Sunday, April 15, 2012

Out Spotlight

The winner of five Olympic medals, today's Out Spotlight is the world’s most successful diver and among the most high-profile openly gay athletes. Athlete, author and activist, Today's is Greg Louganis.

Gregory "Greg" Efthimios Louganis was born January 29, 1960, born of Samoan/Swedish descent was raised in California by his adoptive Greek-American parents in the San Diego, CA area. He attended Santana High School in Santee, California, and Valhalla High School in El Cajon, California.

Louganis scored a perfect 10 in the Junior Olympics in 1971, at age 11. At sixteen Louganis took part in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he placed second in the tower event, behind Italian sport legend Klaus Dibiasi. Two years later, with Dibiasi retired, Louganis won his first world title in the same event with the help of coach Ron O'Brien. In 1978, he accepted a diving scholarship to the University of Miami where he studied theater, but in 1981 transferred to the University of California, Irvine.

He graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1983. At the World Championships the following year, Louganis became the first diver to score a perfect 10 at an international meet.

At 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, with record scores, he won gold medals in both the springboard and tower diving events. He was also the first diver to exceed 700 points in the two competitions.

For those achievements he received the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in 1984 as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States.

After winning two more world championship titles in 1986, he repeated his 1984 feat in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But this time with some unexpected difficulties: he suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the springboard during the preliminary rounds while performing a reverse 2½ pike.

Despite suffering a concussion, he continued diving and won two gold medals. He became the first male diver to win double golds in consecutive Olympics.

At the time of the incident he did not disclose to the public that he was HIV positive.

In 1994 he announced he was gay and took part in the 1994 Gay games as a diving announcer as well as putting on a diving exhibition for capacity crowds.

In 1995, Louganis cowrote his autobiography, Breaking the Surface, with the assistance of author Eric Marcus. For years, Louganis' cheerful public persona never hinted at the personal troubles he had to surmount - his HIV diagnosis, coming out as a gay man, domestic violence, substance abuse, dyslexia and surrounding all of this, his depression.

In the book, he disclosed he was HIV positive and had been diagnosed a few months before the Seoul Games. He also disclosed a past relationship of domestic abuse and rape.

As expected at that time, he loss most of his corporate sponsors when they heard the news of his HIV status. The only exception was swimsuit manufacturer Speedo, who retained him as an endorser of their products until 2007.

After his announcement, people in and out of the international diving community began to question his decision not to disclose of his status at the time of his head injury during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Their concern was that because of the bloody nature of his injury, Louganis placed all of his diving competitors at risk of being exposed to HIV. The United States Olympic Committee expressed great concern about the possibility of HIV exposure.

The book spent five weeks at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list. His story was also documented in the 1996 Showtime movie Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story with Mario Lopez playing the lead and Louganis narrating.

Louganis also produced a video diary called Looking To the Light, which picked up where Breaking the Surface left off.

In the years since his diagnosis was made public, Louganis has been an outspoken HIV awareness advocate. He has worked frequently with the Human Rights Campaign to defend the civil liberties of the LGBT community and people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

He also put his theater training to good use, taking on roles in movies, including in 1993, Louganis starred as a chorus boy who dies of AIDS in the Off Broadway play “Jeffrey.”, the movie Touch Me in 1997 and David Oliveras' debut movie Watercolors in role of Coach Brown, a swimming instructor in a high school.

In the October/November 2010 issue of ABILITY Magazine, Louganis stated that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is "absurd," "unconstitutional," and a "witch-hunt." He added that "gay men and women have been serving this country for years. . . [it's] basically encouraging people who are serving our country to lie to each other."

Earlier this year, he appeared as himself in the second season of IFC's comedy Portlandia.

Currently Louganis competes actively in dog agility competitions with his dogs, Dr. Schivago, Captain Woof Blitzer, and Dobby. Most of his current competitors are named for characters in the Harry Potter series. He has also published the book For the Life of Your Dog co-written with Betty Sicora Siino.

Since November 2010, Louganis has been coaching divers of a wide range of ages and abilities in the SoCal Divers Club in Fullerton, California


“When you're a kid growing up, and you think you're gay, you're often teased. But sports can be great for building self-esteem.”

22 comments:

Special K said...

Happy Birthday PG!!

Hope you have a great day and super start to great year ahead!

AUS10 said...

Bon Iver------> say.ly/HqC35ldM

WhoSay
1:04 PM - 15 Apr 12

Seaweed said...

WoW !

Incredible Spotlight on Greg Louganis. Will have to get a hold of his book and read it.

I've said it before and will say it again, no doubt, that you have an incredibe body of work here Special on your "Out Spotlights".

Worrying about all those in harms way thanks to the extreme weather conditions this weekend in Central USA. Stay safe.

Florida Tom said...

Great Spotlight. I love Greg Louganis. I was just wondering if SK had ever done a Spotlight on Greg. I think Billy Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Greg are probably the most famous great athletes to ever have come out. I can't wait for the day when an active well admired NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL player comes out. What a story it would be if a Superstar came out. Would the world think differently of a Tom Brady or a Albert Pulous if they were to come out. Would kids stop looking up to them. It will be a great day when it happens. Hopefully some day soon.

NY Daily News said...

A lower East Side barbershop that’s been a hot spot for celebrities credits its success to a traditional, yet high-end grooming experience.

“Don’t be surprised when you come here for your regular cut and see Jake Gyllenhaal seated on the chair to your left, or Wu-Tang’s GZA to your right,” says Michael Malbon, founder of Frank’s Chop Shop. “All clients get the same quality treatment. We let them sit in the barber chair and relax.”

The Essex St. shop has become a destination for the style-conscious around the world. The barbers have built a dedicated following ranging from young professionals and edgy gals to gilded hip-hop stars and A-list actors.

Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody, rapper Rick Ross, hip-hop artist Drake and journalist Anderson Cooper are among the clients who have sat in Frank’s four vintage barber chairs.

Frank’s Chop Shop brings back and embraces the classic barbershop, a piece of 1930s Americana that is vanishing,” Malbon says.

Old-fashioned straight-edge razor shaves are offered, along with haircuts and shapeups. There are no distractions like loud flat-screen TVs, piles of product clutter or spa stations.

“With barbering, there’s an art to conversation and an art to grooming,” head barber and manager Brandon (Mr. Bee) Wiseman says as his tattooed fingers work away at a client’s scalp.

Mr. Bee emphasizes the importance of a barber building a quality relationship with a client. The painter and rocker with the band Scrapers taught himself how to cut a broad range of styles, starting with mohawks during his punk-skater youth in Boston.

“You act accordingly and engage in conversation with the vibe of each client,” Mr. Bee says.

more...

prairiegirl said...

Thanks to everyone for the happy birthday wishes. It's been a great weekend.

Thanks, Special, for the Aimee Mann!!! I LOVE Aimee Mann, having just discovered her on an alternative online radio station. And I love this song.

I hereby dedicate this song to the William Morris Agency.

straight-edged razor said...

As mountain manish as Jake looks I find it amusing that a whole write up appears about his grooming habits at Frank's Chop Shop. I remember the tweeted photo last year of Jake with the guy at the barbershop and he was wearing a t-shirt that read: Fuck the truth – lies are the new black!

I think Jake purposely wanted that photo to go out because that's how he feels when it comes to his ethical compass. I shutter to think what kind of kids he's going to raise.

64 million! said...

Did anyone see this rehash of the ridiculous random act of kindness parking meter “story” today? What really took be aback was the article says that Jake is reportedly worth $64 million. If that’s the case, then feeding parking meters in Beverly Hills is all kinds of laughable. A friend of mine try to do the same thing in LA for someone and the citation officer told her to move along.

If he’s really worth those kinds of bucks then why doesn’t Jake come out and make his own movies? To continue to live a lie like he does is very perplexing and pretty darn disturbing.

Jake Gyllenhaal worth 64 million dollars?

Florida Tom said...

No way Jake is worth 64 million dollars. No way.

I do remember the old barbershops and the straight razors. The HIV/AIDS epidemic pretty much put an end to that. They actually would reuse the razor. I remember the big straps they used to sharpened the razors on. For some reasons I loved the sound they made.

I am glad you enjoyed your birthday PG. Hopefully the storms have subsided in the Midwest.

Go Flyers............

funny or die said...

CCOKC-Child Celebrities Opposing Kirk Cameron

video

Florida Tom said...

That video is so funny.




Where has the time gone. Greg has certainly aged but still is good looking.

Seaweed said...

We're all getting up in Kirk Cameron's (Ultra Right - Homophobic) Ass.

Amen to that! Great Video, can see this going viral on facebook and youtube

Just the right amount of tongue and cheek. I love it and hope it gets lots of positive attention and great airtime.

Please Translate said...

Did you bothered by Ryan Gosling's "city hero story" for such a long time?

Huh?

the real m said...

PG, Happy Birthday. Hope you had a wonderful day.

Those have to be the cutest dog names I've ever heard. I remember when Greg hit his head. Very scary.

That poor barber shop. Jake running around with a scraggly beard and in need of a haircut at the same time the article comes out makes for poor advertising.

Jake 64 million? The man wears the same pants days in a row and rides the subway. Not even close to 64 mil. 6 mil may be more like it, which isnt chump change mind you.

Just Passing By said...

Does anyone knows exactly what is Jake Gyllenhaal's asking price per film? Because this isn't the first time I've read in which Jake is worth 64 million. I had a hard time buying then as I do now. I could go with 30 or 34 million but 64? That does seem a little extreme. I've always thought after BBM he was somewhere in the in the 7 or 8 million asking price range. But even with that, that wouldn't measure up to 64 million, unless he's getting a slice of the gross with certain films he's made.

sass said...

Happy belated Birthday PG! I read someplace, here in NYC press???, though I totally can't remember which one, of family money, real estate on his Mom's side, not that it's our boys money at all or in his control...though it may well be someday.

Why is it 73 degrees in NYC so soon? bleh... Enjoyed Out Sunday as usual...love learning facts previously unknown to me...and its all good.
I bought Onions and gnats in the door...S*it
sass

happy family said...

karen k dickey ‏ @karenkristian
Sitting next to Maggie Gyllenhal and her cute family at brunch! Brooklyn wins so many times.
15 april

destiny said...

No way Jake is worth 65 million. He's made a lot of small films that either didn't pay a lot, or for which he took a substantial pay cut. His biggest paycheck was POP, and he got what, $7 million? I think that number is out there because there's a website that purports to know the net worth of stars, and it has that number, but it's a pretty sorry looking site, hasn't been updated in years, and doesn't give you any idea how they came up with the number.

Jake's parents lived partly off of real estate investments, but the papers in the divorce made it pretty clear they're just upper middle class, not rich by any stretch of the imagination.

I would guess Jake is probably worth $15-$20 million at most. Still good money, and still enough to live on the rest of his life without working.

Not Sold on The Brady Bunch Tale said...

happy family said...

karen k dickey ‏ @karenkristian
Sitting next to Maggie Gyllenhal and her cute family at brunch! Brooklyn wins so many times.
15 april


No mention of the husband unless he is included in that endearing term of "cute".

wondering said...

There are no sightings or pictures of Austin at Coachella. Was he really there?

it is a matter of logical versus fiction said...

There are no sightings or pictures of Austin at Coachella. Was he really there?

Yes he was.

Austin said...

AUSTIN NICHOLS ‏ @AUS10NICHOLS

Radiohead ------> http://fb.me/1xFf0HUUb
3 h ago