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Gay Survivor Spills a Reality Secret

Twenty-nine-year-old Charlie Herschel, who makes his reality-TV debut on Survivor: Gabon Thursday night, was a confidant of Clay Aiken’s before Aiken decided to come out of the closet this week. Here, Charlie talks to The Advocate about their friendship, impending television fame, and how he managed to take seven weeks leave from his New York law firm to film in Africa.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted September 24, 2008
Gay Survivor Spills a Reality Secret

It’s a big week for Charlie Herschel. Forty-eight hours before his big debut on the 17th season of Survivor, the 29-year-old New York–based corporate lawyer is finding out with the rest of the world that his online chat buddy of two years, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, has announced on the cover of People that he’s gay. The two started chatting on social networking site Connexion.org during the whole Kelly Ripa hand-over-the-mouth hubbub, and those early chat fests developed into a casual friendship while Aiken was in New York starring in Broadway’s Spamalot.

“There was a point when I was in law school that I was on IM almost every day, so we used to IM almost every day,” says Herschel, who has maintained a friendship with Aiken ever since.

Then Herschel got the call to partake in the experience of a lifetime, packed up his life, and flew halfway across the world to Africa, putting those IM chat sessions momentarily on hold. He left his swank New York law firm behind to rough it in Gabon with 17 other reality-star wannabes. And as with past seasons of Survivor, the production pretty much guaranteed that Herschel was separated from the outside world for almost two months, so he missed all of the media attention paid to Aiken's baby, born August 8 through a surrogate, and the gossipy banter that followed.

Now that Herschel’s back in New York and awaiting the media firestorm that is sure to greet his big reality show debut, the strong but unassuming marathon runner is about to get a taste of what it feels like to be openly gay and in the public eye -- something he can now share in common with his fellow reality-star friend. But Herschel says he didn’t pursue Survivor for fortune or the gay media fame that is so often bestowed on attractive reality show grads. His reason for doing the show was simple -- it’s something he’s dreamed of since season 1…and if it helps him find the man of his dreams, all the better.

The Advocate: Was auditioning for Survivor something you’d actively pursued for a long time, or was it a spur-of-the-moment decision?
Charlie Herschel: I’d been a huge fan ever since the first season, but you just read about the tens of thousands of applicants, so I never threw in an application because I thought it would be a complete waste of time. Then I was twiddling around one weekend at my desk, procrastinating, and I was like, I’m never going to get this experience unless I at least try once to apply. One thing led to another and I finally got cast.

So basically, you’re telling me your boss has your procrastinating to thank for him losing you to Survivor?
Exactly.

How does one tell his boss, "Um, I need to take several weeks off to go live in the middle of nowhere and film a reality show"?
I went to my boss… I was very nervous. I work at a big corporate law firm, it’s one of the three biggest law firms here in New York. I was just completely honest with him. I said, "This has been a dream of mine forever. I love my job and my job will come first, but I’m hoping we can work this out that I can take off seven weeks for the summer." And he was like, "Charlie, if I can help you realize your dream, this is the best day of my year so far." They were really supportive of me, and it didn’t hurt that the economy is tanking, so taking me off payroll for seven weeks didn’t hurt them.

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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Cathy
    Date posted: 2008-10-09 5:44 PM
    Hometown: Las Vegas, NV

    Comment:

    I have worked with many gays over the years and have no problem with their being gay at all. It all depends on their own personality. But frankly, I get along better with the ones that have openly come out and although everyone knows they're gay, they won't admit it. However I do hate the "flaming" ones who think that the world owes them everything just because they're gay.


  • Name: Deb
    Date posted: 2008-10-04 11:07 AM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    OK, here goes, first time commenting on a gay website. Ah, the power of Clay. I'd just like to thank all those in the community who have helped Clay Aiken in this journey. Yes, I'm a Clay fan. Yes, I suspected but never talked about it out of deference to him. Yes, it's a huge relief to get the elephant out of the room. I'm also a Survivor fan, so "Go, Charlie!" I can't wait to see how you did. Don't worry, I won't come here again. I just wanted to say thanks.


  • Name: Clint
    Date posted: 2008-09-25 11:13 AM
    Hometown: Philly

    Comment:

    Here, here Anne.


  • Name: Anne
    Date posted: 2008-09-25 10:14 AM
    Hometown: Cleveland

    Comment:

    I think the funny thing about the GMA story (and those like it) is what planet are you living on that you didn't know Clay Aiken was gay? I guess it is the same one that people were shocked when Rosie or Ellen came out. Who doesn't know these people are gay and who cares? Live and let live. I do agree with Clay that at least now people will stop asking. If GMA wants to really have a story about people coming out why don't they finally have Sam & Robin come out. I wonder if they feel funny when a story like this is aired when they are still not acknowledging the obvious


  • Name: Evajean Craig
    Date posted: 2008-09-25 10:02 AM
    Hometown: Brandon, Florida

    Comment:

    You know what? this is 2009 so what if the guy is gay. Why doesn't any one ever look at the things they have accomplished like Clay and this smart, well educated young man Charlie seems to be well ajusted to life. Being gay is not who the person is it just happens to be his lifestyle. People are who they are it doesn't change what kind of person they are. He answered all the questions in the interview, what else do you want?? Grandmother of 6 E. Craig


  • Name: Daryl
    Date posted: 2008-09-25 6:13 AM
    Hometown: Indy

    Comment:

    Hmm... A hot gay lawyer... who can completely let his hair down and do a show like survivor... God.. if I were just 10 years younger.... and lived in New York.... again..


  • Name: Clint
    Date posted: 2008-09-25 12:24 AM
    Hometown: Philly

    Comment:

    Huh? He's hot.


  • Name: Matthew
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 10:55 PM
    Hometown: New York, NY

    Comment:

    Gentlemen, there is a reason Charlie has "been single for a long time." Caveat emptor.


  • Name: Owen
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 7:00 PM
    Hometown: Providence, R.I.

    Comment:

    Take another look Andrew, Charlie actually speaks very highly of Clay. He not only congratulated Clay on coming out, but he seemed pretty understanding of his delay in getting his ass out of the closet. Not all of us deal with the truth of our sexual orientation on the same time table. Besides, it sounds like Charlie kept his friend Clay's secret until Clay was ready to talk about it himself. Good work.


  • Name: Andrew
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 6:35 PM
    Hometown: Berkeley

    Comment:

    Ehhh. I'm not sure what I think. On the one hand, Clay doesn't do it for me. He just kinda seems annoying. On the other hand, I cant believe this reality kid would just sell him out like that. That's ghetto! I hate gaylebrities!


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