During a guest appearance on HBO’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, the 80-year-old Copacabana singer said he didn’t think it was important to announce his sexuality during the earlier decades of his career.
Manilow came out in 2017, almost three years after he married his husband and manager Garry Kief in a private ceremony. The couple have been together for 45 years now, though they’ve kept much of their relationship away from the public eye.
When he came out to People magazine in 2017, Manilow — whose real name is Barry Pincus — worried he’d be “disappointing” some of his fans by revealing his sexuality. Instead, Manilow, who was 73 at the time, said the reaction from his fanbase was “beautiful.”
Despite his current feelings of nonchalance about his own coming out, Manilow said announcing his sexuality as his career was booming would have been a bad idea.
“Now being gay is no big deal,” he explained. “Back in the ’70s it would have killed a career.”
Regardless, the usually very private Manilow said he thinks “everybody knew that Garry and I were a couple all those years.”
“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.”
Manilow credited Kief for saving his life. He said he is thankful he had Kief to support him as his music career was taking off, despite keeping their relationship under wraps.
“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you’re alone night after night after night,” Manilow explained. “But I met Garry right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with.”
Manilow said he did not wish an isolated hotel room for any young people.
“It was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun,” he smiled.
Kief is not Manilow’s first spouse. In 1964, Manilow married his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler. They were married for one year.
Manilow told CNN’s Wallace he “really did love” Deixler, but added “the gay thing was pretty, pretty strong. I couldn’t deny it.”
The singer said he knew he was gay before marrying Deixler, but their marriage ended because Manilow couldn’t be the committed husband his then-wife needed. He revealed that his sexuality was not the reason his marriage failed.
“We had a very nice marriage, it was great, but I was away every night making music, as a young musician would be,” Manilow described. “It wasn’t good for me, and it wasn’t good for her.”
“I couldn’t be the proper husband,” he continued. “I was out making music every night, sowing my wild oats. I wasn’t ready to settle down.”
Brooklyn-born Manilow skyrocketed to international fame in 1974 after his release of the ever-popular pop-rock ballad Mandy. He became one of the biggest-selling musicians of all time. Prior to his success as a singer-songwriter, Manilow was behind a number of famous commercial jingles for brands like State Farm and Band-Aid — a gig that he has said helped him create catchy hooks for his own hit songs.
Heartbreaking Rumors Are True Donnie Wahlberg & Jenny McCarthy Confirms
Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy, who had been married for almost ten years, have announced their separation in a heartbreaking turn of events. The 2014 pair has long been seen as the epitome of affection and comedy since they frequently shared intimate details of their lives in public, winning over admirers from all over the world.
The Verdict: In an emotional joint statement, Donnie and Jenny announced the end of their love relationship, but they also expressed respect for one another and vowed to keep their enduring friendship going. McCarthy said, “We confirm the rumors with heavy hearts.” Wahlberg expressed similar feelings, emphasizing how appreciative they are about the time they spent together and the support they have gotten from fans.
A Widely Publicized Love Story: Their bond combined genuineness and charm. When they interacted on social media, co-hosted shows, or appeared on reality TV, Donnie and Jenny’s relationship was characterized by sincere love and humor. Many of their supporters who have followed their journey have found their split to be especially startling and heartbreaking because of their public candor.
Going Ahead: They both seem to be in need of some alone time and introspection as they work through this challenging adjustment. The legacy of their joint endeavors and the happiness they offered to many people will endure despite their separation. Supporters are uniting behind them, providing encouragement as each of them pursues their own path.
Even though their marriage did not work out, their influence on the entertainment industry together will live on for a long time. There is little doubt that Donnie and Jenny’s fans will continue to encourage them as they go on.
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