"How Do You Not Know You Are Gay?"

Normally people who are involved in lawsuits are prohibited from discussing their case—"No comment" or "We don't discuss pending litigation." That's so both sides can keep confidential information ... well, confidential; attorneys also advise their clients not to say anything that can harm them later. Normal people, we say, not bitter, enraged authors who are currently promoting books and desperately need another NYT bestseller to cover legal expenses and possible settlements. Authors like Terry McMillan, whose Valium-worthy performances last night on Tavis Smiley and this morning's Today had to have been seen to be believed.

Hopefully, Jonathan Plummer and his lawyers are doing better than us—we're on the road, so no TiVo or screencaps. If you missed Katie Couric's morning interview, here are the many faces of the heavily-pancaked-author:

A. Terry McMillan, PhD. (Psychologist): "Of course he knew he was gay when he met me. He says he was confused. Even teenagers know that they are gay. How can you not know that you are gay?"

B. Terry McMillan, Megalomaniac: "He says he didn't know who I was. How could he not? Everyone in that hotel knew me. Who doesn't know Terry McMillan?"

C. Terry McMillan, PhD. (Molecular Biologist): "Being gay is genetic. You're born with it. So he knew all along."

D. Terry McMillan, Pet Detective: "I bought him a dog grooming business. That should have been an indication right there. A dog groomer? Ha!"

E. Terry McMillan, INS Agent: "He wanted a green card ... but later he came here for a vacation for three weeks. So his immigration status was fine."

F. Terry McMillan, A-List Celebrity and Megalomaniac Pt2: "He lived a grand life and walked the red carpet with me. How much is that worth?"

G. Terry McMillan, Reality Show Actress: "Of course I'll write a sequel. I've lived the sequel. I'll call it ... Okey Dokey!"

H. Terry McMillan, Touring Author, "The Interruption of Everything":

The only thing that Terry had a "no comment" for was the book that she is promoting. What's it about?

Comments

[Rashid]

This is the funniest goddamned thing I have read all week, man!!!!!!

[michael]

Terry deserves some slack for her loopy behavior these days. Too many people are judging her as if she deserved to be deceived for marrying a guy so much younger. I agree with her that he most likely knew he liked men before they were married. No one becomes gay all of a sudden one day. It is genetic. Jonathan just took a break from his orientation. I don't think she's homophobic at all. What she is, is very bitter, but I hope she can heal herself and move on one day. Hate and anger lead nowhere. As for Jonathan I wish him the best, but he really doesn't deserve anything he didn't bring into that marriage.

[Mark]

I too think that Mr. Plummer lacked integrity in using her to get to the United States. I feel very bad for Mrs. McMillan, who has to deal with the heartache of being duped.

[pamela]

Lawd Have Mercy!! Rod - the best yet.

I saw her on Tavis and his swirling ass - just sat back, no use in shining a spotlight on him, lol

My thing is Terry has never been the most feminine in Victoria Secret, lol and she has never been a good interview! So this is the Terry we all know, lol

I am going to be keeping my ear to the ground because as blackpeople we worship plenty of false idols and now that a CELEBRITY has had this experience - straight men are going to be called to task.

I wonder how much it would cost for me to make up t-shirts? First let me think of the perfect slogan.

[seanndc]

she sounds like a scorned woman. poor thing. she needs a new boyfriend -- man--- immediately. nothing helps you get over a failed relationship than quickly replacing the person you just broke up w/, even if its a "temp."

[Tyler]

She only deserves so much slack. No one is disputing that Jonathan deceived her. But embarking on a rampage to further demonize the "evil black man" (in this case "evil black GAY man") is only going to allow for black women to continue to shift all blame on black men and stay mired in victimhood. Again, being a victim is not the same as taking up the mantle of victimhood (which means that one is perceived always and only as a victim and everything is funneled through that perspective). That Terry plans to exploit her pain for money and status is disconcerting. Given her comments, i'm not inclined to believe she's even writing the book to purge or for a process of catharsis, she's being purely vindictive and possessive of the entire relationship. This is unhealthy and disingenuous. She pimped their relationship before, she's gonna do it again. It's disgusting and sad on both sides, frankly.

[Mark]

How can anyone presume to know that Jonathan Plummer must have known he was gay. Assume he must have known he "liked men" when he was a teenager, okay. But just "liking men" is not a definition of gay. A lot of guys are attracted to other guys, but aren't gay. They are bisexual, perhaps, but in their own minds they are not even bisexual -- because they do not act on it! It is entirely possible that at the age of 20, in Jamaica, Plummer had not figured out that he was gay. It would also be possible for someone who is naturally bisexual to come to the conclusion that he is gay in this society, where apparently "liking men" is enough to put you in that group.

[Jack]

Tyler,

Can we please not resort to the old "black women just want to be on a brother" line? What a cliche!

Terry's not tripping because her husband is "black," she's angry because she feels that he used and abused her. Why must this be about "black women" vs. "black men"? It isn't. It's about two human beings in a bad situation.

Expecting anyone to play politics when she is in pain is bizarre. Rage, pain, and sorrow are natural for anyone who's dumped to feel.

[nathans]

As someone from the caribbean I think some of you are being too harsh on Jonathan who was only 20 when that old hag CAME after him! She played the game and got burned now she is a woman scorned...!
Maybe she turned him gay with all her bullshit...LOL!

[Blogger031905]

I did see her on Tavis Smiley. What a shame. A small piece of me actually wants to feel sorry for her but then that something disappears when I think about the fact that she most likely said those homophobic things to that man.

[Boogie]

LOL, too funny :P

[karsh]

Now she's gonna need to get her groove back from getting her groove back.

[DFS]

I lived in the bay area around the time she brought him back from Jamaica (95-96). I was also a patron at the skin care center where Jonathan worked. The buzz was out about him back then, so it shouldnt have come as a surprise to him or Terry.

[Dante']

I've learned, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. In this case, you can not train "playas" to be good teammates either. Sadly, McMillan was played, but overall, McMillan will move on to as a better woman and not bitter and Plummer will move on as a U.S. citizen and probably a rich one at that.

[rxntx]

But has she said if the gay D*** was good to her those years?

[Tyler]

Jack

You missed my point.

What I was saying is that the way in which this has played out in the media does nothing to dispel the myth that black men victimize black women and that black women "never seem to know" what is going on. Given the mainstream media's invention of "the DL crisis" (and it is an invention...read Keith Boykin's book), this personal battle in the public eye only furthers a feeling among many black women that black men are dangerous (this time, to their health).
My only point was to say that given her comments it doesn't seem to me that she is aware of how she made money off of him by pimping their relationship for a book and a movie and numerous interviews. Not saying its not legitimate but let's remember she gave him so much credit for "rejuvenating her life". To act now as if he's just evil (and his "actions" being evil are different) is disingenuous.
It is telling that her friends told her not to say anything at all and not fan the flames and yet she used Tavis Smiley as a place to spew pure rage and vitriol and it was so off-the-cuff that I doubt she means most of it.
Is she entitled to be angry? Of course she is. But there is more at stake given the way in which black men are under the microscope in mainstream media. Just the way it is. Are her actions purposefully disparaging of all black men? Of course not. But they don't have to be to have that impact.

[O. D.]

Terry should have did some research on her own before bringing someone from a third world country here to marry. And I do not think he knew who she was. It is not like she is Oprah. She writes fantasies... Who said they all end in happily ever after. Terry got what she deserved..... a child. She has raised him now it is time to let him go. Just like any other parent, they provide for their children and continue on... Terry must admit where she went wrong. It is not Plummer's fault that he wanted a better life.

I will end by asking... are there so few American men here to choose from? Or, is that control is such an issue that you had to find someone that had nothing to begin with and no way of obtaining anything on his own? Please Terry let us know how much control you need to keep a man.

[FREEDOM]

This is very funny! Terry needs to get over it. She used that young impressionable man all up. She stressed him out with her all mighty attitude and he did what he should have used that miserable skank and profited from his experience. They used eachother I say after his alimony/palimony, there even!! LOL

[MDeVone]

Interesting and sad. Terry has a son. I wonder if he comes to her and one day and says he is gay, would she feel betrayed? If so, by whom? Herself?

[Coy]

Fellas, Come on now. She is simply a woman scorned. I highly doubt that she is homophobic, we have to be certain to base judgement on the facts that we do know and not on her (quite obviously)angry words. Wether or not he knew he was gay is speculation just as it is a guess as to wether he knew who she was when she arrived at the hotel. Of course, logic tells you that if a named celebrity, even D-list, lands at a hotel (anywhere) it will get around so that even those who don't know who the celeb is will have been briefed. Gossip can move quickly.

Now, Plummer signed a pre-nup that stated that he would walk away with nothing. That's that. He knew what he was signing and was happy to do so. Now he is asking to void the pre-nup and would like to have alimony. That seems dubious and can lead many to think that he had a plan. So it's not so irrational of McMillan to think of her marriage and Plummer himself as a fraud. What's next? have it annulled.

As for pimping him for a story. Many writers will speak of thier own experience and we have to admit hers was extraordinary. How many of us over 30 or 40 would deny the advances of a 20 year old island boy? Let's be honest about that. And if memory serves properly he actually received a percentage of profits from the book. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. Never the less, there was a business that was purchased for him and he has lived a life most do not get the opportunity to enjoy. He can take care of himself now. At this point he should know how.

[Jay Jay Khan]

She needs to get over it, no shade its 2005 every time u look around som one else is comming out the closet. I feel sorry for her but she needs to get over it and get a new man.

[Xavier]

I think that everyone needs to take into account that Terry is the ELDER in this situation. She has written book after book about situations that women have gone through and a lot of what she writes comes from her own experiences. Her age, experience and common sense should have aided her AT SOME POINT to determine that MAYBE this guy was not the right guy for her (long term.) With all the negativism and homophobia (especially on the island) it is not at all impossible for me to believe that Mr. Plummer was in fact in a state of confusion. GAY is not something that one WANTS to be in the beginning. The state of confusion is relative to each individual that suffers from the stigmatism of realizing or WONDERING exactly what they are feeling.

Every body is feeling sorry for Terry. Where was all that AGE, WISDOM, EXPERIENCE and FICTION when she allowed herself to marry this man. And now she is so ADAMANT that he knew all along. Is she an authority on the subject or not?!

[mr]

People keep saying that Terry is scorned, not homophobic. So if she was white, and he was Black, being that she is scorned would you allow for her to make a bunch of "racist, never trust a nigger, " type comments? Would that be acceptable if she referred to him as low down coon, nigger etc?
Thought not.

[ARRIKA]

I THINK TERRY IS A DAMN FOOL!!! HA HA HA I BELIEVE THAT A YOUNGER GUY ANY RACE IN EVERY! SITUATION BEING WITH A OLDER WOMAN IS IN IT FOR WHAT THEY CAN GET!!!!! AND EVEN WITH JONATHAN HAVING TO SIGN A PRENUP STILL AS LONG AS THEIR MARRIAGE LASTED SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HIM, SHE KNEW THAT FROM THE BEGINNING SO Y IS SHE COMPLAINING NOW?!!! SHE SHOULD HAVE NEVER MARRIED HIS YOUNG ASS!! AND JUST FUCKED HIM IF THE DICK WAS THAT GOOD LMAO!!! LET HIM VISIT FUCK HIM AND SEND HIS ASS BACK TO JAMAICA!!!!!!! HA HA HA LMAO AND JONATHAN HIS ASS KNEW HE WAS GAY OR BI HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER OR KEPT THAT SHIT IN THE CLOSET AND KEPT PIMPING THE OLD BITCH I WOULD HAVE!!!!! LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE FUNNIEST SHIT I HAVE EVER READ ABOUT!!!!!!!!!!

[ARRIKA]

I THINK TERRY IS A DAMN FOOL!!! HA HA HA I BELIEVE THAT A YOUNGER GUY ANY RACE IN EVERY! SITUATION BEING WITH A OLDER WOMAN IS IN IT FOR WHAT THEY CAN GET!!!!! AND EVEN WITH JONATHAN HAVING TO SIGN A PRENUP STILL AS LONG AS THEY WERE MARRIED SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF HIM, SHE KNEW THAT FROM THE BEGINNING SO Y IS SHE COMPLAINING NOW?!!! SHE SHOULD HAVE NEVER MARRIED HIS YOUNG A**!! AND JUST F*CKED HIM IF THE D*CK WAS THAT GOOD LMAO!!! LET HIM VISIT F*CK HIM AND SEND HIS A** BACK TO JAMAICA!!!!!!! HA HA HA LMAO AND JONATHAN HIS A** KNEW HE WAS GAY OR BI HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD HER OR KEPT THAT SH*T IN THE CLOSET AND KEPT PIMPING THE OLD B*TCH I WOULD HAVE!!!!! LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE FUNNIEST SH*T I HAVE EVER READ ABOUT!!!!!!!!!!