T.R. Knight Talks Being Out and Dating Katie Heigl's Mom on Ellen

Aelt1

(Note: Above pic from Knight’s previous visit)

– Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

T.R. Knight appeared on Ellen yesterday for the first time since his notable post-coming-out appearance, and he was his usual cute/awkward/self-effacing/clever self. The two out celebs talked about T.R.’s Emmy nod, the dog (Arrow) he got from BFF Katherine Heigl, and how being out has changed his life (good news: it’s for the better).

Aelt2 The most interesting thing about the interview to me was that, in discussing T.R.’s dog, Ellen put his Advocate cover on the screen about 10 times.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a gay magazine thrown onscreen like that during daytime TV like it was just another People or Entertainment Weekly, and the lack of hoopla about it was great (although, admittedly, I loved the hoopla around Kevin Smith’s A Bear’s Life cover shot on David Letterman just as much).

Here’s the part of the discussion of being out:

Ellen: So you have your dog, the next step is a relationship so that you can have someone help take care of the dog.
T.R.: That’s good. That should be the only reason. No … Yeah, that’s not happening too much right now.
Ellen: Not right now? Because you’re working too hard.
T.R.: Sure. That’s it. Or I’m unlovable, one of the two.
Ellen: What? You have to be. You seem happier since you’ve come out. You seem … Do you feel like it, since you’ve made the decision?
T.R.: I feel I’ve learned so much this past year, so yeah, that changes you. But as far as the dating, recently Kate and her fiancĂ© Josh Kelly and me and her mom went out to dinner recently, and it was reported that it was with me and my new boyfriend.
Ellen: Yeah?
T.R.: But that was really her mom … So I guess I’m dating Katherine’s mom right now.
Ellen: We saw her on the Emmys, they kept referring to her. She doesn’t look like a man at all!
T.R.: Oh no, no … I’m sorry … I’m gonna get filleted for that. She’s a gorgeous woman. It’s just they were busy looking at Katherine and Josh. She’s gorgeous. Nancy’s awesome. Nancy also gave me the dog.
Ellen: So, do you have an opinion, since you’ve come out, about people who have not come out? About people in this business who are closeted actors?
T.R.: Everyone has their own path. You just have to respect that. I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes. I know a lot of people who make statements, but you have to do it when it’s right for you. It don’t think it’s right to force that. It’s impossible to know … There’s a lot of soul searching you have to do.