12/06

In an interview with Andy Cohen on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, LaBelle shared why her good friend, the late iconic singer Luther Vandross, never publicly discussed his sexuality.

“We talked about it,” LaBelle told Cohen after he asked if Vandross struggled with his sexuality.

“Basically, he did not want his mother to be...although she might have known, but he wasn’t going to come out and say this to the world. And he had a lot of lady fans and he told me he just didn’t want to upset the world.”

Although he never confirmed it, Vandross, who died in 2005 after complications from a stroke, was long rumored to be gay.

According to Patti, it wasn't easy for Vandross to open up about his private life. "It was hard for him, it was hard for him," she adds. "What a wonderful man."

https://is.gd/yKeR7R

I watched this last night. Here's the After Show with Luther comments at the 3:03 mark:

funkdoctorrock said:

So as far as I'm concerned he was straight.. Patti was put on the spot there by Andy. Some things are left better unsaid.. Once you open this door..

Everyone around him knew he was gay and knew his partner(s). A lot of artists are open to friends, but never make a public statement about it. Neil Patrick Harris was out & w/ his now-husband (then-boyfriend) for years before he came out. Even Whitney had a girlfriend and it was a lot of the contention in her marriage to Bobby (and that contention but not the source played out on Being Bobby Brown).

Patti wasn't put on the spot. She knew where she was going. WWHL is relaxed and it's no holds barred. It's never a proper interview that one is used to on The Tonight Show or The Late Show, etc. It's folks hanging out, dishing, chit-chatting. So no, she wasn't put on the spot. She wasn't bombarded with an unexpected question, and frankly, she didn't even seem shocked. She flat out told the truth about the man she called one of her best friends.

The truth is the truth, no matter where you hear it. Luther was a pole smoker.

why ask "why"? the reason is obvious:shame. I still remember a couple org handles ago saying Luther was gay and someone who claimed to know him got upset and grilled me. However they didn't deny it. i just retaliated by saying if there wasn't any shame that he wouldn't react like he did to my post. People really do tell you everything about how they think when they react like that. Some lady recently took exception to my criticism of opioid use, her little feelings were hurt and so the whole thread was deleted. people are really too sensitive about shit. If i was as sensitive as most people i'd have ended up in a padded room because i've actually had people do horrendous shit to me, that's how I see it. I don't get bent out of shape over petty shit.

funkdoctorrock said:

Pole smoker eh? Pretty classy dude. So it was Patti's mission to "Out" Luther on a late night show? Over a decade after he's been gone??? She said it herself he didn't want the world to know? So as a friend..She should've kept her mouth closed and honored his wishes.. Because he's not here to defend himself. And before the show tell them I respectfully refuse to discuss Luther's private life. Obvious an agenda was at play.. [Edited 12/7/17 5:12am] [Edited 12/7/17 5:19am]

EVERYONE knew though

.

VIBE magazine did an article on Vandross about a year after he died, going way back to a demo he did actually singing about being 'in the life'

.

When I first saw him perform on a tv show at my young age, I knew he was gay.

funkdoctorrock said:

Luther Vandross is my favorite male singer. Goin back to when my parents played him while I was a little boy in the 80s.. I love him..miss his voice.. I heard the rumors and all that.. It never came out of Luther's mouth whether he was or wasn't.. It changes nothing for me personally.. I'm still gonna jam to his music.. He sung music that was for love between woman and man..or a man and his woman. So as far as I'm concerned he was straight.. Make me a believer is my favorite song of his.. Patti was put on the spot there by Andy. Some things are left better unsaid.. Once you open this door.. things fly out. RIP Luther..God bless you and thank you for the great music you left us with. [Edited 12/6/17 21:01pm] [Edited 12/6/17 21:13pm]

I guess we will never know. Not that we have to even know. However, it does sound like, per Patti, that he was gay. I will point out that just because a male singer was known for singing songs about love between a man and a woman does not mean he was straight. Many gay singers sing about the love between a man and a woman because it's what's expected, it's what's the predominant 'norm', and it assists in keeping their sexual orientation a secret. Doing so helps in the image portrayal that the record company sees for the artist. A male singer who sings about love between a man and a woman is what record companies would, likely, prefer because that singer's fan base will more than likely consist of more women than men and those women fans fantasize about Luther singing to them. It keeps a male singer's fan base solid and strong. It's the reason some gay singers and actors choose not to come out because they believe it's a threat to the success of their career.

[Edited 12/7/17 11:00am]

I was reading a lot of the comments on facebook yesterday and was sad to see all of the people who were demonizing Patti for speaking the truth. Like, Luther being gay was something he should have been ashamed of.

Even if Luther were still with us, there would be no need to defend himself. We live in a very different world now. Personally, I don't know of anyone who didn't know or assume Luther was gay. the 80's were very different. It would have been absolute career suicide for a black male R&B singer to announce he was gay . He would have been banned from black radio and relegated to gay clubs.

It was always understood by R&B fans Luther was gay, but, as long as he didn't talk about it, there wasn't an issue. Unfornuately, this attitude remains prevelant in the black community in 2017. Really sad Luther was in always fear of living his truth out loud without having to duck and hide. There's a difference in keeping your personal life private just because you prefer to versus keeping it private based on fear. Very sad the world would not allow him the same liberties and freedoms as his heterosexual peers.

I still have an interview that Luther did with Sisters 2 Sister magazine shortly before he took ill. The gay rumors were brought up. Luther chose neither to confirm or deny anything.

[Edited 12/7/17 6:54am]

Early on, I assumed he was either gay or extremely private because of his shifting explanations for why he didn't have a girlfriend. Toward the end of his life, I concluded he was in the closet.

funkdoctorrock said:

Pole smoker eh? Pretty classy dude. So it was Patti's mission to "Out" Luther on a late night show? Over a decade after he's been gone??? She said it herself he didn't want the world to know? So as a friend..She should've kept her mouth closed and honored his wishes.. Because he's not here to defend himself. And before the show tell them I respectfully refuse to discuss Luther's private life. Obvious an agenda was at play..

First off, I'm a pole smoker, so yeah - I said it, and I stand by it. Plot twist: Luther was not a top.

Patti didn't out anyone. People have publicly been talking about Luther being gay since the week he died, including his family. It's not a revelation or some public outing on Patti's part. There is nothing to defend, he never denied he was gay. Y'all need to settle.

I remember in the 80s his lover who was his drummer(?) attempted suicide.

Everyone knew, and I wasn't even into Luther like that.

OldFriends4Sale said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

EVERYONE knew though

.

VIBE magazine did an article on Vandross about a year after he died, going way back to a demo he did actually singing about being 'in the life'

THANK YOU! Hell, people knew Rob Halford was sitting on guy's faces waaaaay before he ever came out. All that leather shit he wore on stage? That wasn't rock n' roll, that was some Leather Daddy Night at the club stuff.

I get that Luther didn't want to disappoint his female fan base or his base in general, and he did die in a time when not every celebrity was out like they tend to be nowadays. He died in 2005, and that was still a time when, to an extent, an artist (actor, singer, whatever) could lose endorsements, support, gigs, jobs because they were openly gay. It really was a balancing act. Some did fine, others were shunned. Of course, it wasn't as bad as it was in 1995, or 1985 (on of the heights of conservatism in this country).

So I don't blame Luther for not coming out, but to argue he wasn't gay or "I'm just going to believe he was straight" is not only living in one's own denial, it's also a dishonoring of who he was and how he lived off stage. It's denying who he was sitting with Patti at the breakfast table having a donut & coffee, talking about Law & Order or whatever. It's saying a much bigger part of his life than the moments he had on stage or in a video didn't exist. And who is anyone to up and dismiss the majority of someone's life because of their own denial and uneducated beliefs? Gheez, how republican! He was his true self off stage in being just a gay man. There was (still is?) so much homophobia in the black community sometimes with it being a more religious segment of society that I can see why he didn't ever get the Grand Marshall gig in the LA Pride parade.

I do think that if he were alive in 2017, he would have finally come out. It's a much friendlier culture now (despite assholes like Roy Moore who compare homosexuality to fucking horses and dogs) and he would have been fully embraced by those same fans, and maybe more.

TrivialPursuit said:

So true.Notice that there aren't any openly gay R&B singers.If Luther had come out in the 80s,his career would have been over instantly.

kitbradley said:

Even if Luther were still with us, there would be no need to defend himself. We live in a very different world now. Personally, I don't know of anyone who didn't know or assume Luther was gay. the 80's were very different. It would have been absolute career suicide for a black male R&B singer to announce he was gay . He would have been banned from black radio and relegated to gay clubs.

i'm curious as to why she said it, i mean what was her point? I hate to think she said it to get a lil' press but i wouldn't put it past her, and if she did, that's not good.

PeteSilas said:

i'm curious as to why she said it, i mean what was her point? I hate to think she said it to get a lil' press but i wouldn't put it past her, and if she did, that's not good.

Watch the clip. There was another question posed to Patti, and Andy just sorta added a footnote, "Why did Luther never come out publicly?" She just answered it. It wasn't mean-spirited or negative. She was just telling the truth.

Patti don't give a shit about press. She doesn't even own a smartphone and she doesn't email. She said she uses her son's phone if she needs to. She has a landline and she calls folks directly if she needs to do so. Her social media is something she has because it's 2017 but she has folks post it for her.

For me, it's a cheap go-to claiming it's "for some press". You and I know better. She's Patti motherfuckin' LaBelle. The press needs her! And the "revelation" isn't even newsworthy because it's well-established Luther was gay and she is not the first to speak on it in a public forum in the last 12 years.

love her singing, i don't know all that much about her but i do love her singing, she's probably my favorite female singer and i've learned a lot from her as a singer, I can't say that for any other lady singer. Most of my role models are men. As a person? I wouldn't know. she also claimed jackie wilson sexually assaulted her, which, she put in her book, there was some question between music fans whether it was true or not. It looks to have been true after other women came out the woodwork. I always think it's suspicious when people wait for a book to come out with salacious shit.

TrivialPursuit said:

PeteSilas said:

i'm curious as to why she said it, i mean what was her point? I hate to think she said it to get a lil' press but i wouldn't put it past her, and if she did, that's not good.

Watch the clip. There was another question posed to Patti, and Andy just sorta added a footnote, "Why did Luther never come out publicly?" She just answered it. It wasn't mean-spirited or negative. She was just telling the truth.

Patti don't give a shit about press. She doesn't even own a smartphone and she doesn't email. She said she uses her son's phone if she needs to. She has a landline and she calls folks directly if she needs to do so. Her social media is something she has because it's 2017 but she has folks post it for her.

For me, it's a cheap go-to claiming it's "for some press". You and I know better. She's Patti motherfuckin' LaBelle. The press needs her! And the "revelation" isn't even newsworthy because it's well-established Luther was gay and she is not the first to speak on it in a public forum in the last 12 years.

funkdoctorrock said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I remember in the 80s his lover who was his drummer(?) attempted suicide.

Everyone knew, and I wasn't even into Luther like that.

Yogi Horton?? He killed himself

He was Luthers lover

TrivialPursuit said:

PeteSilas said:

i'm curious as to why she said it, i mean what was her point? I hate to think she said it to get a lil' press but i wouldn't put it past her, and if she did, that's not good.

Watch the clip. There was another question posed to Patti, and Andy just sorta added a footnote, "Why did Luther never come out publicly?" She just answered it. It wasn't mean-spirited or negative. She was just telling the truth.

Patti don't give a shit about press. She doesn't even own a smartphone and she doesn't email. She said she uses her son's phone if she needs to. She has a landline and she calls folks directly if she needs to do so. Her social media is something she has because it's 2017 but she has folks post it for her.

For me, it's a cheap go-to claiming it's "for some press". You and I know better. She's Patti motherfuckin' LaBelle. The press needs her! And the "revelation" isn't even newsworthy because it's well-established Luther was gay and she is not the first to speak on it in a public forum in the last 12 years.

Hell Oprah called him a diva when she visited with him after his recovery from his stroke that

she aired on her show. Yes most people suspected it or already knew.

funkdoctorrock said:

Pole smoker eh? Pretty classy dude. So it was Patti's mission to "Out" Luther on a late night show? Over a decade after he's been gone??? She said it herself he didn't want the world to know? So as a friend..She should've kept her mouth closed and honored his wishes.. Because he's not here to defend himself. And before the show tell them I respectfully refuse to discuss Luther's private life. Obvious an agenda was at play.. [Edited 12/7/17 5:12am] [Edited 12/7/17 5:19am]

Everybody knew Luther was gay. He was out to his friends just not the public which is fine since it had nothing to do with his music. She was asked a question by a gay man and she answered it.

She did not tell us initimate details about Luther's sex life or anything. I am so tired of people looking for a reason to attack Patti Labelle or any Rn B legends just because they are not out embarrassing themselves like so-called are doing today. If she is not your cup of tea then do not pay attention to her or turn your irritation to Andy who is always asking people crazy questions and responsible for those awful House wife shows. He is catty as hell.

[Edited 12/8/17 6:40am]

I thought everybody knew he was gay by now. Damn, I missed that man and his voice. I get all misty eyed when one of his songs comes on. I don't like feeling this raw.

i mentiones some guy got angry at me on here for mentioning that he was gay about 5 years ago and said he was a friend of luther's. there's still a lot of shame. little richard still denies he's gay but from everything i heard, everything, he never stopped flirting with men, touching men and he even invited me down to california about 12 years ago which could have been a platonic invite to a fan but was probably something else. It's sad that society teaches people to loath themselves for so many reasons, not just sexuality, people loath themselves for all kinds of reasons and most of them originate with feeling like they don't fill expectations.

SoulAlive said:

So true.Notice that there aren't any openly gay R&B singers.If Luther had come out in the 80s,his career would have been over instantly.

kitbradley said:

Even if Luther were still with us, there would be no need to defend himself. We live in a very different world now. Personally, I don't know of anyone who didn't know or assume Luther was gay. the 80's were very different. It would have been absolute career suicide for a black male R&B singer to announce he was gay . He would have been banned from black radio and relegated to gay clubs.

I believe Pharell came out as gay after "Happy" was a hit. I don't think he's had any hits since. Then, we have Rahsaan Patterson who finally came out a few years ago but he was always more of an underground R&B artist. So, really never any mainstream out R&B singers, not like Elton John, George Micheal, Sam Smith, K.D. Lang and Melissa Ethridge.

PeteSilas said:

laurarichardson said:

PeteSilas said:

i mentiones some guy got angry at me on here for mentioning that he was gay about 5 years ago and said he was a friend of luther's. there's still a lot of shame. little richard still denies he's gay but from everything i heard, everything, he never stopped flirting with men, touching men and he even invited me down to california about 12 years ago which could have been a platonic invite to a fan but was probably something else. It's sad that society teaches people to loath themselves for so many reasons, not just sexuality, people loath themselves for all kinds of reasons and most of them originate with feeling like they don't fill expectations.

—/Society does not teach people to loath themselves. Some people make a choice to keep their private sex life to themselves.

Despite what society has taught us, being gay does not just boil down to performing a sexual act.

PatrickS77 said:

If he supposedly told her, that he didn't want to come out. Then why doesn't she follow his wishes, instead of spilling the beans?

Because they're already spilled. Some of you are acting like the story was "Pattie LaBelle reveals Luther Vandross was gay"--nope, the headline assumes you already knew that, just like Cohen and Labelle assumed you knew it.

kitbradley said: