Tag: Bob Harper

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News Round-Up: September 15, 2016

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Hunky, handsome and openly gay trainer Bob Harper on The Biggest Loser will take over the hosting duties for the show this season.

• The lawyers who led the fight for Jim Obergefell and marriage equality in Ohio have submitted their bill to the state for $1.1 million.

• Tennis star James Blake calls for the firing of the police officer who wrongly tackled and handcuffed him in a case of mistaken identity.

• Hollywood movie musical genius Rob Marshall is working on a sequel to Mary Poppins set 20 years after the original story took place.

• Let’s hear it for the most famous deputy clerk in the country, Brian Mason, who IS doing his job in Kentucky’s Rowan county issuing marriage licenses in Kim Davis’ place.

(photo: Dominic Holden)

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Trainer Bob Harper of The Biggest Loser comes out to inspire contestant

On Tuesday’s episode of The Biggest Loser, trainer Bob Harper came out publicly as gay to encourage contestant Bobby Saleem, who comes from a very strict Catholic family, to speak openly about his own sexual orientation to his father.

The 48-year-old personal trainer, who’s never denied his sexual orientation but hadn’t discussed it on the program, was moved by Saleem’s struggle to come out to his dad.

“I haven’t talked about my sexuality on this show ever, and now meeting Bobby, I really do believe this is the right time,” Harper said on camera. “I want to show Bobby that he doesn’t have to live in shame.”

Harper then decided to share his own story with Saleem and viewers.

“I’m gay. I knew I very long time ago that I was gay,” Harper revealed. “When I came out — when I was 17 years old — it was one of those things where I realized that there was going to be so many obstacles, but being gay doesn’t mean being weak. And being gay doesn’t mean that you are less than anybody else. It’s just who you are.”

Saleem said he would come out to his father.

Harper received an outpouring of support from viewers and tweeted a message to fans:

(source)