Interview by Oliver Carnay of Balita.com


Was taken during the The Real Deal event held at the
Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.


 

                                                                          

Danny Roberts became one of the most iconic gay characters presented in MTV Real World. More than five million people watched the first episode, and on second, people were fascinated by his story.

When he got recruited for the New Orleans season in late 1999, Danny was having a personal crisis. He has not told his parents that he is gay. More so, he met his new boyfriend, Paul Dill, a half-Filipino well-decorated U.S. Army Captain, whose true identity he could not reveal at the time because of the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. During the show Paul appeared on MTV to visit Danny. He was known as "the guy behind the blur". Because of this, he was hailed by the media as the man who "finally put a face" to the issue.

After four long years, last December 29, 2003, MTV aired the special, "Out in the Real World," revealing Paul’s identity for the first time, which included never-before-aired footages, and a first-time interview with Paul and Danny, about how they were always nervous about the frenzied media, finding out Danny’s true persona and Paul’s threatened military career.

Paul had to give up his military career after eight years of serving the country, and he had seen soldiers being discriminated, killed and humiliated. "A couple of years ago, I met the love of my life and again someone else took the burden of advocate, not only dealing with being "out to America" but also providing the nation a "pop culture" look at the military’s policy. I realized that I’ve been sitting on the sidelines, living a life riding on the shoulders of others. It’s my time to walk down a road that has already been paved by so many before me: Matthew Shepard, Barry Winchell, Leonard Matlovich, Pedro Zamora and James Dale (to name a few)," said Paul in an exclusive MTV interview. "We have a lot of work ahead of us or probably the military has a lot of catching up to do," Paul added.

Danny Roberts has been a role model to every gay in and out of the closet. He spends most of the time lecturing in different schools and organizations all across the country, being a gay activist and a gay icon to many who had admire his and Paul’s bravery. Here’s my exclusive interview with Danny Roberts, days before the airing:

OC: The last time I saw you was two years ago, at the El Rey Theatre. You seemed to have shied away after the Real World. What happened between then and now?

DR: After the MTV aired, I was going to enter show business to do runway and print modeling. I was still living with Paul in Seattle, after he got out of the military. OK, basically, I ran away to Seattle to get away from all these craziness. I pretty disconnected myself from everything. I was getting a lot of attention from the media and there were a lot of social issues because of Paul and I did not want him to be dragged into everything because he was still in the military at that time. I wasn’t ready for it. I just got freaked out by all these but it was perfect to be away for it for a couple of years, and now, I got really comfortable of who I was. Now, I found myself. When I started the show I was unaware of what the military had to say about gays. And when I met Paul, having lived in New Orleans behind the lens forced me into the public eye, and a huge part of that has been dragged, including the one I loved, not knowing if neither of us was ready or willing to deal with at the time. I began absorbing the meaning of the policy and ultimately understood that, it is so wrong in so many ways and so against what we are as a nation, of how discrimination has affected people’s lives. How a minority is looked down upon by a cruel majority.

OC: The first time I saw you, was at the Egyptian Theatre at the Premiere of "Breakfast Boys Club" and I wanted to talk to you and interview you. But your manager, upon knowing that I write for an Asian newspaper, said "NO interview", after making faces at me.

DR: That must be my former manager, and a lot of my best decisions had nothing to do with it. I’m very sorry that you ran into that guy because it had nothing to do with me. He knows that my boyfriend is half-Asian, he’s actually half-Filipino. I love Filipinos, so, I don’t know what was that, all about. After I was in that reality show, everybody wants to represent me. I was bombarded with phone calls. I really did not understand what was going on and I said, you know, it was not right for me so I went on my own. Now, I know how the whole system works. You know what I’m talking about ….!

OC: What else have you been doing after MTV?

DR: Over the past couple of years, I have been speaking to young people about sexuality and coming out. I’ve been speaking in colleges and basically trying to enlighten mainstream straight audience who may not understand issues. Although, my story is very common, I thought I could represent a lot of people through my experience. People who don’t have experience with gay people, or I mean, interacting with gays and gays themselves who are not out in the closet. They live in a little bubble world in suburbia, who believe in gay stereotypes, what they have just been told. Just to let the young American people know that we’re no different from straight people. I have a website which it’s so amazing to know how they feel, and through my words, I’m happy to expand their knowledge and status.

OC: Do you share the same views with Paul?

DR: Well, we’ve been together for four years now and we have a very healthy relationship. Anybody who falls in a relationship and says that they don’t argue, that means they don’t talk to each other. There are always arguments involved, of course.

OC: Your birthday is July 19 and he’s August, he’s a Leo. So, he loves to be the center of attention. I’ve never seen any picture of him.

DR: Nobody has. Actually, on December 29th, MTV aired a special showing him for the first time. The entire special is about us, our story, what happened during the show and afterwards, ultimately about the military issues.

OC: I heard that you’re supporting Howard Dean for the next election?

DR: Obviously, he supports equal rights for gays, but it’s also about equal rights for everybody, which America’s supposed to be about. He stands up for what ultimately is right. A lot of people don’t get it that way — and there are other simple reasons why I like him.

OC: What else is new with you besides appearing in different campuses and colleges?

DR: I will be hosting a travel show with my producer Matt Heller, and our first trip will be in Asia, particularly in Bangkok. It will be a hip travel show for 25-35 year-olds who want to see the world. See the world as a tourist, and we will feature locals around as well. We will have different destination that has edgy things to see, not just your standard place. It’s about exploring the underground of every location.

OC: Will you be touching the gay communities in every location?

DR: If there is a strong gay presence in that location, then we’ll going to check it out, but it’s not going to be like "let’s find gay people in the community". I’m a gay host but it’s not going to be a gay travel show.

OC: Would the Philippines be a part of your travel?

DR: Yeah, we’re looking into it as well. But we need more contacts. Well, Paul is one contact from the Philippines. Actually, I might go with him to the Philippines in January when he takes a vacation with his family and relatives. We need locals that are really connected and who really knows where to go and what to see, and who should we meet. It has to really be a connected person.

OC: Anything else, you’re planning in the future besides hosting the travel show?

DR: I want to have a child! Probably, adopt a child. But who knows, I’ve had some plans a couple of years ago, but look what I’m doing now, who knows?

(And he smiled!)