelle Suprise!

I do wish him all the best on that last.

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

In other news, the sky is blue. Rain is a form of precipitation.

He IS kinda cute ^o^

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

This is no shock. Still, good for him for coming out!

[sultmhoor.livejournal.com]

First David Hyde Pierce, now David Ogden Steirs... WHO NEXT?? RICHARD SIMMONS???? ARE MY ROLE MODELS ALL DESTINED FOR THE DUSTHEAP?

[barak.livejournal.com]

I'd date him. And do him.

[happyengineer.livejournal.com]

YAY^2!

[cipherpunk.livejournal.com]

I have long admired Mr. Stiers, mostly because he is one of the very few actors who has made a career of portraying intellectuals in a positive and affirming light.

Winchester was always my hero on M*A*S*H. I understood him. He wanted to be left alone to think, to live quietly, to listen to his records and to practice medicine. The war was an imposition to be borne with Yankee steadfastness, and he took pride in how much of his humanity he could retain even in the midst of the carnage. The final episode of M*A*S*H was heartbreaking for me: the war finally took away Winchester’s music. It was then, when I was about seven years old, that I had my first inkling of war’s barbarism: they took away Winchester’s music.

How many other actors have ascribed heroic qualities to intellectuals? Kelsey Grammar and David Hyde–Pierce on Frasier, perhaps. Very few others.

In his private life, Mr. Stiers has always seemed to embody much of the same virtues that he gave to Major Winchester. I wish him all the best.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

they took away Winchester’s music.

Seeing that unfold throughout the episode was truly heartbreaking for me, as it really did show how war or some other tragedy can rob someone of that which they hold so dear, yet not be another living being. Music was his life, and now music would always remind him of the dead and dying members of his 'orchestra'.

[codecattx.livejournal.com]

Wow.

Bravi!

[winstonthriller.livejournal.com]

I'm old...I first saw (and had a crush) on him back in (gulp!) 1974 as the magician Feldman opposite Doug Henning in The Magic Show.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any video of him in that show. Here's a video appreciation of him by a fan, set to "The Goldfarb Variations" from The Magic Show. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCUHpShMa9Y)

[blt4success66.livejournal.com]

Me, me, me! I'd love to have Dr. Charles Winchester as my personal physician!

While I shouldn't be surprised at this one, I am.

[rexsteed.livejournal.com]

I just thought he was British...

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Never having been an actor, I can't say I can ever understand the pressure from the production side to maintain a "palatable" public persona. All I can say is that I'm glad he's out, and while he calls the move "selfish" - the associated motive of not wanting to force someone else into the closet is not.

And yes, I think he's good looking too. ;) I believe the first time I ever saw him bearded was in his guest role on Star Trek: TNG and realized his woof potential at that point. ;)

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

That is one of my all time favorite TNG episodes.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Well it's about time. ;)

His character on M*A*S*H was actually one I could relate to most. He got that silent nod from me when he said "I do one thing, I do it very well, and then I move on.". His character of intelligence, a quiet existence and the finer things in life was noble to me, and no one really wanted to tear that down in the show except having it stand in contrast to the hellish realities of war. In the final episode "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", seeing him lose his music, that which was so dear to him, yet not another person, really hit me hard. These days I can relate to similar losses.

He had a role on Star Trek TNG which I absolutely adored as a scientist working to save a doomed planet in the midst of having to face their tradition of taking his own life upon reaching what we consider retirement age. Somehow I've come to see him more or less being himself on screen rather than playing a role. Bravo for his 'selfish reasons' and his future. I have a feeling it's gotten that much more exciting for us all.

[shirtlifterbear.livejournal.com]

Aw!

He's a huggybear!

[teddyb.livejournal.com]

I'm glad he is at a stage in his life where he is comfortable with being public about this.

I don't think he'd ever been very secretive about it, just not one to say much of anything about his personal life.

I never met him, but for some reason, I had it in the back of my mind that he was gay, most likely because a "friend of a friend who knows somebody who..." related a story about a party or something of the sort. So, my only surprise was that this was news.

Anyway, good for him.

I think he looks great with the current crop of facial fur, too.