Ian Thorpe: “Everyone goes on their own path”
Ian Thorpe's interview sends out a positive message, and a TV scoop for TEN.
- Published by David Knox
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TEN scored a world exclusive with Ian Thorpe’s one on one interview with Michael Parkinson.
For news boss Peter Meakin, who had been hired to deliver News events, it attracted plenty of attention, including international headlines.
At 90 minutes the interview may have been too long and too static, but it lived up to its promos which had teased much about Thorpe’s sexuality.
Orchestrated by SEL, which represents both Thorpe and the ‘retired’ Parkinson, it was sympathetic as Thorpe finally ended speculation about his sexuality.
Thorpe told Parkinson he had endured depression as a teenager and kept it from his family and friends, resorting to anti-depressants by the age of 19, and self-medicating with alcohol.
“I tried drinking. I didn’t have to try that hard, but it was something that I was doing privately. I didn’t want to share my problems with people or having anyone else to know that I was unhappy. I was living a ‘dream life’ for any Australian,” he said.
Occasionally attending training sessions hungover, because it was easier than attending depressed, he told Parkinson he had contemplated thoughts of suicide.
But it was Thorpe’s sexuality that comprised half of the interview, first asked of him at the age of just 16 years old.
“I’m not straight,” he told Parkinson. “This is only something that very recently, in the past 2 weeks, I have been comfortable telling the closest people around me, exactly that.
“I’ve wanted to for some time but I couldn’t.”
Parkinson quizzed Thorpe if he had lied about his sexuality in the past.
“Yes I did. Everyone does,” he admitted.
“I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man. I don’t want young people to feel the same way that I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay.
Thorpe told his family and friends, of his decision this year.
“They told me that they love and support me,” he said.
But constant media scrutiny since he was a teenager was “inappropriate.” Media also suggested close friends were secret partners.
“I felt like I shouldn’t have been asked about it. If I wasn’t I asked I feel I would have been much younger (coming out),” he said.
“I was already living somewhat of a lie in my life because I was trying to be what I thought was the right athlete by other people’s standards.
“I wanted to make my nation proud of me. Part of me didn’t know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. But I am telling not only Australia, but I am telling the world that I am and I hope it makes this easier for others now. Even if you’ve held this in for years it feels better to lift this and get this out.
“It became a convenient lie for me to not accept it. Because I wasn’t accepting it within myself. I didn’t want to be gay, but I realised (with) everything else that I was doing, I still was gay at the end of the day.
While Thorpe acknowledged he would find men attractive he had no thoughts of hooking up, too scared of people finding out.
But he agreed with Parkinson that his admission would now signal a new chapter in his life, including being a step closer to having his own family.
“I’m a little bit ashamed that I didn’t come out earlier. That I didn’t have the strength, the courage to do it, to break the lie,” he explained.
“But everyone goes on their own path to do this. But I just don’t want that struggle to be so hard for other people.”
Ian Thorpe will appear on TEN’s coverage of the Commonwealth Games.
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15 Responses
I really don’t think that if Thorpe went low key and did something like releasing a written statement to clear up the issue, people would stop asking. Every journalist in at least this country would be bugging Thorpe to elaborate and the gossip mags and tabloids would probably just make stuff up.
No way it would end with just a simple statement, whether done before or after the Commonwealth games.
David, i realize that but doesn’t mean everyone has to like the way in which someone has done it. He didnt just not come out, he hid it & lied, big difference. Sorry but i think when someone reaps all the rewards of being famous, then the public does have some right to judge their personal choices. In an ideal world the coming out of a public figure would have no effect on society, but it does because people, including children, look up to those people.
I’m sure there are people i know who didn’t like how or when i came out & i’m fine with that. Obviously i am not famous so no i don’t have the weight of the rest of the world judging me but don’t think i am saying it from a place where i know nothing about the experience.
and thanks for the clarification re fees.
@matricite Exactly! It belittles someones coming out as nothing more than juicy gossip worthy of tabloid headlines. He could have done something alot more low key, like release a written statement, just to clear up the issue so people would stop asking him, then he could get on with his work for the Commonwealth Games, end of! But no, he had to make a big spectacle of it & rake in some cash too.
@David but you’re the industry insider, so maybe you can tell us what the actual figure is?? I’m not sure why you keep pointing out the figure is unconfirmed. Even if it was 1/4 of that, its still a ridiculously high fee which i think is what everyone else’s point is.
I run a blog, which means I respond to comments. Readers have raised the amounts not me. Any insider experience I can provide is that journalists, publicists, network spokespeople 90% of the time do not know the salaries of those they deal with and often represent. They are private contracts between managements. Again, none of the speculation has put a time period on his contract. $400,000 for a 3 year contract would not be unusual. That’s a big difference from suggestions he got that money for a 90 min interview. I find it pretty offensive that you are telling someone how they should come it, to be honest. It’s a personal choice when and how.
As a gay man who fought my identity for most of my life, I related very well to what Ian had to say.
I’m not even a person with a profile, so I can understand the struggle he has been living through.
I hope his very public ‘confession’ brings him some peace.
To people making frivolous comments such as ” Big surprise ” and “who cares ?”, you’re missing the point.
Please have some respect and refrain from commenting on something you obviously have no interest in.
I have mixed feelings about this interview.
Congratulations for coming out. It takes real feat and courage to do such thing. Many young gay Australians will now look up to him as a role model.
On the other hand, it felt like he was seeking attention. If he wanted to come out, why the spectacle? An interview in a prime time slot is as flashy as it gets. I’m not attacking Ian one bit, but I felt like there was no need for the hysteria. I’m a gay man myself, and only wish that one day there will be no need to “come out”.
Also, I did not at all liked how Channel Ten handled the promos. They used his sexuality as a hookline to draw in viewers, which quite frankly makes it that much more daunting for a young LGBT teen to accept it in themselves.
Personally I’m a bit tired of the Ian Thorpe saga. He was a great olympian in the day but he needs to move on. The whole idea of coming out during a Parkinson interview just seemed a bit like a side-show.
$400,000 paid interview.{what a joke}give the money to someone who needs it!
As previously noted, the fees aren’t confirmed. Thorpe’s fee is for his network contract, so nobody has said if it is $400k for 3 years for example.
@ Kevin
“…If I was paid that, I’d gladly admit to anything Ten wanted me to say.”
Same here !
Think a lot of us would jump through hoops with bells on – that much money is not to be sneezed at.
Reportedly $400,000 to Thorpe and $100,000 to Parky.
I didn’t see it, but as I read this cost Ten 500 000 for the interview (I’m sure some of this payment went to pay Parkinson), if I was paid that, I’d gladly admit to anything Ten wanted me to say.
Watched the Thorpe interview for a few mins but unfortunately found it as interesting as watching paint dry.
Whilst undisputedly a swimming legend, Ian appears to lack personality or humour – coming across as almost robotic and humourless in demeanour last night.
Why come out after all this time?
Maybe I’m being cynical but if those newspaper figures are correct he and Parky have done this interview mainly for the money.
(I understand Ian has had major financial issues recently).
Well blow me down …stop the presses .. !!
I thought it was a moving and significant chronicle of the life of one of Australia’s favourite sons It was too long, could have been an hour; but that said it covered a fair terrain. Watching Ian’s own development on screen during that interview was fascinating, and I can only hope that being more comfortable in his own skin, he can finally lift his spirit and his navigation of a happier life. I so understand his concerns and his torture. Thousands of Aussie people struggle every day with their sexuality; amplified here by the scrutiny and expectation that this country places on its tall poppies. His life purpose is still unfolding; and I say good for him.
And the beauty is those people watching last night when Thorpey came out, were inflicted to watch the watermark for family fued ….