Neil Patrick Harris stopped by to chat with the ladies of The View, and a discussion about Ricky Martin's trip out of the closet led to the actor answering a few questions about being openly gay in the entertainment industry.
"It was harder before because there were fewer examples of people who were able to do it and still stand tall," he told the cast. "I think as time progresses and more are examples for who they're sleeping with being so secondary to how they behave as a person, then I think the masses will be able to not have that be such a sticking point."
In response to this, Joy Behar was quick to point out Rupert Everett's comments on how being gay ostensibly ruined his career. Harris responded, "With all due respect to Rupert, you can blame a lack of advancement of your career on all kind of things… I don't think he can specifically pinpoint one reason why something might be stalling for him, but I was proud to know he was who he was."
The library is open, y'all! Am I the only one who senses some serious shade in that statement? He tried to keep it diplomatic, but you can tell the claws were about to come out. You gotta love NPH for keeping it real…
– Dewitt
To watch the clip, follow the JUMP:
Everett has already admitted that the thing that sunk his leading man career was that lousy movie he made with Madonna and Benjamin Bratt. Being gay may have complicated his situation but I doubt it was the major factor. And then he got plastic surgery and lost what made him worth looking at. Sadly, I think most of his trouble has been self-inflicted, which is a shame, because he’s a decent actor.
I don’t agree with you at all Dewitt. But then I really try hard not to read things into peoples comments. Especially when it is not of the earth shattering type. I think NPH is a class act.
I think Rupert Everett being a whiny douchebag probably hurt his career far more than his being gay.
all i know is i have always liked and respected NPH as an artist cause he does way more then act and for him to come out and be proud of that just made me respect him a lot more
I’m with Dewitt and Tommy Marx, Rupert Everett is a huuuuge cunt and his constant whining has got him to where he is today.
Douche.
I think Rupert problems R also self inflicted. NPH is prime example that openly Gay Actors & Actress can still have a successful career N which we all can be proud of .
i think rupert’s attitude was the cause of his career declining but i have to disagree with neil on this point.
many guys *starting* out in the industry need to appeal to women in order to sell products and build their fanbases, coming out too early ruins the fantasy – especially if one comes out before people get to know how talented you are.
you might have movies or songs that women mainly buy because of your looks and then only are you cast in something that proves your talent.
neil is being a tiny little bit unfair – if he came out during his doogie howser days he’d have a point but he came out twenty years after being in the business.
secondly its all about appearing commercially available MANY straight guys have long time sweethearts on the side but when they just start out in Hollywood the sweethearts take a backstreet to them appearing commercially available.
no one for example forced brian littrell to “come out” as a straight guy with a long time girlfriend who he was going to marry when he was giving interviews about what he liked in a woman and how he still wants to meet his dream girl to appeal to the thirteen year old girls who were into the backstreet boys
Hmmm. I’m thinking “class act” might be a bit of a stretch. I think NPH is very funny and talented and hot as hell, but I hate that it took the threat of being outted to get him out of the closet. I don’t think NPH should be giving any lectures.
Rupert Everett is not a very good actor, in my opinion. NPH seems to be like a nice guy. I wish him luck in his future endeavors.
NPH is the ultimate example of an actor coming out and not having it affect his career…his most successful role is playing a hetero womanizer. What could be greater testimony to his ability as an actor and the willingness of the audience to accept him and actually love him in that role. I totally love this guy and admire the fact that for him his career is his priority and not his sexuality. Contrast that with someone like Adam Lambert, who chose as his priority shoving his gayness in the public’s face at the expense of his artistry (if indeed he has any). Neil Patrick Harris is someone to be admired; Adam Lambert, in my opinion, is an offense to every other gay man in that he reinforces every gay stereotype the straight world shuns. Kudos to NPH!
I think the problem with Rupert’s carer has to do with Rupert himself. He developed a reputation for being difficult after he became more successful. The film he did with Madonna may not have helped his career, but his bitchy attitude had a lot to do with it. And he’s not the only one. There are many actors (mostly older female) who can’t get work because they have way too much attitude and are diffcult. I’m sure you can think of a few who you haven’t seen in TV or movies for a while, and this is the reason why. Sadly, Rupert is in that club.
“Everett has already admitted that the thing that sunk his leading man career was that lousy movie he made with Madonna and Benjamin Bratt.”
If we’re talking about “The Next Best Thing”, NPH is also in that movie as “David”. I kinda liked that movie. I seen much worse movies. In and Out comes to mind.
I think that one’s journey out of the closet is his own to take, and NPH shouldn’t be making judgements about anyone like that, he was practically was dragged out of the closet, for anyone to make a comparsion with Adam Lambert, it’s very small minded, love him or hate him Adam is being true to himself and that is what is needed in the gay community, truth, not haters, of course as long as NPH caters to the norm and conforms he’s in the clear, but if the situation was changed would he be getting the same praise from you then? That’s the attitudes that needs to change.
No…the attitude that needs to change is the one that screams “I’m gay and I’m going to make you watch me, whether you like it or not.” If Adam Lambert believed in his talent enough, he wouldn’t need the 4 pounds of hair gel, make-up and eyeliner and wouldn’t need to shove his crotch in America’s face on prime time TV. Madonna and Britney shared their on-stage kiss, that Lambert has used as his justification for outrageous behavior, after they had sold hundreds of millions of records over decades of recording and performing. Lambert has a long, long way to go before he has that kind of license. His career priorities are upside down, in my opinion. And further, as a gay man, I have always found it more than disconcerting that so many in the “gay community” have always felt the need to isolate thenselves from the straight world in their gay bars and gay restaurants and gay clubs and gay neighborhoods and make their sexual preference the raison d’etre for everything else in their lives.
I used to work as an entertainment producer years ago and was excited when I got the chance to interview Rupert Everett.
I left the interview loathing the man.
It’s one thing to have a bad day; it’s another to go out of your way to be difficult and unlikeable.
He’s reaping what he’s sown.
Spoken like a true homophobe Jimmy T, just because you wanna live your life in the closet doesn’t mean that anyone has to, I seriously think you need to reexamine your own prejudices and fears, Gay men like yourself make it harder for the one’s who are out, you do so much hating, obvious issues with openly gay men, so much bitter and ignorance. You make it easy for straight men to hate on us. If thats how Adam and others choose to express themselves and they make money off of it, than that’s their business. Hating an out gay man just makes you a sad, sad bitch indeed..