Johnny Gill: "100% All Man"

The recent Johnny Gill and Eddie Murphy rumors have yet to made this page because, well ... there's nothing new about them. But finally a new development: Johnny Gill speaks out for the first time about the gayish rumors. Gill's explanation may leave more questions than answers because he tells a Philadelphia radio station that the above photo is a fraud and he is "100 % all man."

Interview clip, transcript, and a photo comparison below.

The telephone interview (Quicktime clip here, gayish talk begins at about four minutes) was with Patty Jackson of WDAS on Friday, November 11th, Gill says the photo at left is a fake. Both expand to full-size.

Someone sent me an email yesterday, a picture that someone took and put on the internet. They altered the picture. [Eddie] had a friend with him. They pushed the girl all the way to the side, pushed her all the way over and pushed my friend to the side. How did they do that? For some ungodly reason ... why?

The picture at left is the photo referenced in his comments. At right, you can see another photo from the same roll, slightly different angle. Apparently, Eddie Murphy moved forward; notice the feet placement and the position of the reflection of the flash in his sunglasses. We all know that there are some fierce Photoshop bitches; if the photo at left is "altered", it's one of the best fakes that we have ever seen.

More importantly, what's the big deal? They're "best friends" and are walking together. They're is nothing inherently gayish about that. True, their female beard friend is over in the isolation booth but there's nothing really gay about the "altered" photo. Eddie Murphy and Johnny Gill are simply walking next to each other, maybe close. But hey, when we're out with our best friends, we also have close proximity.

Except we're gay and Johnny isn't. We think.

At one point I was going to sue them. ... Why should I be put under attack? I'm 100% all man. There's nothing that another man could do for Johnny Gill. There is no man anywhere who can step and say that they have been with Johnny Gill. ... Have you seen it with your own eyes?

Not sure what to make of that "100% all man" comment. Certainly it's a colloquialism, but in the event that someone is gay, straight, or bi, they are still 100% man. Gill's rebuttal is odd because he never categorically says that he isn't gay/bi/whatever ... he simply says that he's 100% all man and no one can prove otherwise. It's borderline Hamlet: "The lady doth protest too much." No pun intended. Really.

Be careful Johnny. Remember Gary Hart? He was brought down after he challenged reporters to prove that he had an affair.

Transcript of WDAS interview with Johnny Gill.

Even Oprah says that ... because Gayle is like a sister to her, people take and try to turn things upside down. They misconstrue things. Eddie is like a brother to me. I've known Eddie since 1983. We used to call each other best friends. But that's my brother.

Someone sent me an email yesterday, a picture that someone took and put on the internet. They altered the picture. [Eddie] had a friend with him. They pushed the girl all the way to the side, pushed her all the way over and pushed my friend to the side. How did they do that? For some ungodly reason ... why?

I don't know what other people do behind closed doors, that's on them. As long as a person shows me a level of respect. I don't run from people because of their lifestyles. Uou get [prespect] in return. We are all God's children. My father was a minister, I come from the church. It kills me to watch a country that is in so much turmoil ... it amazes me.

At one point I was going to sue them. ... Why should I be put under attack? I'm 100% all man. There's nothing that another man could do for Johnny Gill. There is no man anywhere who can step and say that they have been with Johnny Gill. ... Have you seen it with your own eyes?

(via Fresh, Concrete Loop and Bernie)

Comments

[frank leon roberts]

you know, this is really just a burning HOT mess. lol.

[longshot]

Ok....what I -DO- know is that in the 80's when Johnny's career was halfway hot, I was told he was sighted in Philly in gay venues...and was given to inviting boys back to the limo.

[Gee M]

The pictures look accurate to me. For years accusations of Jonhnny's sexual orientation were circulating in the rumor mill, first they say that Johnny and Arsenio Hall were going together now in 2005 its Eddie Murphy, and we know about Eddie Murphy. Note in the radio interview he said " I'm 100% man" not straight. Johnny remember, people are not stupid.

GEE

[Dante']

Notice when da questions come up about the rumors - Johnny starts to stuttering... LOL. Sure, Johnny, we believe you.

[deluge]

well the problem is this, who cares? I know for the sake of his music career, it is important to maintain his hetero status. I do not know if anyone really cares at all. Johnny would have been better off not granting an interview and continue doing his thing. Basically not dignifying the rumors, be they true or false, with an answer. We don't see eddie rushing to confirm/deny the rumors. Lastly it is kind of clear that "We" do not help the situation in holding that people are guilty until proven otherwise. We have jumped all up in the brothas biz and condemned him, probably like he always feared. I mean if he truly is Gay, I am not gonna condemn a brutha, hell send his handsome chocl8 ass over here and I will RUB HIM THE RIGHT WAY,LOL

[Waddie G.]

Johnny is sooooooo gay...he is 100% a Black gay man...I was watching video clips of Johnny with his ex-lover Arsenio at the 1996 American Music Awards when my girl Mariah was accepted one of her many awards. The link is here at http://abc.go.com/fsp/index.html?channel=AmericanMusicAwards#

[todd]

so mr. gill says that he's 100% man...he must have forgotten about the era when he was back livin in DC - saw him at a few parties and you woulda sworn he was 100% WOman based on his behvior...

[Bernie]

Deluge, why do you use the word "condemn" in reference to everyone questioning Johnny's sincerity? There is no shame in either being accused of or actually being gay. This is not a condemnation but a request for a person who has had rumors swirling about him for years to address them, honestly.

If he is not gay, then being called gay is no disgrace. Many of us are quite comfortable in who we are and feel no shame. If he is gay, then lying about it merely perpetuates the perception that our sexual orientation is something to hide, and he should stop that dysfunctional behavior.

Sheryl Swoopes came out and a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. Others need to learn to do the same.

[Mark]

What music career?

[bsmoov44]

Well, If Johnny ain't gay, he ought to be. I used to see him out and about in LA, hangin' with Arsenio and when ol' boy walked he was fo' sho' sashayin' with Shante and when he opened his mouth... flowers came out (I heard that somewhere once and had to use it.)

[mr]

They should give Johnny Gill his own television show. Being Johnny Gill. What happens when a washed up R & B act who was a filler for another washed up R &B act in a now washed up group travels the country with is partner? Being Johnny Gill. Arsenio can play the part of Whitney and travel with him. He can go to different places and say his name, (get no response) say he was ith New Edition (get no response) then claim to be either Mrs. Arsenio Hall or the second Mrs. Eddie Murphy.

[algie]

^^why does new edition have to be washed up, they are legends and they are a reminder of the male groups we don't have today. i just hate the fact that we live in a society where you have to struggle like this in 2005. i wish him the best and hope at some point he'll be able to come out and represent for the gay black brothas who are about something because we are so in need of it

[Mike P]

Agree with "Bernie"...I don't think Rod or the commentators here are doing anything out of the ordinary or as "Deluge" commented, "jumping all in the brothers biz".

If Johnny Gill was straight and he were dating a straight woman star, the news of this would be a "ordinary" People magazine / Entertainment Tonight news. But because the word is that he's dating a man, all of a sudden we "up" in his business. Sounds like a double standard to me.

This is my opinion: If you are a star (I think Johnny Gill is considered a star...most people know his name) then you are there for the audience/fans to talk about your love life (gay/straight). If Mr. Gill can't deal with that, then he shouldn't have gotten in the "biz"!

[mykal]

These comments were hilarious, but honestly, who gives a d@mn??? Both Eddie and Johnnie and hot messes!!!!

[LeZa]

Well?! Looks like he's gotten himself in between a "rock" and a "hard place". Those Pictures do look awfully accurate to me. On the second pic look at Johnny eyes he is looking in the direction of the camera (look through the glasses). I'm not sayin he's a liar but something is erect oh I mean up........

[Anon]

TMI! Johnny kept on goin on about it, and the host was tryin' to wrap it up. Shit Helen Keller could tell that Johnny is gay, and she couldnt see or hear, but at the end of the day you have to let the man rock and remember that he is in an industry that wont let him be open about it and make a dollar. And cmon, eevrybody knows what he meant with the "all man" comment. He just meant that he doesnt walk down the street with a crew of queens calling each other girl, which is the average persons idea of a gay man. It was offensive, but yall know how he meant it.

[Antonio]

I do allot of photo retouching and editing for a living I see no trace of an edit in these BUT I do see 2 different photos one where they ARE walking close together the second where Eddie steps forward to say something to the photographer and Gill then appears just off behind him . . .

[Will]

Is it just me or does Eddie look frail in these pictures?

[Jeff Smith]

Well now the world knows Johnny Gill is "100 per cent man". Now I would like to know if he is straight, Gay, or Bi? I don't think the controversy centered on rather he was a man or not. He clearly looks like a man to me. I have heard him interviewed before regarding this subject and his response was rather vague as it is now. Johnny if you really feel the need to let the world know what your sexual orientation is you can simply make the declaration I am Gay, Straight, Bi or whatever. Stop confusing your sexual gender with your sexuality. Otherwise keep it between yourself and your significant other. FYI - I have met many hetrosexuals of the male species who are anything but "100 per cent Man"

[IDiop]

Johnny's definitely on my list refuse-to-be-identified-as-gay list. He's just like Luther was, hiding his sexuality behind euphemisms. I'd also go out on a limb and add to this list Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, and Diddy, among others.

[James M]

Everybody Look at this link:

http://soulphoto.net/pmachine/more/1834_0_1_0_M/

I thought this was pretty interesting...

[James M]

Everybody Look at this link:

http://soulphoto.net/pmachine/more/1834_0_1_0_M/

I thought this was pretty interesting...

[Forever Barri]

Hmmm. How many of our caucasian conterparts who are in the "limelight" and living dual lives commercially are being focused on by their caucasian peers to the extend that we do? We LOVE drama. Do we get jealous of our successful brothers and sisters to the extent that we have to join in the bashing of them? Because basically that's what we are doing. We're gay bashing a celebrity who chooses to remain silently about his personal sexual preference (whether true or false), but in the same forum we demand our government, our churches, our schools, our jobs and our friends and families to give us the respect of personal choice. Hmmm. Done unto others as we would have them do unto you.

[joseph kendrick]

"Bashing?" I don't think that this is what we are doing however I do agree with Barri, we should let the brother live his life and be whomever or whatever he chooses to. It really only effects Johnny and anyone who he has a sexual relationship with and it's their business and theirs alone. It's sad that his being a "star" makes him an easy target but that's just the way it is and I agree with the other guy who says he should accept that as part of the business he's in. I'm not particularly happy about he 100% man comment but I don't think he meant it to be duragotory against those of us who are gay and proud of it. I say, if he is, great, if he isn't great but I just wish him well and I hope he's happy enough with who he is, whatever that may be, to not let "rumors" interfere with that happiness or his peace of mind. In the end, what others think of you only effects you if you allow it to.

jj

[Felicia Smith]

I have been a fan of Johnny Gill's for over 20 years. I have never seen any signs of him being gay. I listened to the radio interview that he had with the Philly radio station. Just because he didn't say, "I'm not gay", doesn't mean his "100% man" comment should not be accepted as an answer to not being gay. Maybe those were the words that immediately came to mind when the gay question was proposed. Gay, straight, or bi, I'm a fan of Gill's voice not his desired mate.