Matthew Morrison doesn�t mind being the gayest straight man you know. The 32-year-old actor recently called being a member of a gay boy band in the 2003 film Marci X the �gayest thing� he�s done in his career.
And that�s saying a lot � he�s currently starring on Glee, playing hot choir-club head Mr. Schuester. His part on the musical-comedy hybrid follows years of Broadway work on shows like Hairspray and The Light in the Piazza, which earned him a Tony nomination. Now, after becoming a big deal and an even bigger teacher crush, Morrison ventures out on his own with a solo debut and summer tour.
We spoke recently with the man behind Mr. Schuester, chatting about some racy photos involving a gay twin and his �chicken,� the Glee girl he�d date, and the importance of the show�s father-son relationship.
Because of your musical-theater work and Glee role, do people often think you�re gay?
I�ve been singing and dancing since I�ve been in fifth grade so I�ve gotten that quite a bit in my life.
Being one of few straight guys in theater, how did you use that to your advantage when it came to the ladies?
The odds for me were definitely in my favor, being surrounded by beautiful female dancers and being the person that they could actually, you know, be with. (Laughs) So it was a great time in my life. I really took advantage of it for a while in my younger days on Broadway, but aside from all that bullshit, I love being on the gayest show on TV. It doesn�t bother me; I wear it as a badge of honor to be accepted and loved in that community.
There are several steamy pics of you on the Internet, including ones of you in polka-dot underwear with a plushy little poof on the private.
Yeah, that�s my chicken. (Laughs) It was for a thing called Broadway Bares, a big fundraiser. And if I knew at the time how much flack I would get for those photos I probably would�ve never done it, but it raised a lot of money that night for AIDS.
There�s another picture out there of you � or someone that looks like you � getting cozy and smoochy with Anderson Cooper�s alleged boyfriend.
That�s not me. It looks very much like me.
It does, indeed. Your doppelganger?
Yeah, I know. Thank you for making out with Anderson Cooper�s boyfriend, whomever you are. (Laughs) But his ears are different, and he doesn�t have the mole on the side of his face like I do.
Do rumors bother you?
They used to, but it happens so much now that you have to shut it off. I know my own truth, and that�s what you have to live with.
Which Glee girl would you have dated in high school?
I would�ve been the Quinn guy. I actually pretty much did date Quinn in high school. I dated the homecoming queen and she was very religious, and I went to church with her all the time.
Was your girlfriend in the celibacy club, too?
Uh, well, we weren�t having sex, so yes. (Laughs)
Speaking of sex, let�s talk about the first single from your new album, �Summer Rain.�
Yes! Sex on a roof.
Tell me how the song came about.
It�s a true story � me and my ex-girlfriend, who was actually a Broadway dancer (laughs), on the roof of my apartment. It was a beautiful summer day, and then it just started raining � and the moment just kind of took us and we just, you know.
This was in New York City, where there could be 1,000 people watching you on top of the roof, but we didn�t care. A lot of people think that song is just about having sex on a roof, but for me it was being young and in New York and in love. If the 16-year-old version of myself would�ve known I would�ve had a moment like that in my life, I would�ve been very happy. (Laughs)
I bet. There�s a line that references Lover�s Lane. What�s the last thing you bought from there?
Bought from Lover�s Lane? Is that a store?
Oh yeah. Lover�s Lane is a sex shop.
(Laughs) Ohh, no! Oh my god. That�s crazy. I didn�t even know that. I wrote it as, in the �50s you go to lover�s lane, kind of like going to a lookout mountain in your car and making out and stuff.
Oops. Guess it has two meanings now. (Laughs)
(Laughs) I guess so! I�m glad I know that little tidbit of knowledge.
You know, public sex might be trickier for you now.
Yeah � I still do it. Who cares! (Laughs) No, I can�t do anything in public anymore. Honestly, I�m really happy that I � I feel bad for some of the kids on my show. I mean, they�re not kids, they�re all in their 20s, but I really got to live out my 20s in New York and do whatever I wanted and not be in the public eye, and now I�m such a homebody that I don�t really have any problem with that anymore. I feel lucky that I really got to experience my life like that.
Glee has tackled important issues like gay bullying, drinking, teen sex, and so on. Which theme are you most proud of?
I absolutely love the relationship between Kurt and his father. It�s so beautiful and it�s something that really needs to be seen. I mean, I don�t know how that works being a gay teen � do you have the birds and the bees talk like other people? I thought that was so well handled. Straight guys who watch the show now and do have kids who might be gay, I think they�ll be more equipped to handle that.
Did you know any Kurts in school?
Oh yeah, for sure. There were a lot of Kurts. I mean, I went to a performing arts high school. I had a college roommate, and I was the first person he came out to. I went to NYU and we lived in this dorm; there were five of us living together and one of them came out to me and just kind of felt comfortable. And I�ve always been very open and accepting of that because I know how hard that is, and I�m a good listener. To this day, there are a lot of Kurts in my life.
Some critics have been harsh on the second season of Glee. How do you feel about that?
I love this season. There are always going to be naysayers out there, but it�s hard to follow what we did the first season. I actually thought we were going to be in trouble, but this season has been really strong.
So, is Lea Michele as much a diva as people say?
No, no. She�s very committed to her job and she�s a very talented girl, and I think sometimes that gets misconstrued.
Have you ever been hot for teacher?
For sure. I can�t think of her name, but she was a Spanish teacher. I don�t know if it had something to do with the language, but that�s kind of hot.
For the Elton John mash-up, how did you decide on �Rocket Man� and �Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters�?
I wanted to pay homage to him and do some of his songs. It actually took a while to pick which ones, but I knew I wanted to mash two together. I was thinking �Tiny Dancer.� The only one Elton didn�t want to do was �Crocodile Rock.�
These two just kind of mesh. They don�t when you think about it, but it turned out to be this epic seven-minute song. He was just so game for anything and such a pleasure to work with. He�s such a student of music, and every Tuesday he buys every new artist who comes out. He knows what he�s doing, and it was just cool to be in (the studio) with him.
Will you bring your Glee raps to the album?
No, no, no. I try to get far away from Glee on this album. Coming from Glee, I thought it was important that I write a lot of my own material. I didn�t want to do just covers, because that would�ve been very Glee-esque, and to be taken seriously as an artist I had to write my own songs.
Tell me about the tour.
I�m going on a world tour with my album, and I�m really looking forward to it. There�s no better way to see the world then to go out and perform and sing.
Back in the day, you used to be in a boy band called LMNT. Now that you�re solo, how does it compare?
Well, that was just a bad year of my life � and it was in the late �90s, when you couldn�t throw a stick and not hit someone in a boy band. It was so manufactured and so cheesy and, as a performer, when you�re on stage and you�re embarrassed to be up there, you know you�re doing the wrong thing. But honestly, that year I was in the boy band, I learned a lot about the recording process, and it really helped me in where I am today � in Glee and in doing this solo project. It was a good experience in that sense.
Now, Jane Lynch �
Who�s she? (Laughs)
What�s she like off-camera?
She�s actually my best friend on the show. I�m the closest to her out of everyone. We just have an amazing relationship. I love her to death. I love her wife. And she�s the kindest woman you�ll ever meet.
You wouldn�t know based on her Glee character, Sue Sylvester.
Exactly!
Have her hair jibes caused you personal pain?
(Laughs) No, not at all. Everyone gets hammered on the show; no one gets away unscathed. I actually made fun of her hair at some point. Lea�s nose gets made fun of; Cory (Monteith) gets made fun of because he can�t dance. Everyone gets ragged on � it�s just part of being on Glee.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.