Our insider Hollywood source insists that we’re wrong about Shelby Lynne being the one coming out on the cover of People on May 5th. We’re pretty sure that she’s just trying to throw us off our blazing hot and surprisingly popular trail, but nevertheless we must consider other options. At this point, if Shelby Lynne’s lesbian face isn’t smiling back at us on the newsstands May 5th, we’ll basically have to make her come out on Autostraddle anyhow.
Aforementioned source has confirmed, however, that the mystery lady is a country singer, a female, and that it’s likely we’ve never heard of her before.
I know what you’re thinking — it’s Shelby Lynne. But take a closer look at country’s rising stars and you may ask yourself; have country women always seemed this lez? We’ve never paid much attention to country music at all, but now they’re all looking quite dapper & butch!
THIS JUST IN: As we were writing this post, Gawker & Queerty came out with The Other Goddamn Country Singer Who Might Come Out In People, Chely Wright. This seems just as likely and the info came from a tipster to Queerty. Actually, moreso, because of the Memoir Factor.
From Gawker:
Publicist Howard Bragman—who orchestrated this whole May 5th People coming out thing—is such a good publicist that he is generating publicity for dozens of people who probably aren’t even his clients…
Chely Wright‘s book, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, and her album Lifted Off the Ground. are both being released May 4th, the day before she does or does not come out on the cover of People magazine. Here: Here is a link to her Amazon page where you can purchase her music.
Queerty makes a really strong case, and provides a good background on Wright’s career, remarking, “Wright, who was named in 2001 to People‘s “Most Beautiful” list, has much to gain from coming out. Namely, financial gains.”
The only potential problem? If the book comes out on May 4th, that would out her BEFORE the show, right? And certainly the book’s publication process (Wright has been writing it for three years) would’ve been privy to way more private eyes and therefore potentially incriminating sources than this. But damn would it blow up booksales.
The book description says it all (but then again, we were 100% confident that everything about Shelby Lynne — who BTW is for real gay, regardless):
From her childhood in Wellsville, Kansas, high school homecoming queen, determining at a young age to become a country music star, being cast in Country Music USA Opryland, making a pact with God—to keep her “sinning” to a minimum if he’d get her to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry—and her dream coming true at eighteen . . . She writes about the record contracts and bus tours; the concerts and TV videos; the critical acclaim and industry awards; the #1 hits on the Billboard charts; the fans; the friendships and the working collaborations with Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and others. . . We see the vortex of success taking its toll on her life, and then her finding a new voice in her music, with music flowing naturally from her that never came so easily. Like Me is a book of revelation: honest, inspiring and true.
Chely Wright recently hit up the Promises, Promises premiere on Broadway, as a guest of Kristin Chenoweth, who is totally straight but is also a great friend of the gays. Cheno is a huge Chely Wright fan.
She seems like a nice lady and we’re not entirely sure why everyone is mad that she is not an “A-Lister.” Who cares, she’s cute!
Rather than complete the article we were writing before this news crossed our desks, we’re just going to put up the photos we’d gathered while investigating our thesis/question, “Have country music singers always looked this f*cking gay?”
Our hypothesis is “so many women we wish we could fingerblast, so little time/actual homosexuality.”
This conglomerate is based completely on stereotypes, projection, and sleep deprivation. We have a Gayspy Catcher Club and shit to deal with, people.
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Oh and, just for good measure:
Here’s our best tip of the day. (The Court Yard Hounds, which includes two members of The Dixie Chicks, will perform on The View May 5th.)
YES! Say it is so. Chely has always been one of the hottest woman in country music. Check out her videos for jezebel and Never Love You Enough. Just made this lesbians day!
Haha, I was wondering when someone would mention Taylor! Seriously, she was one of the first people that sprung to mind for me, I think her lyrics are so gay. If the sources hint it’ll be someone less well known, though, it’s not gonna be Miss Swift. Sigh.
DON’T RUIN MY DREAMS!
It’s ok Taylor, I’ll wait. I’m very patient, it’s one of the things you’ll grow to love about me eventually. <3
Woah – someones Valium for their pmt rage obvs isnt workin.. Pop another one ther, love, and try that agen … Ok , swallowed? K, take 2 aaaand – ACTION !!
Please be Natalie Maines, please be Natalie Maines.
HELLOOOOO WHITENEY DUNCAN.
^ I concur x 3232194.
If that picture in any way is an accurate representation of her, she might be the perfect girl. Perfect. That’s all. Perfect.
(I’m ignoring the whole “country” thing.)
I now stalked her on Google, and apparently, she’s Blake Lively/Taylor Swift. Not sure that’s a good thing, but it means I don’t have to start listening to country, which definitely is a good thing. In conclusion, I will survive.
I’ll start breathing again now.
hellloooo dolly parton
RT
I actually worked on the chely wright book so I knew and the proofreaders knew a few months ago that she was gay. Also I think that I remember reading that her mother doesn’t even know she’s gay. I guess she’ll find out when the book comes out.
a-ha! you should’ve mysteriously tipped us!
I hope Brandi Carlile comes out for reals.
I thought she was pretty much officially and unofficially out. She’s sort of like a T&S, always out.
Brandi is officially out and unofficially in love with me.
http://bit.ly/1Rc7Ug
If it were any of the Dixie Chicks I would absolutely die. I had a poster of them on my wall growing up (I won it at the fair and everything) wearing suits/ties and holding cigars.
Yes, country has always looked this gay and I blame it for delaying my coming out by at least 5 years.
Also, wordpress hates me and I’m afraid I’m going to have the default gravitar which I am not sure but is maybe currently the Real L Word? :s
no no, it’s you here not the Real L Word. I was actually going to contact you via other methods to confirm that Bradi was indeed officially out and I wasn’t just making it up but you jumped on here before I had a chance and that is great.
Brandi is already out and has done a couple interviews where she mentioned her girlfriend.
OMG! It’s soooooo Terri Clark! I totally forgot about her. But when I was like 16 she performed at my local county fair, and I remember being oddly memorized by her, and thinking how gorgeous/mysterious she was under that hat. It’s cause she was totes projecting the lez vibes!
my money is on reba
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/03/chely_wright_fooling_everybody.asp
When I pushed her on who she’d be supporting in the 2004 presidential election, she accused the president of “a hate crime” for pushing a constitutional amendment to prevent gay marriage:
Um, you know what, I suggest to anyone who is still undecided, which by the way, honestly, swear to God, I’m still undecided. I have a big problem with the president’s desire to amend the constitution, as far as the marriage between a man and a woman. As far as I’m concerned that’s a hate crime.
guuuuuurl, you so gay.
yeah im all down for the visibility, especially in domains of generally anti-gay sentiment, but this is a little too dramatically hyped to be someone this…unknown….
hopefully heteros are reading/gonna read all our gay celeb speculations (ie kstew, ellen page, etc) to basically jodi foster them into coming out. I will lul.
I really like how, even if neither of the two women discussed on Autostraddle are the person to come out on People, Autostraddle’s lesbian sluths have increased my attraction to country singers ten fold.
Just sayin’.
“so many women we wish we could fingerblast, so little time/actual homosexuality.”
LOL to the max.
I’ve also heard that this person has something to do with superheroes so……
But if I were to go with only the country singer hint I’d say it’s probably that one broad who sang that song about being a redneck chick.
interesting choice of icon self……
“Country Star Chely Wright is Gay – Comes Out to PEOPLE” – TMZ
http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978210446
Chely Wright & Terri Clark gave my 13yo self a lot of feelings I didn’t understand until years later. I’m hoping they BOTH come out.
So Gawker and Queerty reported this. Then Autostraddle posted about it and rightly gave Gawker and Autostraddle credit. Then TMZ.com posted about it and acts like they were the ones to figure it out. Yes, they act like it is their exclusive. No mention of Gawker. No mention of Queerty. No mention of Autostraddle. On the one hand it is good not to be mentioned by a hate site. On the other hand, credit should be given where credit is due. Autostraddle knows this rules and has class. TMZ.com proves yet again they do not.
Yeah you think TMZ and other gossip sites learn from all the fake rumors they’ve posted lately, especially this one.
Now the entire internet is claiming TMZ as a source, even though they don’t confirm how they “confirmed” their information. Even though they’re probs right, it sort of depresses me that this is the state of the media right now, that major newspapers don’t even care that TMZ has no actual proof or even indicates their source before reporting information as fact. It was either Gawker or Queerty who posted it first, about 24 hours before TMZ did.
i spy a maple leaf tattoo.
i feel like for sure it is not one of the dixie chicks, but wouldn’t that be awesome? i love them for real.
at this point i’m probs just going to be pleasantly surprised no matter who it is on may 5.
But what about this? http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20365936,00.html
Chely came out TODAY on People… and they say to look for the profile on Friday: “For more on Chely Wright’s and her decision to come out, pick up PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday”
???
Wait, if that really is it, that was even more anticlimactic than I thought. We can’t even make Cinco de Gayo jokes.
You need to Add Jennifer Nettles to this list…Hellooo…There are plenty of us out here that want her on this list. :)
JENNIFER NETTLES!! I have a running list of why this woman should join our team…if she’s not already…and believe me, I have my suspicions. ;)
I do NOT believe K Chenoweth is straight at all! Catch up!