6 takeaways from gay ‘Real O’Neals’ star’s vulgar Vulture interview

Rising out young gay actor Noah Galvin, who plays Kenny O’Neal in the moderately successful ABC sitcom The Real O’Neals, caused a firestorm when he sharply criticized fellow gay actor Colton Haynes for coming out in a “fuckin’ pussy bullshit” way, and insinuated that openly gay X-Men director Bryan Singer lures young gay men to his home to sexually take advantage of them. Galvin also put heterosexual actor Eric Stonestreet on full blast for his “stereotypical”portrayal of a gay character on Modern Family, suggesting that only openly gay actors could genuinely portray gay characters.

The uncouth comments were from a “no holds barred” interview Galvin gave to New York Magazine’s Vulture, which immediately went viral and caused an instant backlash against the 22-year-old actor, who has since issued an apology to Haynes, Singer and Stonestreet. Galvin also subsequently asked Vulture to unpublish the part of the interview which mentioned Singer and his alleged sexual proclivities – a smart move on his part, considering the libelous words he had to say about the influential director.

Galvin’s mea culpa notwithstanding, here are six takeaways from his controversial expletive-filled Vulture interview.

Noah Galvin is a self-centered jerk. Or he is just acting like one for attention.

Either way, it’s not a good look. Real or not, nobody likes jerks. Just ask Kanye West. Galvin’s candor is refreshing indeed, but it is totally possible to be open, honest, candid and outspoken, and to live out one’s life authentically without having to drag, demean or insult others for the choices they’ve made in their own lives or careers. It just takes a little will power and restraint. As the old adage goes, if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.

Fame turns some people into douchebags.

Galvin’s résumé is demonstrably thin, and yet after the slight success of The Real O’Neals, which got renewed for a second season by ABC, he’s carrying himself around as if he’s already reached Marlon Brando heights of success. Clearly, being the main star of a somewhat successful sitcom has gone to Galvin’s head. It’s cute, but if he wants to keep working in Hollywood, he needs to dial down the douche just a little bit until he’s actually got something to show for it.

Noah Galvin will likely never be in an X-Men movie.

After basically calling Bryan Singer a gay sexual predator out to get hot young gay boys in his clutches, it is probably safe to say that we’ll never see Noah Galvin in an X-Men movie, if he’s lucky not to be sued for libel, that is. Which is a shame, because he would have made a great Northstar.

NorthStar was the first gay superhero to come out in a mainstream comic book (1992’s Alpha Flight #106) and he made history again 20 years later when he tied the knot with his husband, Kyle, in first same-sex wedding to take place in the Marvel Universe. (Astonishing X-Men #51).

Young people say and do stupid things.

It sounds incredibly ageist, but it is true, unfortunately. Everyone does stupid things in their youth. It just comes with the territory. The combination of vanity, self-absorption, impatience, inexperience and naiveté very often leads to questionable and sometimes disastrous choices. In the age of the Internet, ubiquitous social media and instant gratification, it all gets magnified a thousand-fold for all to instantly see. Indeed, the youth of today, as demonstrated by Galvin, can’t seem to think outside of themselves long enough to consider the things they say or do, and how they might impact other people. For today’s youth, everything is about them; nothing else seems to matter.

Homophobia in Hollywood is still a thing. Or so it seems.

Galvin’s impassioned account of what he personally experienced during one audition for a (straight) role, which eventually went to a heterosexual actor, paints a rather unsavory picture of Hollywood, making it seem like everyone’s still out discriminating against and hating on the gays. But it’s hard not to think of it as just a case of sour grapes, of a bruised ego, of one actor’s hurt feelings over losing a much-desired role to another actor. After all, Hollywood is now at an age when openly gay actors such as Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer and Zachary Quinto regularly score high profile and plum non-gay roles. Furthermore, the militant argument that gay roles should be strictly played by openly gay actors is a flawed one. If we’re to go by that rationale, then Harris, Bomer, Quinto et al should never have gotten the straight roles that they got paid for handsomely. This type of thinking hurts the gays more than it helps, and it needs to stop. Choosing which actor should or shouldn’t play a role really should boil down to talent and skill, and nothing else.

The gays can’t get along.

Being one of the most marginalized social groups ever, one would think that gays and lesbians would be more supportive of each other, and more united on the issues affecting the community in general. Instead, as Galvin so carelessly displayed in his Vulture interview, gays seem all too willing to tear each other down. It is commendable that he came out so early in his career. That takes much courage and bravery. But that doesn’t give him carte blanche to decide what’s right and what’s not for other people who are going through the same struggle that he had gone through. It is important for Galvin to understand that everyone has their own path and journey, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another.