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Patty Duke, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with DOS and her son Sean Astin. The esteemed actor, who is known as much for his voice as his face, has never been married, which has led many in Hollywood to assume he is gay. Stiers is now ready to lay those rumors to rest. Due to professional fears, mostly relating to a substantial body of voice work for a less-gay-friendly-environment-than-you-thought Walt Disney and various children’s programs, DOS has spent his entire life residing in the closet. He’s never been to a gay bar, participated in a Pride event, or any thing that would raise questions about his sexuality. That’s about to change. GB: First thing David we need to let the readers know why you chose Gossip Boy to come out. DOS: Gossip Boy? I thought you were with the Advocate! GB: Now. DOS: Well, you certainly are aware of my lengthy friendship with your associate James. We’ve had a long time conversation over my sexuality and how I’ve kept it close to my chest. There have been questions over the years and I now feel a tad more comfortable in discussing my personal life. GB: You are gay. Right, David? DOS: Yes, I am. Very proud to be so. GB: You are over 66 years old, so why have you waited so long to confirm what many in Hollywood always knew about you? DOS: There are two reasons really. One is that I enjoy working and even though many have this idealistic belief that the entertainment industry and studios like Walt Disney are gay friendly. For the most part they are, but that doesn’t mean for them that business does not come first. It’s a matter of economics. Most of my more notable work in the last two decades has been as a voice actor. Certainly, I’ve done television appearances, be they recurring or guest roles, and numerous motion picture and documentary stints, but a lot of my income has been derived from voicing Disney and family programming. What they might allow in a more known actor, they prefer not having to deal with in minor players. GB: Could you name some of the studios and execs who made you fear coming out? DOS: I won’t. There is no animosity between us and I don’t wish to create any. Simply, they were protecting their business interests. I should say in regards to this that many of my fears were in modern times self-invented. I’ve been working internally on whether they were the problem or if I just continued using them as an excuse long after the call for conservative private lives passed. In that, I mean from the late 1980’s 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. Cogsworth, the character I did on Beauty and the Beast could be a bit flamboyant on screen, because basically he is a cartoon, but they didn’t want Cogsworth to become Disney’s gay character, because it got around a gay man was playing him. I haven’t witnessed such things occurring in a long, long time. GB: Is this why you’re now willing to come out? DOS: In part. Likely, the biggest part. Yet I wish to spend my life’s twilight being just who I am. 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 with me. GB: Do you feel that even with things better for gays that you could lose work for coming out? There’s been a recent controversy about Australian Olympian Matthew Mitcham not getting product endorsement spots, because of the gay perception. Might this happen to you? DOS: Admittedly, I do have those nagging worries, but when I set back with a glass of rich cuvée and reason with my fears, I conclude that the work I do now no longer comes attached to once popular discriminations. Too, I don’t do commercials as a habit, so that concern is never prominent in my decision making. GB: So you’re looking for a potential partner. Any one in mind or do you have a general description? DOS: Someone both mature and youthful. Who has a good sense of who they are and where they are heading. They need to appreciate the finer things in life, as over the years I’ve developed certain tastes. The more lusty side of me seeks a man with developed arms, as that has always appealed to me. GB: While you were in the closet, you avoided most things associated with a wilder gay lifestyle. Any plans to change that? DOS: I have a very fulfilling and established life and rarely do I find time to add something new to the mix. This doesn’t mean that I am against gay-related activities, but that I am of an age where everything fits comfortably, be it intimate conversations, wine tasting with my many dear friends, driving adventures into the beautiful Oregon countryside, composing, or working on a narrative. I would not be against some of the more serene gatherings of course, but doing a club circuit at my age and with these feet is a tad beyond my means. Most certainly, clubs aren’t always the only indicator of one’s being gay and I don’t wish to convey that idea, I just have the life I live and the cherished friends, both gay and not, and that’s enough. Read more her teasepov or here pissjapantv