11 Comments
User's avatar
sixes's avatar

Thanks Clint, Merv, Della Reese and Jennifer Saunders. As Edina Monsoon in ABFAB, Jennifer looked a lot like my mother when she was young, and in one episode, she repeated something my sister used to say: I should be eating food with the dirt still on it. 😀😁😂🤣😃😄😅😆

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Richard Brail's avatar

Merv Griffin was married to a woman for about 20 years. He would mention her from time to time on his show

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Clint Collide 🌈✌️'s avatar

Had no idea. Looks like divorced around the time I remember watching tv. By the time I met him, he was living his best life. And a very gay life indeed.

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Fred's avatar

Clint, he had a son, Tony, now 65 years old. It was one of those Hollywood open secrets that Merv Griffin was gay. Somehow, your tribute to him, clearly heartfelt, feels cringey given his closeted life. Not all did he stay married to a woman for several years, he was routinely seen in public with glamorous women like the great Eva Gabor.

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Clint Collide 🌈✌️'s avatar

Given my experience working with him, he was not closeted (at the time). Lots of gay men have been married and have kids. So please keep the cringe to yourself.

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Fred's avatar

No disrespect intended, Clint .

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Larry LeBlanc's avatar

That's quite a lovely photograph of Merv Griffin in the striped shirt. Very attractive. Your perspective of him seems to fit and I liked the quote by him at the end of the list of birthdays.

Thanks Clint and take time to enjoy your day!

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Clint Collide 🌈✌️'s avatar

Thanks, Larry! I quite enjoyed meeting Mr. Griffin. A class act in every way. Fun to be around too.

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Mark S Robinson's avatar

Clint, I think it's so cool that you got to meet him. I remember watching his TV show after school. I'd come home, nobody else was home yet and veg. out.

He always seemed to be so interested in the people that he interviewed. I was mesmerized by his interviewing style. I learned a lot from the people he interviewed. It's definitely not like the shows of today.

I mean he would have Richard Nixon on or Gloria Swanson. People like Orson Welles or Norman Mailer; the caliber of politicians or celebrities that don't do interview shows any longer.

I don't presume to know what's best for anybody else's situation, as far being married then divorced and then coming out. I have friends did that, and all I know is that they are much happier living their authentic life. I'm sure it was the same for Mr. Griffin.

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Clint Collide 🌈✌️'s avatar

Thanks, Mark. I’ve only seen a handful of episodes from his talk show, but I do remember the quality of celebrities (and their conversations) were a lot higher than the press junket style interviews we get today. As for Merv, he seemed as genuinely interested in real life as he was on screen. Nice guy.

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Dr Ray Lightbown's avatar

I know the name but I don't think I ever saw him. I think it is good if people can come out and want to do so, without risk. I think any of us should just be ourselves - no mask, no overplaying or underplaying.

Of course, for some celebrities or performers, being "gay", even outrageously so, is part of the image, part of the act, often the whole point of the performance.

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