In 2002 I was at a bar called Hell in the Meatpacking District of New York City, which is where I met Shepard Smith. At the time, Shep was just coming to terms with his sexuality, and we spent a good deal of time talking about what it means for him to be a gay man. I’m not the first to report this.
Shep showed some interest in me–we were introduced via a mutual friend, an actor named Mark–but all we had was conversation. I thought he was a nice guy. I snapped photos of him and his female friend with the handkerchief on her head, whose name I have long forgotten. I sent him those photos.
But as I watch Fox News, and the diatribes they air and the complete reaming of reality that they undertake daily that only serves to incite the worst in Americans, I wonder: Shep – do you ever feel like you are selling yourself out completely just for your career? When you said “it gets frightening sometimes” did you really mean it? Your career is so developed that you could now hop to another network. Why don’t you? Why do you stay at a network that appeals to the worst in American society, and practices one of the most debased forms of infotainment?
At the time you and I met you at Hell, Shep, I was dating the designer Brian Reyes and made that clear in our conversation. I would never have cheated. But through the years, as I watch what Fox News does, I wonder if you and I had started to date–do you date, or do you just have one-night stands?–whether I would be okay with who you work for and what you do every night. I don’t have an answer.
I imagine, Shep, that your career is fulfilling, but I also suspect that you go home every night and wonder what you are doing, and whether getting your face plastered all over the Rockefeller Center subway station and across America is worth it that you have found nobody with whom to build a life. You are alone, and you are probably frustrated that your personal life is in the crapper because you have sold yourself out.
You’ve already made your name, Shep. You just haven’t done anything with it beyond what every talking head does. You could start by coming out, and exploring a side of who you are more openly so that you are no longer terrified that it will endanger your working life. It won’t, and you’ve already banked your financial security.
Update: Why did I write this post?
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I love Fox News and Shepard is awesome. I don’t care what he does in his personal life, and I’m not sure why the author of this article does. He probably made this all up anyway. He’s never met Shep. Shep makes big bucks. Shep is on the number 1 cable news channel. Mr. Shankbone has a lot to be jealous about.
How fucking dare you. If this is true and he opened up to you and you are now stabbing him in the back, shame on you. You have no right telling people when it is there time to come out if ever. It is nobody’s business but his what he does in his spare time, who he loves or who he sleeps with. I don’t care about this celebrity but people who think is is their right to dwell on others private lives or make the decision to out somebody else. People like that, and like you make me sick. Did you get some sort of pleasure out of this?
As a gay man you should know better.
Both Smith and Cooper should be left alone. They both choose to keep their persuasion a personal matter, which is admirable. Who cares really what their orientation is? Who cares which faith they are partial to? Who cares how they vote? It sounds like the author of this article took a page from the Perez Hilton handbook. It’s nobodies job to “out” someone. If that person chooses to share their personal information with the masses, then they choose to do so, and it should be on their terms. Get over it and leave these peoples personal lives out of your political statements. Shame on anyone who uses this tactic, right, left, communist, or national socialist..don’t matter.