Radio’s Stephanie Miller Comes Out

By Trudy Ring

STEPHANIE MILLER X390 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

Liberal radio talker Stephanie Miller came out as gay on her nationally syndicated show Friday morning.

Miller, who had sometimes joked about having crushes on men, such as fellow liberal commentator Keith Olbermann, led up to her announcement by tweeting, “Mama’s got something to tell you.” After making her statement, she received numerous supportive comments from listeners, in both phone calls and online posts. One of her guests on Friday’s show was country singer Chely Wright, who also recently came out.

Miller, 48, is a former stand-up comic and for a time had a television show on MSNBC. She grew up in a conservative Republican family — her late father, attorney and congressman William Miller, was Barry Goldwater’s running mate in the 1964 presidential election. Goldwater, who has a gay grandson, voiced gay-supportive positions late in his life.

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Reader Comments

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Name: wes
Date posted: 8/18/2010 7:40:46 PM
Hometown: lecanto,florida

Comment:
She's still hot , i'm a married man so she wasn't in my sights anyway, you go girl,enjoy your life
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Name: connielw
Date posted: 8/18/2010 12:59:40 AM
Hometown: Carlsbad, CA

Comment:
What? My lesbian friend told me two years ago about Stephanie Miller being gay. All the times I've listened to her show she seemed to be openly gay. I don't get this whole thing. I thought it was common knowledge.
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Name: Merrill
Date posted: 8/15/2010 10:48:39 PM
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale

Comment:
There is no one brighter, funnier, more entertaining or more gracious than Stephanie Miller. The fact that she had to "hide" something - in spite of such impressive attributes - is a sad reflection on our society. Everyone I know loves Stephanie, and no one I know cares if she's gay - any more than we'd care if she cut her hair or bought new shoes. And, by the way, I'm not gay - but I apply this total acceptance to every living person.
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Name: StewartIII
Date posted: 8/15/2010 1:22:45 PM
Hometown: Ft Wash, MD

Comment:
ChickaBOOMer: Miller's Time http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/08/millers-time.html
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Name: Hugh
Date posted: 8/15/2010 1:31:50 AM
Hometown: Dallas

Comment:
Luis, Stephanie explained why she stayed private for so long. It is a fact that if entertainers come out publicly their careers are doomed. Stephanie would never have had the success she has had up until now if she had been out. In the 90's there was only room for one out lesbian and Ellen took the honors. I love Stephanie Miller. She is the smartest and funniest person I can think of and I listen to her show everyday. I would love to call in sometime but I don't think I'm sufficient caliber for her and the mooks. So I will continue to listen and LAUGH. We are living in a very interesting time right now. Over the next decade we will get to witness the Ricky Martins, etc. come pouring out of the closet. Others, like Florida governor Charlie Christ, will be thrown. In the mean time I am very proud of our Stephanie Millers, Rachel Maddows, and ?????'s. Who will be next? I predict a big Hollywood star. Though at times it doesn't seem so, this IS becoming a better world.
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Name: lee
Date posted: 8/14/2010 4:00:40 PM
Hometown: la

Comment:
good for stephanie! if it wasn't for the gay activists that you derisively refer to as the "professional left," it'd still be illegal for gays to gather in public and we'd be legally strung from trees as sodomites. it's naive to think that obama or any other democrat or politician would give us the time of day if we didn't fight for our own rights (that means holding politician's feet to the fire, not passively accepting it as they dole out our rights once they get around to it). if obama's administration can't get it done, what use are they? right now dick cheney (and many other republicans and conservatives) are more evolved on the issue of marriage equality and the repeal of DADT than obama is. how do you get passed that?
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Name: Luis Boki
Date posted: 8/14/2010 11:47:39 AM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
Stephanie is thankfully not one of the "professional left" of political pundits. In a world where it has become increasingly difficult to find even a progressive not jumping on the bandwagon to criticize President Obama. In a world where we seem to lack a degree of gratitude for what the man has accomplished and committed to accomplishing, I look forward to listening to Stephanie's radio program. I was able to share with her the fact that I had the honor of knowing Chely Wright, who also recently came out, in the country music world...........which is also brave. Chely and Stephanie have become friends especially now that they have both freed themselves of the closet. I wish Stephanie well. I was fortunate to not have a "coming out" experience, that happened on the day I was born. So sometimes it is difficult for me to relate to why someone oppresses themselves for so many years before living their lives..........regardless, bless both Stephanie and Chely.
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Name: EdA
Date posted: 8/14/2010 1:11:08 AM
Hometown: Boston

Comment:
Good for Stephanie! I didn't know -- I guess my gaydar needs retuning. But I am SURE that letting us know will help her to overcome her on-air inhibitions.
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Name: Diana
Date posted: 8/13/2010 11:46:59 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:
This is news? Good for her. I didn't hear the show but maybe she felt empowered by the recent Prop 8 decision.
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Name: Dan
Date posted: 8/13/2010 9:38:41 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
Hooray for Steph! Not only is she a brilliant talk show host, but she a beacon on the progressive front, and a sincere and lovely human being, and a very funny lady. I am so proud of her and I'm sure the entire progressive LGBT and straight community feels the same! Love me some Stephanie Miller!

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