This website isn’t one that attempts to start or encourage rumors about who’s gay and who’s not. From the title of our site you can tell we actually respect the individuals decision to remain in the closet for as long as you feel the need. Coming Out isn’t for every, especially actors.
Having said that, when you get on camera overly stressing your non-homosexuality, you open yourself up to a tad bit of scrutiny. This is the case with Single Ladies actor Travis Winfrey, who happens to play “The Gay Guy” on the show.
Admittedly, I have never seen an entire episode of Single Ladies and my big screen HDTV has never even been on VH1 a single day in the 5 years that I’ve owned it. But one day the show was playing on those TVs attached to the treadmills at the gym and there was a scene featuring Travis’ gay character, Omar, giving relationship advice to one of the titled “Ladies” all while hemming her dress. While Travis didn’t portray Omar as a finger-snapping queen, the fact that we still see the stereotypes of “gay man as fashion specialist” and “gay man as wise-old relationship expert” caused me to quickly change the station.
Travis is very easy on the eyes, so of course I looked him up later and found the images and a video interview (embedded below) in which he overemphasizes that he’s “straight” and “loves the ladies.” The fella doth protest a little too much, in my view. My “gaydar” is worst than anyone’s, but he really gives me “gay” or at least “bisexual.”
Is this just an overly animated heterosexual trying to make his sexual orientation very clear despite the Gay character he’s portraying on Single Ladies? Or is this just a down low gay guy trying to deflect attention so that he can continue getting acting roles in the future?
I mean he was a bartender/manager at multiple gay clubs in West Hollywood, for God’s sake.Why does this even matter? Is this post just another case of a gay man making everyone he thinks is attractive gay as well?
Not at all…to me its one thing to be Discreet or In The Closet, we may not be really helping the gay cause but that’s our choice…But when we get into the area of being a hypocrite or going out of our way to draw attention from ourselves, that’s another thing.What are your thoughts?
– Nick D
This is the issue I have with casting for these types of characters. Why is there not an open call out to openly gay men and only to openly gay men? It’s this type of bullshit that causes too much mess to sift through. He will get tired of over compensating to prove he is straight, but he knew this would happen if he signed on to play a gay character. In my own opinion, when guys like this are really gay, but hide it in this manner, they usually think they can make it further by being straight. I mean single ladies may not make it through its next season. I think it will. It’s a fun entertaining show, typical big city beautiful people type show. Maybe he is thinking it would be smart to play straight in real life so he can get those other roles in the future.
So tired of the stereotypes of homosexual men of color on TV.
I have never seen this show and most likely never will; however I don’t remember Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson ever going out of his way to explain he was straight after playing the gay hit man in the movie “Get Shorty”. If it’s not an issue why make an issue about it?
At the same time Travis Winfrey may not be the one making an issue out of it…Meaning, being that he is an attractive guy, women that follow entertainment and celebrities will want to know if he is single. And being that he is black man playing a gay character, most will ask and want to know if he is gay. So he may be just answering the constant speculation and questions that he receives…attractive guy…not my type though….now Scorpion Stinger on the other hand…hmmmm
Here’s my opinion of me being an openly straight looking, but 18 year old bi sexual male Travis is either on the down low, or bi. Lets face it the definition of straight is not wanting to do/think about doing any sexual things with the same sex kissing & sleeping together. Also if you go back to other movies Travis was in he usual “plays” a gay male. He just needs to come out.
LOL… truth is, Travis is neither! He’s neither DL nor bi – he’s flat out gay! This isn’t about besmirching his person, but I hate when people try to insult our intelligence. EVERYTHING about him speaks gay! He’s not acting here – he’s interviewing… YET, he’s a perfect picture of the average pseudo-masculine urban gay dude in Harlem. I’m not mad at him, but I feel uneasy about him dissing who and what he is by this blatant lie.
Well coming from a gay man, even if he says he’s NOT GAY. B. S.. He’s gayer than a 2 dollar bill. The walk the talk and the kissing? If he’s not , He’s Curious. Then he want’s to get up talking about other actors playing gay roles… That’s so not true for all them… the ones that did haven’t done it no more and they sure didn’t do any kissing scenes. so YA GAY BOO. come on out that closet and be ya self …
gay or straight, he’s an actor.. i’m just glad he’s not playing the flaming overtly feminine stereotype..
I have seen this dude in ATL. I had no idea who he was but thought he and his girlfriend were a little over the top with PDAs, enough to the point that I thought he was tryn to hard to be overly affectionate towards his girl. Now that I am sitting here watching Single Ladies it clicked who he was. He plays the “role” really well.
You hit the nail on the head! That whole over-the-top PDA thing is symptomatic.
Who cares. He is so d_ _ _ gorgeous and sexy.
I say who cares what he is or what he’s trying to say, if he’s gay great but maybe he really isn’t…. I. Personally know people who have chosen to work in gay bars or go out to gay bars just because they’re are given the opportunity to see beautiful women having a good time and their odds r better at a gay bar. And also because it’s good money when you’re a good looking male. Maybe he’s in the closet or maybe he’s not… Appreciate the man for his talent and ability to entertain and who care what his sexual preference is. Is it really that important?
I know gay men that are waaaaaaaaaaaaay more masculine than this dude! You just need to listen (and not necessarily too closely too) to what he says and watch his overall mannerisms. Did he really just refer to himself as the only ‘lady in a room full of guys’??? Yes, I get the point he was trying to make, BUT his quick resignation to being the bottom says a lot.
He certainly shouldn’t be forced out of the closet if he finds security there, but if I were his friend, I’d advise him to stay away from interviews that focus on his sexuality ‘cos they only end up ‘outting’ him more than he wants to be. He’s a gay man trying really hard to sell a lie and he’s not doing a good job of it. Even on the show, he makes it a point not to actually ‘engage’ his partners… I’ve seen shows with gay-acting straight guys who play the role more convincingly. Guess Winfrey’s real role is to act straight. Oh well…
Sounds like you have a crush on him that is not returned. I happen to know Travis and his family very well. If you did, you would know that if he was actually gay his mother would be the happiest person on earth. Many of her friends are gay men and she would welcome it if her son was. Again, those who really know travis would tell you how differently, he actually loves that people think so and denies it to hype things. Smart man. Do not drool over his body either.
LOL… gemini1, for such an old queen, you sure make the rounds. I’ve read your comments here and sad for Travis, someone like you has to inadvertently confirm what many already suspect of him. Your vociferous ‘defense’ of his sexuality is VERY suspect. Heck, perhaps you are in fact Travis hiding under a monicker… lol. Either way, you can easily be ruled as #FAILED#!
Winfrey is gay as a peacock on a sandy caribbean beach! The fact though is, we don’t care! We only care that he makes soooooo much effort to claim he’s not. Who fvcks you at night is not anyone’s business – UNTIL you make it everyone’s business. Travis should remember that.
I could NEVER crush on such a feminine, clockable dude. To some, he might be deemed masculine (enough), but that’s only because he’s being compared with the likes of RuPaul. To the truly DL dude in an urban setting, Travis Winfrey is NOT the type to bring around your boys – he’s just too obvious!
My thoughts…I think I’m tired of people judging others. I don’t think Travis is going to lose any sleep because of what people think about him. Maybe he’ll just laugh all the way to the bank when he cashes all his checks while the judgmental people let life pass them by as they spend all their time judging everybody else!
I think he’s high as a kite! At the very least, he smoked a blunt before this interview.
He is now playing a second gay role in BET’s family business. I guess there aren’t enough “straight” roles for this one. Ha!