During a guest appearance on HBO’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, the 80-year-old Copacabana singer said he didn’t think it was important to announce his sexuality during the earlier decades of his career.
Manilow came out in 2017, almost three years after he married his husband and manager Garry Kief in a private ceremony. The couple have been together for 45 years now, though they’ve kept much of their relationship away from the public eye.
When he came out to People magazine in 2017, Manilow — whose real name is Barry Pincus — worried he’d be “disappointing” some of his fans by revealing his sexuality. Instead, Manilow, who was 73 at the time, said the reaction from his fanbase was “beautiful.”
Despite his current feelings of nonchalance about his own coming out, Manilow said announcing his sexuality as his career was booming would have been a bad idea.
“Now being gay is no big deal,” he explained. “Back in the ’70s it would have killed a career.”
Regardless, the usually very private Manilow said he thinks “everybody knew that Garry and I were a couple all those years.”
“Really, Garry and I’ve been together for so long,” he said. “It just never dawned on me that we’re going to come out. But when we got married, it was a big deal, so we did.”
Manilow credited Kief for saving his life. He said he is thankful he had Kief to support him as his music career was taking off, despite keeping their relationship under wraps.
“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you’re alone night after night after night,” Manilow explained. “But I met Garry right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with.”
Manilow said he did not wish an isolated hotel room for any young people.
“It was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun,” he smiled.
Kief is not Manilow’s first spouse. In 1964, Manilow married his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler. They were married for one year.
Manilow told CNN’s Wallace he “really did love” Deixler, but added “the gay thing was pretty, pretty strong. I couldn’t deny it.”
The singer said he knew he was gay before marrying Deixler, but their marriage ended because Manilow couldn’t be the committed husband his then-wife needed. He revealed that his sexuality was not the reason his marriage failed.
“We had a very nice marriage, it was great, but I was away every night making music, as a young musician would be,” Manilow described. “It wasn’t good for me, and it wasn’t good for her.”
“I couldn’t be the proper husband,” he continued. “I was out making music every night, sowing my wild oats. I wasn’t ready to settle down.”
Brooklyn-born Manilow skyrocketed to international fame in 1974 after his release of the ever-popular pop-rock ballad Mandy. He became one of the biggest-selling musicians of all time. Prior to his success as a singer-songwriter, Manilow was behind a number of famous commercial jingles for brands like State Farm and Band-Aid — a gig that he has said helped him create catchy hooks for his own hit songs.
Woman Proves That String Bikinis Are Suitable for All Ages, But Some People Are Furious
Elle Anthony, a 53-year-old woman, is on a mission to enhance women’s self-confidence and inspire them to embrace their bodies, regardless of age or shape. In a recent TikTok video, she conveyed a sincere message about body positivity. Nevertheless, some individuals online promptly voiced contrasting opinions.
She radiates confidence.
In her TikTok clip, Elle conveyed to her followers that societal norms dictating who can or cannot wear small swimsuits are irrelevant. She initiated her message by stating that summer is here, and there’s constant discussion about preparing for a summer beach body.
She emphasized the importance of living in the present, highlighting that one’s mindset truly matters, not worries about appearance. She addressed her audience, stating that if you’re prepared to hit the beach without reservations about your appearance in a bathing suit, surf shorts, or swim shorts, you’re all set for your summer beach body.
Choose outfits that bring you joy.
The content creator continued motivating her audience to choose their attire freely, declaring, “Wear that bikini, wear that G-string, wear those short shorts, whatever you’re into. This is your summer.”
Anthony further urged her female followers to embrace freedom and empowerment, advising them to dismiss external pressures associated with aging. She underscored that society imposes criticisms, labels, and standards on us, ones we never sought.
She divided the internet.
This fabulous lady remains steadfast in adhering to this principle, proudly displaying her body in bold clothing and bikinis without compromise. While many of her online followers applaud and support her stance, others hold differing opinions and engage in trolling.
For instance, one person remarked, “[…] no human ever needs to wear a ’G-string’ at the beach. Having confidence doesn’t require you to dress inappropriately. Dress modestly and have fun at the beach.” At the same time, another noted, “No thanks. I have seen enough.”
Someone else explained that what we wear should depend on our shape.
We celebrate the fabulousness of every woman who embraces her comfort in her own skin and confidently displays her beauty. At 74, this remarkable lady exemplifies that it’s never too late to captivate the world with one’s physique. Check this article if you want to find out her story!
Preview photo credit elleanthony52 / TikTok, elleanthony52 / TikTok
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