Sara Ramirez reiterates LGBT support in new interview

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Sara Ramirez has been a longtime supporter of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, and now the actress has reiterated her love and support once more.

Mexican-American and Irish actress Sara Ramirez — who plays the role of gay orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres on the hit ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy”— has appeared in Spanish-language PSAs for GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). A few years after that, the actress started a foundation in honor of her best friend Al D. Rodriguez, a gay actor and singer from New York who died of cancer. Sara Ramirez often called Rodriguez her “gay husband.”

Although Ramirez is very busy with her lead role on “Grey’s Anatomy” and busy enjoying married life with business analyst Ryan Debolt whom she tied the knot with back in July, the 37-year-old actress says she’s never too busy to support the LGBT community — something she plans to do for a very long time.

“I’m always going to support the LGBT community and equal rights for the LGBT community,” Ramirez tells Latina.com exclusively. “That’s going to be with me ‘till the day I die and beyond. I mean, that’s just what it is!”

In fact, Sara Ramirez said that her commitment to LGBT rights will even be stronger, because now her husband, Debolt, is fighting for the LGBT community right alongside her.

“Thank God I have a life partner who just wants nothing more than to stand by my side and support me in that,” Ramirez said, adding that her husband is “the most confident man I’ve ever met…he’s amazing!”

After several years of fighting for equal rights for the LGBT community, Sara Ramirez said she is still amazed by people who don’t support equal rights for gays, lesbians and transgender people.

“I’m always amazed by that [lack] of compassion, I really am,” the actress said. “But I imagine that those kinds of people that are stuck in that whole thing—that whole train of thought {Laughs}—I don’t know when they were so hurt that they can’t possibly have compassion for someone else in that respect.”

Sara Ramirez adds that everyone should get to choose who they love and who they want to spend the rest of their life with.

“To just have the choice—that’s what it always comes back to. You really want to take someone’s choice away? You don’t want them to have the choice to build that life for themselves in the way they choose to? And that’s really disappointing,” the actress concluded.

Following her success on Broadway, Sara Ramirez joined the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy” in a recurring role as Dr. Calliope ‘Callie’ Torres in the hit TV show’s second season. For the third season, she became a series regular. On a special “Grey’s Anatomy”-themed episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” she revealed that top executives from ABC loved her performance in “Spamalot” so much that they offered her a role in any ABC show she wanted. She picked “Grey’s Anatomy” of which she was a fan. Sara Ramirez provided a cappella vocals in the song “Silent Night” for the soundtrack of the show’s sixth season episode “Holidaze,” airing November 19, 2009. On December 21, 2009, this version of the song was released as a single on iTunes. Ramirez’s voice was also showcased in the musical episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Ep. 718 “Song Beneath the Song,” which aired March 31, 2011. Her solo music debut was an extended play released on March 27, 2011 through the iTunes Store. It included three original songs, as well as a recording of “The Story,” performed on the musical episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Posted in Sara Ramirez | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Sister of George Clooney: “I swear he’s not gay”

Adelia Zeidler — the sister of “The Ides of March” actor George Clooney — said that her brother’s just no longer the marrying type, discouraging the hopes of millions of women, including Clooney’s girlfriend Stacy Keibler, saying the actor is unlikely to walk down the aisle again.

However, Zeidler did have some good news for all the ladies: “He’s NOT gay,”

Speaking from her home in Augusta, Kentucky where they grew up, Adelia Zeidler said that she doubts George Clooney will ever take the plunge.

“No, I would say he probably will not get married. If I had to guess I would have to say ‘no.’ I know everyone says ‘Well, Warren Beatty said he’d never get married and then he met Annette Bening.’ But you know that’s the only example people can think of, so it doesn’t bode too well.”

George Clooney was once married to actress Talia Balsam, but they eventually got divorced in 1993. Since then, he’s had a number of stunning girlfriends, including British model Lisa Snowdon, Italian beauty Elisabetta Canalis and now Stacy Keibler — a stunning blond actress and former wrestler.

Adelia Zeidler said there might actually be a downside to being married to her brother.

“If he was going to get married he would want to be a husband and be somebody who would be there, who would have the time and the ability to focus on the family and the home and all of that,” she explained. “And in the business that he is in, he has to be able to get up and go. The majority of actors don’t really make their marriages work.”

When asked what she makes of rumors that George Clooney is secretly gay, the 52-year-old laughed.

“Yes that’s quite ridiculous, we don’t even listen when people say things like that anymore. I think he decided that in his life he could have the career or he could have a family,” 52-year-old Zeidler said. “And so when he decided to go full bore into the acting. That was where his focus was going to be.”

The Hollywood stunner’s sister also thinks for that same reason, George Clooney will also never have children.

“If he had children, when he was with them, he would be concerned about his career and if he was working he would be concerned about the children,” she said. “And he doesn’t think it would be fair to split his focus.”

Adelia Zeidler added she didn’t have a clue about her brother’s first wedding until it already happened.

“No, I didn’t go,” she said. “I was not aware he was married until after he was married.”

George Clooney may be single, but he’s been a ladies’ man for a long time.

“Well, he had several girlfriends when he was going to high school down here. Never more than one at a time, he’s not that kind of guy. But he would go out with someone for a few months and then go out with someone else for a few months,” Adelia Zeidler said.

The award-winning actor, who has won three Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award is no stranger to accolades. He’s earned praise and millions starring in films like “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Michael Clayton” and “Up in the Air.”

Several praises aside, Adelia Zeidler felt a little strange about one prize — George Clooney being awarded as the world’s sexiest man by People magazine.

“It is rather odd to see my baby brother being touted as the world’s sexiest man,” she said. “I have a little difficulty seeing that. Granted I can look at him and see he’s very attractive, but of course being his sister, it’s a little odd.”

Although George Clooney and sister Adelia took an early interest in acting, appearing in several school plays, it was George who decided to take a chance and fly off to Hollywood to follow his dreams of being an actor.

Meanwhile, George’s sister Adelia Zeidler, got married and had two children — Jennifer, 21, and Nicholas, 16 — while juggling various bookkeeping jobs.

“I worked at Toys ‘R’ Us and Kohl’s,” she said. “I enjoyed it, but mostly it was a way to get the money to come home and pay the rent and those sorts of things. I really enjoyed being a wife and a mother and that kind of wound up taking precedence with me.”

George Clooney stayed in Kentucky for a few years and then went to college. But the attraction of Hollywood was so strong he finally decided to head to California.

“First he was at my Aunt Rosemary’s house in Beverly Hills and then with friends,” Adelia Zeidler said. “And he just kept working at it and eventually his persistence was rewarded.”

Zeidler says she’s happy with her ordinary life in the little town where she and brother George Clooney grew up. She and the family are treated like royalty.

Posted in George Clooney | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Rosie O’Donnell gets back to work since suffering from heart attack

Openly gay comedian and TV personality Rosie O’Donnell is now back to work following a bad stretch, which included a heart attack, wife Michelle Rounds’ bout with a rare health condition and severe damage to her New York home due to Hurricane Sandy.

According to reports, 50-year-old Rosie O’Donnell posted a picture of herself on her Twitter account, donning a costume from the Toronto set of “Bomb Girls” on Wednesday. The TV series is about women working in factories during the Second World War.

The show which includes O’Donnell airs on Global and was originally slated to be a six-part series. However, the ratings success of “Bomb Girls” led to a second season. The TV series stars Meg Tilly as a factory manager who handles a team of young women working to create munitions for the war effort.

Rosie O’Donnell will be appearing in episode nine of “Bomb Girls” as a character named Dottie.

While she is best known for her stints as host of her own long-running daytime talk show and as a co-host on ABC’s “The View” for a clamorous year, Rosie O’Donnell has never stopped accepting occasional acting roles.

The comedian had a string of feature film successes early on including “Sleepless in Seattle,” “A League of Their Own” and “The Flintstones.”

More recently, Rosie O’Donnell did a series of guest spots on “Nip/Tuck,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Web Therapy” and “Happily Divorced.” She also starred in the TV movies “America” and “Riding in the Bus With My Sister.”

O’Donnell is also known as a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family Vacations.

Rosie O’Donnell started her comedy career while still a teenager and her big break was on the talent show “Star Search” in 1984. A TV sitcom and a number of movies introduced her to a bigger national audience, and in 1996 she started hosting “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” which won multiple Emmy awards.

During her years on ‘The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” she wrote her first book, a memoir called “Find Me” and developed the nickname “Queen Of Nice” as well as a reputation for philanthropic efforts. She used the book’s $3 million advance to establish her own For All Kids foundation and promoted other charity projects encouraging other celebrities on her show to also take part. O’Donnell came out, stating “I’m a dyke!” two months before finishing her talk show run, saying that her primary reason was to bring attention to gay adoption issues. O’Donnell is a foster—and adoptive—mother. Since coming out, she has continued to support many LGBT causes and issues.

Posted in Rosie O' Donnell | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

LGBT celebrities sound of on Barack Obama’s re-election

The 2012 Presidential Elections has been a night of breakthrough for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

LGBT rights advocates are celebrating same-sex marriage victories in the states of Maine and Maryland. This marks the first time in history that United States voters have chosen to legalize same-sex marriage legislation that appeared on a ballot.

Aside from the marriage equality news, Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin became the nation’s first openly LGBT senator. And, last but not least, President Barack Obama — the first ever politician to endorse marriage equality while in office — swept to victory.

Suffice to say, the exciting news sent many LGBT celebrities into overdrive on Twitter — among them Ellen DeGeneres, Chaz Bono, Neil Patrick Harris and “Glee” star Chris Colfer. See what each of them had to say below:

“@ActuallyNPH: Yahoooo! FOUR MORE YEARS!” tweeted Neil Patrick Harris.

“@TheEllenShow: What an amazing night. Congratulations @BarackObama! I’m proud of our country.”

“@Chaz Bono: President @BarackObama makes me feel very grateful and proud to be an America. Four more years of moving Forward. God bless America.”

“@ladygaga: And to @TammyBaldwinWI for being elected the first openly gay senator in the HISTORY of The United States. #inspiring #brave #courageous”

“@ZacharyQuinto: going to sleep inspired fulfilled and called to action. so proud. so grateful. nowhere i would rather be. hope renewed. faith restored. 5am.”

“@ricky_martin: http://t.co/SAOSCAiW Wins 4 marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington! EQUALITY prevails! #NOH8Worldwide (RT@bouska)”

“@iamwandasykes: Big win for our country. I’m so very proud and grateful to be an American. So much love!@Obama2012”

“@jessetyler: Washington State is the 3rd state to win #marriageequality! My heart is full of joy! #progress”

“@chriscolfer: All ages, genders, ethnicities, and orientations dancing badly TOGETHER on TV! THATS America! Wouldn’t see that 50 years ago.#USAProgress”

“@adamlambert: We did it!!!! Maryland and Minnesota workin the marriage equality!!! http://t.co/1M7IUMzb”

“@LanceBass: Congrats Maine and Maryland!! State by state people are finally being heard. You’re next Mississippi!

Posted in LGBT | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Kirstie Alley shoots down gay rumors about John Travolta

“Shoot to Kill” star Kirstie Alley has come forth in defense of actor John Travolta, saying that he is not gay — despite reports that the actor had encounters with other men.

According to reports, 61-year-old Kirstie Alley told newswoman Barbara Walters that she “fell in love” with hunky actor John Travolta, who is currently bombarded by allegations of bedding and groping men, on the set of their 1989 film “Look Who’s Talking” — saying that the sexual feelings were mutual.

“I know John with all my heart and soul. He’s not gay,” Kirstie Alley told Walters during an ABC News interview clip released Wednesday.

“I think in some weird way in Hollywood, if someone gets big enough and famous enough, and they’re not out you know doing drugs and they’re not womanizing, what do you say about them?” she went on. “I think people think that’s the supreme insult, ‘He’s gay.’”

Alley is currently promoting her new memoir, “The Art of Men,” in which she claims she fell in love with both John Travolta and Patrick Swayze when they worked together on various projects.

“John is the greatest love of my life,” Kirstie Alley said. “I fell in love with John when we were doing ‘Look Who’s Talking.’ Believe me, it took everything that I had, inside, outside, to not run off and marry John and be with John for the rest of my life.”

At the time, 58-year-old John Travolta was single. He tied the knot with actress Kelly Preston back in 1991. Meanwhile, Alley was married to “Hardy Boys” star Parker Stevenson from 1983 to 1997.

The former “Cheers” star, who played the role of Rebecca Howe in the TV show, dropped another bombshell with the claim that Patrick Swayze considered leaving his wife Lisa Niemi for her while she and Swayze made the 1985 TV mini-series “North and South.”

“We did fall in love with each other,” Kirstie Alley told Barbara Walters of Swayze. “I probably was more willing to break up my marriage, and I wasn’t willing to break up his marriage.”

Alley, who is now a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” told Entertainment Tonight she’s not sure if Niemi knew about the romantic affair with Swayze before her book. The actress added they never consummated the affair.

“But again, I think what we did was worse because when you fall in love with someone when you’re married, you jeopardize your own marriage and their marriage. It’s doubly bad,” Kirstie Alley told ET.

Meanwhile, John Travolta has vehemently denied allegations that he had a high-flying, six-year affair with former pilot Doug Gotterba or that he sexually assaulted two male massage therapists during separate incidents earlier this year.

Gotterba, 62, described the affair to the National Enquirer, saying John Travolta was “gentle but very passionate.”

The masseurs filed sexual battery lawsuits in federal court last May but later withdrew their claims.

John Travolta is still fighting a separate lawsuit by a former Royal Caribbean Cruises employee who claims the actor gave him an unwanted, naked hug behind closed cabin doors in 2009.

Posted in John Travolta | Tagged , , | Leave a comment