David Ogden Stiers Comes Out

David Ogden Stiers is proud to be gay.

Ogden Stiers, who most-famously played Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on ‘M*A*S*H‘ has admitted to Gossip-Boy.com, that he is, in fact, gay.

The 66-year-old actor, who also played Cogsworth in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and makes a substantial part of his living doing voice-over work, was asked about why he chose now to come out…

“There are two reasons really,” Ogden Stiers said in the interview. “One is that I enjoy working and even though many have this idealistic belief that the entertainment industry and studios like Walt Disney are gay friendly. For the most part they are, but that doesn’t mean for them that business does not come first. It’s a matter of economics.

“Most of my more notable work in the last two decades has been as a voice actor. Certainly, I’ve done television appearances, be they recurring or guest roles, and numerous motion picture and documentary stints, but a lot of my income has been derived from voicing Disney and family programming. What they might allow in a more known actor, they prefer not having to deal with in minor players.”

Most telling may be the second reason…

“I wish to spend my life’s twilight being just who I am, he said.” I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of extreme discretion with me.”

And isn’t that really what it’s all about?

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