Shared Things

Posted by Censor Librorum on Aug 14, 2007 | Categories: Lesbian in a Catholic Sort of Way

The late Merv Griffin and I shared a few things in common:

– A July 6 birthday

– Irish ancestry

– Played the piano

– Catholic

– Got married and divorced

– One child, a son

– Gay…?

Lori and I were driving somewhere Saturday afternoon when the news came on the radio Merv Griffin had died. “I wonder if the papers will mention he’s gay,” I said.

Well, even the gossipy NY Post said nothing on Sunday, but the NY Times mentioned it yesterday when they described Griffin as “dogged by sex scandals and insinuations that he was gay.”

“In 1991 he was sued by Denny Terrio, the host of “Dance Fever” another show Mr. Griffin created, for sexual harassment. The same year, Brent Plott, a longtime employee who worked as a bodyguard, horse trainer and driver, filed a $200 million palimony lawsuit. Mr. Griffin characterized both lawsuits as extortion; ultimately both suits were dismissed.”

“Mr. Griffin consistently evaded answering questions about his sexuality; often joking about it.”

“If he was gay how come he was never outed,” Lori asked. I replied, “Either he was very discreet, like Jody Foster, hiding in plain sight but never talking about it, or had some muscle lined up who would have thrown the reporter off a building.”

What the truth is–who knows. He seemed like a decent guy, and was certainly a media genius. His game shows (Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!) are still making money and the “theme” format of the Merv Griffin Show pioneered the way for Oprah.

An invitation-only funeral Mass will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills.

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