Barry Manilow spoke candidly about the challenges he faced before he came out of the closet.
In 2017, Manilow embraced his identity and finally came out as gay during his interview for a People cover story. Years later, the singer shared the burden he had to carry while keeping his true self a secret.
Barry Manilow Shares Experience Before Coming Out
In his new interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, Manilow said he faced tough times as he dealt with things in his life while being in the spotlight.
"I didn't want my career to go away. I love it. I'm grateful for it. But it was a burden to keep it quiet," he said. "I was always worried. Every interview: 'They're going to ask me whether I'm gay or not.' Nobody ever did, by the way. They never asked me the $64 question."
The 80-year-old crooner looked back when he spoke with Clive Davis in the 1980s about the effects and impressions of coming out when someone is a celebrity.
The "Mandy" singer set Elton John, who came out as bisexual, as an example. He noted that the "Rocketman" hitmaker's career hurt for a while when he shared his sexuality with the world.
However, Davis - who came out as a bisexual in 2013 - told THR he never had the conversation with Manilow.
"Had it come up, to analyze what the impact would be, I would have said it's a risky proposition to a career. But we never had the conversation about whether he should come out because he never said to me that he was gay," the 91-year-old record producer shared.
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Barry Manilow Waited a Long Time Before Coming Out
Manilow came out three years after he wed his husband and manager Garry Kief in a private ceremony.
According to the singer, he kept it in for a long time due to fears that some fans might feel disappointed by his revelation. But when he did, everyone accepted him wholeheartedly.
"Really, Garry and I've been together for so long," he said. "It just never dawned on me that we're going to come out. But when we got married, it was a big deal, so we did."
